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Day: May 3, 2023

Books

Wanderlust Readers | Armchair Travel in Spring 2023

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May 3, 2023

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New experience unlocked: family horseback ride! @ New experience unlocked: family horseback ride!

@chickasawstatepark is one of only two @tennesseestateparks that offers guided horseback rides! (It also has a wrangler campground so you can BYOHorse.)

We took a ride during our spring break visit when the weather was warming up and it was so nice to be outside! My 7-year-old got her own horse; my 4-year-old rode tandem with me. Helmets were available for all, and we roamed the ridges and forest for an hour’s ride. 

Cutest thing ever to hear my youngest and her nonstop words of encouragement to our horse. 🥰
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#tnstateparks #outdoorfamily #naturaltennessee #horsebackriding
Spring group camp 2025 was a success! We had 13 a Spring group camp 2025 was a success!

We had 13 adults and 13 kids, and the group sites at @henryhortonstatepark were amazing. The camp store, playground, and bath house were just a short walk (or shorter drive when the kids are extra whiney); the site was flat with a good amount of shade; and the fields were vast for some epic games of “toilet tag.” (🤷‍♀️)

I’ve been on a high all week because it was just the best, most quintessential childhood (and family) experience. 

My body, though, has not been quick to forget the experience, and I think it’s time to upgrade the comfort of my camping gear because I am not 27 anymore. Now accepting sleeping bag/pad/blanket recommendations. 👵
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#tnstateparks #familycamping #outdoorfamily #naturaltennessee #campingwithkids
Dear Spring,

Thank you for arriving! 🌹☀️🌡️🙌 

Warmly (finally),

One who is her best self in the sun
📚APRIL BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT! ✨ This month, join 📚APRIL BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT! ✨

This month, join as we travel to Ghana! 🇬🇭 This west-African nation is a vibrant, dynamic one. It was the first sub-Saharan African nation to declare independence from colonial rule and has since forged an identity that merges modern-day internationalism with deep ethnic traditions.

Its literature, as a result, ranges from a history of oral storytelling to a celebration of Pan-Africanism and what it means to be Ghanaian in a modern world.

Pick your own book to read this month, such as...
⭐️ The renowned Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (or others in her oeuvre)
⭐️ One of Kwei Quartey’s murder mysteries
⭐️ His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, a sardonic story of modern women
⭐️ Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi, a drama of family dysfunction
⭐️ Search Sweet Country by B  Kojo Laing, an ensemble story set in 1970s Accra

Share your pick using #iamawanderlustreader, and comment below to join our virtual discussion at the end of the month!
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#bookclub #readersofig #booktravel #virtualbookclub #igreads
6️⃣ reasons you should plan a group camping tr 6️⃣ reasons you should plan a group camping trip… 🏕️

What began as a Good Friday/Spring Holiday outing for my 4-person fam has become a multi-family annual tradition that has my kids counting down the days this time of year. 

In our experience, group camping:
☞ Gives kids more autonomy with more playmates
☞ Drastically reduces parent stress (kid independence + adult conversations!)
☞ Develops group dynamics such as compromise and decision-making
☞ Encourages bravery and sense of adventure through peer support
☞ Keeps focus on the real-life present (instead of the digital world)
☞ Normalizes that families have everyday habits and routines that may be different—and that’s okay!

📍Mousetail Landing State Park
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#campingwithkids #outdoorfamily #runwildmychild #optoutside #madeintn #tnstateparks
It’s unfortunate Colin was hit with the flu duri It’s unfortunate Colin was hit with the flu during our Spring Break trip 😬, but the full-cabin blackout shades and fresh air views of our stay at @chickasawstatepark were a winning combo for all levels of health. 
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#tnstateparks #naturaltennessee #cabintrip #outdoorfamily #tnstateparktour
🌿 Spring Break is for exploring! 🔍 I’ve 🌿 Spring Break is for exploring! 🔍 

I’ve shared about our stay @lodgeparislanding, but here are some of the views of our outdoor adventures.

If you don’t have Spring Break plans yet, there are cabins and lodge rooms still available this month at lots of @tennesseestateparks—with discounts available to all TN residents (more if you’re a state employee or teacher!). 

This is not an ad—just a plug if you’re looking for an easy escape! (And bc I’ve had these pictures in the queue to share for quite a while.) 😊
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#tnstateparktour #tnstateparks #naturaltennessee #madeintn #outdoorfamily
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