Steve - It seems like my wife and I take one "big" vacation (of 2 weeks) every other year or so, and will take a one week in between. Depending on what is going on with work, I can have more or less enthusiasm about taking that time off. One thing I've noticed is that regardless of whether I'm enthused about the timing of the vacation, I always notice that I start getting more and more excited about it as I start planning and making reservations and planning an itinerary of some kind. The more I get involved in the trip planning, the more excited I start getting about going on vacation. I try to keep in mind that my job is what supports my ability to have a leisure life while taking a vacation, and so I try to make sure that maximize that "leisure" part when on vacation. There are a lot of things to do and see before I die, and spending time with kids and loved ones can't be postponed until it is more convenient. Work will always be around after you get back from vacation.

Larry