2002 Favorite Pics

Jan 2002: by Bjorn

6 January, 2002

Dear Family,

We’re going to contribute to the family letter this year!  And hopefully this new year’s resolution lasts longer than it did last year.  The year 2001 has been a great one (a year of two diaper graduations can’t be half bad). We’ve made a lot of progress as a family.  We’re happy and content and looking forward to another year.  

We really enjoyed our Christmas Holiday.  Our trip to Mexico was nothing but wonderful.  The kids were great travelers, Mom and Dad were terrific hosts, and Bjorn and I savored every second of being ON VACATION.   I would love to go back three or four more times before Mom and Dad come home.  It was mostly wonderful just to be with them for a few days and also to see a little bit of what they do every day.

Coming home, on one hand we had Auriana being so excited to go back to school to see her teacher and friends again.  And on the other hand we had Daddy not quite as excited to jump back into what we have been calling “a good job, a blessing,” but not an “I love my job” type of situation.  Needless to say, as of last Wednesday and with the delight and full support of his wife, Bjorn is no longer an employee of Neways, but of Pendleton Creative, housed at 185 N 700 W in Spanish Fork, UT.   I think (and always have thought) he will do great out on his own, and it will be wondeful to have him working right out of our home.

Auriana’s doing great in school.  Her teachers all call her their little artist, because she loves to color and does very well.  Our first ever parent teacher conference was a great experience as her teachers couldn’t stop praising everything about her.  She’s been begging for piano lessons, so we started in on those again last week.

Isaac is our new sunbeam and beaming with joy.  He loves to tease, tease, tease, and oh yeah, play the computer.  He and Auriana are actually (usually) great friends and love to pretend together.  He’s also our worry wart and takes great care of Natalie if ever danger arrives.  Some sort of ball, car, or spaceman is always at his side.

Natalie is our “me do it”, already potty trained, sweet, loving, and usually whining two year old.  She loves to do whatever anyone else is doing as long as she gets to do it herself.  She sings all day and is becoming more and more understandable every day.  Her favorite is “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia…”

All three loved seeing Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas and haven’t stopped talking about the trip to “Metsito” (as Natalie would say).  Thanks again Mom and Dad for your wonderful hospitality.  We love you.

I guess that means its my turn

.

Becky is right. I am now the founder, CEO and Creative Director of Pendleton Creative. My partner and co-founder, Rebecca Pendleton, is the President and CFO (and occasional Administrative Assistant). It is with slight trepidation, but great enthusiasm that we take this leap. Though I am still looking into other opportunities, this path seems to bring the greatest peace to soul and mind right now. I thoroughly enjoyed my month at home after leaving MyComputer.com and before starting at Indy Interactive, but felt that I still needed a bit more job experience to be confident enough to start my own business. Now with an additional year under my belt and a greater awareness that I’m even more clueless than I thought I was - but also with an increasing sour taste in my mouth for the corporate life of red tape, ladders, power, greed, egos and dishonesty - I’m willing to make a go at it. So if any of you know of someone that is in need of graphic design services feel free to send them my way.

Mexico was a delight. If I had known I would be leaving my job less than a week after returning, I would have just stayed. It was so sublimely refreshing to spend peaceful days with Mom and Dad talking, playing games, singing, reading and simply soaking in their sweet spirit. Having the opportunity to see them interacting with and instructing their missionaries was such a rewarding experience. Even though I don’t understand much Spanish I asked if I could join them for their zone conference on the day we arrived so that I could feel the strength and spirit of their missionaries as they bore testimony. Having the opportunity to share my testimony was an unexpected privilege as Mom translated for me. There are so many other things I could write about, but what I will remember most is not necessarily the activities or events, but the feelings of love and joy I felt as I spent time with family.

Instead of going up to Bountiful for New Year’s Eve as we have in past years, Becky and I spent a quiet evening together playing Connect Four and watching sappy movies. My birthday was enjoyable as we spent most of the day with my family in Bountiful and then met Steve & Barbie, Brenda, Jen and Chad at Training Table for a birthday dinner. Barbie says I’ve officially entered the “middle-ages” but I don’t think I’m that old.

I was called to be the ward choir director and then told a week later that I was in charge of the choir for Stake Conference on the 20th. Wish me luck. I thought I knew how to conduct music but I’ve discovered that waving ones arms around to trying to keep the tempo, bringing people in and cutting them off, and using various sign language to get more or less volume is quite a bit harder than chewing gum and walking or patting my head and rubbing my stomach at the same time. Becky passed by the other day as I was practicing this and we both just busted up laughing cause I looked so ridiculous.

We’re grateful to have you in our lives.

Bjorn, Becky, Auriana, Isaac, Natalie

April 1996: by Bjorn

April, 1996

An epistle unto the Young family, composed by the mind of Bjorn, typed on his Power Macintosh 8500, and printed by his Apple Laserwriter Pro 600 printer. In other words, I Bjorn wrote these words.

1. Behold, I, Bjorn, husband of Rebecca Young Pendleton, do address this epistle unto the Young family and do send it to all the regions round about withersoever dwelleth those of  my family.
2. And I do send these words with great love and appreciation to you all. And I trust that I may receive tidings also from each of you, and may be comforted in knowing that the Lord's blessings of peace and prosperity have been mercifully bestowed upon you during this past month.
3. And now I will tell you of the visit of Mike and Alison and their family to the land of Provo in the latter part of the third month.
4. Behold it came to pass that after their journey from the land of Boise, they arrived in the Highlands while it was yet night. And in the morning of the next day Mike did call Becky and they did make plans all that morning so that in the afternoon we would be assured of gathering together for a joyous reunion.
5. And I will verily show unto you that it truly was a joyous reunion, for behold on the mor-
row we did all meet at the appointed time at the temple in the land of American Fork that we might make the journey northward to the land of Salt Lake for to see the movie Legacy and also to join our brethren the Steve-ites at the Training Table for dinner.
6. And now all the day long there was smiling and laughter and wonderful conversation (not to mention the good food) and truly there was not a happier family gathering in all the land.
7. And what added more to their joy, all the nieces and the nephew were even more cute and fun to be with than before, and they all, every one of them, did have a wonderful time
8. Now it came to pass that as evening approached that Becky and I had to make our journey back to the land of Provo for the purpose of participating in our ward activity which was a Pinewood Derby.
9. And now in this effort we were not disappointed, for behold after many races and much graphite powder to make the wheels run faster, I was rewarded third prize, which did cause me great satisfaction and did make me feel like a kid again
10. Now the next day, which was the sabbath day, all the family did come to the Pendleton home for sunday dinner.
11. And behold Becky and I did consider it a great privilege to finally have Mike and Alison in our home. It was a wonderful time for all, especially since Aunt Brenda decided to stay the whole evening instead of going to a fireside where the parents' friends' dogs' cousins' of her bishops' first counselor was speaking at a fireside.
12. In the days that followed we enjoyed spending whatever time we could with Mike and Alison and their family, which included an enjoyable visit to the land of Springville to the home of Marvin and Diane where they did spoil us with strawberry shortcake and a nifty (I don't think Mormon ever used the word nifty) race track that Alan and Matt and I enjoyed more than anyone.
13. And Becky and I did receive advice and encouragement from Mike and Alison on the topic of buying a house or condominium. Now after much deliberation and especially after seeing the big numbers on the prices of houses and the small numbers on my paycheck, we did think it a wiser thing to strive to purchase a car first since my little Celica is quickly falling apart (most recently-the muffler).
14. And now it came to pass that in the fourth month, on the first day of the month, in the final year of the college career of Rebecca Young Pendleton that there was rejoicing throughout all the land because that the time of graduation was about to be fulfilled.
15. And behold there were many also who looked forward to this event with great eagerness, insomuch that they did make plans to attend the graduation ceremonies in the latter part of the fourth month.
16. And truly her family did support her with their words of encouragement, yea and even her mother and father made their plans to travel from the land of Rexburg to attend the ceremonies at the University of Brigham Young, in the land of Provo, yea the city of Provo, where in Rebecca dwelt.
17. Yea, and her husband and also their unborn child were filled with much joy because of the greatness of the task which she had undertaken that was about to be completed.
18. Yea, they were filled with joy and were very proud of such an accomplishment by their beloved wife and soon-to-be mother.
19. And behold, Rebecca did strive to finish the last two weeks of school with diligence and patience, looking forward unto the fruits of her
labors
20. And what added more to her joy, and also to the joy of her husband was that she no longer had to endure the pains and sicknesses of the first trimester of pregnancy
21. And inasmuch as she remembered to eat about every two hours she did feel fine.
22. And now it came to pass that the time for General Conference did approach. And all the people of the church did look forward to that time with great excitement, yea and even Becky and Bjorn and Alan and Brenda did make plans to journey to the land of Rexburg that they might enjoy the Conference proceedings with their family.
23. And they did view this time as a time for spiritual rejuvenation both because of hearing from the prophets of the Lord and because of spending time together as family.
24. Yea, and they did also remember that it was Easter time which caused them sincere reflection upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And even Bjorn was heard to say that this was his favorite time of year because of the power of life that is manifested in all
things. And he did also view this particular springtime as his birth as a new father.

25. And now I, Bjorn close mine epistle unto my family with the hopes that each of you may enjoy the blessings of the Lord and be happy every minute of every day during this wonderful time of year. And now I make an end. Sisters and Brethren, Adieu.

January 1996: by Bjorn

Hi ho, 

Becky and I knew that if we didn't get a family letter in this time around we would really be in trouble.

Congratulations to Bishop Boyd Young and his family! It doesn'tsurprise us at all that the Lord chose you. Heck he's got to whip you into shape and humble you somehow. Just kidding. We're
very happy for you, and we wish we could have been there with the rest of the family to show our  love and support.

The holidays were wonderful! It was a joy to spend time with most of you, and at least to talk on the phone with the rest of you. Time spent with family is always a rejuvenating time for us, and that along with the beautiful Spirit of Christ that comes with the season made for a joyous first Christmas for Becky and I that will always be remembered and cherished. 

We decided to open our gifts to each other on the Saturday before Christmas because of the call from my home in Bountiful to Elder Brian Pendleton in Uruguay on Christmas Eve that we didn't want to miss. It was a great addition to the traditional Christmas Eve things we do at my home. My brother was a little miffed when my sister Catherine told him that she is engaged and will be married on February 24. He responded by saying, "I'm going to kill you!" I thought it was a fairly decent response since this will only be the third wedding he will have missed of his brothers and sister. Not to mention the fact that my brother Mark and his wife Jana are expecting a baby on July 28, and therefore there will be a few new faces for Brian to get used to when he returns home in July 1997.

Getting back to the gift opening...it was such a joy for me to shop for Becky and try to get her things that she would like, and having the whole excitement of the season turn me into a little kid giggling as I sat there wrapping her gifts. Then taking turns opening gifts that morning and being amazed at Becky's generosity and great gift giving ability. Santa was definitely good to us. And that was just our gifts to each other. We were even more amazed and humbled by the gifts we received as we visited Bountiful and then Rexburg. You are all wonderful and we thank you very much. Some memories of our time in Rexburg include learning the Name Game, Mikayla and her "Pocky Pollet," Jessie and her late night singing session that had us all laughing so hard that our stomachs were sore and tears were running down our faces, singing around the piano, getting dizzy as we watched Jenny beat us all at Nerts, hanging out with Matt, and learning that Boyd had just been called to be a Bishop.

LINK: Jessie singing

I really enjoyed my birthday too. You all really didn't have to do anything for me, but you won't catch me complaining at all. I thought one party in Rexburg was enough, but my family spoiled me on my birthday, and even now as I write this letter, Becky is preparing a delicious late birthday party roast dinner for when Steve and Barbie come down later today and join us Provo-ites for the monthly get-together. Wow! three Christmases and three birthdays. I'm a pretty lucky guy. Being 25 is about the same as being 24 or 23, though I imagine that when I start getting clear up around 30, I'll start slowing down a bit and probably won't be able to do some things as well like play ping pong. Or maybe by that time I'll be so wise and filled with compassion that I'll let my younger in-laws beat me at games like that so they can feel good about themselves for at least a little while.

Well I hope everyone is over the sicknesses that were going around. I had my fun little 48 hour run-in with something that required me to stay close to the bathroom the majority of the time. It was nice to get reacquainted with solids again. 

Last weekend when everyone else was in California we had a get together with Alann and Annette, Mark and Jana, and Catherine and Ryan.  It was crazy fun. We played the name game-or whatever it's called when you get four girls or guys in a row.  I think Alan and Annette spent most of the night just trying to get used to the Pendleton family homor. My brother Mark is the ring-leader, and when he gets going watch out!

On friday Becky and I went out to dinner at the Skyroom restaurant on campus. Becky had won the free dinner there at my work Christmas party. The food was delicious. It was a buffet of just about everything you could want. My favorite was the stuffed past a and barbecued ribs. Becky's was the chicken and the fruit and/or custard filled crepes for dessert. We rolled out of there quite satisfied.

Becky has started up school again and seems to be enjoying it so far. She has just two C.S. classes and then she's taking clogging and aerobics and a family history class. She's also the T.A. for a C.S. class where she's required to read and grade a lot of papers. So don't be surprised if after Becky proof-reads this letter there are several marks on it telling me where I should or shouldn't have put a comma or something.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be up in Salt Lake at a Production Management Seminar that is supposed to teach me how to be a better supervisor at work. I hope its not just a bunch of stuffy people in suits and ties. I'l let you know if it ends up being worth the money BYU forked out to send me. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to it and I hope to learn a lot, its just that BYU is run a bit differently than most other businesses. I just got my new PowerMac 8500 on friday. You don't have to be excited by that news, but it sure makes me happy-its one of the best computers a graphic designer can get. Now I'll have my own e-mail address too, so we can take advantage of that.

We hope you all enjoy the tapes. If you happened to get a shaky recording, it's the tape recorder's fault, and if you want we can send you another one that is recorded on a better machine. Just
let us know.

We love you all and hope you are well and happy, and are able to keep at least two of your New Years resolutions. Maybe next month Becky and I will share with you details about our main resolutions for the year.

Love, Bjorn and Becky