CAAF 2008

[DanielleGolding]

Hi all,

Just couldn't contain my excitement any longer!

I think I was reliving my school teacher days BC (before children)
as I was doing up a bit of an "excursion plan" for when we come to
Perth. We arrive on Monday the 13th Oct at night where Shaz (our taxi driver) will take us to Sorrento.

After that I have planned a day at Rottnest - we are going to be adventurous and do the bike thing, we are going to see Cinderella on Ice (with the Knotts!), hang out in Fremantle for a day, do the Aquarium plus a few other things. I'm really excited (as if you cannot tell).

The biggest challenge will be the plane trip with Lily as she does not have a seat!

We are also managing to catch up with an old school friend of mine that will be in Perth the same weekend as the conference!

Anyhow just wanted to share!!!

[MaryanneReid]

Hi Dani

It's so close isn't it! Can't wait to meet you! See you soon!

[Damon andSharonknott]

Dani,
Not long to go now...
We are excited to being seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
Cant wait to give you a big hug, probably followed by some tears and have a singalong.
Shaz xx

[Damon andSharonknott]

oops.. forgot about the cuddle with Ethan and Lily.. and maybe one for boof.. ROFL

[LynneB]

I am excited for you guys. I remember how excited we were here before the conference in July. Have a blast. :thumbsup2:

[Corin Nava]

I'm jealous! I wish I could fly out there and meet you all :(

Have a great time-take TONS of pictures for your far away friends!

[Chris and TracyMeats]

You all are going to have a great time at your conference! Take lots of pictures, for we want to see the great time our friends had!!

[StephanieOlivarez]

YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT TIME!!!!
Someday I will be attending a CAAF with all of you!!!
Enjoy each other and remember we will all be thinking of all.
TONS of pictures PLEASE!!!!!
I can't wait to hear all about the wonderful time you will have.
Hugs to you all.
Everyone have a safe trip there and a safe trip home.

[DanielleGolding]

Thanks Maryanne & Shaz - I know I keep saying it but I simply cannot wait! Of course there'll be plenty of hugs!!!!

Corin - now you know how jealous we all felt! LOL! Funny isn't it, but we will meet one day, I am sure of it. One day when my kids are older and we will come to the US!

We will definitely take lots of pictures!!!

Love to you all, my CHERUBS mates!

[KarlaHolt]

Have a great time!

[Barbara and KevinWagner]

You guys are going to have soooo much fun!! Take lotsa pics to share with us!!

Barb

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

You all have to post all the details like we did with the US conference and Angel Ball, etc - that way we can feel like we're there too! :D And lots of photos!!!

[DanielleGolding]

That's a done deal!!!! :D

[DanielleKessner]

Dani, I am also starting to get really excited. When I order my CAAF T Shirt was when it really started. Tanya (my dear friend from high school who also happens to be my SIL who is coming with me) and I are starting to decide what tourist things we will do. I am also really forward to our girls night - but NO singing from me. I will just have to laugh at Shaz and Dani :-)

[DanielleGolding]

We won't complain hey Shaz!!! Danielle you sound like my husband - he WILL NOT sing ever!

Danielle - It's so funny that Tanya became your SIL! My older brother and Brenton were mates so that's how we met, although they didn't actually go to school together.

[Damon andSharonknott]

LOl - Dani and I won't want to share the mike...
Damon likes a sing too - He is better than me but sssshhh don't tell him.

[DanielleGolding]

You read my mind Shaz - I'm a 'hogger of the mike' too!!!!

[Damon andSharonknott]

5 sleeps to our PERTH CHERUBS Australia Annual Forum....

[StephanieOlivarez]

You all are going to have a WONDERFUL time!!!
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for all of you!!!
ENJOY and take lots of pictures!
Looking forward to hearing ALL about the wonderful time you will have.

[AngelaLogozzo]

Hi Everyone

Sounds like you guys are going to have a really great time in Perth!! Wish I was coming. I will definitly have to make it to Melbourne next year.
Have fun.... and try not to get up to too much mischief :D

xx
Ang

[DanielleKessner]

That might be a hard ask Ang - not getting up to too much mischief, lol. Dani is already in Perth and have spent some time with the Knott's. I head down to Melbourne tomorrow night as Tanya and I fly out at 6:10am on Friday morning (what were we thinking?!). Can't wait to see everyone and we will be sure to tell you all about it when we return home and recover :-)

[Damon andSharonknott]

Got to tell you all:
Dani, Brenton, Ethan and Lily are all gorgeous! It's lovely meeting them and getting to know them in person.

I have had a cuddle with Lily and many "chats" with Mr Talker Ethan. (he takes after his mum lol)

Ang - I'm sure we will have lots of stories and photo's to share.

You, Max and the family will be in our thoughts this weekend, as will all our Angel CHERUBS, CHERUBS and families.

xxx

[Damon andSharonknott]

2 sleeps..

Hi guys,

I just wanted to wish you a fantastic time and I wish I was joining you so I could meet all the wonderful people that help keep me afloat! Please take heaps and heaps of photos so I can see all the wonderful families and also the mischief that took place. ENJOY!!!! And I can't wait for next year's which is in my home town.

Have a wonderful time!
Love Margaret

[Kath Murphy]

Hi Guys

Like Margaret, I want to wish you all a great conference. I would love to be there to thank you all personally for the amazing support that you have all provided for me recently, but like Margaret and Angela, it will have to wait until Melbourne. Have fun and have a champagne for me (preferably pink champagne - everything seems to have to be pink lately!?!?!?!

Lots of luv
Kath

[Damon andSharonknott]

Margaret, Kath and all our Aussie members,

We will be thinking of you and all of your gorgeous Angels and Cherubs.
You will all be missed :(
We will have some bubbles for you - PINK of course.
love and hugs
Shaz

[Damon andSharonknott]

Hi All,

Our PERTH 2008 was fabulous. Our Doctors were brilliant as were our babysitters :)

We thought of ALL of you and many a tear and smile was had.

photo's, stories etc will be added later.

Would like to THANK Maryanne for being a great "partner in crime" and for teaching me how to "cut" fruit.. :)

love to all
Shaz xxxx

[RebeccaJamie]

Thanks for the update Shaz!!

So great to hear you had a wonderful time - I'm getting excited for the photos & stories!! I'm trying to talk Gav into allow Savanna & I to attend Melb next year! Wish I was there to meet all you amazing families :)

Can't wait to hear the stories! Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

[AngelaLogozzo]

Hi Shaz,

Glad to hear you guys are having a great time!!!

Cant wait to see all the pics.

Love
Ang

[MaryanneReid]

Hi All

I would just like to thank Shaz for all her hard work in helping to organise this weekend, I couldn't have done it without you!

We had such a great day

xx

[StephanieOlivarez]

I am so happy to hear you all had such a WONDERFUL time!!!
Can't wait to hear all the stories and see all the pictures.

[StephanieOlivarez]

I am SOOO happy to hear you all had such a fantastic time!!!!!!!
I can't wait to hear all the stories and see all the pictures!!!
PLEASE don't make us wait to long!!!! lol

[StephanieOlivarez]

How exciting you got to spend time with the Golding's before the CAAF Shaz.
That must have been AWESOME.

I am SOOO happy you all had a wonderful time and can't wait to hear all the stories and see the pictures!!!! I can imagine what a FANTASTIC time you had.
Now don't make us wait to long!!!!!

[StephanieOlivarez]

I am so happy to hear you got to spend time with the Golding's Shaz.

I am excited to see all the wonderful pictures and hear all the stories.
I thought of you all and can only imagine the time spent together--just how special it was.

Don't keep us waiting to long!!!!lol

[StephanieOlivarez]

Sounds like it was a WONDERFUL time!
I am so happy that you all could spent this special time together.
You know we are looking forward to hearing the stories and seeing all the pictures.

[StephanieOlivarez]

I am so happy that you all had such a wonderful time!!!
Can't wait to hear all the stories and look at all the pictures.

[StephanieOlivarez]

I am SOOO happy to hear that you all had such a wonderful time.
Looking forward to hearing stories and seeing the pictures!!!!

[MaryanneReid]

Hi everyone

Here are a couple of photos. I didn't have a lot of time on the day to take photos but i know others will send some soon

Hope this works!

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200843.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct20083-1.jpg

[StephanieOlivarez]

LOVE THE PICTURES!!!!
Look at the kids!!!!!!!
Look at all of you!!!!
Thanks for sharing Maryanne!!!!!

[MaryanneReid]

The kids are gorgeous aren't they! Lily is just adorable!

Three of them ,Liam, Bec and Jack(top right) are from Perth. One of the Dr's from the NICU saw them all for the first time in years, he couldn't believe how great they all looked!

Come on Shaz, you'll have to post more, I don't have any!

[Damon andSharonknott]

CHERUBS and siblings
back row:
Chelsea-Rose (Liam's sister) Bailey (CHERUB) Jack (CHERUB)
Front row: Dani holding Lily, Rebecaa (CHERUB) Ethan (Lily's brother) Liam (CHERUB) and Nic (Rebecca's brother)

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008001-1.jpg

CHERUBS showing off scars - Bec did show hers (Damon missed the shot) Liam wouldn;t show his. (Dani sorry about the shot with Lily touching her nose)

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008002-1.jpg

[Damon andSharonknott]

bugger... let me try that again:

CHERUBS and siblings
back row:
Chelsea-Rose (Liam's sister) Bailey (CHERUB) Jack (CHERUB)
Front row: Dani holding Lily, Rebecaa (CHERUB) Ethan (Lily's brother) Liam (CHERUB) and Nic (Rebecca's brother)

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008001-1.jpg


CHERUBS showing off scars - Bec did show hers (Damon missed the shot) Liam wouldn;t show his. (Dani sorry about the shot with Lily touching her nose)

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008002-1.jpg

[Damon andSharonknott]

On Saturday night we all went out for dinner. Chelsea-Rose took some pics of the kids goofing around.

Liam and Nic (Bec's brother) lead each other astray...
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008008-1.jpg

Miss Rebecca
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008004-1.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008013-1.jpg

Liam eating his CHERUB Australia mud cake
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008012-1.jpg

more goofing
IMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008010-1.jpg[/IMG]

[Damon andSharonknott]

more goofing:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008010-1.jpg

[Damon andSharonknott]

On Sunday we had a CHERUB family day. The weather was hot and everyone was really tired.

Chelsea-Rose
IMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008028-1.jpg[/IMG]

Liam
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008029-1.jpg

[Damon andSharonknott]

Chelsea-Rose
IMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008028-1.jpg[/IMG]

[Damon andSharonknott]

thats not working... :(

[Damon andSharonknott]

On Sunday night (after a good rest) CHERUB mum's went out for dinner.

We all enjoyed a nice meal and a chat without the men and kids.


Maryanne, Dani, Danielle, Shaz
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/shamon3026/cherubsoct2008055-1.jpg

[Damon andSharonknott]

Maryanne, I LOL at the pic you posted - check out my eyes....scary woman.. and I only had 2 wines Rofl

btw everyone: Danielle and I didn't get our tshirts from Cafepress in time :( Just checked the mailbox and they have arrived, better late than never
Maryanne and Dani wore the tee's on the day and they looked good.

[AngelaLogozzo]

Hi guys,

I love all the photos - especially the ones of all the kids - so cute :-)

Glad to hear you all had a great time - cant wait to read more about it.

xx

[MaryanneReid]

Hi Shaz

Those photo's are great!

[Kath Murphy]

Love the photos guys. Looks like you all had a great time. Can't wait to join you in Melbourne next year.

[MaryanneReid]

Here are some more photos

Lily
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200839-1.jpg

Rebecca
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200840.jpg

Ethan
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200833.jpg

Nicholas (Rebecca's brother)
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200827.jpg

[MaryanneReid]

Oops. they're a bit bigger than I thought!

[MaryanneReid]

Here is Liam, Nicholas and Chelsea-Rose at the zoo for our family day on the Sunday

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200823.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200824.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f289/mpreid/CHERUBSCAAFPerthOct200825.jpg

[Chris and TracyMeats]

I love all the pictures you all have posted!! It looks like you had a great time, even the kids!! One of these days, I will get to meet you wonderful women in person!!! Look forward to hearing some stories and more of what happened.

[Corin Nava]

Love the pics!!! Looks like you all are having a great time! I'm sooo jealous :)

Hi guys,

Thanks for posting all the photos, glad to hear you had a great time. Looks like you had a lot of fun too. Well done for organising such a great event. Can't wait for next year's to roll around! PS where are the hubbies? Did any of them attend?

xx Margaret

[Damon andSharonknott]

Hi Margaret,
The pic taken of us girls was a "girls dinner" we decided to have on Sunday night.
Our hubbies did attend the CAAF Saturday and dinner afterwards.
Damon loved the fact that everyone "got" what we all felt - our stories were all different (grieving and surviving) but we all had a common bond - CDH.
We hope to meet you next year.
love
Shaz x

[StephanieOlivarez]

GREAT PICTURES!!!!!!!
Looks like you had SUCH a great time!!!!!!!
You ladies are BEAUTIFUL!!!
The kids are all so CUTE!!!!
Looking at these pictures makes me SMILE BIG TIME!!!!!!

[TaniaSmythe]

Great pic's, thanks for posting them :-)
Shaz, after seeing all those pic's i am going to try my hardest to make it to Melbourne next year i would so love to meet you all

[Damon andSharonknott]

Tania, start saving now! I def want to meet u in person.
xxx

[TaniaSmythe]

I wish Shaz, i have to start saving for the wedding first. Hannah's grandparents live in Melbourne so i thought i might suggest to them that we might come visit and hopefully they will cover Hannah's ticket price (they have wanted me to send her over for a holiday for ages but i don't want her going by herself)

[DanielleKessner]

Perth was wonderful. Shaz and Maryanne did an AMAZING job of organising it all and of making us all feel so welcome.

It was wonderful to see our hospital information packs and put the first lot together (not so fun lugging my VERY heavy suitcase full of documents back home, lol).

The kids were all so beautifully behaved and the guest speakers were great. Everyone groaned out loud when they thought we had asked all of our questions and I had "Just one more question" after having asked the majority, lol.

Saturday night dinner was a lovely way to end the day. The girls dinner on Sunday was so good. Sad to say goodbye (for at least year) :-(

It was great catching up with all of my 'old' cherubs friends and meeting my 'new' cherubs friends. Dani and I found we had even more in common than we first thought. We did establish a couple of differences - she is Dany-elle and I am Dan-yelle. She also took way too much pleasure in pointing out how much younger than me she is. I told her after the weekend I was never speaking to her again for being soooo mean - she is wiped, lol.

I loved all of the photos you posted. I haven't even downloaded mine yet but will try and post some over the weekend.

Wish I could say I can't wait until Melbourne next year but I will be one of the organisers so am dreading the extra work! Just kidding, it will be great to be the host state :-)

Thanks again Maryanne and Sharon for the wonderful weekend in Perth.

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

LOVE the photos!!!!! The conference sounds so wonderful!!! Someone send me a photo for the newsletter please! :) I swear the newsletter will be out in November, I know I am sooooo behind!

LOL, Danielle at your post. I bet you all had a blast together!

Don't worry Danielle, I'm happy to give you a hand organising next year's since I live in Melbourne :)

[JaanaRosenlund]

I love all the photos!!! What a great time you all must of had with each other!
I am even more keen to attend a CAAF now!

Good work putting it all together girls - you rock!

[Damon andSharonknott]

Jaana - you know Dani and I will HAVE to see you next year..
xxx

[DanielleGolding]

Man I just wrote the longest message in history and deleted it!

The CAAF was unreal, we really enjoyed it and took a lot away from it personally.

Fantastic to meet all you girls in person - you are just as lovely in person as online!

Great to be involved in the pack stuffing Danielle! Thanks! You and Cherubs oz have come a long way... I esp loved seeing the progress of the CAAF booklets! BTW - Age is beauty girl!

Thanks heaps to Shaz and Maryanne for organising and ferrying us about at times. You and your families are beautiful!

I'll try put some photos up over the weekend!

I had written a much more detailed message....oh well, you get the drift!

[DanielleKessner]

Margaret, I have your name down in bold - no getting out of it now :-)

Dani, too late for kind words for the 'elderly'

I have finally caught up on my lack of sleep in Perth - I always have at least 1 VERY late night with Jo while we analysis the whole day and work out ways we can improve. Great to do this but I must be getting old as it knocks me about, lol. Yeah, yeah Dani - wipe that smile off your face! hehehe

I am off on my family cruise in 2 weeks (got the dates wrong while in Perth) so we are all getting excited about that. Dawn, I must remember to get one of those sunset photos that you swear make you look younger. Can you all tell young Miss Dany-elle has got old Miss Dan-yelle paranoid? lol.

[DanielleGolding]

You got the dates wrong eh? Your mind starts playing tricks on you at your age ROFL!

I was very slack and didn't manage to get Lily's story in on time. I was getting Brenton to read what I'd written so far because I wanted him to add the blanks in of what happened when they took Lily to the special care nursery (I couldn't move b/c of the epidural) Well wouldn't you know it, by the end of it we were both in tears again. And of course he was picking on me and saying I'd got things mixed up lol!

Anyway hope you have a great week old girl:)

[DanielleKessner]

ROFL - you got me there!

Tell Brenton "Good on ya" for picking on your mistakes - someone has to be mean to you for being mean to me, lol.

Can't wait to read Lily's story when it is ready (maybe before Melbourne CAAF???) ;-)

[DanielleGolding]

Will tell him:)

I will definitely have it done for Melbourne, I cross my heart!