Here's our newest addition

and here's his friend I picked up today!  

So for those of you keeping count, that's 2 dogs, 2 parakeet, 2 Love Birds, a fish, a bunny, and Larry the gecko.

Anyway, yesterday instead of working in my pantry I shopped for our 5th grade curriculum, I figured no sense spending the day cleaning that room only to add more stuff later.

I love curriculum shopping and I got some great deals on reference books at Borders, I Love their bargain table.    Today I spent the day trying to clean and organize the pantry and make all this new stuff fit.

Before                                                                           After

Before                                                                          After

Before                                                                                                      After

Before (this is my catch all room, I'm embarrassed!)                                      After (everything has a place now)

Again, planning to take the weekend off but I do intend to clean my half bath before bed tonight so that I'm completely done with the downstairs.  Next week I'll start up stairs. 

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

I shopped ALL Day, that's right, I said it, didn't do a thing around the house!  I also added another pet to our growing zoo   Anybody want to guess what we got this time?  I'll share some pic's tomorrow.

It was beautiful here today so I moved my cleaning outside so the kids and I could both enjoy some time outside.  Well they enjoyed themselves, i worked my booty off but at least I was outside

 My Mom, the one who gives me the great one hour massage every week, so mind you I'm NOT complaining,  has some issues with parking and has managed to leave a few tire marks on my nice white pressure washed side walk.  Gone now, till next time   I mean, LOVE YOU MAMMA! 

Before

After

And for those of you who already think I'm insane or a little anal  (mom) I realize it's not a big difference, but I notice.  Here's what it looks like if I don't pressure wash often.

                                                          Where my sidewalk meets my neighbors.

I'm planning to do tomorrow what I'd planned to do today, my half bath and start on my pantry.  Also still working on a routine for cleaning vs homeschooling vs fun, I'll let you know what I come up with                

I have no words to express how I feel about this.  Arizona Rancher sued by illegal aliens crossing his land! 

16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

Claim violation of rights as they crossed his land

Jerry Seper (Contact)
Monday, February 9, 2009

An Arizona man who has waged a 10-year campaign to stop a flood of illegal immigrants from crossing his property is being sued by 16 Mexican nationals who accuse him of conspiring to violate their civil rights when he stopped them at gunpoint on his ranch on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Roger Barnett, 64, began rounding up illegal immigrants in 1998 and turning them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, he said, after they destroyed his property, killed his calves and broke into his home.

His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.

Trial continues Monday in the federal lawsuit, which seeks $32 million in actual and punitive damages for civil rights violations, the infliction of emotional distress and other crimes. Also named are Mr. Barnett's wife, Barbara, his brother, Donald, and Larry Dever, sheriff in Cochise County, Ariz., where the Barnetts live. The civil trial is expected to continue until Friday.

The lawsuit is based on a March 7, 2004, incident in a dry wash on the 22,000-acre ranch, when he approached a group of illegal immigrants while carrying a gun and accompanied by a large dog.

Attorneys for the immigrants - five women and 11 men who were trying to cross illegally into the United States - have accused Mr. Barnett of holding the group captive at gunpoint, threatening to turn his dog loose on them and saying he would shoot anyone who tried to escape.

The immigrants are represented at trial by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), which also charged that Sheriff Dever did nothing to prevent Mr. Barnett from holding their clients at "gunpoint, yelling obscenities at them and kicking one of the women."

In the lawsuit, MALDEF said Mr. Barnett approached the group as the immigrants moved through his property, and that he was carrying a pistol and threatening them in English and Spanish. At one point, it said, Mr. Barnett's dog barked at several of the women and he yelled at them in Spanish, "My dog is hungry and he's hungry for buttocks."

The lawsuit said he then called his wife and two Border Patrol agents arrived at the site. It also said Mr. Barnett acknowledged that he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

In March, U.S. District Judge John Roll rejected a motion by Mr. Barnett to have the charges dropped, ruling there was sufficient evidence to allow the matter to be presented to a jury. Mr. Barnett's attorney, David Hardy, had argued that illegal immigrants did not have the same rights as U.S. citizens.

Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.

Some of his cattle died from ingesting the plastic bottles left behind by the immigrants, he said, adding that he installed a faucet on an 8,000-gallon water tank so the immigrants would stop damaging the tank to get water.

Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.

He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.

A former Cochise County sheriff´s deputy who later was successful in the towing and propane business, Mr. Barnett spent $30,000 on electronic sensors, which he has hidden along established trails on his ranch. He searches the ranch for illegal immigrants in a pickup truck, dressed in a green shirt and camouflage hat, with his handgun and rifle, high-powered binoculars and a walkie-talkie.

His sprawling ranch became an illegal-immigration highway when the Border Patrol diverted its attention to several border towns in an effort to take control of the established ports of entry. That effort moved the illegal immigrants to the remote areas of the border, including the Cross Rail Ranch.

"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

I worked in the kids living room today, a pretty easy day, which was good because Fred worked from home today and I've said before that seems to throw me off a little.  Not that I'm complaining   just saying.  We enjoyed lunch together, take out from Taco Cabana and Trey read "No More Dead Dogs" to Savannah while I cleaned.  Pretty good day.

I want to point out that this room isn't exactly what I want it to be but it's getting there.  It's much better than it was a year ago!

Last year, notice the towels over the rabbit cage, the rabbit's not crazy about all the activity that was going on that day.

I bought these awful gold mirrors when we first moved into this house 10 and a half years ago thinking that this would be my "formal living room".  I quickly discovered we didn't need a formal living room when we started collecting pets   Don't ya just love the rabbit hutch under the formal gold mirror???

Anyway, after I decided that I'd turn it into a room for the kids we got the rabbit and I put in that room.  I wanted to get rid of the mirrors but I didn't want to spend a fortune on pictures when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  I got these Disney Prints (ones above the rabbit hutch) from a yard sale for $2 each.  (good quality prints, not the dollar store variety) The pictures over the tv I took and framed myself $10 frames from Walmart, I got the 8x10 copy's of my vacation pic's for FREE at Walgreens (photo deal) 

I still need to thin out some of the coats on the coat rack and clean the carpet but I'm planning to do the downstairs all at once, maybe tomorrow if it's not raining.  Also planning to do the half bath and start working in the pantry tomorrow. 

And just so you don't think it's been all work and no play.....

We played with playdoh today and also enjoyed a little bird watching.  I've been promising the kids a trip to the duck pond all week but it's been cloudy and yucky all week.  Tomorrow's forecast 80's and sunny so I imagine I'll take a break to feed the ducks

I took the weekend off for the most part, watched movies with my Valentine and the kids, did a little shopping, oh and went to my Mom's for what's become my weekly 1 hour massage!  I told her this weekend besides my husband and kids, I think her going to school for massage therapy was one of the best things that's ever happened in my life!    She has her 2nd bedroom set up as a massage room, nothing but the massage table, a small antique buffet with candles and relaxing music.  It's a hard life  but I'm willing to sacrifice for the sake of her schooling.

I've worked in the Family room today, didn't take as long as the kitchen, I keep that room free of clutter.  

I did alot of detail cleaning in there but it didn't take long.  

hot spot in the foyer

After of the living room (and a snippet of the still clean kitchen )

I'm not a schedule person.  I hate having to do a certain thing at a certain time but I've decided that in order to make all this work I'm going to have to start living by some type of schedule.  That's what I'm working on now, figuring out what schedule works best for us.  The only thing I'm sure of right now is that I'm going to teach Savannah during the time that Trey's working independently.  I'll have her sit with us a little at a time until she learns to sit still but we're SO not there yet. 

Still working on cabinets, may have to finish them in them in the morning.  I guess lots of cabinets can be a good thing, unless your cleaning them

Not a huge difference again, but I know it's clean.  (I keep my small appliances in the cabinet so as not to clutter the counter tops)

This is my "little of everything" cabinet, I keep my candles, bird food, and some items that are too big for my other cabinets. 

I got rid of alot of stuff in this drawer, out in my summer yard sale pile in the garage.

Junk drawer, much better now!

Much better, I found several chargers we don't use anymore, yard sale pile

I got rid of all my steak knives, I'll let my mom have what she wants and put the rest in the yard sale pile.  Dh bought me a great knife set for valentines day, should be here next week

Speaking of MY Sweetie....

   He Brought this home last night.

 and these were delivered today. The Lilies are for me, the red and white vase for my Mom, we took them to her at work today.  He's remembered my Mom every year sense my Dad died.   I'm blessed.

I may finish up the cabinets tonight (2 left!)  or I may wait till tomorrow but I'll probably wait until Monday to post.  Thanks for all of you who are reading along, it's fun to know I have a cheering section  

I thought that was a catchy little title  

I'm still in the kitchen, looks like I'll be in here another 1/2 a day.  I did decide to take a few things off the top of the cabinets, 4 or 5 things, I ended up putting 2 of them back.  *lol*  guess I do love most of my stuff.  I finished the top cabinets and all but 2 drawers.  If I get a burst of energy tonight I'll finish off the drawers and start of the lower cabinets tomorrow.  There's nothing in my dinning room but a table and my birds so it won't take long.  I'm hoping to start in the living room tomorrow afternoon. 

I don't have a before of these, not sure how I missed it but they honestly don't look much different, I just know they are clean now.

Before/After 

I know, again not much difference but I KNOW they are clean now.

Before/After

 Before/After

Fred's working from home tomorrow, that always throw's me off a little bit with my cleaning but I'm going to do my best.  Worse case I start fresh on Monday.

***Edit****  For those of you who do read this rather boring entry   I'm wondering what you guys think??  Now that I'm looking at the after pic's I"m wondering if I should thin out some of the things on top of the cabinets (at the very top)?  Most of them are antiques my Dad gave me but there are a couple things I could take down, things without sentimental attachment.  What do you guys think?

********************************************************************

I have several reasons why I'm starting my Spring Cleaning now, good reasons, not just my regular OCD-ish kind of reasons.   I've got 3 weeks, in that 3 weeks I want to not only clean and organize from top to bottom but I want to do a major de-clutter.  I also need to work on my time management in relation to homemaking and homeschooling.  Trey will do alot of independent work for the next 3 weeks.  The plan is that by getting this all out of the way in the next 3 weeks it will allow for an easier transition when I add Savannah to the formal school mix.

I know some women totally get this and some don't. (the one's who don't I think are referred to as "born organized", color me jealous!)  My point is, for some of you my blog will be pretty boring for the next few weeks, feel free to skip me for a while   This will keep me on track, it'll help me not to wonder at the end of the day "what on earth I did". 

I'm starting in my kitchen today, I'm moving everything from the counters to the island.  I'm skipping the top of my cabinets, I did them not too long ago, some of you might remember the fall. *lol*  Skipping the top of the cabinets wont be easy but I'm trying hard to let go of some of my OCD tendencies.  *lol*

I've got 3 boxes, keep, trash, and relocate.  It's doubtful I'll find much clutter in the kitchen but likely that I will find lots of food I need to toss, another area I need to work on, but I'm learning from my cooking sensa katherine

I didn't finish today but I did get a little farther along than I thought I would. The plan for tomorrow is to finish the upper cabinets and start on the drawers.  I also need to work on a chore chart for Trey and Savannah.  Trey will happily do chores, he's a great helper, I just don't always ask for his help. I now realize I can't keep the house clean, homeschool, and stay somewhat sane by all by myself. I need them to help, maybe I'll "feature" some of Trey's before/after pic's this week, he'd love that   I need to figure out what I can do to include Savannah, things a 4 year old can do, I'm open to suggestions? 

I did actually find a few things to get rid of off my counters, I love the clean look but not too bare.  I had 3 pretty bottles but my OCD kicked in and I cleaned them so hard the paint came off of them.  (I put them in the garage for my summer yard sale)

Before

Note to self, stop buying Tea bags, we don't drink TEA.  (it's the southern girl in me but we're more of a soda family.

After.     YES, I played with the label maker today

I like the look of a clean fridge but the southern girl in me just can't pull it off.  

This is going to be short, but full of pic's.  I still haven't managed a picture of my hair, well Fred took a few at the zoo today but with the wind blowing 40 mph they'll never see the light of day *lol*

We picked up Caesar on Friday, he's a wonderful new addition to our family.  "Puppy" aka Cujo and Caesar get along great and the kids are already head over heals.  He loves attention and much to Trey's delight he'll fetch!  

I know this isn't a great picture but he won't stay still!  He looks like a baby bear   and of course Cujo who'll pose anytime. 

We spent this afternoon at the zoo then to Alamo Cafe for dinner, sort of a tradition. 

Someone sent me this in an email earlier this week, I loved it and thought some of you may as well.  We've got alot going on right now,  like Im sure you all do.  I'm hoping things settle down soon and I can start posting more often, I miss my xanga friends

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40 Tips for Better Life - 2009

  1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant..

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufac tured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a=2 0king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25.. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. GOD  is GOOD 
 
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will.  Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often.

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.