Jessica Azar's Blog, page 2
July 14, 2016
Lessons From Steel Magnolias For My Southern Daughter
Being born into the sisterhood of Southern women bestows blessings on a baby girl that she will enjoy for her lifetime. After watching Steel Magnolias for the millionth time I was reminded of several things that an outsider could learn about Southern womanhood from watching this fantastic film and the things I want my daughters to know about the amazing and unique culture to which they belong. These are characteristics that they’ll learn to appreciate about other Southern women and over time (hopefully) exhibit themselves if we raise them right. Little girls, take note: 1) We Feed People and Do It Well- No matter the occasion people need to eat, and in feeding them we nourish their souls as well as their bodies. Wherever there’s a funeral, you’ll find Southern women bringing in platters and casseroles to feed the masses, and if someone’s having surgery or is dealing with sickness, Southern women not only seek to take care of an ailing person but those surrounding her as well. Ouiser and Clairee’ grocery shop for Drum Eatenton (when Shelby and M’Lynn were undergoing the kidney removal and transplant) as a “gesture” and argue over how many cans of baked beans he…
The post Lessons From Steel Magnolias For My Southern Daughter appeared first on Herd Management.
July 11, 2016
What YEAR is It? A Veme About Pokemon Go
Somebody please explain the whole Pokemon Go thing to me… I feel like I’m in a time warp and back in elementary school during the 1990’s. Herd Management with Jessica Azar If you can shed some light on this to a mom of four kids, come on over to Herd Management Facebook Page and explain it to us… PLEASE. I feel old, and I am NOT old.
The post What YEAR is It? A Veme About Pokemon Go appeared first on Herd Management.
Reasons to Buy a Car From a Dealer
Wondering whether you should buy a car from a dealer or the guy down the street? Read this! I’m a big believer in saving money where I can by doing as much of the leg work possible myself. However, there are some things I’ve found that are best done through professionals, and the process of buying a car is one of those situations. Purchasing a car, whether it be used or new, is a sizable investment for most of us, usually only second to buying a home, and that’s why it pays off in the long run to seek the assistance of someone who knows what their doing, and can advise you on the best options for your particular needs.You might save a little money initially if you buy from an individual, but the reasons to use a car dealership far outweigh the small amount saved. I’ve compiled a helpful list of reasons Buy a Car From a Dealer just for you, so please take a look and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for ways to save money, check out my Save Money to Live Richly Board on Pinterest. Go ahead and follow Herd Management while you’re…
The post Reasons to Buy a Car From a Dealer appeared first on Herd Management.
July 4, 2016
An Independence Day Veme “Bye, Felicia!”
Happy Independence Day, Y’all! I thought this little veme I created would make you laugh and pair nicely with my Fourth of July Post from last year. Stay safe, eat watermelon, have a drink, swim, watch fireworks, and remember to be grateful for the people willing to sacrifice everything for our freedom. I had to do it. God Bless America our… – Herd Management with Jessica Azar | Facebook Come join us over at the Herd Management Facebook Page for more laugh and fun conversation…some smart, some silly, some strange…
The post An Independence Day Veme “Bye, Felicia!” appeared first on Herd Management.
July 1, 2016
Top 20 Summer Reading List for Grown Girls PLUS Giveaway
What’s that, friends? You feel that gorgeous sunshine on your back and hear those birds chirping? Yup, it’s officially SUMMER! And to all the readers of the world, that means one very, very important thing: it’s time to dig into that summer reading list for grown girls! Been a little too distracted by the end-of-school insanity to bone up on what all the hot summer reads are? No sweat! We’ve got you covered. Twenty of us blogging gals have teamed up with The Mom of the Year and Normal Level of Crazy virtual monthly book club to create a list of exactly what belongs on a grown girl’s summer reading list. Not only do these books come highly recommended (along with the reason you need to be reading them!), we are giving eleven of them away to one of you, along with a $225 Amazon giftcard. I know, it’s insanely awesome! More details on the giveaway at the end of the post. For now, log into Goodreads, grab a notepad or settle in with however you track your to-read list and start adding these titles. 20 Books that Belong on Your Summer Reading List: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by…
The post Top 20 Summer Reading List for Grown Girls PLUS Giveaway appeared first on Herd Management.
Ways to Simplify Summer
Ways to Simplify Summer This post was sponsored by the Maker of OxiClean™ through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about their Versatile Stain Remover, all opinions are my own. Can you feel it? The temperatures are rising, gardens are springing to life with flowers and vegetables, and I’m putting off shopping for a new swimsuit. Yep, summer is almost here! Finding Simplify Summer strategies will minimize stress and maximize the good times you’ll undoubtedly have. While summer brings a ton of opportunities for fun and memories, with it also comes a certain amount of chaos. I always feel a bit overwhelmed in preparing for the season of pools and watermelon, partly because of the seemingly endless amount of supplies I need to buy. The key that helps me to Simplify Summer as a budget-conscious mother of four is identifying items that can serve multiple purposes in my busy household. Not only does it make my shopping list shorter (which saves me precious time), it also saves me money and storage space! Check out the purchases at the top of my must-have list that can pull double or even triple duty. 1) Glow…
The post Ways to Simplify Summer appeared first on Herd Management.
June 30, 2016
Summer Vacation is Like Groundhog Day
Summer Vacation is like Groundhog Day, the movie. For a mom that’s with her kids all day, every day in the summer time, things get pretty gnarly. We find ourselves fantasizing about drinking hot tea alone, uninterrupted, or not breaking up fights all day long. Things don’t really seem to change from day to day, and heading into July, especially if your kids have been home since the middle of May like mine have, the end of the summer death march doesn’t seem to be anywhere in sight. Come commiserate and laugh with the rest of us over on the Herd Management Facebook Page! No judgement and a lot of laughs.
The post Summer Vacation is Like Groundhog Day appeared first on Herd Management.
June 23, 2016
The Importance of Teaching My Kids About My Mental Illness
As anyone who’s ever been around me or read any of my writing knows, I am very open about my journey with Bipolar Disorder. Having a mental illness is my reality, and being real about it is the best way I know to reduce stigma, educate others, and live my life the way I want to live it. Due to the highly hereditary nature of mental illnesses, it’s likely that at least one of my four children will inherit some form of it, and I know with every fiber of my being that this is my chance to help them accept themselves for they are completely, mental illness or no. That all starts with me embracing the parts of myself that might make others uncomfortable. In my piece on Momtastic, I discuss the reality and importance of teaching my kids about my mental illness, for their sake and the rest of the world. One of my readers whom I’ve been talking to for awhile now brought to my attention that there is a serious lack of options in books that can be used to explain mental illness to children. I can’t shake that idea now, and I’m seriously considering writing…
The post The Importance of Teaching My Kids About My Mental Illness appeared first on Herd Management.
June 17, 2016
On Making the Kids Sharing a Bedroom and Why You Should Do It, Too
What do you think about kids sharing a bedroom? Hideous torture? Unfair and wrong? Great idea? I’m so excited to be on Momtastic for the very first time with an article about the reasons I’m making my boys share a bedroom and making the girls share a room, and I’m firmly rooted in my beliefs on this… at least at their current ages. I’ve already seen my kids develop skills that I didn’t have at their ages because I never shared a bedroom until college. Read about the reasons I have for insisting that my kids share a bedroom with a sibling. Come over to the Herd Management Facebook Page and let me know what you think! We’re always up for a lively discussion over there.
The post On Making the Kids Sharing a Bedroom and Why You Should Do It, Too appeared first on Herd Management.
June 16, 2016
Things That All New Drivers Should Know
Attention parents of new drivers! You need to rea this! They’ve been practicing under your watchful eye for a year with their learner’s permit. You’ve carefully instructed them in the rules of the road, sometimes calmly, sometimes while grabbing the door handle for dear life and screaming your head off. The requirements for driver’s education have been fulfilled, and now the moment of truth has come: your teen has passed the road test and been granted her driver’s license. You may think the bulk of teaching is over, but there are a few more things that a new drivers should know to stay safe during the decades of travel they’ll hopefully enjoy throughout their lifetime. Check out the list of skills that I’ve compiled and the important reasons for making sure the new driver in your life has absorbed the important information: Things That All New Drivers Should Know
The post Things That All New Drivers Should Know appeared first on Herd Management.
