Friday, I went into work early, so Dave took the kids to school. I worked for a few hours, then went to Peyton’s class to help with their artwork. I picked her up less than an hour later, and we practiced piano and read. Then, we went to get Brandon from school. She was selling cookies, her last shift, from 4-6 pm. Brandon didn’t want to stay home, so he brought his book and came along. We were at Safeway, so we set up on one end of the store, while Peyton and the troop/cookie mom worked the other door. It was easier to separate mother/child units, which worked well the first hour. The second hour, both girls wanted their moms back, so they swapped places. It made the next hour go by really quickly! Peyton was up to asking EVERY customer if they wanted to purchase cookies. It was raining at that time, so she got some pity sales. People who would leave, turn around as she asked them, and then come back to check our her dwindling supply. We finished up by 6 pm, but not before I spotted some people inside trying to talk to Brandon. I asked him what they were asking him. The lady commented that he looked bored, and wanted to know why he was sitting there for so long. The man wanted to help translating for him, as he didn’t know English. However, Brandon doesn’t know Chinese, so I’m not sure how much help he was going to be. He was then chastised for not knowing Chinese. Must be his parents’ fault (insert eyeroll).
We headed home, and I got them fed. We were all so cold by then. They showered up, and Dave got home around 7 pm. We packed up our gear for our weekend away in Sacramento. Peyton woke up at 645 am, and we hopped on the piano quickly. We were done by 715 am, and then we got ready to leave. Dave was driving us to get out of the house by 8 am, as he wanted to avoid traffic. Their first games were not until 12 pm, but he rather just hang out and not stress. We received a text from the Yins that they were on the road, too. We stopped to get gas, rather got off and on the highway, since the gas was higher than Dave wanted to pay. As a result, the Yins came up right behind us, and we all stopped for gas, though a two different places. We all showed up to F’s game, which was the plan for us to pick up H and Ryan en route to the little girls’ game. We watched F’s game, and then we left to drop Brandon off at his game. My mom was there to meet us, and then we left him with a teammate to rush over to the start of Peyton’s game. I stayed with the younger girls, as I wanted to see them play.
They did a good job against the team they played. Tricia and F came up before the end of the game. I had been texting her updates prior to that. Ryan and H ended up going with them, while Dave, Peyton and I went back to Brandon’s gym, just two miles away. Luckily, our two were close, as F’s game was about 15 minutes away, without traffic. We all watched Brandon’s 2 pm game before our family of 4 went back to Peyton’s game at 4 pm. My mom took off from there. Peyton’s second game was tough. They had two tall girls on the opposing team. Peyton got stripped at the half court line and she was getting huffy. Then, on a fast break, she was pushed from the back and fell hard. With a few minutes to play, she went down in tears. Ryan talked to her quietly while she tried to regain composure to shoot her free throws. She played tougher after that, and picked herself back up. The game finished strong, with the best five on the court, prompting me to text Tricia that “Ryan means business.” They had 4:18 to play, and they were up by 4 points. Luckily, they hung onto the lead.
After the game, a mom/child pair asked me for a ride to the next destination, the pizza place. We were already taking H and Ryan there. Since there was a full car, I opted to NOT drive, and handed Ryan the keys. We got there safely, and the place was pure madness. It was ChuckE cheese on steroids. We got our hands washed, I started with the girls’ food, and then I helped myself through the buffet. Ryan met us after dropping us off, and washing up as well. The kids had only 45 minutes to eat in the party room, since we were late after the game. The third grade boys were already there. Brandon and Dave had gotten a ride back from the Woos, back to the hotel. Krissy was in charge of the team gift, so she went back to deliver that, while Chris came back to the madness that was the pizza place. After our time was up in the room, they kindly kicked us out, turned it over, and presented the kids with their play cards. We then went to F’s team’s room and hung out there. After their time was out, and we were kicked out of yet another room, we rolled over to G’s team’s room. Each room was being turned over and reconfigured for another team. The kids were all together, though at one point, I went to find Peyton as I didn’t see her with H. Ryan had H in line to turn in her points for prizes, so I panicked. H told me to find her in the bumper car area, but she wasn’t there, only two other teammates. I finally found her at the basketball hoop game. Shooting with F and her friend M. They were totally keeping an eye on Peyton, and joining in with them. At one point, F and M, both 8th graders, shot for a combined 80 points. Peyton and F tried once, and then again, and came up with 75. Peyton wanted to beat them, I’m sure! We finally went back to the hotel , where Dave had been drinking for quite some time by that time.
The whole organization was staying at the same hotel, pretty much taking over all 3 floors of hotel.
I had Peyton shower up as I unloaded our stuff. It was 10 pm by this time, so I texted Tricia to see if H would be coming down to the lobby. Brandon was already there with his team. My rules for Peyton:
1) no going to the pool, 2) stay out of other people’s rooms, 3) walk in the hotel, 4) no more food, 5) stay away from Brandon.
She only broke the “stay out of other people’s rooms” as when we went downstairs, H’s parents took Peyton to their room to hang out. Then the girls came downstairs to hang out with their teammates, but then returned to the big girls’ room. They had two rooms between the five of them, and F’s teammate stayed with G and F in the room on our floor. In fact, when G got back from the pizza place, she came up to me to ask what room she was in! I connected her to her mom to tell her which room she’d be staying in. I was chatting with one of the grandparents, the wife of Peyton’s coach last year. We chatted for over an hour, while Dave was talking to other parents. The kids were totally entertained, no tattling, no issues, for over two hours. They stayed up until midnight! I went to retrieve Peyton from the Yins’ room, and H asked me to take her back down to her mom. So I did that while leaving the big girls in their room. I didn’t know, but Brandon had retired to the room to put himself to sleep by 11 pm. He was over staying up, especially as his teammates all bailed. He can’t hang super late like Peyton can. We found him watching clone wars upon our return. He’d changed and gotten himself ready for bed.
I thought it was going to be rough in the morning, but it wasn’t too bad. We woke up just before 7 am, out of habit. Dave went to go get coffee outside of the hotel, while we slowly got ready. When he returned, he said that H was already downstairs eating breakfast with her parents. I’ve never seen Peyton get ready so quickly! Brandon had been ready to eat an hour before that, but I didn’t want him down there without supervision. Breakfast was included in our stay, so the whole team/organization was there. Brandon quickly went with his teammates, while we sat with Peyton and the Yins. During breakfast, the Yins asked Peyton if she wanted to join them for M’s game, and then F’s game. Then we’d all meet up for their game at 1230 pm. She was excited to finish breakfast and get ready to go with them. We had Brandon by then, and his game was at 1120 am, and since it was so early, we headed to visit a nearby bakery that one of our teammates had found.
Brandon’s game was close to start, then they started to pull away at the end. Dave was planning to leave by noon, so I headed to go with him, having my mom drive Brandon back to our game. She’d come for the two final games on Sunday.
Unfortunately, we missed Brandon’s spectacular performance! A dad texted me after I left that “Brandon is on fire! He had a three point play!” The moms around my mom had said that we shouldn’t have left such a good game!
They ended up winning 55-26. Brandon was allowed to announce his teammates at the mini award ceremony. They were all given towels, and he called out their names to accept their award
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Peyton’s opponent was going to be the host’s team. They had 2 fourth graders that we’d already been scouting the night before. Apparently, we were placed in a bracket with 3-4 graders. There was a #12, so they were going to put our #12 (Peyton) on her. But only one of their 4th graders showed up, just before game time. She was a big girl who could move, and definitely their best player.
I did hear a grandma during the game ask, “Who has #12?” We had one 2nd grader on the team, as we needed another player to sub out. She integrated into the team really well, and gelled with the girls after just a few minutes. She learned the plays, caught passes from Peyton, and scored 4 baskets in one game!
Peyton got lots of playing time with H both on the court and off. We had to say goodbye after the game was done, as Dave wanted to get back to work. We headed out, without lunch, though neither kid complained. We had snacks at Dave’s work, let the kids catch up on their reading as did I, and then after an hour of that, we played Charades on my phone. We were playing Disney characters, and we were all having a great time with that. Soon enough, Dave came back to get us in the snack area, and we headed out to get IN and Out. We had a great weekend of basketball and laughs. Now, the season is over, and we are headed into softball and baseball season. However, there is another team forming for another league, and we may try to make what we can. I guess H and P want to play together some more!
Final tally: girls 3-0. Boys 2-1.
the smile after finding out she’d be in the court with H instead of subbing each other out. They know each other’s moves and play well together. 
H from the left:
P from the right:
assist:
Brandon’s towel ceremony:
from another dad: