Donut Day

Last night I was up late baking. I've managed to bribe my class into memorizing scriptures that are optional. Each month the elementary students receive a monthly scripture of three to five verses. The memorization of it is completely optional. If they choose to say it, they get a small prize. If they say all nine of them, they earn a big bag of surprises.

The scriptures are no small feat. Some are much harder than others. I love that we offer them the opportunity to memorize scripture, so I've sweetened the deal a bit with my class. 

If everyone in the class says it by the end of the month, I bring in a prize for them on top of what they get from the school. Also, if everyone in the class says ALL of the scriptures, I promise a field trip to my house where they can make their own pizzas and watch a movie at the end of the year. 

So far, every class has said every scripture. Kids are highly motivated by food. I usually make them some kind of homemade goody like cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and the like. 

I was up until the wee hours making a new treat I just tried for my family - homemade donuts (baked, not fried). I got them all finished (goodness knows, I always have to make double because my kids can't stand it when I give away something they don't get to try), and got to bed satisfied with my accomplishment and excited to surprise them.

When I met my students at assembly this morning, one of them happily informed me that his father had purchased two dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme for the class. "May I share them with everyone?" he excitedly asked. 

"Of course you can," I responded with a smile. "That was so generous of you and your father." I mustered all the excitement I could while thinking, of all days to bring donuts, you had to choose today?

I let the young man pass them out first thing and when he asked if they could all have two, I responded, "I think that's enough sugar for now. Why don't you bring those back home and share them with your siblings?"

As they were lining up for lunch a few hours later, I revealed that the reason I didn't let them have two donuts earlier was that I brought them their prize for saying the monthly scripture and it was...donuts. I had talked myself into the fact that they wouldn't be excited knowing there were still Krispy Kreme donuts in the room, but I was wrong. 

When they sat down at the lunch tables, I passed them out and got rave reviews. One particularly picky student told me, "10 out of 10 Mrs. Parris!" Another said, "These are better than the Krispy Kreme ones!"

I'm grateful it all worked out so nicely. I'm grateful that they loved the donuts. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do some baking, which I love. I'm also grateful I have people to give the baked goods to so I don't consume them all myself.