If you can't beat 'em...

As noted in previous posts, this is the preferred activity of the males in my household...

I have to admit, the view is lovely.

Winters are long around here, prompting them to even get out into the snow, those crazy guys.

Whatever. If it makes them happy and they enjoy it, I surely don't mind...though I can think of nothing that sounds less appealing to me than riding a dirtbike in the snow and getting cold and wet. I cheerfully leave that to the boys. Of course, there are many weeks where riding at all is just not possible. So how do they feed their obsession?  AMA Supercross--the dirt riding enthusiast's equivalent of Nascar. Pretty much consists of groups of guys riding and jumping, grasshopper like, around a dirt track. Jay and the Scoob watch the race series every year, following the successes and failures of their favorite riders.

Reigning champ, Ryan Villapoto. (pic via supercross.com)

So in the interest of familial solidarity, the girls and I joined in on the race fun this year. Yes, we did. Every Saturday night in the Pierson house is race night. We even joined the guys in a little contest to see who can make the best picks and get the most points by the end of the season. Every week we text Jay our picks for the top 3 finishers and he emails all of us his spreadsheet with the results on Sunday.  Jay is currently in first place, but Kyra is hot on his tail.  Me?  Well, I'm in last place.  Shocking, I know.  :)  I have to admit, it has been a really fun activity for us all to participate in together.

Not surprisingly, my main role in race night is food provider. I usually make something fun and appropriate, like homemade pizzas, before we commence the 3 hours of sitting on our butts on the couch.  This week, I decided to put together more of a snacky dinner with crackers, salami, cheese, apples, etc. Being me, I got the bright idea to make homemade crackers. Good grief....have you ever made them?  Seriously time consuming endeavor, at least it was for me. Perhaps next time I will make a half recipe so I won't be standing in the kitchen for hours rolling and cutting out little crackers. Thankfully, they were quite tasty and, I think, worth the effort.  I got the recipe from this blog post on Carpe Diem Acreage, in case you are feeling the need to stand in your kitchen for a few hours.

All in all, it is worth the work and the time spent on the couch just to hear my family laughing and yelling at the screen when something interesting happens during a race.  It is worth it to hear the trash talking that goes on when picks are made and points are totaled up.  Being a family is all about give and take. The guys go to Shakespeare in the Park with us. We watch Supercross with them. It's all good.