For most of our area school's, winter break begins at the final bell on Friday.

At our house, that means no alarm at 6:15 am for the following 2 weeks :) It also means travel for a lot of families. Are you going somewhere for the holidays? If so, make sure that you take the necessary stapes to ensure that your home is prepared for your absence.  A few keys actions to take, as outlined by @ properties:

1)  Securely lock your home.  Doors, windows, garage access.

2)  Stop your mail, or make arrangements for a neighbor to empty your box frequently.

3)  Set up deterrents - lights on alternate timers, ask a friend to stop by for an evening, have neighbors park in your driveway.

4)  Prepare for the weather.  If it is really cold, shut off your water so pipes can't freeze.  Schedule snow removal services so that snow doesn't pile up outside and call attention to the fact that you are not home.

5)  Pamper your pups.  Don't foget to make arrangments for the care of your furry family members.  Boarding sites fill up quickly at the holidays, and pet sitters may be booked to the brim as well.  Plan ahead so Fido has the care he needs.

6)  Tidy up your home.  There is no place like home, except for a clean one!  Spending the extra minutes to leave your home clean and smelling fresh will be well worth it when you arrive home after traveling, and exhausted.  

Take a few minutes to read through these tips in the full article 6 ways to prep your home for a holiday vacation

1120 Sandstone Drive, Libertyville IL

Fabulous walkout ranch located on the highly coveted Lake Minear.  Rare opportunity to purchase your own private beach, as well as a portion of the private island tucked behind the home.  Personal pier & motorboat rights come with the property as well.  $1,500,000  View photos here

And the top 25 cities in the world are...

 

My bucket list just got a lot longer! I am thrilled to see Chicago made the cut. Although a bit surprised that Venice did not. One of my all time favorite cities.  Who do you think is missing?  And which of these Top 25 do you recommend visiting?  Check out the Conde Nast article here