Happy Birthday Girls!! (Family Party) Gracelyn 5, Abigail 3

 The Birthday Cake.... When we went to pick out the cake of course we could not agree on the cake theme... Abigail wanted Tinkerbell and Gracelyn wanted Princesses!  The bakery at Smiths gave the idea to do the Princesses and then add Tinkerbell to the Princesses!.  It worked out and everyone was happy:)

This is my Gracelyn... She is such a fish. 

Gracelyn can sure catch some air off the diving board!

Abigail was fearful of the board until her Birthday Party!  Once she started she could not stop!

Little Max even LOVED being in the water!

Pinata Fun!

More Pinata Fun!

 Singing  and  Birthday Candle Blowing!

Gracelyn's main gift from her parents was a Dell netbook computer!  It is pink with all pink accessories... Including a backpack, mouse and headphones!

Abigail's main gift from her parents was a basketball hoop and Little pink and purple basketball.  Abigail has always LOVED balls!!!  From this picture she already has great form at 3 years old!

Abigail turns 3:)

 On the morning of Abigail's Birthday we woke her and her sister up by singing "Happy Birthday" .... We surprised her with balloons... and a few little gifts.  Abigail is really into Cars... So her balloon was of Lightening McQueen and Mater from the movies  CARS.   Abigail also received  a Minnie mouse, and 101 Dalmatian figurine set.  Then a Lightening McQueen car that when you shake it ... it will speed away...  The more you shake the further it goes:)

 Later that morning we went out to IHOP for breakfast as a family:)

Happy Birthday Baby Girl:)  We love you!

Fireworks at night!

 The night of fireworks.... we went to West Point Fireworks display.  The kids (old and young) had fun with "glow sticks".!!!  The kids made head pieces and and placed glow sticks around their ankles wrists etc. ...  They ran all over the field and looked like little martians running all over the place. Very cute.. Those glow sticks were  a huge hit that night!

Independence Day 2011

The 4th is a day to celebrate.... But we should be proud of our country and our freedom EVERYDAY! The Flag should be a reminder of what men and woman have for us to have!   Thank you to all of our service Men and Women!

The 4th is also a special day for our family.  Bill was born on July 4th, 1976.  The Bicentennial year of our Independence. 

Daddy getting Birthday Kisses from his girls:)

We had a great day of Family, Food, and Fireworks... Hope everyone had a great day and a safe, fun  Holiday Celebration!

Family 4th Pictures:)

We have for a few years enjoyed dressing in Red, White, and Blue,  and taking pictures!  Here are a few.....

Mott family July 4th 2011

Mommy and Her Girls:)

Daddy and his Girls:)

All the Grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa Mott:)

Friday Nights & Family

 For Almost 1 year straight... The Mott's have all gotten together EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT!   We have only missed a handful of fridays:) 
We get together to have dinner (since we all need to have dinner anyway) and then we just hang out, visit, laugh, have technology learning classes or even watch movies. 

Our dinners are fun.... We have had easy nights of Take and Bake Pizza to gourmet meals of Prime Rib.... 

This weekend, the Friday before the Fourth of July we had a fun evening of Pizza and then.....

FIREWORKS!!!!
This year Utah allowed the aerial fireworks up to 150 ft. 

So this year we invested in some ground fireworks.. and one aerial called the machine gun.  The biggest hit  for the older kids was getting to "lite" the fireworks.  ( We have a bunch of pyro's in the family:)  For the little kids they Loved the "glow sticks" and the "pop rocks" the most.  What another great night being with family... Since that what life is all about:)

 This is the Syracuse Dance Academy Float for the Syracuse Days Parade...

Every year the Saturday after the Big Dance recital is the Founder days for Syracuse City.

Gracelyn has never seen a parade because she has parents that are night owls and have a hard time getting up early.

Abigail and Dad waiting for Gracelyn's float to go by:)

Since most parades are in the morning.... we have not gone to many.

 So this year we dropped Gracelyn off at the float and told her to wave and smile and throw the candy they provided.  

Gracelyn didn't really know what she was getting in to but.... When we picked her up at the end she was smiling and seemed to have had a fun time!

After Recital... and ...THE FLOWERS!

 Gracelyn's Favorite part of the "Recital" is joining the family afterward and everyone showering her with flowers for a job well done!

 Very proud of her FLOWERS!

Gracelyn did such a fabulous job at the recital.  She pays very close detail to her dance moves and has no such sign of stage fright!!!  Gracelyn on Thursday June 23, 2011 went to dance competition tryouts for the 2011-2012 dance year.  She did well and she was placed to be on Syracuse Dance Academy's Show Time Dance Team as a "mini".  It will be a busy time next year with 3 and half hours of dance a week and starting kindergarten but We know she can do it!  We look forward to the "recital's"!

Dance Recital Day:)

 Gracelyn could hardly wait to get ready for the Dance Recital.... Gracelyn LOVES the "make-up, sparkles, and frills" to dancing! 

 This is her outfit for her Jazz/Ballet class.  They did the song, "Walk like a Dinosaur."

 What a beautiful little girl!!

This is her outfit for her Tumbling class... The song for this class is " Everybody have fun."

Gracelyn's end pose that was captured at dress rehearsal.

Abigail did not want to get left out so here she is posing for pictures with her hair all done and ready for the busy day:)  My adorable little Blondie:)

Dance Recital The Night Before Prep!

 Curlers... Curlers... and More Curlers!!!

Little Sister had to join in on the fun and get her hair done too!

Quotes!!!

The other day I had this fabulous friend that gave me this quote.  I instantly was touched by it.... I think it is what I needed to hear:)

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, it means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections!"

I know I need to look beyond the imperfections more frequently.   I wish (and I bet we all do) that everything was perfect.  I just get hung up on it being perfect that I don't RELAX and enjoy what is almost perfect!

History repeats itself:)

OK... So it has been a few years since I have last posted. I was browsing my old post and man time sure flies. What is funny it my last post was about potty training Gracelyn and how we were thrilled that she woke up dry. Now... potty training Abigail is NOT EASY. She wants nothing to do with it and is almost 3 years old next month. I wonder if we will still be changing her diapers when she is 30!
I hope I don't wait as long to post in the future.... I forgot how fun it is to go back and view old post! My family is growing up way too fast:)