Army Wife Life: Things To Do Around JBSA (San Antonio)

Our time in San Antonio is coming to an end. I can't say that I'm sad about it either. I was starting to get that itch to move again. We've been stationed in San Antonio for almost four years and it has seemed like a lifetime.

I'm not even about to sit here and make it seem like this duty station has been one of my favorites. It hasn't been. I have talked about my love of Texas (or lack thereof) before. Military families normally love San Antonio. Many couples come back here to retire. Good for them. We won't be retiring here.

The one thing that I do love about San Antonio is that our time here resulted in three beautiful babies. Because of them, San Antonio will always have a special place in my heart.

Whenever you move to a new place it takes time to create your own sense of community. As soon as we get to a new place I immediately try to find a hair salon, Chinese restaurant, church and activities for us to enjoy regularly as a family. 

Here are my favorite spots for military families (and everyone else too):

San Antonio Zoo - It's small but it does the job. There's a carousel and a train ride. Your ticket to the zoo does not cover these rides. They offer a military discount for the zoo.

Sea World San Antonio - The splash pad is awesome. If you live close to Sea World consider getting a pass for your family. Aquatica and the splash pad will be worth your money. Military discount available.

McKenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels -  Lots to do and it's not overwhelming large. We've been many times and my kids have loved every trip.

San Antonio Rodeo - Every February the Rodeo comes to town and it's pretty fun. It's a fair like atmosphere with tons to do and see. Kids will love it. We always go during the day on $1 Fridays. There are some good musical acts at night, don't miss out. This is one of things about San Antonio that I truly enjoy. It reminds me of the county and state fairs that are all over the East coast in the Fall.

Downtown San Antonio - There's a mall, tons of restaurants, The Alamo, a movie theatre, souvenir shops etc... Be prepared for lots of walking. The riverwalk itself isn't that stroller friendly but it's doable. You'll have to pay to park. Try to go during the holiday season to see the Christmas lights, it's beautiful.

Phil Hardberger Park - We had a play date here once and it was perfect. Playgrounds, walking trails and plenty of shade...

JBSA - Ft. Sam Houston Quadrangle - Admission is FREE and you can feed deer, peacocks and chickens. There might be other animals too. The animals roam freely so be prepared for that if your little ones don't like being up close to animals.

JBSA - Ft. Sam Houston Splash Pad - Call before you go to make sure the splash pad is open and operating.

Splashtown San Antonio - Military discount available. I wasn't expecting much from this water park right off the interstate but it was lots of fun. We were exhausted after a few hours. I would absolutely go back.

Wu's Chinese Restaurant - New York style Chinese food located off Judson. It's the best near Ft. Sam and Randolph. I have tried every Chinese place around the bases so please don't waste your time going any where else.

Maven Hair Studio - Ask for Tamika - She does every thing from relaxers to color to natural hair. She's responsible for my natural hair pixie.

San Antonio Botanical Garden - Kind of pricey for what you get but it's pretty. We went during their Lego exhibit and the kids enjoyed it.

Mi Tierra & Bakery Decorated beautifully and the food is amazing. I get the enchiladas. All the shops on Produce Row are fun to check out too.

I'll continue to add to this list as I go through our pictures and remember our time here. This is a great start for military families arriving to the area. Have you visited San Antonio? What was your favorite thing about this city?

Oh. And be sure to check out San Antonio Mom Blogs for ALL things San Antonio. Every month she shares a list of things to do in the city. You'll find everything from free nights at the museum to festivals in the surrounding areas.

Fiesta® San Antonio Methodist ER App

San Antonio it's time to Fiesta®!

Every April one of the biggest festivals in the United States takes place. The festival honors the memory  of the heroes  of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. From April 16 to April 26, 2015 the city will celebrate the diverse heritage, culture and spirit that make the city of San Antonio what it is today.

With several different ways to celebrate Fiesta® it's important to remember safety precautions and ask for help when you need it.

Methodist Healthcare San Antonio has facilities all over San Antonio and will be providing emergency healthcare services during Fiesta®. At any time during the two week long celebration should you feel the need to get some help you can use the the new Methodist ER app to find the nearest emergency service station near you. Cool, right?

Whether you ate too much, drank too much or got too much sun the folks at Methodist Healthcare can help you keep calm and Fiesta®. "We want people to have a good time, but should a medical emergency arise, we want our community to know that our new app will help them get the help they need quickly and conveniently", says Palmira Allerano, Vice President, Marketing & Public Relations at Methodist Healthcare.

The Methodist ER app lists all the Methodist hospitals and emergency centers throughout the city. The app can tell you ER wait times, addresses and distance in miles from your current location. 

Here are some safety tips to help you during Fiesta®:

Stay hydrated.

Dress for heat.

Be mindful of the foods you eat.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Put on sunscreen.

Listen to your body.

Download the new Methodist ER app for all your Fiesta® San Antonio emergencies and win two commemorative t-shirts. 

The Methodist ER app is available on the Fiesta® San Antonio app or through the App store on iPhone. Since emergencies can happen at any time continue to use the app after Fiesta® for all of your emergency needs.

Out and About: H&M Grand Opening

Last week the kids and I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of H&M at The Shops at La Cantera. I knew it was going to be crazy out there but I had no idea it would be as crazy as it was. The line started at H&M and was wrapped all the way around the mall to the Cheesecake Factory. Bananas.


The city has been waiting on H&M for quite some time. I normally shop the trendy retailer online so it was nice seeing all of the merchandise in person. I saw lots of cute stuff for the summer. Bathing suits, accessories, shorts and shoes all at affordable prices. Love.

Their kids stuff is pretty cute too. I buy lots of Savannah and BabyM's clothes from H&M. They wash and wear very well. No shrinking or fading of colors. Here is Savannah in a head to toe H&M look. (peep the line of people)

Before leaving the store I snagged a couple summer essentials. I didn't have much time to look around but I found these cute speckled shorts, black blouse and statement necklace. I wore the necklace yesterday and got tons of compliments.


What do you think of my outfit? What do you consider to be a summer essential?

H&M Arrives in San Antonio…FINALLY!

While scrolling through my Facebook timeline I stumbled upon an event announcement about the opening of an H&M store here in San Antonio. After getting over my initial excitement I read through the details of the event to see if I could possibly attend. 

Mmm, yeah, we'll be there. I don't care if I have to pack snacks, games and a whole 'nother life in my diaper bag me and these kids are going to brave the crowd and go. There are so many prizes up for grabs. Every season a big portion of my babies' wardrobe comes from H&M so I have to be there to try to win a little something. Mama likes a discount…

If you're in San Antonio and you're up for some retail therapy fun and frenzy come out to The Shops at La Cantera. Check out Savannah below rocking an entire look from H&M for Easter. 

There's currently a giveaway going on for a $100 H&M gift card on The sTORIbook blog. You can also RSVP for the event by clicking here. Be sure to bring in garments to be recycled for a chance to win a prize and receive a 15% off discount for EACH bag of clothing that you bring in. 

Be sure to say hello if you see me Thursday!

H-E-B Baby Diapers

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of H-E-B Baby Diapers.

Some women do not like grocery shopping. I am not one of those women. I look forward to it. Maybe that's because I get to shop at HEB. Y'all know I'm an East Coast girl so I'm use to having lots of different grocery stores to choose from. When we first arrived in Texas I was a little taken aback that there is only one main grocery store franchise.  The lack of choices doesn't bother me one bit because HEB is everything. When I mean to tell you I get excited to go grocery shopping I'm not lying! Everything from their seafood to their wine selection is amazing. Their baked goods and assortment of fresh produce and cheeses is to die for. My new love affair with them has gotten so real…. Especially when I discovered their diapers. HEB Baby Diapers are my son's bottom's new BFF. I love them because the quality is great. The fit is really great and the diapers are super soft. They have a 12 hour leakage protection which helps out a lot when BabyM has long stretches of sleep. 

BabyM and I are so in love. I love it when I find a baby product that gives me bang for my buck. While shopping the other day (because I'm in HEB like two times a week LOL) we were picking up diapers and I noticed a familiar face on one of the boxes. Sav's friend is on the top box in the pic below?! Isn't she a cutie?! I texted her Mom right away with excitement when I saw her "box". 

Just another reason to love these diapers and HEB….

Are you in love with grocery shopping as much as I am? Have you tried HEB Baby Diapers? Let me know your thoughts in comments! This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of H-E-B Baby Diapers.

Fall Family Photos 2013

As promised here are some of the images from our Fall family photo shoot. I am in love with these pictures. If you are in the San Antonio area and need a good family photographer I highly recommend Crystal Claire Photography. She is great with kids and I really feel like we got a lot for our money.

I love that Baby M was yawning and checking out the sites! As Kevin Hart would say, "We look good as a unit!" LOL! 

And one with my love...

And one of the littles...

There were so many great shots from our session. Pretty sure that file has been open on our computer since we got our pictures back. I had the hardest time trying to find something for all of us to wear. I'm really happy with the outcome. How often does your family have pictures made? 

San Antonio: Holiday Ole Market 2013

Last night was so much FUN! I haven't had good girlfriend time like that in a very long time. It's so nice to get out without your kids and husband every now and then. I want to thank Tyesha from Diary of a Chic Mommy for being my date last night for Holiday Ole Market 2013.

Here is a recap of the event. Sorry the pics are a little blurry. These were done with my phone and I can not seem to locate the USB cord for our actual camera so these will have to do for now. Sigh. Blogger problems. In the process of ordering a new cord right now...

Last night I wore some black high waist skinny jeans, a peplum top with leather shoulder detail and my new booties. Loved my look! 

There was SO MUCH jewelry at Holiday Ole Market. I have more jewelry shots on my big girl camera but you already know that story...

I want to shout out Julie's Boutique! They are a Charlotte, NC based store. Since I am a girl from the Queen City I was beyond excited to see them at Holiday Ole Market. Their stuff was super cute and well priced. The girls working their booth were super sweet too. All of my Charlotte girls should check them out. They're located off Park Rd. Happy Shopping!

Loved these pants from Julie's Boutique...

These ladies were giving out glasses of Smirnoff's new limited edition Peach Bellini. Yum. Get some.

Soo tasty...

Tyesha and I both agreed that the highlight of our night was this frozen slushie wine. Frappe Vino was the bomb. (Do people still say that?) That's the only way I can think to describe it. It's super easy to make and is delicious. 

Now that you've got your drinks together the next thing you'll need is a good snack. Alamo Seasoning had the yummiest dips. I purchased the spicy jalapeño dip. Can't wait to try it during my me time!

These bundt cakes were so good there barely any left by the time we made it to this booth. I tried the red velvet cake. Amazing.

Here we are on the way home. I had an amazing time. Get a group of your girls together and check out Holiday Ole Market. The market will be at the Freeman Coliseum until October 5, 2013. Do not miss out! There was everything from apparel and jewelry to novelty gifts and holiday decor. 

San Antonio: Holiday Ole Market

If you live in the San Antonio area then you may have heard about Holiday Ole Market. Here is a little snippet about the event from the Junior Leaugue of San Antonio's website.

"Find unique, boutique-like SHOPPING with premiere merchants offering apparel, jewelry, children's items, home goods and original holiday items. Experience a wide array of ENTERTAINMENT options including great food, music, auctions, and much more! Net proceeds from Holiday Ole Market benefit the community programs and projects of the Junior League of San Antonio, Inc."

I'll be attending the bloggers sneak peek for this event on Wednesday. Be sure to check back here Thursday for a post all about Holiday Ole Market and what you can expect. I am beyond excited! Interested in going? Enter below for your chance to win a ticket. The giveaway will end THIS Wednesday. It's a short entry period and I'll announce the winner on Thursday! Good Luck and as always, Happy Shopping!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

San Antonio: PB & J Kids Shop

Last week I had the opportunity to check out a brand new kids shop in San Antonio. PB & J Kids is located in The Alley on Bitters and it's the cutest kids store I've visited in a long time. The owners are a sweet married couple who initially started the store because they wanted to sell crafts. After doing a little research they added baby and children's items to their store and PB & J Kids was born.

I absolutely loved that the store had an area for kids to play. What I liked even better was that because of the intimate size of the store you could actually take a look at everything while your kid played. 

There were so many cute things to see. I really loved the knitted hats and leggings hanging from the clothing pins.

PB & J is also the only store in San Antonio that carries the Lollacup that became famous on the tv show Shark Tank. See them on the middle shelf in the yellow box...

I personally loved these hot pink leggings with the leaf detail. So cute...

PB & J had tons of novelty toys and gifts. I loved the one of a kind bibs and toy airplanes...

 Here are the bibs. The owner is a retired Air Forch pilot. This "Captain" bib was my favorite of them all...

All of the bloggers enjoyed yummy snacks and we each took home one of these floral gift bags...

If you live in San Antonio be sure to check out PB & J Kids. Happy Shopping!!!

The San Antonio Zoo

Yesterday we had a family date at the zoo. I had heard great things about the San Antonio Zoo and I wanted to see what all the hype was about. The zoo had ample parking and they offered a military discount.  Children two and under are free so our little morning out only costs twenty bucks. Yes!

I packed frozen bottle water and juice boxes in my bag along with some fruit. When Savannah got hungry or thirsty I reached into my bag of goodies. This kept us from being tempted by all the concession stands and restaurants. I'm always looking for ways to save money or make outings as enjoyable as possible for less money. We ended up going to lunch at Chick Fil-A after the zoo. I got the new Asian salad and it was amazing. You have to try it if you haven't already. 

Here are some pics from our visit. Overall, I was pleased with the San Antonio Zoo. Since we were there so early some of the animals were asleep but since Sav was still happy their being asleep didn't bother me. I'm always torn about the zoo. Apart of me likes taking her to see the animals but then another part of me always feels bad for the animals. Has anyone else ever noticed how sad animals look at the zoo sometimes?

aren't they twins?

Oh. And apparently when you go to the zoo as pregnant as I am you get lots of stares. People crack me up.