a different holiday season

I've always wanted to do something like this for my loved ones during the holidays. I hate going to malls and big stores looking through the generic gifts for something special and unique and ending up frustrated and settling for something that'll just work.
This year, I've decided to give gifts that fall into one or more of these categories: made by me, handmade by someone else or portions/all of the profit go to a charity.
I've tried to find a good bunch of websites to help me accomplish this goal.

These websites use your money to buy supplies for other people. Each offers gift cards that you can give others so they can choose what they would like to buy/fund for someone else.
Donorschoose.org. This website is simply amazing. Teachers post projects, equipment, books, etc. that they need for their classroom and you can help fund their projects. What a brilliant idea!
Oxfam America Unwrapped. Buying items and supplies for people around the world. This could include school uniforms, hygiene kits, school desks/chairs, livestock, books for kids, etc.
Habitat for Humanity. They tell you what the amount of money you donate will buy: nails, doors, sinks, floors, etc.
Heifer International. You help buy livestock and kits that teach people around the world learn skills to help pull them out of poverty.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Kiva.org. Your money helps fund loans for businesses starting out around the world.
Women for Women International. You sponsor a woman in war-torn regions with emotional and financial support, small business or job training, and education.

These websites have lots of wonderful stuff you can buy (most of it's not overpriced, either) and part or all of their profit goes to helping others or to various charities.
Crafters for Critters. Handmade stuff, money goes to "help critters". They have some really cute, handmade stuff, too!
Global Exchange Store. Heavy focus on Free Trade products, but sells items from small crafters from all over the world.
World of Good. Fair trade products, a little more expensive than other websites on this list.
...There are a ton of others, but way out of our budget, so I left 'em off the list.

And, finally, the eBay of handmade goods: Etsy. There is a TON! of stuff on this site. From what I've seen, you can find something for anyone and most of it is a price that we can all agree with. They have gift guides for every person you know and many different ways to help you go through the thousands and thousands of items to find the best and brightest.

If you need any other ideas for a different kind of holiday giving season, try out this website: Buy Nothing Christmas: Alternatives. It's a huuuuge list of things that you can made/put together instead of buying something.

one call to action

I've seen this in a few blogs I read and felt that since today is the biggest retail day of the year, maybe I can convince a few of you, my lovelies, to use your money for some good that doesn't involve giving your money to giant corporations.
I'll have more sites where you can use your money to buy your loved ones positive gifts that help good causes. Remember: this is the season for hope, charity, good will, peace and giving.

In 2004, Jackie Brown Otter founded Pretty Bird Woman House, a women's shelter at the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. The shelter is named after Brown Otter's sister, who was kidnapped, raped and beaten to death in 2001.

According to Amnesty Intn'l report,

High levels of sexual violence on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation take place in a context of high rates of poverty and crime... The unemployment rate on the Reservation is 71 per cent. Crime rates on the Reservation often exceed those of its surrounding areas. According to FBI figures, in 2005 South Dakota had the fourth highest rate of "forcible rapes" of women of any US state.

As a special bonus to the Lakota Sioux Reservation, there are sufficient desensitization to crime and confusion over Tribal/Non-Tribal jurisdiction at Standing Rock to create rape tourism. Says Andrea Smith, an Assistant Professor of Native Studies at the University of Michigan,

[N]on-Native perpetrators often seek out a reservation place because they know they can inflict violence without much happening to them.

Against these odds, Pretty Bird Woman House is staffed by three people-- a nurse, a volunteer, and a part-time employee-- and from January to October of this year, they managed to:

* answer 397 crisis calls

* give emergency shelter to 188 women and 132 children

* help 23 women obtain restraining orders, 10 get divorces, and 16 get medical assistance

* provide court advocacy support for 28 women

* conduct community education programs for 360 women

A few weeks ago, PBWH's phone lines were cut, the office was ransacked, and the building was burnt down.

Everyone was away from the house at the time, but all possessions were lost, and - because PBWH's grant from the South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence is predicated on its ability to shelter women - its funding is also lost. Now everybody's trying to pick up the pieces.

Click here for the full story.

How you can help:

1.

Donate what you can for a new house.

Pretty Bird Woman House already has two potential replacement houses in mind. Both offer significantly more space than the previous building... full basements, storage room and would house more than double the families and women than their previous building. Both buildings have yards which means possible playgrounds for children.

One house has a major advantage in location - a police station across the street.

Because of difficulties obtaining loans (banks are allergic to both Native Americans and poverty) the best solution lies in purchasing the house outright. The Tribal Council could hold the mortgage but coming up with the mortgage payments every month creates an ongoing problem. Since both houses are on the market, they could be gone anytime. Depressed property values on Standing Rock mean that $60,000 gets the house. An additional $10,000 is required to make them secure, with proper fencing, video cameras, reinforced doors and other measures.

Since 10/25, the drive for donations for PBWH has garnered 17% of the $70,000 goal; the drive ends January 2008-- so consider donating in someone's name as a Christmas present. Donations can be made here.

2.

Donate material goods-- clothing, toiletries, non-perishables, etc.

USPS to:
Pretty Bird Woman House
P.O. Box 596
McLaughlin, SD 57642

or FedEx, UPS, DHL ship to:
Pretty Bird Woman House
302 Sale Barn Rd.
McLaughlin SD 57642

3. Spread this meme.

thanksgiving brings lists

Thanksgiving always brings the question: What are you grateful for? So, here is my list.

I'm grateful for...
-My parents
-Megan and getting to spend the whole summer with her
-David
-David's parents & Glenn
-Grandma Pushie
-Natalie
-Amanda and that amazing laugh
-Katy
-Cherie and Chris and how they always teach me something new, give me great ideas/things to try and make me laugh very, very hard.
-Jen and her brilliant teaching skills
-Kate
-Erin M and her ability to make me laugh and to find humor in the face of hardships. (I'm wishing you lots of good luck and sending good ~~vibes~~ your way, lady)
-Joey and his Scrabble skills
-Petro and his.... petroness.
-Ryan and his music/book/movie suggestions and his motivation to change the wrongs in the world (very inspiring!).
-Julia and her wonderful writing and keeping in touch skills.
-My Williamsburg Ladies. I am so glad we got to know each other. And I agree with Abigail: it may seem like we are all so very different, but we all bring something unique, useful, and interesting to the table. You deserve more than just a bullet point, because I could say something wonderful about each of you, but that's another post all together.
-My school "family": "sister" Tye, "mom" Chandra and my many "grandmas". Also, my dept. chair, Rebecca, my co-teacher, Portia, Laura, Hunt, Susan, Eddie, Roe, Joann, Jerilyn, Rachel (x2), the list goes on... just about everyone I see on a daily basis at school is brilliant, intelligent and hilarious.
-My curious, crazy, creative and enthusiastic 11th graders.
-My kind, motivated, and cheerful 10th graders
-Being a second year teacher! Yes!!!

I might add on to this later because I probably forgot some people and some tings I'm grateful for.
What are you grateful for?

last night's ladies night

We had a "spa night" where we made different face masks and

We made oatmeal and banana masks to open up the pores. We smelled like breakfast.

Megan did the best job of getting it on her face. We were dripping the concoction all over Shannon's kitchen.
After the banana and oat mask, we did a cornmeal and warm water to exfoliate. We didn't take any pictures of that because we were too busy to eat the super delicious dessert Megan made.

We then made a cucumber and plain yogurt cooling/soothing mask. Shannon and Abigail decided they really wanted to dunk their whole faces into the bowl with the mask goo.

Shannon before.

Abigail before.

Shannon getting a face full.

Abigail in the bowl.

Shannon after. She had it in her eyelashes and everything!

Abigail after.

I don't think I've laughed that long and hard in a while. It was really fun! But things are always fun with these ladies. Living in Williamsburg has definitely improved since I've gotten to know them better. I thought I would be really sad about not being able to afford to go home for Thanksgiving and Dan & Emily's wedding, but it's not so bad. I know I'll enjoy being here as much as if I were there. I mean, of course I'm disappointed I don't get to see my family, but we'll see each other in December. I'm not half as homesick as I was last year, for many different reasons (one of the biggest being that no one close to us died around this time this year, that makes it a lot easier). I am definitely looking forward to being home for Christmas, though. I'm hoping to see a lot of people before they move from Michigan, seeing both of our families, and enjoying a little of Michigan's winter weather (I reallllllly hope it snows while we're there). On the way home last night, David and I talked about how I feel like we're no longer strangers here. I like it here. I like the people, the attitude, the weather, etc. I love Michigan, I'll always love Michigan, but I don't hate it here. I like this area and I like Virginia.

time for pictures

I finally uploaded pictures from my camera. Some were there since September!
Gabriel's favorite blanket. We bought this last month for $10 at Target, it's soo incredibly soft and warm and Gabriel loves it. Everytime it's on the love seat, he's on it, fast asleep.

Jackie's been sleeping out in the open more recently. She's enjoyed the top of the fridge.

And she even cuddled up with David when both of us were in the same room. She usually will only allow herself to be cuddly and be pet when one of us is there.

The rest of these pictures are from Ladies Night last month.
There was a lot of attention given to the newest lady to join us, Lydia:

(arrg! my computer won't let me rotate it for some reason. sorry about it being sideways! haha)
Megan and Lydia

Danielle and Kristie with Lydia

Abigail and Shannon


and that's all I got! I should start taking more pictures.

trying to laugh as much as possible

I've been trying to find more things funny, like in the beginning of the year. More laughter equals less stress.

One thing that made me laugh today:
Johnathan: Mrs. P, can I come in your 7th bell today?
Me: No. Go next door, where you're supposed to be.
Johnathan: Isn't this English 10? I can't stay in here? It's the same thing!
Me: No, it's actually a "We Hate Johnathan" club masquarading as a class. We sit around and talk about how much we hate you.
Johnathan: (turns to student walking into the door) Do you hate me?
Me: (loudly whispering) Say yes! Say yes!
Student: What? No? I don't... know... you..?
Johnathan: Aha! See? (asks next student in 7th bell) Do you hate me?
Me: Say yes! Say yes!
Student: Uhh, yes?

It went on like that for 4 minutes, basically. He polled every student that walked in. Some were confused, some were friends of his and some got the joke. Either way, it made us both laugh and I ended up bonding with Johnathan, who I've had a little trouble bonding with so far this year.


At some point in time, I'll write more and post pictures that have been on my camera for forever and a day, but I would rather take a nap and read some more of my book right now.

halloween week & pure exhaustion

Glad this week is over. Halloween = sugar madness & lots of wrappers on my floor. Plus, the kids are in a phase of testing the limits and figuring out that the freshmen downstairs hog the security that we don't have enough of.
I had my first "That's it! I'm quitting!" moment of the year this week. It always happens around this time: You start to get tired & irritated & stressed, etc. You question if you're actually meant to do this. You look around your room, at your students, and see a room full of kids that just. don't. care. Nothing excites them, teachers annoy them, everything goes in one ear and out the other, they make a big deal out of you asking them to do what you see as a simple task... the list goes on. You ask the question: What would posess a sane grown person to put themselves in the position to be told off, ignored and criticized by teenagers? It all seems worthless, useless and a waste of your time.
And then the moment passed. It comes, I let it in, hold on through it and try to not let it affect my teaching that much. I figure that's better than denying it or trying to ignore it. I'm pretty sure it happens to every teacher at some point in time during every year. It was probably caused by a little laziness in my planning, being behind in grading and feeling incredibly exhausted.

But it was Halloween! We didn't really do much, since no treat-or-treaters come to our apartment, extreme exhaustion (seriously, I never woke up! I was the walking dead) and the height of my debating whether or not to continue on being a teacher (ohhh, woeee is meeee!), we watched movies!
Here are some good ones we watched:
Fido: Set in the 1950s, about the world after the "Zombie Wars". Involves zombies, but I would say most people would enjoy this even if they don't like zombie movies. It's supposed to be a "boy and his dog" movie, but with zombies instead of dogs. I thought it was very clever and I got a few good laughs out of it.
Wait Until Dark: Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman who's terrorized by three guys trying to find a doll with drugs stashed in it. It's a slower moving movie, but pretty awesome.
Hellraiser: It's supposed to be scary, but it's hiiiiilarious. Soo much that was supposed to be scary was just absolutely ridiculous and made me giggle a whole lot.
30 Days of Night: This we went to see in the theater on Sunday. I wasn't expecting much, it looked pretty cheesy from the previews. It ended up being pretty interesting and worth the time and money. You could definitely see the influence of the graphic novel, which was great.
If you are looking for a good horror/psychological thriller/suspense movie, try A Tale of Two Sisters. It's amazing and actually had me on the edge of my seat.