You’ve probably heard that U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton struck down key parts of Arizona’s new legislation.  I am not sad about that. 

"There is a substantial likelihood that officers will wrongfully arrest legal resident aliens under the new (law)," Bolton ruled. "By enforcing this statute, Arizona would impose a ‘distinct, unusual and extraordinary’ burden on legal resident aliens that only the federal government has the authority to impose."

That is exactly the point a lot of us were hoping that she’d get. 

It reminds me of something that happened when I lived in Ohio.

As I mentioned in my post before, I do know quite a few people who aren’t here legally.  That is how this story starts.  Two guys I knew were walking to the restaurant at 9:00 AM.  A police officer stopped them to inquire of their status.  They were doing nothing wrong.  Just walking to work – in t-shirts, jeans, and tennies if that matters to anyone, they were dressed like anyone, ie: my brothers, would dress every day.  (Because you know you can tell an illegal alien from the way they dress…but more about that later.)

That is racial profiling at it’s best.

He couldn’t legally do that.  He did not know if they were legal or illegal by looking at them and he can NOT legally ask American citizens to prove their status when they are doing nothing wrong.  (At least according to the immigration lawyer I talked to.  Why did I talk to a lawyer?  I did a lot of translation work for many people, including those who were here legally, trying to learn English, but weren’t proficient in it.)

That police officer came up to the restaurant and inquired about EVERYONE’S status.  Including my own.  I was doing nothing that would give a police officer cause to ask me anything other than how was I doing and wasn’t it a nice day out.

He was on a mission.  He had called immigration and asked them to come arrest the 2 men.  They wouldn’t come.  They were busy with raids in other areas, not to mention, this wasn’t long after 9/11.  ICE was overworked.  They asked what crime the men had committed.  The police officer said, being here illegally.  They wanted to know what violent crime they had committed, otherwise they didn’t have resources to send someone out.

He thought if he did a workplace raid himself, he might get enough people rounded up for ICE to come out.  The rest of us there were all legal, with paperwork to prove it.

I was actually highly offended that he wanted not only my license..no, that wasn’t good enough for him, he wanted my social security card (not just number – CARD), my kid’s birth certificate, a copy of my divorce decree giving me custody of my kid, he was a cop gone a tad mad.  I was good with giving him my license.  No problem, please be my guest, run it.  The rest of the stuff, you don’t need.  I haven’t done anything wrong.  Would you like my ex-husband’s phone number?

I don’t know how many times I told him, “I am an American citizen.  My son is an American citizen.  We were both born in Iowa.”  He assumed because I speak Spanish, have dark hair, dark eyes, hung out with Mexicans, etc, that I had to have been here illegally also.  And he was going to prove it.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t prove it, because I am an American citizen.  No way around it.

While I understand his frustration at the feds not doing their job, you can’t just start racially profiling everyone you see and assume because you see someone who is Hispanic that they are here illegally. 

Now Arizona wants a whole state of police officers doing just that.  Signs that someone is here illegally? 

• Lack of identification
• Possession of foreign identification
• Flight from police
• Voluntary statements (of a person not in custody for Miranda purposes)
• Foreign vehicle registration
• Being in the company of other unlawfully present aliens
• Being in a location known for unlawfully present aliens
• Being in an overcrowded vehicle
• Inability to provide an address
• Dress
• Demeanor (unusual or unexplained nervousness, erratic behavior, refusal to make eye contact)
• Significant difficulty communicating in English

I’ll agree that almost all of those except dress, demeanor, and speaking English, raises suspicion.  Although, most illegals I know do not drive cars with foreign vehicle registration.

Dress – I know people who are here legally who still dress like they are going to a rodeo in Mexico.  That proves nothing.  I know illegals who shop at Old Navy and Aeropostale. 

Demeanor – cops make a lot of people nervous.  More so, people here from Mexico.  If you haven’t seen any of the news on a lot of police officers in Mexico, it is corruption at it’s finest.

When we go to Mexico, I carry the money.  Why?  Because police officers will stop males and find someway to blackmail them for their money.  How about this article.  I’m not going to stick all Mexican police officers in the same group, but there is a much bigger problem with corruption in and amongst the Mexican police forces than I know of here in the states.  They don’t trust the police because of it.

And as I said before, I used to translate for plenty of people here legally.  English is a hard language to learn.  They want to learn it.  They try to learn it.  It’s proven that the older we get, the harder it is to learn a second language.  Then there are the young guys here, they speak English almost as well as I do, and guess what, some of them are illegal.

Overcrowded vehicle, I’ll give them that.  I’ve pointed it out on the interstate, myself.  An old car stuffed with people.  A van filled to the brim. It makes me nervous.  If there was a car accident (and there have been), those people are going to be seriously hurt or killed.  You know there aren’t enough seat belts in a car for 15 people.

All in all, I’m glad she blocked parts of the law.

I don’t think the majority of the police officers would go out with the intention of racially profiling, but I think a lot of innocent citizens and people here legally on visas/green cards would get caught up in this net they are throwing out.

I think some missed it last time when I said that I do think we need the border secured and that we need immigration reform.   I don’t think being here illegally is right, though I did say I could sympathize with families who have no hope and risk their life coming here.  It’s not just a quick jaunt through a park to sneak into the United States.  The death toll has soared in July with people trying to cross the desert.  You have to be desperate to make that trip.  Read that again, sympathize, not think that it’s right.

The way to do it though is come November, if you have a member of congress that isn’t fighting for immigration reform, that isn’t fighting for the border to be secured, that isn’t fighting for your state, vote them out.  If the outrage is so high, people need to show it at the ballot box.  Get representatives in there who will do their job and enforce laws the laws already on the book and reform the ones that aren’t working.  Don’t vote for the one that has been there forever just because he has been there forever.  Vote for someone who will fight.

Each state having their own set of immigration laws is not the answer.  Immigration is a federal issue.  The feds need to get off their butts and do something about it.  Even with the whole immigration uproar in Arizona, have they taken it up in congress yet?  Have they done anything about it?

I wrote one of my congressmen and I got a generic response that highlighted facts and figures and did not actually address any one of my concerns.  I’ve voted for this man in every election since I have been able to vote.  He won’t be getting my vote when it’s time for his election.

Stepping off my soap box.

If I offended anyone with this post because I have an opinion that differs from theirs, well, I’m not really sorry that I have an opinion, but I am sorry if I offended you.  We’re not going to agree on everything all the time.  What a boring world this would be if we did.

Have a great day!

Christiano got to play with the Pop On Pals Amusement Park Set.

Ours is exactly the same as that except ours came with the brown haired kid on the ferris wheel.

He LOVES it!  He loves the sound it makes when he pops the little guy in and out of the roller coaster car.  And if you follow my blog, you know Christiano loves anything and everything that has wheels, so he loves that car with the guy.  He pops the guy in and out of all the parts.  Plus, he wings that car down the track.  It’s fun to watch!  Even more fun to play with.

I can honestly say, this toy is perfect for him. It says 24 months and up, and I know Christiano is only 17 months, but there is not one part of this he hasn’t been able to figure out.  He loves the sound of the bowling pins and the sound of the bell.  He can push the lever up and down to spin the ferris wheel, and flip the switch so he can make the dragon swing thing go back and forth.

I know what I have in mind now for Christmas for him.

I am definitely getting him some of the vehicles and some more of the pals and pets.  He’ll love them!

I have to add, my 6 year old and 3 year old love to get down with him and play with this.  I think it might be a bit young to actually buy for my six year old, but my 3 year old adores this.

Thank you to Team Mom for sending us the Pop On Pals!  Christiano loves it!  It’s a new favorite in our house!

Alyce wears the Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest around the house all the time.  It has plenty of room for the field guides, not to mention a few small dolls.

See, she’s all stylish in her cargo vest and dora slippers.  The height of backyard safari fashion.

It doesn’t matter that she’s using it the wrong way does it?

Here’s everything we got with the kit –

Backyard Safari Outfitters Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest

      FEATURES:

• RUGGED POLY-TWILL FABRIC WITH REINFORCED DETAIL
• 4 CARGO POCKETS WITH VELCRO CLOSURES
• 1 TWO INCH DEEP ZIPPER POCKET WITH MESH-NET OUTER POCKET
• 6 D-RINGS
• CUSTOM ZIPPER PULLS
• CARGO SHOULDER EPAULETS WITH SNAP CLOSURES
• ADJUSTABLE REAR STRAP
• 2 OVER-SIZED MESH-NET CARGO POCKETS IN REAR
• PLUS CLEAR-VU FRONT POCKET CONTAINING ESSENTIAL FIELD POP-GUIDE

Backyard Safari Outfitters Land and Water Mega View Periscope

      FEATURES:

• THREE NESTED SECTIONS EXTEND OVER 4 FEET
• WIDE-VIEW FACE PLATE FOR BINOCULAR VIEWING
• ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HAND GRIPS FOR STEADY, VERTICAL HOLDING POSITION
• 16 INCH WATER-TIGHT SUBMERSIBLE SECTION FOR UNDERWATER VIEWING

Backyard Safari Outfitters Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum

      FEATURES:

• 2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS
• PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

Plus a bunch of guides to stuff in the pockets of the vest.

There are quite a few other products that are in the Backyard Safari Outfitters line by Summit Toys.  My kids want all of them now.  I don’t think I’d mind getting more.  They are all well made and the kids are outside playing.  Not inside begging to play more video games.  I’m all for that every single time.

We had a cricket hop in our house the other day.  All 3 of my oldest kids ran for the Bug Vacuum.  Catch and release you know.  I told them to put the cricket outside.  Unfortunately, he went for a swim in the toilet.  Not quite the point of the bug vacuum, but they enjoyed it.  The girls love the bug vacuum, they can look at the bugs without having to touch the creepy crawlers.  My girls usually shriek and scream (even outside) when they see a bug, but lately they’ve been reaching for the vacuum instead.  Kind of cool.  Though it looks kind of silly now when I shriek because a bug lands on me and they are all cool with it.

I want to thank Team Mom for sending me the awesome Backyard Safari Outfitters package.  My kids have absolutely loved it!

I don’t know how I manage to do this all the time.

Yesterday afternoon I went to lay Christiano down for a nap.  I was I was twisting to lay him down, something went crrriiicckkk in my neck.  Instant pain.

I felt around in it, there’s no knot.  Just pain that goes down to my shoulder and up through my head when I put my head straight up or down or to the left at all.  Last night I took ibuprofin, then naproxin, slathered up with icy hot.  Called my mom crying.  Her and my dad came in and she massaged my neck for awhile.  Thank you!

When Pato got home, I passed out with my rice pack on my neck.  (For those who want to make one, they are amazing for migraines and neck pain.  Here’s a pattern.  My aunt gave me mine.  It’s longer than the one in that pattern. I need to make a couple more so there is always one cold to use.) 

Woke up this morning and I still have a lot of pain.  Not like last night but I still have to tilt my head to the right. 

I need to go to the chiropractor, but he’s going to yell at me for not going for years because I didn’t have insurance.  Yep, I’m suffering because I’m ashamed that I didn’t go for years and I know my back and neck are a mess.  He almost had my back straight too.  I had a touch of scoliosis from before my reduction.  My back was starting to curve up.  It hurt all the time. 

I know I could go somewhere else and not get yelled at, but no one is as good as he is.

I need to get past my guilt and go see him.

When my parents told me they were coming over, I looked around my place and died.  I had made hard boiled eggs for breakfast.  There were 3 left in the pan when I hurt myself.  I laid down with Christiano after the neck thing and told the girls to please be quiet and be good.  I got up to hard boiled egg shells all over the kitchen.  While trying to vacuum, Christiano dumped out the parakeets food, not once, but twice.  Then while I was refilling their food, he emptied out the contents of my vacuum.

Sigh

I was done.  There was no hope in getting my place respectable before my parents got here.

At least I got the dishes done finally after I put the kids to bed.

It’s always nice to wake up to an empty sink….kind of.  Pato used more dishes after I went to bed.

Here’s a question.  If I have any Mormon readers, you might be able to give me some advice.

The missionaries come around all summer.  It’s what they do and I can respect that.  That being said, I get knocks on my door every week.  Different people.  I explain every time that I am Pentecostal.  I am good with my faith and I am not changing.  It kind of gets old though.  Monday, 2 missionaries knocked on my door, and they would not take no for an answer.  They left me a Book of Mormon, which is fine.  I haven’t read all of it, bits and pieces here and there.  They came back yesterday while I was lying down.  Katiana told them that I was unavailable, that I had hurt myself.  They asked my 6 year old if she knew when mom would be available.  ummmmmm, no.

So, I’m expecting another knock on the door soon.

I put a note on my door saying that I don’t want to buy magazines, I’m not going to change my religion, and I’m not interested in anything anyone is selling.  If that’s why you’re here, please don’t knock.  Fed Ex, UPS, USPS – knock away!

Though, I haven’t had the first or the last since the apartments put up bigger notices on the front door about no solicitation. 

I guess the missionaries don’t fall under solicitation.  They fall under freedom of religion and speech.  That is awesome, but please listen to me the first 50 times that I have opened my door and said I was good with my faith and I’m not changing.

I don’t mean any disrespect to them, but no is no. 

On top of that, I don’t know how many times I have to tell Katiana not to answer the door when I’m not right there.  You never know who might be there.  That’s actually the bigger issue here. 

I am going to go lay down while Pato is home.  Maybe I can wake up with no neck pain.

Have a great day!

Probably not happening.  Last time we went to the zoo and it was 100 and above with the heat index, my children were miserable cranky poo’s.  That does not sound like a good time to me.

We could go to the pool again.  We’ve been the last 2 days in a row.

I don’t know.  We could go to Joanne’s fabrics and I could get patterns to try to make the girls dresses. 

You remember my problems with my sewing machine?

My ex-husband came across one this weekend at a garage sale and called me to ask if I wanted it. 

Yes! Yes!  Yes!

Did I say yes?

He just came to pick up Jordan and brought it with him.  I’m so excited!  I need to have Pato put it in my sewing cabinet.  Earl actually sewed across a washcloth with this one before bringing it to me and it worked just fine.  He even oiled it for me.

Thank you!

Jordan is gone for a couple of days and then when he comes back it’ll be time to get ready for his sleep away camp.  First time for him.  I’m glad he’s gotten used to spending the night away from me when he goes to his dad’s.  He should be fine.  I think he’s spent a week or so at his dad’s all in a row and the camp is 5 days.  I need to look at the list and see if I need to run to the store and grab him anything that we don’t have already.

My (first) baby is growing up! 

We could also go to Pato’s work for supper.  They aren’t too terribly busy on Tuesday.  It’s Monday that knocks their socks off.  2 for 1 margaritas.  Mondays are a good day for him but a bad day for us to show up to eat.  His boss doesn’t appreciate us eating for free at a table that could be seating a paying customer.

I don’t know.

I wonder what my mom and dad are doing?  Mom has a dentist appointment this afternoon, but after that, I don’t know.  The kids have been dying to see her.

Speaking of mom/grandma.  I’ve been working with Christiano on saying grandma.  Last night he came up to me and I thought he might have said it, but wasn’t sure.  I said, say grandma!  dadadadadadada.  Nano!  Say grandma!  Am-ma Am-ma!  Mom wanted a cute nickname, right? She’s now Am-ma!

Alright, I’ll stop boring you with how I’m bored and go find something for us to actually do today.

Have a great day!