San Antonio Mom Blogs is excited to welcome Mayor Ivy Taylor! We’re rounding out 2015 by interviewing San Antonio’s mayor and introducing her new, monthly feature here which debuts in January, 2016. We’re proud to provide a nonpartisan venue for Mayor Taylor to share resources for, and news and topics pertinent to, San Antonio families. A mom herself, Mayor Taylor understands the importance of family and we look forward to the unique perspective she’ll share with us here on San Antonio Mom Blogs.
Welcome to San Antonio Mom Blogs, Mayor Taylor!
Which San Antonio holiday traditions are your family’s favorites and why?
Every year, my daughter and I love to watch, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” We also enjoy relaxing together and enjoying a special meal. One of our favorite recipes is my aunt Audrey’s sweet potato crunch, which has become rather popular these days as I’ve been sharing it with everyone. Let me know what you think.
Aunt Audrey’s Sweet Potato Crunch
Ingredients:
6 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 cups sugar
a dash of salt (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs
Directions:
– Mix all ingredients together.
– Pour in a baking pan and smooth out.
Then, mix together:
2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup self-rising flour
2 cups crushed pecans
2/3 cup room temperature butter
1 cup Quaker Quick Oats
Directions:
– Mix these ingredients together.
– Pour into the baking pan, over the sweet potato mixture.
– Bake for 60-65 minutes at 300 degrees.
Serve and enjoy!
What are some of your favorite free things to do in San Antonio with your family?
I love to sit on the porch and enjoy our view of the downtown skyline. That is a great money saver and you can do it from so many places around town like the Hays Street Bridge and Alamo Stadium.
Some of us also forget that there is no charge to visit our Spanish colonial missions, which were just named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only one in Texas.
We also have dozens of libraries in San Antonio that not only provide books and movies but free literacy programs for people of all ages.
Here at San Antonio Mom Blogs, we love San Antonio parks! What is your favorite park in San Antonio and why?
Dignowity Park is my favorite because it’s across the street from my house and I have happy memories of walking the dog with my daughter and taking pictures of her in the park when she was little.
What are your family’s favorite ways and places to stay fit in San Antonio?
For a really good workout, I love to double dutch (jump rope), but I don’t have a lot of time to do it these days.
I enjoy walking through our neighborhood and using the fitness equipment in Dignowity Park. As part of my Walk with the Mayor events, I also had the chance to walk with San Antonians through downtown and along the Museum Reach part of the river, which is a great place to get some fresh air. I plan on hosting more of those types of events across different neighborhoods in 2016.
What was the most exciting thing to happen for San Antonio families in 2015?
As the mother of a very active and inquisitive 12-year-old, the opening of The DoSeum, San Antonio’s Museum for Kids, was one of the most exciting things to happen in 2015.
We also enjoyed visiting Yanaguana Garden which opened in HemisFair Park in October. It is a great place for families to play.
For older kids, I recommend sitting outside San Fernando Cathedral and watching “The Saga” play out in laser lights on the facade.
What initiatives or issues do you plan to tackle on behalf of San Antonio families as we enter 2016?
A long term problem we have to tackle is workforce development. We must ensure that all San Antonians have the education and skills needed to compete for good-paying jobs that will provide stability and allow them to take care of their families.
In the near future, we will be putting together a bond package that will allow us to invest in such essentials as sidewalks, parks, and other neighborhood improvement projects.
How can San Antonio parents contact you with any questions/suggestions/concerns?
You can reach me via email, at MayorDOTIvyTaylorATSanAntonioDOTgov.
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This is so exciting to see! I am a huge Ivy fan!
Yes, it’s very exciting, Pam! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Welcome Mayor Taylor. Your daughter is just a little older than my twins. I understand the lively part of tweens!
Oh, yes, Laura. My daughter is near that age too. *Quite* lively! 🙂