Fun Fall Pics

Daddy and the girls made a scary pumpkin!
Carving a pumpkin...
Samantha at her pre-school halloween parade.
Samantha and Alexandra at Sam's class party.
Alexandra and grandparents at trunk or treat at church.

State Fair

We went to the fair a couple of weekends ago and had the best time. We left the house at 11:00 to get to the 11:30 showing of Disney on Ice and then we went out into the fair with our friends Brandon and Amanda and their kiddos Julia and Ben. All the girls loved the ice show and were very excited to get some fried fair food and to start the riding of the very questionable rides. Justin and I had the best time that we have had at the fair in years. Watching all the kids enjoy the fair made it so much fun for all the parents. We ate, walked around, ate, rode rides, walked around some more, ate again, watched the kids dance to some live music, rode rides again, and didn't get home until 8:30. We were exhausted but very happy. We all slept great and made such fun memories... Thanks for a fun time to the Mudd's!!!

P.S. I have lost my little camera and haven't replaced it yet cause I keep thinking it will turn up, so all the pics were taken with my phone.

Feeding the animals...
Really??!!! What to say!! :)
The girls falling down after dancing to some live music.

So cute!
Samantha and Julia had the best time riding

this ride. Ally wasn't tall enough to ride it!

How do you like the duct tape on the ride??!!

Don't those little smiles just warm your heart!!
Sam, Ally,and I and Brandon and Julia in the background.

Daddy Date Night

Last week at preschool was Daddy date night. All the Daddy's in Sam's class at preschool took them back up to school from 7-8. They got to show off their classroom and all the things they had made for them for this special night. Justin got a new coffee mug, a handmade tie, some pictures, and a laminated paper that listed all the things that she knew and liked about her Daddy. It was totally sweet. Samantha asked for a week "is it time for my Daddy date night tonight?" Samantha even got to give her Daddy a haircut and a shave... Attached are pics of their fun night, they got out of order, but oh well...

Showing Daddy how his hair looks.
Samantha giving her first haircut.
Leaving to go on their date.

Firsts

It is virtually impossible to get my girls to look at the camera these days... So here is one of them looking at whatever they wanted! It was Sam's first day of Preschool and she was so excited. Remember that exciting feeling you would get when you were a kid about going back to school well I actually had it yesterday and wished I could have stayed in the class with her! Ally had her second dance class yesterday and seriously have you ever seen anything look cuter in a leotard? Life has become insanely busy at our house recently with dance classes, pre-school, awana, library visits, zoo, aquarium, etc... That doesn't even count all the stuff that I have going on for myself now, but this blog isn't about me, and besides every Mom could say the same thing. I will post more pics soon!

My 4 year old!!!

My sweet baby girl is now a 4 year old. I really can't believe that it is possible for 4 years to go by so quickly. It is so cliche, but it really seems like I just had her. She and her sister are my biggest accomplishments and I am so very proud to be their Mommy. So in honor of Samantha's 4th birthday here are 4 things I love about my little girl.

1. She has a very tender heart. She is sensitive not only to us, but any living thing. She is beautiful on the inside and out.

2. She is flat out brilliant (can you tell I am her mom). I love this age we actually sit around and have great conversations, she amazes me with her curiosity for knowledge.

3. I love how she loves to snuggle up to me and go to sleep. Its so sweet since in general she usually doesn't like to cuddle.

4. I love how she tries to take care of her little sister and teach her things... so cute to watch!

and 1 more to grow on

5. I love how she already loves the Lord. She has such a sweet spirit about her and enjoys praying every night for our friends and family.

Your Daddy and I love you very much sweet girl!! Happy 4th Birthday Samantha!!!

First trip to the Dentist

Samantha had her first dentist appointment, and she did fantastically. We promised her lip gloss if she did a good job, and of course she got it in 3 colors and was so excited. I am so proud of my little girl...

Happy 4th of July

Samantha and Daddy waiting for fireworks.
Making our annual 4th of July cake.
Ally headed to the neighborhood parade.
Samantha riding her bike in the parade.

I have been such a terrible blogger but we have been having a busy busy but very fun summer. The girls have been so active we have been camping, making zoo trips, gymnastics, swim lessons, summer movie club house, library reading club, aquarium, and summer bowling. Justin says we play everyday, but hey your only a kid once right?? :) We had such a fun 4th of July. Our neighborhood does this adorable little parade for the kids. They decorate their wagon or bike and get to ride around the block and show it off, and then at our park they have hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, etc.. It is always fun, this year it rained, but the girls still had a blast. We also went and watched fireworks and this year the girls really got into it.

Fun Pics

My little camper relaxin...
       Sam holding a lizard that her and her friend found.
Checking out a worm in the garage.
Tired girls fighting... I broke up the fight right after this pic!  :)
Cuteness!!!
Is it just me or does she look old in this pic?  

She's not a baby anymore...

Turtle Love

This post is for my friends/relatives who aren't on facebook, you know who you are!!!  Anyway last Wednesday the girls and I got up and decided that it was a nice day to go to the Zoo.  We went by ourselves since it was a spur of the moment kind of thing and it was such a beautiful day. Anyway, it was pretty much a standard Zoo day until we got to the turtles.  Every other time we have been to the Zoo the turtles are never moving.  I am always showing the girls the turtles but they just don't move around a lot which I always chalked up to the fact that they weigh 200+ pounds.  Anyway, I will get to the point when we got to the turtles they were all up and walking around so I pulled out my camera to video....  Well while I was filming a little "turtle loving" started going on.  I had to shut the camera off when the moaning started and you can hear Samantha's little voice say "What is happening."  I told them that they were wrestling.  I think they already saw to much because when she told my parents later that night about the turtle wrestling she was also telling them how one turtle was "throwing up" on the other (the one on top was drooling on the other).   Oh and if you were wondering what Alexandra had to say about all of it she was yelling at the turtles "turtle get off."  Attached is a video of our interesting visit...    Life these days is anything but boring!!!  :)

Happy Easter

Hope everyone had a great Easter, I know that we did.  Today was special because my grandparents (who live 2 hours away), my parents, and my brother all came to church with us, and then my mom cooked a great Easter lunch.  We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the girls enjoy their Easter baskets and hunt Easter eggs.  Before you look at the pictures I must say that if there was an award for the most un-photographic family we would win hands down.  Alexandra who is the only one that can take a decent picture was having an off day today.  Anyway I posted these anyway because hey at least we are all looking at the camera!!! :)  Hope everyone had a very blessed Easter.

       The girls finding their Easter baskets on the porch.

The Family.

Prayers

Please pray for our friends Jorge and Traci.  Jorge is in the hospital in Indiana, and it looks like he will be there for a little while.  Please also pray for strength for Traci, and for their 4 children...  Her mom is updating her blog it is www.simplytraci.com

Snow and Ally's Birthday

Yesterday at 9 a.m. it started snowing and snowing and snowing.  Yesterday was also Alexandra's scheduled birthday party at Little Gym.  Little Gym called at 3:30 and cancelled her party because of the snow.  So we had 2 1/2 hours to get a party ready at our house.  It was crazy, but we pulled it off.  For Ally's birthday we had bought a Jupiter Jump, so Justin aired it up in the garage and plugged in a space heater to heat our garage.  My mother in law came and got my girls up from nap's and ready to party, my sister in law picked up 8 pizza's for me, and I cleaned in total panic mode.  At 6 a total of 21 adults, and 15 kids arrived at our house for Ally's party.  We have the best friends and family ever nobody cared that it had snowed they all had showed up for sweet Ally.  Thanks to everyone that came, we thought her party would be ruined when Little Gym called but all of you made it so fun, and she had a really great time...  Here are some pics from the party and some from the girls playing in the snow yesterday morning.

Here are just a few things that we love about our little 2 year old...

1.  Your big brown eyes just melt your Daddy and I.

2.  Whenever we ask you to do something you say "otay"  in the sweetest little voice.

3.  You love to rock and sing songs at bedtime and make requests for what you want to hear and      sing loud and proud.

4.  When I pick you up in the morning you pat my arm because you are so happy to see me.

5.   You crawl up in my lap throughout the day and cuddle and say "I the baby"  

       when you want to be loved on.

These are just a few reason why we love you!  You are a wonderful little girl.  Happy 2nd Birthday sweetheart!

Preschool

Yesterday when I picked up Samantha from Pre-school her teacher said that she has a boyfriend.  I didn't know what to say.  In my mind I was thinking whatever she is way to young.  We got to the car and I said "so Samantha do you have a boyfriend at school"  and she got this little grin on her face and said "no."  So I smiled at her and said "oh I thought that you did"  and then she said "no I don't have a boyfriend just a friend and his name is Michael."   I am glad we have that cleared up!  I debated on telling her Daddy this story since he is one to freak out about things.  Well let me tell you he did not disappoint when I told him the story he said "What, oh no! What are we going to do about this."  Yes he was completely serious.  I hope the girls don't plan on dating until they are married and I think that will be ok with Justin when they are about 35.  Sounds reasonable right!!!???

Happy Valentine's Day

We had a great Valentine's Day this year.  We spent the day with our lovely daughters and then for Valentine's evening the girls went to their grandparents and we went out with friends.  It was a great time.  Samantha is already asking me when it will be Valentine's day again...  Here are a few pics from the day.  For whatever reason they got out of order when I uploaded them... Oh well..

Brandon, Justin, and Mark
Amanda, Jennifer, and Me
   Alexandra
           Samantha

Not much new...

We don't have to much new going on around here...  But here are a few cute things I want to remember.    Alexandra found some sandals in Samantha's room that Samantha had worn on our Hawaii trip, and Alexandra  already has big enough feet to wear them.   That was only last May, not even a year ago.   Alexandra thinks they are the greatest things ever and she cries when she has to take them off to go to sleep.  She is so girly.  She loves shoes and jewelry and bows, really just any accessory.  She absolutely loves to play dress up with Samantha.  My Mom and Dad got the girls a dress up trunk for Christmas and they have really enjoyed doing that on all these cold days.   

Samantha started taking a Young Rembrandts class last week and she loves it.  She was very upset when the 45 minutes was up and it was time to go.  I had to bribe her with lunch!  :)

Also, I made a stop at Walgreen's this morning on our way to gymnastics and when we got to the counter for the cashier to ring us up, Alexandra looked at the lady and in her sing songy voice said "hello Sweetie."  I was cracking up because she really can be shy but if she is in the mood she loves talking to people.  Here are a few recent pics of the girls...