Round One

Ahhh, This is one of those things that I always plan on when we come home for Christmas. Delicious Mexican food. There is a great dived in the Pipkin Family, between the big kids…Cameron, Maryn Brandon, and I, and the little kids, Krystin and Chelsea. When we were kids, we always went to this little hole in the wall Mexican place called…La Hacienda. We never went out to dinner, especially a sit down dinner. Hascienda was a magical land where good food flowed. One sad day we went out to eat…and Hacienda was closed! The health department had shut her down! Then eventually demolished the whole building! Today there is nothing but a greasy dirt lot north of the air port left of that building. Not long after a place called Celia’s opened up near Vons. The rumor was that a member of the “Hacienda Family” had opened a new place. We went, and loved it. The older kids pined for the loss of their beloved Hacienda but we for used to Years later, on the opposite side of town, a place called, La Hacienda opened. It was the actual Hacienda, Jehova Witness family! They just opened a second location in Imperial.

Caitlin, Karl, Me, Mom, Dad (not photoed) Maryn, Krystin, and Chelsea. Cameron we busy.

We all made it…Dad was in the picture but the waitress cut him out of it. He was kinda happy about the whole thing. Plus look at that awesome picture of a guy stabbing a bull in the background. I remember that picture from the original Hasienda. It was so bloody and gory!We got one of him later. Look at that smile He looks so happy to be there.

Ahh the things I wait to eat all year. From left to upper right to lower right. A delicious special quesedilla, a beautiful taco, and an amazing Sope…almost like a tostada, but with a thicker soft tortilla-esk thing. Always made of corn and really really good!

This is mom’s delicious albundigas. SO good. A delicious Mexican meatball and vegetable soup.

Maryn got her usual, the chicken salad.

Maryn always seems to use her feminine wiles to get extra chicken.

Karl got the Carne Asada Burrito

Caitie got a special quesadilla…and something else.

I think Belle got…a taco? She wouldn’t pose for the picture. So this is what she really looks like.

Sisters…sisters…never were there such devoted sisters….

Look at our faces! Happiness…just total happiness.

Mom was used to this kind of happy.

Dad…he was just happy that we were eating there.

Round Two

On our last night in the Valley we went to La Hasienda again! This time there were a few subtle differences: First, Brandon and Leah were in town, Second, Cameron Decided to come, and Third, it was on my awesome grandma Denny. As a present to the family she sent some money to my parents to pay for a dinner for everyone. Thanks grandma, it was great! There are actually a fourth, fifth, and Sixth differences too. Fourth, we went to the down town location. This place is really cool because it is in an older building and has some more of the art from the original Hasienda by the air port. Fifth, and most tragic…I didn’t bring my camera! Luckily though, Chelsea had hers so I was able to get an awesome picture of the group thanks to a nice waiter there.
(This picture is hilarious for a few reasons. Mostly because Leah and Karl look like they are a couple in their twin red outfits standing right next to each other. Also because of the picture behind us. Another picture I remember from the original place. You can’t see the bull fighter in this one but you can see the thing I remember the most as a kid…the naked lady in the window in the upper left hand corner…above cams head):

(Luckily, she is pretty blurred out. She was always really shocking to me when I was little.)

The sixth and final difference in this trip to La Hasienda compared to the first is that we went on a Monday night. Monday night at the Pipkin house means…Family home evening! And what Pipkin FHE would be complete with out a trip to Rite Aid for some Thifty’s Ice Cream!

Apparently it is award winning.

The most important choice, besides flavor…how many scoops?

In a cup or on a cone?

We were all very careful in deciding.
Just like when we were kids mom and dad kept them selves busy while we all chose what we wanted.

Mom found some chocolate oranges on a great sale apparently.Belle and I were really happy with our ice cream. Mine…pistachio in a cup. Chelsea…chocolate something…. on a small cone.

I mean she was really happy about hers. Also that little boy in the bottom right hand corner looks a little worried about her.

One more big smile for the camera, and we were off!
Thanks Mom and Dad…and Grandma for a great night out together!