Celebrating Sarah's birthday!!!

Some fun videos from Sarah's birthday day!

Rollerskating at Oaks Amusement Park, she was doing the Hokey Pokey for a few seconds!

At Build-A-Bear!!!

Sarah with her roller skating Unicorn ("Bessie) at the mall.

Sarah with her Princess Birthday cake!!!

Sarah riding her new princess bike!!!

Girl's day out!!!

Today Matt's mom came up for the day and we had a "girl's day out"!!!

Sarah's birthday is on Wednesday, so Omie brought Sarah's birthday gift! A gardening set, which Sarah couldn't wait to use. Our flowers are going to survive the summer for sure and Sarah will be planting her own little garden in our backyard garden bed.

Sarah with Omie (thank you Omie!!)

Omie also brought an Easter basket....Tori is working on one of the puzzles that was included in the basket. All of the kids LOVE puzzles/brainteasers. Omie bought one for our family last year that we still can't figure out. We are going to send it back to Eugene with her to see if the doctor she works for can find the solution, because WE GIVE UP!!!

Our first stop for "girl's day out" was Macaroni Grill for lunch! Food and conversation were wonderful. We are still trying to figure out why, when you walk in the Women's restroom, there is a sign on the door leading out, that says "Mens"

Tori doodling while waiting for our meal to come.

After a great lunch, we spent the day shopping at Bridgeport Village and Washington Square Mall! Photo above of Sarah with her new sunglasses that "have jewels" on them.

Tori's new pair of "frog angel" earrings!!!

A day spent at Portland's Children's Museum

Today Sarah and I spent the day at Portland Children's Museum with our friends Jen and Lauren! With our weather changing from yesterday's blue skies and 80 degrees, to all gray clouds and a high of 56 it was a good day to be inside all day!

Sarah with a sculpture in front of Portland Children's Museum

Sarah was OVER THE TOP excited when she saw the Bob the Builder poster in front of the museum!!! Bob is "the man"!!!!

Playing dentist and cleaning the alligator's teeth

Playing cashier in the grocery store, while Lauren makes her purchases for the day!

We stopped at a "face painting" station, where Sarah drew on her face and was very proud of doing it "all by myself". She attempted to decorate Lauren's face, got in one swipe with a green face crayon and Lauren wanted nothing else to do with the whole "color all over your face" station.

Sarah entering the Bob the Builder exhibit

Hanging out driving "Scoop"

Playing at the water station!!!! We had a wonderful day with our friends!!!!

GREASE is the word......................

Last night, Matt, Tori and I headed into Portland to see the Broadway play Grease at Keller Auditorium!!!

We stopped at the Quiznos so Matt could have some dinner, and Tori and I had a little dessert before the show!!!

Next we went to the Ira Keller Fountain!

Tori in the fountain, she said the water was FREEZING!

On our way to see the show!!!

Waiting for the show to begin!!!!

The show was great, but very PG -13 (oops on the parent meter for taking Tori...who knew????)

Fun in the sun

The weather the past few days has been GORGEOUS!! All blue skys, and temperatures between the 70s and 80s! Sarah and I have spent our days soaking up the sun and enjoying the weather while it lasts (note: Today, grey skies and high is supposed to be 60......SIGH!!!!).

Sarah and Koda soaking up the sun!!!

Popsicles and puppy treats on a sunny day!

First run through the sprinkler this year!!!

Making wishes on the "wish flowers"

Be a clown

Sarah's dance class had their pictures yesterday!! They are performing in June to the song "Be a Clown" at the Richard Brown Fine Arts Center here in Canby. The recital is a HUGE production and lasts 3 hours, with all of Allegro Dance Studio's classes performing for this years theme "Allegro High School"!

Sarah in her dance costume!

Sarah's class performing for the high school aged dance class that was in the studio next door.

After the dance class (hats will not be used because they won't stay on the little dancer's heads)

Preschool skating fun!

Today Sarah and I went to Portland to Oaks Amusement Park to meet a high school friend of mine (Debbi Marshall) and her 2 children. I haven't seen Debbi for 20 years, and we recently reconnected via Facebook!!!

The roller skating princess!

Snack time with Sara and her new friends Collin and Kyla

Sarah was super excited to see Chipper the Chipmunk and speed skated over to give him a hug!

Kyla and Sarah hanging out at the rink!

Oh So Pretty!!!

We thought tonight was picture night for Tori's Acro class....then after we had her in costume realized, it is picture week for Sarah's dance class and Tori's jazz class...NOT her Acro class. So, we shot a couple photos of her trial run....OOPS!!!

Easter 2009

Easter 2009 was bittersweet for us this year. Although we had a WONDERFUL Easter holiday at home, my grandmother (my dad's mom) is in the hospital and will be passing away shortly. She has blessed our family in so many ways and we are sad that she will be leaving us.

Easter Art by Tyler

Saturday evening the kids dyed their eggs.....3 dozen eggs waiting to be decorated Tishendorf style!

Let the decorating begin!

Egg dying....the odd red spot on Tori's head is a rhinestone...she thought it was hilarious!

Cheers to dying eggs!!!

Sarah's beautiful eggs (made with A LOT of help from Brandon)

The "jock" and his eggs

3 dozen spectacular eggs

The Easter bunny brought ONE basket this year, instead of 6 individual ones (Smart bunny)

Note to the kids from the Easter Bunny

Bunny hid the eggs high

On photos

and windows.....

Ryan and Tyler were the first ones up (6am...not including Sarah who woke all of the kids at exactly 4:33am, before she was quickly told by all her siblings GO BACK TO BED!!!)

Little Miss Sarah waking up and rubbing her eyes as she came downstairs VERY excited!

Reading the letter from the Easter Bunny

Tori with our dog Koda, who desperately wanted to be put down so he could begin the Easter egg hunt.

Ryley trying to catch a few more zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's while waiting for Brandon to come downstairs.

Tyler was excited and ready to see what was in the Easter Basket!

The kids with their basket of goodies

A gift for Ryley, Ryan and Brandon

A slinky for Tori

Some books and a Littlest Pet shop Monkey for Sarah

Littlest Pet shops for Tori

A lego kit for Tyler (he completed it in ONE hour)

iTunes gift cards --- good choice Easter Bunny

Ryley with his iTunes card and Ryan holding the gift for the 3 boys...A year of Xbox live

Sarah with her iTunes card....I see a lot of Raffi in her future! (Notice the egg stuck to the TV screen behind her!)

Up next was the Easter Egg hunt. There were 120 hidden eggs...1 golden egg for each child, plus 19 other eggs per child

Ryley found the one in the dining room light

Sarah "CAN'T BELIEVE IT" -- The Easter bunny hid eggs in her bathroom!

Eggs in the dryer

Ryan found eggs in the office light

Searching low....

Ryley found the $10 golden egg !!!! All the other golden eggs had $5!

After the egg hunt, we relaxed, the girls and I made a pineapple upside down cake and then we had a wonderful late lunch! The afternoon was filled with the boys and Matt playing video games, Tori and I reading, and Sarah and Tyler hanging out just taking it easy! We love our lazy day holidays as a family!!!