Christmas 'Tis the Season

MERRY CHRISTMAS

McKenzie House Bed & Breakfast

December 2010 Newsletter

Gift Certificates now available on the website. If you haven't noticed, you may now buy gift certificates directly on our reservation page of our website. These are available in $50, $100, or $200 increments or you may purchase one for a s pecific amount to include any "extras" and/or sales tax (7%). They make GREAT stockings stuffers.

Despite the change in weather, there is no slow down in activities at the house. As Notre Dame Football prepares for a bowl bid, its time once again to dust off the Christmas decorations. I'm not worried about the pending cold weather since I have the man-powered (remote controlled) fireplace now available for guest use in the sitting room. In case that isn't enough, we've raised the temperature on the hot tub to a toe-tingling 103 degrees.

For the less adventuress, this fall/winter will feature some great Notre Dame indoor athletics in men's and women's basketball, as well as the up and coming men' s hockey team. LATE BREAKING NEWS: Congratulations to the women's soccer team -- 2010 National Champions.

Notre Dame

For those who can't get enough of the cold.there is a great ice skating venue in Elkhart.

NIPCO Slating Park

When you're done there, we've discovered some great new (to us) options for dining: Mad Anthony's (a converted former movie theatre), McCarthy's and the Chubby Trout.to name a few. Elkhart

Elkhart dining

Another outdoor venue is the frozen toboggan run at Pokagon State Park about 30 minutes down the toll road. This local favorite promises to excite as you can reach speeds in ex cess of 35 miles/hour. If that isn't your cup of tea, there is cross country skiing (w/equipment rentals). Visit their website for a video preview of what can be had. Local cross country skiing is available in some of our county parks, as well.

Toboggan Run / Cross Country Skiing

Downhill skiing is just 30 minutes across the Michigan border at Swiss Valley ski hill.

ski swiss valley



Winter Specials/packages -- stop back next month and check out our January newsletter for winter bargains OR catch our Blog on our website for more ideas.

52215 SR 13

Middlebury Indiana 46540

574-825-9787

mckenziehousebnb.com

sherry@mckenziehousebnb.com



Newsletter

McKenzie House Bed and Breakfast can now send out birthday & anniversary emails as well as newsletters to keep you updated on whats happening at our Bed and Breakfast, as well as Middlebury/Shipshewana and surrounding areas. To change or update your information, click on the button below. Feel free to forward this email to your family and friends, to introduce them to McKenzie House, and to allow them to take advantage of upcoming seasonal promotions throughout the year.

Winter Festivities in and around the B&B

We may be rounding the corner into winter, but that only means new recreational opportunities to explore. Besides local Amish buggy and sleigh rides, there is the frozen toboggan run (rentals are only $10/hour) at Pokagon State Park where riders reach speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. For those who prefer a slower pace, cross country skiing (and equipment rental) is available. Downhill skiing (w/ski and board rentals) at Swiss Valley is just down up the road.

Ice skating outdoors by the river in Elkhart is a throwback to simpler times (skate rentals available).

As an incentive to try some of these, book a room for any Sunday through Wednesday night (December through March), and receive your second night lodging free.

We also have gift certificates available now on our website...just click on our "check availability/make a reservation" button and then "gift certificates." Call us if you would like a gift certificate for an amount not listed, or if you would like to purchase a "room specific" gift.

 

Now that Thanksgiving is past, the Christmas decorations are coming out and we are gearing up for the holiest of holidays. Christmas is a special time around McKenzie House and this year all six girls will be blessing us(?) with their presence (presents?) at various times. You just might meet the namesake of your suite if you join us in December.

Wonderful Wedding Weekend

In early spring Amber and Matt called us – McKenzie House Bed & Breakfast looking for the perfect setting for their romantic wedding. How exciting for them but how much more exciting for us – our FIRST wedding since our opening of the bed & breakfast in July of 2009. Just as Amber and Matt dreamed of this day, so did WE! A bride and groom taking their vows at our bed & breakfast – and just as any proud innkeepers, we wanted it to be PERFECT for them.




The planning began………….the ceremony would be in the far northwest corner of the property facing the woods behind the carriage house. Amber’s dad would be building the altar at which they would be married – what a sweet gesture. The big white tent complete with a dance floor would be on the southeast side of the property, near the pool. Lanterns and wine bottle candles would adorn the pathways and surround the pool to help complete the romantic setting for the evening. Bruce took care of building a bonfire in the back corner of the south yard to help light the evening.

Even though the day had brought rain showers off and on – by late afternoon the sun had begun to shine, and the evening sky was filled with a beautiful moon and stars…..magical.

After the ceremony, the guests made their way to the 40x60 tent for dinner and the toasting of the newly married couple….and then the real party began – complete with music, lots of conversation and many a slow dance for all the couples in attendance. As the evening wound down – guests sat poolside (or in the hot tub), on the porch swings, or by the fire, and enjoyed the night.

Scrapbooking adventures at McKenzie House Bed and Breakfast

Consider a scrapbooking adventure getaway at the luxurious Mckenzie House Bed and Breakfast. You're cordially invited to come "Crop-n-shop 'til you Drop" at our internationally known piece of heaven. Situated on four wooded acres, we're a mere five miles from the infamous Amish community of Shipshewana, where weekly antique auctions and flea markets run from May to October. Our home offers 7,000 sq. ft. for you to relax in and enjoy while you're here. Take pleasure in one of our two hottubs or book one of our suites with Jacuzzi bathtubs, hang out poolside by our heated pool or spend some time by the fire in our conversation pit. A 50" wide screen TV with surround sound is ideal for watching your favorite movie or one of our more than 150 TV channels. Our rooms all have flat screen TVs and DVD players, and nobody has ever gone away hungry from one of Sherry's fabulous hot breakfasts...served each morning of your visit. Late afternoon snacks help tide you over until you venture out to one of our great Amish restaurants, or other fine dining options. By the way, the 4th annual Elkhart County Quilt Gardens Tour runs from the end of May until early fall. This free event features 90,000 blooms in seventeen huge gardens.

Round up ten or fifteen of your closest friends to enjoy a weekend at a truly peaceful retreat. Our beds will delight you and the rooms will excite you.

Middlebury IN Bed and Breakfast Celebrates Spring

“Tis the season” usually applies to Christmas, but after a long cold winter I say lets apply it to Spring instead. The snow and ice are gone and the colors of the season are upon us. Nature is not the only thing moving into full swing, as the calendar is blooming as well. The month of May will see the return of the Shipshewana Flea Market for its six month run, along with the Garden Art & Antique Show on May 6th, a cruise-in celebrating the Hudson automobile will be held from May 13-15, and that will be followed by the first extended flea market of the summer from May 31st until June 2nd. Memorial Day marks the beginning of the 4th annual Quilt Gardens Tour which runs through October 1st. This unique blending of art, quilting, and gardening cannot be experienced anywhere else.

If you don’t feel there is enough time to take in all that is available, we are offering a “Spring Appreciation Package” (code P1005). Book a three night stay and take 50% off your third night. Just mention the code when booking your room.