Insane, take two.

It's a mitzvah to be "me'sameach Chosson v'Kallah." That means it's a commandment (from G-d, since who else gets to issue commandments?) to make a bride and groom happy.

Generally that's said in relation to the actual wedding, and maybe for the week (or even the year) afterwards, but we're taking the commandment a little more generally, and since

1) we've been informed that my husband's brother (the groom in question) really really wants him to come to his engagement party and

2) my husband's life wouldn't be worth much my husband would have to do all the driving himself if he went to a PARTY without me, and

3) farming out the kids on a school night (I mean, it's Sunday, but we'll be back late) is more trouble than it's worth...

So, we're farming out the one who doesn't want to sit in the van for 8 hours in one day, and taking the other 7 kids with us from Rhode Island to Queens (New York). Four hours there, four hours of party, four hours back, transfer 7 hopefully sleeping kids from a 15-passenger van to their beds, wake up bright and early and get everyone to school on time in the morning. Piece of cake.

I'll let all my non-existent readers know how it went, B'li neder (without a vow.)

Hey, enough people already think I'm crazy for having 8 kids in 10 years. What's a day trip to NY?