Adventures in Bennionland » Daddy B

San Simeon & The Elephant Seals

DiaryDad — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:04:11 +0000

We are always looking for that next adventure around here. So after Shell and I ran our first race of the year. We loaded up our car and made our way to catch with Papa Paul and KK who had the boys and were on their way up to San Simeon. We arrived at the Elephant Seal Beach just before sunset and caught them particularily active. The boys had fun running up and down the viewing area to see the seals in action.

We spent the evening at a little lodge in San Simeon. The boys enjoyed hopping from our room to Papa and KK’s. They really enjoyed watching the Olympics cuddled up with Mom and Dad. Before they went to bed.

Next morning we walked down to the pebble beach to relax, explore, and watch the waves. We had a great time, the trip was exactly what all our little souls needed. I wonder where the next adventure will take us.

Pictures after the break:

Now off to edit the video from the trip…

Snow Day

DiaryDad — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:27:00 +0000

We have had a wet winter here in SoCal.
I had been thinking about winter here in California and I realized that my boys have lived here for more of their life in CA than UT. That this is more of how they envision winter than the snowy landscapes that I remember. So, since I had President’s day off I decided that the boys and I needed a Snow Day. We packed some lunches and made the 1 hour trip to “The Village” at Big Bear Lake. We speant about 2 hours exploring in the snow. As we were leaving the boys aggresively requested skiing lessons… I think next winter we will learn to snowboard. Here are the images:

Jesus Who?

DiaryDad — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:59:15 +0000

So we got a new Home Entertainment System. The old one was one I bought with my brother almost 12 years ago… and was really showing its age. As part of the process of setting this up, I took the old one to Goodwill.

William has a rough time with getting rid of anything he grows attached to his/our stuff… Even Capri Sun packets… I took the boys with me to drop it off because we were going to get a treat on the way home.

To distract the boys from what I was doing I had them look for shapes in the clouds out the front window, while I dropped off the stereo out the back of the car.

When I got back in and we started to drive Will and I had this conversation:

Will: “Do you know what I see in the clouds?”

Me: “What?”

Will: “Jesus.”

Me: “huh?”

Will: “yeah Jesus, Jesus Christ.”

Me: “oh”

Will: “Yeah he has a beard.”

Me: “What color is his beard?”

Will: “Daaaad, He’s a cloud…!”

yup…

40 years and going strong

DiaryDad — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:33:00 +0000

It seems as though Sesame Street has always been there. I remember watching it back in the days with Mr Hooper and his store and nobody believed the cabbage eating Mr. Snufflupagus existed. Today a host of “Elmo” DVDs supplement my children’s efforts to learn everything from exercise to how to go potty. I have fond fond memories of watching Sesame Street from the daily episodes to the Christmas special!

I don’t do it justice so instead I’ll just share a few of my favorite moments:

The 10k

Shelly! — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:45:46 +0000

After almost ten years of marriage, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there were no surprises left for Eric and I. But he still surprises and amazes me.

His latest? He participated, for the 2nd time, in the Nike Human Race. Last year he did it, but he walked most of it and it took him about two hours.

This year he has put in over 200 miles JUST in training for this. And he completed it in personal record time – 6.23 miles in 1:03! That’s about 10 minutes a mile!

The boys and I had a great time cheering him on – we put signs up around the route and then drove the route and cheered him on.

A drive-by cheer!

Almost to the finish!

At the finish line:

I am so proud of E and so wonderfully surprised at this place we are finding ourselves in. Way to go E!!

Just a Little Something fun!

DiaryDad — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:14:51 +0000

Passport to Adventure!

Shelly! — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:14:58 +0000

We heard of REI’s Passport to Adventure program through one of the blogs we read. The program is designed to get family spending more time out of doors. Kids keep track of their adventures in a journal and submit them REI. REI then sends a reward for the activity. This year the boys got a fantastic hiking tool that combines binoculars, a compass, a magnifying glass, and a mirror.

Eric took up the challenge and planned out hikes all through the summer. The first one, pictured here, was up a local canyon that follows a train route. Walker, of course, loved it! Every twenty to thirty minutes a train would run by adding to the excitement of the trip.

The boys always took their journals, water and their cameras. Eric encouraged them to take lots of pictures and make notes in their journals. They loved it!

Spoonful of Sugar

Shelly! — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:27:30 +0000

Yesterday I got hit by a bus. Ok, not a real bus but a cold bus. And if you know me well you know that it takes a lot to get me to slow down and even more to stop. But if you’d come by here yesterday you would have seen me laying on the floor staring at the ceiling. You would have seen Will playing his second hour on the computer and Walker walking around with a marker drawing on any empty surface of his body.

So I finally called in the reserves. E was over here within 1/2 hour ready to relieve me. Phew.

Last night he even convinced me to take a Nyquil – then he locked our bedroom door and shut it for the night. I got six hours of uninterrupted sleep – and when I was interrupted it was by the stray cats in our complex who were having some sort of hoe-down in our backyard. And then, I rolled over and went back to sleep for another two hours.

But I must say, the best form of medicine that E gave me was this. Sent with a note encouraging me to feel better. And it has.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Easter Celebrations!

Shelly! — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:03:27 +0000

We had a fantastic Easter celebration!

It started with the arrival of this:

Like all packages from the fairy godmothers (aka Steph, Ali & Victoria) it arrived with a knock at our door. The boys, like trained puppies, know exactly what a knock like that means! They ran to the door squealing and about pummeled the postman trying to get to the box. They did manage to say thanks. The package was chock full of goodies – but the hit was the bouncy balls. I failed to take a picture – but they have provided plenty of entertainment around here with both W&W and their friends.

Saturday was our major Easter celebration as we headed to “The White House” of Glendora. Otherwise known as Granny Goosey’s house. She’d arranged a wonderful event filled with Easter egg dyeing, an egg roll, a spring picnic, and of course a killer Easter egg hunt.

We were joined by our Hatch cousins (who are also our neighbors and the boys best buddies), our Walker cousins (who were here from Utah- woot – woot!), Patti and Doug, Papa and KK, and Neal and Meleah. It was wonderful fun!

What egg roll would be complete without a roll down the hill!

(notice that Meleah is carrying Will’s bag. He delegated his work out.)

An attempt at a family picture:

It’s a….

Shelly! — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:26:41 +0000

Oh, I know you want to know whether it’s a boy or a girl. At 19 weeks everyone was pretty excited to find out! But I also know that our blog posts these little excepts on the front page and I’m going to make all of you wait until you (who aren’t using a reader*) click the little continue button to find out…oh yeah, you’ve gotta click it.
*if you have a reader you already know whether it’s a boy or a girl!!*

It’s a new cousin for Will & Walker! A GIRL cousin!

Congrats to Melissa and Ryan for their exciting news. And for making the teams even now. Girls – 2, Boys – 2

(ok, you know some of your hearts stopped for a minute!)