Adventures in Bennionland » Adventures

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:

Chinese New Year 2010 – Year of The Tiger

DiaryDad — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:04:46 +0000

This one sorta snuck up on us. We realized at the last minute that Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year were the same weekend. So in true Bennionz fashion we crammed in a quick trip to Chinatown on Chinese New Year’s Eve day! This year is the year of the Tiger, and we are hoping for good things. The boys had a Blast on the Train ride down. as well as running through Chinatown… which they think they own. Shell and I enjoyed it as well. As is our custom we took pictures, and here they are, Gung Hay Fa Choy:

Gung Hay Fa Choy – Happy Year of the Dragon!

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!

The San Franciscan Treat

Shelly! — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:22:33 +0000

Eric mentioned earlier that I was joining him for his business trip in San Francisco – and what a treat it has been! I arrived on Wednesday via Oakland. Many of you know that I am a fairly routine person so it was thrilling (in a good way) to be in discovery mode. I took the B.A.R.T for the first time and met Eric at Montgomery Street. Our hotel happens to be right next to the TransAmerica tower and bordering both the Financial District and Chinatown.

Being here brings back a lot of memories since Eric and I, eight years and a couple of months ago, spent our honeymoon here. From our window I can see the park where Eric played Chinese Chess with the locals and the restaurant we ate at in Chinatown.

I spent almost two hours sitting at the window – Eric caught me deep in thought (or listening to This American Life):

I woke up at 7:00am and got to watch the Financial world get moving. So many people – so many directions. Only made me wish I could ask each person to stop and tell me about themselves for a minute!

What a treat to be here and to be celebrating Eric’s job. Eight years ago I would never have guessed where our road would take us or that we’d be back here in a situation like this.

We are about to head out to explore the city. Tomorrow Eric works 1/2 day and then we get the rest of the day, Saturday and part of Sunday to be un-obvious tourists!!

Before I go I just wanted to publicly thank you all for the birthday wishes, treats, calls, emails, texts, Facebook entires, etc that I received. What a way to feel loved. Thank you!

More posts to come…maybe when we get home though!

All Abord for Union Station

DiaryDad — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:03:07 +0000

All aboard…!

The boys and I took a trip to Union Station it was our first time to the famed Station and we had a blast. We packed a lunch and ate it in the court yard with the Koi Fish Fountain/Pond. Then we explored every nook and crannie of the station. Below are pictures I took with my blackberry (I forgot to grab our camera on the way out).

Enjoy!

Chinese New Year

DiaryDad — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:24:58 +0000

I’m clearing up a little backlog… Here is our video from Chinese New Year. I Hope you like it.

SeaWorld meets the Bennions

DiaryDad — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:10:00 +0000

The family made a trip to SeaWorld in November it was the boys first time. They say a picture is worth a thousand words…Here’s the Video:

(Note: this Video is approx 16 mins. So you my need to make a bowl of popcorn first.)

The Move

DiaryDad — Thu, 24 May 2007 23:03:00 +0000

We have made it to California. Our new adventure has begun, so far so good. The boys are definitely having a little bit of difficulty in adjusting. When will gets frustrated or upset he tells us that he wants to go back to his home in Utah. A couple of time he has asked for us to go get his old car back. We traded in our Honda Element for a Mazda 5 a few months ago and he is still adjusting to that as well.

That being said the move has been good so far. After a month apart I have enjoyed having my family around me again. The boys and I have found a new park that we are enjoying on a regular basis as the following to videos will attest:

We are also getting the boys out walking more. Almost every day they go out on at least one walk. This is a video of William taking Walker and I for a walk:

I love being these two boys’ dad. I can’t get enough of them.

It Feels Me So…

DiaryDad — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:58:00 +0000

The boys and I spent the whole day together today. Shell was off participating in the culmination of her work on the board of the Successful Mothering Convention.
As the boys and I were getting together our things so we could get outside for a bit, Will said something to me that has become something of a catchphrase for him. He told me, as I was putting on his gloves, that his gloves are so nice because they “feel me so warm”. obviously that means that they keep him warm. Warm enough in fact that we go out and throw snow about.
… and you know what our little adventure “feeled me so warm” too (on the inside that is).