Our Adventures in Nashville, TN: Exploring the City for Free (or close to it) with Young Kids

Recently we were able to tag along with my husband while he spent a week in Nashville, TN for a work trip. Unfortunately, he had to spend his days in florescent lit conference rooms watching endless power point presentations and didn't get out with us to enjoy this beautiful city. So I took our four boys and went on an adventure each day we were there. It was exhausting and wonderful!

We stayed in a two bedroom condo out by Opryland. Since it was work related our visit took place during the week, so this let us experience the thrill (read: instant marital tension) of Nashville's daily Rush Hour traffic. This is by far the worst thing I could find about this city. However, after all the morning commuters arrive at work it is easy to navigate through the city. I didn't have any trouble getting around in my minivan and was even able to find a few free parking locations downtown. Although I discovered this is not common, and if you are planning a trip and plan on driving, budget for parking, or stay downtown and take the free intercity transportation. I was told it is user friendly and allows strollers, etc. But since I was already out numbered 4-to-1 and had the baby in my structured carrier (I use this one, and it's awesome!) and the toddler in the stroller and two running circles around me, I felt it best to just stick to our own vehicle and time frame.

Monday, after dropping Daddy off at work, we went to the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park. This is located a few blocks away from the strip and is free to visit. It is BEAUTIFUL! There are large grassy areas with lots of room for little legs to run around. As you walk through the trees you can learn about the history of Tennessee and even play in the fountain areas (we did not do this as it was a little chilly, and we didn't have extra clothes/shoes with us) and on the giant map of the State.

From there we walked to the Farmer's Market which is open all week, but it was still early and only a few, of the many, vendors were open but I can imagine you would be able to find everything you need there as they even have grass fed meats and eggs, along with produce, arts and crafts, and greenhouses full of plants. After exploring the market we loaded back up to head to the grocery store to stock our condo for the week. We stopped in a Publix, compared to my small town Walmart, this place was stunning! I even got helped out to my car and all my bags loaded up for me! Talk about a vacation! (Yes, it's the little things that count!)

Tuesday we started out the day at the Main Public Library downtown. Another beautiful place! We went to Story Time (so very well put together and enjoyable for everyone) and because it was the week of Halloween the boys got to make bags for the craft time and Trick-or-Treat throughout the Children's Library. This was definitely one of their favorite places.

After the library we went back to the condo for lunch and rest then we headed to the Adventure Science Center.

This is a part of the ASTC Passport Program so we were able to get in free because of our membership to our local science center. This was another big hit with my boys. It has a huge three story area for kids to explore and have hands-on discovery. There is a Subway restaurant inside the building with a huge eating area, and a nice view of the City. I brought some snacks, but it was nice to have the option to get a meal or a drink without having to leave the fun. Most of the exhibits were in really good shape and all of them were a ton of fun. We spent several hours here and enjoyed every minute!

Wednesday was my favorite day of our trip. We dropped off my husband and found a place to park downtown. After a quick search online I discovered the Music City Center parking garage had the lowest priced parking, it started at $4 for the first 2 hours. Some lots start anywhere from $12-18! So do your homework and shop around! (This site is very helpful)

Then we headed to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I couldn't visit Nashville without stopping here. And thankfully a lot of the attractions around the city are free for children under 5, including the Hall of Fame. So I was excited to see all the music history (and that I only had to pay for 1 ticket) but I was a little worried that the kids would be bored to tantrums. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover they had scavenger hunt papers for the kids to fill out and receive a prize! The boys had fun searching the exhibits for all the musical instruments and I was able to actually read the stories and spend time looking at everything. They even have a huge guitar themed slide and a lot of fun hands-on exhibits for kids to do, like record their own music in a sound booth! It was a fun time and worth the money, especially if you love country music.

(They do not allow flash photography, so my pictures aren't the best. Holding still with a 20lb infant strapped to your chest is pretty much impossible)

After the Hall of Fame we set off to explore the heart of Music City. We started at the Visitor Center to check in to see where the best place to eat would be and found out that all the bars are family friendly until 6pm. So we headed down Broadway and stopped at Legends Corner for some pizza and were close enough that my husband was able to walk down and join us on his lunch break. The food was awesome and the service was even better. And the live music truly completed our Nashville experience.

After lunch, Daddy returned to work and we returned to our adventure. We stopped at a candy shop for some fuel for our trek through downtown and over the pedestrian bridge. We walked over the river to Cumberland Park. It was a gorgeous day and the views were spectacular! Again we found ourselves in another beautiful location. It has artificial turf hills that double as slides and climbing areas, a sand pit, rock climbing walls and ropes courses. Along with a huge grassy area and amphitheater, trails through flower gardens and a splash pad in the summer months. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

Thursday we spent the day exploring the Opry Mills Mall. Complete with play areas and all the stores we rarely visit we had a full day of adventure. We had lunch at The Aquarium Restaurant located inside the mall. It was impressive. The food was good and the service was great. We spent two hours enjoying all the fish and our lunch. The boys were encouraged to walk around and look at all the huge tanks. The servers were educated in all the inhabitants and answered any questions we had. It was a little expensive (Kids meals were $5.99. Regular menu items averaged around $20) but considering the quality and portion size of the food and the fish tanks I think it was worth the money.

 

Friday was our last day. We checked out of the condo early in the morning and got Daddy dropped off at work. Since we just had a couple hours to wait we decided to head out to the Pancake Pantry and try out their famous fare. It was true to its reviews. This place was outstanding! It is a busy restaurant, especially at 9am but we got in just before the huge line formed around the building. I ordered the Sweet Potato Pancakes and the boys got strawberry topped silver dollar pancakes and Bears in the Snow (cute bear shaped pancakes with powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips.) The food was superb and the service was quick and friendly. None of the customers seemed to mind waiting. Everyone was caught up in friendly conversation and enjoying the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and maple syrup.

Sorry for the blurry pictures. The food was too good to stop long enough for a good photo!

After breakfast we still had some time so I drove over to Centennial Park to see the Parthenon and explore the park, but on the way it started to rain again and both babies fell asleep. So we just made use of the rest of our time driving through the park. It has a great playground area, along with a steam locomotive, and fighter jet.

   
By the time we finished driving through the park it was time to pick up my husband and head home. 
We had so much fun in Nashville, everyone was friendly and helpful. It was a great place to take a family. The downtown area and parks were so clean and felt safe. There was so much to do and see and a lot of it was free! Along with the Parthenon, there were a few places we didn't get to visit, so I can't wait to go back!


Thanks for sticking with me through this post, I know it was long, but we had so much fun I wanted to share it all with you.

If you are traveling to Nashville anytime soon I hope this helps you in your planning.

Until Next Time,
Sonja

Food Freedom: My Six Month Trimaversary and Trim Healthy Mama Book Review

Six Months! That doesn't seem like very long... but my sweet little baby is already crawling and starting to pull up to standing, my oldest started Kindergarten and I have lost almost FIFTY pounds! So A LOT can happen in just six months... but let's rewind...

My fourth and last baby was born at the beginning of this year. I had two pregnancies worth of weight to loose and I was really dreading all the hours I was going to have to spend doing cardio and counting every calorie that came near my face... because I had done it before. I spent a year trying to loose the weight after my first two pregnancies. I was so stressed and tired that I literally have very few memories from that summer of my life, it's all just a blur. I didn't want to go through that again. I want to soak up and cherish every moment of my boys early years because we all know, they go by way too fast.

I had heard of this Trim Healthy Mama (affiliate) book from my dear friend and fellow blogger (check her out at: Kids, Clutter, & Chaos) but I just kept thinking, oh it can't be that easy (I am so glad I was VERY wrong.) But I really didn't want to go another summer being overweight and stressed out about food and muffin tops. When I began my journey in March of this year I was wearing size 16/18 and 190 lbs. At 5 feet tall, it was way too much weight, all my joints ached, and I was tired. So figured I would give it a shot and I ordered the book.

Quietly reading the 607 paged book from start to finish was a bit more than I could manage with a newborn, toddler and two preschoolers living in the same house. So I just dove into the middle to get the basics of the plan down and I was hooked. Despite assuming I "knew how to eat right" I read it and learned so much (like eating fat doesn't make you fat - Bacon? Yes please!) Even now I go back to re-read different chapters and I am still pulling out new treasures and helpful information I missed in the beginning.

The authors do a great job using every day language to explain the 'why' behind the few foods that are considered "off plan" and give you suggestions for living this life in the real world, including tons of great easy to follow recipes. It is well written and entertaining. The information covers much more than weight loss. Totally body health is the ultimate goal. Not a number on the scale or a race to get there the fastest. They address all the issues that effect us and our everyday health. Including identifying your personality when it comes to your approach to food and the needs of your family life and how that all affects our successes and failures on our health journey.

So what is this Trim Healthy Mama (THM)? While a bit difficult to summarize, I generally explain it as a low-glycemic lifestyle. No sugar or white starches, combined with a way of eating that allows your body to burn it's own fat stores... but really it is so much more. It is food freedom.

Cutting out sugar seemed daunting at first (Have you looked? There is added sugar in everything!), but the natural sweeteners made it easy to adjust (check out my review on a great Stevia brand here)
Now I eat more sweets than ever before. I started eating rich chocolate muffins, creamy puddings, dark chocolate and peanut butter yogurt. I had real bacon and cheesy scrambled eggs for dinner at least once a week. And tons of other yummy foods. I began to notice a difference immediately. More energy, my skin and nails became healthy and strong and best of all; baggy pants! Sure, I have days I eat something "off plan" but that's okay, there is no guilt on THM, no food condemnation, three hours later just jump back in with a wise food choice. However, on those days I eat "off plan" I feel bloated and sluggish, and I am quickly reminded why I love THM so much.

 

Since March I am down to a size 6/8 and 143 lbs. I eat chocolate every day! I am free to eat butter, cream cheese, and bacon (and of course all the other wonderful foods like salmon, grilled chicken, fruits and veggies, sweet potatoes, beans and brown rice, but we all already know those things are "healthy") I eat until I'm full, no counting calories or points. No countless hours on the treadmill. Although exercise is encouraged and discussed in the book. I have begun strength training, because I finally have the energy to do so!

 

I am so excited to continue on this journey. Once I reach my goal, I won't be left to wonder what to do next, because THM has a plan for weight management, as well as weight loss. It is adaptable for every season of your life, whether you need to gain, lose, or maintain. If you have allergies, special medical needs or just want to invest in your health. It is not just for Mamas! This is a lifestyle the whole family will benefit from and I will forever be a Trim Healthy Mama.

Until Next Time!
Sonja

Stevia Select: Chocolate Raspberry Liquid Stevia Product Review

As most of you know I began a sugar free lifestyle back in March when I started Trim Healthy Mama, (affiliate) it has been life changing and I am loving it! (I will be sharing that journey with you soon!) When I started my search for sugar alternatives I had read that quality Stevia could be difficult to find. I stumbled upon Stevia Select while browsing Amazon.com and after reading all the positive reviews I thought I would give it a try.

I first ordered the 100% Pure Stevia Powder and was delighted to discover that not only did it taste great, it had none of the bitter after taste that I was warned about from other products. Since then I was able to be in contact with this family owned small business and I received a bottle of their Liquid Stevia in the Chocolate Raspberry flavor to review.

I was a little disenchanted at first since I normally do not like the blend of chocolate and fruit flavors (apart from the occasional chocolate covered strawberry). However, I was pleasantly surprised by this little bottle of Stevia. It has nice delicate raspberry flavor that isn't overwhelming.

I first tried it in a serving of plain Greek yogurt and it took about 10-12 drops to get to the sweetness level that I like but it blended in smooth and creamy. It left the best after taste, the kind that leaves you wanting just a little bit more.

After that I used it in a cup of black coffee, and the warm drink really brought out the flavors. I didn't have to use as much, just 6-8 drops, and could really taste the fullness of the flavors better than in the yogurt. It was also just as yummy in a cup of hot Oolong tea {for those of you on THM: Chocolate Raspberry Shrinker! Yummy!} I discovered that, as the bottle states, it really does need a good shake between each use and the dropper works best when emptied completely after using to prevent clogging.

The real test was my beloved Chocolate Muffin in a Mug. I followed the recipe in the book and added 6-8 drops of the Chocolate Raspberry Liquid Stevia.

Then I made a Chocolate Raspberry Whip to spread over my muffin. 

Because who doesn't love losing weight eating whip cream smothered chocolate muffins!?

I topped it with Skinny Chocolate chips and it was delicious! 

I am very excited to have this product in my pantry and I cannot wait to try the other flavors Stevia Select has to offer.

Check out their website to learn more about this great company and order your Stevia today!

Until Next Time, 

Sonja