Soccer Tournament of Desolation

So we went to Nevada for a little soccer tournament called Presidents Cup this past weekend.

First of all, I don't travel well. But I did pretty good this time.  I wasn't thrilled to be staying at a casino hotel, but it was separate from the actual casino, and it was non smoking, so that was good!  Elizabeth was thoroughly disgusted that  we were staying at a casino hotel, and she was even more disgusted that we had the nerve to enter the casino and eat at their cafe there.  (Hey! They had $3.99 eggs and ham steak!)  She actually brought up the fact that she really should report us for child abuse, because the air in that place was going to kill her.  She also told me that she was, for certain, going to report our terrible escapades to the ward from the pulpit at the next fast and testimony meeting.

She really did.  She said that!

She was ticked.

I don't think that it helped the matter that I found it hilarious, and laughed out loud in the cafe.

The soccer tournament was a true let down.  I don't know why, but this team has no will to win.  They have many great players, but they don't play well together, as a team.  It is something that I have been struggling with for quite a while.  It really is disappointing to spend so much time and energy investing in something that should be competitive, that isn't competing very well.  Especially competing, and losing to SO many teams we should be beating.  It is sad.

Plus, the parental posturing for popularity is just ridiculous.  These are people that are not interested in having everyone as friends, and just having a group that they can be exclusive with.  You know these kind of people.  They seem to want to be a clique.  Which I am not invited to be in and honestly happy to be in that spot.

There are also parents who are looking to be catty, and they are purposely looking to find fault with certain people on the team and their parents, and spread gossip around.  Even gossip about stuff that is only perceived.  It seriously is not comfortable and casting such a shadow on something that could be so great.  And it honestly just makes me so sad.
I read a note on face book that said something like:
"Those that stir the crap pot, should have to lick the spoon."
These people are just stirring the crap pot, and it really, really can be the undoing of a great team bond.
I don't think that they realize that they are not in Junior High School any longer, or the way that they are affecting the team in the long run.
And short run.

BUT... onto good news of the trip:

Mesquite has a brand new ROBERTO'S!!!
YES, they DO!!
And it was SO DELICIOUS THAT I COULD HAVE DIED!!

We also went to see The Desolation of the Dragon and Hobbit.  It was pretty good.  I still think it is so interesting how much they have changed the story, bringing elves in and wizards in and orcs in that weren't in the original story.  I know that the producers and directors wanted to do some tying together to the Lord of the shiny, precious thing, but I felt a bit let down that it wasn't closer to the book.  We all liked it.

We also got to spend a Sunday at church with Robert's old scout master, Cliff Barnum and a couple of his grown children, and grandkids.  What a great example he and his wife Lynne are.  Sincerely.  They are so kind and gentle.  Something that is very calming and wonderful to be around, and I honestly appreciated it.  Like I said, we went to church with them, which was refreshing all in itself (even though they teased me for having my eyes closed in Sunday School).  But then, the yummy dinner that they made after church was so delicious!  What is it about food that tastes so much better when you don't make it??  (Salads are always that way for me!)

And then, to sleep so well, and then waking up to the smell of breakfast being cooked!!  I seriously laid in bed just smelling for about 45 minutes.  And eating it was divine!!  Sausage with eggs and biscuits.  YUM!  I honestly felt like royalty.  It reminded me of a taste of heaven.  Literally, heaven.

So after breakfast, we sat around and talked some more for a while.  And then we left for home. We did ride up to Kolob Reservoir, which I don't think we made it all the way to the end of the ride, because Lucy was pretty car sick, and I was uncomfortable with the level of snow on the road in places.  I still enjoyed the ride.  A lot.  We tried to stop at the little quilt store that is there in that little town, but they were closed, because of Martin Luther King Day.  It was a bummer, but probably good that we weren't faced with any temptation.

So, then we came home.

I did forget to mention that we listened to Harry P. and the Prisoner of Abadplace.  It is the book in the series that Barrett is on, and we all enjoyed it very much.  Funny enough, we finished listening to it almost exactly as we pulled into our drive way.  Then, after we unpacked and started the laundry, we watched the correlating movie version, which was quite fun!  Especially as the kids had no school the next day!
Yeah-yeah!!

So, bummer about the whole soccer thing.  But all in all, it was  a great trip, and a great weekend for sure!

This is for certain:
It is a wonderful thing to come home!
And it is a wonderful thing to come home to a home that is all in one piece and just as you left it!
I count that as such a blessing!!

I also learned that my body likes to be bathed in soft water.