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The Inn at Christmas Place Review

July 22, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Forget boring hotels! Have yourself a merry little Christmas in June if you would like.

At the Inn at Christmas Place, Christmas carols will be sung, Christmas cookies will be eaten and Santa will be seen. Does it get any better?

Visiting a hotel with unique characteristics is part of the vacation adventure. Sure you could stay at a regular motel and maybe the indoor swimming pool would be enough to wow your kids.

Or you could stay at a magical inn that sends you into the Christmas spirit at every turn (no matter the month).

The Inn at Christmas Place celebrates Christmas 365 days a year and we aren’t sad about it. It is located in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and you can really feel that Southern Tennessee Christmas charm radiating throughout the property.

And since I am a born and raised Tennessee girl, you can trust me on that!

Here is a breakdown of our quick trip to the Inn at Christmas Place and all the details about what we loved.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

The Inn At Christmas Place

We visited the Inn at Christmas place after moving my oldest step daughter into the University of Tennessee dorms and visited with our then two and a half year old daughter.

The Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area is just a short drive from the University. So we were looking forward to having a little mini vacation before heading back to Memphis.

Christmas Decor Everywhere

The Inn at Christmas Place has magical Christmas decor at every turn (and every floor)! When you first enter the inn, you will feel as if you have entered the stately home of a distant Tennessee relative. A warm fire and huge Christmas tree decorate the lobby along with countless other Christmas touches.

Every single floor has a different theme to see and yes we rode the elevator floor to floor to see them all.

There are lots of Christmas classics like the Grinch or A Christmas Story (complete with a leg lamp in all her glory).

In addition to the floor decor, there is tons of stuff all over the common areas that has been decorated for Christmas (even the office and gym are not safe from seasonal cheer). You will find trees, Santa figurines and other Christmas themed areas all over as you explore.

If you stay in the regular rooms, the Christmas theme is there but modest compared to the common areas like the lobby. We had a mini Christmas tree, some holiday art on the walls, some wreaths and some holiday throw pillows on the beds.

What I really loved about the room was that the bathroom was big and spacious. When you start combining whole families in one room, a nice spacious bathroom is key.

I also appreciated the fact that every room has a mini fridge and a microwave. My daughter wanted a cup of milk every night before bed so it was nice to have a place to store a carton for her. And my husband liked having the ability to warm up his Mellow Mushroom pizza leftovers for a midnight snack.

Free Warm Cookies Every Night

When you think of Christmas, certain things immediately come to mind. Jesus and the Nativity. Family and Gifts. Santa and cookies. These are Christmas traditions that many of us celebrate and you can do just that at The Inn at Christmas Place.

Every evening you can bring the kiddos down in their pajamas to get a freshly baked, still warm from the oven cookie to enjoy. And it is included with your stay.

The yummy cookies were a fun treat to look forward to every night! It was also a money saver for us because we are a dessert loving family. But since we knew that there were cookies waiting on us at the hotel, we didn’t need to splurge at dinner.

The cookies are available from 8 to 10 pm nightly.

This was probably the biggest cookie she has ever had all to herself. It isn’t the best picture but the joy on that little face just had to be shared. Living her best life at the Inn at Christmas place!

Santa Visits

And with every delicious Christmas cookie, there is a big, jolly Santa somewhere nearby! He is in the living area next to the breakfast room almost every morning. He also has a weekly story time and even an evening concert on select nights.

Seeing Santa and getting to tell him what you want for Christmas (even if it is in August) is always fun. Well for everyone but our kid! She wasn’t feeling Santa on this particular trip!

Be sure to check the Inn at Christmas Place website or give them a call to ensure Santa will be there on the dates that you will be staying. It does state on their site that Santa does have an occasional North Pole emergency that he must tend to.

Continental Breakfast

The included breakfast was quite good when compared to other larger hotel chain breakfast offerings. They had made-to-order omelets, Belgian waffles that you could make, lots of fruit, pastries, cereals and the typical breakfast items (eggs/bacon/sausage/biscuits).

The coffee was also a step up from the typical hotel fare as well. I am a bit of a coffee snob and this was very good java. No coffee shop needed for me.

Finding a hotel with an included breakfast is a great way to save money. Even if you hit a fast food restaurant, that is at least $15 for us and sometimes more depending on which kids we have with us at the time (if everyone is with us we are a family of 7 so eating out can add up very quickly).

Eating at the inn also allowed us to get in quickly, grab some food and head out for our day of fun in the Gatlinburg area.

Outdoor Grounds

The grounds of The Inn at Christmas Place were very beautiful. The exterior of the inn reminds me of German architecture that is made even more inviting with Christmas wreaths, bows and lights.

The beautiful ponds and flowers out back are impressive and peaceful. If I had not had a chatty toddler with me, I might have enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee on one of the benches.

There is also a large birdcage outside that my daughter enjoyed. She liked taking a moment to look at the birds and watch them fly around.

Pool

We didn’t use the pools when we stayed because sometimes what a toddler doesn’t know won’t hurt them. I know, I know, bad mama! Withholding fun from my baby!

Anyway for all you awesome mom and dads out there, the pool options are plentiful at the Inn at Christmas Place. Indoors you will find a large swimming pool and a hot tub.

Outdoors there is a pool and a water slide that looks like it would be fun. Just remember that the outdoor pools will only be open seasonally so if you are celebrating Christmas in November for instance, you will need to swim inside!

Family Friendly Inn

Overall we all really enjoyed our stay at the Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge. It was a nice change from just a normal hotel. Typically we check into a hotel, throw our stuff down and leave immediately to go do something fun.

But when everyday is Christmas at your hotel, you stay a while. Explore and enjoy a little bit of Christmas spirit no matter the time of year.

I am currently trying to talk my husband into another trip up that way so stay tuned for some updated pictures soon (If I can get my way!).

If you have any questions, send me a comment below. And if you are planning a road trip with kids, check out these awesome travel activities all under $15.

Summer Water Fun for Kids – Slip N Slide Hack

May 18, 2018 by Stacy Craft 8 Comments

Summer Water Fun for Kids with Inexpensive Slip N Slide Hack

Summer heat. It isn’t in full swing here yet but it is coming! We have already had a couple of 90 degree days and it is still May (all my South Texas friends are probably laughing because it rarely dips below 90 there). Anyway, when it is hot, water play is on my mind for the kids.

This idea is easy to execute and involves just two main items. It will cool the kids off and keep them entertained for hours. If you need simple summer water fun for kids, this is for you!

Quick Disclaimer: Of course when your children are playing near any type of water, remember to always have them under constant supervision.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Check out this Awesome Summer Theme Schedule – An easy way to have fun with kids all summer long.

Summer Water Fun For Kids – Slip N Slide Hack

Last year I bought a cheap slip n slide for my then 3 year old. She did not really understand the concept of running an sliding the way that the slip n slide is intended to be used. It took me 3 days but I finally came up with a way for her to have fun using her new toy!

What you Need:

Slip N Slide

Little Tykes Slide

Baby Shampoo

Set Up Instructions

This does work best if you have any kind of small incline in your yard. We have a very small hill but it gives just enough height to help propel the kiddos down the slide. If you don’t have any kind of hill, it will still work, they just will not go quite as fast.

Place your slide in your yard (preferably at the top of a small incline).
Place the top of your slip in slide a few inches under your slide and secure it into the ground with the included spikes.
Roll out your slip in slide. I always like to check the area as I am unrolling for any big twigs or rocks that might cause boo boos for the little ones as they speed over them.
Attach your Water hose.
Wet your slide, this just helps for the first few slides. Once the kids get going, their wet bathing suits will keep the slide wet.
Drizzle the baby shampoo over the slide and the slip n slide. The baby shampoo helps to get it extra slippery so they slide down fast. You may want to reapply a few times but I don’t end up having to do it much. *Any body wash/shampoo would probably work but I use the tear free variety just in case it gets in the kiddos eyes.

Recommended Ages

I did this for the first year when my daughter was 3. She has already been doing it this year at four. The slide that we have recommends a maximum of 60 pounds so we will probably have at least a few more summers out of this little creation. I would say in general it would probably work for kids aged 3-6 or maybe small 7 year olds.

Why Not buy the Little Tikes Slide & Slip Combo

So it appears that Little Tikes can up with the same idea that I had last year.

Don’t worry, they didn’t ask my opinion and I am not a bizillionaire for my awesome slip n slide hack idea. So why not just buy what they made? Here are my thoughts:

Cheaper – On Amazon, you can buy the two items I suggested for about $6 or $7 less than the combo.
Existing Slide – The Little Tikes first slide is kind of a household staple. I feel like so many people have this for their kids already. So if you already have the slide, for less than $12 you can buy the slip n slide and have a new use for your slide that results in lots of summer water fun for kids!
Longer Slip N Slide – The Slip N Slide I use is 14 feet long. The one that comes with the combo is only 10 ft. So especially as the kids get older, the longer one will probably be a little more fun.

We have tons of Little Tikes items that we absolutely love, but for this slip n slide hack I just prefer to make my own!

Want More Fun Summer Ideas? Check these out.

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2 Free Summer Fun Ideas That You Must Sign Up For Now

May 22, 2018 by Stacy Craft 1 Comment

2 Free Summer Fun Ideas That You Will Want to Sign Your Kids Up For Now!

My 4 year old just learned the word “bored.” She loves her new vocabulary word and shows it off often. Since I don’t want her to be bored all summer, I was thrilled to find 2 free summer fun ideas.

Ok, so in all fairness, I actually do not mind if my daughter is bored. I think it is good for kiddos to be occasionally bored.

It is amazing the creativity that can come out of not having every minute of every day planned by an adult. But, I’m also a realist. I need things to keep her entertained over the summer and it is a bonus if those activities are cheap or free.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

2 Free Summer Fun Ideas to Sign up For Now

When it heats up in those early summer months, I usually let my mind drift to the pool. I blow up our inflatable toddler splash pad and set up our awesome Slip N Slide hack.

Even though water is a great way to cool down, sometimes we need a little change of pace. Here are 2 Free summer fun ideas to sign up for so that you will have built in fun all summer long.

Kids Skate Free

For this freebie, go to the Kids Skate Free site and sign up. You can look by State and city to find the closest location to you. This is all facilitated by each individually owned skating center so I am sure the rules change for each one. For example, the location that we will go has 2 weekday afternoons (2 until 8 pm) and one weekend afternoon that you can attend for free.

Even my 4 year old loves to “skate” now (holding on to the rail and walking on the rink). While she works on mastering the skill, she is building up her gross motor skills, exercising and most importantly at this point getting her wiggles out! To use this freebie, you need to go back to the site and print off a weekly pass to take to the facility for use. Not a large price to pay for this awesome freebie.

It does cost $4 per child processing when you sign up. I am not sure exactly what this goes for, I am assuming that it may be to maintenance the site. There is also a rental fee ($2 at my location) if you need to rent skates for your kids. Even with that processing fee, skating free all summer is a win!

If you take one child 5 times over the summer, you would save about $36 once you subtract the $4 processing. If you have 3 kids, that is $108! Wow.

Kids Bowl Free

Sign your kids up for 2 free games of bowling all summer long. Complete the form at the Kids Bowl Free site, where you can sign up all your kids that are 17 or under.

There is no processing fee for this, just simply pick your location, register your kids & print your coupons as needed for their two free games. You can do this all summer long! If it is free and an air conditioned location, I consider that a success.

The Kids bowl free site does give you one paid option when you process the free kid memberships. For less than $30 (this was my location and may change by site), I could sign up 4 adults to play 2 games all summer long as well.

I decided to do this because my husband and I will probably at least go together once or twice plus all the times I will take the kids solo just to get out of the house. For this one, I could sign up our two older girls, the 4 year old and both of us.

On a Sunday, the cost of a game is right at $30 so if we play two games on one Sunday we make up the cost.

If we go three Sundays over the course of the summer and play 2 games each time, we save $150! I also signed my mom and sister up two because I could sign up 4 adults for that one time fee of $30.

It is unbelievable. Adults can only bowl during Kid Free times but at my location they have WAY more times available than I will ever actually go so it is not limiting to me.

Bowling shoes are required at most facilities. If you don’t have shoes, the rental fee is usually around $3 a rental.

Summer Savings – How Much will I Save?

It depends on how many times you go to these 2 free summer fun ideas.

If you go just a couple of times to each, you can easily save $50 to $100. If you go a lot or have a bunch of kids, you will save even more!

Since we have a big family when my step daughters are with us, I love frugal ideas where we can go and have fun but not spend an arm and a leg.

More Fun Activities to Do At Home!

Need some more summer fun ideas? Try some of our favorites.

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Unique Father’s Day Gift Featuring A Custom Fragrance

June 9, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

A unique Father’s Day Gift Featuring A Custom Fragrance

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

I just ordered a unique Father’s Day gift for my husband that I wanted to share with you all. We all know that it is tough year after year finding something fun and interesting for the Daddy of your babies! Sometimes it feels like I buy the same grill set or polo shirt year after year. But not this time!

I was actually scrolling through Facebook last weekend and an ad popped up from Hawthorne. Maybe I am living under a rock but I had never heard of that company. The ad intrigued me so I clicked and I am so glad that I did. In just a couple of minutes, a custom fragrance set was on its way just in time for Father’s Day.

How Does It Work?

Head to their website. You will complete a quick profile of your guy. They ask questions about his diet, cocktail of choice, and his work environment. It takes about 5 minutes to fill out the questions, maybe less.

Then Hawthorne presents a set of fragrance options customized to your man for you to choose. There is a “Work” cologne and a “Play” cologne option. You can choose to purchase one or you get a discount if you buy both. I went ahead and tried the combo set that included the Work & Play fragrance set.

Unique Father’s Day Gift – Custom Cologne Set

What’s Inside?

The packaging really added to the product itself. When I opened the brown shipping box, inside was a nice black and white graphic with my husband’s name handwritten inside.

The cologne comes in a black box with a simple white “Hawthorne” logo in the bottom right corner. Once you open that, a note shows that this is a gift from me to him. It also gives a short detail about the makers of his custom scent.

If you turn this card over, the scent profile (from the answers that I provided online) are hand circled.

The sleek black box that holds the cologne bottles opens to reveal both bottles. The bottles are nestled in the box lined in velvet.

The scent is of course the most important part when selecting a fragrance. Buying a fragrance online that I had no experience with was a little scary, but I am so glad I took the plunge. The scents for both are much more than I expected and I think my husband will love it.

The Play is probably my favorite but I like both. The play that we received is a warm scent with just a tiny hint of spicy sweet. The Work is a light and fresh smelling cologne. Both scents are appealing and I think they make a unique and interesting Father’s Day gift.

Do you have a unique Father’s Day gift idea for this year?

Weekly Summer Schedule for Kids

May 31, 2020 by Stacy Craft 3 Comments

This themed weekly summer schedule for kids has activities for every day of the work week to keep children busy.

Summertime brings a more laid back schedule for a lot of us. No more packing lunches, homework and getting kids ready for school.

But the dreaded “I’m bored” statement may start early and you will want to be prepared.

I’m not saying you should plan every minute of every day. I actually think it is great for kids to be bored sometimes because it encourages them to get creative and find joy in something that they orchestrate.

However, it helps me to have a general idea of something that I can direct the kids to do either while I’m working or that we can do together as a family. Something that I don’t have to think much about and that I can rattle off or set up quickly.

And just like meal plans help in the dinner rush, a weekly summer schedule for kids is a great way to have some ideas up your sleeve to get kids up, active and having fun during the summer months.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Follow Me on Pinterest for More fun Ideas!

Weekly Summer Schedule for Kids

Make your days a little easier with a plan for the long days of summer.

These theme days will help you create a weekly summer schedule for kids that is fun and active while keeping things simple for you.

Merry Monday

Kids got a case of the Monday’s? Make it a Merry Monday by doing something nice! Help a sibling with a task, write a letter or draw a picture for a nursing home, help a neighbor.

Another fun way to be merry is to find something to celebrate! An unbirthday would be a great way to have fun on the cheap. Make a cake, sing Happy Birthday. Make birthday cards. You could even let the kids find a gift around the house to wrap up for each other!

Typical & Tidy Tuesday

Just like I don’t believe in planning every hour of my kid’s summer, I also think a “down” day is good for kids.

This is just a day to chill. Entertain yourself, tidy your room, help with a chore around the house.

If cleaning all day is not your kid’s idea of fun, you can also take a twist on the “typical.” Go back to the old school typical days of summer.

Build a fort, play in a sprinkler or with the water hose, play outside, color a picture, or play hopscotch. Just good old traditional fun.

Work Out/Water Wednesday

Wednesday is another that has 2 options depending on your mood or schedule.

You can do all kinds of thing with this day!

Ideas for Kid Work Out times:

Complete an episode of Cosmic Kids, take a bike ride, head to the park to play, take a nature walk or create an obstacle course for the kids to complete.

Ideas for Water Wednesday:

Go swimming, play in a sprinkler or splash pad, try this awesome slip N slide hack for young kids, make vegetable soup in your water table, or try out one of the best backyard water toys for kids.

Try It Thursday

This day is all about trying out something new.

Test out a new recipe, make a craft or complete an at home science experiment.

Fun Friday

After a long week, a fun day is a great way to end the week with a bang.

Go on an outing to the zoo or a museum. Grab a special treat like ice cream or even just a candy bar at the gas station that the kid’s get to pick.

Have a play date with a friend or take a trip to the playground.

Need More Kid Fun?

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