Happy Birthday Kayla!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Kayla!!!!! On Sunday, we met up with Kayla's best friend Faith and her family. They had almost a full day together. We met for an early lunch so they could play. We then went to "Build-a-Bear." They each made their own Teddy Bear. It's funny that they picked out the same one (but dressed them different). Of course, Kayla's had to have a pink dress!!! When it was time to name her new bear, she chose Sarah (thanks to Grandpa)!!! We ended the day at an indoor play ground. It is funny to watch them play. They will be on different sides of the area, then they will look up at the same time and run back to each other. They had a great time.

Have we lost our audience????

It has only been three months since our last post!!!!! That means that I am ahead of the game by posting this quarterly update!!!!!!! Just kidding. Sorry for the lapse. We will try to do better. Like Ryan, our computer has died. Unlike Ryan, we do not have a new one. Yes, that makes regular posting difficult!!!!!!!

Well, here is how we recapture your attention. Look, a bird!!!!!! No wait.... Not like that. Here is Kayla on Halloween. Yes, she is the prettiest Butterfly Princess you have ever seen!!! Seen here with Happy Pumpkin, Scary Pumpkin, Scared Pumpkin, and "What the?!?!" Pumpkin. Kayla filled her bucket with candy for Daddy!!! Thanks Baby!!!!

This is one of our Koi!!!!!!! She's the MEAN one!!!!!!! Kayla is practicing the Hoefen tricks. Soon enough she'll be moving one eye like Grandma Hoefen!!!!!!!!!!!

Another Before and After

This is after weeks of land clearing. The landscaping was neglected and over grown. We decided it was better to remove everything and start over.

Like every garden, it will be a work in progress for as long as we live here. This is the new center piece of our front yard. It is home to 8 goldfish, 3 koi and 1 frog (the noise has become something we look forward to everytime we go to bed). Every morning, the shallow water in the waterfall becomes a bathing ground for many small birds. The water lilies had their first blossom a week ago. There is something to look forward to everyday!!!!!

Congratulations Amanda

California bound. Congratulations to Amanda on her high school graduation. We are SSSSOOOOO proud of you Amanda!!!!!!!!!!

Our Baby!!!!!!!

I'm putting this in because I beleive you all deserve a current picture of our baby. She's doing great. She has moved up to the three year old class at her school. Yes, I know she's onlytwo and a half, but she's a Hoefen/Melgarejo mix!!!!!!!!! Yes, she is beautiful AND smart. We're so proud of her. Kayla is such a good girl.

Kitchen - After

Kitchen - Before

Sorry, It's been a while!!!!!!!!

I figure I'm staying on top of this site as long as I post every few months. Unfortunately, there isn't always much to say. But of course, the purpose of this blog is to keep you up to date on Kayla, not me!!!!! She had an exciting month. She had visits from three out of four of her grandparents. Elisa's mom spent a week with us in early April and Grandma and Grandpa Hoefen came at the end of the month!!!!!! She can't stop asking "Where's Grandma?" "Where's Grandpa?" "Where's Mama?"

Congratulations!!!

This post is about a month late. Sylvia and Adrian got married on February 17th. We made the trip down to Orlando for the event. Congratulations. You both deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!

A Day at the Lake...

It seems fitting that my last post showed snow in Georgia. One month later, here we are at the lake. It has been beautiful, mid 70's and sunny. We spent the day at Lake Lanier with Julian, Cynthia, and the "cousins" Alexa on the left and Nayeli on the right.

In Georgia???????????/

We woke up this morning to a layer of snow on the ground. This is the second time it has snowed this year, but the first time there was any accumulation on the ground. It's been a very mild winter, but these days are nice to see once in a while. It's been a long time since moving from New York.

2006 Marriott Extended Stay General Managers Conference

I was in San Diego from January 13 to January 18. It was the annual Marriott General Managers Conference. Specifically, it is for the General Managers of both Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites by Marriott. There are currently 500 Residence Inns and over 100 TownePlace Suites. It was a great conference. We couldn't have had better weather in California. It was in the high 50's to low 60's and sunny everyday. My hotel won a national award for our commitment and celebrations to True North Week (a week of festivities in support of Extended Stay sales).

Animas Traders move over

I found the source. This tienda had an amazing collection of Mexican artifacts that made Animas Traders look like a vending machine.

OUCH!!!!!!!

If you thought we have it bad when we have to go to the dentist, take a look at this. I don't think thier equipment was quite as effective. Ryan, is this the practice you want to work for??? The town doctor doubled as dentist!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like a great line of work for you.

Old Town, San Diego!!!!!!!

Old Town is an area north of where I stayed. It is a historic village with a dominant Mexican culture. 75% of the original buildings have been turned into businesses while 25% remain as small museums showcasing their original uses (city hall, dentist, school house, etc...). It's a must see and a short Trolley ride from the Gas Lamp District.

Packing for San Diego

Kayla wanted to go to San Diego so bad that she was willing to get packed in the luggage. Sorry Kayla, you're getting too big for this....

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations to Bret and Shannon. Engagement Celebration!!!! Good thing it's you that's last Bret. We've only had six years to think about what we can do to you at the Bachelor party!!!!! I feel bad for you.

Movie night

We were lucky to catch Jeff in town!!!! We spent the evening of Dec. 28th with Jeff, Danielle, Bret and Shannon. It was a great night of Beer and Wings at Jaramiah's. Then it was back to Bret and Shannon's for movie night.

Movie: The Island
Rating: Too long, too late. It wouldn't be fair to tell.

I give the company two thumbs up!!! All but Bret made it through the night. Bret made it through about 25% of the movie before disappearing and never coming back.

Grandma, I'm COLD!!!!!!

We had a great visit in Rochester, NY. We visited the family and had some great snow time. Fortunately, it only snowed one day while we were there. Kayla, Grandma, and I built an artist masterpiece that is uniquely named "Pumpkin." I'm not sure if it ended up being more snow or mud?!?!

Blessed with a visit!!!

We received a last minute call. The Melgarejo side of the family stopped on their way back to Florida from a trip to New Jersey and New York. What time of the year could be better than the Christmas Season!!!!!!!!!!!! This could be the best New Year of them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas at the Hoefen's

Four generations of the most important women in my life. We spent six days in Rochester, NY with our family. The final day was spent with my grandmother for an INCREDIBLE meal. Thanks Grandma. The apex of the trip was losing all of our hard earned money to Ryan. Ry, Kayla's hungry, give me my money back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cuatro generaciones de las mujeres mas importantes de mi vida. Pasamos 6 dias en Rochester, NY con nuestra family. El ultimo dia que pasamos aya fue con mi abuelita, con una merienda INCREIBLE. Gracias Abuelita. El proposito de este viaje fue perder todo nuestro dinero con Ryan en un juego de poker. Ryan, Kayla tiene hambre, devuelvenos el dinero, por favor!!!!!!!!!