The Cook's Recipe for Life: Crystal's 6th Birthday and Lily's First Week of Preschool!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRYSTAL
I seriously can't believe my oldest baby is 6 years old! I try not to look back too much because I'm afraid I'll miss enjoying today, but on days like today I can't help but wonder where the time is going! She is growing up so ridiculously fast, its taking my breath away! It doesn't seem that long ago that I started preschool with her and she was turning 3, and now she's in kindergarten and turning 6!

Look how little she was!

Crystal was beyond excited to take treats to school for her birthday! She picked out donut holes with sprinkles to take to her class. She came home with 2 pencils, a balloon, a paper crown, and a BIG smile! I was so glad she had a good day at school on her birthday!
For lunch, we met Grandma Gordon, Aunt Maddie, and cousins Millie and McKensie at Leo's Place and played for a few hours! They even got some tokens to play in the arcade with! Lily and Millie spent all their tokens on the rides! Haha. I forgot to get a picture of Crystal. I let her go into the arcade part alone and forgot to get one when she came out. Crystal managed to get a few tickets and was nice enough to share with Lily so they each got a ring, and the prize guy didn't think it was enough so he gave them each some candy too!
Since we just moved back to Idaho most of Crystal's friends are also members of our family so instead of a big 'kid' party, we just had a some family come over for her birthday party this year. Crystal begged for a Monkey Party. I thought it was perfect since Jay had a Jungle party and I still had everything left over from his party. Haha. She had a Monkey cake, monkey/jungle decor, and monkey/jungle paper products. The kids played Stick the Nose on the Lion (there were no monkey ones and it was leftover from Jay's party so it worked out. haha). We sang, and when she went to blow out candles she looked at Lily and said so sweetly "Is anyone gonna help me with these?" So she and Lily blew out the candles together. It was cute. She opened all her presents and we all had cake and ice cream! It was easy, laid back, and she still had a blast. Win, win!

Present from Millie! She LOVES them!

The Cake

Wish I had taken video. Grandma Cook had Jay laughing SO HARD!

This was her 'blow out the candles but don't blow them out so Lily can help me' blow.

Lily helping her. :)

I forgot to take pics of them playing the game... oops.

All the kids.

Doll from Grandma Gordon! (She was giving me her fake smile so I told her to show me her duck face. haha)

Coat from Grandma Cook!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bracelets!

Her 'big kid' scooter. It has 2 wheels instead of 3 like her old one has.

We have a new project!

Grandma and Papa Cook

Friends who are practically family! :D

Spoiled little girl!

FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!

I started preschool this week. I have 4 little girls that I'm teaching this year! I didn't think I was going to get anyone with how late I got things unpacked and set up, but I managed to find a few people who were still looking for a preschool! I'm hoping next year to have a basement to teach in so there's more space for a little bit larger class. And by 'larger' I mean like 6 to 8 kids. Haha. I enjoy the smaller classes, and I don't really do it for the money, so a large class is not really necessary.

I forget every once in a while how much I miss teaching. Last year I did preschool with a larger group just once a week and I only taught once every month or so, and the year before that I was pregnant with Jay, just did preschool with Crystal, and it was hit and miss. I am having so much fun having a full curriculum again this year! Its only 2 days a week so its not taking over my life, but its just enough to remind me how much I LOVE it!

As I mentioned earlier, with school starting and Crystal's birthday (and Lily's just around the corner), I've been having somewhat of a panic attack. They grow so fast!

This is Lily during Crystal's first year of preschool (she was lots of help if you can't tell. haha).

Now she's started her first year of preschool! She gets to be in a class with her cousin! The other 2 girls are daughters of friends from the good old days (yes, I'm referring to high school. I admit it. I never really wanted to leave. Haha). In fact one of the mothers and I went to preschool together as well!!!!

I forgot to get a picture of her on her first day. This is day 2 :D.

JAY

I just have a ton of pictures of Jay this week. This kid has always had the funniest facial expressions. They just keep getting better. Haha. I keep trying to get them on camera but he sure doesn't make it easy. In the first picture I managed to get a good one. The next 3 he was giving me one of his other favorite faces but I wasn't able to get a good one. Maybe another time. He's still adorable though so I posted them anyway.

The last 2 pictures, Ty put Jay in time out for going down the stairs in a way that was very unsafe. He actually put him in time out after he told him to stop, and Jay looked at him, smiled, and did it the unsafe way anyway. haha. Jay just stood staring at the corner, not moving or making a sound at all for a good minute or two. I couldn't believe that he'd just stand there. When Daddy let him out he wanted a hug. :( It was kind of heartbreaking.

RANDOM PICTURES OF THE WEEK

We wrote letters to our favorite princesses this week! I forgot to get a picture of Lily's before we put it in the envelope... oops. It was a pic of Ariel sleeping in her bed. :)