Nashville for Spring Break!

This Spring Break couldn’t have come at a better time! I needed a break so badly!!! I had just come off of a couple stressful weeks planning and executing Springfield Public Schools Orchestra Festival for all the middle schools in the area. It was tough work and it made me feel like a crazy person! I was completely checked out at school the next week and all I could think about was SPRING BREAK! Originally I had just planned to do nothing- I mean literally nothing!!! I was going to stay home, wear pj’s every day, watch way too much Netflix and Hulu, take lots of bubble baths… etc. Well, while that would have been delightful, I decided to go to Nashville instead to see my beautiful family and my newest cutest niece.

When Charlie, my first niece on my side of the family was born, I wanted so badly to hold her as a newborn. But with Erik and Katelyn ( my brother and sis-in-law)living in California, I wasn’t able to hold her until she was about 5 months old. I couldn’t wait to spend time with this sweet 2 year old, and my newest 3 week year old niece, Marlo. So off I went to Nashville for the week and it was the most perfect week.

I got in on Friday night and stayed through the weekend with my sister, Emily and her amazing roommates, at their sweet house. I absolutely love their cute little house and the decor- (check out some of the pics of their house under my Home Decor page!) Nashville is seriously one of the coolest places, with the best food, shopping and so many fun activities for the locals and visitors! And the food!!! OMG- If I would have had more time, I’m sure I would have visited more restaurants and probably come back 10 lbs heavier… haha, so maybe its a good thing it was a fast trip.

Saturday morning came so fast, but what a fun day we had planned! Emily and I were up early getting ready for the day and the fun launch party for wearehercollective! We had to go to target to pick up a couple essentials for the day and we had planned to go to brunch at a couple different places in Nashville, but the lines and wait were crazy. We had resolved to just go to Panera since we only had 40 min left before the launch party, when Emily was reminded of another coffee shop that served breakfast food! So glad that she remembered this cute place! If you’re ever in the gulch, green hills or music row  area you definitely need to visit “just love coffee”- cute atmosphere, awesome coffee, and delicious food! This area is one of the coolest spots with outdoor shopping and lots of great restaurants- I highly recommend visiting this area if you’re taking a trip to Nashville soon. After breakfast, we headed to the “wearehercollective” launch party, which was seriously one of the coolest gatherings of women I have been too in a while. This is an amazing group of women who are looking to inspire each other, encourage and support each other, and empower other women by allowing them to share their stories. Read more about them here

After swapping stories with the ladies, drinking mimosas, and having fun with their photo booths, and meeting some awesome new friends, Emily and I were headed to see the rest of the family. Saturday was also my dad’s 59th birthday, and it was so cool to be able to celebrate him with the family. I haven’t been able to celebrate with my dad in person for about 5 years, so it was a really special time.

On Sunday I was still staying with Emily and we went to her church. If you’re looking for a really awesome church in Nashville, give Ethos, located at the Cannery Ballroom a try. Check it out here

After church, Emily and I had planned to go do a photo shoot for my 1 year blog birthday. This was my first real photo shoot and it was so fun, yet also so strange. I wanted so badly to get some shots in downtown Nashville, but I felt so incredibly awkward posing with so many people around. I don’t know how bloggers or models can be out in public with so many people around them and have a photo shoot and not feel weird. Anyway, we finally found a location to shoot with more privacy and it was perfect! Read my birthday blog and see some of the awesome pictures my sister took here 

12 South-

We were starving after the shoot and ended up at an awesome taco place. This place was so good! Bartaco is completely incredible and I will definitely be going back when I visit again and I’ve heard they have incredible Margaritas! If you like tacos, margaritas and a cool atmosphere, give bartaco a try. This is also a really cute area to shop and take that iconic picture next to the Nashville sign, so I highly suggest visiting 12 south.

The second half of my Spring Break was spent with Erik, Katelyn, my mom and dad and of course, my cutest little nieces Charlie and Marlo, I had the best time watching the girls, holding Marlo, sitting with Charlie and sharing time with the family. I haven’t been around younger kiddos or infants very much, so it was a very new experience, but I completely fell more in love with my nieces. And OMG- props to you moms out there! Ya’ll work really hard and when you have an infant and a toddler… wow- even more so! I held my niece, Marlo, for a total of 3.5 hours one day and my arm felt like it was gonna fall off- I mean it was as if I had gone to the gym and lifted weights like crazy. But even though my arm was getting so tired, I couldn’t let her go- she was so peaceful in that moment and I wanted to soak it all in!

Also I just have to tell you all about the cute little town that Erik and Katelyn are living in. Waverly is such a sweet little town and their main street is the cutest. While visiting, my parents and I drove around to see a little more of the town and while driving, we noticed all of the different little shops and the cute little mom and pop movie theater located in the middle of town.  Katelyn also took me to a cute little boutique and spa owned by someone at her church and I bought two really cute tops!

Before I left to head back to Springfield, Katelyn and I stopped in at the Waverly Coffee Shop and OMG… It is the cutest little shop. This coffee shop is in a little strip mall off of the main street and is built in a rather old building with crown molding! (Anyone else absolutely love crown molding?)  As I explored this little coffee shop, I realized that this was more than just a coffee shop- It was a hang out spot for families, and a place that cared about the community ( art, dogs, books, and people!) There was an art wall with local artists art for sell, a wall full of pets that needed adopted, a little book exchange area ( you bring a book in and exchange for one inside), and a picture of a family in the community in need with a way to donate to their cause. And this place had character! Not only was it in an old building with crown molding, but there were tons of antiques all over the shop!

While the second part of my Spring Break was definitely less glamorous and filled with more puke, dirty diapers, and tantrums than the first, it was also full of laughs, amusement, kid movies, baby cuddles and toddler dancing- I wouldn’t have traded any of it!  I made so many more amazing memories that I know will last a lifetime! Can’t wait to see them all again in May- the count down has begun!

Nashville and Waverly were such fun places… I definitely think everyone should visit someday!

Til Nextime, Erin Ruscel