Halien Party - Chicago, Labor Day weekend, 8-31-13

[Himm2]

^Sorry MAE...just messin with you. Business major. I'm confident there will be a next time...we're a very persistent group.

Mrs B wanted me to post this message from her:

Dear Haliens
Just want to say how much I enjoyed meeting all of you dear people! What a great group of fun loving, young hearted folks. Huge props to Steve & Cheri for putting it together and the wonderful hospitality!
Jill (COOL2's wife) needs to give us all guac and salsa making lessons! It was very cool meeting the Reinharts! Very special family! Thanks again for embracing me (an outsider).

Thanks Kathy. I could feel she was starting to get into the concept of why we are obssessed Haliens and being a really good sport about it.

I seem to keep thinking of the movie "Field Of Dreams" with Kevin Kostner and the catch phrase in the movie: "IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME":

[NUG]

BUZZ!! DIDN'T WE DISCUSS THIS? What happens in Chicago stays there!! OMG he's trying to get me in trouble...you're opening up a can of worms here, you don't want to mess with - I've been holding back but I can't let you slide by forever. I guess I know who I can really trust now, you promised to keep your trap shut.

My Haley experience goes something like this: I'm watching AI season 10 and ripping into Randy and JLo when our little busy bee arrives with her glorious family. As soon as we heard they were coming in, pretty much everyone (not just Swan) made their way up to the front door, and stared with goofy grins and drool coming out of our mouths. Haley smelled really good, like bubblegum, and she looked so cute, tan, expertly applied makeup (came straight from parade)- basically perfect as usual. Tusk is going to be mad at me for making it seem like we were rabid fans surrounding our queen...it wasn't really like that. More like a bunch of sweet runt puppies looking at her with loving gazes, willing her to take us home to cuddle and go for long walks together.

Everyone has talked about how nice she and her family are, and it's all true. I brought a Beatles Trivial Pursuit to Patti and Harry as a thank you for coming, and they loved it! I didn't mention this to anyone, but Harry gave me a big wet kiss on the cheek and a thank you hug after he opened it. Yup. That happened. They said they'd play it next time they have their "Beatles Friends" come over. Patti was just amazing, I know now where Angie and Haley got their effervescent glowing sweetness, she wanted every single person there to know that they appreciate us too. Angie was also so nice and talkative to everyone, and seemed to enjoy watching her big sister on one of the TV's showing Haley footage, that Steve had set up around the house. Also, props to Patti's friend Penny ( dark hair, petite, tan, black skirt and tank top in the pics) What a nice lady, she was so outgoing, and very friendly to me and everyone else.

Like Swan said, I could go on and on and on really, it was a perfect weekend in every way, even getting there late (finally checked in at 2:00 am after flight delays and waiting in line for 2 hours for a car) added some drama to the whole thing. I think the only thing I'd change is that I'm a girl who needs her sleep...I got about 4 hours a night, but what the heck: I didn't travel 1,009.6 miles to sleep, right?

My impression of each Halien (and spouse) in attendance,:

Buzz: PITA, HEAVY drinker, giver of crap to anyone who accidentally looks his way.
Mrs. Buzz: longsuffering (we all know why), sweet as pie, very pretty lady
Fearless leader Miguel: cerebral, beautiful smile and eyes, soft spoken, so very nice!! His looks remind me a bit of an actor, but I can't quite place who...
Tusk (AKA Energizer Bunny) : Haleys warrior, thoughtful, also has a big brain barely contained by his thick head of hair.
Lisa: cheater and/or owner of magic abs , so very sweet, Haleys secret best friend
Steve HIMM2: gracious, patient, creative, kind, thoughtful, accommodating, have I called anyone sweet yet? He's SUPER sweet.
Mrs. Dinkins: Amazing hostess, accommodating, great spice cookies with raisins!!
Babbs or Double B: Saucy, spicy, great sense of humor, this gal can HANDLE BUZZ LIKE A PRO
Cool2 (and wife):So friendly, and so desirous to help Haley and others around him.
Yanni: Quiet guy but secretly ready to party, good listener, defender of the underdog
Swannee: Gentle, kind spirit, soft spoken, another sweetie pie.
Bonjojet and friend Young, fun party dudes, great DJ, you left your shampoo/man wash in my shower.
Dromma Very nice lady, great family, quick poster of videos!

I was so thrilled to meet every one, and I'll be on cloud 9 about this trip for a long time to come!!

[buzzenator]

The Sunday Reinhart Party/Saturday Concert

Weird, Wild, Wacky and Wonderful: (continued)

...So Haley gets a pile of birthday presents, soon Patti and the girls are loading up Harry with all the gifts in the backyard stadium area, some falling off and having to be reloaded by them. Harry, carefully balancing the load, makes his way to the car like the dutiful husband and dad he has always been...wait...one final instruction from Patti, "And don't forget to lock the car!" You can almost hear the Italian mama shouting the instructions...right?

...just before the concert begins, a group of about 12 little girls ages 8-12 move up to the fence right in front of the stage and right in front of us. They all had matching t-shirts and previously had a meet-and-greet with Haley behind the stage. I asked them if we could take their picture and post it on HF.com. They all enthusiastically said yes while turning around to face the crowd, Tusk took the picture. Then I asked them all, "What is your favorite Haley Reinhart song?" In unison, they all shouted out, "Undone"...too cute

...how do you know when the concert is starting? For me, 4 Halien arms shoot up around me with cameras, right fore arm vertical, right bicep parallel to the ground forming a perfect 90 degree angle. Tusk, Yanni, Tim and Himm, like synchronized swimmers, went into a perfect Team Haley formation...it was a little scary, a little wacky and whole lot of fun to see. And that is why the Halien Nation has such a great inventory of Haley videos! Oh, and Tusk is also working the phone with his left hand...

...Angie just completed her first week at Harper College, where her big sister was also enrolled. She has scholarships and grants that cover about 85% of the tuition. She commutes each day and loves it so far. I mentioned that HF.com should probably do a background check on any future boyfriends. She said, "I wish you would have checked out the last one"...more Reinhart spunk

...Bonojet, aka Ryan, does some great impersonations...Our young Halien DJ brought the karaoke equipment all the way from Youngstown, Ohio, along with his friend Derrick. We were entertained with a little Ryan Seacrest and a little Elvis (the slender version)...and others that I missed evidently. Congratulations to him on his upcoming wedding, this November, in Puerto Rico.

...to be continued

[Himm2]

The Sunday Reinhart Party/Saturday Concert
...just before the concert begins, a group of about 12 little girls ages 8-12 move up to the fence right in front of the stage and right in front of us. They all had matching t-shirts and previously had a meet-and-greet with Haley behind the stage. I asked them if we could take their picture and post it on HF.com. They all enthusiastically said yes while turning around to face the crowd, Tusk took the picture. Then I asked them all, "What is your favorite Haley Reinhart song?" In unison, they all shouted out, "Undone"...too cute

...Angie just completed her first week at Harper College, where her big sister was also enrolled. She has scholarships and grants that cover about 85% of the tuition. She commutes each day and loves it so far. I mentioned that HF.com should probably do a background check on any future boyfriends. She said, "I wish you would have checked out the last one"...more Reinhart spunk

...Bonjojet, aka Ryan, does some great impersonations...Our young Halien DJ brought the karaoke equipment all the way from Youngstown, Ohio, along with his friend Derrick.
...to be continued

* Funny that I noticed the big pink sign that the two girls are holding up in this photo laying on the ground after the concert:

I picked it up and took it home and placed it on one of the folding chairs at our H.A.L.E.Y. Basketball stadium the next day.

* Angie must have been referring to the prom date that cancelled on her just before prom.

* I didn't get a chance to fully thank Bonjojet for the great assistance they provided with tunes at the party. We didn't even have to pay extra for his professional services! Thanks!! If I had more time before you left I would have had you take at least one case of beer back with you but it did go to a good cause. Our friends that are also friends with the Reinharts have a funeral coming up this weekend for their grandson that just passed away so we took it with some of the leftover food to them for all the people they have coming in from out of town. There actually wasn't that much leftover (just beer) so we guessed quantities well team!

[lovinghaleyr]

I wonder:¿Nobody take a pic of Miguel? I'm really curious about him

He's in the group photo of us on previous page of this thread. Guess who he is??? I'm not telling hehe He's a wonderful guy along with the rest of all these crazies....me included

He is next to Tusk

---

I wonder:¿Nobody take a pic of Miguel? I'm really curious about him

He's in the group photo of us on previous page of this thread. Guess who he is??? I'm not telling hehe He's a wonderful guy along with the rest of all these crazies....me included

He is next to Tusk

Tnx.MNB now I have an image of our Mr.Questioner

---

As promised to the band members...I photoshopped Tom Kro (who arrived after the rest of the band members left) into the "Band with an attitude" group photo:


My Wheeling Buddies!:


Haley sitting in my favorite chair (I'll never wash it) and Harry sitting in my wife's favorite movie-watching seat:


Birthday gifts for Haley:


I'll be reliving all our fantastic moments for years to come. Thanks for all the appreciative comments but obviously this would never have happened if you shindiggers didn't commit to making the project as enjoyable as it was.

HIMM:At this moment when all the buzz was ended I need to be totally
honest about you and your job IMHO YOU DESERVED A LONG STO OF ALL
US because with out your efforts that's never can ocurred.My respect

[buzzenator]

BUZZ!! DIDN'T WE DISCUSS THIS? What happens in Chicago stays there!! OMG he's trying to get me in trouble...you're opening up a can of worms here, you don't want to mess with - I've been holding back but I can't let you slide by forever. I guess I know who I can really trust now, you promised to keep your trap shut.

Oh Boy...I owe a HUGE public Halien apology to NUG!

In my amateurish attempt at humor I implied something that all of us who attended the big Shindig know is completely false. Rather, the truth is that because NUG is so kind-hearted and generous she sacrificed a good nights sleep in order to help others. Ryan and Derrick, the young Haliens from Ohio, had no place to stay, so NUG let them sleep on her hotel room floor after the concert. Then the TeamHaley video crew took over her room the same night doing all the editing and uploading of videos.

Once again, in an attempt to make light of something at someone elses expense I completely bombed. My batting average of 4 good jokes (on a good week) out of 10 really sucks...in baseball I would be an all-star, but in comedy I'm destined for the couch.

Sorry NUG...you were absolutely right, I was a big PITA. You, however, were magnificent to sacrifice like that. There aren't too many people that would give up their room and a good nights sleep for the benefit others.

[Himm2]

I think NUG was half kidding and half serious BUZZ. But that's why she's called "Not Ur Girl" because she knows how to party, knows how to help others, but knows how to handle herself with the boys and maintain control.

[bonjojet]

Hey ya'll! Here's my take on the weekend: I arrived at BG Days Sat with my buddy Derrick around 5:30PM/6PM and we heard Haley warming up, which was cool (and slightly nerve-wracking thinking we somehow missed a change in concert time). We then looked around for some fellow Haliens (Buzz and Nug both reached out via cell to accommodate us upon our arrival) but as I reached the stage, I noticed who I thought was Himm2...and it turns out I was correct! He said I looked exactly like he thought I would and proceeded to introduce me to all the fellow Haliens. That part was kinda surreal. Everything introducing themselves as their "usernames" was funny, but also pretty fuckin' cool to meet everyone in person. Every one of you Haliens are so down to earth and kind. I must admit that I was taken aback by the lack of creepiness. I just assumed there'd be someone that was at least somewhat creepy, but I was wrong. Everybody was just a normal, cool individual.
The concert itself was GREAT. Best sound so far, best band so far (her family), and the coolest crowd so far that I've been with to see Haley. Here's my Video of "My Cake". I'll comment more on Sunday's shindig ....to be cont...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjlGJUZOt...e=youtu.be

[NUG]

Aww now see Buzz, I can't hold a grudge against you. I was just kidding. You are the giver of crap, I have to shovel some back in your direction!! Any time I use the word "trap" it's always a joke.

[Babbs234]

I spent 2 hours this am trying to download some of my videos to you tube, but it wont take my password. I do have a video of Haley signing autographs post concert and video of her soundcheck too, if I ever get my video app to process the videos to you tube. so frustrated at this time.

But... I wanted to say, I don't have a whole lot extra to add, after reading all the wonderful accounts of this weekend. Each one of us has our own remembrances of this most special time. Every one of the haliens I met were just the kindest, sweetest people. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of obsessed crazies to hang with. I wish we all lived in the same area.

Haley and family definitely lived up to all the hype that Himm and I have been dishing out for the past year. NOW you all know what makes Haley Haley. A strong, supportive foundation with a loving touch for a family. And their friends and extended family are the same way. Couldn't ask for better people. Now I'm going to start tearing up again.

One thing Haley did mention..Someone asked her if she was going to sing "Follow Me" any time some. She said she really wants to sing that song and some of the other songs we haven't heard, but she wants to make sure they sound right, and wanted to have back tracks and some special effects with them to make sure they sounded good. does that make sense? (maybe too hard to sing with only 1 or 2 people playing with her)

And she said she is working on her web site. Or waiting for 19 to work on her web site....but she's aware it's needed and pronto.

So when is our next halien gathering??? Can't wait. I love you all!!