Vacation…just the sound of the word lifts the spirits. The closer it comes to vacation, I find myself getting lost in one of my favorite activities, vacation planning. The first step is to choose the date and coordinate days off from work; next find and book a house sitter (better yet, beg a relative); and the best part choose where to go and how to get there. Our family has taken car trips, sightseeing along the way to a destination spot, or just driving in a general direction without reservations and stopping when and where we want. We have also flown to destinations in snowy mountains and on tropical islands, in big cities and in rural America. This summer it is Alaska via airplane with driving around once we get there, including a plan to drive north of Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle sign and experience something new…24 hours of daylight. Now it is time to start the lists, I am getting excited!