I love travelling, particularly international travelling. I love the adventure of it, the excitement of boarding a plane and not knowing what might happen. I find it terribly thrilling and if someone would pay me and my family to travel professionally I would do it in a heartbeat.

I do not love preparing to leave, though.

Inevitably, every time I plan to leave town and, more specifically, the country, I swing into major panic mode about three days before I leave. My plane departs for Tanzania on Friday so right about now is the perfect time to panic. I laid in bed until well after midnight last night thinking of all the things I needed to do. I should have gotten up and written them down because I’ve forgotten half of it this morning, which is making me feel more panicked.

Organization!

My children will probably eat a lot of junk food today and watch a lot of TV. That is okay. I need to get myself together and I will probably take something tonight to help me sleep so I don’t embark on this trip as a psycho zombie.

So while I go tear around my house like a rabid baboon on uppers (a psycho zombie baboon on uppers…I love good, solid imagery) why don’t you guys enjoy a few things that have brought joy to my heart and laughter to my soul.

My friend Jenni from Avodah Images took family pictures of us this weekend. She is so many shades of awesome I don’t know where to start. I love her heart and her humor and her talent. And I love these pictures. Yes, to answer your question, I did climb a tree in a dress. It was a delicate process and I am grateful to Jenni for not taking pictures while I shimmied my way up.

After we finished with the pictures, we joined the Keiter family for dinner at an amazing Greek Restaurant in Tarpon Springs. OPA! While there, they told us about the following video that has brought so much joy to my life I don’t really know how to describe it. I will never sing this song the right way again. Ever.

I hope Tuesday is kind to all of you. I’m off to clean and pack…and panic.