Summer 2014

And what a summer it has been! We did so much, and yet it seemed like it just started yesterday and went by too quickly.

May graced us with beautiful weather. We celebrated Aria's 5th birthday in style. We had plans to have a big party here at our house.  The evite was sent. The party drew nearer and then we all got really sick.  Summer cold. So, sadly we had to cancel the party and celebrate quietly just close family and us. As usual Bubbe graced us with a beautiful and fun bday song!
As it turns out, Aria was very glad. She didn't really want a huge party. Actually, she didn't want any party at all. Made us promise that for next year, on her 6th birthday, we will not invite anybody :) We promised.

Happy Birthday Aria!

New, bigger bike for her birthday

Two birthday cakes. One gluten free (on left) and one made by daddy. In Aria's words "it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

Sto Lat!

A fun new scooter from Babcia

Also in May, we got some special visitors. My mom's brother (wujek Kazik) and his wife (ciocia Jasia) came to visit us from Poland. It was wonderful to see them and to show them a little bit of beautiful Portland and how we live.

Ciocia Jasia

Wujek Kazik

Downtown Portland

Song Garden May Day Celebration

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In June we did our first camping trip with BOTH kids :). We went with our good friends Jeremy and Tisha and their girls Lena and Jeannie.  We went to Oxbow park (20 min from Portland on the river).  It was really fun. Aria enjoyed being with friends and not the usual boring mom and dad! Simon did very well. He ate a lot of dirt of the floor, but that didn't really seem to bother him too much. To make the nights easier, I slept in a tent with Simon and Aria, Joe and Kimi slept in a separate tent.  That arrangement worked very well.

Cooking dinner

Jeannie, Aria and Lena

Kids!

Tisha and Jeremy

:)

Playing with rocks on the river's edge

Sleeping in the tent

Love

In July we did our annual Eichenauer family weeklong trip to the beach. This year we stayed in a house in Manzanita. As usual, the beach was great. The downside was that Bubbe, on her first day there slammed her finger in the the door. Her nail turned purple, her finger swelled and she was left without the use of her one hand. That made going to the beach and digging for treasure with her granddaughters and bit hard. Thank goodness, Charlie is an expert digger :).  I offered to perform surgery on her finger and poke the nail with something sharp to relieve the pressure. I was not taken up on the offer.

Bubbe reading to the girls

Tattoo girl

Digging for buried pirate treasure

Found it!

More treasure to bury

Clouds

Siblings taking a bath together

Love

Breakfast on the patio

Strong Daddy

Zia

Get mama

Happy Dog

Beer time

Yoga time

Ania and her girls Hannah and Sofia came to visit us for a day

Hat ladies

snack time and a rspite from the wind

sand bugs

Jumping the waves.  The water is coooold!

Pose

Z!

Going home. So tired after a week of resting!

In July, Aria also graduated from our beloved Song Garden. I was really sad to part with the school and the wonderful teachers. They have been so dear to us and I don't think they realize how much they have shaped Aria's love of school, teachers and learning. They prepared Aria to enter kindergarten confidently. Thank you!!!

May Day Celebration 

Dancing around the maypole high!

We did venture out for one more camping trip.  With the same friends. This time we went to the beach at cape lookout.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't that great.  It was cold, windy and cloudy. On our last day there we packed up and went looking for sunshine on another beach. We found it and had a fabulous day.

Tisha, Jeremy, Lena and Jeannie

Nora

Sunny but windy

Collecting jelly fish

Perfect weather for kite flying

Loving the sun

Kimi LOVES the beach and rolling around in the sand

Wind and sun kissed

A stop at the tillamook creamery for ice cream

Simon behind the wheel

Setting up tents - Aria is a great helper

Sleeping like a baby in the tent

On dish duty

The ocean is a lot more fun to play in if you have a wet suit to keep you warm

August was a lazy month. No school. Nothing to do. Just play. We did sign Aria up for a few summer school classes (do jump, and other gymnastics). She enjoyed them. But we mostly just played around the house. Got together with friends and enjoyed the beautiful summer.

Cooling off in the kiddy pool in our yard (Oliver and Mila)

FAMILY

Siblings

Two peas in a pod

Simon loves his swing. Especially if Aria is swinging him!

4th of July fireworks

dressing up with friends

We wear what we tie dyed

Tie dyeing is so much fun!

Simon loves to feed himself

Silly Aria

Silly Zia

Sewallcrest Playground

We eat lots of chard

... and lots of tomatoes

Bubbe and her grandkids

Babcia and Simon

Bubbe and Simon

Selfies

Patan and Simon

Oaks Park Amusement Park

Aria's favorite ride was the rollercoaster

Mama and Daddy by Aria

Ciocia and Wujek

Mother's Day 2014

My first girls outing after Simon was born (L>R Joyce, Nora, Sahra, Karen and Riho)

Eating Plums

And that is it as far as summer goes. Joe did start a few yard projects which we are desperately trying to finish before the rains come. He dug up a semi french drain by the office which also serves as a fire pit during the summer. We will get to test the drain when the rains come. Hopefully no more flooding. We also decided to add a bit more storage space for our outdoor stuff behind Joe's office. So, he is building an awning.  It will store chairs, hoses, and other garden stuff we don't necessarily want wet. He is a very hard working man!

"French Drain" with the fire pit

Back storage shed

Speaking of hard working, Joe is still working on getting WebLively up and running. I truly admire him and all the others who have been trying to make this dream happen! You go Honey! I support you 150% <3 p="">