Oliver's Yellow Belt Graduation

Oliver is now a yellow belt! 

 

Receiving his yellow belt.

And So It Begins...

The race season has begun. Our winter downtime is over and most of our weekends will be spent at a track. While it's both fun and enjoyed, it also takes a lot of prep and attention (and takes attention away from other things, like mowing, weeding the yard, etc.). It's our busiest and most harried time but also the time we enjoy most.

The last two weekends had us at our local club race and then practicing in south Jersey on Chloe's new chassis. The official race season (i.e. the BIG races) don't begin for another couple of weeks.

Emma Claire is having fun at the track, making her own pals.

Chloe came in 3rd for her first time out in the full-size MiniMax chassis.

Dinner out with friends after the race day is over. Always fun.

Practicing in NJ in her MiniMax and MiniRok--both of which is new to her.

And, Oliver and Emma Claire keep themselves busy at the track.

Happy Easter!

Oliver and Chloe dyed Easter eggs this year. I cheated and purchased the "fake" eggs that look real but are just for dyeing. Turns out they don't dye so well, but I find it a waste to boil eggs just so kids can color them and I never use them in recipes because it grosses me out to use eggs kids dipped in dye and vinegar and then sat out in the yard on an egg hunt, especially with the herds of deer we have come through our front yard. So cheater eggs it was---

The big hit of the egg dyeing was the egg color spinner. Kids loved it. I also highly doubt a real boiled egg could have survived the force that these two spun the color on to the eggs.

 

The glitter eggs was a hit as well. Glitter everywhere.

Some of the finished products.

 And some mess....someone who shall remain nameless but rarely sits still spilled the pink dye as well as dropping the green dye all over my white dining chair and splattering it on the floor and walls. Luckily the magic scrubber and bleach saved the day.

Sunday morning was the egg hunt.

Emma Claire stayed out of the sibling rivalry her older siblings got in to.

 After the hunt was our Easter tradition of cascarones. The kids love these things and I am thankful I have my parents in Texas and Amazon to keep us in supply every Easter (shhhh....I actually bought and had lots more shipped than the kids realized but they get a little out of hand with these things so I limited the number they got to smash on everyone's head).

Emma Claire was trying to peel the cascarone to get to the confetti all the while her big sister and big brother were smashing them on her head. Confetti everywhere!

 Then the kids got to open their eggs. As you can see, not everything inside the eggs was a hit.

"I don't like Jaw Breakers."

 Happy Easter!!

Back on Track

While Chloe has already competed in two kart races in Florida this year, April marks the official start of the karting season in the northeast. The track is now clear of snow and open so it meant a day of testing two of Chloe's new karts---her full-size Mini MAX and her Mini Rok. Mini MAX is a step-up from what she currently races (Micro MAX) and Mini Rok is a different engine and series entirely.

Coming off the track after her very first laps in her Mini MAX. It's a full-size chassis and Matt still had to add 70 lbs. of weight for her to meet the weight requirements.

 And Oliver hit the track too. The plan is for him to race Kid Kart this year, but perhaps the last half of the season after he's had more seat time.

Oliver on track.

Chloe in her Mini MAX.

Emma Claire and I spent most of the time in the Bronco because it was windy and cold!

Chloe getting ready to test her new Mini Rok.

The official race season kicks off next weekend.

Staycation

I had promised the kids a while back that we might go to an indoor water park or hotel with a pool during spring break. This was before we decided that both Oliver and Chloe would go to Florida for Chloe's kart race the week before spring break so I didn't really give it a second thought. But, never forgetting, when Chloe and Oliver arrived back from Florida on the Monday of Spring Break week, they started asking where we were going to go that had a pool.

 

Truthfully, I didn't get to go to Florida. I've been stuck in the snow and cold all winter. A warm pool sounded delightful. Matt recommended a resort very close by, just across the NY border in NJ and I booked a room for one night. They have several indoor pools in the large resort complex. They tout themselves as a golf and spa retreat but it was more like kid haven. I think many in the NY/NJ had a spring break staycation in mind also.

 

Shortly after check-in we hit the pool which was crowded. It was a sunny 66 degree day when we arrived and while that was a nice break from the colder than average temperatures we've been having (not to mention the snow we got the day before), I couldn't figure out why everyone was in the swim-out outdoor pool and no one seemed to be swimming in the indoor pool. Until I got in the indoor pool. The outdoor pool is heated to bathwater temperature, the indoor pool is not.

 



Oliver splashing in the indoor pool and Chloe making her way out of the chilly pool. They didn't spend too much time in this pool.

Playing ping pong.

Emma Claire by the pool fish tank.

 The kids and I went to dinner in the hotel later that evening. Chicken wings, of course.

We finished off the evening with a visit to the arcade room.

Played some air hockey.

 And a game of pool.

I believe Chloe, the pool shark, is saying, "Mom, can you please play instead of Oliver!". But, he almost beat her (if you don't count him getting the 8-ball in on the second shot of the game).

 The next morning Matt came to breakfast and spent the rest of the day swimming with us.

Matt is in the indoor pool partaking in making fun of  the aquasize class that was going on.

 The kids had fun, it was close to home and I am sure we will be back next school break when we are tired of the snow and need a break from the cold.

Dental Check-Ups

April Fools Day was dental check-up time!! Chloe is officially free of retainers. She could opt to do the second stage in her ortho. care, which means one more round of braces because one tooth is slightly out of alignment but she opted not to do so. The orthodontist told her it was entirely up to her (and her parents) and that it would make her teeth perfectly perfect. But, Chloe is happy with her smile (honestly, it's totally not noticeable unless you are a dentist) and doesn't want to do it. Truth be told, Chloe loves it that her friends are getting braces now and she has already BTDT in 2nd grade and her teeth are beautiful. A friend of hers that rides the school bus with her asked her how she was so lucky to have perfect teeth and not need braces. Chloe told her she already had braces because she got all her teeth in so young. Chloe said the entire bus freaked out and told her she was the luckiest kid in the world. Do you really think she's going to choose to have braces put back on after that? Not a chance.

 

First time Emma Claire went to the dentist, she didn't like it and cried. This time she was a star patient...with the exception of two cavities in her brand new two year molars. Chloe had the same issue, baby teeth that come in with cavities. We return in two weeks for fillings since she will have those teeth for another 10 years. Cha-Ching.

 

And this little man has never had a cavity. I tell him he should be a dentist when he grows up. He could be only one of a handful of kids that jumps up and down when you tell him you are taking him to the dentist. He loves it. And he loves flossing his teeth too. Of course, he tells me, "I don't want to be a dentist and put my hands in people's mouths! Gross!". Maybe when he gets older he will decide to go to dental school. He could do quite well just having his two sisters as his only patients. Seriously.

No cavities, free from orthodontics but she needs to brush better in order to keep the teeth we paid so handsomely for her to have.

Our dentist had this sign in her office--

I ordered it and will be hanging it in Chloe's bathroom just as soon as I get a frame for it.

Every patient gets a prize. All three chose the mustaches---

Oliver and Chloe were disappointed the got the grey mustache but they didn't snatch Emma Claire's dark mustache as much as they wanted to.