Like A Well Oiled Machine ...

Because just when you thought life was getting to be a tad too easy, reality throws you yet another curve ball. And you need to figure out a way to swing.

Case in point. Tonight when this update goes live, you'll find me all smushed snuggled up like a bug in a rug somewhere in a center aisle ... in a center seat ... on a redye flight bound for Virginia.

To check out our house. That is one month ahead of schedule.

I got the phone call from the builder last Tuesday asking if I could make it out there for the pre-drywall walk through on the 29th. "Sure," I exclaimed. "Five weeks to plan out childcare and book my itinerary would be a breeze!" Of course, there was a lot of silence on the other end. "Um ... no Jill. We mean the 29th as in April 29th."

I immediately hung up. I scrambled. I frantically called my in-laws who normally watch the kids when I jet back and forth to Virginia. Unfortunately they had several commitments this week and couldn't help out. And the babysitter I would have used? Also busy. So I called my dad and begged my parents to fly down for the two days. Which they were happy to do. Except that it meant more work on the front end as this is the first time they're watching the kids here. I had to work around their work schedules, they had to work around my flight schedules, and I had to detail the kids crazy afternoon schedules for both days that I'm gone.

But as I sit here now on the plane I'm thankful. For the rather hectic week of planning this trip is over. The semi-clean rental house and squeaky clean kids are in the capable hands of my parents. And this tired mom is getting about the same uncomfortable amount of sleep on the airplane as my parents are now getting in my bed. Except they have newly washed sheets. And me? I'm just lucky that the airplane cleaning crew pseudo-cleaned the seat pocket in front of me and lightly dusted off the ground-in peanuts and goldfish crackers left on my chair.

Frankly, with all the grime and the snorting people around me, I feel at home. Now all I need is a kid to vomit near me and I'm good to go.

Pictures from this whirlwind trip forthcoming.