Jellystone Park - May 2009

e went camping at the YogiBear Jellystone park in Lake Charles this weekend. Day's kids, Elisa and Timothy, came with us. It was a very nice weekend, with all the fun activities to do. We played PuttPutt golf with Day winning, as usual. Our scores were:
Day-46
Becky-54
Elisa-55
Timothy-57

I took some time to lay at the pool, while Day and the kids had some one-on-one time and got a little too much sun...but it was nice and relaxing. Listened to music on my IPOD and enjoyed my time with God, thanking Him for his many blessings to our family.


Elisa and Timothy

Timothy, Elisa and Day

Day and  

Elisa and Timothy.

A noisy visitor.......................

Day's 55th Birthday

Day was over in Qutar for his birthday; we celebrated early here at home. I got him a portable DVD player to take to work....he says he's enjoying it immensely! Happy Birthday, Husband! I love you!

Race for the Cure 2009

My friend, Carla, put together a team for the Susan Komen Race for the Cure; Day and I walked a mile.....and we really did. We were almost to the meeting point when I realized I forgot my camera....so back where we started....and back again, plus the 1K walk...yep, we did a mile!

SKI TRIP TO COLORADO

What a great vacation! Our Christmas gift to ourselves was another trip to Colorado but this time, in the winter with snow everywhere. I had an awesome time! So did Day and Rachael...they skiied for 4 days! Rachael did some cross country skiing and I did some snow shoe walking at Top of the Pines near Ridgeway. We visited with Day's brother, Chris and his lovely wife, Sara and beautiful daughter, Emma. The only bad thing about going to Colorado....is having to leave! We looked at some houses there....hoping to move within a couple of years!

We stayed at the River Club condos in Telluride for four days.....this is a great place with excellent service! I tried to ski but after two days, had enough; I turned in my equipment and enjoyed walking for the rest of the trip....much easier. Day and Rachael, on the other hand, really enjoyed skiing and did so for four days solid! We had snow two days...it was awesome! Rachael moved up to the "blue" trails and was super happy!

Afterwards, we headed to Ridegeway to spend time with Christen and Sara. Also went to our beloved Ouray; the yearly Ice Climbing Festival happened to be the weekend we were there! Rachael was ready to climb but hadn't broght the right clothes and was freezing cold! Next time, she says! And I believe her!

We also got to visit the area that Henrik's next artwork is done on....although it was covered with snow, unlike when he did his sketches...we could definitely see the place.....just as he now has it painted on canvas!

Sunday....time to head home....and the sad time. As usual, the only bad thing about Colorado....is having to leave!

Rachael and Day on Si lift at Telluride.....................us at Top of the Pine park

Day and Christen......................Becky at Ouray Ice Climbing Festival

Rachael and Day at Telluride.............Riding on Chris' snow mobile

Rachael at Telluride Ski Resort

THE LAST OF CHRISTMAS 2008!

Day didn't get home until January 2nd; although he gave everyone (his kids and my kids) their gifts he hadn't gotten any of his except his new Norwegian selskin slippers I gave him. So when he got home, there were lots of presents for him to open. Several more from me and gifts from Anthony, Caleb and Rachael! We got tools from Anthony and Rachael gave Day hook on trays for our camper chairs and Caleb gave him the HBO series, John Adams. I got him a new fire pit for the camper, a tripod flash-light, some excellent wine...he was so happy to have gifts under the tree when he came home. My husband is always giving to others....its great to make him happy with gifts he really wanted! So...we are officially finished with Christmas 2008!


Tools from Anthony......................John Adams HBO DVD series from Caleb

Tables for our camper chairs from Rachael

The Louisiana Haaland's ON-GOING Christmas 2008

The Louisiana Haaland Tree

 

For the first time in MANY years, Day will not be home for Christmas! This is going to be a serious adjustment for us, as we've spent Christmas together since we began dating. Add to that, Caleb will not be here either but staying at Ft. Bragg.....makes me very sad to not have my husband and both of my children with me but I do know that God's Grace will get me through this holiday season...and I still have Rachael.

So, we've been celebrating Christmas since mid-November! Circumstances brought Day's adult boys to Louisiana during November, so we were able to personally give them their gifts. We gave Knowlton, Christen and his wife, Marianne, Amy & Timothy IPhones for Christmas! To say they were excited does not even start to describe it! So, our first trip to the store was with Christen & Knowlton-we purchased all the phones but only gave the adult boys their gifts. Also gave Marianne's phone to Christen to deliver. On Thanksgiving weekend, everyone was back in town, including Marianne; they came to the house and we gave Amy and Timothy their phones. Amy had been without a phone for months-hers was broken. Timothy had been wanting a phone for several years so he was beyond happy. Day and I are just glad everything worked out that we could do this and actually be present when they received the phones.

Christmas Pika

Caleb was also home for Thanksgiving-on leave from the Army. We gave him his gift....a GPS so he could safely navigate back home to Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I spoke with him today and he is really using the GPS...he had finished Christmas shopping and was headed to the East Coast beaches, about 1-1/2 hours away from the base. He doesn't know it but we are giving him so additional cash nearer to Christmas and sent cash to Elisa over in Europe.

Day had a good surprise too....with the help of Bente, Day's cousin from Norway, I was able to FINALLY find him some new selskin slippers! His others were over 10 yrs old and ready for the trash...which is exactly where they ended up once he saw his new slippers! He really was surprised, especially since he was asking me about having his re-soled!!! I just love surprising people!!

Rachael is the only "child" who hasn't gotten her gift yet and since she will be home for Christmas, she gets to "wait." :-) She's getting a new Dell Laptop as her old Dell is, at the age of 5 yrs, near death. Being in nursing school, a computer is a necessity. And with the economy like it's been, I made a seriously GREAT deal! I can't wait for her to open it! Oh, and she's taken such good care of it, my good friend, Gail, will get it fixed up the best she can and Rachael is donating it to a needly college student.

So that's it for now....more pics and story to follow after the "real" Christmas!

The Haaland family with the IPhones

Christen, Knowlton & Day Timothy

Caleb with his GPS.................. Day with his new Selskin slippers

Amy with her new IPhone............... Christen & Marianne

Texas Renaissance Festival 2008

We took Amy, Timothy, Christen and Knowlton to the Texas Renaissance Festival for the weekend (in early November). A good time was enjoyed by all! Gotta love those fried Turkey legs..LOL.

Dinner enroute to festival:

Pics from Festival: