Urbanized and Domesticated

Some recent pictures of things going on. My World History kids and I are learning about the Industrial Revolution. So the classroom recently underwent the process of urbanization.

Factories and the poor child laborers who work there:

Various disease filled tenements:

People working in mines (I was quite impressed on these. It's amazing what creativity and a lot of crayons can do.):

And my personal favorite, tenements complete with clotheslines. Very historically accurate:


So that's how we do things in Mrs. Hull's class. The idea being of course that you'll probably remember what tenements are if you built one yourself.

And on a domestic note. I finally hung up my homemade calendar. I ended up just putting some fabric behind it and now we are proudly using it in our kitchen. Here's a close up to see how cool it is again. And then one on the wall to see where I put it, as requested. It's fun. We get excited every time we write on it. And tomorrow we are having some friends over for dinner, one of whom was sitting by me at non-Enrichment when I made this, and I can't wait to show it off!!


Otherwise I'm enjoying an afternoon of Gilmore Girls while Steve watches some college teams play football. I don't know who. Oh wait, I think Penn State because I told him I hope the Quakers win.

Wicked

On Tuesday I cashed in some tutoring money and took Steve to see Wicked in San Francisco! It was fabulous. There are few things more entertaining than a live play in my opinion. Steve got home way early and we barted over to San Francisco. We had a nice dinner at a fishy place (it was meant to be fishy, not like it was shady). Then through a series of strange events I had my first ride in a limo, which drove us to the play for only ten dollars! Then we saw the wonderful play! The woman who played Elphaba was amazing. By the time we got home after the forty-five minute bart ride, it was a very late hour for a school night. But very worth it. Yay!

Pictures are in!

And I've learned a new perk. Apparently when you are a teacher they are hand delivered to your room and you don't have to go wait in a line during lunch!

You are NOT in the wrong place...

You ARE at Jenna's blog, not Amanda's. But you may easily be deceived because look at what I made last night at the meeting formally known as Enrichment!! I made this in just one night. And really all by myself except for directions at each step, a little bit of a demo on the first step, and some pulling help on the final step. I was soooooo proud of myself. I stayed up like two hours past my usual week night bedtime just gazing at it and screaming to Steve about it and then just coming down from the high. So, first it's a beautiful frame I picked up at Aaron Brothers made from reclaimed wood. All the ladies kept coming over to my table to gab about the frame. Everyone was in love with it. Then inside I meticulously applied each little letter and line of vinyl stuff to make this perpetual calendar. I had to use tweezers, but I referred to them as my scalpel because I felt very much like a surgeon. Though I was pretty sure that most surgeons are not as nervous cutting into people's brains or whatever as I was working on a craft! So needless to say I immediately came home, called my mom to explain my success, took pictures, and emailed them to Manda as if to say, "Boo-yah!"

Homecoming Dance

Steve took me to homecoming last night. Well, he was my date. I guess I took him since I'm the one that had to go. Oh my gosh! It was so much fun!! We got a little dressed up, got our professional pictures taken in front of the backdrop and everything (it's free for staff), and danced together. It's incredibly strange dancing with your husband to like "All My Life" in a high school gym. I felt like I was seventeen, but then I was with Steve and everyone was calling me Mrs. Hull. It was weird. Anyway, we had a wonderful time and all my kids made it even more fun as they ran around smiling, giggling, and yelling "MRS. HULL!" as they waved. Many of my new kids were excited to see Steve and some of my old kids came over and said hi to him again. The highlight though for me was the homecoming court. One of my boys from last year was named Homecoming King! I was very excited. And two wonderful girls that I had last year as juniors are nominated for Homecoming Queen. They didn't announce the winner of that last night, maybe they'll do it tonight at the football game? I wasn't sure. But all I know is that I'm so glad I got a picture with my two almost-Homecoming Queens. These girls are really, really wonderful.

Heaven

Friday night was the best night of my life. Pretty much, with few exceptions. Mom and I saw Brad Paisley. I really don't think I need to say more.


This wasn't the stage or anything, we just had good enough seats that he came to visit us. Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley opened for him. Both were very good, even though I just wanted them to hurry up and finish so Brad could come out. He finally did and he was amazizng!! It was fabulous!

My School House Rocks!

I think I haven't posted in awhile because I am finally busy again. School started two weeks ago and things are going well. My four periods of Honors World are running along according to schedule. It's nice to teach something I already have a year's worth of curriculum for. And I also have (new and exciting for me) AP US History, hereafter referred to as APUSH. This is just like a whole different realm of teaching, I can't even tell you and I really love it. So you see, I've been studying the Greeks and Romans impact on American government and the settling of the Chesapeake and have been much too busy for blogging.

Hull updates: Mommy is coming to visit in just 9 days for MR. BRAD PAISLEY!!!!!!! And Steve and I get to go see Wicked in San Francisco in October. I am really excited. I saved up my tutoring money and used that to buy the tickets. That's how Steve could not refuse to go. He's also promised to let me dress him that night. As far as Brad Paisley is concerned, we're leaving Steve at home. I didn't even ask.