Nashville Guide

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson 

Top: The Nashville Guide || Jeans: Pea in a Pod || Non-maternity jeans: here & here || Shoes: Converse 

I recently teamed up with the Nashville Guide to share this adorable t-shirt with you. It is no secret that I love my city an abnormal amount. So, it should come as no surprise that I am always happy to rep some Nashville gear. This particular t-shit carries a little more value than just the name of my city. When you purchase this t-shirt, a portion of the proceeds go to The Little Pantry That Could – a Nashville based organization that serves our communities in need. They provide a unique shopping experience that allows a diverse crowd of people to obtain food for their families. Of course, there is nothing more powerful than people helping people, especially right in our own backyard. God calls us to “be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32), and what better way to do that than by serving those in need. One way you can help is by going to volunteer, but you can also spend some time shopping The Nashville Guide’s online store. As an added bonus, use the code “TADLOVE” for 15% off your order!

Nashville is going to be buzzing this weekend with the CMA Fest in town. While Adam and I don’t always stick around for the excitement, I love what our town becomes over these next couple of days. I am excited for my city – excited for all the people who are coming to experience it.  And because of the excitement with CMA Fest, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to highlight a few of my favorite places to eat in town:

Proper Bagel – now that it’s summer, I go twice a week (at least)! Get the “New Yorker” on an everything bagel.

Fenwicks 300 – located on 8th Avenue in the Melrose area. The Bacon & Egg Fried Rice is the most amazing meal ever. Be sure to schedule in a nap for after this meal.

Fido – the turkey and brie sandwich... Need I say more?

Franklin Juice Co. – I could eat their “Bom Bom” bowl for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Seriously, y’all. It’s so good.

Two Ten Jack – This might just be our favorite dinner spot in town. The best ramen. Get the Tori Paitan Shoyu, and add an extra egg.

Rosepepper – Great atmosphere, and everything is good. You can’t go wrong here.

The Diner – New spot downtown. Awesome brunch menu, but even better atmosphere with 6 levels of different dining experiences.

Butchertown Hall – In love with their queso dip.

Moto – Cacio e Pepe pasta.

Peter’s Sushi – Located in Brentwood, just outside of Nashville. The best sushi in town and for a reasonable price.

For those of you heading out into the madness of CMA Fest, I hope you have a safe and happy time. Be sure to visit the the Chevy Park Stage at 11:50am and Ascend Amphitheatre at 7pm on Saturday to see Cale Dodds perform.

Oh, and GO PREDS!

Lighten Up

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson 

Dress: Nordstrom || Shoes: Lucky Brand

A light and flowy summer dress is a must. Now, more than ever, I am in need of “lightness.”  One of my favorite brands that meets this need is Hinge from Nordstrom. Hinge is known for its dresses in fun prints and relaxed styles. This dress has that light feeling and is non-maternity. A major win-win for this pregnant girl!

During the summer, my load is definitely lightened with school being out. However, with all this extra time, I am doing what I do best: unnecessarily building that load back up again. I’ve already been scheduling meetings, running errands, re-organizing my classroom, etc. – all things that I feel like I should be doing to pass the time, but probably things that are not best for my mental well-being.

I need to get better at taking the time to lighten the load. I know for a lot of us it’s easier said than done. And, sometimes, life just doesn’t allow it. But, it is important for us to slow down and connect with God.  It is in those times that we actually hear what He has to say.  It is unfortunate that for a lot of us, including me, it sometimes takes a complete utter breakdown for us to realize what we truly need.

In all areas—especially in the blog world and on social media—it is easy to play the comparison game and feel like you need to go faster, work harder, smile bigger, and have amazing lighting at all hours. But sometimes God wants you to do the exact opposite. I am not saying to call-in to work tomorrow and say that you are taking the rest of the week off. What I am saying is that you should stop for a minute. Chill out. Lighten up. Stop worrying about where you want to be and focus on where you should be. Whether that is taking time to read a book, spend time with friends, be with family, or go for a run. Whatever you need to do to recharge your soul and your relationship with Him… do that. The rat race will still be there tomorrow, but you will run it better if you are focused on what He wants you to do today. The more time you spend listening to His wants instead of your own, the less running you will actually have to do.