Catching up...@home :)

I am home after 6 days and 5 nights in Los Angeles! It is so good to be home! However, I do have to say that the time I just spent with my two boys down in So.Cal - watching 10 hockey games that they played in days, spending time with each of them while the other was on the ice, time in the hotel room and driving to/from - was priceless. Lots of Mother-sons bonding time...something that gets less and less as they grow up!

Yesterday, the last day of the hockey games, miracles happened...in order for Robert's team to finish in 2nd place and play in the championship game the following had to happen in the morning games: the Dallas Stars Elite Bantam AAA team had to beat the Phoenix Bantam AAA team...and Robert's team had to beat the LA Select Bantam AAA team. Well, all the stars and planets must have lined up perfectly because that is what happened. So, Robert's team ended up 2nd and played in the 3pm championship game. With 2-1/2 hours between the morning game and the championship game, the boys and I enjoyed a lunch at Panera Bread Company and then came back to the parking lot of the rink. Since we checked out of our hotel room, because I assumed that the miracle wouldn't happen, we vegged out in the car:

Robert enjoyed an hour nap in the back seat; I hung his hockey gear on the car in order for it to dry out in the sun (nothing is worse than putting on sweating, wet hockey gear, or so I have been told) and Matthew spread out a blanket to read on that grassy patch beside the car. I ended up dozing in the front seat of the car - in the sun, with the window open! A perfect way to prep for the next game for Robert...and a good chance for me to get in a little shut eye before the game and the long drive home.

The championship game was between us and the LA Select team again (the same one we played in the morning and beat to qualify for this game). The other team definitely utilized their "winning strategy" in the afternoon (something which I believe they didn't do in the morning), as they beat us 5-0.  But, as Robert mentioned in the car on the way home, whether the Selects played their normal strategy or not, it felt good to leave SoCal with some wins!

Well, as soon as Robert was changed and out of the dressing room, we "high-tailed it" out of LA trying to beat the evening commute traffic (you have never been in traffic until you have driven through LA, OMG!). It wasn't too bad...just took us about 1-1/2 hours to get out of there...and we were home around 11:15pm (a little over 6 hours of driving).

Today - I am staying home and will try to catch up on some of the things that need to be done before we settle down to ring in the new year: laundry, taking down the Christmas tree, stock up the house with food, etc. I might even be able to sit down and cross stitch a little today/tonight :)

Well, my friend, take care - Happy New Year (just in case I don't get a chance to wish you one tomorrow) - and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

How to keep expenses down during hockey travels

I'm still in LA and we just finished up a day with 3 hockey games. Matthew's team had a game at 6:15am and Robert's had two games: 9:50am and 4:30pm. It has been a long day, especially for Matthew and I who got up at 4am so that he could eat breakfast before leaving at 5am in order to be at the rink 1 hour before game time. Matthew's team lost...Robert's had 1 tie and 1 win.

Since we are housed in the Marriot from Dec. 25 through the 30th, eating out can get expensive. So, we have decided to enjoy one meal out while eating in our room for the other two. One meal, breakfast is easy to deal with - as there is a refrigerator in the room for the milk for the cereal and yogurt, which accompany the chocolate chip muffins. The other meal has either been a lunch or a dinner, which is what the boys are finishing right now. We figured out a way to warm up hot dogs in the coffee maker (innovative, huh?) and serve on hot dog buns along with canned green beans and some sort of fruit. Sounds silly, I suppose...but it does help save cost on these travel hockey tournaments.

Tomorrow we have about the same schedule...Matthew will play in his last game of his tournament at 7 am, then Robert will have two games: 9am and 4pm. In the evening, after Robert's last game we will enjoy a meal with his team.

I am enjoying my time with my two boys, but I definitely will be ready to go home Thursday evening. Keep your fingers crossed that Los Angeles traffic will not be too bad that evening :)

Well, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa