If you are installing HID's, removing the headlight assemblies is the way to go.
For one thing, you can mount the ballasts on the flat surface under the assemblies out of the way,
for another, it sure is easier to manipulate those pesky clips when you can see what you are doing.

Might sound kinda extreme, but if you really love the car, the way to go about the whole schmear is to
remove the bumper cover.
You get to see all sorts of areas that will need cleaning up, and it is child's play to remove the headlights
once the bumper cover is off. ( see above picture for "child's play" )

To remove the bumper cover :
1. jack the front up and use jack stands on both sides.
2. remove both front wheels.
3. remove the plastic pan under the engine ( 4 bolts and a plastic panel fastener )
4. remove the front plastic fender well shields.
5. disconnect the fog lights and the outside temperature sensor.
6. remove the 2 bolts on each side holding the bumper cover to the fenders.
7. remove the bottom bolts holding the cover to the frame.
8. remove the grille and the 2 top cover bolts.
9. remove the bumper cover.

( I've had mine off twice now, once for the headlight refurb / HID install, and once again when
I did some stupid damage to the cover by hanging it up on one of those concrete parking place wheel stops. )


BTW: Welcome to the forum !!!