The Countdown is On!

It has been a tough couple of weeks. We made it through TAKS testing, and were confronted by budget cuts. What is education coming to?

Needless to say, looking up and down the halls, one would see teachers and students alike counting down the minutes to Spring Break. Many people in the real "working world" (because apparently, teachers don't 'really' work) resent teachers for holidays such as Spring Break. I'm hear to tell you that they have to give us period breaks so that we actually show back up on Monday and start again. I fully believe that is why we get summers off. We forget how mentally and physically exhausting that teaching is, so we sign up to do it again in August. About the time Halloween hits, realization sets back in, and we start counting down again.

I believe that today's count is now 52 days until summer vacation, but hey, who's counting?

I'll be spending my vacation in the booming metropolis of Palacios, Tx. I look forward to sleeping as late as I want, not getting dressed, putting on makeup, or fixing my hair if I don't want, and not one single person yelling "MISS" to get my attention.
My paradise on earth!

Springtime in the City

While the calendar may say that today is March 2, it sure looks more like April or May outside. Living in Houston during the Summer may make me wish that I lived in Alaska, days like today make me glad that I am here. It is a lovely 60-ish degrees outside with nothing but sun and cloudless blue skies. Let us all inhale deeply and say "Ahhh...". Now, after you've stopped hacking on the pollen count, we will move on.

Tomorrow, the kids take their English TAKS test. My days have been consumed by last minute tips and fervent prayers for success. It seems that I work in a day and age where I am putting in more effort than my students are. I still believe that students should want to succeed, but I seem to be in the minority.

Due to the stress at work, I came home last night and ruined the diet I have pretty religiously followed for 2 months now. I was bad. I had cake and ice cream for dinner. Ugh...

My pre-dieting days found me trying (and loving) this recipe. If you love sugar the way someone who can eat sweetened condensed milk out of the can does, you'll love it too. Make sure you have plenty of milk handy!

Cake Balls

Ingredients:

• Any boxed cake of your choice and the ingredients to make it
• I can of your favorite icing (yes, I said can...*cringe*)
• White almond bark or chocolate of your choice, melted
• nuts, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, etc.

Directions:

• Bake the cake according to the directions. Let it cool completely. Crumble in a large bowl.
• Mix the can of frosting into the crumbled cake.
• Roll into bite sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.
• Freeze for at least an hour to avoid crumbling during coating
• Dip cake balls into melted bark or chocolate and roll in toppings
• Allow to harden and enjoy!

Some of my favorite combinations include

• Strawberry cake and vanilla frosting
• German Chocolate cake and frosting
• Red velvet cake and vanilla frosting with sprinkles
• Chocolate cake with coffee frosting

Please enjoy while I can't!