Torture by churros, abuse of parking privileges, and why Goodwill LOVES me

So I'm feeling a little behind on my blog-posting and e-mailing, but it's for a good cause; my mom has been in town helping me organize the house.  Because, hello, my name is Rebecca, and I have a clutter problem.  Mostly because: A) I have a hard time letting things go, and B) I'm really indecisive about where to put things.  My mom, on the other hand, is a hard-core organizer, and has no trouble getting rid of things (except her clothes from the 80s, but we won't go there).  She's helped me go through and organize or get rid of a TON of stuff.  Like, CAR-FULLS of stuff.  I feel like from now on, Goodwill is going to see my car pull up and automatically send out a U-haul to help me unload. 

You should see all of the stuff that I have not only kept for years and years, but have also moved 3 or 4 times.  Here is just a sampling of what we have come across:

• Every academic paper I have ever written
•  My entire set of notes from A.P. U.S. History and several other classes
• All of the statements from my college bank account
• All of our leftover wedding invitations, including the envelopes and response cards
•  A birthday card that my brother gave to me when he was just learning to write
• Matchbooks from restaurants in France that I went to with my grandparents after I graduated from high school

You get the picture.  I tend to keep everything that might have even a tiny scrap of sentimental value.  And I am still going to end up keeping more than most people probably would (throw away that wine cork from our honeymoon??? NEVER!), but it's going to be much more organized and condensed.  Why take on this project now, you ask?  Um, because most of this stuff was crammed in the room that is going to be the nursery.  I'm pretty sure that having boxes stacked up inside the crib would be considered a "suffocation hazard."  And I KNOW that plastic boxes of wrapping paper don't  fit in with my nursery decorating scheme.

So that's a big part of what I'm up to these days.  I also spent half of Monday sitting around at Costco waiting for my car tire to get fixed.  Apparently in Costco Land, "It might take up to an hour and a half, just to let you know" ACTUALLY means, "It will take just over three hours, and we aren't even going to apologize for it."  I was about 2.5 minutes away from throwing a tearful "I am PREGNANT, and I CANNOT SIT HERE in your windowless, flourescent-lit cafe smelling the hot dogs ANY MORE, so give me my car back, and I will pull out the screw and slap on some Duct Tape MYSELF" fit when they finally called my name.  The worst part, though, was NOT buying one of their churros.  Churros are delicious, and I wanted one REALLY badly, but I was strong and resisted!  

Rebecca and her emergency baggie of organic cheerios: 1.  Churros: 0. 

In other news, Jeromy and I went on a little baby gear shopping expedition recently:

Why yes, we WILL use the preferential parking, thank you.

Jeromy trying to figure out how to put on a baby carrier.  There was only a little bit of swearing involved. 

***GEMS FROM JEROMY***

"Did you see the Regretsy post today?  Screw the Baby Bjorn, just get me a Daddle!"