Soccer - Mid Life Crisis

My brother-in-law, Scott and I watched some arena (indoor) soccer back in October while at GJ's b-day party. He said "we should get a team together" and I laughed at him. I told him I would play, but that he had no idea how tiring it is to play indoor. There's a reason why they sub out all the time. So, now we are playing soccer. Tonight was our 6th game and we only lost 7-8. We have improved so much. The first time we played this team, we lost 4-22. No, that wasn't a typo. It helps that Kent and Andy joined the team. They have ball handling skills, but collectively as a team we have gotten significantly better. I still stink, but I hustle when I'm out there and disrupt the flow of the other team. I try to position as well as I can, but my ball handling skills aren't good at all. It's a total blast, and if you had asked me if I would be playing soccer at 38, I would have laughed.

The first game we played the girls came and watched. When I came home Sarah looked sad and dejected and she said "I'm sorry that you lost." It was really cute. I told her that it didn't matter because I had so much fun. She's just as competitive as I am. Sarah always wants to win, be the best, smartest, etc. Sometimes, that saying "It doesn't matter if you win or lose it's how you play the game," actually rings true. This group of guys is having fun and now we might be getting competitive.

Winter Formal

This school year I've been working with Matthew Maizel in co-teaching two AP Biology classes. Matthew teaches students that are in the Moderate-Severe Special Education program at Diamond Ranch. I've thought about logging some of the experiences that we have had this past school year, but I just haven't taken the time. The short version of what we have done is that we have combined AP Biology students with students that have moderate to severe disabilities, all while teaching the AP Biology curriculum and following IEPs. Eventually

I will have to back track with some of the stories from the beginning of the school year. I have a terrible memory for details so I hope I can do this later. Anyway, what I wanted to document now is the ripple effect of this experiment of inclusion. It's not really an experiment so much as an experience. These kids have had such a good experience. I know what you just thought. Which kids? THE Kids, all of them have gained something through this. Some more than others. Recently, ASB decided that they would invite all of the students involved in the Moderrate-Severe program to the Winter Formal, free of charge. This has never been done, as far as I know. I'm not sure whose grand idea it was in the first place, probably Lilliana's, but I'm sure it was an ASB student that is in one of the inclusion classes. I don't think that this would have happened unless we had the inclusion class. As I said before, it's the ripple effect of being in the same class everyday together. They are all just kids, students, people, with different abilities, interests, and experiences. And they are just kids with some of the same abilities, interests, and experiences.

Moutains then the Beach

Just a quick post, since I haven't done this in awhile. I suppose it's better to have started a blog and posted something then to never log my thoughts, experiences, joys and frustrations. Of course, I don't think I've complained yet, but there's always that possibility.

Anyway, here is the experience. Yesterday we went up towards Mountain High to go play in the snow. It was very casual, so we got a late start. Mia wasn't too keen on the idea, but Grace and Sarah were looking forward to sledding and making a snowman. Once we got up there it took a little while to find a place to park and play. Eventually the girls had a blast sledding, playing in the snow, and building a snowman. Mia ended up having a good time. She struggled walking around the snow at first, but loved sledding with Tracey and even went down on her own a couple of times.

Today we went down to Balboa and rode our bikes along the boardwalk. We rode all the way down to Newport Pier and then ate some ice cream and frozen bananas. Grace and Sarah did a great job cruising along the busy sidewalk. It was relatively crash free, one little slide in a sandy section, but no scraped knees or hands. When we were walking along Balboa Pier, the sun was setting and the view of Catalina was awesome.

The drive down there was nerve wracking with the bikes strapped to the back of the van. My bike tires sat pretty low and actually hit the road when I pulled into the Woody's Diner parking lot. No damage because everything flexed up, but it's time for a bike hitch.

I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've been in the snow one day, and then at the beach the very next day.

I almost forgot, apparently we were on Private Property in the mountains. Didn't see the sign until we were leaving.