A Teacher's Perspective to Valentine's Day

When I think of Valentine's Day, or at least the best Valentine's Day, I think of my days in elementary school. Taping decorated brown bags to the back of our wooden chairs and anticipating a special card from the kid who looked like Ponch from CHiPs is what I'm talking about. I even remember wearing my flashy homemade one-piece heart jumpsuit that my mom would make me just for our special day in class.

Those loving memories of Valentine's Day in school are no longer. You see, now that I'm a teacher I dread Valentine's Day. When Valentine's Day rolls around, my kids are so fixated on our Valentine's Party that they can't even think about anything else, say like school or listening to your beloved teacher. You know it gets really annoying when your teaching and someone randomly raises their hand just to tell you that they're gonna bring Spiderman cards. It's even worse when the kids enjoy that comment, tune you out, and then proceed to share about what kind of cards they are gonna bring. Baaaah!

Our Valentine's Day party was horrid. They sat around in a circle with their decorated paper bags in front of them and had four to five kids pass their cards out. You'd think it be calm and loving. NO! The kids got all rowdy and loud. I even had to turn off my lights to get their attention. But they didn't even care. My five year-olds were in their own heart infested world called Valentine's.

I wonder what their Valentine's memories will be when they're our age. They'll probably say, "Yea, I loved Valentine's Day when I was little. Too bad my Kindergarten teacher was so mean on that day." Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my class. I love them so much. I just don't like them right now. Since I'm on a roll...I don't like rainy days or field trips either!

"I don't like you right now Snickers and Peanut Butter muffins"

Snickers and Peanut Butter Muffin
taken from Nigella Lawson

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
3 1/2 full-size (2.07 ounce) Snickers bars, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 standard-size muffin tin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peanut butter and mix until mixture turns into coarse crumbs. In separate bowl, combine melted butter, egg and milk. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, about 15 seconds. Lightly mix in Snickers pieces, about 10 seconds. It's okay if small bits of unmoistened flour remain. Do not overmix.

Evenly dollop batter into cups of prepared muffin tin. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and just firm when lightly touched. Set pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove muffins and set on wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 muffins.

The muffins actually came out dry. Booo. Yea, so I only gave them to my kids and not to co-workers because I didn't want my co-workers to say, "Yea, did you get that muffin Jeni gave us? That thang was dry!" Does anyone have any hints on how to make it moister?

"Valentine's Day was perfect when I was in Kindergarten. Except for those dry Snicker muffins my teacher gave me. I did appreciate how she individually wrap them though."