23 Reasons Why Moms are the Absolute Best

I think Juvenile said it best when he said “She get it from her mama.”

Oh where she get her eyes from? She get it from her mamma
Oh where she get her thighs from? She get it from her mamma
Where she learn how to cook from? She get it from her mamma
Oh where she get them looks from? She get it from her mamma
But where she get that ass from? She get it from her mamma
But where she get her class from? She get it from her mamma
– Juvenile 

While the above rap song may not be the most tactful way to express my feelings, I truly grow to appreciate my mother, for multiple reasons, more and more each day. As we all age and mature, I believe everyone begins to grow more appreciative of their mothers, and realize that no matter how old we get, we still need them. So without being too terribly sentimental (I’m a glass and a half of wine deep in some cab, so this post may get sappier as you read), here are the:

23 Reasons Why Moms are the Absolute Best

1. They carried you safely inside of them for 9 months, distorted their bodies, and had to give up wine. 
2. They fixed your hair, dressed you, and kept you from looking like a hot mess as a child (bless those of you whose fathers never had to do your hair when your mom was out of town). 
3. They teach you manners. 
4. They can read your mood, good and bad,  without you saying a word.
5. They listen to your problems, as big or as small as they may be.
6. They have seen you at your worst, and still love you at your worst.
7. They try to keep up with the times and learn the most current lingo — bless. They teach you the true meaning of ‘unconditional’: unconditional love, unconditional support, & unconditional honesty.
8. They are always on your team.
   
9. They would take every ounce of your pain just to see you to be happy.
10. They teach you about love. They are excited for your first kiss, they are happy when you fall in love, and they hold you tight when you have your heart broken.
    
11. They pray for you daily – “A mother’s prayer is the most powerful force in the world.”
12. They will always be honest with you, even if that means telling you that your outfit is not flattering — this one I relate to all too often. 
    
13. They put themselves last and rarely complain about it — it is a fact, that mothers are always the last to sit down at the dinner table. 
14. They are our best friends.
15. They always know how to get the stains out of your most prized shirt. Can I get an AMEN for all the times your mom saved an article of your clothing?
16. They are there for all your milestones — your first step, your first kiss, your first bad grade, & your first hangover.
    
17. They share your excitement with and for you, whether it’s for an A on a paper, a new boyfriend, a college acceptance letter, an engagement, or a pregnancy announcement. 
18. They keep you humble. 
19. They are the Best. Santas. Ever. (Because we all know if it were up to Dads, there would be no Santa).
    
20. They are always right – even when you hate to admit it.
21. They are all real life super heroes. 
22. They will always be here for us, near or far. Always. 

I know we all give our moms a hard time (and some times it’s warranted), but they truly are the best humans in the world. Hands down. Now go call or text your mama, and tell her you love her, a lot.

Xx,

 

 

God’s Timing

Oh!

They (Christians) say that ‘Oh’ is the most commonly used word in Heaven.

What I mean by that, is one day, we will look back on circumstances in our lives that we didn’t understand, and be able to say with a grin, “Oh! So THAT’S why that happened.” (That’s why that relationship failed, that’s why I called off a wedding, that’s why he broke my heart, that’s why I lost my job, etc.)

Before I continue, I should have done a post on my faith already, but y’all, I love Jesus. So. Much. Some days, I just can’t stop smiling because of how good HE is. Contrarily, on the bad days, I am still able to smile because of how good HE is, always. 

This year, I’ve had a lot of OH moments. Sometimes, God spoke to me in small whispers, but I had a lot of moments this year where God’s message was more like a slap in the face and a punch in the gut, which left me saying “Okay, God! I’m listening. I’m all yours.” 

I could write a novel on my life events and how they coincided with God’s timing, but I won’t bore you with 365 days of material. Instead, I just want to leave you with an uplifting reminder:

He’s got you. You are His. And when you feel like your heart is completely crushed and you’ll never be able to get out of the bed without that physical pain in your heart — He. Has. You. Think back on the last four years — heck – -think back on the last year of your life. What if God had given you everything you thought that you needed? Your life would be VERY different than it is right now, and probably not in a good way. There are so many things that he takes away from us, that we so desperately want, for a purpose. There are so many things he gives us, that we consider heartache and burdens, that work for our good. We can’t see it, and sometimes we can’t feel it, but he always has us — right where he wants us. God will never leave you empty. He will replace everything you lost. If he asks you to put something down, it’s because he wants you to pick up something greater. Whenever your pretty little head starts thinking you know better and he knocks you on your butt, tell Him thank you. Lord, thank you for giving me exactly what I need through every situation, and taking from me the things that you did not intend for me to have. Just when I think I’m steering the sail, thank you for making me realize I’m fully dependent on you. Trust me y’all, it is SO much easier to get through the day when you know that God’s got you, and His plan is so much better than anything we could ever dream of. 

I was knocked down (hard) my fair share of times in 2015. When I FINALLY realized that this isn’t the KB show, but instead it’s God’s plan for my life, everything fell into place. 

And guess what? I stepped back, smiled, and said ‘Oh.’

Oh, my Lord. You are so, so good.

Psalm 27:14
When I wait, you strengthen my heart.

Xx,

 

5 Girl Crushes You Should Have Right Now

I’ve got a girl crush. I hate to admit it.

So in today’s society, it’s become really cool to judge people and talk poorly about other women. Can we not? Nowadays it’s hard enough to get through the day without judgement and jealousy. I think complimenting another woman is the most attractive thing a girl can do.

Needless to say, I am not afraid to throw a compliment another woman’s way. If I see another beautiful woman, famous or not, I’m the first to compliment them.

My first girl crush started in high school. I still regularly stalk her on social media, and I still think she has the most perfect life (and wardrobe).

Now, there are multiple women, who I think we all should be crushing on, because they are awesome women who use their platform of fame in the most positive light.

Here are the 5 girl crushes you should have right now: 

Natasha Oakley

I could go on all day, about why Tash Oakley is my #1 girl crush, but to sum it up, she’s an Australian fitness guru who dwells in a bikini 24/7. She’s absolutely down to earth, has the most amazing curves, and is also an entrepreneur…and did I already mention how amazing  she looks in a bikini? *jaw drops*

The funniest part about this girl crush is, my little brother (who is 7 years younger) introduced me to this wonderful woman. So me and my brother share this girl crush (probably for slightly different reasons). If you haven’t seen this woman in a bikini, you’re missing out. Follow her on Instagram @TashOakley.

Ellen DeGeneres
Need I even explain? Ellen is literally everything. Aside from her being the funniest person in this past decade, she has the most wonderful heart and is a dedicated humanitarian and an activist for many different causes. Oh — and coming out on national television in ’97? Tell me that doesn’t take guts! She truly proves that giving to others is so much better than receiving.

Taylor Swift

That red-lip, classic, thing that you like. Taylor Swift is the ultimate #goal. When I really think about Taylor Swift as a person, not just a pop icon, I’m truly amazed by her. She is my age, and she basically runs the world. Believe it or not, I used to loathe Taylor…not her as a person, but her cheesy country music and dance moves (they were SO bad, as in she probably had whiplash with her little guitar and sparkly boots). After she transitioned to pop, I saw her in a whole new light — Her 1989 album also saved me through a break up.

She is so great to her fans, is an incredibly talented artist, (she writes ALL of her own music, and plays two instruments…seriously, YOU GO GIRL) and is the ultimate proof that it’s cool to have girl crushes – she’s got the most amazing squad (Gigi, Karlie, Cara, Lily, Selena). Taylor wins, in all ways.

Amy Schumer

“I was born weighing 150 lbs. I came out swinging saying Mom, WHERE’S THE LINGUINE??” 
What a woman. Amy is one of my more recent girl crushes. Although completely unplanned, I’m watching Amy Schumer Live at the Apollo on HBO as I’m writing this post (and I’ve literally been laughing out loud the entire time).
I think Amy Schumer has had more of an impact on the female society than we even realize. She’s such a great spokesperson for loving yourself and loving your body, and she truly shows that there is SO much more to a woman than being a size 0. (By the way, Amy is a size 6…completely normal and actually below average, so why anyone may think she’s big is beyond me). I’d be in this bad bitch’s squad any day.

Anna Kendrick

I know what you’re thinking — We’re all still very confused as to why Anna wasn’t the lead actress in the Twilight series. Not that I’m bitter or anything. Anna Kendrick is awesome. Period. She’s come out hot on the acting scene in the last 5 years and also proven to be an amazing singer too.

She’s super down to earth and makes awkward and quirky the new kind of cool. Kate Spade agrees. She’s also been chosen as the Kate Spade spokesperson, and she reps the brand incredibly. You have to check out her new Kate Spade campaign for Christmas.

Let’s girl crush a little more and stop being so judgmental and harsh on one another.

Xx,

 

Hello there…

While you may have already taken time to read my ‘About’ section, I feel like I should further introduce myself and explain the purpose of Blaire Essentials.

If you’re only here for the entertaining and witty stuff, skip the next few paragraphs. 

Before I go any further, this will be my 5th blog attempt. Blogs 1-4 *may they RIP* were less than successful. In fact, most of those blogs never saw a single post (judging by my level of maturity back then, it’s probably a blessing that those potential blog posts never saw the light of day). The thing about blogging is — it’s a great hobby when you have an interesting life or back to back fun weekends planned, but come on, y’all, who honestly has a picturesque life every day? Not me. I’m lucky if I have clean socks and a non-chipped manicure. Nevertheless, blog #5 begins.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I finally have enough “matters of substance” to talk about. I’ve tried a fashion blog or two, and I’ve tried a blog where I only talked about my feelings and typed a lot of song lyrics — lol (think Michelle Branch circa 2003–emotions; yikes).

Blaire Essentials is not a fashion blog. I do not own enough amazing outfits to get me through a month’s worth of blog posts. Also, I do not feel like buying and returning enough amazing outfits just to get through a months worth of staged blog posts. Nor can I compete with the current fashion blog world, where each blogger averages 300k followers. *Anxiety*

Blaire Essentials truly cannot be categorized, namely because I’m too scatterbrained to keep this blog in one sole category. For now, we will call this a ‘lifestyle blog.’

By definition, ‘lifestyle’ is the way in which one chooses to live their life, ergo, the term ‘lifestyle blog’ seems to be fitting for the Blaire Essentials blog.

Welcome to my chaotic, fun, messy, sitcom-of-a-life world. I hope you all enjoy.

Xx,