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The word "fiesta" can connote many a festive party, but in San Antonio, it's THE party. The springtime revelry that covers the streets in stray confetti from a couple hundred thousand cascarones, brings to the city a sense of camaraderie. But what is Fiesta®, exactly? What is the origin of this "party with a purpose"? Why do people go loco for medals? Why do kids get a day off of school for a parade? Who is King Antonio, and just how many duchesses are there? Whether you're a Fiesta pro or new to the entire thing, we're gathered around the table for a candid conversation about the Fiesta we grew up in, met in college, and are still exploring and its history and events. (And also explaining just what are those Fiesta Medals everyone collects this time of year!)

 

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Show notes:

The Colorful History of Fiesta Medals - San Antonio Express News

21 Things to Know about Fiesta Medals... - San Antonio Express News 

Fiesta San Antonio - Official Page

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Thank you to The DoSeum for being a sponsor of this podcast! The DoSeum’s newest holiday exhibit The DoSeum Express: Tiny Trains and Trolleys is open from November 6 – January 2, 2021.

Ugly Crying, Being Kind, Saying Thank You and Soft Surroundings - what could these three things possibly have in common? Well - a loose theme of thankfulness.

Starting this episode off is Alejandra with "Saying Thanks is Not A Bad Thing":

I recently read a post that said manners shouldn’t be forced on children, as in, “Don’t force your kids to mutter ‘please’ and ‘thank you’; instead, instill in them true gratitude.” While I’m all for teaching children to be truly grateful, I think it’s an interesting approach to suggest that we not teach our children to repeat words of thankfulness.

I’m not trying to stir the pot here. Let me explain.

Then a bit about being thankful for arriving at a point in life where comfortable clothes trump any sense of reality in Ashley's "Soft Surroundings - My Magical Wonderland".

I’m two seconds from turning 39, and I’m already digging the mature lady stores. My personal favorite? Soft Surroundings.

Kathy shares why ugly crying is a good thing and why she hopes her daughter will do so whenever she needs it in "Dear Daughter: I Hope You Ugly Cry".

And when all else fails and you simply just want to cry it out, accept my ears as a sounding board, my heart as a vault, and my shoulders as a resting place for your head. For there is no place I’d rather be than here for you.

Kimberly implores her sons to "Please, Be Kind" and recounts how a third-grade memory shaped her definition of kindness.

In a time when the world is in such a vulnerable place, why not just be kind to one another?

The answer is simple: sometimes it’s hard to be kind. When we disagree with one another or feel passionately about our views, it can be hard to show compassion to the other side.

This post and episode are brought to you by Palenque Grill. Palenque Grill at La Cantera now has an app!  With pickup and curbside now available, you can get your favorite dishes to-go, and enjoy them at home.  Plus, you’ll soon be able to earn points toward rewards with each purchase, through the app or in person!  The app is available to download now on the App Store or Google Play store.  

Now that we're easing back into some summer travel, we're pulling some posts from the archives about traveling with kids - the good, the bad, and the cringey! Whether you're braving the airport and need some tips on traveling with babies on planes or you just want to drive a few hours out of town, we've got you covered!

We've updated and checked links and info as best as we can - but as is with everything the last year - please call and confirm all travel plans before you set off on an adventure!

In this episode:

Road Trip to the Caribbean: Texas State Aquarium

Bottom line: whether you make it a day trip or part of a trip to the coast, it’s all a must for marine life enthusiasts like my son, who can spend HOURS at Texas State Aquarium and still be sad when it’s time to go. Ticket information, directions, and details can be found here. Good to know: if you have a membership to the San Antonio Zoo, you can get two aquarium tickets for half-price.

Air Travel with Children: Your One-Way Ticket to Crazy Town

Flying is not fun. This is fact. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not your friend. Granted, there was a time when flying was considered fun—glamorous, even. But that time has passed. Yes, there may be times when you enjoy the relative solitude of sitting on a plane, the unfettered time you can use to just sit on your rear and catch up on all the episodes of [insert Netflix series here] that you missed last year. But by and large, the process of squeezing said rear into the little postage stamp that airlines try to pass off as an acceptable seat is unpleasant at best.

“Ma’am, There’s a Baby Under Your Seat”: Tips for Traveling with Littles

So there we were: February 16, 2015, on a midair flight from Chicago to San Francisco. We were headed on a fun couples weekend with friends, wine tasting in Carmel Valley, but would also use the opportunity to spend some time with my family. My oldest was almost 5, and my triplets were 17 months old. How bad could it be, right?

Get Away This Summer Without Leaving the Lone Star State: 7 Unique Destinations in Texas

I figure driving is less traumatic, as you can schedule the trip around nap times and no one else has to endure the occasional, but impressive, deafening wail coming out of the very same gap-toothed toddler that normally melts my heart. Therefore, my dear fellow mothers, and all those looking for a vacation close to home, I’ve created a list of places that might provide the escape you yearn for. Some may even make you feel like you’re in a different country—or at least a different state. Most of these are kid friendly, and the ones that are not will work great for a romantic summer getaway or friends weekend.

Looking for more summer activities and ways to keep the kiddos busy, while staying IN San Antonio? Check out:

The Ultimate San Antonio Summer Bucket List

Local Library Summer Reading Programs 2021: Hybrid Style

Summer Camps in San Antonio

This post and episode are brought to you by Palenque Grill. Palenque Grill at La Cantera now has an app!  With pickup and curbside now available, you can get your favorite dishes to-go, and enjoy them at home.  Plus, you’ll soon be able to earn points toward rewards with each purchase, through the app or in person!  The app is available to download now on the App Store or Google Play store.  

It's full-on summertime and as Elizabeth says, "We hold this truth to be self-evident: that nothing, absolutely positively nothing in the summer happens without our involvement. Our kids cannot go anywhere, eat anything, put clothes on, go to sleep, and sometimes if we’re really winning, use the restroom without our supervision."

In this episode we're talking about some summertime truths—the adorableness of little kids in swim team speedos; lessons our teens should learn and why summer is the best time to teach them; and why "mom" is the keyword in "momentum" as it applies to the long, hot days of June, July, and August.

Things No One Tells You About Summer Swim Team

The swimming world, like all sports, has its own culture and nuances. Beyond expensive team suits (in sizes that are foreign to non-swimmers), endless searches for goggles and caps in the cavernous swim bags, and going through gallons of sunscreen, there are other things that were both surprising and enjoyable that I’ve discovered about summer swim league. 

Five Things My Teens Are Going to Learn This Summer

As summer began, my hubby and I realized that our time is short before our kids, especially our soon-to-be high school junior, leave home. We have been pretty good about teaching our kids life skills, but realized that there are always more good things to get across before the birdies leave the nest. During a relaxing moment on the back porch and after discarding several amusing ideas, we put a short list together of five things we want to teach our kids this summer…

Momentum Starts with Mom: The Great Inconvenient Truth of the Summer 

I was only two weeks into this ritualistic test of endurance known as summer break when it dawned on me that I—and I alone—was responsible for somehow ensuring that everyone in my family made it through this summer alive, and I’m going to be honest with you: in that moment, it felt like Mission Impossible.

Dr. Shabnam Ashtiani is the owner and treating chiropractor at Essence Chiropractic & Wellness located near 1604 and 281. Dr. Ashtiani has been in San Antonio since middle school so she claims SA as home.

Dr. Shabby, as she's affectionately known by her patients, primarily works with women and babies and specifically through pregnancy and postnatal periods. She also treats babies, children, and men and women.

In this episode, Dr. Shabby talks about staying healthy during pregnancy, how chiropractic care can help support pregnancy and postnatal health, what chiropractic care for babies and children looks like, and more.

When we say we're here for all moms—we mean it. We don't, in the slightest, just mean 'perfect' moms, in ideal marriages, with sparkly lives. We mean the moms who get STDs from their partners, who feel incomplete without another child, who are cheated on for 13 years, and who have to put their kids in daycare for 9 or 10 hours a day.

In this episode, we hear from Aidee as she navigates the feelings of guilt and a bit of remorse for choosing to work full-time and put her kiddos in daycare.

My Kids Spend Nine Hours at Daycare Every Day and I Have Learned to Be OK with it

Elizabeth can't imagine the level of deception she'd have to go to to have an "oops" baby even though she desperately wants another.

Please, Sir, May I Have One More?: Longing for Another Child when “Oops, I Did it Again” Isn’t an Option

One contributor talks about learning to trust her gut when her PAP smear results show she got an STD (from her husband...).

True Life: My Husband Gave Me an STD

The final story included in this episode is about learning and healing after 13 years of affairs come out into the open.

True Life: My Husband Had Multiple Affairs

Thank you to our strong, smart, and courageous contributors for sharing their stories with us so that we can share them with you. The ACM community is here for you—no matter what hard motherhood lessons you're in the midst of learning.

In this episode, Natalie encourages those of us who find ourselves giving up on New Year's resolutions, Jenny tells us why 'quaratinis' just aren't for her, Lizzy lets us in on her journey through postpartum depression and from Maria - a story about getting to know your kids through a simple game.

Posts in this episode include:

What I Learned About My Kids from a Game of Uno by Maria

To You, When You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your New Year’s Resolutions by Natalie

No Quarantini for Me by Jill

Mental Health is the New Black by Lizzy

Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine's Day comes around once a year. The expectations, the build up, the disappointment, and the joy, sentiment, and fun - all wrapped up into one pink and red covered holiday that Hallmark has overtaken. The day sure has come a long way from celebrating St. Valentine and his scandalous weddings, hasn't it?

In this episode, we hear from Erin on how to get the Valentine's Day you really want followed by Kathy telling about how she was inspired by an airport bathroom to see love in little things. Kristin shares her tumultuous relationship with Valentine's Day (starting in elementary school) and Whitney shares about the special love she and her sisters have for each other.

Articles in this episode:

It’s the Most Uncomfortable Time of the Year: Happy Valentine’s Day

by Kristin

Sharing the Love by Sharing Yourself: Getting the Valentine’s Day You Really Want

by Erin

Love Ya Like a Sister

by Whitney

All Forms of Love

by Kathy

In her post from April of 2020, Lauren walks us through some activities to help kids deal with stress and introduce mindfulness. Little did we know that almost a year later, we'd still need these activities as we continue to navigate a global pandemic. From mandalas to nature crafts, helping guide our kids through activities far removed from Zoom meetings and face mask-wearing and social distancing is healthy for the whole family.

Read the original post here.

It's almost Mother's Day - and this one will be one for the history books. No school made gifts, no big brunches or special meals at restaurants, and likely limited (if any) visits with extended family. Amanda quit Mother's Day in 2018, Erin reminds us that this might be a good year to start new traditions, and we talk about honoring mothers we admire and love every day - not just once a year. Grab 20 minutes for yourself and come join us at the table!