Exciting Email from Oma

Exciting news!!!  Monday morning the construction crew will begin the work.

Many , many thanks for your help and participation in this project. I plan to have Dad on the scene with his camera to tell the story in pictures. Tell the girls their click really paid off.

Thanks again.

Love to all,  Oma & Nonno

Many thanks to all of you who have read, supported and contributed to this project!

5 sets of feet and 5000 kilometers

We Finished!!!!

As of today, we logged 5000 self-propelled Kilometers.

I am so proud of the girls and how hard they have worked.

Why I love mornings

I am into my training plan for the Olympic Tri I will do in a few weeks. This morning was my long bike. The Dad thinks I'm nuts to get up so early in the morning but I love it.

I woke up this morning and the sky was crystal clear. I could see Orion sharp and clear above me and off to the South was a beautiful lightening storm.

I headed inside to check out 4 different weather sites to make sure that storm wasn't headed toward my ride route then I set off.


I had to stop and take this picture... Good Morning from the Lord!

Dancing Klicks

Little Bit is a tap dancing ballerina!

The bigs decided to stick with Gymnastics this year, but Little Bit opted for ballet and tap class. She is so excited!

Klicking our way to school

Down in sunny Texas, school is back in session!

The Big and Middle Bits are excited to go back and are ready to earn our steady 6 Klicks per day going to and from school.

Splash-n-Dash

The Big Bit swam/ran a kids Splash-n-Dash today. It is amazing to see her strength, courage and self assurance. She is not on swim team, she's not a runner. But she loves doing these races and trying her best.

Her swim was in a pool. Most of the kids are on competition teams but Big Bit held her own. She got stuck in a traffic jam but she didn't panic.

So very proud!!

Mad Dash Miles

Have you ever decided on a plan of action despite it being a bad idea... Then something unexpected happens that turns it into a really bad idea?

There was a heat advisory today but the girls were tucked away so I decided to bike to the gym, swim, then bike home. It's only 6km to the gym so I made sure I had plenty of water and set out. I had checked the weather, which is why I knew about the heat advisory.

As I'm swimming, I hear whistles but figured it was adult swim or something. No. It's thunder and we have to clear the pool and deck. I still have to bike home.


I made it, but I rode REALLY fast. This was the sky when I got home... with lots of rumbling behind me!

 

4500 Klicks and $9000 in funds!

Our not-so-little fund, is up to $9000!! There have been generous donations from wonderful friends and family. Hard working efforts by Oma and Nonno including a recent garage sale at Wistow to bring in more funds...

This sidewalk is going in!

And we are up to 4500km. These last 500 Klicks have been amazing and fun. We earned these last 500km on our vacation to England. From London, ON to London, England. Walked the whole way! Ok, no, but we walked a lot around England.

This is the Big Bit after a 9 hour plane, 1 hour bus and 2 hour train ride:

And the Middle Bit as soon as she could sit down and hold the nephew-bit aka the Little Colonel.

I was able to go on a few runs while we visited my brother and his family. I can run so much farther and faster in England. Is it the cooler climate or the promise of scones and clotted cream at the end of the run??

Now THAT's the way to earn some Klicks! Middle-Bit is in the background tending to the Little Colonel.

The girls made some interesting phone calls on our ramblings about.

And the Big Bit learned a big bit about some big rocks.

The Little Bit acted every bit the royal.

While I snuggled The Little Colonel every chance I could!

The Big Bit made some friends with floating men.

And a two headed monster was spotted.

The Big Bit got in a bit o' trouble...

But found her way to the Eye in spite of the spear!

We straddled East and West in Greenwich...

And made it back to Home Sweet Home. 500km to go...

4000 Klicks in the best of ways

These last 600 kilometers have been earned in so many interesting ways and in so many interesting places!

Last day biking to and from school this year....

Finding the Texas State Capitol Building...

Swimming Klicks with fun swim teachers...

Meeting some interesting walking partners along the way...

Taking our rolly-polly-pill-bug-doodle-bugs for walks...

Camping Klicks...

Biking Klicks...

And more biking Klicks...

Fourth of July Firework Klicks...

And more friends along the way...

Lifting Klicks...

Subway Klicks...

Jelly Klicks?!...

Vertical Klicks...

Longest Street in the World Klicks...

(Yonge St in Toronto, who knew?! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonge_Street)

Ice cream Klicks with feathered friends...

Running Klicks. Oh wait, he's not in our family!

This is my brain on wheels

I love to cycle. It makes me happy!

This is me, mid-30K ride, taking a 'selfie' to send to my brother because I am riding and I am HAPPY!

This also makes me happy. This is me, behind all three of my girls, all without training wheels!! Oma and Nonno came for a visit and we went on an "epic ride." The girls did so well, as did Oma and Nonno! We rode along the bayou ("bi-yo" with a long i and a long o for those of you not from around these parts). We found snails, birds, alligators, squirrels... all sorts of life!

A new angel

Last week, we said goodbye to our Granny. All the things you are supposed to say: she was 92 and lived a good life, she's going home to her friend and Lord, she's in a better place...

But the reality is we will miss her. In many ways I feel, even though she has been my Granny for a long time, I was just now getting to know her. We all will miss her. Gran always asked after Chrissy and was a strong supporter of our Klicks effort.

She's one of Chrissy's Angels now.

This isn't the greatest picture, but it's how I think of Gran. Always lovin' on her girls.

We broke $8000!

In the midst of all the end-of-school-year-chaos, we are klicking on! Oma emailed to let me know our new total... GREATER than $8000!!

Little Bit's school held an end of year musical review. Her class sang "10 Little Fishes," "Three Little Fishes," and then finished up with a Magic School Bus trip to the 60s where they did The Twist.

I've helped stuff popcorn for popcorn parties, timed races for field days, been treated to parent breakfasts... it's busy!

To earn or not to earn, that is the question

Little Bit thinks that Wonder-Dog should earn Klicks too. Hmmmm. He does walk a lot....

Being vulnerable

I'm hearing a lot lately about being vulnerable. There is no great gain with out great risk. There is no creativity with out failure. And all the things you say....

I decided to take a risk today. I put our blog link up on some Rett Syndrome sites and FB pages.

I feel passionately about getting this sidewalk done for Chrissy. There is so little we can DO for her. Even simple things, like Christmas and birthdays... what does she need? Nothing.

But this. This would bring more joy to her life. This we can help accomplish.

So I'm putting us out there.

Putting me out there.

I hope it helps us get this gift done.

A new chart

A new start and a new sign to track our progress.

When we left Beijing we took our previous chart off the wall to bring with us but it tore beyond repair. I have wanted to put up a new chart, but haven't been able to get it organized.

Then we crossed 3000KM. We NEED a new chart so the girls can see how far they have come!

Happy Mother's Day!

I asked the girls to take a "super long bike ride" with me for Mother's Day. My request was no fussing, we go far, and have fun.

The girls delivered and I don't think my gift could have been any better!

It was cool and misting which was a great way to ride. We took a path along the bayou near our house and even went under the highway (which the Middle Bit thought was Ah-Mazing!).

We saw lady bugs, mystery beetles, red birds, frogs, fish, turtles, birds of all kinds, butterflies... and had a wild blackberry feast.

And now, we've crossed the 3000KM mark!!