Lose 3 weeks of summer visitation for softball game?

[pickupsticks]

My ex moved 500 miles away from me two years ago. I have been traveling to see my daughter once every month and a half and staying in a hotel for the weekend. I currently pay all of the travel expenses. (We have a court date set up for this so that we can share expenses because I did not move).  Ex wife has been interfering with visitation  for quite sometime now. I have a lawyer and we are working on gathering information to support  interference and contempt. My lawyer will not advise me on how to handle this summer visitation. I am supposed to have our child for 8 weeks. My ex informed me that our daughter may be chosen for the All Star softball team.  She is 11 years old. I told her that if she is selected, I will be happy to drive her 500 miles back to participate in that game. Now my ex says she will need to be at her home for 4 weeks prior for practise. I told ex "No". I do not want to lose one month out of my 2 months court ordered summer visitation with my daughter. She says I made a promise to our daughter and that if I break it I will break her heart. I think that is Mom talking NOT my daughter because last year she was selected as well and my daughter said...it's okay Dad. I want to visit with you. What is your opinion on how I should handle this situation with my daughter and ex? I know she is going to bring up in court that this is an academic event and exceptions should be made per the court order. (She told me that on the phone) However I interpret "athletic event" to mean the game itself not an entire month of practise. Last year she had a new baby(She is not married) and she said I could only have my daughter for 2 weeks during the summer because my daughter needed to bond with her new baby brother. It is always something!!!!! What about bonding with Dad?

[MixedBag]

BTDT with SS....DH took his EX to court over it.  That was 2001.  Appeal pending...

Judge said DH still got his 8 weeks...just started late.

Judge is/was a family friend of the EX....(we believe that influenced his decision).

There's more to the appeal -- like out right denials.

Since you have a court date coming -- can you add it to your list of issues now?

My EX does the same thing (with Scouts and BMX -- and he reads (or fake-wife really) these boards).

For two summers now, I've split my 6 weeks into two trips.  I'll probably have to do it again.....but at least I get the total time.

What he's doing is wrong -- giving candy to a child and then saying "Mom wants to take it away."  But since I can find a way around it, I'm actually the one who ends up "looking better" to our son.

Stand up for your time.  (Is there any "other" time you could ask for?  Like ALL school breaks in their entirety -- and then shorten the 8 weeks over the summer? -- but never settle for less time.)