Celebrating Life’s Little Moments: ACMB Year in Review

As we enter the new year, it is important to look back and reflect on everything that happened in 2016. While it was a dramatic year for politics, and the news was often airing stories of tragedy and sadness, a lot of good things happened last year, too. We asked our contributors to share highs and lows from last year: from the little things to the big things, it was a truly a year to remember! What was the high of your year? The low? Share in the comments!

January

ACMB celebrated closing out 2015 with more than 5,000,000 page views. After a miscarriage in 2015, Taylor picked “PEACE” as her “Power Word” for 2016 and hoped to be at peace “with whatever happens…to remember [her] faith, let go of the illusion of control, and just be at peace this year.” She wrote those words on January 2nd and found out she was pregnant two days later! Many other ACMB team members celebrated their personal 2016 “Word of the Year.” Inga and her family marched in the MLK march and at the Texas Capitol. Christy took kids to Disney World for the first time, while Lisa and her family took a stellar trip to Disneyland. Denisse’s husband Ian climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his group “the Cloudwalkers,” and she later celebrated her daughter’s tenth birthday by taking a mother/daughter trip to New York City. Ariana had a baby, thus upping her odds on becoming part of this awesome squad of moms. Jennelle saw and loved Kinky Boots. Amanda G. turned 33 with a stay-at-home dinner “cooked” by her three-year-old.

February

Michelle had the sex talk with her 10-year-old on Valentines Night, answered a lot of questions, and promptly had NO sex. Jennelle had her appendix out…and was reminded how great her friends are as they blessed her family with meals. Molly watched and photographed her first birth, which was far less painful than actually giving birth, but she cried almost as much. Elizabeth took her first ever ski lessons, which confirmed her suspicions that she would not be a quick study. Erin R.’s grandmother passed away. Amy started working full-time again for the first time in eight years. 

March

ACMB welcomed San Antonio families to the second annual Primavera, held at the Witte Museum. Kristin qualified for the Boston Marathon. Bridget and family welcomed long-awaited and newest member, Marielle. Taylor experienced some highs and lows: Turned 35 at three months pregnant and found out she was having a healthy baby girl, but lost her five-year-old dog to cancer. Michelle took her first family ski trip, and it was fantastic! Heather’s dad passed away. Christy ran an ultra marathon. Candice had a child turn 16, which means an extra driver in the house to run all her errands so she can remain on the couch most of the day. 

April

ACMB hosted 150 new and expectant San Antonio moms at Bloom, held at the DoSeum. Tori started selling her crafts/design artwork out of Country Elegance in Old Town Helotes. Molly accidentally volunteered to co-chair one of the PTO committees. Inga’s parents got divorced. Amanda G. and her mother took her newly turned four-year-old to Disney World and decided that the next trip was on the men of the family. Jill produced and directed Listen to Your Mother, a live stage show celebrating moms, in its inaugural year in San Antonio…and still can’t believe she did that. Brooke, Taylor, and Katie participated in the show. Christy mailed her 2015 Christmas cards. Taylor traveled to New York City for her last big vacay as a family of three. Ashley got dehydrated and overheated at the Battle of Flowers Parade and puked in front of her kids (shout out to Katherine Thompson for holding the trash bag!).

May

ACMB had a fun night team night out at Top Golf. Dawn won two awards from PRSA San Antonio. Bridget returned to work full-time after maternity leave. Erin R. became a new contributor for ACMB, along with nine other awesome women. Amanda G. celebrated her tenth wedding anniversary. Maggie closed her small business and jumped into a new venture. Boomer the bulldog found his forever home with Taylor’s family. Jennelle beat her husband at laser tag…twice. (If you need photographic evidence, she has it.) ACMB honored a local teacher as part of its second annual Teacher of the Year contest.

June

ACMB team members volunteered at SnackPak for Kids. Tori and Stephanie joined the ACMB team, and Michelle stepped into her role on the staff side. Kristin got her first family pet. Michelle finally made it to Hogwarts (#harrypotterforevah)! Katie moved into a new house, and her daughter performed in her first dance recital. America bittersweetly celebrated the big 4-0. Jennelle’s son finished Kinder, which means she survived her first year of a full-time school schedule. Erin R. took her annual family vacation to Playa del Carmen with four children under the age of five. Denisse lost her dad.

July

ACMB embraced their inner “Bad Moms” at a special movie premiere. Amanda R. quit her cubicle lifestyle and exchanged it for WAHM, diving into full-time business owner and doula life. Natalie was asked to “lean in” at work and transitioned from PR/marketing to managing web development and user experience. Katie went to the best concert ever—Garth Brooks! Erin R. closed her private practice to become a SAHM. Molly road-tripped to Idaho and back with two kids, visiting five National Parks in three weeks, and celebrated 10 years of marriage. Maggie hiked favorite mountains and lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park with extended family. Christy’s last baby turned one, and she took a month-long road trip. Elizabeth’s four-year-old daughter had her first sleepover at our house.

August

ACMB celebrated the art of massage with local moms at Massage Heights and enjoyed some time with team members at California Pizza Kitchen. Brooke, Christy, Dawn, Amanda, Molly, Kristin, and Lindsay had children who started Kindergarten. Jennelle completed the challenge of visiting all the SA Public Library Branches over the summer. Dawn’s son graduated from occupational and speech therapy. Rosalinda’s oldest child started—gulp!—middle school, while Jessica’s youngest began preschool. Maggie survived sepsis. Jill’s two boys started first grade and celebrated two adoption anniversaries: Kyle home for three years, and Zack home for four years. Amanda G. and her daughter flew to Alaska to visit Sarah and family, see moose, and hike a glacier. Four days after returning, she missed the first day of school to hop a plane to London to visit her best friend (with zero mom guilt). Christy’s husband was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

September

ACMB celebrated its Favorite Things with 25 team members at Cafe Dijon. Brooke celebrated 10 years of marriage and accepted the Director of Sales position with CMBN. Inga joined the ACMB staff. Amanda gracefully embraced 40 while wearing a unicorn shirt and chucks. Michelle turned 40 in a sassy dress and fresh blowout. After delivering her first child at 32 weeks, Taylor and family welcomed a full-term baby girl, Hayes, to the world with zero complications! Erin K. welcomed two teenagers into the house as her twins turned 13. Candice’s husband took the little kids out of town for the weekend without her. Candice proceeded to go buck wild all weekend. Erin R. became pregnant with her third and FINAL child! Elizabeth embraced the Treat Yo’self mentality for a full week in honor of her 39th birthday. Amy had surgery for appendicitis. Jill turned 50 with minimal tears and drama. Lindsay welcomed a baby girl into her family.

October

ACMB hosted the CMBN Sister Site Conference with more than 80 sister site owners and team members from all over the country. ACMB partnered with University Hospital for a successful Teddy Bear Clinic that treated more than 50 bears! Natalie’s daughter Noelle was a flower girl when her sister got married in Durango. According to Noelle, she was the “best flower girl in the whole wide world.” Ashley survived attending two 20-year high school reunions, one of which she helped organize. Jessica moved her photography business, Mewborne Photography, to a space with room for a studio. Inga felt like she could call herself a runner again, after taking a break for a few years. Erin K. and her husband Nate celebrated 14 years of marriage. Rosalinda’s family moved into their new home a week before Halloween, and she celebrated her 17th wedding anniversary. Ginger had a milestone birthday down at the beach.

November

ACMB hosted more than 300 moms at its fourth annual Moms’ Night Out, Mad Hatter’s Bash at Central Library. Dawn survived—and surprisingly enjoyed—Disneyland. Inga’s kids learned how to successfully tie their own shoes. Amanda R. celebrated six years of marriage. Candice’s book, The Con Man’s Daughter, became available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Erin R. celebrated her golden anniversary: seven years of marriage on the 7th and attended an Indigo Girls concert. Tori created an anti-bullying campaign for her son’s school that will kick off this month. Lisa’s daughter potty-trained herself! Elizabeth was so hungover after a Willie Nelson concert the night before that she was unable to attend Thanksgiving dinner…the Thanksgiving dinner for 18 people that was hosted at her house. We all survived the election.

December

ACMB hosted a birthday party for children who were displaced from their homes (and found out that the Limbo has NOT gone out of style) and celebrated the holidays with a special painting party from Tracey’s Fancy and another fun round of a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Kristin’s youngest child got tubes and had her adenoids removed. Bridget traveled to Europe for work, leaving baby for an extended time for the first time. When she returned home, she received the shock of a lifetime to find out that she is unexpectedly pregnant—a healthy pregnancy without infertility treatments. Erin K. took her mom and daughter on a girls’ weekend to NYC for Christmas Spectacular and the holiday season. Celina, Natalie, and Jennelle were selected to serve on the JLSA Board…with Celina being President! Candice made it through all of 2016 without getting pregnant. Her daughter, Bella, donated 100 pairs of new shoes (and much, much more) to our homeless community. Molly ate copious amounts of chocolate and pastries to cope with family stressors. Ashley survived taking two Texas kids to Minnesota in -25°F temperatures. Maggie celebrated her grandparents’ 50th anniversary with all of their six kids, 10 grandkids, and 18 great-grandkids. Amanda R. put a dent in the liquor cabinet in memory of all the musical and scientific icons that were lost this year. Tori organized and ran a food and coat drive to help needy families. Elizabeth did the seemingly impossible and learned how to ski at age 39. Taylor and her husband Jeff celebrated 11 years of marriage in their PJs with a sick kiddo…because that’s exactly what 11 years looks like. Jill took her husband and kids on a Caribbean cruise as a Christmas present and unplugged from social media for an entire week. Christy survived the most ridiculous semester teaching load so far. Christy and Brooke completed the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon—Christy’s seventeenth and Brooke’s fifth. Denise had the time of her life at the Billy Joel concert, and her daughter got engaged over the holidays.

Thank you for a great 2016, San Antonio! We can’t wait to see where 2017 takes us!

Lindsay
Lindsay is the co-founder of Alamo City Moms Blog. A native New Orleanian, Lindsay found her way to the Alamo City via her husband, Steven, who is a born and raised San Antonian. She is a mom to three young children. Lindsay earned her B.A. in Psychology from Rhodes College and her M.A. in Early Childhood Education from UTSA. She was a preschool and first-grade teacher for 10 years and is now a Reading Specialist and Dyslexia Therapist.