First celebrations!

On Wednesday,  Jack and Will officially started their educational careers.  They had their first day at Wonder Years Preschool.  They are attending Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.  We are glad we waited to send them.  They now need more in their life than superheroes, monster trucks, and Hot Wheels.  Another reason to wait, not doing two years of snacks:)  Both boys were scheduled to bring snacks the first week.  I guess it is better to put them right after the other.  I just sent in one big bag of drinks and snacks for both days.

Another first.  Sydnee let me paint her toenails tonight after I clipped them.  Not the easiest thing to do, but she sat patiently while I tried my best.  Allison wanted nothing to do with the nail polish.  Maybe next time:)

Sydnee's painted piggies

Miscellaneous Fun

I am renewing my commitment to blogging!  My goal is to blog once a week about the happenings here in Iowa.  Life with the kids is getting easier with new challenges to overcome.  This week marks Moose's 32 birthday, the start of Jack and Will's educational career, and in less than a month, Sydnee and Allison will be 2!  To the life and times of the IA Benners...

Last weekend, Kent Coorporation (parent company of GPC) held a family weekend. 
We snapped this picture just before we left.  As we did, the battery was exhausted:)

Lately, our bathtub has been the hotspot on bath night. 
On one of those occasions, Jack and Will turned themselves into dolphins. 
How they came to that conclusion is beyond my imagination.

Jack and Will in their best Thor pose. 
The helmets are the lastest addition to the superhero collection.

This morning, while Moose was golfing, J & W were watching cartoons,
and I was baking, Sydnee and Allison were running races.

Us ladies got some new kicks today. 
Running shoes for me and obnoxiously cute Sketchers for the girls. 
All half off of clearance price!

Oceanside Beach

We enjoyed the fabulous weather and made numerous trips to and around the beaches at Oceanside.

The group making the walk to the beach.

See rock, climb rock.

Jack getting one of many pickyback rides from Aunt Elizabeth



Heaven for the girls.

There was a tunnel we walked through to access another beach, aptly named "Peaceful Beach" by Will



Boys posing



Kids Posing

Benner boys havin' fun



Allison enjoying herself.

Sydnee had a blast.




The Group

 

Family Photo



The Deck

Brett and Elizabeth secured the Anemone House in the tiny city of Oceanside.  The house was located on the ocean and our view was breathtaking.  We spent most of our time on the deck and therefore there are many, many pictures.  Here are some the best.



One of the best pictures of Jack on the trip.

The kids did their best to keep up with the Drumsticks as they melted and dripped everywhere.  Porter and Emma enjoyed cleaning up the deck afterward.

Jack relaxing with Uncle Bear.

Jack and Will took turns serving us a delicious tray of appetizers that Elizabeth had prepared.

On Thursday morning, the girls headed out to the deck on their own with shoes in tow.  They attempted to put them on by themselves.  It was very sweet.

The beach at Manzanita

We met up with our "team" as the boys called it, in Manzanita.  We dined at a delicious Mexican restaurant before going down to the beach.  When we got there, the kids went wild for the water and sand.  The cool water didn't stop them from getting soaked and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Allison and Sydnee making their way to the ocean.

All four in the ocean.  They were so happy running around in the sand.

Rob & Katie, Brett & Elizabeth, and Emma & Porter on the beach at Manzanita.

Will and Jack "posing" in front of the ocean.

Elizabeth and Katie strolling on the beach.

As fast as Moose could write the kids' initials, JAWS, they erased it!

Heading to the coast

On Monday we packed up 10 people, 2 dogs, and 3 vehicles and headed to the Oregon Coast.  We made a pit stop in Canon Beach for the restrooms.  We stopped at an overlook to see the ocean. 

Sydnee has saying "cheese" down pat.

Sydnee and Allison getting a peek at the ocean for the first time.

Jack and Will posing in front of, to quote Will, "the beautiful view."

Sydnee, Allison, Jackson, and William with the Pacific Ocean at their backs.

Portland, OR

Our trip to Portland began on Friday, July 27 when we headed north to Rob and Katie's (aka Hotel Benner-Crystal).  Moose put in some long days prior to our trip and we were able to leave Muscatine mid-afternoon.  The boys were excellent van riders and enjoyed a continuous loop of 2 Batman episodes (Superheroes are the current craze.)    The girls haven't quite found their comfort zone in the van and thus were not happy riders.  When we arrived the kiddos went to bed and we enjoyed the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics and some refreshing beverages.




Allison and Sydnee watching for our plane.

The plane ride actually went pretty well.  Moose and I each had our moments with the girls but luckily we had understanding passengers near us.  Jack and Will charmed the women around them and Jack may be exchanging Christmas cards with a passenger named Michelle:)

On Saturday, July 28 we embarked on our westward adventure to visit Elizabeth and Brett.  To ensure that everyone was accounted for, we had flying partners.  Uncle Bear and Jack, Aunt Katie and Will, Nancy and Sydnee, and Moose and Allison. 

Katie took a picture of our arrival at PDX.

We met Brett and Elizabeth at baggage claim and headed to their house for the next two nights.

The girls made their way around E & B's amazing bungalow.

Will enjoying a fruity breakfast.

Family photo on the front steps

 On Sunday, we headed to the riverfront in downtown Portland for the annual Oregon Brew Fest. 

Cheers! The Benner boys at the Oregon Brew Fest.