A Christmas Surprise!

We have finished making payments on Katie's new bicycle, and we actually picked it up this week! It's exciting to realize that she worked hard all summer long and well into Autumn on her riding-without-training-wheels skills, and finally she has it down pat. In honor of that accomplishment, Dave and I agreed to put out for a very nice bicycle for her for Christmas!

Waiting for Katie to awake Christmas morning, under the tree there will be a beautiful 24-inch girls purple Raleigh bicycle, 7-speed, with three chain rings in the front. She will now get to learn about shifting!

To make it extra special, we added a few fancy accessories to sweeten the surprise. After getting a price of $40 for just a wicker basket from a bicycle shop in Norwich, I decided to check out our local Benny’s Home & Auto Store. These stores are something like a retro, scaled-down version of a Walmart store, but with small town flavor. I was able to get a white basket, a bell, and even a simple cycling computer -- all for around $20 total!

We're optimistic that this is a bicycle Katie can grow with as she gains new skills, and hopefully she will acquire a deeper affection for the joy of cycling!