Disneyland Slideshow

The Armies do USA...First stop DISNEYLAND!!!

Arriving at LAX was crazy...nothing like having a kid spew up on the floor while your waiting to go through customs and traffic and horns going non stop when you get outta the airport. It was warm and humid. A nice feeling when you've just come from winter climate.

First impressions...BIG!!! Everything was just blown up. Americans really know how to do things in a big way. ford Trucks everywhere, it was like spot the sedan.

We stayed at the Portofino Inn in Anaheim CA, it was about a 10 minute walk to the front entrance of Disneyland. Nice but thats about it. But we had three days therein Anaheim so we were like strangers in a strange land.

Disneyland was a childs paradise. Haydee was in Heaven. All she wanted to do was go on the rides. And look at all the stuff. Unfortunately for us it was the last day for some event so every man and his dog was there. Hour plus waiting times for rides andbusy foot traffic everywhere. In the end we just jumped on the express train and viewed the park from there. it was a great time. hayden would say Disneyland was a lil over rated...I liked it and the rides. And so did Haydee.

THE ARMIES DO AMERICA

Were leaving on a jetplane...don't want to come to Perth again...The way we were feeling...we were glad to get away from all the stress and it hadn't quite sunk in that we were finally on our holiday. We flew from Perth to Auckland and had a 14 hour transit in Auckland. Aunty Ra picked us up from the airport and took us home where we had a good six hours sleep...Church started at 1pm. So went to church and arrived home to a roast for dinner at about 4.30pm. At this point, Haydee was getting on so well with Aiyanna (my cousins daughter) that we were tempted to just leave her there for 4 weeks. But she wanted to do Disneyland...so good for her. My cousin Jay was able to get us into the Koru Lounge while we waited for our flight to LA...Sooo nice!!!! Buffet meal...playground for Haydee, internet access, bean bags to fall asleep on. Deluxe. Our holiday started off with a bang. Thanks family for your support. You guys were awesome.

DRAMA's...THE WEEK BEFORE we fly or 3 1/2 weeks later

Drama 1. OK so to start everything off...we had put our holiday to the states on the back burner, because haydee wouldn't be able to travel overseas with the pins in her arms. We tried for a refund on our tickets, but as airlines do...they refused because she was not in a critical condition. So we had to pray that we could bring her surgery forward to have her pins pulled out.

Drama 2. Our landlords had put their house on the market again...so we had to find a new home, pack and move. (Was glad to move because we had so much trouble at that house...2 incidents where the neighbourhood punks thought it was a good idea to pelt rocks and stones at our cars (spent sooo much money on replacing windows), arguments and noise happening around us at all hours of the morning. So glad to leave.

Drama 3. Still had to organise our holiday in the states..nothing booked. and one week to go.

Drama 4. hayden had an exam on Thursday for Uni.

In a nutshell....

Tuesday - Found out Haydee could have her pins out on Friday. Also approval for a rental home in Greenmount.
Wednesday - Moved House
Thursday - Hayden went to his exam, I Cleaned the other house...Looked schmicko...thanks Diane for your help. Unpacked our gear at the new premises
Friday - Haydee had her Pins out, Marg had to work in the morning. Continued unpacking and organising everything for LA.
Saturday - We packed our gear and flew to America that afternoon.

From the Beginning - Haydee's Mishap

Ok ... Here it goes...Long story short in point form because its just too hardfilling in all the details.

• Was helping haydens Aunty move from Kwinana to Hope toun which is about 7-8 hours south of Perth. Hayden was driving the truck and we were along for the ride and to keep Hayden company. The idea was that we leave at 4.30am get to Hopetoun at about 2pm unload and then drive back in time to teach our lessons for primary the next day.
• About 4.30pm, Hayden puts Haydee up onto the truck. While pulling a box closer he accidentally knocks her off the truck and she lands on her arm.
• Looks dislocated and disjointed
• Nearest Hospital is an hour away in Ravensthorpe.
• Got there at 5.30pm and we were the only ER patients. had to wait for the Doctor to arrive.
• In the meantime...got speaking to one of the nurses and found out that she used to babysit me when I was little and that her husband was in the army with my dad. So we got the royal treatment and a whole wing of the hospital to ourselves, with food.
• Doc arrives at 6pm - Find out haydee needs surgery on her arm and books her into Princess margaret children hospital for 8am the next day.
• In the meantime gives her Spec K so he can manipulate her arm enough for us to travel home straight away.
• We are finally released from Ravensthorpe Hospital at 9pm and begin our journey home.
• Prayer had never meant so much to us than that moment when we needed heavenly father the most. We had no tail or driving lights in the truck, we were prone to Roos jumping out in front of us and we were tired.
• After about 7 hours and a 20 minute power nap and a night of life stories and confessions we arrived home at about 5am.
• By this time Haydee was wired and all she wanted to do was watch ABC kids. So While Hayden slept for an Hour, I watched Haydee and then we changed over.
• 7am...made our way to PMH for Haydee's appt.
• 4.30pm she went into surgery to have her arm realigned and pins inserted.
• I slept at the hospital and Hayden went home.
• Haydee was there for another night and then it was home for lil missy.
• A day in the life of the Armies...we had our prayers answered and we witnessed a miracle. The lord looked after us. Not one kangaroo jumped in front of us...we saw them but they just jumped away, Not one single car followed us home in the whole 7 hours, and not one cop pulled us over for no tail lights. haydee is now back to normal and has a lil scar to prove it.

Going Home today to see Dad.

The Aunties and us decided to go to Mum N Dads Hotel this morning and have breakfast with them in the buffet lounge. Nothing like a hot cooked breakfast at a hotel to set ya right for the day. Aaron and the family had gone to the airport to see the Hardwicks off at 9am. So by the time we all got home it was about 10.30am. we all hung around at the house until about 2pm when we all decided to head off to sizzler for lunch. Mum n Dads shout...even better.I don't know but my parents seem to have this fetish for Sizzler every time theyre in Brisbane. By this time Haydee had been going on about going home to Perth and seeing Dad. Met up with Uncle Stevie and caught up on the goss from back in NZ. We were only in Brisbane for 3 nights and there was a mass exodus on the same night. Mum n Dad flew out first to NZ at 6pm at the International Airport. then at 6.45pm Aunty Rangi n Aunty Darlz flew and then finally we flew out at 7.30pm. By the time it came around to us the kids were over airports and waiting and haydee was just hungus to get on the plane and see her father. So this is what waiting at airports does to ya. We got into Perth after midnight and Dad was waiting there anxious and waiting. But, ya wouldn't believe this...Haydee sees her father and goes all shy and hides behind my legs. So much for wanting to see her dad. Didn't last long though. A great trip otherwise.

Jenaiahs Baptism

Jenaiah Elizabeth Frances Haerewa

The Whole reason for going to Brisbane was for this lil girl right here.
It was her 8th birthday in February and a great teaching moment for Haydee.
Uncle Aaron and I left for the airport early that morning to pick up my parents who were flying in from New Zealand for the special event. We were cutting it fine, but we managed to get everywhere on time. the day wasn't without its drama's. But...being the flexible people that we are...we dealt with it. After the baptism Aaron and Clare had a huge feed at their house with about 40 of us there i think. heaps of food and heaps of leftovers. part way through...Mum, Rangi , Haydee and myself took off to DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) to do some shopping for a couple of hours. it was great because there was hardly anyone there. Word to the wise...shop about 2 hours before closing time. We got back in time for Mum n Dad to check in at their Hotel and jump into the resort pool for a quick dip. It was a great time for Dad to catch up on some ZZZZZZ's on the pool deck.

DREAMWORLD....

Thanks to Richard and Sally...we were able to get free tickets to Dreamworld where we celebrated Jenaiahs 8th Birthday. It was sooo humid and hot and sticky and thank goodness the kids were all in good spirits because it was a fabulous day. Judging from the Map we had, I think we covered most of the park and attempted most of the rides. My poor Haydee was a couple of centimetres tooo short to even go on some of the thrill rides...ie Motocoaster or the nickolodeon roller coaster and I spent a lil bit of time consoling her while all the cousins went on the ride. Unfortunately, she inherited the short genes from Hayden and myself. But, there were other rides she went on to compensate for it. We were there for about 5 hours and the kids were had it by the time we got home. They sure slept well that night. Aunty Darlz and Aunty Rangi arrived late that night and it was sooo good to catch up with them.

OUR BRISBANE BREAK

On the 19th February 2009, Haydee and I had the opportunity of travelling to Brisbane for my niece, Jenaiah's baptism. Hayden stayed home and went to school and like the good man that he is dropped us off at the Airport and gave us the royal send off. Haydee is really close to her father and 3 housr into our 4 hour flight decided that she didn't want to go to Brisbane but rather wanted to go home and look after dad. That soon wore off when we landed and she saw all her cousins greeting her as we walked off. Haydee is a good lil traveller. Just swipe the c/card and put the channel on Nick Jnr and your good to go.

Mum n Haydee on the plane

My Bubbalicious!!!