Helping Daddy Wash the Car

When the sun shines in Washington, you have to seize the moment. So, Dad decided

to wash the filthy van, since it had been quite some time since its last bath. Of course,

the boys wanted to help.

Rinsing hands (or playing with the water?)

Tag-teaming it

Soapin' up

Getting in the cracks and tight spots of the rim

Liam and I giving our support from the garage

Violin Practice

Nice posture

Practicing rhythms

Tapping the beat on the music stand

Fun with the cousins (and Uncle Brandon)

Enjoying some spaghetti - and entertaining Elise at the same time!

At Uncle Brandon's house, a Memorial Day BBQ

Giving Sol a few pointers on a video game - a guilty

pleasure enjoyed only when visiting the cousins. :)

Neftali's 5th Birthday

We had lots of family and friends join us to celebrate Nefty's birthday. Famliy came up from Eugene, new friends from Vancouver, and my brother and his kiddos and friends from Oregon City. It was quite the fiesta! We even had TWO pinatas -- in the garage, since it rained. But it was still a blast!

Cousin Ben with Liam

Neftali with his new violin! His arm wasn't quite long enough yet

to hold the neck correctly, but he's already grown into it!

Daddy, who happened to take a few lessons on violin as a boy,

is giving Nefty a few pointers on finger positions.

Goofy Uncle Brandon

Dance party - with cousin Elise at center stage!

We love super heroes!

Awesome Nerfy foam bullet gun! Thank you, Monica!

(for the amazing pics, too!!)

Me and my brother and his two oldest boys, Ben and Sam

SPIDER MAN cake. I tried to frost it with red frosting, but it didn't

out so well - hence, no photo. But it tasted good anyway! :)

Saturday Market, Strolling, Sushi and other such things...

Saturday Market in Vancouver, watching a free-style violinist play

Strolling through a park in SE Portland, near The Center

for Natural Medicine,

our doctors' office

Sushi! Yum! The boys love watching the conveyor belt go by

with all kinds of colorful, delicious dishes!

Sampling a dumpling

Stellar chopsticks skills!

Suiting up for soccer - shin guards a must!

Stirring the saucepan, helping with supper.

Soccer star!

Good habits

Brotherly teeth-brushing

Liam's soccer skills

Family night at La Plaza, Anderson Elementary.

OMSI

Some friends of ours invited us to go to OMSI with them. It was our first time, incredibly, even when we lived only 2 hrs away (in Eugene). I took more pics than these, but many did not turn out well.

The main event was about Egypt, so we took a photo op by the camel.

Too bad the boys aren't smiling.

There's a part of the museum dedicated to little people, and the boys

had a great time wandering through, making discoveries.

Liam loves these beads! (We have a mini version at home).

Salmon Creek Park

While Mommy was at work, Daddy decided to take the boys to explore at a nearby park.

The three amigos

Taking in the view

A beautiful park with lots of water and wildlife

Can you see it?

Wow! Look at that!

Climbing up the hill

Ready to explore!

Hospital Adventures

So, on Saturday afternoon, Solomon was going about his normal toddler business (as was the rest of the family), when he said that he wanted to go to bed, around 7:00pm. He is very good about his bedtime routine, but rarely ASKS to go to bed. I put him in bed, but notice that he is pretty wheezy, and his chest is dramatically rising and falling. I am a little concerned, but not too worried yet. He hasn't had much to eat that day, but hadn't behaved too out of the ordinary. Around 9:30, his wheezing increases, and he is struggling to sleep, waking sporadically with panic in his eyes, almost completely disoriented. Then, he is sick to his stomach - twice. By now, I'm starting to worry. Something is telling me that he should not have to work that hard to breathe, and I can hear him wheezing pretty loud. I finally decide that I'm taking him to the hospital around 11:00pm. We get right in the emergency room and the nurses seem pretty surprised at how hard he's working to breathe.

Ambulance ride from Vancouver to Portland

Feeling pretty yucky after very little sleep (if any?), an albuterol mask all night

and day... and other meds to treat inflammation of the lungs and the possible

presence of a virus

My poor Solomon! He wasn't very excited about sporting the 'cool' dragon

mask for his albuterol treatments. But it kind of did look like he was a

smoke-breathing dragon.

To make a long story short, the ER doc was very concerned and decided he needed to be transferred to Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital in Portland. We got an ambulance ride (no lights or sirens) to make the transfer, and Sol stayed 2 days and 2 nights. He started out in PICU (pediatric ICU) before being moved to the floor, and checked out at 10am on Tuesday morning. Pretty scary for all of us, but we are thanking the Lord that he is getting better each day. We have discovered that he has asthma, and though the cause is not 100% certain, it is most likely seasonal allergy-related. He has to take a maintenance inhaler for several months, as well as the "regular" albuterol for several days, until he is fully recovered.

We are praising God that he is back home with us!!

Washington State University, Vancouver

Enjoying the view from the beautiful view. There are many
gorgeous paths throughout the campus, tucked away in the Salmon Creek campus.

Neftali, fending off a ferocious cougar!

Best friends

My guys