Happy New Year! 2010

All of the Pendleton side of the family came to town today for the New Year and for Grandma Shirley’s 80th Birthday Bash. We ate a great dinner as always and then went to First Night downtown St. George.  We froze! Lucy got to ride some slides & swings and then dance a little to the music before heading home. It is tradition to have fondue just before the New Year strikes along with a little bubbly.

We are known for having bad things happen to us on this great holiday in years past.  The first year we got married the boys in the family were in a car accident that totaled my car and broke some of Dad’s ribs.  Then a few years later we spent the night again in the hospital for a blood clot in my arm.  We really try to stay close to home on December 31st!  Not without fail we almost had another tragedy.

Well Mom bought these new kind of sparklers from the store.  She showed them to me earlier in the night but I didn’t take notice to them or the warning sign.  They were labeled “Sparkler Whips.”  Just before midnight she took the grandkids out in the courtyard to do fire crackers.  Lucy was first.  Mom grabbed her sparkler and lit it…only to be followed by the loudest noise you have ever heard.  In come all of the kids running for their lives.  I think Cade even was high stepping!  Mom ran in after them laughing her head off.  Come to find out these fire crackers were more like fire works!  On the front of the package it read “do not hold.”  It burnt the concrete good and I can’t imagine what it could have done to Mom or Lucy if they wouldn’t have let it go.  We all laughed about it for hours…there is never a dull moment in the Pendleton house.

Eric on the other hand was so mad. You can see it in this picture.  Lucy didn’t want me to let her down for a while.  A little while later Lane grabbed my Mom by her cheeks and said …

“Grandma, don’t you ever, ever do that again!”

This year we just might not even open our front door!

   And writing it twice.

Eric and Lucy sat down and got her list put all together on paper.  I tried to re-write it on green paper and red marker so it would stick out when Santa was going through all his letters…well Lucy picked up on it and wanted the original letter.  After a little bribing, she gave into her Mom’s stubborn personality!

 And no we did not put ideas into her head.  What 3 year old asks for socks and undies?  After this was sent Lucy decided that she needed a surprise too.  Not a surprise for her to find out on Christmas morning; she said that her and Santa were going to surprise Mom and Dad with her presents.  Eric and I are not too sure how that “Surprise” is going to work out.  Until next time…

Santa's Lap

  
Although Lucy was still a little under the weather, we could not pass up the yearly tradition of finding Santa to let him know what Lucy is hoping for this year.  It’s a good list.  Stay tuned!

Just take a close look on her face.  She practiced for days.  I think she is still skeptical, but so excited she wasn’t going to give up her opportunity to sit on his lap.
 Daniel and Jami had to sneak us into the private Christmas Dinner for the faculty at the college.  We acted like we were supposed to be there and all was good until we headed out to our car to leave.  Daniel took us down the private utility elevator and as I opened the door I saw Jami’s Dad talking to the campus cop.  Not thinking I said, “you caught us.”  I was talking about using the elevator.  This look came over Randy’s face and he said, “are you guys the Hansen that is parked in Faculty parking?”  Yep that was us.  It was so cold, and there were no parking spots so we took what came available.  Well our “free” picture with Santa quickly turned into an expensive night.  Don’t fear, Randy took care of our ticket the next day.  I doubt we will be invited to the secret party next year!
 Lucy and Cutler are best buddies.  Sometimes Cutler tries to hide it, but they truly are best buds!