Mesquite round three

This was our third trip to Mesquite for soccer. Normally it's a moms/daughters trip. This week Brooke and Mylissa were in Florida chaperoning a drill team trip with their older daughters so this particular soccer tournament ended up being me with the two dads (Darrin and Rob). Pool time, meals and soccer sidelines...the six of us (plus little brother Caleb) hung out all weekend. Chatting revolved around politics, Coronavirus concerns/preparedness, a bit of sports, a bit of religion and work travel. A little different of a dynamic than discussions about drill team, who's dating who, motherhood responsibilities, etc. It was an interesting and fun change, and we had a wonderful time. I'm so thankful for this team and the unity amongst them, but also the friendships between our three specific families, and especially the sweetest bond Lilian, Sophie and Julie share. 

Even  though the first game wasn't until late Thursday afternoon, Lilian and I decided to drive down Wednesday evening, partially so we could sleep in Friday morning and not have to make the long drive the day of play, but also so we could stop to visit Julianne and Jordan in Provo and have dinner with Brandon and Abbie in Cedar City along the way. 

What is it about palm trees that immediately makes you feel like you are on vacation, even if you are only a 5 hour drive away from home? The 7 of us spent a lot of our downtime in this pool and on these lounge chairs under those palm trees. 

Lilian was laughing so hard while trying to float upright on this lounge chair as it continually flipped...

But really we were here for soccer...

Interesting enough...I posted this picture after we arrived home from our trip and received a comment from our next door neighbor in our old 'hood in Centerville that said, "Hey...that's our Ellie in your picture!" We lived next to each other for something like 7 years and got to be pretty good friends. But it's been 12+ years since we moved away and these two girls were just babies...it's no wonder we didn't recognize each other's daughters out on the field. I just wish we had seen each other on the side lines. What a fun reunion that would've been. 

One last picture of the team and the sideline cheerleaders, and we were on our way back home.