Gracie June-bug turns 3!!!

We were so happy to celebrate Miss Gracie June-bug's 3rd Birthday on June 14, 2016!! She is such a little sweetheart!! We feel so blessed from Heavenly Father to have this little angel in our home! She has such a beautiful smile that just warms your soul and the most loving heart of gold around.  She brings such a bright and radiating sense of joy, peace, kindness, happiness, love into our lives!! She is graceful and sweet, spirited and spunky, loves to laugh....take her doggies, especially her "soft dog" with her everywhere she goes and cares after them as if they were additional members to our family! 

She has the cutest and infectious giggle, and loves to wrap mommy and daddy up in her arms after prayers and songs at night as if she just wants to keep us there forever and never let go!! We sure love this girl and will never let go of how much she means to us!! What a blessing she is in our lives and a calming balm of gilead to our souls! She brightens the room, she understands and speaks so well, it is amazing to hear her go on and on about her days and all that she is processing in that adorable and incredibly smart, sensitive and caring mind of hers! She is always so thoughtful of others, and how others are feeling, she processes information in such a thoughtful and mature way...it really surprises us sometimes how quick of a learner she is and her ability to discern situations and make so many connections in that sweet little head! We are so proud of this sweet, beautiful, loving and kind girl and are forever thankful to have her in our family!! We love you Gracie June!! :)

 Due to our many fun family zoo visits throughout the year, Gracie decided her favorite animal to ride the carosel on at the zoo is the cheetah!! It also helps that the local science museum also allows the kids to virtually race a cheetah, along with a T-Rex and prominent athletes.  But, for whatever reason, she became an avid cheetah adorer over the past year, and so naturally, she requested a cheetah cake this birthday, since last year she had a doggie. I debated whether or not to buy a cheetah figurine to use as a cake topper, but ultimately decided to try to draw one myself and forgo spending the extra money, just in case that toy didn't get played with much.  So, here we have it, my beautifully crafted yellow/orange cheetah on our traditionally special star-cake!! Yay for Gracie!! Yay for being 3!! Yay for banana cake and allthose happy smiles!! AND for being the wonderful and perfect addition to our family that you are!

After going to dance class for all three kiddos taught by some cute girls in our ward, which Gracie was soooo soo excited about....We spent the day at the zoo and then had pizza and a banana cake and banana ice cream with cousins for our evening party!! Here are some highlight pictures:

 

 

 
 

 

 

 Ever since the moment she came, we have been so thankful to have miss Gracie, this sweet little blessing in our lives!! Her smile spreads joy everywhere she goes and her eyes light up the room with more warmth than the most snuggly blanket!! We love this little snuggle june-bug!! So blessed and thankful we have you!

 

 
 Some sweet gifts from Aunt Sarah, my sister and Grandma Susan & Grandpa Terry.  Cheetahs were definately her favorite new love this year....second only to her doggies of course.  :)

 

These cousins are the best of friends...so lucky to live so close to them...:) We are so thankful they line up so nicely, with a buddy for each of them! ;)

Our Sweet Birthday Girl!!!

Since we still had some evening time left, the kiddos were all excited to watch Zootopia together to end the day with even more excitement, especially since we had already been to the zooooo....and they all wanted to max out on the fun.  So, yay for fun movie time!

AND these pictures make me smile so much inside....they are so candid and real....my everyday life....this is now and they are so stinkin' cute! 

I love how Katelyn is taking such special care of Joshy, and Gracie is holding out her infectious darling smile on her special day and Nathan, although partly distracted at first, chimes into the pic with his trademark cute, tilt of his head, face lighting up smile, and Joshy is even looking and showing how much he loves being around these energetic cute people! Laughs, smiles, and hugs!!!

Hugs for cheetah (from Grandma Susan, Granda Terry and Sarah!!!!), soft dog and for Mommy and Daddy! We are so blessed and lucky to have her!! Happy Birthday Gracie!