Jump Rope for Heart

81. Donate to an important charity or cause (Completed 15/05/14)

Alexis was the driving force behind this but it really was a family effort.  Jump Rope for Heart came to Lexi's school and she decided to aim big.  She wanted to raise $2500.  I was pessimistic, I won't lie.  I told her (and shame on me really) to aim lower.  So we aimed for $500.  And I'll again be honest, and didn't think even that would happen.  But with a lot of effort from the family as a whole and yes, that did include a donation from us (although that was nothing compared to some donations).

Via online donations mostly, and some cash donations - from people who we knew, to strangers, to A PLANE FULL OF PEOPLE, Lexi raised $4420.  

Some big moments included:
- Alexis and Memphis being in the newspaper
- the flight crew on our flight from Melbourne getting behind Lexi and taking up a collection ($200 in coins!)
- Jump Off Day
- Prizegiving and meeting Happy Heart.

This pic from the Albert & Logan News

Lexi's teacher helps her with some skipping

One of the easier activities at Jump Off Day

Go Lex!

Lexi's facepaint for the Tiger Airways crew that helped her out!

Prizegiving at school

Meeting Happy Heart!!!

Happy Heart and her prizes

Memphis having a hole in his heart was the driving force behind the whole thing.

Jump Off

Overdue photos of Miss Alexis!  She had her "Jump Off" day on May 1st, for Jump Rope for Heart.  It's all over now - Jump Off has been, fundraising is over.  All that needs to happen now is the awards assembly at school, where she (we) will meet the QLD Co-ordinator for the program and Lexi will also receive some prizes.  It is all quite exciting, really.  She doesn't actually realise that she is getting prizes.  

Her final total was $4400.00 - pretty damn amazing considering the school sitting in 2nd place for fundraising is on a combined total of $4725.00!!!

Anyway, pictures say a thousand words!  

Clearly thrilled that Mum came along with the camera

A little better, Lex :P

Sack races... the bags didn't quite hold up haha

One must always be on the ready to stop and pose

Realising that she has to actually do this hahaha

Lexi wasn't heavy enough to break her bag, had to do it properly.
Tongue out for extra concentration haha

Quiet activity - colouring in heart murals

Mrs Wilson jumps in to lend a hand.  Lexi takes advantage of that haha

My favourite picture of the day!

Another pit-stop, this time for a healthy snack!

Memphis is a bit peeved she didn't share lol

Getting some air!

She really enjoyed herself

Thanks to everyone who supported our little superstar

Faith in people: Restored

I'm a mum of three.
And I just flew, twice, in the space of 11 days.  With all three.
Single mums who travel with three?  My hat comes off to you, that is for sure.  It was a lot to juggle even with Ty there!

We flew Tiger Air amidst lots of well-wishes from friends - expect very little, I was told.  Hell, I was told to not even expect our flight to leave.  I was anxious.  Really, really anxious.  What if our flight didn't leave?  We couldn't afford to rebook with another airline, and well, who wants to explain to the 4 year old jumping out of her skin with excitement because she is mere hours from seeing her grandmother?  Her favourite person in the universe?
The stars all aligned though, and although we had a half hour delay (and we've had MUCH worse than that on other airlines), we were underway and headed to Melbourne.  With 4 very lovely cabin crew who were chatty and interactive with the kids and happily let me sway and rock the baby in the galley at the back of the plane until he zonked off in to a peaceful slumber.  

Coming home, that anxiety returned a little... I really didn't want to be stuck in Melbourne.  I desperately missed my pillows.   And my cat.  All good though - off we went, excited to see one of the same cabin crew from the flight down who had kept me company during my galley-sway-session on the previous flight.  The kids were CHUFFED to be on a plane again - they loved it.  And we had cabin crew who loved kids and babies.  And a half full flight, so less people to annoy hahaha.  

Taylah, Aaron, Jye and Mitchell - AMAZING FLIGHT CREW!  AMAZING PEOPLE!

AWESOME CREW!  THANKS TIGER!

These guys were amazing!  They bent over backwards to help us out as we juggled the kids and way too much luggage (bag of Easter eggs, anyone!), fell in love with Memphis, and gave my two very well behaved bigguns a hot chocolate each (much to their delight!)  It was amazing having people so interactive with the kids because it made the trip for them a whole lot more enjoyable.  

We were chatting about Memphis and his size, as he's small for his age - not a lot bigger than a newborn at almost 6 months old - and searched our phones for a teeny Memphis picture... of course we'd wiped our phones before heading down to ensure that we had them backed up and free storage space.  So we had a whole one.  But I showed the newspaper article/pic that Alexis and Memphis were in, because that's just what a proud Mama does!  They were all excited for Lexi, who was sitting at just over $2000 (towards her $2500 goal)... One of them decided they were going to tell the other passengers about it!  We weren't sure of the response we'd get but said sure, why not!  Every dollar counts!

Aaron held up a waving (totally adorable!) Lexi, whilst Jye got on the speaker and told everyone what Miss Alexis was up to!  She seriously was up there waving like she was the Queen or something.  Over the speaker they told everyone who she was, why she was raising money, and who she was raising money for.  Most of the flight had met little Memphis as the crew had stolen him for a wander and cuddle and to head up to meet the first officer!  Was a wee bit cute!
At the end of his little speech Jye told the passengers that if they wanted to donate, to press their calls bells and they'd come along and collect.
And then, the most amazing thing happened.

ding
ding
ding
ding
ding
ding

you get the picture....

Orange lights are call bells, and that wasn't even all of them!  Some had been turned off (collected from), others hadn't rung yet. It went on for ages!!!  Was amazing!

The call bells just kept dinging, the aisle lights lighting up.  Our plane was not full, there were HEAPS of spare seats/rows.  And yet nearly every single row that had a person/people in it, lit up.  People were getting out of their seats to open the overhead lockers to get out their wallets and purses.  One even sent Lexi back a chocolate with her change!!!  The crew walked Lexi down and they FILLED a bag with coins (mostly.. so it was heavy for her hehe) and notes.  $191.75 later - the passengers on flight TT572 Melbourne to Gold at 6:35pm Saturday 26th April, you are all AMAZING!!!

I can't even tell you the emotion when those bells started dinging.  The look on Lexi's face as she walked down and people encouraged her, praised her, and donated.  To a cause that is so close to our hearts, to a child trying to make a difference.  There's no words.  I cried, not going to lie.  Until Ty laughed at me for it, so I sucked it up.  But I couldn't stop smiling, and I will never ever forget.

As people disembarked that plane, instead of the usual rush and grumble, anyone who passed her spoke to her.  More encouragement, more enthusiasm.  People were happy.  As we stood waiting for the car we even had a few wave out, call out, honk their horn as they drove past us!  
It was an amazing and surreal experience.

So if you were ever wondering if anyone ever had a good thing to say about Tiger Airways?  The answer is yes.  I do.  And no I'm not sponsored to say that haha!

As of midday today (28/04/2014) Alexis' fundraising total sits at $2880 ($500 of that in cash, the rest online donations).  She has exceeded her $2500 goal and is now powering towards $3000.  People are quite honestly amazing, we've had so many generous friends and family jump on board and donate, and we've had so many strangers, also.

I am so incredibly proud.

Click here to donate!

Thanks Tiger & Passengers! <3

In The Paper

My biggest and my littlest were in the newspaper today!

In case you can't read it here's the link!