Magnolia Pancake Haus

This restaurant called the Magnolia Pancake Haus opened off Huebner back in April or May, and people in San Antonio just went nuts over this place. It is only open for breakfast and lunch, but is more known for its' breakfast food.

Now, Dylan and I are all about trying new restaurants, but, not going to lie, I am a little bit of a breakfast food snob. I do not generally like to go out to eat breakfast because down in San Anton, we have neither Jimmy's Egg nor the Waffle House. Both are serious kick butt breakfast places. Omelets at Jimmy's Egg are just amazing, along with super good hash browns, toast, biscuits, etc. You get the idea! And Waffle House...Pecan Belgian Waffle... need I say more?!

However, today, September 30th, Dylan and I felt the serious urge for good breakfast food and made a trip to the Haus. The smells coming from the building before we even opened the door were mouth-watering. Crisp bacon, buttermilk pancakes and waffles, powdered sugar and syrup etc. Way too many choices on the menu, but I opted for a bacon/cheddar omelet, which was a solid equal to Jimmy's Egg. Hash browns were nice combo of sweet and savory, different from Jimmy's Egg but almost better because of that.

Dylan decides to go for the ultimate special. And here it is...

The authentic Bavarian breakfast dish called The APFEL PFANNEKUCHEN. 

It was UNBELIEVABLY good. So good my words will not do this dish justice. It is a combination of apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, pastry dough and European whipped cream. The dough was soft in middle with apples and crispy on outside from brown sugar. It was super super sweet, but the European cream is very savory, so it mellows out the taste. Now, I have been many places in my short 26 years and have tasted many different dishes but I have to say this is in the Top 5 Best Things I have ever eaten. It even beats out the chocolate-filled croissants of Paris I just adore and the Strawberry Cheesecake from Carmichael's Deli in NYC. 

Big question, I know: Did we finish it??!! Ahhhh, no. Now, Dylan and I together could have finished it and two years ago, probably would have. But dad gum we are such health nuts now we could not do it. We ate over half and then stopped so we would not be sick, plus we had to eat the omelet and hash browns too! :)

Bottom line, if you have one of these places in your area, you need to go try it out! Once in your life, you should indulge in this dish and live it up like the Bavarians do!!! 

You Are More...

"Mrs. Carey! We have our first DBQ essay and I just wanted to thank you for being an amazing teacher last year and for making sure we all know exactly how to do it and that we all have it down (pat). When my AP U.S. History teacher over at Taft asked the class what a DBQ was, I was the only one that knew what it was and how to write one correctly. No one else was so lucky to have my awesome teacher at Marshall! Thank you very much for teaching me the right way to write my essays and for helping me understand it. I miss you!"

To all my teacher friends, this is why we do our job. These moments where the hard battles and sacrifices we made as adults and asked our students to make as well finally come to light and can be utilized for the furthering of education and for that student's own personal gain are such gifts. I hope each of you is able to enjoy one.. no, many of these moments in your career, regardless of how many months or years it takes you to see the fruits of your labor. 

Fast Times at Marshall High: "Express Yourself"

So my 8th period is once again, for the 4th year in a row now, going to be the class that just cracks me up. Every year this is my biggest class, full of the most random group of students imaginable and thankfully, they all learn to get along and create this strange, eclectic mix to end my day with. Because they are so different, many, many strange conversations, stories and actions happen inside this period.

So World History, in all reality, is all about people doing dastardly deeds and becoming famous for them. The information, regardless of where in the world we are currently studying, usually has to do with money, power, drugs/alcohol and loose women etc. Learning how to make all those sordid details suitable for a 15-16 year old mind has been a challenge these past 5 1/2 years. I do my very best to avoid the awkward conversations that children really should have with their parents or another adult... NOT ME. But it is extremely difficult to do this when you have to explain the concept of a eunuch, a harem, a concubine, incest, STDs in Columbian Exchange, arranged marriages etc.

Today, I got thrown a curveball:

We are finishing up Classical India and China. One of the main points about these 2 places is the difference in their ideas on emotions and expressions. Classical China is extremely unemotional while Classical India has everything to do with emotions. I try to steer this topic towards literature, art, songs etc. BUT there is a section in the textbook which mentions Kama Sutra. Yup... you with me now?!

99 percent of the time my students do not read, so I never worry about them getting to this. But I have some major readers this year... in 8th period. Needless to say, a student asked what it meant today. And before you say it, I promise; he honestly asked. The class had no idea what it was. In my mind I'm panicking because I cannot blow it off because then they will just ask more but I do NOT want a phone call from a mom about this topic so for probably .5 seconds I panic. And then I calmly say something along the lines of "it is just another way to talk about physical expression between two people."

All 34 of them think about this and then the reactions set in. A few giggles and blushing faces ensued, but the majority of the students all scrunched up their faces and went "EWWWW!" Inside my head, I laughed so very hard at this response. The best part was one young man's response. He raised his hand and asked me in a very disgusted and confused manner: "Why on earth do people need a book about that stuff and more importantly, who wants to look at the pictures? That is just gross."

I mean, what do I say to that?! So many things I want to say in response to that are SOO NOT appropriate. :)  I smiled and told him then it is a good thing he does not have to worry about that right now. They laughed and we moved on, but I smiled and laughed about it the whole rest of the day. In a strange way, this episode reaffirmed my faith in the younger generations coming up. Often times I think they are completely jaded and ruined by the time they reach 16 but here was a group of students who were still students.. still children. It is moments like these that I need in order to keep me doing my job and having faith in our youth. Plus, they make for great dinner conversation. ;)

Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas

Goobz, Dylan and I spent Labor Day weekend hiking in the Guadalupe Mtns. of West Texas. 8.4 mile Guadalupe Peak Trail in just over 3 hours. 4.2 mile Devils Hall Trail with the Goobz. 

 Snuggling in the car with Mommy. Moments like these make my life so sweet!!! 

First views of El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak

Awesome 7 am view of El Capitan on our way to the top... 

Guadalupe Peak, highest point in TX. Dedicated my hike to Gma Guadalupe Day. Sure miss her... 

 Goobz went with us for the 2nd hike of the day to a place called Devils Hall. He also walked the entire time without a leash and did not veer off path or get himself in trouble once! Dylan and I were so so proud of this little guy. :) 

 Native West Texas Medrone Tree

 Entering Devils Hall

Eating lunch, resting and exploring

After 2 1/2 miles over rocks, desert and mountain terrain, Goobz said "I'm done." We alternated carrying him in the backpack and on our shoulders for the rest of the hike. What a trooper though!!