Staycation 2013: Staying home and saving on a vacation

Looking to stay home and save on a vacation this year?  Then check out these staycation posts from around the country.  You’ll find money-saving ideas and things to do that won’t break your budget.

In case you missed it, here’s our post about how to save in Nashville.

Here’s other ideas on how to save in other parts of the country…

Mid Atlantic

NW, Connecticut :: Parenting Miracles
Boston, Massachusetts :: Maven of Savin
Central, New Jersey :: Our Good LIfe
Adirondak Mountains and Central, New York :: For This Season
Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York :: Ann's Entitled Life
Syracuse, New York :: I am THAT lady
Erie, Pennsylvania :: Growing Kids Ministry
Greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania :: Family Balance Sheet
Hershey, Pennsylvania :: Good Deal Mama
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania :: Beyond the Cover
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania :: The Coupon "High"
Poconos, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains
Scranton, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains

Midwest

Des Moines, Iowa :: Make the best of everything
Aurora, Illinois :: A Savings WOW!
Central, Illinois :: The Homeschool Scientist
Chicago, Illinois :: Chicagoland Homeschool Network
Naperville, Illinois :: The Sensible Mom
Schaumburg, Illinois :: Ravings By Rae
Fort Wayne, Indiana :: Simplified Saving
Indianapolis, Indiana (Metro Area) :: In Good Cents
Muncie, Indiana (Central IN) :: the daisyhead
Northern Indiana :: So Dough Savvy
Kansas City Area :: Kansas City Mamas
Metro Detroit, Michigan :: Saving Dollars and Sense
Grand Rapids, Michigan :: Give Me Neither
Oakland County, Michigan :: Bargain Shopper Mom
Minneapolis, Minnesota :: Creative Couponing
Rural Minnesota (either Southern or Lake Country) :: Mommysavers.com
St. Cloud, Minnesota :: Frugal Finders
Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas :: Kosher on a Budget
Springfield, Missouri :: Getting Freedom
Cincinnati, Ohio :: Family Friendly Cincinnati
Columbus, Ohio :: Cleverly Simple
Dayton, Ohio :: Savings Lifestyle: Dayton
Mansfield, Ohio :: The Traveling Praters
NE Ohio :: Raising Lifelong Learners
Northeast Ohio (Canton, Akron, Cleveland) :: Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring
Black Hills, South Dakota :: Little House Living
South Dakota :: Moms Mustard Seeds
Oshkosh, Wisconsin :: Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom

Mountain

Phoenix, Arizona :: Mom Endeavors
Scottsdale, Arizona :: Saving For Someday
Tucson, Arizona :: Desert Chica Ramblings
Colorado Springs, Colorado :: The Greenbacks Gal
Denver, Colorado :: Bargain Blessings
Helena, Montana :: The WiC Project
Omaha, Nebraska :: Mom Endeavors
Reno, Nevada - Lake Tahoe :: Saving in Nevada

Pacific

Fresno, California (Central Valley) :: NerdFamily Blog
Los Angeles, California :: Savings.com
San Diego, California :: Good Cheap Eats
San Diego, California :: Life as MOM
Portland, Oregon :: Frugal Living NW
Seattle, Washington :: Thrifty NW Mom

South Atlantic

Arkansas :: Discovering Arkansas
Washington, DC :: Kidventurous
Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana
Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money
Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss
St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine
Tallahassee, Florida :: SwagGrabber
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: Hodgepodge
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: The Couponing Couple
Annapolis, Maryland :: The Happy Housewife
Hagerstown, Maryland :: Cheryl Pitt
Asheville, North Carolina :: Paradise Praises
Charlotte, North Carolina :: from our front porch lookin' in...
Raleigh/Southeastern, North Carolina :: Upside Down Homeschooling
Upstate South Carolina :: The Tween & Me
Charlottesville, Virginia :: How to Have it All
Richmond, Virginia :: Teachers of Good Things
Smithfield, Virginia :: Walking in High Cotton
Virginia Beach, Virginia :: The Coupon Challenge

South Central

Coastal Alabama :: Meet Penny
Huntsville, Alabama :: The Traveling Praters
Northern Kentucky :: Simply Sherryl
Chattanooga, Tennessee :: Living Chic on the Cheap
East Tennessee (Smoky Mountains, Knoxville) :: Finding Joy on the Journey
Nashville, Tennessee :: Montessori Tidbits
Arlington, Texas :: Grocery Shop For FREE
Austin, Texas (Hill Country) :: Ponder the Path
College Station, Texas :: How to Homeschool My Child
Dallas, Texas :: Surviving The Stores
East Dallas, Texas :: Funky Faith Girl
Fort Worth, Texas :: Coupons & Freebies Mom
Houston, Texas :: Mom’s Toolbox
Houston, Texas :: MyLitter
Katy, Texas :: Moms Confession
McAllen, Texas (Rio Grande Valley) :: iLoveMy5Kids
San Antonio, Texas :: Melissa's Bargains

So, where are you headed this summer?  What's your favorite staycation attraction near you?  

Staycation Nashville on the Cheap

Staying in Nashville for vacation this year?  Or traveling to the Music City?  But short on cash? Here’s a list of budget-friendly things to do in Nashville.

Stop back by tomorrow for a list of over 100 bloggers who share other great budget-friendly ideas for their parts of the country.



Here are several kid-friendly things to do in Nashville:  (All activities are free, unless otherwise noted.)

Walk through the Observatory, Delta, and Cascade promenades at Opryland Hotel.  The beautiful indoor gardens are an amazing sight any time of year, and the boat ride is fun for kids of all ages.  Park at Opry Mills Mall, and then walk in the back entrance to avoid the $15 on-site parking fee.

Talk about Greek history with the Parthenon.  Not only is Centennial Park unique with its center attraction being the Parthenon, but also has a caboose, amphitheater, and reflecting pool.  Venture inside the Parthenon to get a up-close look at its golden goddess, Athena and to read about how Nashville’s Parthenon was built to replicate all of the original’s features.  Entrance to see Athena is only $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 4-17.

No trip to Nashville is complete without visiting the Frist Art Center.  Not only does it boast great exhibits, but it also has an amazing kids program on the second floor, where kids can explore several different types of fine arts – from stop-motion animation to artist studies to printmaking.  Tickets cost $10 for adults, but all children under 18 are free!

Head over to the Downtown Nashville Public Library.  Every Tuesday and Wednesday, join the staff as they “sing, dance, and juggle” their way through books.  Times: 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30, with a baby and toddler time at 10:30.  Likewise, each Friday and Saturday, gather in the Children’s Theatre for a puppet show at 10:30 and 11:30.  Check their complete schedule for all additional activities, including book clubs, game day, movies, and crafts.  If you park in the Library parking garage, make sure you get your ticket stamped, so your parking fee is reduced.

Love Puppets?  Then make sure you and the kids are around for the Puppet Parade on 6/22 and The Puppet Festival 6/21-6/23 on Church Street, in front of the library.

Pack a GPS and go geocaching.  Several hundred geocaches can be found throughout Nashville.

Go letterboxing.  Letterboxing is similar to geocaching, except instead of the GPS coordinates, you have directions and clues to help you find each letterbox.  Twenty-nine letterboxes can be found throughout the Nashville area, with 211 being found in Middle Tennessee. Make a stamp with the kids, grab a stamp pad and the directions to a letterbox, and head out!  Finding these hidden treasure boxes is always fun!



Take a walk around downtown Nashville.  Our favorite sites are:

• TN State Museum and War Memorial Museum 
• State Capital 
• Bicentennial Mall and Farmer’s Market
• a stroll down the shops on Second Avenue
• Investigate the architecture of the Custom’s House, Hume-Fogg High School, and Presbyterian Church (… and while you’re at it, read the placards at each of these locations to learn about the significance at each location)
• Hatch Print Shop –one of the oldest remaining letterpress print shops in the US
• Earnest Tubb Record Shop – show your kids what a record looks like, while exploring the back stage where numerous country stars got their start.
• Talk a stroll through the Arcade or Printer’s Alley (not recommended if you are with kids)

Need a more structured list, or want to know more about the history of Nashville?  Then check out the two walking tours created by Nashville Historical Commission.

Enjoy the great outdoors:


Drive down the Natchez Trace.  This is one of our favorite things to do each summer.  There are lots of places to stop and enjoy the beauty of the Trace as well as to explore historically.

City parks are often overlooked as a playground-only location, but often have many other great aspects.  These city parks also have nature centers to explore:

• Beaman Park Nature Center
• Bells Bend Outdoor Center
• Shelby Bottoms Nature Center
• Warner Park Nature Center

State Parks within a short drive of downtown Nashville:

Bicentennial Mall – in downtown Nashville

Free park tour every Wednesday at 2pm, as well as at 10, 1, and 3pm on the first Monday of every month.  While you are there, make sure you check out the zero mile marker (where all state highways are zeroed from this point), Tennessee Map Plaza, the historical versions of the Tennessee State flag, and the WWII memorial.  Kids will thoroughly enjoy the Rivers of Tennessee fountains, found out front.  While you are there, make sure you venture through the Farmers Market – a treat in itself!

Long Hunger State Park – 18 miles east of downtown Nashville

Activities include boating, camping, fishing, and biking and  25 miles of hiking trains, including a wheelchair accessible, paved, 2-mile trail.  Twice a month on Mondays at 10am, “The Nature Circle” meets to explore a nature topic with preschool and lower elementary kids. All preschool programs are free, but reservations are required by the week prior. Before you go, make sure you download the Couchville Trail Tree Guide, which will help you and your kids to identify trees in the area.  Long Hunter also hosts the annual NAIA Pow-Wow each year, in October.

Radnor Lake – 10 miles south of downtown Nashville

I consider this park to be one of the most beautiful in the Nashville area.  Radnor Lake is a day-use only park, with 6 miles of hiking trails.  Biking and jogging are strictly prohibited.  Make a stop in at the visitor’s center, to learn about the history and formation of Radnor Lake, where you can also find rent “all-terrain” wheelchairs for the mulched and paved paths.  Before you go, learn about the reptile and amphibian wildlife you can find there.  Various programs are led by the rangers throughout the year, so call ahead to find out when the next program is being offered.

Cedars of Lebanon  -- 33 miles east of downtown Nashville in Lebanon, TN

This park is one of our all-time favorite places to visit! A little known fact is that you can find wildflowers in this park that cannot be found anywhere else in the world!  The park boasts flat cedar glades that are directly upon the bedrock.  Included are campsites, 8 miles of hiking trails, nature center (with a lovely butterfly garden in the back), a swimming pool, and horseback riding.

Bledsoe Creek State Park – 35 miles north-east of downtown Nashville in Gallatin, TN

This is one of the smaller parks in the state at 164 acres, but it does have it’s own unique offerings: boating, camping, fishing, and 5 miles of hiking trails, around an inlet of the Old Hickory Lake. Kids will enjoy the dragonfly and damselfly checklist (in addition to a field guide to help you identify them), found on their site.

Montgomery Bell State Park – 35 miles west of downtown Nashville

Located in Burns, TN, Montgomery Bell State Park offers a wide variety of activities:  boating, fishing, camping, golfing, swimming, 20 miles of dirt bike trails, and 15 miles of hiking trails.  Contact the park about seasonal programs and ranger-led hikes.

Harpeth River State Park – 14 miles south-west of downtown Nashville

Winding along the river lies 9 access points that are designated as the State Park.  This park boasts not only leisure canoe rides down the river, but also swimming, fishing, and 2.5 miles of hiking trails.  In addition, you can also check out one of the oldest man-made tunnels in existence today as well as Mound Bottom, a Mississippean Period Indian Mound; Newsom’s Mill, one of the oldest remaining grist mills in Davidson County; and a museum of artifacts.  Guided hikes are frequently on the schedule, so call for an updated list.

Seller’s Farm Archaeological Site – 35 miles east of Nashville in Lebanon, TN

Open daily 8am – dusk every day, this archeological site is run by Long Hunter State Park.   A 1.4 mile trail encircles the mounds, which were a thriving Native American community in the Mississippean Period.  A brochure can be found at the information kiosk, explaining the different aspects of the site.  Kids love to play in the creek right behind the mounds. It is a self-guided park, unless you contact Long Hunter to find out when they are offering their next ranger-led tour of the park.

So, where are you headed for your Staycation this summer?

Pressing flowers tips

This week, we are participating in the Spring Learning and Play bloghop, hosted by Teach Beside Me.

Every kid loves to collect flowers, grass, and other nature items from his backyard.  One of our favorite things to do is to press those items with our flower press.  Today, I’m sharing with you simple tips for using a flower press.

One sunny afternoon, Aikman discovered a patch of clover in the backyard.  It was fun to seek through them for a four-leafed clover, even though we did not find any.  In a small basket, he collected a handful of the clovers and a few flowering weeds, designated for us to press.

After we came in later that day, we pulled out our flower press (affiliate link) and pressed his finds.  From clovers to grass, weed, and flowers, each item was carefully selected and pressed with love and care.

Here are a few tips on how to use a flower press to preserve your children’s backyard finds:

1.  Press your nature items as soon as possible.  The longer you wait, the more likely it is to become dry, and therefore fragile, which will not press well.

2.  Press flowers face down.  Red Ted Art recommends that you press flowers face down rather than trying to close the press with the flower face up. By doing this, it prevents the flower from getting a crease in it as you are closing the press.

3.  Press the items at different angles. It’s nice to press it perfectly flat, showing all of the top details. However, don’t forget trying to lay it on it’s side for a different pressed look.  Make sure you collect some items with the stems as well.

4. Using a piece of tape, label the top of the press with the date that you can open the lid.

Most flowers need 2-3 weeks of pressing time; leaves need 4-6 weeks.  I am always forgetting when we pressed our flowers, so I always determine the date range that we can re-open the press to get out our flowers.  I then write that date on a piece of tape and place it on the lid of the press.

I’d love to hear from you!  What items have you tried pressing?  How did the project turn out?  Please leave me a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Interested in more nature posts?  Check out our Spring Nature Table.

Make sure you check out all of the posts in the Spring Learning and Play bloghop:
Monday:  Teach Beside Me ~ Nature and Play ~ Royal Baloo ~ Life with Moore Babies
Tuesday: The Pleasantest Thing ~ Artchoo ~ Smiling like Sunshine ~ Preschool Powol Packets
Wednesday: Growing Green Fingered Kids ~ Inspiration Laboratories ~ Montessori Tidbits ~ Wildflower Ramblings
Thursday: Kitchen Counter Chronicles ~ No Doubt Learning ~ Sugar Aunts~ Craft to Art ~ From a Country Road
Friday: Rainy Day Mum ~ Creative Playhouse ~ Scribble Doodle and Draw ~ True Aim Education

Have a spring post? Join in the fun below!

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Note:  All Items marked “affiliate link” in the post above are linked to the Montessori Tidbits Amazon affiliate account.  The very small amount of money that is made on Amazon is used to support our homeschool curriculum needs.  Thank you for supporting our family in our homeschooling journey.

Happy Mother’s Day

From our family to yours, have a happy Mother’s Day!

Montessori geography stamp sorting box

Montessori geography studies have always been my favorite topic to teach and study.  A few years ago, I saw this awesome Montessori-inspired stamp sorting box, and knew that I wanted to recreate something similar to it.  This winter, I started gathering materials to create our own version of the Montessori stamp sorting box that can be used not only with 3-6 year olds, but also throughout the elementary years as well.

At first, it began with just a simple stamp obsession.  I found some great deals on ebay.  Initially, I thought it would be better to buy large lots of stamps – 4 oz or larger.  The more stamps, the better, right?  I quickly learned that this is not the best option, as you often end up with 50 stamps from the same country, and only a few countries are typically represented.  Eventually, I found a vendor who offered stamps from 100 different countries for a low price.  When you buy these lots, expect the stamps to be older and not vibrant, colorful stamps.  I also purchase ones that are off-paper.  Otherwise, much of what you are buying is paper that you will eventually have to soak off the back of the stamp and throw away.  If you spend just an extra dollar or two, you can purchase the off-paper ones, which will save you the time of soaking and pressing.  Plus, these lots have more stamps, since the weight of the envelope has already been removed.

After I had purchased several lots of stamps, I sorted them by the continent that each country is on.  I matted each stamp on their corresponding continent color and laminated them.  If you have a 3-6 aged child, then this is all that you need to do.  However, I wanted this activity to last a while longer than just for sorting by continents, so I added the country name to the back of each stamp.

Living in North America, the Caribbean has a very different feel from the rest of the continent – even compared to the Latin American countries.  I wanted to differentiate these countries from the rest of North America, so I matted them on Caribbean blue cardstock, before putting them on the North American orange paper.

I also wanted to differentiate those countries that no longer exist or have changed names.  The Montessori color for history is black.  So, I double matted these stamps on black first, and then their continent color.  On the back of the stamp, the former country as well as what the country is currently known as are listed.

The one exception is the Nazi Germany stamp.  Since it was such an emotional and volatile time in history, I felt that it was important just to note its significance.

I created a sorting box that will hold all of my International stamps (and coins – but that’s a later post!).  You’ll noticed that there are only 6 sorting boxes – orange for North America, pink for South America, red for Europe, green for Africa, yellow for Asia, and brown for Australia.  I did not add in a box for Antarctica, because there are not any countries that are on this continent, as there are no “countries” that reside on Antarctica.

Unfortunately, I now wish I would have added a 7th box for Antarctica, because I’ve discovered that many of the territories that claim Antarctica have stamps.  The most notable one is the AAT – Australian Antarctic Territory.  I’m quite excited because they just had a new series of stamps come out that is the mountains of Antarctica.

photo credit

In a few weeks, I’ll be sharing a tutorial on how to make the sorting box, as well as additional activities and extensions that I am currently creating to use with our box.  It has already been a lot of fun to play with, and stirs up a lot of cultural questions.

I love hearing your thoughts!  Please share with me what you think about our Montessori stamp sorting box.  Do you have other ideas how we can study geography in a hands-on way?

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To the overwhelmed homeschooling mom {guest post}

Are you a homeschooler that is feeling overwhelmed right now?  School hasn’t been going as you thought it would.  On top of this, everything else seems to be crumbling.  Today’s guest post is from Wendy at Hip Homeschool Moms, with encouraging word to relieve your feelings of stress!

Image courtesy David Castillo Dominici | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It's April, and we aren't anywhere near being finished with our homeschool work for this school year. That's my confession. It's the honest truth! Is anyone else in the same spot with me? And while I'm at it, I have another confession (or two) to make. My house is a mess. There are dirty dishes in my sink. There are 5 (and I'm not exaggerating) baskets of laundry waiting to be hung up or folded and put away. My younger daughter's arts & crafts things are all over the living room. I have piles (literally) of books, reviews, to-do lists, errands to run, and who-knows-what-else waiting to be done. I'm feeling a bit swamped. Ugh.

But I'm here to say that it's ok if you're not yet finished (or nearly finished) with school! It's OK! There's no need to feel stressed and upset. If your house is a mess, your dishes aren't done, and you're way behind on your to-do list, it's ok. Really!

Honestly, it is important to make sure your children do their homeschool work. It is good to keep a clean house and cook healthy meals. It's wonderful to keep your to-do list manageable and not let things get out of control. But you know what else? Sometimes all of those things are going to happen! Sometimes, you will get behind. Sometimes you will get discouraged and your to-do list will continue to grow while your energy continues to wane.

At times like these, I try to remind myself that this is real life! My kiddos are growing up! They need to know that they will face times in their lives when things aren't going as planned. Sometimes the situation will be easily handled, but sometimes it won't. They will need to know how to take a deep breath, keep things in perspective, and deal with whatever is going on or needs to be done.

I suppose what I'm saying is that you have a choice. You can show your children how to get anxious and worried and how to give up, or you can show them how to assess the situation, make a plan, and get things back in line! It's not always easy--that's for sure! And it often takes time to get things back under control. If I keep a positive attitude and a happy disposition, though, that's half the battle right there! I'm much more likely to get things back under control when I'm happy and positive than when I'm anxious and worried.

So what do I do now? I take things one little bit at a time. I set small goals and attempt to reach them in a reasonable amount of time. Then I set more small goals and try to reach them.

I've learned (after 16 years of homeschooling) that even though we get behind sometimes, we can catch back up or alter our schedule even if it means homeschooling a day or two each week over the summer. I've learned that it's better to do that than to start trying to cram in 2 or 3 days' worth of work from now through the end of May. (Some homeschooled students might handle that well, but mine don't.) And I've learned that, sooner or later, we will get it all done and be ready for the next school year.

I've also learned that, if I make a reasonable plan, the housework will eventually come back under control. I must take the time each day to catch up a little on what needs to be done, but I don't have to tackle it all at once. I get overwhelmed easily, so here's what I've started doing. I set a goal each day to clean or catch up on one project. For example, if my daughter's craft stuff all over the coffee table is driving me crazy, my goal that day might simply be to help her clean off the coffee table. Not a big goal, I know, but it's a step in the right direction. Then I might plan the next day to take just one stack of clutter or papers to go through and sort and put away. If I try to go through 3 or 4 (or more) piles of stuff and clutter in one day, that might be more than I can deal with. But I can handle one.

Another thing I'm learning is to ask for help! When all of my children were very young, their ability to help was limited. Now, though, they are all in the double digits, so they can help get things back under control! I just need to remember to delegate and have them help out around here! Honestly, they will need to learn how to handle these situations in life too, so I figure I'm doing them a service by teaching them to handle these situations now. Then (hopefully) when they have homes of their own, they will have the advantage of knowing how to deal with "real life" when it happens!

Do you have a particular strategy for dealing with things when they get out of control? How much do you have your children help in the house? I would love to hear any tips or bit of wisdom that you have to share!

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Wendy lives in the South with her wonderful hubby and 3 great kiddos! She is a Christian, homeschooling, work-from-home mom. She is co-owner and social media director of Hip Homeschool Moms. She and Scott were high school sweethearts and have been married for more than 20 years. Her oldest child has autism, and Wendy began homeschooling her at age 2. Her son, a typical boy, would rather do anything than school! Her youngest child is a little social butterfly and people lover. Wendy loves reading and quilting and will hopefully return to scrapbooking some time soon. You can find her personal blog at Homeschool Blessings. She's also on Facebook and on Pinterest. 

Symbols of France rock craft

Welcome back to another month of Around the World in 12 Dishes.  This month’s country is France.  We enjoyed making the symbols of Ireland rock craft so much that we decided to do the same with France.

We started by pulling out our Europe continent map.  We reviewed where France is on the map, and then I pulled out a new little treasure – a little peg doll that is painted with the French flag.  (Isn’t he adorable?  I just love these little peg dolls from LaLutine, which Aikman received as a Christmas gift.)

After talking about France and reading several books, Aikman decided that he wanted to create rocks for the flag, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe/Arch de Triumph.

Other ideas that you could add to your collection:

• cheese
• perfume
• bike to represent the Tour de France
• Napoleon Bonaparte or a bicorne hat
• beret
• French instruments: bodega or hurdy gurdy

My favorite one is the Eiffel Tower.  I’m not sure if you can see it in this picture, but Aikman found a rock that stood vertically on its own, and then painted multiple sides as the Eiffel Tower.  That way, he could see it no matter which direction the rock was turned.

After they dried, I painted the country on the back, so we could use them for sorting in the future.  A top coat of mod podge was added to all sides. 

When it gets warmer, we’ll add these to a small flower garden in our front yard!

Make sure you check out the posts by the other ATW12D members, who will be posting Irish ideas all month long!

Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom,Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles,Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.