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The Nashville Mom

Exploring Nashville with kids in tow.

/ The Nash Chat

Gigi Butler- Gigi’s Cupcakes

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Gigi Butler came to Nashville to pursue a musical career. However, she ended up with an even sweeter gig. Gigi used her entrepreneurial spirit to open her first cupcake shop in 2008 and now has the largest cupcake franchise in the world.

Not only does she have a successful cupcake business but is a renowned speaker, has appeared on the CBS TV Series “Undercover Boss” and has released her personal story in The Secret Ingredient. Gigi has also launched The Secret Ingredient Series on Youtube and IGTV. You can watch our episode where we make a GameDay recipe here.

Tune in to The Nash Chat to hear more from Gigi and her journey!

/ Events

Franklin Witches Ride

The 4th Annual Franklin Witches Ride is a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society. $20,000 has already been raised and 150 participating witches so far! The Witches Ride will be held on Sunday, October 27th at the Westhaven Residents’ Center. This family-friendly event has something for everyone. Women of all ages can dress in their witchiest attire and decorate their broomcycles (bicycles) or monster machines (golf carts) and fly through the streets of the Westhaven community in Franklin, TN for the festive witch parade. Men are encouraged to join in the fun and dress like warlocks to watch over children along the path as the witches pass by and sprinkle the streets with candy in the posted candy zones. The parade ends with a fall festival including food from Moes BBQ, Mojos Tacos, ll Forno pizza truck and much more fun! The Franklin Witches ride celebrates the beautiful spirits of those we loved affected by cancer.

Registration starts at 4 p.m., the line up at 4:35 p.m. and the ride at 4:45 p.m.

Register here.

/ Dawn's Latest

Christie Cookies in Space

Earth planet and astronaut in space ship window porthole. Elements of this image furnished by NASA; Shutterstock ID 519793738; Purchase Order: -; Brand: –

Christie Cookie is celebrating the upcoming launch of the famous DoubleTree by Hilton chocolate chip cookie into space through a series of local efforts. The DoubleTree Cookie, created in Nashville by Christie Cookie, will become the first food baked in space in a prototype oven designed to make long-duration space travel a little sweeter when it launches this fall from Wallops Island, Virginia to the International Space Station (ISS).

Here are a few ways to participate in the local activations:

  • Stop by either Nashville Christie Cookie location to buy a freshly baked DoubleTree Cookie. These chocolate-chip treats have been a custom offering since the 1980’s.
  • Stop by The Nashville Mom Instragram to enter to win an incredible prize: Free Christie Cookies for a year, a weekend staycation at DoubleTree by Hilton Nashville Downtown, a copy of the DoubleTree by Hilton Mission:Cookie cookbook and a year’s membership to Adventure Science Center. The contest will take place Friday, October 18th through Monday, October 21st.
  • Order your Commerative Cookies in Space tins here.
  • Middle Schoolers can enter the National Scholastic contest here.

DoubleTree by Hilton will make aerospace history when a batch of DoubleTree Cookie dough is launched along with the prototype oven in a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a landmark microgravity experiment in partnership with Zero G Kitchen and NanoRacks.

Hilton will be the first hospitality company to participate in research aboard the space station. Learn more about this launch and technology by visiting www.cookiesinspace.com

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Guide

House Beautiful Tour

  • Friday, October 18th through Sunday, November 3rd
  • Shuttle parking is required with the showhouse location. Parking will be at Immanuel Baptist Church at 222 Belle Meade Boulevard. Or you can get an Uber/Lyft to 725 Westview Avenue Nashville, TN 37205
  • The inspiring pages of House Beautiful come to life at this year’s top home tour, the Whole Home Concept House powered by L.G. This beautiful home has a concept of promoting happier, healthier and smarter living in collaboration with Wellness Within Your Walls. Benefiting the Nashville Symphony, the English Arts + Crafts style home, located in historic Belle Meade will be open for daily tours. Grab your tickets here. Watch my interview with designer Vern Yip (from TLC’s Trading Spaces) on my Insta TV Channel.

Cheekwood Harvest

  • When: September 22- October 27th
  • Where: Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
  • What: Celebrate all things fall with more than 5,000 autumn colored chrysanthemums, creative scarecrow garden as well as the Pumpkin House and Patch. There will also be a Halloween Pooch Parade, Beer Garden and specialty workshops throughout the season.

Lucky Ladd

  • When: September 21 through November 1st
  • Where: Lucky Ladd Farms, 4374 Rocky Glade Rd. Eagleville, TN
  • What: Pumpkin Patch, Nashville Preds themed corn maze, apple cider, caramel popcorn, farm animals, children’s games and activities

Honeysuckle Hill Farm Fall Festival

  • When: September 21st through November 2nd
  • Where: Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Cooperstown, TN
  • What: Country Music Corn Maze, Pumpkin Train, hillbilly pig races, pumpkin patch, kettle corn, caramel apples, zipline adventure park and much more!

The Hermitage Ghost Tours

  • Various dates through November 9th at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • The Hermitage
  • Explore the haunted side of history during our Hermitage Ghost Tours! After dark this fall, embark on a distinctly spooky voyage at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage as you explore the mansion, grounds and tombs by lantern light. Along the way, guides present stories of strange encounters such as the ghosts of the Battle of New Orleans and Jackson’s infamous meeting with Tennessee’s Bell Witch. Beware eerie encounters, possibly even with President Jackson himself. Ghost Tours run through November 9th at 7 pm and 9 pm. Please arrive early as tours will start right on time and we don’t want any souls left behind.

Jack’s Pumpkin Glow

  • Thursday, October 3rd through October 27th
  • The Hermitage
  • Enjoy a trail through hand-carved pumpkins, carving demonstrations, food and beverages

Boo at the Zoo

  • When: Weekends of October 11-13, 18-20, 24-27
  • Where: Nashville Zoo
  • What: Carnival games, bounce houses, dance parties, corn pit and more! The Howl-O-Ween Hayride takes riders on a trip through the Zoo’s backroads to discover magical scenes. Trick-or-treat around the Zoo trail and uncover festival treats made with sustainable palm oil. Enjoy special animal, science and magic shows. Visit the Frightful Farm to take Dying Traditions home tour of brave the Haunted Barn.


AUTUMNAL BAKE SALE TO BENEFIT THISTLE FARMS

  • When: Sunday, October 20 from 12-3pm
  • Where: lou –1304 McGavock Pike
  • Event: Autumnal Bake Sale to Benefit Thistle Farms
  • About: New to East Nashville’s Riverside Village, lou will be bringing the community together (both near and far) to hold an autumnal bake sale on Sunday, October 20th from 12-3PM. Hosted on lou’s back patio, the bake sale (pastries sold at $5 each) will benefit Thistle Farms, a local Nashville nonprofit dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from trafficking, prostitution, and addiction—including safe housing, a meaningful job, and a support system, with all proceeds being donated to the social enterprise. Bringing in chef, bakery, and creative industry-friends from across the country to prep and provide product, Mailea has secured talented individuals such as lou’s Pastry Chef Sasha Piligian, Zöe Kanan the Head Baker of Studio, George Washington Bar, and Simon & The Whale at The Freehand Hotel NYC, City House Nashville’s Pastry Chef Rebekah Turshen, Chef Julia Jaksic of Café Roze, Folk + Rolf and Daughter’s Chef/Owner Philip Krajeck, to name a few.

Franklin Wine Festival will be Friday, October 25th! Use discount code NASHMOM10 for 10% off general admission tickets!

/ Dawn's Latest, Mommy Must Haves, Parties

Kid-Friendly Halloween Party with Dollar General

Halloween is one of my favorite times to host friends and family! This year, we decided to host a Popcorn and Candy Party for a few friends! I tend to go overboard on all the holiday items so I enlisted my favorite budget-friendly spot, Dollar General for all of my party supplies!

Dollar General had everything we needed from paper goods, table clothes, snacks, party favors, candy-EVERYTHING! Most items I picked up were $1! The total on my festive finds was $30!

I gave each kid a treat bag to fill up with popcorn, candy and spooky little items like spider rings, witch fingers, stickers and slithering snakes!

Of course, I took the time to carefully pick out all the items and display them on the table! The kids snatched them up within seconds and filled their bags and mouths with treats!

After everyone was full of sugar and excitement, the girls dressed up in the Kitty Costumes! We found these $5 Costume Kits at Dollar General, along with $3 Makeup Kits (that are what every little girl dream of-stick on sparkles and glittery makeup!). These fuzzy treat bags were also only $3! For $11, these girls were over the moon with their fun costumes!

We are ready for all the trick-or-treaters! Dollar General also had great deals on Halloween and Fall Decorations too! Our costumes are ready, candy has been bought (hopefully we won’t eat it all before) so bring on Halloween!

Stop by your local Dollar General for budget-friendly finds! You can also find some of their seasonal merchandise online!

*This post was sponsored by Dollar General but all opinions are my own.*

/ The Nash Chat

All She Wrote Notes

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Meet Maghon Taylor, she is the queen of happy hand lettering! Based in North Carolina, she has built a business, All She Wrote Notes, of sharing her gift of pretty hand lettering with teaching classes, customizing artwork, tossing confetti and is the author of Happy Hand Lettering, a #1 Best Seller!

Maghon is sharing her journey with All She Wrote Notes on The Nash Chat! Not only is she super talented in turning simple writing into an art form but she EXUDES JOY!

Maghon has taught thousands of students to turn their everyday handwriting into a masterpiece! The best part is that Maghon tells her students that their work doesn’t have to be PERFECT! In fact, she turns her mistakes into CONFETTI! Tune in because you don’t want to miss this amazing lady!! And grab a copy of her book asap! You’ll want to try her “Pump”calligraphy for Halloween!