Thanks Uncle Mikey!

We have decided to let the kids ride bikes to school this year, despite the fact that my new car would help accommodate a carpool. However, a week before school started I was informed that Jacob’s $3 garage sale bike was broken. He has been ready for a new bike since last year, but I thought the little bargain that I got last fall was going to buy us a little more time.

When Samantha was 3 years old we bought her first bike, we bought it a little big at the time but we never expected it to last as long as it did. She obviously got her use out of it. Last summer she started asking for a new bike, so we had her start saving up. With the help of generous gifts around her birthday she put her all her money together and got her bike. With all the work that Samantha put in, it was hard as parents just to go out and buy Jacob a new bike despite the desperate need. Although we give our kids a gracious allowance, that wouldn’t be fast enough, so we started brain storming. Jacob wanted to put up a lemonade stand, but I had a better idea…

Jacob sold CD’s door to door. Of course we only targeted people we knew, but I think it was really good for him to approach people and tell them about the great new CD that his Uncle Mike just produced. Mike has put together a great collection of original piano solo hymn arrangements, and some of his own songs. I would like to thank all of our friends and neighbors that helped contribute to this great cause, and if anyone feels bad that we didn’t knock on your door you can just go straight to the source to buy (and listen to the music) www.michaelethington.com or let me know and I will get some more.

At first Jacob really wanted me to help do the talking, but after awhile he got the hang of it. Since we were subsidizing the bike anyway I just let him put all the money from the CD’s in his savings jar. He thought he was rich and kept talking about all the things that he could buy. We had to keep reminding him how much his bike was going to cost and that he wouldn’t have any money left over. This week he finally got his new bike and he willing turned over his jar full of hard earned money. He has been riding his bike to and from school every day and loves it. Thanks Uncle Mikey!