Happy Birthday! Pranks and Cupcakes!

My co-worker's birthday is this weekend.  Of course we had to celebrate!  And if there's a celebration, that is just a good excuse to make cupcakes!  I tried a new technique (more details to follow) and was pleased with the results!

Simple cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!

Just to give you a little history....

I was transferred from a high school where I had worked for eleven years to a neighboring high school in my district.  I had mixed feelings.  Change is difficult, especially when you've been at a school for over a decade and in the feeder track (I worked at the feeder middle school and one of the feeder elementaries) for an additional 18 years.  But I was assigned to my alma mater, so my life really had come full circle.

My first year at the new school was challenging.  No one knew me, I think many distrusted me because I was unknown, the transfer was part of a district shuffle, so I hadn't been requested, nor had I requested the change.  So stress was high, insecurities ran rampant and it took awhile for things to settle down.  My second year was a little better.  I began to feel a bit more comfortable, but was still on edge.  With a new principal this year (a wonderful colleague that I've known since we worked the same job at different middle schools years ago) it's been a tremendously fun year.  Our administrative team has worked hard but we've been able to let our crazy selves emerge so we've been able to offset our job stress with humor.  I love it.  This has been one of the best years ever.

In the fall, my birthday was celebrated by my team.  So nice to be appreciated, but pretty calm and normal.  Our Activities Director's birthday was next.  We held off as long as possible and he began to stress that no one had remembered.  I think he actually whined about it a bit!  Anyway, while he was on his way to Vegas, we did this:

We tin-foiled pretty much everything in his office - from the clock to the push pins in his bulletin board.  He, of course, was happy to be remembered.  I'm sure he grumbled a bit though as he peeled off all the foil so he could find his laptop.

Next, my principal's birthday.  It was time for the Activities guy to strike back.  With some help from students, he did this:

Yep, balloons.   Lots of 'em.

Today was the other AP's birthday prank day. We went to the 99cent store to find some cool stuff to decorate with.  He loves the ocean and body boarding, so we found some great deals.  We waited and waited for him to leave yesterday and finally we were able to decorate.  And.....

 He was very surprised this morning, and of course he loved it!!

So, back to the cupcakes...

No birthday celebration is complete without some treats.  So what's better for a beachy theme than some beachy cupcakes?!  Exactly!!

I used two decorating bags with different shades of frosting.  Cut the tips off and put them into a third bag.  When you squeeze it out, you get a great look.  I also put some drops of food coloring into one of the bags - that made the dark blue.  I added some little foam thingys I found at Michaels and some sprinkles.  Voila!!  (I think only one person tried to eat a dolphin. :)

What a fun day!

Two bags in one and double cupcake liners so the chocolate cake wouldn't wash out the color of the liners.

Foam glittery decorations and some sprinkles!