Finally sleeping through the night....

After 4 years and 5 months, we are finally sleeping through the night again!!  That's right!!!  Princess Sarah has not been a sound sleeper, and then top that off, at age 2 she was potty trained enough not to wet the bed.  What that meant for us was, that I was guaranteed to get up in the middle of the night with her at least once a night to take her to the bathroom.  Then at about 3 she learned that it was kind of fun to also sneak into our bed at night.  I was too tired to take her back to her room, so I settled for her tossing, turning and constant kicking instead.

A few weeks ago I came up with the idea that she would get a sticker for each night she slept the whole night in her bed.  That worked off and on...we were up to 4 stickers in one month.  Then last weekend I came up with the idea to trade Matt sides of the bed.  He would be the on the side now, that is closest to our bedroom door.  IT WORKED!!  She didn't want Matt...it has not dawned on her to walk around the bed to find me....VOILA!!! 

Our promise to her was a trip to Build A Bear for 1 item of her choice once she had 10 stickers.  Yesterday was the day and we headed to Clackamas Town Center.   She spent about 10 minutes browsing at all of the clothes and then decided her teddy bear needed "shiny shoes".

Sarah with "Cuddles" and Cuddles new SHINY SHOES!!!

Snippets from our week

Now that school is in session, most of our days are spent on the go.  Matt has his 45 + minute commute to Washington, and the kids always are going in one direction or the other, so I spend my days doing what we now call "The Tishendorf Shuffle"!

Today I downloaded my photos from my iphone that I took this week, and that is going to have to do for our post of the week!!!

Some crazy clouds on September 14th....the calm before the storm.

Got mums??????  I bought this plant in a little 4" container 3 years ago.  Every year it gets bigger and bigger!!!!

Saturday's football game vs. Sherwood.  Canby won 26-8!!  Good news was we got to play on the actual High School field and were under the cover, while it rained off and on (note here more ON) throughout the game. 

Football photo with Ryan..he's number 23 back center in blue.  He plays tail back on offense and corner back on defense.

Sitting outside yesterday in the sunshine, reading a book and took a photo of our back yard.  Fall is coming....although it is my favorite time of year I'm sure going to miss all the greenery when it is gone.

Hazelnut orchard on the walking trail by our house.  Today Sarah and I stopped and watched as hazelnuts kept dropping from the trees!!!  'Tis Hazelnut season in Oregon!!!

Ryan's first football game of the season!

Saturday was Ryan's first football game of the season!!  The game start time was 1pm and it was held in Newberg, which is about 1/2 an hour away!!!  I woke up at 8am, to find Ryan with his gear on.....a little excited maybe?????

Just a little of this, and a little of that

Just a few snippets of our day.......

Want to be the coolest mom in the neighborhood?  Go outside in your pajamas and take a photo of your middle schoolers walking to school!!!    "MOM....get inside, there are PEOPLE out here"  (note, they are THEIR people -- ages 11 - 14 and apparently I have FAILED the cool mom test....OOPS!!!)

 

 We found a "face" in the tree on our walk this morning...can you see it????

  

Sarah walking Koda

  

Some horses in the pasture by our house.

 

This one was our favorite.

Some girly time

With school back in session, Sarah and I have our days together alone again.  It is her last year at home, before the dreaded 2 1/2 hour Kindergarten days that will come next year.  (Then what on earth am I going to do with all that alone time??????)

This was the first official school day for Brandon, Ryan, Ryley and Tori, and of course Tyler was on day number 2 of the rockin' 4th grade year (note here...it is a great sign when he couldn't wait to go to school this morning).

After walking Tyler to school, Sarah and I headed out to join friends on "the PaTAYo"(our friend has an amazing outdoor living area that must be given the fancy name of PaTAYo, rather than referred to as a simple patio), and enjoyed pastries and great conversation throughout the morning. 

In the afternoon, when we arrived home, Sarah decided to choose some flowers from our garden and brought them in to arrange them.  You just have to LOVE a girly girl :)

 

Trying to arrange flowers in what she quickly realized was a MUCH too small vase.

 

Her finished flower arrangement!!! 

News alert......Tishendorfs take over local Middle School!

Today is the "official" first day of middle school!  I can't believe we have FOUR in middle school this year.  I'm positive we have the largest sibling group there, so.....note to the Middle School....

"The Tishendorfs are taking over!!!"

 

Tori's first day of 6th grade

  

Ryan's first day of 7th grade

  

Ryley's first day of 7th grade

  

Brandon's first day of 8th grade

 

Cherishing the memories....this will be the only year all four are in middle school together!

Tyler's first day in 4th grade!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The rain has arrived!!!

Not withstanding a traditional Oregon Labor Day weekend, the rains have arrived!!!  The popular quote says it all.........

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain." ~Unknown