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Christmas in Santa Claus, Indiana!

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*Disclaimer:  I was provided with complimentary lodging and tickets.  No other compensation was provided.*

A few weekends ago the girls and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Santa Claus, Indiana.  It’s a perfect drive because takes less than 3 hours to get there.  I’m all about road trips that are under 4 hours!

Now if you’re anything like my friend Natasha of Houseful of Nicholes then this is definitely the place for you. The town is spreads holiday joy 365 days a year.  A fun fact about the name of the town is that they were originally going to be named Santa Fe but there was already a town by that name in Indiana.

Spencer County Visitor’s Bureau was gracious enough to reach out again and took charge by planning a great weekend of fun for my daughters, mom and me.  We hung out in the city for 3 days 2 nights and were hosted by Santa’s Lodge.  The front part of the hotel used to be a barn and the rest of the hotel was added on.  The hotel has a restaurant, Santa’s Toy Shop, a gift shop and indoor pool.  Everything you need is almost within walking distance but this time of year its a bit chilly so its better to hop in the car.

Santas Lodge Santa Claus Indiana [Read more…]

5 Ways to Cope with Depression During the Holidays

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When a lot of us think of December we think about all of the celebrations that happen during the month.  A few of these are Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan.   Many people equate these holidays with joy and a time of being with family and loved ones.  But for many this time of year can trigger sadness and increased depression.  There is an expectation for everyone to want to spread good cheer and give more than they receive.  There are a lot of factors that can cause these feelings of hopelessness and depression:

  • SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder can happen year round but typically affects those during the fall and winter months.  The shorter days and colder months tend to just zap all of your energy and can increase depression.  The “winter blues” are real and shouldn’t be dismissed or taken lightly.  A lot of times treatment can include light therapy, medication or counseling.  Since I work overnights I feel like I get about an hour of sunlight a day!  Light therapy has made a huge difference in my mood.
  • Finances – A lot of times you might get caught up trying to keep up with The Joneses and you want to make sure your kids or family have everything they want.  But the stress of not being able to provide if finances are tight can make you feel like you’re letting people down.
  • Stress – Trying to make sure you’ve got the perfect gifts, house is ready for family, dinner for 20 is taken care of…that’s a lot of crap to deal with!
  • People Pleaser – Putting yourself last and making sure everyone else’s needs are met can also wear you down.

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5 Places You Don’t Want to Miss When Visiting Santa Claus, Indiana for the Holidays!

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*Disclaimer:  I was provided with complimentary lodging and tickets.  No other compensation was provided.*

Last weekend the girls and I were invited to spend the weekend in Santa Claus, Indiana.  If you know anything about me then you know I’m pretty much a Grinch and a bit of a Scrooge.  I don’t try to be but something about this time of year just stresses me out and makes me want to hurry the month along.

When the Spencer County Visitor’s Bureau reached out to me I took this as a sign that maybe I need to stop being so Bah Humbug about the Christmas season and try to just roll with the flow.  I mean the city is named Santa Claus  so clearly it’s going to be festive and get you in the mood to enjoy the holidays.

Lake Rudolph Campground & R.V. Resort

The girls and I stayed at Lake Rudolph Campground & R.V. Resort.  There are several different types of cabins and RVs on the site and we stayed in the Rudolph Christmas Cabins.  The Rudolph’s Christmas Cabins feature a master bedroom with a King bed, large loft with a queen mattress and 4 twin-size mattresses, 3 flat screen TVs, electric fireplace, gas grill, fire ring, and a very large covered deck with a lighted Christmas tree!  It was so cute inside and totally reminded me of all the tiny houses that I always see when watching HGTV!

What Is Included

  • Cabin site includes large attached covered deck, picnic table, stand up charcoal grill, fire ring with attached grill grate, gas grill
  • Number of Bedrooms: 1 … includes a King-size bed, clock radio and flat screen TV
  • Lofts include a 1 Queen-size mattress, 4 twin-size mattresses and a flat screen TV
  • Pillows, pillowcases and fitted sheets are provided
  • The bathroom includes a shower/kids tub, sink, and toilet
  • Each unit includes air conditioning and heat
  • Family room includes an electric fireplace, sofa and flat screen TV
  • Full size refrigerator/freezer
  • Oven/Stove
  • Microwave Oven
  • Toaster
  • Sink
  • Coffee Maker
  • Utensils, plates, cups, glasses, pots and pans
  • Dishwashing liquid and broom
  • Free Wifi

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How to Celebrate National Picnic Day with Flair

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National Picnic Day falls on the 23rd day of April each year.  Who knew there was day for this, but I’m not one to turn down an opportunity to hang with my girls and enjoy some grown up drinks and appetizers!  Picnic comes from the French word piquenique which means a meal eaten outdoors.  I’m typically anti-nature but the weather has been amazing so I couldn’t pass that up!

This year I had the pleasure of enjoying an afternoon picnic with 4 other amazing women: Malia of Lia Went Where, ,  Melissa of Fab Glance, Kay of I Am Kay Elle and Tomiko of Passports & Grubs.

No picnic would be complete without a nice spread!  You can either go all out or you can keep it simple.  If you’re going to get together with a group you can have everyone bring a dish to keep it easier.  We had a nice mix of meats, cheeses, crackers, dessert, dips, fruit, cocktails and dessert!  Basically all of the major food groups!  LOL   [Read more…]

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