Penny, I can't enlarge your photos in the album. Anyone else have this problem or is my computer being wonky?
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Penny, I can't enlarge your photos in the album. Anyone else have this problem or is my computer being wonky?
oh shoot .
well, i thought i had to shrink them to get them uploaded, maybe i shrunk them too much ?LOL
i couldnt upload them larger. ...
if anyone has any suggestions how i can make em bigger i will
AND I WAS ON WIFI NOT DIAL UP LOL
Maybe next year a happy medium could be the conference location! I am close to the west coast and due to finances, couldn't swing the east coast conference. I am saving our pennies and hopefully next year we can make it, if it ends up on the east coast again. California or Texas would be great, but we would need somebody who knew the venues there to help plan! Having Dawn and so many of you close to NC is a great asset for the planning and pulling off a wonderful event! Lots to think about.
Penny, can you e-mail the larger ones to me or mail them on a CD and I'll resize them for you?
I understand that Tracy!
I had so much fun, I'll kick and scream and pull a real hissy fit till Scott says "OK" but the $$$$ i would have to come up with somehow.
A medium would be nice, but you WEST guys deserve it close to you too. It was nice having Dawn right in the heart of it all to plan.
I promise, it will move around and be back on the East Coast again. There's always the Angel Ball and Golf Tournament in NC every year that you can come to. But we really need as many as we can at the conferences! If we do SF then our CA Rep and Dr. Harrison are right there. Dr. Harrison is a huge advocate for CHERUBS (on our board for 10 yrs now) and he'd be able to help with some things. Plus, SF isn't too hot, it's beautiful, lots of great tourist stuff for adults and kids.
I planned the Orlando conference from NC so being far isn't too bad with conferences. Now the Angel Ball and Golf Tournament.... I HAVE to be near, just too many vendors and sponsors and such to deal with. And with the conference, none of our NC members helped at all and we still pulled it off - Steph did a lot from Indiana. So we can definitely pull the conference off anywhere we go. :)
We have our Aussie gathering (CAAF) in a different state each year and even though we are small in population Australia is fairly close to the size of the US in land mass (I think?). We have local members organise our CAAF each year - normally between 2 and 4. A couple of us help out each year from afar but the local people source venues, guest speakers, motels, family day activities, morning tea etc. It works beautifully for us.
So those out west, if it comes to SF you really need to jump on board and help out :-)
As far as the cost - yes it can be expensive. But a lot of our members plan their family holiday around it. Maryanne has dragged her whole family all around Australia for their family holidays :-)
It's a long way off but we are planning to attend. Julian is going to be working a stack of overtime to get us there - which means I will be working overtime running kids around etc. while he is working. Not sure how I am going to fit it all in with full time work and oz cherubs stuff but it will be worth it. Like a couple of you have said, where there is a will there is a way.
Hope to see you all in a years time!!! :-)
you have a point there dawn, it's ashamed none of our NC members stepped up, i think i was the only one from VA
gotta light a fire under these folks.
they have no idea what they R missing
Dawn, tell Craig if I was out there dancing he can. I don't fast dance so you all got a special treat (or as Penny would say Ya'll LOL).
We will try to make it to the conference wherever it is. I need to find a job or get some kids to watch or we are going to be broke real quick. Poor Jeff is working over 50 hrs a week (some of that out in the elements directing traffic).
I would love to come to an Australia Conference some year :)
Penny, Corin, Amy, and Steph it wouldn't be a conference with out you!
I'm with you on the Australia conference TARA !
I hear ya on the saving up! I don't know how I'm going to afford to go to SF either, plus 2 other events next year, but I will pull it off somehow! You ladies are so right - where there is a will, there is a way! Ebay, yard sales, car washes.... whatever we have to do! And Australia one year.... I'm so in!!! We need to pick a year and say we're all going and just go! Maybe we can hitchhike on a ship or something. lol.
I wish Jeff would have danced, but he waited until the last minute, had to buy a tux and shoes and get alterations done to the tune of about $350.00. He did not listen to me and bought shoes that did not fit, so he did not want to move. He said he thought he was going to have an anxiety attack, they were so tight.
Where did you get the tux at, Lynne? You guys didn't go to Hillsborough?
we could not find the place in Hillsborough. We were looking for the 2nd exti but could only find one Hillsborough exit and Jeff would not ask for directions. That will teach him to wait until the last minute. We ended up at the Southpoing Mall at the Tux store.
I know we all shelled out a lot for the ball, but the good news is that now we all already have tuxes or gowns for future Angel Balls : )
that's true ..
except me !
i'll be the one spending next year LOL
but i have a whole year to get a dress, dont i ?
MEN and directions. will they ever learn ?
That is what Dawn said. I will not be able to wear this dress next year, hopefully. I have lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks so I am getting there. I don't know if it is my thyroid or the fact that i gave up sodas and sweet tea.
Good for you, Lynne! You go girl! By the way, I thought you were absolutely stunning at the ball! I loved your dress!
I starved myself 2 days before the ball so I'd fit in my dress now I'm on the see-food diet and eating anything in sight!
You go Lynne! I know it is that reunion coming up :). I could not give up sweet tea LOL. That is my weakness.
Jeff should have just taken his shoes off. All of the girls were barefoot. We wouldn't have cared. You can have your dress altered for next time, it is beautiful. I'm going to try to talk Dawn into letting us wear colors so I can get my dress in the red LOL. Go to amazon.com and type in ball gowns they have a lot to choose from.
I won't even comment on men and directions, I think that is why Jeff bought the GPS system!
You all are too much! Kara you do not look like you need to diet! Thanks Tara. I asked him to go bare foot ,but no. We missed the after ball fun too! I started my heart meds and am going to have my nuclear scan in two weeks. Maybe I am on the road to geeing human again.
I meant being human.
Giving up soda's and sweet tea (ummm-aka liquid sugar) can really help with weight loss! I have to loose 35-40 lbs before my next pregnancy....I've got a lot of work to do!!!
I am all for picking a year to go to Australia conference!!!! I have always dreamed of going to Australia! Can we mail ourselves?! :)
I am pretty sure I am going to find a way to get to San Francisco next year...but I will probably have to come alone to afford it. I just put a jar on my desk for change-it's a start!
It would be SENSATIONAL to have you all come to Australia. I agree - you will have to pick a year down the track that you can all save towards and we can plan to hold it in Sydney (I think that would be the cheapest flight into the country?)
I can just see us collecting you all from the post office wrapped in brown packaging, lol.
I am in for Australia!!!!!
So is it decided...the next conference is for sure in San Francisco???
That might be a problem for us like I have stated.
It will take us three days to drive their!!!!!YUCK!!
But if there is a will...there is a way!!!!!!
All I have to say is Shane and Brenda burned up the dance floor!!!!!!! lol
Shane had a blast dancing and I think so did Brenda.
It was good to have so much fun!!!!!
Chuck works for Fedex and gets a huge discount on shipping. Anyone want me to ship you to Australia :)
I want to be shipped!!
Please a box with breathing holes!!!!!!!lol
It would be FABULOUS if you came down to OZ!!!
What month will the conference be? and will it be San Fran?
Nothing is decided yet, have to talk to the conference committee and Dr. Harrison. We'll get a date by the end of the month.
Shaz--
What would be the best City to have it in for Aussie members?
Just wondering.
If it has to be San Francisco....Shane said he will not miss the chance to meet you Shaz!!! (there goes that flirting stuff again.......... :D
Shaz and Dani, Oz would be great! We better start saving too!
Lynne-
Shane and I were just talking about the conference.
Bear has the most beautiful blue eyes we have ever seen.
To look at his picture and see him in person....you have a very handsome son.
I am happy we could meet all of you.
Aww Shucks! Thank you. He does have pretty blue eyes. He looks so much like my dad. He hoped Jake would look like him, but if you saw Jake at the conference, you know he looks just like Jeff. I really hate that he is not around to see Baer. Sometimes I get so angry at him for that choice that he made. Shelby is a little doll too. but I think that Taylor won my heart. She sure is stubborn huh? Wonder where she gets that from?
Shaz and Maryanne might answer this as well but west coast is definitely the cheapest for us (LA and San Fran). If it was in Texas and we were coming I would still attend - would just be an extra flight once we got in and that means extra $. I am thinking more about the local US members though - making it fair on everyone. We are having our CAAF in Perth this year which is very isolated from the rest of Australia but it is only fair that we go there every so often for the WA members. They have spent a fortune attending our east coast forums! And so far this year we have 6 families flying over to it which is really good - probably more than we expected.
Just trying to be fair for your west coasters :-) I so hope I can make it next year - just a warning though, you won't get any tears from me. Don't think I am a hard person, I just tend to cry on the inside instead, lol. Maryanne is much the same!
West coast is cheaper...
It cost us $2200 (aus) flying with Emirates via Dubai to NY in 2006 (meeting Polly)
I cry at the drop of a hat! Damon and the kids tease me all the time. Chels couldn't believe I cried in Mamma Mia! I cry at all the finales for tv shows..
Shane - you are making me blush: you big strong man you!!
xxx
Yep West Coast is cheaper! Shaz and I have to first fly from the west coast of Australia to the east coast, and then on to the USA!
Danielle is right about me, I cry on the inside too......
Maryanne, are you planning on the 4 of you going?
Yes, that would be the plan. We would have to make it a BIG family holiday!
I'm not sure I could leave my kids for such a long time if I came by myself!
If you Aussie members can make it to the U.S. for a conference, I guess I have no excuses not to make it :) That would be wonderful to meet you all!
OMG Corin - we couldn't not meet you!!! You would have to attend :-)