So proud of my man!

Daily Pilot article:  BY DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA

Updated: Monday, March 1, 2010 10:21 PM PST

Since George Larsen left his first high school coaching job on top 12 years ago, some of the best soccer programs in Orange County have offered him a job about every year.

But Larsen, who twice coached the Mission Viejo High girls to a CIF Southern Section championship and also won a CIF crown as a player for the Diablos, turned down every offer.

Larsen never saw himself coaching on the high school level again. It didn’t fit with his schedule, his family. Larsen also enjoyed far more success guiding the Newport Beach-based Slammers Futbol Club.

Mater Dei, where Larsen’s mom, Diane, has been a teacher for a quarter of a century, failed to lure him in.

So, why is Larsen at Corona del Mar? Who convinced him to return to the high school ranks?

Larsen’s ties with the Slammers helped. A handful of the boys who play for the Sea Kings once suited up for Larsen on the club level.

Despite the familiarity, Larsen still had no idea if CdM could make history in his first season at the helm. It can today.

The Sea Kings are one win away from reaching the section title game for the first time in the program’s history. Top-seeded CdM (22-1-1) plays host to North Torrance (16-5-5) in the semifinals of the Division IV playoffs at 3 p.m.

“I didn’t take [over] this program because I knew we were going to be good this year,” Larsen said in early in January, before the Sea Kings made waves nationally (now ranked No. 11 by ESPN RISE). “Before I took the job, one of the [players] I talked to was Reed [Williams]. I asked him, ‘Is this high school thing important to you?’ He almost teared up. He said, ‘Yeah, it’s very important to me.’

“That was one of the things that pushed me over the edge. When I saw the sincerity of how important this was, I said, ‘This is something I want to invest in. I could see that these kids were going to work hard for me.’ ”

The Sea Kings have outworked practically everyone on the field. They’ve outscored opponents, 70-11.

The two times CdM didn’t prevail, Williams was out with an injured right hamstring. The UCLA-bound senior striker is more than all right now.

Williams scored his 28th goal of the season in the Sea Kings’ 2-0 quarterfinal victory at Cathedral of Los Angeles on Thursday. Williams and CdM haven’t come this far to settle for anything but a section crown.

North Torrance is trying to qualify for its first section championship game as well.

The Saxons reached the semis for the second straight season by knocking off fourth-seeded Norwalk, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. In order to upset another top seed, the Pioneer League champion can’t afford to fall behind the way it did at home Thursday.

The Sea Kings’ defense is stingy. Since suffering its lone loss of the season on Jan. 15, CdM has allowed two goals during its current 10-game winning streak. One of the goals came in a 4-1 first-round playoff win over Wilson of Hacienda Heights.

As much as players like Williams, Jack McBean and Brian Ford receive a lot of praise for their abilities, guys like Jack Gorab, Greg Allen and goalkeeper Connor Gaal slow down the opposition. The Pacific Coast League champion Sea Kings are primed to move on to the title game, where they may possibly meet a league foe in Laguna Hills.

The Hawks play host to La Mirada in the other semifinal today. Larsen, as he said earlier in the season, isn’t one to overlook any team, even though his Sea Kings are the heavy favorites.

“Those rankings don’t help you win titles,” said Larsen, who in three seasons led Mission Viejo to Division I girls’ titles in 1995-96 and 1997-98, and won a Division 3-A title as a Mission Viejo boys’ player in 1988-89. “They’re nice. They’re flattering. They’re fun for the kids. I’ve been an unranked team and I’ve been a top-ranked team and won it.

“I’m having a blast. It’s not like a first-year coach getting acclimated. It’s just kind of me helping the community like I have been doing with the Slammers all these years.”

The article online

Baby Bunnies!!!

Aren't they the cutest?!?!

George's Mom and sister rescued several rabbits from the park a few weeks ago.... they already had 18 at the house so what is a few more, right?(all rescue bunnies)   2 days later, one of them had babies.  The bunnies are now 2 weeks old and absolutely precious.  Irelyn is in love and visits them and helps care for them every few days.

Butterflies

If you have never watched caterpillars turn into butterflies you must do it.  Your kids will love it.
Irelyn received a butterfly kit from my parents for Christmas and a few weeks later 2 containers of caterpillars arrived in the mail. 

Here are the caterpillars after they formed chrysalids(don't ask me why it's not cocoon). See them hanging on the right side?

Ready to release

I saw a kit at Lakeshore the other day for $30 and you only received 5 caterpillars.  This kit was from Costco, bigger and cheaper, and Irelyn received 10 caterpillars.  Try Insect Lore and see if you can get a better deal.

Daddy Daughter Dinner Date 2010

Happy 6th Birthday Lauren

My sister in law Julie is so creative!!  She always plans the best birthday parties for her kids and Laurens 6th party was super fun

It was an everything but sleeping slumber party. 

jammies, crafts, movies, food...a bunch of girls having fun :)

Happy New Year! 2010

We started New Years Eve with an extremely exciting soccer game.  George is coaching Boys Soccer at CDMHS and the team was in the finals against our Alma Mater-MVHS.  We were at the fields that George and I met at over 14 years ago.  Man... I feel old!

I'm so proud of George for excelling as a coach and for his dedication to the players on his teams.

OC Register article

They won and George(and Irelyn) were congratulated with Champagne and cider.

Party in the Hood followed.  Good times with good friends. 

I hope 2010 brings you much love and joy

Disney on Ice

If you ever get the chance to go to Disney on Ice you must go!  We went the day after Christmas and we LOVED it.  Our seats were really great and Irelyn was so excited when TinkerBell came over and waved right at her :)

Christmas 2009

Putting all 50 state quarters into the correct place.  A gift from Papa

Christmas Eve bowling

Irelyn(5 1/2) and Zac (8 1/2)

Irelyn(5 1/2) and Lauren(5 3/4)

Goodies for Santa and the reindeer

Where have we been?

Gymnastics Mini-Olympics

Disneyland

Doing everything Christmas!

How is it the middle of December already??  Time is flying...but this is my most favorite time of the year.  George will be home now on the weekends and evenings for the next 3 months..such a wonderful break for him (and us).  Enjoy this time with your family :)