Insanity Has Taken Over!!

WARNING -- THIS IS A MOMMY AUTISM STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS POST!!!!!  THIS IS ME GOING OFF ON MY OBSESSIVE PLANNING ACTIVITIES!!!!!  DISCLAIMER DONE......IF YOU CHOOSE TO READ ON, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!

Yes, things are totally insane right now!!!  We are less than 2 days of a HUGE road trip, and the incessant planning and checking and re-checking and shopping and packing and unpacking to be sure we have everything and re-packing and checklisting......they are all in full force!!!!!

It's currently Monday afternoon.  Bright and early Wednesday morning, we plan to be on the road.  We are taking a road trip.  We're going to Indiana first to visit with Dad's family.  I don't think many of them have ever met Ballerina and Music Man and just a few more have met Big Brother.  Since my Mother and Father-in-Laws grew up in the same small town in Indiana, many in their families have stayed reasonably close.  And we're hoping we can find a way to see as many as possible without fully overwhelming our kids.

Then, on Friday, we're heading to a suburb of Detroit, Michigan for my brother's wedding.  All 5 of us are in the wedding and the saga in getting Ballerina's dress is a story for another time (when there's time).  But it's straightened out now and she is perfectly happy with her dress and can't wait until Sunday when she gets to wear it for the big day.

But Dad and are are compulsive planners.  And every time we are serious about planning, things tend to go smoothly.  We make regular car trips to New York or Connecticut.  Sometimes we go to Pennsylvania for a long day or a short weekend.  But in general, we know we can pick up things that we forget along the way.  We are determined to not need that crutch this time around.  We are going to pack correctly and make sure that everyone has everything they need for the whole trip.

So, we have the checklist for packing.  And we have the checklist for loading the car.  And we have the grocery list to be sure we picked everything up we needed from the store.  And we made sure that the dog would be well cared for (including a vet visit today to make sure her immunizations were up to date).

Tomorrow Dad will be home and we will make sure everything is set (with the exception of the actual packing) so that, when the kids go to bed, we can just pull everything together and have them waiting by the door.  I can bring Domino to the "Doggy Hotel" as early as they open and Dad will be able to make several trips out to the car, loading everything in it's proper place so we can pull out what we need when we need it.  We can also set up the numerous movies, books, stuffed animals, homework assignments, etc. so we can do things as we're driving.  The snacks for the road have to be where we can easily get to them.  And, hopefully by 10pm, we'll reach our destination in Indiana.

But before that happens, I'm off to pick the kids up from school.  I have some PTA responsibilities that have to be met, Ballerina has her dance class tomorrow afternoon, Big Brother has scouts tomorrow night and I'm supposed to be at a PTA Meeting (which will probably NOT happen).  All clothes worn since Saturday will need to be washed so they can be packed, but we need to remember to leave something home so they can dress the following day.  Despite going to the grocery store today, there is likely going to be another trip tomorrow, Dad has to pick up his tuxedo (because, like I already mentioned, he's in the wedding), and we have to get iPods and iPhones properly loaded.  I also have to finish up my popcorn duties for the week for the local cub scout chapter.

Can you tell I'm going just a bit nuts right now?  INSANITY!!!!!!!!!!!