Shrinky Dinks!

I had never used Shrinky Dinks before, but I was scouring the aisles at the craft store trying to find something I could use to make tags with. I finally found these Shrinky Dink papers that you can put through your computer printer! Genius! Here is what the paper package looks like:

   

 I just printed my logo on the sheets, cut them out, punched a hole in them and baked them until they were flat. Here is what the turned out like!

Kibera School for Girls featured on NBC News

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Safari Book

I got this book as a gift for my birthday. I absolutely love it! As you turn the pages the images appear to be moving!

Big Kenyan Spider

I remember this spider from the Kenya coast. Biggest spider I've ever seen! The Golden Orb Web Spider.

My Kenyan Love

Movies That Moved Me

I've been wanting to write about my favorite movies for awhile now. These are movies that I might not watch over and over, but after seeing them, they left a lasting impression on me.

 

SUNSHINE

When I spent a semester in Hungary, I took a Hungarian film class. This was one of the movies we watched. I'll never forget the execution scene. It's a movie following three generations of a Jewish Hungarian family in the first half of the 1900's. It's a long movie, but very emotionally grabbing.


 

HOTEL RWANDA

After watching this movie I promised myself I would go into the Peace Corps or UNICEF. The movie's main character played by Don Cheadle has an amazing story and his selflessness inspired me.

 

ZEITGEIST

Most people that see this movie, afterwards they say it blew their mind. Life altering, mind blowing influential stuff.

BLOOD DIAMOND

This movie opened my eyes to what third world people go through to get the first world their fancies. Now I think more about what I'm looking at before I buy it. I made sure my engagement ring was conflict free, too. I support fair trade whenever possible.

Substitute Teaching

(image credit: funnywallphotos.com) Today is my first day substitute teaching. It is for a math teacher at the high school I went to. Some things have changed...when I was here no one had laptops in the classroom. Now everyone has them and teachers have to use them for attendance! The security is tighter as well. All substitutes have to wear a lanyard and card. Students need hall passes, even though the kids that left my class to 'go get breakfast' didn't have a pass because our classroom didn't have one. When I was in school, if you didn't have class, you could just leave the campus. Now you are forced to be in a study hall. I was so nervous this morning to be in charge of kids that I almost cried. I think I worked myself up to much, worrying about if the kids were gonna be super crazy or if I'd get embarrassed. After I got over the initial shock ....red face and sweats...it was ok. It's true that they will listen to you. I forgot that at that age most of us really respect authority figures. Then you get into the real world and jerks will be jerks...they don't care. So in a way it is easier being a substitute than a stranger in the real world. At least you have some authority when your in the classroom.

Let’s Walk – Out Of Eden Walk

Let’s Walk – Out Of Eden Walk A man is going to walk out of 'Eden' where our prehistoric ancestors came from in Ethiopia all the way to the southern tip of Chile! It will take him until 2020 and he is documenting the entire journey! Awesome!

Yesterday we had an unexpected snowstorm that left us with a bunch of snow! Of course our road is the last one in town that gets plowed so everything moves super slow. I made a colorful breakfast this morning...eggs with peppers, onions and a veggie burger. Off to the post office to mail Wilson's I-864 packet and then a workout at the gym. The weather is supposed to be really cold the next few days. We'll have to make a fire...maybe smores?

Belated Christmas

Wilson just got the Christmas package I sent him with all kinds of CDs and DVDs and a portable DVD player. Thanks to all my friends and family that sent their love and support to us.

Paperwork, paperwork ...more paperwork

****WATCHING "COMING TO AMERICA" WITH EDDIE MURPHY****
Getting someone to the United States is a tough biz! I've been working on Wilson's visa papers since I got back from the wedding in August. I just got to the second of the three major processes of paperwork. There is a great site out there called visajourney.com where people from all over the world that are filing for any sort of visa can come together and share information. They have a nifty timeline that you can put in every date that you get a step done, this allows other people to see how long the processing times are. It's been a big help for me. You can check on our timeline and progress HERE.

Happy New Year!

Updates for the New Year!!! Wilson said the shop at the family farm is up and running now! They are selling supplies like potatoes, rice, flour, and can charge phones with the solar panel we were able to get on the last trip. Wilson has even added a shade made of grass on the side of the store so people can sit under the cover while having tea and chapatis. On my side of the globe, the Holiday Sale at the Riverfront Arts Center was a great success for Kenya Love Jewelry! We sold over $100 worth of jewelry!