RUN in STYLE

Who doesn't love a new running shirt? And I'm not talking about cotton. This is a REAL RUNNING performance shirt and one that actually helps support a fabulous cause like the Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund! Plus, if you are going to come to the Cap-Tex Tri on May 28th to cheer us on, you will want to be dressed to impress! 

Buy A TRI-ing For A Cause T-Shirt:
Purchase a t-shirt to help us raise money for the Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund. They are a Royal blue Badger B-Dry Performance shirt for $25 each with majority of the profits going to the foundation (shipping not included but if you would like it mailed to you please let me know). T-Shirt Sizes:  Youth (S, M, L) Adult (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL) View sizing line up:http://www.customink.com/items/sizing/160800_lineup/standard.htm Order by Mail: 1. Please email TRIingForACause@gmail.com with your order and size. In the subject line please put "T-shirt Order: YOUR NAME". If you need it shipped to you please add $5 to the order and a preferred shipping address. 2. Make check payable to: Ann Marie Francese 3. Mail check to: Ann Marie Francese, 2408 Enfield Rd #212, Austin, TX 78703 We will be ordering the shirts on May 2nd so please let us know if you would like one by ordering online or emailing TRIingForACause@gmail.com  We will order extras but there are no promises we will have the size you prefer. Front: TRI-ing For A Cause, Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund, 2012 Back: Float the Swim, Walk the Bike, Crawl the Run Note: if you mail a check please make it out to Ann Marie Francese

Happy 30 to you!

Many of my wonderful friends turned 30 this past month. To celebrate them, I dug up some old photos from their early 20s! Happy 30th!

Me & Kel

Melissa celebrating her birthday with a Barbie cake!

In New Orleans with Ryan and Court (birthday girl on right)!

About Mark Felice

There once was a teenage boy. He did his homework, ate lunch with his friends, took girls to school dances, and went to soccer practice after school. He had loving parents and two sisters, one older, one younger. He spent hot summer days on Lake Austin wake-boarding with his friends.


One day, after a wake-boarding accident he discovered he had Rhabdomyosarcoma, a solid tumor found in the base of his skull. 


Even through radiation, chemotherapy and a relapse, Mark pushed himself so he could be out with his friends and family, wake-boarding and on the soccer field. 


Mark died on October 15, 2003 surrounded by his friends and family that he had touched and shown what life had to offer. 


All that Mark wanted was for no other child to go through the trials of cancer. He wanted every child to be a normal kid with his life in front of him and goals within reach. And this is why we raise money, to honor Mark and his wish. 


Over the years, your generous donations have helped families pay for nausea medication for children receiving chemo, parking for those that can’t afford to park at the hospital to visit their own child, and the means necessary to buy simple every-day items like shoes and beds. They are spending every waking minute with their children and every penny they have to afford treatment. Read more stories here.

TRI-ing For A Cause has been raising money since 2008 for the Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund. Our goal this year is to raise $5,000! This year the Felice family will be matching every dollar we raise!

TO DONATE

Visit: http://triingforacause.blogspot.com/p/make-donation.html

OR

Make checks payable to: The Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund

Mail to:

            TRI-ing For A Cause

            c/o Ann Marie Francese

            2408 Enfield Rd #212

            Austin, Texas 78703

Please visit our blog for more information about the cause, to buy a TRI-ing For A Cause t-shirt, corporate sponsorship or learn more about donating to the cause.

No donation is too small and none are too large. Our goal with the Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund is to help fund needed treatments and to help in the research to eradicate childhood cancers. Thank you for supporting us as we make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer!

Thank you for your support!

Spring Choo Choo Ride

Time to TRI

Hey Triathlon & Fundraiser Lovers!

It's TRI-ing time of year again.

It sure does sneak up on me each year. I'm already hitting the pool (ok, I've only swam once this year), the bike, and the pavement. Exciting news in the bike department, my mom got a new bike so I'm getting her old road-bike. Love me some hand-me-downs! This means two things, 1) I can't use the excuse "I'm slow bc I don't have a road-bike" anymore and 2) I'm much more likely to get blown over by a tiny gust of wind bc her bike is so light weight!

More important than the working out, is of course our fundraising. I'm so proud of my sister. Each year we've done a triathlon (since 2008) she has raised money in memory of her friend Mark Felice (middle picture in the collage above), who died from cancer at age 17. She's so on top of things, she could run a business! She has a blog with links galore on how to fundraise. She created t-shirts! She has a facebook page! The list goes on and on. If you don't believe me, just go HERE!

Our goal this year is to raise $5,000. What's even more exciting is that Mark's family is going to match that donation dollar for dollar. Do the math people, if we reach our goal, we will be helping families who are suffering from childhood cancer with $10,000!!!!!

No donation is too small!

TO DONATE

Visit: http://triingforacause.blogspot.com/p/make-donation.html

OR

Make checks payable to: The Mark Felice Childhood Cancer Fund

Mail to:

            TRI-ing For A Cause

            c/o Ann Marie Francese

            2408 Enfield Rd #212

            Austin, Texas 78703

Please visit our blog for more information about the cause, to buy a TRI-ing For A Cause t-shirt, corporate sponsorship or learn more about donating to the cause.

The Artist

It all started with a beautiful blank canvas...

A clean white shirt...

Added some color...

Look at me mom!

Easter Bunny

Davis LOVED seeing the Easter Bunny this year. While we waited in line, all I heard was, "is it my turn yet?" over and over and over. Finally, when it was his turn, he ran to the bunny and gave her the longest, biggest hug EVER. It was like she was his long lost puppy.

Bunnies, Eggs, & Chocolate

Our Easter was spent in Austin this year with my mom's side of the family. All 25 of us crammed into my parents house on Lake Travis and every minute was jam-packed with fun!

Friday night the young crew (I'm including myself in this group) went to see Yonder Mountain String Band at Stubb's and then headed to Dogwood on West 6th for some dancing. Around 3am, I wasn't considering myself part of the young crew anymore and I'm pretty sure I paid for the lack of sleep the rest of the weekend. What was I thinking?!?! Oh well, it was a fun night out on the town with my cousins.

Saturday was spent lounging in the hammock, grilling, swimming, and dying eggs! Davis especially loved making his eggs green. We also threw in a couple spring birthday celebrations and did a little karaoke!

Easter morning we had 9 Easter baskets waiting for all the kids! The Easter bunny hid about 70 eggs! The kids went crazy running around the house! Davis loved opening each egg before dumping it into his basket. Some were filled with chocolate, which he devoured quickly. Most of the eggs were filled with "chapel money" which is what Davis likes to call change. After hunting eggs, we had a delicious brunch then headed to Church. Davis was so good at Church and loved taking his dollar up to the front to put in the donation basket.

Happy Easter!

Ranch Days

We headed out to the ranch a couple weekends ago to scout out hog tracks...and of course ride the Mule, look for cows, and check on the goldfish.