Adidas President's Day Tournament in Vancouver/Portland

I drove down solo on Friday afternoon and waited for Xander to arrive with a few of his teammates on the "team bus," driven by one of the other families. Here I was, waiting in the lobby at 11:15pm. 

Happy boys, having had a blast driving down together from Bellingham late on a Friday night.

Our room became D-Block Central the next morning, before Michael and Clare joined us. (Those are not coffees in their young hands, but complimentary hot chocolates given out at the front desk -- maybe the boys' favorite perk of our hotel, other than the indoor pool.)

Boys watching basketball and playing video games...

A little pool time before their first game of the tournament.

Right after clamoring out of the team bus.

Swagger.

This was the boys' last tournament with Coach Mike Love (right), who has been with them since last fall. He's been an amazing leader. The boys are lucky to have Arlie (left) continuing on with them as assistant coach in the spring (for those who are trying out and playing with D-Block in the spring and summer.)

This first game was a tough battle, tied at the half and staying close until the final stretch, when the other team pulled ahead and ultimately beat us.

Michael and Clare arrived in the early evening and the boys headed to the next game (which D-Block handily won!), while Clare enjoyed some pool time.

Clare and I started the next morning in the pool.

Goofing at TJ Maxx, where we killed some time before the day's big game.

Michael took Xander's teammates Nick and Cade with them to the next game, as the team bus had spent the afternoon at a nearby Portland mall.

Waiting for warm-ups.

Coach Mike gave them the speech of a lifetime at halftime, and the boys went on to win a tight battle and clinch a spot in the next day's semifinal game.

Michael took Xander shoe shopping (he's been saving his Nike gift cards from Aunt Rachele and Kate and Jessica since Christmas), while Clare joined the D-Block crew in the hotel pool.

I love that she had no fear, keeping right in the water basketball game with the older boys.

We moms got to enjoy happy hour in the hotel lounge before most of the families headed to an arcade for the night. Xander, ever the sensible one, chose to stay, watch the All-Star Game, and hit the hay early.

Early semifinal game the next morning.

It would not prove to be D-Block's day.

Xander's last shot of the fall/winter season from stacee on Vimeo.

A tough loss and an emotional goodbye to Coach Mike. The boys can be proud of how hard they worked in this tournament -- and will get one more chance to be with Coach Mike at the end-of-the-season party in a couple days.