Jessica Azar's Blog, page 4
April 8, 2016
What Do I Even Say? Stopping the Teen Suicide Epidemic
Tweet This morning I found out about something that rocked me to my core, in several ways, for several reasons. A girl I’ve watched grow up over the past near-decade took her life before school today. She was super sweet, and her Mom is an absolute doll. Her Mom and I moved into the same neighborhood at the same time (within a couple of months of each other) and were both hugely pregnant with boys. Our boys grew up (literally) playing together and climbing the fence our yards shared to hang out. I can always remember the daughter being bubbly and sweet whenever I saw her around the neighborhood and that she loved animals so much that she started a dog-walking business when she about 10. She went around to each door and told the neighbors about her new business and even had little fliers printed up to hand out. I know that this girl went on to be a cheerleader and a very loved, positive influence in her school, but I also know that she dealt with depression. Her Mom and I discussed it at-length about a year ago, around the time my family was getting ready to move…
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What Do I Even Say?
Tweet This morning I found out about something that rocked me to my core, in several ways, for several reasons. A girl I’ve watched grow up over the past near-decade took her life before school today. She was super sweet, and her Mom is an absolute doll. Her Mom and I moved into the same neighborhood at the same time (within a couple of months of each other) and were both hugely pregnant with boys. Our boys grew up (literally) playing together and climbing the fence our yards shared to hang out. I can always remember the daughter being bubbly and sweet whenever I saw her around the neighborhood and that she loved animals so much that she started a dog-walking business when she about 10. She went around to each door and told the neighbors about her new business and even had little fliers printed up to hand out. I know that this girl went on to be a cheerleader and a very loved, positive influence in her school, but I also know that she dealt with depression. Her Mom and I discussed it at-length about a year ago, around the time my family was getting ready to move…
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April 7, 2016
It’s Back! Outlander Season 2 #ViveOutlander
Tweet Can I just say that I am so incredibly excited that Outlander Season 2 premieres this coming Saturday, April 9th? As many of you know, I have been following this show since the very early casting days in 2013, was blessed to attend and write about the Outlander Red Carpet World Premiere for the show in San Diego in 2014. Writing reviews of the Season One episodes was grueling because there’s so much to write about each week, but I’m so glad to have spent the time doing it, really digging into a story I love. This series is based on one of the most amazing series of novels I’ve ever encountered, and if you’ve never read the Outlander Books by Diana Gabaldon, you are missing out! They are long in length, but you’ll find yourself waiting anxiously for Gabaldon to publish the next book in the epic series. If you don’t currently have STARZ, another way to watch the new episodes of the series is through Amazon Prime Streaming! This is actually a really good deal, and they’re currently offering a free trial. Click this banner to get the deal. Outlander Season 2 promises to be as amazing…
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April 4, 2016
Talk Southern to Me: What Does Tump Mean?
Tweet In the South you’ll hear a lot of phrases and words that might be foreign to you if you’re not from here, and this is the next installment of Herd Management’s Talk Southern to Me series. Read up on these posts to better understand what Southerners are saying, and learn to speak our language! Today we will be defining the word Tump. Tump is one of those words that, despite having an excellent college-prep education and an English degree, I didn’t truly realize was Southern-specific, even though I’ve known from a young age that it’s not a word one would find in the dictionary. Tump can be used in a wide manner of circumstances and is a word you’ll hear people all across the spectrum of Southern society use. To catch up on previous episodes of Talk Southern to Me read these posts and increase your understanding of Southernese. You might even feel a little more Southern after reading them, and start craving greens and Bourbon Pecan Pie. Just sayin’. Visit us over on the Herd Management Facebook Page and tell us what’s going on in your world! We’re always up for a good story or tips on how…
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March 31, 2016
Dollar Store Road Trip Hacks
Tweet If you want to make your life easier and love finding ways to do that cheaply, you’re going to be excited! Certain items from your local dollar store can be used in amazing road trip hacks. Think of some of the downsides you experience when taking a road trip, especially one that involves children. I don’t know about you, but feeding everyone, keeping people entertained, and handling messes seem to be some of the biggest obstacles I face when traveling in my car, especially if I’m the lone adult managing a bunch of kids. Check out these Dollar Store Road Trip Hacks and let me know what you think! Have you found other inexpensive items that work well for road trips? Come tell us about it over on the Herd Management Facebook Page and see what others are saying. Check out my Travel Board on Pinterest for more great posts on Southern travel locations, reviews and road trip ideas to make your experiences on the road better ones. Follow Herd Management’s board Travel the South on Pinterest. Tweet
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March 30, 2016
Surviving Southern Spring Allergy Season
Tweet The Pollen Hurricane of Spring has hit us especially hard this year in the South, and the collective misery is obvious wherever you go. Allergy season has arrived, and I have boxes of tissue listed as budget item to prove it. Although most of us dearly love the natural beauty of the South and eagerly anticipate the annual appearance of Spring color, it’s a bit like childbirth in that we tend to forget how horrible the pains of hay fever and sinus infections can be. I’ve been hacking like a pack-a-day smoker and sound way more like Katherine Hepburn than I’d like, but I just can’t help but go outside to enjoy the beauty blooming all around me! My kids are also in the throes of hay fever, and they all have what I’d imagine “consumption” from Oregon Trail sounds like. The allergy siege must end. NOW. Because over-the-counter allergy medicines and antibiotics can only do good to a point, I’ve been on a crusade to find natural methods and home remedies to soothe our symptoms by asking everyone I know and researching like a jack rabbit on crack. I’m going to share them with you because The Golden…
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March 28, 2016
The Battle of the Bulging Hampers; Laundry Makeover
Tweet So I have a question… how many days worth of clothing do you have at your disposal? How many days worth of clothing do each of your kids have in their drawers/closets? Our system for maintaining clothing to wear has turned into a nightmare, minus the implementation of the Sock Sorting Solution I devised, and we are in dire need of a Laundry Makeover. In my perpetual quest to slay the clutter and material overcrowding of our home, I’ve been doing some thinking. Even though I CONSTANTLY purge excess “stuff” from my house, and believe me, six people can accumulate a lot of stuff, we never seem to actually HAVE less stuff for long before it’s time to purge again. It’s not specifically clothes, or toys, or books, or don’t even get me started on the amount of papers each of my kids bring into this house from school and various art projects) I never seem to be able to make a lasting dent in the space to stuff ratio. One roadblock I’ve identified in my pursuit of running a happy, productive home is that I try to do everything at once. My lack of focus leads me to…
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March 23, 2016
What Does Het Up Mean? On Talk Southern to Me
Tweet So you’ve heard a Southerner say it, and you need to know! What does Het Up mean, exactly? So you’ve heard a Southerner say it, and you need to know! What does Het Up mean, exactly? Generally “het up” will be used in the same situations that “worked up” or “riled up” would also be fitting, and it generally just depends on the speaker’s background and choice in using it. Upon further researching I’ve seen where “het up” is actually used in other rural places in the USA, but it’s typically thought of as a “Southernism” and it’s roots can be traced to the Scots. Being that there is a heavy, HEAVY Scottish influence in the American South due to those that settled Here, it makes perfect sense. Be sure to use “het up” in a conversation this week and get comfortable with it! You’re sure to attract someone’s attention, whether they’re a Southerner who appreciates our linguistic roots or someone that’s NOT from here who will want to know what you meant in saying it. It’s a chance for you to spread the gospel of Southern speech, and that’s not something to pass up! For past episodes of…
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March 22, 2016
How to Find the Best Southern Flower Festivals
Tweet Southern Flower Festivals are a big deal, y’all. The American South is known for many things, but the beauty that springs from every corner of our region is one of the most notable. Our Azaleas are vibrant, our Live Oaks majestic, and the Bluebonnets in Texas are always stunning, but knowing WHEN to catch certain flowers in bloom is key to fully enjoying all Creation has to offer. Our ties to to the land and agriculture are epic, so discovering the existence of massive Southern festivals that are organized to celebrate the region’s natural beauty shouldn’t be a huge surprise. The biggest question we then must overcome is how to go about finding the best Southern flower festivals! Read about the very best Flower Festivals in the South in this piece I’ve written for The Southern Weekend, and tell me what you think. Is there an amazing festival I missed or a Southern flower that deserves more attention? I want to know! Come hang out over on the Herd Management Facebook Page and talk Southern floral beauty with us… or the weather… or how bad your kids are acting on Spring Break. Just come visit and get to know…
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March 20, 2016
Save Money on Gas With These Tips
Tweet Looking to Save Money on Gas? You’ve come to the right place! We can ALL use tips on ways to trim the excess from our budgets. It’s that time of year again where gas prices rise in anticipation of all those trips everyone will be taking, so strategies to save money on gas are especially helpful for drivers. My family always sees an increase in our fuel budget in the Spring and Summer. It’s bad enough that I’m buying new warm-weather clothes for my entire household and paying school registration stuff for next fall already, so I’m always looking for ways to keep costs elsewhere on our financial spreadsheet at bay. Check out these tips I’ve compiled and evaluated for you: How to Save Money on Gas Be sure to follow my Herd Management Travel Board on Pinterest for even more articles on making your vacations the best ever! Tweet
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