One weekend, in an effort to escape the long hours of being a freelance writer, I traveled twenty minutes away to stay at my parents’ house. My sister, eager to share news of her second pregnancy, had also come into town. With our combined 3 children, all under the age of six, we dove into what would be another fun and relaxing two days of eating and chatting. Friday night, as usual, we stayed up late watching movies from our youth. I never get tired of Chevy Chase in his “vacation” comedies. As I type, I have a clear picture of him with white dress shoes and overly tan features. I am sure there are plenty of people out there who, like my family, look forward to Christmas Vacation like others look forward to eggnog or sugar cookies. It is our tradition and we treasure the laughs. This night was no different. We watched the movie as long as we could and laughed in sync to the same pranks and goofs that had hooked us twenty years ago. At about midnight, we both were asleep. She was in my... read more >>