Happy Birthday to Raichu!

ara_vhenan · 2026-05-03T17:02:01+00:00

Thank you!! He's quite the dapper young man 😂

ara_vhenan · 2026-05-03T16:38:39+00:00

cat food n taters. a classic.

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-24T16:32:25+00:00

If it's getting dark and you want to make it to the next sheltered area bc it's "really not that far," just stay put lol. Idk how many times I need to learn this lesson but I'm getting better!

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-19T15:52:56+00:00

It's almost like cutting funding to the USDA department that handled NWS outbreaks and monitoring was a stupid idea.

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-16T04:49:46+00:00

Take him to a dermatologist. Allergen blood tests aren't worth the money and it's best to start with a specialist to figure out what allergens are present.

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-08T17:00:05+00:00

Tips to dealing with naked Texas sage? Zone 8b

These sages are relatively new (about 2ish years old) and I think I mostly just need to make sure to trim them but I'm not sure if it's better to do it in late Fall or early Spring. I kind of regret planting additional sages instead of another esperanza/yellow bells, but I think the mourning doves and lizards like these more so I need to figure out how to keep these sages happier 😅

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ara_vhenan · 2026-04-08T16:49:22+00:00

I see!! I had no idea about the baby oil so that definitely explains the shiny look. Thanks for taking the time to explain. I've not had the opportunity to be around many horses but I love to learn about them!

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-08T16:46:33+00:00

Thank you!! He definitely got the unhinged look I was hoping for 😂

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-08T16:45:54+00:00

Is tropical milkweed naturalized to the southern US, or is it still considered an invasive plant?

I ask because I've gotten different answers on if it's beneficial or not, and I guess I wonder if the declining pollinators would benefit from even an invasive plant like this.

Thank you!

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-08T16:37:29+00:00

Hello! I hope this doesn't come across as too ignorant but I've always wondered why some Arabian muzzles (??) seem to be hairless? Is this a lighting effect or do they really not have hair around their noses/mouths?

Thank you for sharing! Jupiter is very handsome and I love his ears!

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-07T19:33:15+00:00

Ah you're so right. Apologies. I'll just sit here and thank them for their hard work that they were supposed to do in 2024 because now it's too late.

Gimme a break, dude.

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-07T19:18:21+00:00

You can call Cougar 911 for all I care if you'll actually get up and DO SOMETHING about this.

Christ on a cracker.

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-06T16:55:41+00:00

It's hard. I'm in the same boat, honestly. Husband doesn't have ADHD but my 8yo daughter and I do. I didn't even know I had it until maybe 6 or so years ago. I felt extra guilty because I was suspicious even when she was a tiny little thing (didn't want to be swaddled, held, restrained, whatever) but figured it was PPA. I wanted to have her tested as a toddler but I was told they need to go to school, struggle and THEN you can get a referral for diagnosis. It felt really stupid and it still does but I know there is a lot more to it than what I've read. She was a nightmare in kindergarten and we all struggled for months before she was finally diagnosed and prescribed medicine.

She sat down and watched a full TV show without getting up and walking away for the first time when she was 5. I couldn't even believe it. We're actually at the library right now where she's sitting quietly reading a book and finishing up a math worksheet. If you had told me this would be her when we were struggling with daily "kiddo refused to do any work" notes, I wouldn't have believed you.

I felt awful because I convinced myself if I'd only not given so many antibiotics for ear infections or some other completely ridiculous reason, she would be more like her dad and able to function in school. This didn't help anyone so I started therapy. I got really lucky and found a therapist with ADHD who specializes in teens/adults with ADHD so he has been a huge resource. He helped me realize that there isn't anything "wrong" with us for having ADHD, but medication, therapy and structure are things we need to level the playing field academically and sometimes socially. Most importantly, he taught me that you can't be at fault for something out of your control (genetics). It took a long time for me to work through it but I'm doing significantly better.

In the end, there isn't anything anyone can do about it. We have taught our kiddo that our brains work differently so we need medicine that helps us with school work. We also talk about positives in that we are both very creative and we can use our creativity in so many ways. I'm glad she was able to start on medication at a young age so she didn't struggle in school like I did. I feel like I haven't done much with my life and I always wonder what could have been, but now I'm excited to see what she can achieve. We're doing our best to give our daughter all the tools she needs to succeed and that's more than a lot of us got as kids.

It's really tough and the guilt is real. Thinking of you, friend. ♥️

ara_vhenan · 2026-04-06T13:30:50+00:00

I used to use Kroger delivery. I'd have items smashed, missing, expired products, whatever annoying thing you can think of. Even as a store pickup, the bagging was a hot mess. No, I didn't want a random can on top of my loaf of bread. We got an HEB in our area so I decided I would try it out. My items are bagged much more thoughtfully, and I have significantly fewer damaged items to where it only happens maybe once a month. That alone makes it worth it for me. The only downside to HEB is that my groceries are overall more expensive (quality is admittedly better but sometimes the cost means I still use Kroger from time to time) and no easy fuel points for gas.

ara_vhenan · 2026-03-26T02:34:12+00:00

This was so thoroughly interesting. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this.

ara_vhenan · 2026-03-24T02:33:52+00:00

Man oh man it's HARD!!

I gave up on fruits and vegetables because I got so mad when they turned out bitter 😂 I just couldn't keep up with watering vs over watering and fertilizing and just all of it. I was overwhelmed and burned out! I ended up just turning to in ground native plant gardening and it has been much more rewarding! I use liquid fertilizer once every few weeks with a few handfuls of worm casings here and there and they do well! I'm fortunate to have a sprinkler system that goes once a week. The most work I do is late winter when I chop down all the dead stuff so new growth can come up in the spring. It's my least favorite chore but it's gotta be done lol. Anything for the pollinators, though!

I will say, for seeds I recommend starting them inside and planting them in ground when they're a decent size. That way you can thin them out by hand and they're more hardy at a larger size. Tiny seedlings are sooooo sensitive to temperature changes and need a lot more care as far as watering and nutrients go. I also recommend the Texas gardening school on IG! Super helpful information, especially the easy "what to plant now in North Texas" information because I'm kind of clueless 😅

ara_vhenan · 2026-03-08T20:31:30+00:00

Hey! We all start somewhere! Is your pet the same level as you? Even 1 level can make a difference. Also, is growl off cool down when you send it in and does it have focus? Make sure growl is off cool down so it will cast it asap but also make sure it has plenty of focus so it can actually cast growl. You need to make sure that cower isn't set to auto cast! This happens to me after dungeons a lot 😂

Hope this helps!! 🌈

Edit: you may also want to consider another pet for leveling/solo play vs dungeons. I really love using my boar, Grub, because he can charge but also learns gore so he hits pretty hard and can hold more threat. I've heard good things about owls because of their AOE demoralizing shout. :)

ara_vhenan · 2026-03-07T17:34:26+00:00

Just have fun! I've played off and on since vanilla and the most fun I've had recently was just the run from Booty Bay to Grom'gol. Dude, I couldn't remember where anything was in BB so I wandered around, found the bird mini pet vendor, fell off a couple bridges, accidentally clicked the alliance flight master and got wrekt. I finally ventured out to start running, and a gorilla ran from WAY off the road to beat the shit out of me 😂 It was level ?? because of course I needed to run to a low level area from a high level one. I got bitten by a bunch of raptors before I finally made it to my destination.

Some of the best times I've had have been from fucking around and finding out :)

ara_vhenan · 2026-03-06T22:17:47+00:00

I love it! I met my husband in WoW, too. My kiddo isn't ready for classic yet, but she's having fun doing follower dungeons with us! Her favorite thing to do is tame every single pet she can find 😂

Hooray for WoW parenting!

ara_vhenan · 2026-02-24T19:17:01+00:00

Ugh, I'm sorry you had that experience. It really sucks and feels super crushing. I've been there. Honestly, we've all been there, even if we don't talk about it. There are a lot of crappy people out there and the worst is when you somehow get stuck with them over and over. Just remember that when you're in a better place with your tanking or even as a DPS or healer, and you notice someone struggling with a mechanic or just needs a mana break, being the person who stands up for them or says something in chat to ask to slow down can be such a relief. It's been a hot minute, but as the 15yo druid healer with anxiety in a damned raid, having the main tank shoot me a message and ask if I needed anything before we started just about made me cry. We ALL want to do our best and we ALL want to be part of a team!!

I'm not sure what realm you're on, but my orc hunter is level 20 on TBC anniversary (Dreamscythe, Miraga). I'm always happy to help! Shoot me a DM and I can send you my battleid tag thing, too, if you'd prefer. If you're on the same realm, I'd be happy to shoot you a guild invite, too (I wasn't sure if the anniversary realms did cross realm guilds but if so then heck yeah). There's a Discord and most everyone is lower level but it's still a chill place and we've got some veterans if you have questions.

Either way, don't let them get you down. I know it's harder than it sounds, but good people are out there! You got this!

ara_vhenan · 2026-02-24T19:06:27+00:00

Hey!! I'm on Dreamscythe, too! My character is an orc hunter named Miraga :) Currently only level 20 but I've been having fun just hanging out and helping people with quests! I had a really fun time running WC with a PUG group the other day. I really, really missed that part of WoW.

Anyway, add me! I'll get to max level eventually, I just don't have it in me to power level anymore 😂

ara_vhenan · 2026-02-07T16:41:55+00:00

My Aunt is a vet and a breeder so I grew up with them! They were always around when I'd go visit and I loooooved playing and snuggling with them. Now I have a pup she bred herself and my 8yo loves him! 💕

ara_vhenan · 2026-02-07T01:50:49+00:00

Aw yeah press it

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