Where in the World Have You Been?

So friends, the last time that we talked was before Spring Break! I took a little trip down to the beach and returned just in time for my brother-in-law, and my new sister-in-law's wedding!

Here they are toasting their friends and family at their rehearsal dinner at Campisi's, a Cullins family favorite. If you are in the Dallas area, you simply must visit the Campisi's on Mockingbird, lovingly referred to as the Egyptian Room, by the locals. They serve the best traditional thin crust pizzas in Dallas... bar none! The bride and groom would recommend the salami, hamburger, and jalapeno.

Since welcoming Samantha to our family, Mister and I have had a lot of exciting adventures. 

We've taken our pearls and bow ties to the Crescent in celebration of the American Red Cross

We've cheered our Mavericks on to victories against the Lakers in the playoffs

And the Heat during the World Championship

In May, we celebrated our 2-year anniversary with a trip to to the Papagayo Peninsula in Costa Rica.

Our trip began with a champagne toast and a miniature anniversary cake in our private villa at the Four Seasons.

Mister and I both agree that it is the best trip we've ever taken. Our villa was situated on a cliffside, surrounded by jungle foliage, overlooking a private beach. We spent a lot of time in our plunge pool just staring out at the water and watching for monkeys that hang around the hotel. 

There you are! These capuchin monkeys, "Cada Blanca" in Spanish, are incredibly smart. When they feel threatened, they stack on top of each other and align their white and black markings to make themselves look bigger to their predators. Costa Rica is also home to the Howler Monkey, which has the loudest, booming call I have ever heard. One small little monkey 30 yards away sounded like a pack of lions ready to pounce. 

One of the two beaches on the Peninsula

We took a day to let Kent play a round of golf. The course was incredibly lush!

As always, I played "Caddy" 

Gorgeous!

After a long day, we would make our way to the lobby terrace for chips, dips, and a nice Bavaria dark. Around 4:00 was the best time to catch a bit of a breeze, and look out at the waves.

Then it was time to get dressed up...

And have a nice steak dinner!

And maybe run into Steven Tyler at one of the lobby bars. (He's walking behind the woman in the orange skirt, being escorted by the hotel management.)

We were greeted each morning by one or two of these beautiful blue birds. On this particular morning, the bird was trying to have a cigar with his coffee. He managed to find a set of matches lying around, but he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out how to light it. I was having a serious Jimmy Buffett moment, and I had to capture it.

We took one day to go out into the town. We had fruit from a local stand, rode horses up a volcano, took a nice mud bath...

And then decided it would be a great idea to glide upside down, suspended 120 yards above the ground on a 1/2 inch thick cable. I survived!

Over the 4th of July, we went back to the very beginning. Mister and I met in Washington, D.C. about a week after I graduated from high school. We were interning for two different congressmen, but a few people in our offices new each other, and they knew that Kent went to Baylor, and that I would be starting Baylor as a freshman in the fall. We were introduced, and became fast friends. One night, Kent walked me from the dorm at G.W. where we were both staying, to the Potomac. We sat on a bench, looked out on the water, and talked. From that moment on, we knew that we were special. This summer, we walked back to that place where we got to know one another, and finally had the kiss we never had on that little bench on the Potomac. 

A familiar scene.
Kent's little sister completed her internship with Congressman Hall this summer. That makes her the fifth Cullins to intern in D.C. and the fourth Cullins to intern for Ralph Hall (including sisters-in-law).

View of the Capitol from the balcony of the Newseum. This news-dedicated museum was absolutely incredible. There was so much to see. Mister and I could have spent an entire day going through the newspaper archives alone.

Fireworks on the mall. It was a wonderful trip!



In late July, early August, Mister and I rented a house in Barbados for a week with two other couples.

Erin and Nick, Me and Mister, and Stephanie and David
We went out to dinner two nights.

Most nights, our meals were prepared by the lovely Miss Evangeline, the cook at Dudley Wood. Pictured with Miss Evangeline is Miss Joyce, the housekeeper. I've never met too more lovely ladies. They both sang all day long as they worked. They made our vacation positively delightful!

Miss Evangeline setting the table

While we were there, we enjoyed our nice secluded beach outside of Dudley Wood

All the beaches are public in Barbados, but no one else was ever there!

We went sight seeing...

...and got lost a few times. You can't tell from the angle, but we were at the end of a street, and you could only make a right or a left. We weren't sure which way to go, so we ask this nice man here. Of course, he pointed behind us, back the way we came. We arrived at our destination eventually!

We made it!

We also went swimming with sea turtles. They are incredible creatures!!!

We played golf at Sandy Lane (And by we... I mean Kent)

Saw some monkeys hanging out in the rough

And had a delightful sunset dinner...

With some wonderful friends!

And when I returned home, I got right to work setting up my classroom. I finished my Master's coursework in June. I'll officially graduate with an M.Ed in August, after I finish my first year of teaching. That's right, I am no longer a china-loving housewife... I am a china-loving, husband-adoring, 8th grade English teacher! Yeah, get ready. It's going to be an interesting year. (And yes, I have an entire wall dedicated to the Baylor Bears in the back of my classroom... It's never too early to start preaching collegiate goals!)

Have a Happy Monday! God Bless!

For the Love of the Arts!

I'm currently doing observations for my Master's program, and today I had to teach a class before a reviewer. My task was to introduce Sophocles and Ancient Greek theatre in 15 minutes or less and then have the students cooperatively read an abridged version of Oedipus Rex. The students are gearing up to read Antigone, which is set years after the Oedipus Story. The Oedipus story will hopefully build the students' background knowledge so that the themes and the content will be more readily apparent to them.

I have always been a lover of Ancient Greek literature. The first book that I ever bought with my allowance was Aesop's Fables. I was 8. And, when other kids were playing house, I was playing Artemis trying to turn my little brother into a deer, like Actaeon. It didn't work.

Diana of Versailles, on display at the Louvre

What can I say, I'm a nerd in pretty dresses.

So, to say that Sophocles is in my wheelhouse, is the understatement of the century; but, to pair down all of Greek theatre and culture to just a 15 minute lecture is no small feat...So I got help. I'm now obsessed:  Enter Playwrights in an Hour.

While looking for a version of the Theban plays with a really good "foreword," I stumbled across the book, Sophocles in an Hour. Brilliant!

The book gives you insight to the playwright's life and accomplishments. For example, the book highlights Sophocles many civic duties, his role as a general, and his role as a priest, in addition to his playwriting. It provides background knowledge of the Greek theatre, who commissioned the theatre, how the actors were paid, who and how many actors played the parts, what their costumes may have looked like, and what their theatre, or skene may have been like. All of these things help provide context to the play, to the set, and to the culture that celebrated theatre as a religious and civic event. In addition to providing schematic context, the book also provides a wonderful historical context for the reader in its feature: "Sophocles in a Minute." This provides a brief but thorough timeline of events that take place during the playwright's long life of 90 years. I condensed and cited this list, adding a few pieces to give my students a historical backdrop for today's lesson.

Here's what they saw:

Age / Year (BCE)

Ò0    / 496 Sophocles

Ò6-16/ 490-480 Persian Wars: (Victory at Marathon, 300 at Thermopylae, Victory at Salamis)

Ò17 / 479 Greece becomes a democracy, trial by jury

Ò28 / 468 Sophocles wins 1st prize at Athens’ Dionysia with his play, Triptolemus

Ò35 / 461 Pericles takes power, beginning the golden age of Greek culture

Ò38 / 458 Sophocles adds third actor to the stage. Aeschylus adopts this and wins 1st prize for the Oresteia Trilogy

Ò47 / 449 Greece signs a peace treaty with Persian Ruler Xerxes I

Ò53 / 443 Sophocles’ Antigone wins drama critics’ award

Ò65 / 431 Peloponnesian War begins: Athens v Sparta for Greek dominance

Ò66 / 430 Devastating plague hits Athens

ÒSometime between 425 and 421, during Sophocles’ early 70s, he produces Electra, Oedipus Rex, Ajax, and Women of Trachis

Ò87 / 409 Sophocles’ Philoctetes wins 1st prize at Athens’ Dionysia

Ò90 / 406 Sophocles’ death

Ò-- /  409 Sophocles’ grandson produces Oedipus at Colonus, wins 1st prize at Dionysia

Ò-- /  399 Socrates is tried and killed in Athens

So???? 

The Breakdown

ÒGreece fights off invading Persians, implements jury trial and  direct democracy,  enters into the Golden Age of Athens, engages in a civil war for Greek dominance, overcomes a devastating plague, and produces the greatest philosophers of the Western World, both Socrates and Plato, during Sophocles’ lifetime. This all helps to form his worldview, just as your life experiences shape your own beliefs

ÒSophocles wins several awards at Athens’ most prestigious competition, the Dionysia, experiencing success from the age of 28, and even posthumously for works from his late 80s. He had a long, rich, and successful run, recognized as a great playwright during his lifetime and beyond.

As you can see, there's a lot going on during Sophocles' lifetime... So much that I would love to talk about:  Socrates, Plato, the Good, The Persian invasion, Spartan v Athenian culture, etc, etc, etc. This timeline, though, really helps the reader gain perspective on the forces at play during that time, and, should the reader like to delve deeper, they now know what to look for. My students liked breaking this down and seeing how things with which they were somewhat familiar related to what we were studying. For example, I could reference the movie, 300, which was about the battle at Thermopylae against the Persian forces, and I could reference major names, like Plato, and Socrates, and show how philosophy and politics were presented in Greek theatre. All of this information helps build the background knowledge critical for comprehending Sophocles' plays.

The book also provides a brief breakdown, about 3 to 4 pages, on each play by the playwright, discussing major themes, the setting, and any controversial discussions in the academic world: With Oedipus Rex, the book explains the concept of hubris and claims that Oedipus is not guilty of hubris in the play, though many teachers pound this idea into the brains of their students. The author also say that Oedipus Rex is not a story of fate, but a story of personal responsibility once fate has played its part. It's truly an interesting and thought-provoking read, but best of all, you sit down at your favorite coffee shop, you open your book, and an hour later, you're a walking, talking Sophocles expert.  Okay, maybe not an expert, but you will have the most critical content needed to understand the motivations and context that imbue meaning onto the text.

Playwrights in an Hour books are designed in such a way that you can quickly read through them before seeing a play by any famous playwright. So far, there are Playwrights in an Hour books for 27 influential playwrights, but they are working on releasing 30 additional books. I of course want them all!

If you happen to pick one up, let me know what you think! I'm hooked!

Celebrate!

In 19 days, another Mrs. Cullins will be gracing the streets of DFW. This Saturday, her closest girl friends gathered together for one last night of fun.


We met for mani's and pedi's and then enjoyed a relaxing lunch and movie day in our rooms at the Ritz.

The blushing bride-to-be, Samantha

 

Delicious lunch. Thank you Corner Bakery for local delivery. You make life easy!

Yummy gooey sweets

I have a Martha-sized love for banners

The girls in the lobby before dinner. We were all Kappas together at Baylor so it was like a pledge class reunion!

 Future sister-in-law pic!

We had such a wonderful time, and it's finally setting in that their wedding is right around the corner! Mister and I are really looking forward to their big day, and we're so excited to officially add another member to Team Cullins!

Best Wishes Samantha!

Valentines Day

Mister and I had a wonderful Valentines Day. We went to one of our classic favorites, Del Frisco's, for dinner and opted for a bottle from our favorite winemaker, Paul Hobbs. This time we tried the Cabernet Sauvignon from his Crossbarn Vineyard. Delish! Paul Hobbs is our go to wine for special occasions. We had it twice on our honeymoon and have been fans ever since.

Mr. Hobbs

And his fabulous wine!

For Valentines Day, Mister gave me a fabulously Preppy-chic pair of Ferragamo heels that match just about 50% of my navy-friendly closet. I was so proud of Kent. He picked out this pair of shoes by himself when he was in Vegas for his brother's bachelor party, and he even knew my size... What a man!

Navy + Seersucker + Vera bow + Grosgrain ribbon = Preptastic!!!

What will I wear them with?

My new navy and coral Milly dresses

But if Kent wanted to add these fabulous Kate and Lilly items to my closet, I wouldn't mind these too!

Lilly Pulitzer Eryn Dress ($298), first spotted on blogger-friend Worthy's blog. I think this dress would be adorable with a little navy belt and navy shoes. It's positively sunshine in a dress!

Kate Spade Striped Piper Skirt- $245. 

Speaking of Kate. She's having a blowout Sample Sale on her website right now. There are some pretty fab items over there! Click here.

Or I could just cross my fingers and wish really hard that I win The College Prepter's Kayce Hughes giveaway. Enter Here! Then I could rock some ultra-adorable frocks like this housewife-friendly red and white gingham Evy Dress.

Or this elegantly posh Ellen dress...

Kayce Hughes used to work in the Women's design department at Ralph Lauren before becoming a full-time mother of 7/fashion entrepreneur. Her adorable children's clothing line almost makes me want to have little ones of my own!

Ha- you wish, Mom!

*Sigh*

Can you tell I'm dreaming of warm weather and ice cream sundae's? Thanks Mister for the wonderful Valentines Day surprise! I hope all of your Valentines were as sweet to you! Until next time!