A BUSY Weekend!!!!!

OK... Again we will be doing a massive post all in one day. As always, sorry for the infrequent postings. We have been extremely busy over the past few months. To add to it, we have also misplaced the charger for our camera. Therefore, we also have had very limited pictures over the past few months. Here is a look at this past weekend....

Our first stop was Picture Day at Kayla's Ballet School. Here she is with her friend Christina. Their annual recital will be the first weekend in June. We will be sure to post video clips after the event. Make sure you check back....

Ashlyn really gets into "Everything Kayla." If her big sister likes it, Ashlyn loves it. She is well liked at Kayla's school. Everybody "Coos" over her.

We spent a day in Celebration, FL for the annual Speed Show and Pie Festival. Yes, that covers a very diverse span. If you can believe it, Kayla entered a Pie Eating Competition. She did great!!! Even more importantly, the pictures are great!!!

There were over 300 cars being shown in the downtown area. The show focuses on Performance Cars. The majority of the cars are Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pantera, etc... There were also a few celebrity cars. Here is a picture of the Delorean from Back to the Future. The cars from the original Night Rider and Gone in 60 Seconds (Deloris) were also there.

We ended the day in Winter Park. Brian spent the day at a Catholic Retreat and we joined up with the family for Mass after the completion. As I'm sure you can tell, it was another beautiful day in Central Florida.

Here is an update on the girls...

I know it's been a while since we've giving news about the girls. Kayla is beautiful as always. She is still taking ballet lessons twice a week. She's also started taking swiming lessons on the weekends. Ashlyn has started to crawl and has two very sharp teeth. Ashlyn and Kayla get along so well. They can spend hours playing with each other and having fun.

Brian's First Communion

The first Sunday of April, Brian received first communion. The following Sunday he went on a retreat and the Sunday after that he will confirmed. Stephanie will follow with her first communion. We had a great day with the Family. Here is a picture of Brian with Father Gregory, the priest of our parish.

A morning funny....

I thought this was pretty funny, so I had to share it......

Estate Planning

Don was a single guy living at home with his father and working

in the family business. When he found out he was going to inherit

a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed a wife

with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most

beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his

breath away. 'I may look like just an ordinary man,' he said to her,

'but in just a few years, my father will die, and I'll inherit

20 million dollars.'

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three

days later, she became his stepmother.

Another long pause....

I know... The last posting was quite a while ago.....

Here is a somewhat recent picture of the family. Well, even that is over a month old now. A lot has happened in the last month. As you all know, we had a great holiday trip home to Rochester. We had a great time. It is ALWAYS good to be home. No, we will not be moving back any time soon. Sorry....

As many of you know, I have returned to school. I am attending the University of Central Florida in a quest for a second Bachelors Degree. I am taking classes to get a degree in Accounting. It's still early, but so far adding classes to an already busy schedule has been successful.

Sorry for the short post and the huge span between posts. I'm sure it will be a while before I post again. Don't give up on us. Keep checking the blog periodically. I promise we will continue even though it will be infrequently!!!!!!!!!!!

Check Out Her Ears!!!!!

Ashlyn got her ears pierced today. Check out her new Bling!!!!

I know you have been waiting for this.....

Here are a couple recent shots of the girls. Can you tell the sisters get along pretty well? Kayla is still the best big sister a girl could ask for (and her parents)!!!!

Check out the new purse and earrings from Uncle Ryan and Tia Makik (I'm sure you can tell how much she loves them). Kayla has always been a bit of a girly-girl!!!!!

OK, both Ashlyn and Elisa will question my judgement by putting this video up. She's a bit drenched by drool. She has pretty well soaked through her bib, but you deserve to see how are little girl is growing up!!! Here she is testing her vocal cords. She has become quite the talker.

A Day at SeaWorld Orlando!!!!

Kayla is at the perfect age to be going to all of the Parks that make Orlando famous. Ashlyn is a few years to young, but she gets to hang out anyway. Last Monday, we spent the day checking out the shows and riding the rides....

Kayla, how big is Shamu???

Check out Kayla's big girl bracelet. This is the first time Kayla was tall enough to get on the roller coasters. I was a bit apprehensive not knowing how she would react on the ride. To my surprise, she loves the rides as much as her Daddy!!!! She did great!!!

I'm sure the shoulder harness is more effective than it may look.... I hope.....

I'm still a Seminole and proud of it!!!!!!!!!!!

I made my annual pilgrimage back to Tallahassee to see Florida State play against Maryland. Fortunately, it is one of the games that we played very well in this year. We've had a few disappointing years recently. We end this season way down again. It wouldn't be so bad if FSU wasn't SO good for so long in the 90's. Now I compare every season to that!!!!!

Elisa and I went up for the weekend and met up with our good friends from Atlanta; Jose, Alexandra and the kids. We had a GREAT weekend. It was great to be back. This was the first time Elisa had been to Tallahassee. Last year, Jose and I went to the game on our own.

We were also able to stay at the Governors' Inn. This was the hotel I worked in for a few years while I was going to school.

Happy Birthday Kayla!!!!!!!!!!

On Sunday, Kayla had a birthday party at our house. We had a busy house!!!!!!!

The Birthday Gang...

(Cousin Elaine, best friend Christie, the Birthday Girl, Ducky, Roger, Cousin Stephanie, Paola, and Goose) Ducky, Roger, and Goose lovingly nicknamed by Uncle Aaron!!!

La Princessa Kayla.

Sunday was Brian's Birthday, so we celebrated both his and Kayla's.

He looks good as King Brian!!!

Ashlyn joins the fun. Kayla always has time for her baby sister!!!

She's always smiling. What a happy baby!!!!!!

Go Colts!!!!!!

Congratulations to our niece Elaine and the Colts. They came in second place in a Miami Cheeleading Competition. You have to admit that this is a great looking pyramid for 7 year olds!!! Great job Elaine!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Brian!!!!!!!!

Today is our nephew Brian's 15th birthday!!!!!!!! He is now old enough to get his driver's learners permit. Yes, in Florida they start driving at the age of 15. No, he did not have a pink birthday party. This was the most recent picture I could find. That was Elisa's Baby Shower.

The Pink Kitty and the What???

Kayla was a Pink Kitty this year. She had a great Halloween.

This was the first year that she was able to go trick or treating

with her cousin Stephanie and all of her friends. In the past

she had to spend her night with Daddy. She did a great job.

She came home with quite the catch.

Hopefully Ashlyn has a good sense of humor as she gets older.

Otherwise, she's likely to hate us for doing this to her.

We couldn't help it. It was way too funny!!!!

Two peas in a pod !!!

Here's the latest pictures of our two beautiful girls. Kayla and Asha are great together. After picking them up from Mamita Esperanza's Day Care they spend 1/2 hour playing. Kayla sings and dances for Asha. Baby sister coos saying "woo woo" which means "I love you big sister" to Kayla.

Another Seminole!!!!!!!!

Yet another Hoefen Seminole girl....... This post is a little late, but despite a very bad showing in week one verses Clemson, Ashlyn showed up in style with high spirit. Thanks to her cheering, Florida State played an impressive first half and was much improved by game day of week 2. Here's to hoping she can pull off the rest of the season with high doubts working against her!!!!!

A week on Kiawah Island, South Carolina....

We spent the last week vacationing in South Carolina with Mom and Dad. Kiawah Island is approximately 40 minutes southeast of Charleston. We had a great time hanging out on the beach, biking, exploring Charleston and of course eating plenty of seafood.

Here are a few pictures.....

I'm not sure that I even need to add a caption to this one. Thanks, Elisa, for catching this one. I didn't see it coming!!!!!

Kayla's First Day of Dance School....

Last Saturday was Kayla's first day of Dance School. She was SSSSOOOOOO excited. I think we were just as excited for her. We spent two days shopping for the necessities. I had no idea we would have to find so many "Dance Apparel" stores to get all the items.

Kayla plays the balarina part very well. We will keep you posted on her progress. She will work all year on a group routine that they will showcase at an annual recital at the Lakeland Performing Arts Center.

What to do in Orlando when it is over 100 degrees in the summer.....

That's right..... Go to Disney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elisa, Kayla and I joined Ada, Stephanie and Lily in a trip to Magic Kingdom. The lines were extremely long, it was over 100 degrees and we had a great time. This was Kayla's second visit to Disney, but the first that she will remember. Ashlyn stayed home with Mamita Esperanza.

Here are a few pictures of our adventures.....