Chaos in the Backyard

Mother’s Day Weekend Recap

This Mother’s Day weekend wasn’t your typical Mother’s Day weekend, honestly, neither were the two before it. Before the boys got into dirt bike racing, Mother’s Day usually meant sleeping in, breakfast in bed, hanging out in the yard doing outdoor stuff, late lunch or dinner out, and of course, chocolates.

For the past three years, though, there hasn’t been any sleeping in that entire weekend. Instead, I’ve woken up bright and early to the smell of gas, dirt bike exhaust, and the sound of bikes revving. And honestly? I wouldn’t trade it for the slow-paced Mother’s Days of the past.

We spent the weekend in the camper, covered in dirt, eating track snacks, and cheering the boys and their friends on all weekend long. For the past three years, we’ve raced a double-header weekend at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Maryland. The first two years, only the big raced. This year, both the big and the little were racing, and it was nerve-racking in the best and worst ways possible.

But by the time we pulled back into our driveway Sunday night around 8 PM, reality hit fast. Camper unpacking, race trailer cleanup, showers, school prep, lunches… and absolutely zero time for my normal Sunday reset routine. Groceries weren’t ordered or picked up, and there was minimal food left to throw together for the week ahead. Luckily, I had a tub of yogurt, a leftover premade salad bowl, and a few apples for Monday’s lunch.

The animals were quickly checked, Mama Hen and Papa Roo were tucked in with their seven babies, the five girls (my egg layers) were happy to see me, Spirit enjoyed a quick round of neck scratches, and the littles, the goat, sheep, and pig, were milling around their pen getting ready to settle in for the night.

Mother’s Day at the Motocross Track

Race weekend actually started off great, with an easy setup in a really good spot. Friday night dinner was completely thrown together after getting the camper set up, mini burgers for the big, nuggets for the little, and random leftovers we packed for my husband and me.

Saturday’s races were fantastic. The big finished in the top 10 overall in his class, and the little made it through the track unscathed. Later that day, though, he grabbed his chest and told me how scared he was on the “big hills,” which 100% pulled at my heart.

Meanwhile, my mind likes to write checks that my body isn’t always ready to cash. I was peer pressured by the boys, mine and my little nephew, into signing up for the ladies’ pit bike class that night. I honestly can’t tell you the last time I rode. Maybe early last summer? Maybe fall? No clue. And even then, it would’ve just been putting around in the yard or on our home track.

It was a packed house, and my competition included a young ladi and a little girl, both who ride and race regularly. Somehow, I managed to come in second place, which I know isn’t the flex I think it is. I came home with a nice backpack cooler with the race series logo on it….and a giant trophy, a huge bruise on my calf, scratches on my knee and hip, and very sore shoulders and neck.

Seeing the mix of worry and pride on the big’s face when I got up after crashing and hopped back on the bike to finish the race made every bit of embarrassment and pain worth it. The excitement on the little’s face when I showed him my prize made it even better.

Sunday morning started with me knocking out a very hilly 3.25-mile run before bikes were even being gassed up. Then it was a rush back to the camper to get cleaned up before running from section to section of the track to watch both boys and my nephew race on a pro track.

The big moved up a spot in placement from the day before, while the little took a few hard crashes that gave all of us a couple very long minutes waiting for him to come through score check. Thankfully, both boys ended the day safe, smiling, and proud of themselves. Watching them push through fear, frustration, and exhaustion was honestly the best part of the weekend.

Overall, the little raced once Saturday and once Sunday, while the big raced four times Saturday and three times Sunday. The lessons in determination, grit, and not giving up when you’re tired and things are tough were probably the biggest gifts I received this Mother’s Day weekend.

But chaos is never far away. A double-header race weekend means zero time to prep for the upcoming week. Groceries weren’t ordered because I wasn’t sure exactly when we’d be getting home, and with barely anything left in the fridge, there was little to no meal prep happening. I definitely felt behind Monday morning.

One thing that did help was mentally planning out what I was going to eat based on what we had left. Dinner was random leftovers. Breakfast for me was the last of the Greek yogurt with some leftover granola from the pantry. Luckily, I had overbought salad bowls the week before, so I still had one for lunch. They’ve been my go-to lately, and honestly, I still haven’t gotten tired of them. Snacks were a protein shake and an apple with peanut butter, thankfully things we already had on hand.

Getting the boys back into a normal nighttime routine after hours in the car was definitely rough. We let them stay outside and play as long as possible while my husband unpacked the race trailer and I unpacked what needed to come out of the camper. They stayed up way later than we wanted, but realistically, there wasn’t much we could do about it.

Thankfully, while my husband handled showers, I was able to get a jump on the laundry explosion and start running clothes through the washer. Small wins.

This Week’s Goal: Keep It Simple

This week I’m all about keeping things simple and fueling well.

I stayed up late Sunday night making sure grades and lesson plans were submitted and that I had online access to everything I needed for Monday morning. I planned out what I was going to eat for the day and started figuring out what groceries I’d need to buy. I ran out to the grocery store after leaving work, before I picked up the boys from after care.

The Roomba took care of the dirty floors and was prepped to mop in the morning, so at least I’d come home to clean floors. I reviewed my workouts for the week, mentally prepared for the 5 AM wakeups, and started thinking through what my taper plan is going to look like.

We ended Sunday night watching what my little calls “Buttcheeks and Snakes,” aka Naked and Afraid.

We eased back into our crazy routine after a busy weekend away while giving myself, and all of us, a little grace.

As exhausting as weekends away can be, they also remind me why we do all of this in the first place. The memories, the dirt-covered kids, the late-night camper cuddles and laughs…it’s all part of this season of life. And I’m here for it.

In less than two weeks, my 25 meat chicks will be arriving, and I’ll probably be entering what feels like the newborn phase all over again. Spring is springing, life is busy, and honestly, I’m looking forward to all of it.