My insurance company doesn't offer RV coverage. They have boat, motorcycle, auto; no RV policies. While that probably keeps my rates down, I guess it does suggest that just any ol' insurer may not be an option. (Steee-rike one!)

The company with the little green guy covers RVs, but (now that I've done a little reading) there are some noticeable differences. And, if I had an RV to insure, those differences could be real deal-breakers. Not to mention, major budget-killers. (Steee-rike two!)

The biggest disconnect I noticed was related to when the season was over and the RV was off the road. From what I can tell, and I could have missed something, only one of the companies reduces coverage - and cost - when the motor home is parked for the winter. (It wasn't the caveman-insulter.) (And, she's outta here!)

Obviously, looking at three insurers doesn't offer a complete picture or every available option. But I am leaning toward "Choose the guys who know." With savings of up to 53% when you're not on the road - it's hard not to go with the proven hitter.

I looked at Carolina Designs' Outer Banks vacation rentals last month and pretty much fell in love with the area. It's near the water, has four seasons, and is cactus/scorpion free. Renting a home would give us a chance to spend time with our kids, while exploring more permanent living options.

Five bedrooms and three floors means that the whole family could fit, with privacy and room to spare. Just a perfect vacation option. Every couple has a room, most with their own bath; sharing common areas or enjoying private time as each prefers.

With the holidays approaching, the upper level of the Seahawk made me think of planning an old-fashioned Christmas get-together. I can imagine a tall tree covered in twinkling lights and glittering ornaments. The smell of pine boughs and popcorn popping; a crackling fire and carols playing softly in the background.

After all these years, the idea of sharing the holidays with family brings a smile to my heart.

Seahawk-Ground Floor

This place is just amazing!

First - (dishwasher) no cactus; a very good start. Then - no desert; no matter where you stay, you're never far from water. And, for pity sakes! just look at this gorgeous house!

I'll admit that I fell for the (dishwasher) appearance - who could resist all that wood and space? Then, I started to do a head-count. There's Mark and me, my 2 kids and their spouses, Mark's 2 sons and SOs - 10 of us total. Hmmm?

A couple of people spending a couple of days away from home is easy to coordinate. But when you're dealing with 10 people, from 3 states, in 1 house, for 7 days -- there are options and then - (dishwasher) there are gotta-haves.

Sleeping arrangements can kill the whole thing before anyone even packs a shoe.

Seahawk-1st Floor

With five bedrooms, between the ground and first floors, Seahawk has it covered. No fold-out, fold-up sleeping issues. Privacy - and (dishwasher) a bed - for all! Even the best of families need their space and blended families need a lot of space.

Oh, just so everyone is perfectly clear:   Mark and I get the first floor King! Everyone else? Deal! {wink}

Four full and one half means no bathroom lines. Again - 10 people, 1 house, 7 days - the ability to shower (and pee) on demand is one of those gotta-haves. According to the floor-plans, the Kings are suites and the (dishwasher) other bathrooms are strategically located.

Lest we forget, children: Mark and me ... first floor King ... everyone else ... dealing! Ah, it's good to be da parents !

Seahawk-2nd Floor

Then, we have the kitchen (second floor) and laundry room (ground floor). Frankly, I cannot imagine spending 7 days with 9 other people without a (dishwasher) way to cook meals and wash clothes. Sure, eating out is fun; but not every day and definitely not every meal.

I need to be able to get up, make coffee, and ease slowly into the day. Happily, Seahawk has a coffeemaker and a dishwasher (Ahhhh, yes!) that isn't moi - so I'm good! I'm really, Really good!

Much as I love my guys, there also must be (dishwasher) multiple options for clean clothes! Directly related to the, above-mentioned, showering-on-demand.

With this electronically-connected crew, 10 (yup - 10) TVs, multiple VCRs and DVD players, a video library, and high-speed Internet access are life-savers. No battles over viewing options and checking email - ahhhh, (dishwasher) peace! Of course, having a pool and grill right outside might just entice the gamers into the real world.

Being a mere 635 yards from the beach is, for me, just icing on the (dishwasher) cake. By my calculations, with 8 blocks = 1 mile in my neighborhood, that's about 3 blocks away. Even Mark could manage that walk!

All that space. Near the water. Mornings on the second floor deck with (dishwasher) coffee and a view that isn't the next apartment building. {sigh}

There is, sadly, one really big problem with this lovely house. (Oh, not for me -- for the owners.) It will certainly take dynamite - or an act of Congress - to ever get me out!

Seriously! (dishwasher) I'm not leaving!

There was a commercial on TV the other day for RV loans. A comment was made about "Yeah, for the price of a house!" Which isn't far from the truth, from where I sit. Yet, if you think about it -- isn't that, really, what you're buying?

I can imagine retirees, of any age, getting rid of the house and the yard work and the maintenance worries. And just taking off to see the country. These days, most of our kids live hundreds or thousands of miles away. Flying back and forth to visit on a regular basis probably costs more than the RV payment.

Plus, from a plane, you don't get the scenery, the little impulse stops, and the relaxation of getting where you're going - when you get there. Life on your schedule, not someone else's. Maybe an RV is a better idea than I first thought.

The summer time may be the only time that you and your husband can enjoy a weekend getaway. If you have children who are old enough and responsible enough to stay alone you should take advantage of the summer time. However, you need to make sure that you ensure your child's safety before you leave the home. The best thing to do is make a check list to cover everything that your child may encounter.

A few things that should be on the list are setting up and teaching the child how to use the home security alarm. We didn't have one until last year, when I set out to find Phoenix alarm devices that would work for us. You should also make sure that your smoke alarms have batteries and are set to go off in case of an emergency. Make sure you leave a list of all emergency contacts including the police department, fire department, and so forth. You may also want to contact a trusted responsible adult and let them know that you're leaving the children for the weekend, just in case there is an emergency.

You should also leave the children with a set of rules that they should obey during the time you are gone. Another great tip is to stay in touch with the children by calling them on a daily basis, just to make sure everything is okay. If you follow these tips you should be able to relax a weekend with no children, while knowing they are home in a safe environment.

Summer is a great time to visit my family in Colorado and this summer I planned the whole trip on the Internet. I decided to use my Internet service Michigan to go online and spent an hour or two researching things I could do while on vacation. Going home as a tourist is always more fun for me than living in the town. I found camping, rafting and hiking trails that peaked my interest.

Booking the hotels was easy. I went to a few websites with HughesNet satellite and compared prices before I made a final reservation. I knew which hotels I liked the best in my small hometown, so I didn't have to research them. I got a multiple day discount and then booked an additional room for my kids, so we could have more room.

I reserved my campgrounds for two days and booked my rafting trip all online as well. Booking these things online is easier than over the phone because they take credit cards online and I don't have to listen to any recordings. Some of the small businesses in the area take a while to return a call if they are out in the field, so booking online guarantees me a spot quickly.

The trip was wonderful and we packed in a ton of mountain activities that we usually wouldn't have done without the research. I was happy to see my family over the summer and know that everything we did was already taken care of, so we didn't have to wonder what we were going to do on a daily basis.

The reality (pun intended) is that there is just too much to see (and hear) of this former-politician. Especially, too much in the political arena. Didn't we quit, give up, walk away? or was that just a great fake-out, designed to find new ways to keep that voice {shudders} filling sound-bites until 2012?

Now, we're facing a series of televised postcards from Alaska? Don't get me wrong. I realize that it is a beautiful state and probably well worth exploring. But, come on!

Isn't there anyone else? Couldn't this Tina-Fey-wannabe just stay home, take care of the kids, protect the wolves, and, I don't know, stop painting bullseyes on those who disagree with public displays of political insanity?

Just one non-Republican opinion