Ashley

Ashley
26 POSTS 89 COMMENTS
Ashley is a back-up dancer for circa 1989 Janet Jackson in her dreams and a mother of two preschoolers in her waking life. An Alamo City native, she spent her college and post-college years in TN, CA and AZ (all lovely states completely incompetent in the fine art of breakfast tacos). After crying everyday in radio sales, working next to a sheep pen at a rural telecom, being totally confused in agriculture, and completely giving up and drawing cartoons of co-workers at an online university, she finally found her calling in grant writing for a non profit arts organization. And then her husband (who, no joke, watches college football for a living) was like, “Hey! We can move to San Antonio to be closer to your family if you want to!” And then Ashley was like, “Hey! That’s good timing because remember all that drinking I was doing last week because I thought I had really bad PMS and wanted to power through it? Well, that PMS is a baby!” So they moved to S.A. and Ashley found a job with a rural non profit, but when she tried to go back to work after the baby, living on no sleep with a newborn and a traveling husband unable to share in the workload, she quickly learned she was about five seconds away from a mental breakdown. Cut to today where she is a full time mom, loving the freedom to run all over the city each day with her kids, despite a 98% decrease in her ability to pee alone/do less than 19 loads of laundry each week. She chronicles her most embarrassing childhood moments and photos at This is Me at 13-ish (http://meat13.tumblr.com), in hopes that she never forgets that as difficult as it is to be a parent, it is just as much of a struggle to be a kid.

The Ritual of Homecoming and the Sacred Mum

2
"The Ritual of Homecoming and the Sacred Mum" is an integral chapter in The Handbook of Texas Traditions. (Other chapters include "Why Your In-N-Out Argument is Invalid," "I Told You the Lord Hates Bare...

Five No-Fail Downtown and Midtown San Antonio Excursions With Kids

1
I’m Captain Obvious here, but this town is an amazing place to raise a family and entertain out-of-town visitors. There's rarely weather so terrible it prevents getting out and about, savory food and beverages...

Soft Surroundings: My Magical Wonderland

0
Shhh. Lean in closely. I need to tell you a secret. I’m two seconds from turning 39, and I’m already digging the mature lady stores. My personal favorite? Soft Surroundings. The crisp creases in tailored pants, embellished...

My Secret TV and Internet Habits

0
It's no secret in my house that I am the one who watches the most annoying things on TV and looks up the worst stuff on the Internet. Are you like me? Do you...

Eight Classic San Antonio Birthday Parties

4
Need a trip down memory lane? Here are my top eight classic spots for birthday parties in San Antonio: 1. Kiddie Park Who hasn't attended a birthday party at Kiddie Park? It's been around since 1925 and...

Passover Seders and Activities in San Antonio

0
Pesach is almost here! For a listing of Passover seders and activities happening around San Antonio, read below: This list was compiled from the following local sources: The Jewish Federation of San Antonio, Barshop Jewish Community...

When Your Father Is An Elected Official

4
It’s a huge election year. Candidates in local, state, and national races are freaking out. There’s a lot on the line. Voters are angrier and crazier than ever. But you know who I can’t...

19 Classic Movies for Kids and Teens

0
Have you started your children along the path to success by ensuring they’re exposed to a healthy dose of classic movies? You haven’t? Well, get on it sister! Mr. Rogers is known for his...

40+ Ways You Know You Grew Up In San Antonio

114
I was born in San Antonio in the late '70s, graduated from Churchill High School, moved out of state for college, and I swore I was never coming back. But, like many friends who...

College Kids Have it Easy These Days…or Do They?

1
I just got back from my 15-year college reunion, and for real, I aged about 50 years in a weekend. You know how our grandparents lived through the inventions of antibiotics, television, bikinis, and...

Stop the Parenting Parody Videos, Please!

0
Please. I beg you. If you are recording a parenting parody video, just stop it right now. When you're rapping and dancing, it's like watching 1,000 65-year-old dads simultaneously doing the sprinkler to "Brickhouse." I have zero sense...

The Craziest Thing I Did While Night Feeding

0
The nuttiest thing I’ve ever done didn’t happen in my teens or under the influence of alcohol; it happened when I was at my wit’s end, trying to stay awake to feed my little...

Welcome to Crazy Town: Your Child is Starting Middle School

8
We need to have a chat about middle school. I’m getting real and cutting out the sweet stuff. If you want to read a saccharine post about sending love notes to your 13-year-old in his lunch bag...

Parenting Then and Now: Your “Alarming” Childhood

14
Parenting has changed a little bit since we were children. Here are 17 pictures that prove how different things were back in the good ol' days! 1. THEN: Licking a beer can with your father. NOW: Your father...