Hello My name is Heidi....

And I'm a Hoarder.

Now....

I wouldn't start contacting A&E just quite yet....

But I would say I have a teeny, tiny, very minor Hoarding problem.

I didn't quite realize it until we started cleaning the garage.

Here are the facts:

#1. I have a very hard time saying no to hand me downs.  I always say yes.  No matter what it is.  If you are giving it away, I will take it.  Mostly my hand me downs are items for the home. Old televisions, book cases, dressers, cookware, home appliances, the list goes on.  Clay and I just had to purchase our first television this year.  That's 13 years of hand me down TV's.

#2. I have a VERY hard time getting rid of clothes.  For these simple facts.  Fashion repeats itself.  Over, and over and over again.  Mark my words, even Overalls will make a come back.  AND no matter my size, I will be that size again...or fear that I may be that size again.  It took me FOREVER to get rid of my "Fat" clothes.  But I finally did.  It also took me until last week to get rid of the last of my Maternity clothes....but  I finally did.

and...

#3. If there is ANY sentimental connection to ANYTHING I keep it.  I don't know why.  But if a memory is attached to it.....It goes in a box, or a drawer....just for a later date, so sometime when I'm shuffling through boxes and I may come across something that will throw me right back into that time in my life where that item is from.  I didn't realize how truly bad this portion of my Hoarding was until I came across the following items:

*****Before you read on let me just say, I already know I'm crazy AND most of these items had their last memory fling when I took their picture and are now in a final resting place at Allied Waste.*****

I have the bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 I consumed the first night I ever got intoxicated. Strawberry Rose.  One bottle.  All to myself.  I can even tell you exact date....... But that might incriminate me.  I will say that I was an a adult.  I cannot confirm I was of Legal Drinking Age.  Let's leave it at that. (Mad Dog 20/20 Really?  What was I thinking.....)

I have the ticket stub from my first professional baseball game. Ever. 

(I can't believe it was the A's.....but nevertheless A Fan was born that day.  A Baseball Fan.  Not an A's Fan.)

I found my Walkman AND my portable CD Player, complete with my copies of Hootie and the Blowfish and Madonna Like a Prayer (a Christmas gift from Uncle Joe)

Letters from Friends and Family in Colorado who missed me when I moved back to Cali, and the Button  the singing telegram my friends had hired for my 16th Birthday gave to me when he sang to me during lunch Sophomore year. (the letter shown is from Benny in 3rd grade...and it's Awesome.)

My Freshman Student Body card, my Senior Schedule (that's right, I had bowling first period, and it was DAMN challenging I'll have you know!)  and...a stolen book from My High School library.

My employee manual and name tag from my Job in 1996.

(this one even shocked me when I found it)

Fun pictures, and good times with Friends.  (That is the invite to Laura's baby shower for Dominic!  He's driving now!  God we're old!)

I had the Booklet from my 10 year high school reunion.  Complete with Senior Picture.

Look at those curls, and frosted lipstick.

Hot. Stuff.

(okay...this one is BAD.)

This is the pack of smokes that Clay smoked the first weekend we met when we spent the whole weekend together.  I had his stuff in my purse, and at the end of the weekend...there it was....and I kept it.  Okay.....maybe somebody should start dialing the show....  This is definitely my worst hoarder moment.

I found our Marriage Certificate!  I thought I had lost it!  Turns out...We're really Married!  And Legally at that!

  

Oh....and I found....the receipt from the day we got married. 

Let me bring it in closer for you

Two things.

We did not get the Chapel even though it says Chapel- we got married in the waiting room, because the Chapel was $75 which was WAAAAAAAY out of our wedding budget.

and

How awesome is it that we were married at "Loves" Wedding Chapel?

(which has unfortunately burned down since)

There was more.

So much more.....

But these were my favorites.

Here is my promise.

I promise I will not Hoard anymore.

Actually....

I promise I will try and not hoard anymore.  I definitely will say NO to hand-me-downs we don't need.

I feel better already!

Thank you for being my support group and for not calling any Cable programs on me!