Empty Nest?

Is it possible to have Empty Nest when your child is almost 14 years old? I already feel like he's growing up so fast and I can't push the pause button. It seems like just yesterday he was running around in diapers, but actually yesterday was 8th grade recognition.... He couldn't quite grasp why I was running around the house like a chicken with their head cut off. "It's no big deal mom, just walk out and they call our names" and my response was kinda like this : "NO BIG DEAL? What, Jordan this is the last 8th grade recognition you will EVER have" Ok so maybe I don't do this whole my baby is growing up thing well. Mainly because he's my one and only and once he's gone to college (which isn't very far away) then what the heck am I gonna do? Freedom! You Say? Yes Freedom from making breakfasts, lunches, fussing about dirty laundry and cycling bits and pieces everywhere. Not to mention the races every single weekend.(sigh) Ok, I am getting ahead of myself for now, but for the record I am not ready for this growing up stuff!

 Now for the race report. Because of course there is a race report. Saturday J-man had to do TN State Qualifying Race for Cross Country and he had to miss his very first Cat 3 Race. He was bummed at first, that is until he won the Trailblazer Invitational. He ran 2.2 miles in 11:45, which was pretty stinking awesome. Out of 203 runners he started out pretty hard and about halfway through got passed by two guys and I just knew he was going to get 3rd (which is great) and at the last minute right before the finish line J-man put the pedal to the metal and flew past his component and came in for the win. His team had awesome finishes as well! Zach 7th , Noah and Connor 19th and 20th which got us 2nd place for this awesome group of kids. State here we come!

Sunday we loaded up all of our MSG peeps and traveled over the mountain to visit Asheville Cyclocross at Pisgah Brewery. Always a fun race and this was Jordan's first Cat 3 race. He and Connor Tank's first race together and I swear I think they had sooooo much fun! You could see the grin's on their faces the whole time and they motivate each other well. They both finished great and I am proud of both of them.

 I think this picture says it all!









Of course we couldn't leave our heckling at home

Pappa Tank showing some love to Funny Alan. We all love each other, can't ya tell?

Another great weekend with our cycling family and this coming up Saturday is TN State Cross Country Meet. What will we do with no cycling? Rest up for the next 3 racing weekends I suppose.

House of Crazy!

The title of my post today is exactly how I feel right now, but a good crazy not a bad crazy.
 Once again we had a wonderful weekend with our MSG family and Jordan did awesome in his Cat 4 Rainy Muddy Race. The past four races seem to have what I've called the "Cat 4 Rain Curse" It seems like every time they call for staging it starts raining, and when I say raining I am not talking about a slight drizzle, this is something like what you would feel if standing under a waterfall, but this is Cyclo- Cross and its just not right without rain and mud so we suck it up and deal. J had a great race weekend again and won the Cat 4's races. He was pretty upset because we tried to upgrade to a Cat 3 last week and for days we probably checked USA Cycling website and all we got back was a big fat red PENDING! Not sure why they have to be so harsh, haha I mean this kid asked me every second for 4 days " have they changed it mom? huh?" Finally they changed it on Monday after his weekend of racing. Which was OK, that gave him some more experience under his belt before he moves up. So that was just some of the crazy in my house, the rest was the face that we started the beloved job of tearing his Road Bike down (he's outgrown in already). Not exactly a 30 minute project but he's been really good with having his new Bike frameset sitting in his room for almost 2 weeks and not tore the box to pieces! So when those big brown eyes ask  " Can we PUUUULLLEEAAASSEEE start the process of tearing and building bikes?" I mean what can you say? Originally we were going to wait and leave his new frame in the box because we bought it a little big but since the kid has hit the 6' tall mark this week..... I think we are safe! 6'! I can't believe my 13 year old is 6'! It's like it happened over night! So commence bike build. Then we had what MOM thought was very exciting.......
    Middle School Homecoming. Something that he for the past few years had been to shy to participate in so when he came home and said Ok Mom, I will do it this year I was ecstatic! Shopping for a boy vs a girl is something I am thankful for. He cleans up well considering this weekend he looked like this:

 Two days later he looked this:

   My baby boy is growing up!














 More racing, riding or running this weekend! Can't wait to see our MSG Family again. We have the best group of peeps and everyone plays a role in Jordan's cycling and his learning about being a good team mate. He is experiencing what some people only wish they could and he will become a better person for it.