It's been a while since I've posted an update about the case of Alex Barton. Alex, who has been diagnosed with Asperger's (a form of autism), was voted out of his kindergarten class last spring after his teacher, Wendy Portillo, became frustrated with his behavior. She decided to discipline him by asking his classmates to state what they didn't like about him and then took a vote on whether or not Alex should be allowed in their classroom. Alex was voted out 14-2. The St. Lucie school board suspended Ms. Portillo for one year without pay, suspended her teaching license and revoked her tenure status. She is currently in the process of appealing this decision.

As for Alex and his family, they are grateful for the support they received and are currently keeping busy forming a chain of connection to other kids on the autism spectrum through The Tie Dye Project.

Alex has tie dyed five shirts and is mailing them out to other children with ASD and related needs. When a child receives a his or her shirt, that child will then make five shirts of their own to send to five other children with autism.

The project still need participants. Teachers are encouraged to take part in this effort as well. If you would like to participate in the Tie Dye Project email your contact information to Melissa Barton at mommyofalex@justiceforalexbarton.com or visit Alex's blog at http://blog.justiceforalexbarton.com/ for more details.

And then Austen drew the names. I asked him to hold each one up in his hand so I could take a picture, but we had a little breakdown of communication and I couldn't get him to understand what I meant by holding them up for the camera. So he balanced them on his wrist for the pictures instead. Served the same purpose, right? So, without further ado... He picked...

Jenn from J-Online (probably fitting, since I stole the idea from her!)

Fiona from i0nafi0na

Ingrid from Boricua in Texas

Thanks for playing you all! I will be e-mailing the three of you who will get bookmarks to ask for your address and favorite color(s).  And don't forget to pass on the love by giving something handmade of your own to three blog readers (or total strangers).

I have to say, I'm glad this was a random pick, as I wanted to give one to all of you and wouldn't have been able to pick myself. This has been such fun, I think I will do it again in the future, so the rest of you can have another shot at it.

I am in a gleeful, grateful and giving mood today and want to share. A few circumstances have conspired to prompt me to run a little giveaway for all of you out there in Bloglandia: 1. I've recently received love (in the form of a magnet from Marla and a gift this weekend from someone else who reads this blog) and 2. Jenn at J-Online posted about giving love back through a giveaway meme (I didn't get there in time to participate, but I love the idea, so I am going to steal it and run with it). So, here we go...

THE GIFT: One of three bead and ribbon bookmarks handmade by me. (It's jewelry for your books or your person!)

HOW TO GET ONE: Leave a comment on this post sometime between now and midnight (New York time) on the winter solstice (December 21).

HOW I'LL CHOOSE WHO GETS ONE: One of my lovely children will pick three lucky names from a hat, and I will send you your gift sometime in the new year.

ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS: I will announce the recipients on this blog next week, and you will need to e-mail me with your real life address. In return, I ask that you pass on some love of your own, either by giving away some handmade objects on your own blog or finding some creative way to give a gift from your hands and heart to at least three strangers.

Feel free to link back here and pass the word on.

I hear that these schemes
are bad for Google PageRank
and I shouldn't play.

I decided that
I love Mama Zen more than
my Google PageRank.

I decided not
to tag anyone else, but
you can tag yourself.

*Start Copying Here*
If you play, you will have to
tag five more bloggers.

Just keep adding on
to the list. Do not replace,
just keep on adding!

Yes, we hope it will
end up being a long list!
It's really easy!

So, the (supposed)
Viral Linking benefits
(may or may not be):

One of the fastest
ways to grow Technorati
authority and

Increase your Google
PageRank fast, and attract large
volumes of traffic

And make some new friends
and build your community
Sound good? Here we go:

Ardour of the Heart
and The Strategist Notebook
and Link Addiction

The Malaysian Life,
When Life Becomes a Book and
Yogatta.com

Arts of Physics and
What goes under the sun and
of course Sasha says

And the legend lives,
Roshidan’s Cyber Station
and My View, My Life

Juliana R
W (had to break that!),
Mom Knows Everything

A Simple Life and
ExPat Mom, Jennifer's thoughts,
Beth & Cory's Mom

A Mind Forever
Voyaging (Argh! Stop with the
eight syllable names!)

enjoying the ride,
Mom of 3 Girls, Amanda,
Nuttier Than You

Don't Make Me Get The
Flying Monkeys (this doesn't
work in haiku form!)

Just Jessie, Kristin,
Laura Williams Musings and
Wilson Six, Shonnte

Atomik Kitten
and Melissa's Idea
Garden (split again)

Exploring Autumn,
Eve at Confessions of an
Everyday Housewife

Then there's Summer's Nook,
Soap, Blings & Girly Things
and still more to come...

Stop the Ride! and then
Amanda:Mama's Musings
only a few left...

An Ordinary
Life (These next few are tricky,
with lots of weird breaks.)

The Zen of (of what?)
Motherhood (that's what) and The
Sassy Southerner

Immoral (good word)
Matriarch: Catechizer
(Now we're almost done!)

Real Life, Boogiemum
A Room of Mama's Own and
Christi's Blah Blah Blog!

This is where you add
five blogs of your own choosing.
*Stop Copying Here*

Something old and dull
becomes functional and new,
yet it's far from art.

Well, up yours, Monet!
Painting cheesy smiles on cans
brings its own strange joy.