Making an Itty Bitty Baker's Bag

Last year for Christmas my daughter bought a little, pink, 3 piece kitchen like you see at Pottery Barn Kids, for her 2 little girls. Marisa and Megan spend a lot of time in that kitchen set up in the basement playroom, mixing fake stuff in bowls with spoons, clanging pans in the oven and using their "play food" in unique and different ways.  Tiff showed me the little baskets she had made with different little tags on them to go into the shelving unit. She said 2 of the bins are always out on the floor and used the most. One of them is the stuff to bake with. Marisa LOVES to pretend she is a baker girl.

So this year for Christmas I had been pouring over magazines, catalogs and stores to find mini baking tools to put together a baking bag for her. I found little mini whisks, spatulas, a little pink oven mitt, real mini mixes to make real food from Smiths, (Target was selling EZ Bake Oven cake mixes for $5.00 can you believe that?) cupcake holders in silicone and tin for the mini sized cakes, and also decorative papers, sprinkles and cupcake picks. I shop for Wilton baking supplies at Joannes Fabrics. They have a huge selection and I can always cut out a 40% off coupon on regular priced stuff. I got the sprinkles half off when Thanksgiving was over.  She is gonna be in baking heaven sprinkling the heck out of her cupcakes.

I got this cute, red, gingerbread vinyl purse from Kmart. Purses were 40% off that day! Yipee, what a deal!  I had my daughter do the lettering with her Cricut machine and white vinyl and we added "Marisa's Baking Bag" so she can keep all her whisks and "tools of the trade" together.  I also found a darling tiny mixing bowl like my favorite ones I use with the rubber bottoms that don't slide around, from Target. I had never seen this small size before but it will be perfect for her little 31/2  year old hands.  All the other girls at preschool will be so jealous! 

I found this apron after Valentines Day for half off at Target. The little cupcake on the front gave me the idea to do a baking selection of stuff for her, as I have watched her meticulously decorate a gingerbread cookie for 10 minutes. She has the creative gene from our side of the family. She will love being creative in her little pink kitchen.

 I always shop the sales throughout the year for birthdays and Christmas, Easter and Halloween, even Valentines Day. When I was getting my master's degree in teaching I had to get a part time job working at Kohls to pay my tuition. It was there that I learned to NEVER pay retail. With sales, and our discount, and coupons on top, I got such deals for cheap it's hard to ever pay full price again. Even online I will usually type in "coupon code" and the store name to see if there are any coupons I can add onto my order. I get stuff after the holiday for the next year and save more than 70% usually and still use a coupon on top. The sizes are a bit tricky to estimate ahead a year but I'm usually pretty close. And stuff like stuffed animals, Easter baskets, decorations and trick or treat pails for Halloween,  and funny wiggly headbands and aprons for Valentines are all fun things that will keep in my gift closet for months! 

The mini bundt pans and mini angel food cake pan I got from TJ Max. That is THE best store on the planet.  It always has what I am looking for when I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.  The variety and quality of cookware there is quite astounding. I love to get a deal too.

 One of the heart shaped bundt pans I just found recently there was only $2.00 bucks! Now that's fun to catch a deal like that.  Marisa will have fun doing nothing but bundts. Poor Tiff, my daughter's gonna be doin lots of baking this January! 

Feeling a little "Grinch-y?"

Yesterday was our last day of school before a wonderful 2 week break. I always love showing my kids the original animated version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas on the VCR.  It has the Cat-in-the-Hat looking Grinch and all the peeps in Whoville and some funny music and it only lasts 25 minutes! It's not like the Jim Carrey version which I never really appreciated. It just seemed toooooo creepy to me.  I did like the beautiful song "Where are you Christmas" that came from that movie that Cindy Lou Who sings, but that's another story.

So, I was complaining to a friend about all my decorating woe's, and she replied,  "Well it IS hard to remember what the TRUE meaning of Christmas is,  isn't it?".... and I began to think, MAN AM I A GRINCH? Is it all about the "stuff" to me? I never thought that would happen!  As we watched the evil grinch get creepier by the minute, stealing all the toys from everybody,  I would do little side dialogues, trying to get the kids to see how the people in Whoville would turn the other cheek when this dastardly deed was done to them. (And that is something  I have never really understood...I mean.... how could you be SO nice to somebody THAT mean?)

It made me think about what the message of the Grinch tale is? Is it to be happy just because of the season, no matter what bad things have come your way this year? That would be a good message, I guess. Or is it that nice people can warm your heart, even a "2 sizes too small, Grinchy" heart?  Is it just  to have the giving spirit at Christmastime and not the bah, humbug spirit?  Oops, that's a whole other movie...I don't know. It is all of that mixed in I think. I have had my heart turned just realizing I'm getting a little Grinchy in my old age.  I like all the fun stuff, but I don't like all the work. And I forget about the important stuff in the busyness around me.

This morning we had our last Choir rehearsal before the big Christmas program at church tomorrow.  We perform songs,do readings from Luke and the choir sings with organ and flute accompaniment, along with our 2 awesome pianists.  I have belonged to many different choirs in my day, and many music groups. I've sung solos at weddings, funerals and had roles in musicals. But of all the CHURCH choirs I've been in....this one is my favorite.  We sing hard music and are expected to know it in 2 weeks. We perform at least once or twice a month in church and we've sung from the" Hallelujah Chorus" at Christmas to "Oh Divine Redeemer" at Easter. It's one of my favorite things...choral singing.

Well as we practiced in the choir seats in our chapel, we could hear these strange strains of "You're a mean one....Mr. Grinch"  sung in solo, in a deep base voice, coming from next door in the basketball court/cultural hall. I was so intrigued after practice I started roaming the halls. This is what I found:

The mail station where the people in the other congregation were writing letters to missionaries around the world. It was so cute with lots of bright Christmas stationery all around and these darling decorations. This Whoville citizen stopped and let me snap a picture of her. (She is also the decorating committee chairwoman--kudos to her!)

Down the hallway there was a kids' station where, kids got to go to CANDY HEAVEN! There was candy  everywhere, even hangin from the ceiling. I got excited just thinking how kids would be when they got their little hands on the candy scoopers! I wanted to grab one of the "scoops" and dig some candy out of those jars for my own little "take home bag".  But I just took pictures instead. dang it...so ungrinchy of me...

Well on the way out, I happened upon President Johnson (our previous stake leadership) dressed up all in green fur, with green face make-up. I had just bumped into THE GRINCH! He's like the least grinchy person I've ever met! How in the world did they get him to do this?  He must be in his late 70s. I sure wouldn't want to be railroaded into something like that when I get older! What a nice guy.  He let me snap this picture before he went on stage to do the Grinch numbers we had heard them rehearsing.



Pres. Johnson....isn't he cute?

 Then I saw my friend and general contractor  Robert (he helped do our kitchen remodel and wonderful travertine floors this past summer) walking down the hall dressed cute like a Whoville person! And more were hiding behind corners!



Robert, my excellent contractor...I hope he didn't drive home like this!

 I even got a shot of Cindy Lou Who on my way out to the car.  I kept thinking, "Man, who would go to all this work a week before Christmas?  But as I had walked down the halls I saw lots of kids from my school too. "Hi Mrs. Moss!" they would holler excitedly with those little faces kids have on Christmas morning. "Did you see the Grinch? He is coming!!!" Ah.... then I remembered....some of the reasons for Christmas...some of the messages of the Grinch story.

 Even though he is a slimeball who is filled with loathing and negativity about all things Christmas he is ultimately touched by the Christmas spirit, when ONE other person shows love and caring to him. And he begins to redeem himself by changing his loathing to LOVE of "Who-manity".

 I think the Christmas spirit is the best thing about Christmas. Everybody seems a little bit more giving and nicer. (Well, not including the shoppers the minute after stores opened on Black Friday), But later on in the day, even the shoppers are all neighbors waiting in the check-out line, chattin it up like longtime pals.  I like that part. The part where people show their best selves, their love.

I'm going to be less Grinchy this week leading up to Christmas. Well, I will admit, getting to be off work this whole week will make it easier. But I'm going to focus a little more on the new neighbors that just moved in across the street,  that don't know anybody. And I'm going to do some community service, reminding myself why we celebrate the season.



A very UN-grinchy guy!



It's the baby in a manger who gave such a perfect example of how NOT to be grinchy. And NOT just during the month of December, but every day. It's not easy showing love to others amidst the highs and lows of life.  I've got to remember to try and keep that Christmas spirit with me...because you never know when you are gonna run into a Grinch.

Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas Party



Grandpa Moss

 My husband's dad is Don Moss. He is one of the nicest men on the planet. I always knew if my husband turned out half as good as his daddy then I was one lucky lady. And it has been true that he takes after his dad. We all love Don. He is in his middle 80s. His wife Merlene is my husband's step-mom, since his mom died almost 30 years ago. Merlene is almost 90.  She has been a super sweet mother-in-law to me. She has loved and given to me and my kids throughout their lives. After my own mom died I would often call Merlene when I needed somebody to talk to about a real problem, when I needed good advice.   

Merlene and Don Moss\


But we are so lucky to have SOME grandparents still in our kids' lives. They have hosted many yearly get togethers! Last night they announced that this is the last year they will do the Christmas dinner party. We all would have put it on years ago but they insisted on doing it, keeping the traditions. This favorite family party is Christmas dinner where all the relatives from both Dons and Merlene's sides get together and we celebrate the Christmas story from the bible.

 We have the children act out the parts in full costumed regalia. The props over the years have gotten more elaborate. The talent has gotten better. The solos sweeter.  The youngest granddaughter who can talk, plays Mary and usually the teenagers play the shepherds and wise men, no pun intended. In between one of the uncles reading the story from Luke, the whole group sings hymns depicting the different scenes during the birth of our Savior. It is always a sentimental time for me.



Joseph & Mary and the Baby Jesus (dolly)



Our Family Nativity & Singing Silent Night

Uncle Dennis Reading Luke, Aunt Danielle directing the children's play (again this year when will she ever get a break!)



I still have a very precious picture I keep on my computer of our youngest son, Danny, as a wise man at the Christmas party.  We think he was around 14 in this picture.  It was the last time he would play the part of the wise man in this life. He died in a car accident a few years ago.  At this season of the year when everyone gives thanks and is busy gift giving, we always have a little bit of melancholy. We miss our Dan and think about all the fun we had with him when he was around.We loved him dearly!



Danny Moss the wiseman  :)



 I think when you are a mom, or a dad, you do tend to baby your youngest child and they become very close to you. It is a real strong bond that most parents feel toward the baby of the family. It makes it harder when that child is taken. I really like though, that everybody in our family still talks about Danny. Nobody in the extended family is afraid to ask me questions about him or how I feel this year or whatever they want to ask. It is okay. It makes me realize that they still remember him. And that makes me very happy.

This past week Elizabeth Edwards died. She also had a teenage son who was killed in a car accident. I always related to her and admired and was inspired by her strength of spirit through all of her trials. I was so sad to hear she had died. But Elizabeth and I shared a personal and private understanding. She once said, "People who have lost children look at death differently than the rest of us" and I remember nodding instantly. I know she didn't fear death as much as look to it as a grand reunion  I get that she is now reunited with her son and that is a happy day for her. “You are complete joy to me,” Mrs. Edwards wrote. “I hope you will always know that. Wherever I am, wherever you are, I have my arms wrapped around you.”At her funeral they read parts of this tender letter to her 3 surviving children. What an excellent mother she was!



My 3rd Granddaughter Josie & my son Jeff

  So I too look forward to meeting up again with Danny. And at this time of year I am missing him and thinking of him as the big family celebration takes place. And I am trying not to feel the void. There is always a little part of my heart that is sad that he isn't amongst the mix of cousins. And I'm glad for the cousins that also miss their partner in crime. 



Casey and the twins



Wesley, Jeff & baby Maya... 



Santa and his "Elves"



Newlyweds Caitlin and Devin Moss...(still on Santa's nice list)



We are lucky to have all these people in our lives. Even when those family celebrations are taking their toll on you this holiday, when the entertaining, the food preparation and the decorating get to you, just remember to be thankful for those loved ones you have around you right now, today. And give your kids all a big hug and appreciate your gifts. Because you never know when they may be gone away, it can happen so quickly.

Pretty Aunt Robin & cute cousin Heather

I love my inlaws and my kids' cousins and all the aunts and uncles on the Moss side of the family. It is so fun to see Grandpa come out as Santa, this year with the wiggly Santa hat that reminded me of something out of Harry Potter. Then the fun of watching each kid waiting with anticipation for their name to be called while Grandpa pulls a brightly wrapped package out of his big furry red bag. . It's cute to see who Santa's elves will be each year, usually the cute teenage girls dress in lit up elf hats, too cute!

Brandon and Caleb (cousins)

My little granddaughter Marisa kept hanging around "Santa" waiting for her name to be called. She is only 3 but knows now what it's all about. We started to get worried that maybe Santa had forgotten her when almost all the kids names were called. There must have been 20 great grandkids and grandkids combined!

 Cute Becky, BYU Student...

You finally make it off the list when you get married, Funny that my son Devin who got married in August  was still suspiciously on the list this year! As was his wife Caitlin!  The older married cousins thought this was kind of unfair. :)  Finally he called Marisa and it was delightful to see her scamper up to get her gift and then with joy on her little face, tear up the ribbons and wrap to find a ballerina Barbie. She was in ecstasy! She loves Barbie! It was just so precious watching that little interchange for me.



Marisa Belle & Barbie...

 My sister in law said, "Boy my heart would have broken if she had been forgotten, I was starting to worry!" And we all said, "Us too!" We all love each others kids. It has been a 25  year family bond since grandpa Moss married Grandma Moss in the Los Angeles LDS temple. The fun we have had as a combined family is really hard to express in words. Summer pool parties, and 4th of July picnics, Thanksgiving get togethers and the yearly Christmas party. We've gone to each other's homes for the big life events; weddings, funerals, eagle courts of honor, baptisms.



Megan Tremayne & yummy treats

Wendy and Jeff & John watchin the Nativity ...



My family...


It is just one of those things where we have learned to love each other, bear each others burdens, support and care for each other. And at this special time of year, I am so blessed to be a part of a big, loving family such as the Moss clan. There is nothing more important to me than family. It is the cherry on top of my sundae of life.  Merry Christmas to all! Be happy for all of life's wonderful blessings! And love from my family to yours.


My favorite 3 girls....



Gingerbread Trees

GINGERBREAD TREES!  YIPEE!

Well this week is the last week before Christmas break and we are having our classroom Christmas party. I love to do fun Bingo games, make Christmas cards for parents,  and decorate upside-down sugar cones to make a little tree scene on a paper plate. They are much easier to do than gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. The kids are more successful and they are easier for younger kids to do. I love to see the finished products too. They are colorful and delicious! and...there are no tears when somebody's roof falls off! Yeah, and they are just as pretty as you can see!


More candy on the plate than on the tree....


First you will need:
1. Sugar Cones (the pointy waffle type kind)
2. White icing tubs from the grocery store & some green food coloring
3. small, heavy paper plates and some plastic or regular knives for spreading
4. candies such as M&Ms, mini and regular, gumdrops, smarties, lemonheads, chocolate chips, star shapes,
    tiny runts, marshmallows, red hots, mike and ike,  ANY kind of tiny candy really!
5. Optional, tiny candy canes and tiny gingerbread men crackers/cookies from the box
6. Licorice whips (the red, peel apart kind).


Post of my parents donated 1 item or a bag of candy...


Mix 5 drops of food coloring into the vanilla icing tubs and spread a walnut sized blob on each plate. Then you can place the cones upside down like a tree on the blob of icing to "glue" them to a plate. One of the other teachers glue guns them to the plate, but then what if they want to eat them later...YUK!

Then  ice the trees rather heavily with green icing until no sugar cone shows through. Put a good, thick layer on or the candy won't have "glue" to adhere to. Kids as young as 3 can do this, trust me, it is easy. Younger kids can have mom spread and then they decorate. 



Got these from the dollar store a few years back...

I use a few of those veggie and dip sectioned off platters in plastic and fill each section with a different kind of candy. That way kids at tables can all share 1 platter and have lots of variety. If you don't have one of those just use muffin tins (the 6 muffin kind) and fill those up. Or else just use small bowls to separate your candies.  Every year I get a different variety. This year somebody brought white chocolate chips. They looked real cute next to the skittles and red hots. :)

This year we got marshmallow snowmen instead of licorice peel aparts...CUTE!

The kids get creative and add the candy however they want to on their Christmas trees! Some kids like to put a gumdrop on a blob of icing on the plate and add a tiny candy cane pushed into the gumdrop. Add a gingerbread man cookie to the plate or make a path of marshmallows or M&Ms around the tree. Lasty they can add those licorice pull aparts to put a garland of red around their tree. Anything goes. 

All Wrapped UP!

When they are all done and have eaten half of the candy in the chip and dip containers put the plates inside a gallon size zip-lock baggie to go home. In case somebody's drops theirs on the floor it will be protected on the bus ride or car ride home. They are cute left out as table decorations in the kitchen or on a shelf for Christmas. They always turn out lookin great!


Little Works of ART!