As I unenthusiastically bundled up my kids for some snowy outdoor play, I realized the Michigan winter blues were already setting in. So I decided to focus on our upcoming family vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida to lift my spirits — until I started my mental list of packing and got the blues all over again.

My family and I just completed a volunteer project here in Ann Arbor that was part of Disney’s promotional “Give a Day Get a Day” which is an opportunity to help out for a day in your community and get rewarded by Disney with a free admission ticket. I was feeling good about this cool project and starting to get my girls excited by talking about all the fun things in store for them only weeks away, when the mental lists start writing themselves in my head. Before I knew it, I was no longer smiling with excitement, but looking for a list pad.

There is the obvious “packing” list, the “to- do” list before the packing, the “to-buy” list so that I can buy everything we need, the “just in case” list" — just in case I need anything not on another list when we are there, the “packed luggage” list separate from the “carry on” list, the “fun things to do at Disney” list, the list with all of our important reservation and confirmation numbers (good luck getting in to Cinderella’s castle for lunch without this info!), the “destination specific” list that I’ll need to pack the backpack with essentials for the days at the theme parks, a “reminder list” of cool things to see, do, or get so those countless hours spent reading seven different Disney guide books are put to good use, and a guilt laden “suggested itinerary” list from one of those books — that after reading it made me doubt whether my husband and I could navigate our way around a simple circle without one.

I should also check with our airline and the TSA to, you guessed it, make a list of what we can and can’t bring on the airplane, which is always disproportionate to my “things to pack for the kids in carry-on” list. I have to admit, in light of recent events and heightened security in Detroit, I am worried about preparing for this part of the trip the most, as our toddler just developed an early case of the "tantruming two's." As far as I know, there is not a list for preparing for this one, unless maybe a short list of “5 ways to remain calm at an airport with children” or a brief list of “pubs and their exact locations at both airports”?

The point here being that I sometimes feel like just packing for a trip with kids (especially babies and toddlers) warrants a vacation, let alone actually traveling with them. I decided to check around a bit to see if I was the only neurotic mother out there who thinks of packing as a huge challenge. I found my answer when I stumbled upon an article entitled “4 Tips for a Less Stressful Vacation” found on www.webmd.com . From the title alone, I knew I wasn’t alone. I can usually relax and have fun just fine once I’m there; it’s the preparations that make me almost crack.

I also found some good traveling with kids tips and even printable packing lists at www.tsa.gov, www.flyingwithkids.com, www.frommers.com, and www.mousesavers.com/ultimatepackinglist.doc .

Hopefully a new printable list or two will calm my packing anxiety and allow me to feel thankful and excited to be taking a fun trip with my family. If you have any really good tips for packing or traveling with young children, or stories of the worst thing you ever forgot to pack, please share them with me searsen@live.com .