Relaxation was where it was at this past weekend for myself, my Mom and my Sister. For my Mom, it was a celebration for her Birthday. For my sister and I, we were just the lucky daughters who got to tag along and celebrate with her! Our main goals on this trip were 1)Relax and sleep 2) Spa time 3) Lots of chats and laughs 4) Eat 5) Hopefully win (but probably lose) a little money on the slots. We totally nailed all 5 of these goals, so we were pretty proud of ourselves 😉

On Friday we headed out for our road trip adventure to French Lick, Indiana. We were too busy doing the above things (especially the relax part) to get too many pictures, but we did manage to snap a selfie before we hit the road 🙂 None of us had ever been, and to say it surpassed our expectations is an understatement. We stayed at the West Baden Springs Resort, which is the sister property to French Lick Resort. The hotel itself was absolutely breathtaking. Like you had truly stepped back in time, but at the same time everything was so up to date and current standards. Here are a few pictures from around the properties. If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommend checking these resorts out! You will not be disappointed.


So, I won’t go into the hour by hour details but I will tell you this. It was the most relaxing weekend I have had in I don’t know how long. And it was literally just what the doctor ordered. Before I left I was tired. Like, dog tired.  I have this 24/7 gig I like to call my mom thing, and then there’s the wife thing, and then there’s the small business thing. Just like most women I know my age (30 something-ish, give or take a bit ;)) we do all the things, all the day long and never take the right amount of time for ourselves. I’m completely guilty of it. That’s why when we do actually take time for ourselves it so amazing that we almost don’t know what to do or how to act.

At home, if we were to hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign up, do you think anyone would honor that? Not at this house! I can’t go to the bathroom alone, much less maybe take a long bath or sleep in without the little knocks at the door or taps on the shoulder. So, we go on day by day doing all the things with our sidekicks right by us. And that is OK! Because when you do get away, you can put that “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and they actually DO IT! Ahhhh…amazing concept!

To optimize the #1 goal on our list (relax and sleep), we each got our own room. And man did we totally take this goal seriously. We slept in, slowly slipped as much coffee as we wanted, splurged on room service breakfast and stayed in our PJ’s and fuzzy robes longer than normally acceptable.  We hung our “Do Not Disturb” signs with pride and smiled as we did so.

Relaxing is AMAZING! Did it feel a little strange? Sure did! Did we love every minute? Sure did! We face timed our kids and husbands and of course missed those little guys. But, the time we took for us was invaluable.  My to do list was set aside, and I tried not to think about the work I had waiting for me when I got home. It just didn’t matter this weekend. This weekend was for us girls, and it is something I truly hope we can make an annual thing. I don’t care if it’s an hour, an afternoon or a weekend it is important for us all to do this when we can. Recharge those batteries that get so drained from doing all the things and reward yourself for doing all the things! YOU DESERVE IT!!

We got home on Sunday and I was so happy to see my family. It was a great lazy afternoon as a family hanging around in our comfy clothes and just being together.  Sometimes my boys have these sweet moments where they are getting along so great that I have to snap a picture to capture it 🙂

When we were all sitting around I realized something. I like my house just like I like my clothes…COMFY!! It is just as important to be RELAXED at home as it is when you are away. It’s a different kind of relaxing of course, but your home should be a spot of relaxation and comfort.  Who doesn’t want to live in a house that you feel like you couldn’t just go cozy up on the couch with your feet up? Yes, I like to have pretty things but I also don’t want to feel like my house is a museum.

Just like how I shared with y’all  how you can make your home beautiful without spending a fortune, I also believe this. Your house can feel comfortable and relaxing and still be beautiful. You can have the pretty things and still bring in elements of cozy. Some must haves in your living spaces are soft throws, big squishy pillows, candles and lamps. I don’t know that you can ever have too many of any of those, although my husband may disagree 🙂 Open those blinds during the day and let the natural light come in. In the afternoon when it starts to get dark, I love having just a few lamps on and a candle burning for a cozy feel.

Sitting on my striped chair under a blanket with my feet up by my fireplace is one of my happy spots and I feel truly at home when I do this.  So, here are a few cozy spots in my home where I can truly relax and unwind from my crazy and busy life.

In this go, go, go world we MUST be able to find time to relax. I hope you will take time for yourself to relax AND take time to make your house the relaxing space it should be. Make it a place you look forward to coming home to. Because at the end of a busy day it’s kind of the best feeling in the world to come home to the people you love and just settle on in!

~Stacey