Joanna Gaines and her family are preparing for what looks to be an epic 4th July celebration – and her youngest son, Crew, proved to be a great help.
The five-year-old stole the show in some photos the Fixer Upper star shared on Instagram to promote the recipe for her Cake Pops. Crew appeared to be a dab hand in the kitchen as he got to work icing the delicious-looking treats.
In the photo, Crew appeared lost in concentration as he dipped a cake pop into some red-colored icing while wearing an apron to keep his clothes clean. In front of him were several baking trays filled with small round cakes.
© InstagramOne showed a handful yet to be iced, while another was covered with red, white, and blue sprinkles – a fitting tribute to mark the special day. In another photo, Joanna shared the recipe for her followers to recreate the cake pops at home and it was sweetly signed at the bottom by Crew.
The recipe read: "Combine half a dozen baked cupcakes and 1 cup of icing in a mixer for 3 to 5 minutes until fully incorporated (should look like cookie dough. Roll the mix into 24 balls. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours."
It added: "Using the melted chocolate wafers (we used blue, red, and white) dip the stick into the chocolate, then immediately place the stick about halfway into each cake pop. Decorate with sprinkles, nuts, or just more frosting! Enjoy! Crew."
© InstagramCaptioning the post, Joanne wrote: "Test Kitchen Camp with Crew. Today's recipe: 4th of July cake pops!" She also included a photo of six finished cake pops that looked expertly decorated inside a large paper case.
Joanna and her husband, Chip Gaines, share five children altogether. Alongside Crew, they also have daughters Ella Rose, 16, and Emmie Kay, 13, and sons Drake, 19, and Duke, 15.
© InstagramDespite the couple's fame thanks to their successful TV careers, Joanna previously admitted she wants their kids to live a normal life as she opened up about her relationship with them.
"The older I've gotten, I've realized the more humanity these kids can see in me, the more we're going to connect," she told People in 2022. "I want them to see the highs and lows, so when they're feeling anxieties about school or relationships, they know it's a safe place for them to come to me."
© InstagramSharing her feelings on how fast her children are growing up, Joanna added: "When [Drake] was Crew's age, people would look at me and say, 'Oh, you better hold on tight. It goes by fast. Now, being a mother of a 4-year-old and an almost 18-year-old, it's a constant reminder to not take these moments for granted."
Joanna also joked that she sometimes feels like her children are parenting her. "They're encouraging me as I walk out the door like, 'Mom, you've got this. Just be yourself, have fun,' she said. "Sometimes I feel like they're the parents."
