As many of you fans of NINETY-THREE IN MY FAMILY know, I LOVE a good math story.

However, today I encountered a math story with a not-so-happy ending.

It started off with one mom (me) baking cupcakes for her daughter's school's READ ACROSS AMERICA celebration. For those of you that don't know, this is a big party held around Dr. Seuss' birthday to celebrate reading and to have an excuse to read books and eat cupcakes. So far so good, right?

Wrong. Because, see, this mom only had enough batter for 24 cupcakes. And she had one 12-cupcake pan, which she planned on using twice to make those 24 cupcakes. And since there are now 25 kids in her daughter's class, she planned on squeaking out one extra cupcake by making the others a teensy bit smaller (shhh!). And she hoped the teachers wouldn't mind being left out because, frankly, they celebrate something or other with cupcakes at this school on about a twice-a-week basis. Yikes, so many cupcake parties! But I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes - math!

While the first tray of 12 cupcakes was on a rack on the dining room table cooling, the mom put the second tray of 12 cupcakes in the oven, patted herself on the back that there was still enough batter (and one paper muffin cup!) left, and went upstairs to check her e-mail (fast forward to the moral of this story = never check your e-mail!). When she got down, she discovered the 12 cupcakes in the oven were done and there were 8 cupcakes cooling on the rack.
What the?

8???!!!

The mom used her math skills to count again.

Yup, 8.

No telltale crumbs gave away the thief, who had clearly hidden the evidence (paper muffin cups) by eating it, too.

All of a sudden, the dog seemed very, very thirsty. And had a very guilty look on her furry face. Which made the mom remember the time she had the very same facial expression after being locked in the car with a very large corn muffin (paper wrapper and all), which also vanished without a trace.

So, here's the math, kids: 12 cupcakes plus 12 cupcakes plus 1 cupcake = 25 cupcakes, right?

So, if a sneaky dog devours 4 cupcakes (paper wrappers and all!), how many kids are going to be extremely bummed out on READ ACROSS AMERICA day?

Did you get 4? Great job, math sleuths!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the store for more cake mix.