Race Mom

 

With Matt in India on business, I was overseeing Chloe's club race. I had my mom to help watch Oliver and Emma Claire and also had the wrenching services of our friend and fellow race parent, George.

 

Chloe had some issues with her kart set-up and George tried to accommodate her as best as he could. We had Matt on Facetime a lot to also help walk us through it.

 

Chloe qualified on pole for the pre-final but made an aggressive move after falling to 2nd at the start and her chain came off sending her to the back of the grid for the final. She drove great in the final but our bad luck as of late proved that it hadn't left. She made a clean pass on another karter and was clearing them when they turned into her and pushed her off-track and once again to the back of the pack. It was really infuriating as it cost Chloe a spot on the podium.

 

In true Chloe form, she raced back from the back but didn't have enough laps remaining. She finished 4th.

 

I was really proud of how she raced and that she didn't give up. She was tied in the club championship for the lead, but after that race she sits in 2nd.

 

Driver's meeting before the racing begins.

A Mom and daughter selfie before qualifying.

On track.

Oh, Canada

We made our 2nd trip this year to race in Canada. I'm hoping the phrase, "The third time is the charm" will work out for us and Chloe when it comes to racing in Canada.

 

 

We had high hopes for this last Canadian regional race. Chloe would race with the Micro Canadian National Champion and would be coached by a four-time world champion kart racer. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out as we planned. The kart competition is fierce in Canada at the micro class and Chloe needs some more race experience with other karters of that caliber. It was a learning experience for her but also a disappointing one too.

 

 

A mistake in qualifying on Saturday became too large a hurdle to recover from and torrential rains and another mis-judgment caused her to go off during Sunday's race despite qualifying 4th. Chloe made it back on to the track and raced hard but it wasn't enough for the podium finish we had all thought would be hers.

 

 

It was good race experience and there is always next year.

 

 

 



Emma Claire in the bus. It was COLD Thursday and Friday in Canada so Oliver, Emma Claire, the dogs and I spent most of our time in the bus.



Oliver doing his homework since he missed two days of school.

A shot of the KMS Race team tent next to the track. Chloe ran with the KMS group at this race.



On the grid.

Lots of rain on track for Sunday's final.

In the KMS tent working on the kart.

Oliver didn't mind the rain.









Mommy & Me

Emma Claire and I started a Mommy & Me class at a nearby church pre-school that she will probably attend next year (without Mom). She did really well the first day and jumped right in to the arts & crafts and play time activities.

 

I had a Mom fail which is obvious in the photos. Each week is a color and for the first day of class it was red. We were supposed to wear red and I totally forgot.

 

 

Snack time.

Emma Claire is selecting a book for reading/story time.

Making a craft.

Free play.

Emma Claire's favorite time---stamps!

Trailer

We got a bigger trailer for the karts a couple of weeks ago. Chloe's kart sponsor decided to spruce it up a bit. We're a real race team now!
 

Matt cleaning the trailer before we got the decals put on.

The trailer after.

 

Matt surprised us with addition of each family member's race #'s and a nod to each family member's heritage.

Matt is #15 with a Union Jack for G.B.

Oliver is #56 with the Ethiopian and U.S. flags.

Chloe is #33 with the Chinese and U.S. flags.

Emma Claire found her race #'s - ?? (because she doesn't race yet). You can see my race #'s to the right of Emma Claire along with the Texas and U.S. flags. I'm the team's chief cook and bottle washer so I got a fork, knife and wrench. Pretty clever.

Soccer

Soccer is back in session. Oliver is on a new team this year...the Manta Rays.

We've had two games and it's rained both games. The kids played through the rain and were soaked. Oliver scored 3 goals. 



Oliver practicing before the game.

Chasing down the ball. This is before the rain began falling.

I hope it's not all grey skies and foul weather for the rest of the season. 

Wheels

It was an important regional race weekend. Chloe raced well. Great competition and the kids had fun playing with their track pals.

Chloe came 2nd on Saturday and won on Sunday.

Chloe showing off her new suit and 1st place trophy.

This weekend puts her in a tie for the lead in the Northeast Rotax. 

Oliver had lots of fun playing. I discovered him riding his friends bike (yes, without a helmet which is a no-no) but without training wheels. I asked Oliver how he learned to ride the bike so well. He replied, "I don't know, I just taught myself". He didn't get why we were all so impressed. It was no big deal to him.

Oliver riding on two wheels--self-taught!

And Miss Emma Claire had fun too.

Emma Claire looking stylish in my sunglasses.

Boots



 Emma Claire did some searching for her brother and sister after they went to school. She didn't quite understand where they went and why the house was quiet. She and I did some chores around the house and then we did a little cowgirl dress up in her pink cowgirl boots.

I was trying to teach her to say "Yee-Haw!".

First Day of School - 2014

We have a 5th grader and a kindergartener in the house!

Oliver is in full-day kindergarten this year. It's a long day for him and he gets to ride a bus. He handled it like a champ.

 Both kids had good first days. I took them for ice cream after school to celebrate and so they could tell me about the day at school.

Chloe is starting the school year with a long-term sub which had me concerned. But, Chloe really liked her sub. who will be with them until December and she has several kids she knows from swimming and her class last year in class. Also, 5th graders get perks. They get to sit on the back of the school bus and on Friday's they can sit anywhere they want in the cafeteria and not as a class.

Oliver had a good day at kindergarten. He was disappointed to find out that they only have water to drink in the classroom and not apple juice (ha!), but otherwise it was a good first day. He had music and they danced. He told me he wants a flute and a drum set. The image of Oliver rocking it on a flute cracks me up. He gets to ride the school bus with his pal who is also our neighbor but I am waiting to hear if that will change. We have to walk behind our neighbors house to the stop and if we have a winter like last year, I'm not cutting through 4 feet of snow to get to the bus stop, especially since another bus stops in front of our house to pick up the children across the street. If Oliver switches the bus, I know he will be upset, but it is more convenient.

Here's to a great school year!

Orientation & Bus Round Up

The day before school is an orientation for kindergarten students. We get to see the classroom and meet the teacher and the kids get to practice how to walk out to their bus, meet their bus driver and go for a ride in the bus. It's amazingly well organized and really made me feel more comfortable sending my little guy off on the big bus to school.

Oliver is upstairs at school. He is in class with his pal and our neighbor, Joseph. He is also in class with another boy he knows from soccer.

Chloe and Oliver at his seat in his classroom.

Outside Oliver's classroom with his classmate.

Getting on his bus for the bus round-up.

Oliver and Joseph going for a bus ride.

Its off to kindergarten tomorrow!