Vanderbilt Children’s has recently launched a website called Wishing Well. Wishing Well is a collaborative effort of voices of doctors, nurses, parents, kids and more!–all coming together to share wisdom and stories. I am honored to be among the community bloggers contributing to this site. Please take a look around the site and share your stories too!  I look forward to seeing you there!

My husband decided we should cater the whole thing because he didn’t want me to cook for my own party. (Read: I am not the best cook.) I looked into a few options and settled on The Local Taco. I am a huge fan of their restaurant and now I am a huge fan of their catering.

The food was a total hit. A few times I circulated to clear away empty plates and more than once people asked to keep their plate so they could go back for more. A sure sign of success.

In addition to the taco bar, The Local Taco team brought everything from their own tablecloth, chafing dishes, and even fresh sunflowers for the table. They came back the next morning to pick everything up and voila, nothing for us to clean!

The Local Taco has two locations: 4501 Murphy Road in Nashville and 146 Pewitt Drive in Brentwood.

Choosing a night when all your friends are in town and can get babysitters is a challenge, but so worth it for a night of conversation, laughter, and great food.

Just moments after he became a father for the first time.

Another Hallmark Holiday is just around the corner. Or is it?  Father’s Day, which will be celebrated this Sunday, is not one dreamed up by some corporate execs eager to taste the $5.99 that you will inevitably fork over for that Darth Vadar card proclaiming that he is your father as the theme from Star Wars plays from its crisp cardboard fold. How did this holiday originate and what can you do to celebrate, Nashville-style?

Father’s Day is generally credited to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane Washington, who, along with her five siblings, was raised by her Civil War veteran father after their mother passed away. While listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day 1909, Dodd pondered why her father, as well as other fathers, shouldn’t be recognized as caregivers.  A year later, with the support of local religious leaders, the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910. June was the month Dodd’s father was born. Father’s Day was officially recognized as a holiday by the US Government in 1972.

You can read more about the history of Father’s Day here and here, but I‘m sure what you really want to know is what you can do to celebrate the father of your children? After all, if your kid’s dad is anything like my kids’ dad, he changes the poopie diapers, loads the dishwasher, and surprises me with alone time by taking the kids to the park – all with a (forced) smile on his face!

First, let’s talk about eating.  Brunch is more of a Mother’s Day thing. A solid lunch is a good way to kick things off and lucky for you, Nashville has an abundance of great man-food establishments (read: meateries).  Downtown you have Jack’s BBQ where you can order up a plate of BBQ, 2 “vegetables”, and bread for $8.39; views of downtown are free. Or if you’re in East Nashville, head on over to Mitchell’s Delicatessen.  If you order the Benton’s bacon for him, you may just get an extra hour of free time. In mid-town, if you can stomach the wait, you will not go wrong with any of the noshes at Noshville.  They’ve got a Reuben sandwich that will unhook your jaw it’s so thick.  In West Nashville, you’ve got Cancun Mexican Restaurant with some of the best salsa and chips around.

Now that you’ve got him fed, let’s do something! There are many parks around Nashville that make day hikes so much fun.  The Edwin and Percy Warner parks are great – nice shaded hiking trails and a great nature center full of stuffed animals and overlooking hummingbird feeding stations. Metro Nashville also maintains s a bunch of affordable golf courses that the whole family can enjoy. Finally, if you want to give him some alone time that he most assuredly deserves (because even with a forced smile, he’s still changing a poopie diaper), load him up with some great fishing gear from the locally owned Fly South Tackle Shop and send him packing to catch you some dinner in one of Nashville’s great fishing spots – J. Percy Priest lake!

Although Father’s Day comes once a year, those handmade cards from the kids will be a tangible reminder of just how much he’s loved, adored, and appreciated as a father all year long. Even if those handmade cards are glued inside of a singing Hallmark.

The Thoroughbred 20 movie theatre, 633 Frazier Drive, Franklin is offering their Summer Kid Series again. Thursdays at 10am they will have a kids’ movie with $1 admission per person. They are also offering their Kiddie Tray for $4 each which includes popcorn, a drink, and a fruit snack.

The movies are:

• How to Train Your Dragon (6/16)
• Kung Fu Panda (6/23)
• Madagascar (6/30)
• Madagascar 2 (7/7)
• Megamind (7/14)
• Monsters vs. Aliens (7/21)
• Shrek (7/28)
• Shrek 2 (8/14)
• The Last Airbender (8/11)

We are heading to How to Train Your Dragon this week. I can taste the movie popcorn already.

On an unrelated side note, if you’re stumped for a Father’s Day gift that he will actually use, we bought movie passes this year. My husband can take the kiddos to a new release on the weekend and I can hang out at home. Win. Win.

(P.S. This is in no way a sponsored post. I am just sharing our summer plans with you!)

Roger Day (no relation to me) has a free show at the Brentwood Library on June 21st at 1pm. His shows are an hour of energetic, sing-along, interactive fun. My seven-year-old saw him at the library when she was three and we have been hooked ever since.

His latest album called Why Does Gray Matter? is full of brainy songs. Other favorite albums of ours are Dream Big! and Ready to Fly.

The teachers at my son’s preschool use his music in their classroom while working on gross motor movement.

He also has shows coming up at the Bethesda Library on June 22, the Leiper’s Fork Library on July 12, and the Fairview Library on July 13.

Roger Day is just one of the free shows that the Brentwood Library is offering this summer. If your children are interested in science, animals, or magic, the Brentwood Library has a show for them.

We are big fans of the Summer Reading Programs. My son is signed up as a “listener” and my daughter as a “reader.” They each set a personal goal for the summer, keep track of the books they have read, and bring in their completed sheet when summer is over for a prize and a certificate.

The day we visited to sign them up for the reading program, I signed up for the Adult Summer Reading Program which is modeled after the Amazing Race. I have read more in the last few weeks than I have in many months put together. (This *may* have something to do with my competitive nature…)

I love that my children love the library as much as I do. Reading is what our summer is all about. And Roger Day, of course.

Nashville Shores Waterpark is of course the biggest and best destination if you’re seeking a  wet wonderland adventure.  Just minutes east of downtown Nashville, it’s easy to get to and has something for everyone: enormous water slides, the wave pool and lazy river, a wading pool for toddlers, a lakefront beach covered in lawn chairs for lounging,  putt-putt golf and much, much more.   If you haven’t yet been here, it’s worth a visit – arrive early in the day to beat the crowds and bring lots of sunscreen.

Despite the recent headlines surrounding their opening day unruly crowd, we still think there’s fun to be had at Wave Country.  This Metro Country run park is most famous for its 40 foot speed slide, and also boasts a huge wave pool and kiddie pool complete with water-dropping features.  Their website currently has a $2.oo off admission coupon.

Kirkpatrick Park has a fenced in sprayground that is loads of fun for the younger kids. Located at 620 South 9th Street in Nashville near the hospital district, it’s worth a friendly reminder to lock your cars, but otherwise rest assured that families from all over the area enjoy this park with no problems.  It’s worth a visit.

Of course, no list would be complete without including the famous Tennessee fountains located at Bicentennial Park near the state capitol.  31 fountains spray up out of the ground and are sure to delight both adults and children on the hottest of hot days.  Bring a picnic and enjoy the ample picnic benches in shaded areas nearby.

Get out and enjoy the water fun around town! Make sure you stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in the shade, of course….but make it a goal this summer to discover each of these Nashville gems for a change of pace.

This weekend, May 27-29, some of the nation’s finest puppet troupes will join Nashville’s own Wishing Chair Productions for the Downtown Puppet Festival at the Main Library.

Nashville Public Library director, Donna Nicely, says, “The performances are not merely a spectacle but a work of art. The Downtown Puppet Festival will expose young ones and the young at heart to incredible performances by some of the most talented puppet troupes in the nation.”

Every performance is free, but some events require a ticket. You can get tickets at the door or reserve them online for a fee of $2.50 at www.nashvillepuppetfestival.com, where you can also see a schedule of events.

Free parking will be available on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the Metro Parking Lot at 10th Avenue Circle and Charlotte Pike.

Come enjoy one of these spectacular performances, and borrow a book while you’re at it. It’s fun, and it’s free. What’s not to love?

Interested in learning more about the Harpeth yourself? The association is offering guided “float” tours for members on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and on Father’s Day. You can get out on the river, check out the new and improved access points and also see the places that were damaged in the flood last year.

The first float is scheduled on Saturday, May 28 from 9:00 to 1:00 p.m. The float starts at the new access point at Coley Davis Road to the takeout point at Newsom Mill. HRWA will bring the canoes and paddles, so you don’t even have to worry about that. You do have to be a HRWA member to participate, but the association is always happy to accept brand new members.

The deadline is May 26, and the cost is $35 per canoe (two kids and one adult will fit in one canoe). Pack a lunch, and don’t forget your sunscreen. And I’d wear sturdy water shoes like Keens or Tevas, too.

The second float will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 19. Meet at the access point at Coley Davis Road to journey together to the put-in point at Highway 100.

The deadline to register for the second float is June 16. To register for either event, contact Julia Halford at juliahalford@harpethriver.org

At the top of our list is the Musician’s Corner events held every Saturday afternoon at Centennial Park, rain or shine.  With live artists rotating through the stage, it’s a great opportunity to grab a blanket and spread out in a shaded area of the lawn for some excellent music and people-watching.  Check the website for exact dates since there’s a brief gap in the schedule, but otherwise plan to attend between 3-6pm on an upcoming Saturday.

The Regions Community Concerts is an outdoor series put on by the Nashville Symphony in various locations in the area, and these dates deserve a dedicated spot on your summer calendar. Most concerts are free, except as noted:

• Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m.: Calsonic Arena, Shelbyville (Admission: $5. Conductor: Albert-George Schram)
• Thursday, June 9, at 8 p.m.: East Park
• Friday, June 10, at 8 p.m.: Bicentennial Mall State Park
• Sunday, June 12, at 7 p.m.: Crockett Park in Brentwood
• Tuesday, June 14, at 7 p.m.: Cumberland University, Lebanon (Admission: $5)
• Wednesday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m.: Moss Wright Park in Goodlettsville
• Tuesday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m.: Centennial Park
  Bring your dog to the concert.
• Tuesday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m.: Centennial Park
  Children’s costume contest for best-dressed Romeo or Juliet.

Been awhile since you’ve been to a Nashville Sounds game?  Grab your glove (and your kids) and head to Greer Stadium for a sure-to-please family outing.   Be sure not to miss the extremely rare opportunity to see the Boston Pops when they come through town on their minor league stadium tour.

If baseball’s not your thing for whatever reason, maybe a Family Night Out event at Cheekwood Botanical Garden would be right up your alley.  The programs start at 6:30pm on Thursday nights between June 2 and July 28 and are sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Check out the full schedule for the Sounds here and give them a call to ask about any special promotional offers they may be running.

What are your favorite – and maybe even free – summer outings with your family?

We’ve discovered a few products that have made life on the road (and in the air) significantly less stressful, and that’s about all we’re asking for these days.

• The Phil&Ted’s traveler crib is basically a miniature pack and play, folding up quite compactly into a checked suitcase and easy to assemble.  At only 7 pounds, you can easily use the shoulder strap to carry it and stash in an overhead bin if need be.
• If you need a car seat at your final destination, use this car seat travel bag when checking it with your luggage to make sure it arrives in perfect condition.  It too has shoulder straps, which makes it easy for Dad (or Mom) to carry it into the airport while rolling luggage or holding tiny hands at the same time.  We’ve used ours a ton of times and it still looks brand new.  If you want to check the seat plane-side instead, which we often did when we were using the infant bucket car seats in a snap n’ go style stroller, the bag easily stuffs below the stroller until you’re ready to use it.
• Using your car seat on the plane? Good move! Get one of these bad boys to easily carry the seat throughout the airport and onto the plane.  You’ll thank us later.
• There’s a lot of research out there touting the added safety benefits of having your young children properly strapped in when flying, ideally in a car seat.  If that’s not feasible for whatever reason,  we’ve often borrowed our friend’s CARES restraint system and have been really pleased with it.  A few flight attendants have questioned us about its use, but once you show them the FAA approved card that’s included in the bag, they smile and go on their merry little way.
• A crayon roll.  This is great for just everyday diaper-bag use, but stash this in your carry on bag and treat the little artists to some coloring time when all else fails.  It has yet to let us down.
• If traveling by car with an infant, these travel swings can be a lifesaver.  We took ours everywhere, even jamming it into a checked suitcase at one point because we had to have the swing.

Some tried and true travel tips that work for our family include the following:

Have a multitude of snacks at the ready.  Pack more than you ever think you could possibly need.

Bring an ample supply of diapers and wipes.  Pack one diaper for every hour of travel you have planned, and then pack a few more.

Toys from the dollar/clearance bins at a store like Target. Do NOT let them see them until you’re on the plane/in the car and are in need of distractions!

If you have an iPad, load some new movies on it and bring a good set of headphones.  God bless the iPad.

A change of clothes for each kid, AND one for you.  Trust me on this one and thank me later.

A corkscrew.  You’re going to need it when you reach your destination, the kids are all asleep, and it’s just you and your spouse looking at each other and realizing you survived the trip there…and it could have been a lot worse.