Reading in the New Year 2020

End of Year News

Happy New Year to everyone! This has been a fantastic year for all of us here in the Wershow family.

D, who had been having trouble writing in school, is no longer having difficulty and is invited to be tested for the gifted and talented program at her school! She is progressing in her swim lessons, and has passed two levels this year. I don’t know if she’s still wanting to swim the English Channel, but she’s working hard nevertheless. She is also in the Twin Cities Girls’ Choir this year, and is enjoying it, despite all the hard work. She may try a less intensive singing program next year. 😊 D had her first slumber party this year, and was so excited for her 10^th birthday.

M is also doing much better this year. Despite his ADHD, he is doing well in school and is the most self-aware 7 year old I’ve ever met. Like his sister, he is quite bright. He was in soccer over the summer, and did a fantastic job. He is also progressing in his swim lessons.

IL just had his first birthday on the 7^th of December, and really enjoyed his cake, though he luckily didn’t eat enough to give himself a stomach ache like he did at D’s birthday party. He is walking and says “mama,” “dada,” “yeah,” “all done,” and I’m pretty darn sure he’s saying “thank you.” The doctor said that most 15 month olds don’t have that much of a vocabulary, so he’s progressing quite well.

Aaron is still enjoying his “new” job, and is working hard. He’s enjoying having a baby around the house immensely, as well as enjoying his older children as well. He likes playing video games, and listening to me ramble on while hypomanic.

I have finished 46 books this year despite the baby (mostly audiobooks while cleaning). My goal was 75. I have also learned to eat Brussels sprouts, which I’m eating as I type this letter. I have joined a fitness club and will start swimming as an exercise to help with the bursitis in my hip. The sauna is also a great help to the hip.

My parents are doing well, despite mom’s progressing Alzheimer’s. Dad is in physical therapy to help him walk better, and it’s helping a lot.

New Year Goals

📖 >50% of books I read are nonfiction

📖 <25% of books I read are purchased in 2020

📖 75 books total (this is always my goal, reasonable or not)

🏃‍♀️Lose >40 pounds

🏃‍♀️Reduce to 1 can diet soda a day

🏃‍♀️ Drink 80oz water per day

🏃‍♀️ Have an average zero net calorie deficit (consumed – burned) weekly

🏃‍♀️Exercise >4 times per week

I’m going to use the blogging community to hold me accountable for my health program, so beginning next Friday, I will present a weekly table showing my progress. I know it’ll be a bit sketchy at first – lifestyle changes take a lot of work. But I figure accountability is the best way to deal with this. I already saw a dietitian to help me with my meal plans. 🙂 The table will hopefully look like this by the end of the year:

 This assumes that my bursitis is not in the middle of a flare-up on those days, of course. 🙂