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The Nashville Mom

/ Chicago, Travel

48 Hours in Chicago

Owen turned 10 last year and we’d always told him he’d get to pick a place to visit for his birthday. However, we all know how 2020 played out…so we celebrated this year by going to Chicago to attend The National Sports Collectors Convention. It was our first time in Chicago so we tried to see as much as possible in the short 48 hours we were there.

Our first stop was Millennium Park to see the famous Bean.

I loved seeing all the blooming flowers around the city! I have to say, Chicago wasn’t quite what I expected it to be but was even better!

We walked around the Magnificent Mile, browsed shops and then grabbed lunch at Shake Shack.

You can’t go to Shake Shack without a shake!

One of the most recommended activities was the Architecture Boat Tour! And hands down-it was one of our favorites too!

We got turned around in our directions but thanks to an Uber driver, we made it just on time to board the Emerald Lady. The boat tour was 90 minutes and it was such a fun way to see Chicago and learn about the history and architecture.

While we didn’t get to check out the Navy Pier up close, we were glad to see it from afar.

If it can get the approval of an 11 year old boy, I would recommend it to anyone!

Next up, we headed to Wrigley Field! What a special place to watch baseball!

Everyone was so friendly and made Owen’s day by welcoming him with a first visit certificate!

We loaded up on hot dogs (veggie for me), peanuts and cheered the Cubs on! Sadly, the Reds took home the win but it was an experience we will never forget!

On Wednesday morning, we decided to check out Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the US! Lincoln Park Zoo is also free!

It was such a hot day but we enjoyed seeing the animals, riding the carousel and Owen even had a snow cone before lunch!

I wish we would’ve had more time to explore Lincoln Park neighborhood-the brownstones were so charming!

Sweet Mandy B’s was the most recommended sweet treat in Chicago and we can see why! This snickerdoodle cupcake was worth the Uber ride.

And the moment he had been dreaming of for years…The National! I never thought I’d be attending a sports card show but seeing his eyes light up made following him around for 5 hours completely worth it!

Owen got to meet some of shop owners, like Jimmy from Kentucky Roadshow.

Such a special experience with my boy!

We COULD NOT leave Chicago without trying Chicago pizza! After a lonnnggg day, we Ubered over to Lou Malnati’s….only to find out it was carry-out only! They were nice enough to let us hang out while we waited for our pizza and then Ubered back to eat it! After all that, we can still say it was delicious!!

Chicago-I like you! I’m sorry that I’m just now getting to know you but hope we have lots more fun times ahead!

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: September 3-6

Music City Market on the Green

  • Saturday, September 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • JW Marriott Nashville (201 8th Avenue South)
  • Over 20 women artisans represented by the Nashville Women’s Collective will be on-hand selling goods ranging from vintage clothing, home goods, jewelry, bath and body products, candles, art, pet products, and more. Enjoy free entry, live music, cold beverages, and good eats while you shop in the heart of downtown.

Classic Car Show

  • Saturday, September 4th
  • Cheekwood
  • Start your Labor Day Weekend off right with a stroll among impeccably maintained classic cars including a 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I, a 1934 Packard Super Eight Victoria, a 1947 Chrysler Town & Country, and many others from the early to mid-twentieth century. Enjoy the sounds of a barbershop quartet, grab a drink from our bar stations, and some tasty fare from local food trucks to round out the perfect Saturday activity for the whole family.

Water Lantern Festival

  • Saturday, September 4th from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Family friendly event! Adult tickets include admission, a floating lantern kit, LED candle, commemorative drawstring bag, marker, and lantern retrieval and water cleanup.

Musicians Corner

  • Thursday, September 2nd and Friday, September 3rd from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Free music series in the park! Performers include include Caroline Spence, Dante Williamson, Kris Allen, Lucie Silvas and more!

Mercy Franklin Classic

  • Monday, September 6th
  • Runners take off from Historic Franklin Square
  • Williamson County’s favorite Labor Day tradition – the Mercy Franklin Classic, presented by Provisions Group. The race will include a 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run and a 1K Kids Run. This community supported race begins in historic Franklin Square and culminates with a finish to remember as participants race down Main Street to cheers from their friends, family, and neighbors.

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: August 26-29

Ashley Home Fall Event

  • Sunday, August 29th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • 14TENN (1410 51st Avenue North Nashville, TN 37209)
  • Seasonal market and shopping Nashville’s small businesses by shopping local market vendors

Dog Nights of Summer

  • Thursday, August 26th from 5 to 9 p.m. (Last week!)
  • Cheekwood
  • Bring your pooch for a furry-friend stroll through the gardens at Cheekwood. Dogs must be on a leash and please clean up after your dog. This event is included with General Admission.

Kroger Safari Fridays

  • Friday, August 27th (Last week!)
  • Nashville Zoo
  • Kroger Plus Card holders can score buy one, get one free admission to the Nashville Zoo as part of its annual Kroger Safari Fridays deal. Present your card (sign-up for free in-store or on Kroger’s website) at the zoo’s ticket booth on Fridays in August to receive the promotion

Nashville Sounds

  • Thursday, August 26th through Sunday, August 29th
  • First Horizon Park
  • Cheer on our hometown team during home games this weekend

Jazz by the Hillside

  • Sunday, August 29th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Arrington Vineyards
  • Jazz on the Hillside by The San Rafael Band, Bluegrass at the Barn by Grasstime Band and food from Simply Living Life   

The Great Lawn Party

  • Thursday, August 26th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Music, Food, Children’s Activities to celebrate the revitalization of the Great Lawn

/ Barnsley

Barnsley Favorites

Barnsley Resort has become our go-to family spot for weekends away! We went for the first time last year and the whole family fell in love! The resort has something for everyone! Here are a few reasons we love Barnsley.

Perfect Weekend Getaway

Barnsley is around 3 hours from Nashville so it makes for a quick getaway! I love that it’s so family friendly! The kids have asked a few times if we could live there! When you arrive, it feels like you’ve been transported into a Storybook Village. Accommodations include The Inn at Barnsley or adorable cottages.

Pet-Friendly

While we can’t always travel with our pups, it’s nice when they can vacation with us too! Beau fits right in at Barnsley and loves going on walks around the property.

Amenities

Barnsley has so many outdoor activities including hiking trails, complimentary bike rentals, canoes, fishing poles, bocce ball, outdoor checkers and more! We spent most of our time outside!

Cool Off in The Pool

We spent most of the afternoon at the pool, sipping poolside slushies and meeting new friends. The pool overlooks the golf course, which makes my golfers happy! While they didn’t get to play during this visit, they enjoyed putting on the green. There’s also a fitness center and spa!

Family Competitions

We decided to have a little family competition over the weekend and try out some new things! First up was air rifles! While some of us (me) couldn’t get the target for anything, others were more natural! And LC was pretty cute in her safety goggles.

Our guide was so helpful and patient with us. He set everything up and helped us along the way.

It’s always fun to try out something new!

And then…Mama got a bullseye! No one is more surprised than I am that I hit a bullseye in archery. It was a hot afternoon but we had the best time!

Sis showed us all up-we had no idea she was so skilled at archery!

Even though I gave him a run for his money, Owen was crowned Family Archery Champ!

The Barn

One of our favorite spots at Barnsley is the barn, visiting the farm animals. Horses, sheep, goats and of course, LC found a cat!

Barnsley Gardens and Ruins

The Manor House Ruins are the remnants of the original 19th century Italianate villa built by Godfrey Barnsley for his wife Julia. A classic boxwood garden leads up to the ruins and the kids love navigating through the maze.

Such a magical place!

Dining Options

Once we arrive at Barnsley, we don’t leave! There are both casual and more formal options for dining. You can sit outside under the twinkling lights of the Beer Garden and enjoy a casual menu. The Woodlands Grille has pasta, seafood, burgers and lots of choices. We tried The Rice Mill this time for a belated anniversary dinner and it was fabulous! I’m not sure if the fresh bread, appetizers, entrée or dessert was my favorite!

If you’re looking for a place for a family getaway, couples or girls’ weekend, we highly recommend Barnsley! Use code NMOM while booking for a complimentary Barnsley tote bag! Barnsley would be such a fun place for Fall Break!

You can read about our previous stays here.

/ General Info

Nashville Weekend Happenings: August 19th-21st

Full Moon Picking Parties

  • Friday, August 20th (6 p.m.- 10) and Saturday, August 21st (5 p.m.-10 p.m.)
  • Percy Warner Equestrian Park
  • This unique bluegrass music series is one of Nashville’s most popular outdoor events, attracting families, friends, and dog lovers from all over to hear local musicians play together under the full moon in one of Nashville’s most picturesque settings: Percy Warner Park Equestrian Center. Food trucks will be onsite

Shakespeare in the Park

  • Weekly performances (Thursdays-Sundays) from Thursday, August 12th to Sunday, September 19th
  • OneC1ty
  • Shakespeare in the Park, a summer production of Shakespeare’s best-known works, will take place at OneC1ty for the 2021 season. Admission is free but a $10 donation is suggested.

Dog Nights of Summer

  • Thursdays, August 19th and 26th from 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Cheekwood
  • Bring your pooch for a furry-friend stroll through the gardens at Cheekwood. Dogs must be on a leash and please clean up after your dog. This event is included with General Admission.

Titans Battle of the Bands

  • Friday, August 20th at 7 p.m.
  • Fifth and Broadway
  • You don’t want to miss the Inaugural Titans Battle of the Bands at the Assembly Hall Rooftop Showcase Stage on Friday, August 20th at 7pm. Five up and coming bands of all genres will compete for a Gibson Guitar Equipment prize pack and the opportunity to perform at halftime during the Titans vs. Dolphins game on Sunday, January 2! Tickets are $25

Tennessee State Fair

  • Through Saturday, August 21st
  • James E. Ward Agricultural Center (945 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon)
  • Rides, contests, fair food, vendors and lots of fun for the whole family!

Kroger Safari Fridays

  • Fridays in August
  • Nashville Zoo
  • Kroger Plus Card holders can score buy one, get one free admission to the Nashville Zoo as part of its annual Kroger Safari Fridays deal. Present your card (sign-up for free in-store or on Kroger’s website) at the zoo’s ticket booth on Fridays in August to receive the promotion

Sweet Corn Fest

  • Saturday, August 21st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Lucky Ladd
  • Fresh roasted corn on the cob, Corn Eating and Corn Shucking Competitions. Kids can cool off on the inflatable water slides, splash pad and bubble blast.

/ Dawn's Latest

Back to School with DICK’S

DICK’s is a one-stop shop for back to school for apparel, footwear, accessories to Back to School. DICK’s has something for everyone in the family with leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, The North Face, Ray-Ban, Free People, Calia, Jordan and many others. If you need some inspiration, check out the #WELCOMEBACK campaign ad spot for another inside look at all the best in curated looks.

Teen Boys

I have a tween boy and know how difficult it can be agreeing on clothing. Luckily, DICK’s has everything that my son loves and that mom approves! The biggest trends for teen boys are hoodies, sweat pants, graphic tees, flow shorts and more from top brands:

Under Armour

Nike

Jordan

Adidas

VRST: a new private label line made specifically for men, offering the perfect outerwear, tops, bottoms, and accessories for going back to school in style. 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner, Devonta Smith recently announced a brand partnership with VRST.

Teen Girls

Has anyone noticed all the 90’s flashbacks in fashion lately? DICK’s curated looks include bold colors and low-key styles from Nike or mix-matched patterns from The North Face. I love that DICK’s has more than atheletic wear, they are now carrying one of my favorite brands, Free People.

DSG is a go-to brand that offers an assortment of styles and sizes for women, men, and youth. DSG is affordable, has inclusive sizing and stylish. 1% of the purchase price of DSG items will be donated to the DICK’S Sporting Good Foundation’s Sports Matter program to help save youth sports.

Youth

My kids are good with graphic tees, hoodies and shorts! DICK’s has everything covered with brands like Jordan , The North Face and Nike. Owen wanted all things Jordan this year! And LC has to have a hoodie with her at all times.

Footwear

Shoes, shoes, shoes! Owen was concerned mostly with his shoes this year! DICK’S has all the top brands to make sure your kids have everything they need to stay active this school year, featuring the latest in footwear trends. Shop their kid’s shoes here.

Accessories

DICK’S has many other must-have accessories for the back-to-school season including back packs, Hydroflask water bottles, hand santizer, stylish hats and much more.

In-Store and Online Services

Not only does DICK’s have everything you need for Back to School, there are making it as convenient as possible. DICK’s will match any lower prices you find! Now, that’s a deal!! Contactless Curbside Pickup is also available. You can order online or from your phone. Then, select curbside as your delivery method, check in and your products will be delivered in minutes.