What's Cooking?

Ellie recently turned three.  We try to make birthdays as fun as we can at our house without going crazy (budget on the salary of a school teacher and all).

 

We decorate the kitchen and have a special breakfast, and of course, there have to be presents.

 

This year, we found a cute little kitchen at DI (a local second hand store) that we thought Ellie would love.  We cleaned it up and then found a set of dishes on clearance while we were school shopping at Ross (another favorite store) so we figured that was perfect for her.

 

 

The morning of her birthday she was thrilled with her gifts.  That evening she got another gift from my parents.  They bought her a set of pots and pans that light up red on the bottom and make sizzling, cooking noises when you set them down.  OH!  MY!  HECK!  These pots are the cutest thing.  Ellie was in heaven.

 

 And then we brought the whole set of stuff in her room and this is what happened.

Ellie, Logan and Gavin  shredding it up in the kitchen.

Aubrey getting in on the cooking action.

Parker mixing a soup for me to eat.  What a sweetie.

Every child in our house (sans Bryce who is in jr high and is too cool for many things that I still think are cool) has spent -- I'm not joking -- hours playing with this kitchen.  I'm not sure we've ever had a gift that has gotten more attention.  The kids conjure up stews and casseroles and will cook to order if you give them the chance.  It has been so much fun to watch them be creative and let their culinary juices flow (even it if is only fake food and toy dishes).

 

Ellie has been awesome to share and the kids have managed to work and play together without much fighting (which is a birthday miracle if you ask me).  The newness of these things has started to wear off, but they are still the most popular toys in the house.  I love it!  Thanks, Ellie, for being born so this mini miracle could happen in our home (and for lots of other reasons too, you are a miracle all by yourself).