How does one nest and declutter to move at the same time?!?

Alright everyone, this is the week!  Moving day is finally upon us and I just can't believe that it has come so fast.  It doesn't feel right.  It feels like we still have so much to do in preparation for moving that I'm not actually ready to do the moving part.  I think the reason why I'm having so many moving issues is 1) I'm pregnant and therefore trying to feather my nest for the new little birdie to come, and 2) I'm also trying to de-clutter and purge my belongings so that we can fit everything into the moving truck.  Let me explain:

It feels like for every piece of furniture or electronic we sell on Craigslist, we buy something else!  Example:  We sold some old sound equipment of Paul's.  Then we bought a crib.  Then we gave some friends our 2 bookshelves...and bought a dresser.  Sold our TV stand, and bought a crib mattress.  I got rid of about 4 bags of my own clothes that were outdated or didn't fit only to stock up on socks, shoes, and onezies for Hayden and baby.

It feels like for every inch of progress I make, I lose about 3/4 of an inch.  

I CAN'T WIN!  

Fighting the natural urge to gather and nest is really hard!  I find myself cleaning the silliest of things, like the drawer organizer for the silverware.  I don't want to go shopping for things that I think we need because, honestly, we need all the room in the moving truck that we can get.  So I clean the mundane little items that really don't need to be cleaned. 

I have issues.  Simply put.

Also, um, where did we get all this stuff we have and why can't I get rid of it?!?  Books, DVDs, perfume and lotion samples, magazines, CRAFT SUPPLIES.  I think I need to be on "Hoarders" sometimes just taking a look at the bins of crafts we have in storage.  I think I have way too much...but I can't just get rid of it!  I need my own personal Martha Stewart to come de-clutter and reorganize my life.  Wouldn't that be nice?

The best thing I've found so far to help me in this process is Youtube.  I actually found channels of women that teach you their tips and tricks for organizing you home, your family, your finances, etc.  I went through a huge purge the other day and got rid of some Mary Kay stuff I was holding onto, as well as clothes Hayden never wore.  It felt so good.

[As I type this, Hayden is taking everything out of the non-perishables cupboard and putting everything back in.  Is this ambivalence not an exact metaphor for what I'm going through right now?!?  Ahhhh, I love that boy.]

Alejandra from Youtube's Get Organized with Alejandra's Home Organizing Tips is my new favorite gal to watch.  She has some great tips and LOVES to organize with colors.  Ha ha, I love it.  Anyway, if you're bored (or an organization nerd like I am) here's her channel. 

Last note:  We are moving back to Idaho THIS WEEK.  We pack everything up tomorrow and then leave Thursday morning...early.  We're staying at a hotel that we have already booked and then we are HOPING to be in Rexburg around dinner time.  If you are shipping anything out to us, please use our Idaho address at this point.  If you don't have it, message me on Facebook (or email me...or text me....lol).  At this point I have forwarded our mail, so if you forget and send something to Colorado, it should be re-routed to us.  That's the theory, anyways!

September, October, and November

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted something on our blog!  We've been busy, and I have lots of pictures and videos to share.

September:
 
I recently found some videos of Hayden from...I want to say September.  I took them the first time that I watched Lucy.  They are too funny not to share, so here they are!

 

I love this video because at this point in Hayden's life, Quack-Quack was a HUGE thing!  I love that I was able to record him talking about his beloved friend.  (Oh, and there's also the signature Hayden hair grab.  Yeah...he's mostly grown out of that now, but every once in a while, he'll do it.  URGH.)

 

This day was hilarious.  I let Hayden play on the patio because it was soooo warm.  He hadn't played with his old baby toys in a long time, so it was like he was seeing them for the first time.  At one point, I was on my computer in the dining room (right behind him).  Then next, I found him inside of his exersaucer which he hadn't used since about 9 months!  I don't know how he got himself in it, but he barely fit!  His little legs were all scrunched up, poor boy. 

October:  Halloween

For Halloween, Hayden was a rain cloud!  I made his costume, and, I wish I could take credit for coming up with the idea.  I didn't.  Guess where I got it.  Go ahead.  Yeah, that's right--Pinterest!  I can't tell you how many times that website has saved my bacon.  Anyways, here's a picture (and link to) the original:

In this version, the creator used fabric paint and contact paper to create her rain drops, and two clouds attached with ribbon for a sort of "sandwich board" look.

And here's Hayden:

For Hayden's costume, I bought a pair of pants and a plain white tee at walmart (each costing $3.88).  For the rain drops, I cut out peices of felt that I had from previous projects and just sewed them on.  I made the cloud out of some old white bed sheets that had a rip in a seam.  I love this costume because it cost me under $8, and everything can be re-used.  I sewed the raindrops and cloud on with HUGE stitches so that, after Halloween, I could cut everything off and use the clothes for Hayden.  I think I'll keep the cloud, too!  It's so stinking adorable and I stuffed it like a little pillow!  I'm thinking it could look adorable somewhere in baby #2's room.

 With Hayden's costume, I did a few things differently from the original idea.  For one, I didn't make a front and back cloud for the "sandwich board" look.  I was running out of time as we had a Halloween party to go to.  So I just made one and sewed it onto the actual shirt.  It saved me time and looked great, but I couldn't fit Hayden into his car seat with it on!  Slight oversight.  Driving to and from the party, we had to take his shirt off so that he would fit snugg-ly into the car.  Oh, and like I said...instead of using fabric paint for the raindrops (I didn't have any anyway), i cut out raindrops from leftover felt scraps.  Worked really well!  The pants even went through the wash and dryer and help up perfectly. 

Getting this boy to stand still for a picture was nearly impossible this morning.  All he wanted to do was run to me and jump in my lap!  Anyways, this little sock monkey basket is Hayden's Easter basket.  He was going to be a sock monkey for Halloween, so I thought it would be perfect as a candy basket.  When I ran of out time to make that costume, I thought it would still act as a great candy basket--and he loves it!

I love Hayden's cheesy grin in this picture.  It's changed so much as he's gotten older!

Look at this cheeseball!  He loves rocking in his rocking chair (that we still use at night when he has a bad dream), and if you look closely, you'll see an old friend.  QUACK-QUACK!

November:

These pictures were taken Sunday after church.  Hayden was playing in our room and noticed Paul's beloved gnome.  ...don't ask...I still don't get it.  Anyway, Hayden was able to pull the gnome off of our dresser.  He carried it around in his arms saying, "Baby!  Baby!  My Baby!".  It was so adorable, serious.  Hayden would pat the "baby's" head and just love on him.  He brought the gnome into our bed and crawled all over with it.  

Paul wasn't too happy with the situation...fearing a broken gnome, he hid it when Hayden went down for a nap.  :(  Hayden still asked for it after nap and then after snack. 

Lastly, I took this video of Hayden yesterday.  The story behind it:  Paul was making a fire one day in our fire place and Hayden really wanted to help.  He's in the "I'm such a great helper...but really I just complicate the process" stage!  Ha ha.  So Paul, being the good sport he is, let him crumple newspaper and stuff it under the wood.  He then lit everything and Hayden was HOOKED.  Every day, Hayden wants to make a fire.  I usually have him wait till daddy gets home (because it's just a cute father-son activity), but today I couldn't resist.  Thus, the video.  (And yes, afterward we put logs on and lit the fire!).  It's so great that Hayden wants to help, but teaching him how to make a fire probably wasn't the best thing...

(Oh, and he's in his pajamas because he ran to the fireplace wanting to make a fire right after I got him up from bed!)