Lynda Loveland: Have turkey, will travel

I have an all new appreciation for traveling over the holidays. I don't mean going to a family member's house with a ton of people. Oh no, this is much better! What I'm talking about is taking the family and going to the beach or to the mountains or the country!

If you can borrow/barter/rent a house, I highly recommend it! It doesn't matter where you are, it just matters that you're not at your house. No one's on their home turf.

Here's why I like it: You focus on your family and not on work around your home.

Previous Thanksgivings, after feasting and cleaning, I would always find more to do. There were clothes that needed to be laundered, the random stuff that needed to be put away, the plants watered, the dogs taken care of, the linen closet that needed cleaned, the wall marks that needed erased and so on and so on.

I have a real problem with just sittin' and chillin' at home. But when I go somewhere, I got NOTHIN' to do! And I LIKE it!

We went to the beach last weekend. I admit it was kind of a pain to lug all the stuff down there but we tried to pre-make most dishes to make it easier. It was easily one of the best Thanksgivings I've ever had!

Aside from the basic chores, it was all R and R! It was the first time in quite awhile that I could really sit back and enjoy my family. Things have been really hectic and crazy lately and I felt like I'd been running on nothing more than fumes. That long weekend away recharged my batteries and put a huge smile on my heart.

I'm still feelin' the love ...