It may be a school vacation week for my kids, but that doesn't mean that there's nothing on the to-do list. Actually, I'm taking advantage of the fact that the kids are all home: we're going to the mall! 
Boy, do I dread that trip. One of my sons will be heading for the store that sells rock-group T-shirts. One will want to go to the toy store, and my daughter will want to visit every store in the mall. All of them are going to want to eat at at least three different food-court stalls.
But we're really only going there for one reason. We all need passports for our summer vacation.
That's another reason I'm dreading the trip to the mall. Passports aren't complete without those unflattering photos, rivaled only by a driver's license for how horrible they make you look. I'm lamenting that bad haircut that I got two weeks ago and is still a bad haircut. Maybe I can stop at a cosmetics counter for a makeover before photo time.
I had a passport in high school, complete with the obligatory terrible picture. At least I don't have braces this time around.
COUPON TIME
If you haven't made your summer-vacation plans yet, maybe one of these travel deals will inspire you. And a little note to my sister (who's going on the same trip I am, but a month ahead--your family needs passports too!)
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BIG BEACH SALE!
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Not combinable with other Luxury Link promotions.
$50 off a 4+ night Los Angeles hotel stay at Travelocity 
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Valid through: My 31, 2009 11:59pm ET
$100 off a 5-night vacation to Central Europe
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Valid through: October 21, 2009 11:59pm ET
$25 off a Last Second Deal to New York City at LastMinute.com 
Use this link to get the coupon code and view terms of the offer.
Valid through: May 31, 2009 11:59pm ET
