My husband is an avid hunter. When I say avid, I mean completely, unabashadly obsessed.
I can’t tell you how many times I get asked if I’m pissed that he spends so much time in the woods chasing turkey and deer… and you know what? BMLG artist Mackenzie Carpenter hit the nail on the head on how I feel with this song.
Look, my husband is amazing and I love being with him. But I also love my alone time (well, as much alone time as one can have with an almost 1 year old) and doing my own thing. I always have, which is why I’ve been able to easily handle the Army Wife Life for the past 15 years.
I don’t know why people think that in a relationship you have to spend all of your time together.
Why?
That’s kind of ridiculous, don’t you think?
Honestly, I’d rather have my husband chasing Buck Racks than the other kind of rack, you know what I’m saying?
Anyway, shout out to Mackenzie for a fresh take in this song! I can’t wait to hear more from her.
Not gonna lie, I’ve been waiting on this since I heard that it was happening. I LOVE Elton John, and I grew up loving Britney, so of course I had to get excited about a collab. “Hold Me Closer” is a dance remix of Elton John’s iconic “Tiny Dancer” and I’m kind of digging it. Over-produced? Duh. Over Auto-tuned? Absofreakinglutely. But will I sing along in the car? You freaking know it.
And that’s all that matters, right?
I think it’s awesome that Elton John doesn’t take himself too seriously, and that he is down with working with newer artists and just having fun with his classics (like he did last year with Dua Lipa and “Cold Heart”). He said he hopes this collab “helps Britney heal, and I think it’s great that someone who is an absolute legend like him is willing to help other artists, and just have fun with his music.
I know there will be some haters saying that Elton ruined his song.
Callista Clark is one of the biggest new voices on the Country music scene! She went viral on YouTube at 13 with her cover of Creedence’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and it’s been onward and upward ever since. At eighteen, she already has a hit on her hands with “It’s Cause I Am”, and now she’s got a hot new single called “Gave It Back Broken” and all I can say is, girl can SING!
Morgan Wallen, as promised, dropped his new sing;e “Don’t Think Jesus” earlier today, and of course, it’s a banger.
It obviously reflects his own life, recent events, public scorn and judgement… and it’s just one heck of a great Country song.
Guess what? We ALL screw up. Most of us are just lucky enough to not have it in the public eye. I love how this song addresses that. It’s very human and relateable, which of course, it what Country music SHOULD be.
It’s been an ongoing debate that I really never put much thought into unitl I became a mother myself: Breastfeeding Vs. Formula. I myself was bottle fed, as was my husband, and a lot of other 80’s babies that I know. When I became pregnant, I figured I would breastfeed if I could, and was actually looking forward to doing so. However, Mother Nature had other plans, as she usually does. Not only am I infertile and almost 40 (Baby B was an IVF baby) which can make it harder to produce milk, but I also had a C-section,and my milk didn’t come in for a week. When it did come in, I couldn’t produce the needed amount for my baby, no matter how hard I tried. So I switched to formula and never looked back. I was fwith my decision, and so was my pediatrican and OB/GYN. You wouldn’t believe how many of my friends and aquiantances weren’t. I would get messages on social media from people asking me if I was breastfeeding, and telling me to keep trying because it’s better for the baby. Or when I would tell someone I had to stop, I would get the response “Oh, that’s a shame”. Really? Is it? Or my favorite, “But you lose so much weight when breastfeeding!” I was lucky to drop weight easy. Had I breastfed, I would probably be emaciated by now! Honestly, I just made my decision and moved on. Happy mom = Happy baby, right? Right.
Fast forward a few months, and now there’s a formula shortage. Yes, it sucks. We had to switch brands, and basically take what we can get when it comes to what’s available. Thankfully, brand switching had zero affect on Brandon so far. But what is getting me is the “Breast Feeding Mafia” attacking the “Formula Femmes”- yes, I’m giving them team names, and we should really have our own jerseys. Anyhow, while reading the various articles that have been posted to new sites this week regarding the shortage, I have noticed the negative comments towards women who use formula to feed their children. Here’s just a few that I came across:
News flash: NOT EVERYONE CAN BREAST FEED!!!!
Just because you can, doesn’t mean someone else can. I literally would have starved my baby had I continued to try. And even if a woman chooses to bottle feed for any reason- health or not- that is HER decision. As long as that baby is getting fed and cared for and loved, what does it matter? Yes, breastfeeding is very beneficial, but it is not something everyone can do. And with the stress of a formula shortage, comments like these really don’t help at all. Whatever happened to a woman’s right to choose? Oh, wait. That only pertains to killing your baby in utero, but not what you feed him or her. It seems to me that a lot of people who are pro-choice aren’t pro-choice when it comes to how you feed your baby. Riddle me this, Batman.
The thing is, how one chooses to feed their baby is their choice. And yes, we all have our opinions on what is best, and that’s fantastic. But, when it comes to the Breastfeeding Vs. Formula battle, women can be downright hateful and vicious towards each other, and it really is disheartening to see.
Women say they want to be treated with respect by the opposite sex, but until we can do the same for ourselves and each other, then how can we expect others to do it?
Also, my formula fed baby is 6 months old and rocking it. So, I made the right decision for us. I have the right to do that, and so does every other mother. We should be able to choose how our baby gets nurition without having to deal with the onslaught of motherly scrutiny.
Be kind. Motherhood is hard enough without us making it worse.
Ever since I can remember, I have been teased for having a small chest. It never really made sense to me- why would anyone make fun of someone who didn’t have massive mammary glands? But they do. Stupid boys, stupid boyfriends, friends, family members… they have all picked on me at one time or another for not being endowed. My favorite is when someone says “At least you have a nice butt”- why does there have to be a qualifier? Why does “at least” have to be involved? Oh, and how many times have I been told since puberty that I would be “so hot” if I had boobs? Way more than I would like to admit. So, yeah, enter major body insecurities (especially as most of my friends were rocking serious racks). Thankfully, over the years I learned to enjoy what God gave me (or in my case, what he forgot to give me) because to be honest… having a small chest is actually pretty damn awesome.
Here’s just a few reasons why being flat is fab:
No Boob Sweat: Apparantly boobs can sweat? I wouldn’t know. And I’m totally ok with not experiencing that phenomenon.
No Bouncing: I’m super athletic, so to be able to run, jump, ride horses, do a cartwheel or whatever else I feel like doing without interference is pretty damn glorious. Be jealous.
No Sagging… or at Least Not That Much: Thanks to the law of gravity, the less you have the less they will fall. I think that’s how it goes. Anyway, I’m 39 and my “Baby B’s” are where I left them at 19. Even after having a baby. So, there’s that.
Noone Ever Stares at My Chest: Women always complain about men ogling their chest and never looking them in the eye. Well, I don’t have that problem as there is no chest to stare at. Talk about problem elimination!
Clothes Always Fit: No mysteries here- if it’s my size, it’s going to fit. Makes online shopping super easy. Also, I can wear low cut and tight tops without looking slutty. WIN!
They Repel Loser Guys: Plenty of guys have not wanted to date me on account of my small chest, which is a major bullet dodged. A small chest is a major asshole repellent.
No Wardrobe Malfunctions: Or if I did have one, noone would notice. So, I’ve got that going for me.
I Can Buy Cheap Bras: My busty friends have to drop major coin on bras. I can buy the $12 bras at Target and they always fit. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I bought a bra, or wore one for that matter. I live in sports bras or none at all.
Speaking of Sports Bras: Not having boobs means more room to stick stuff in your sports bra, like keys, phone, chapstick, Quest bar… it’s like an extra purse that I can’t misplace.
No Guessing Games: You know the one “Are they real or fake?” No mysteries here. Noone would buy them in my minimal size.
They’re Extra Sensitive: Here’s some science for you- less tissue means the nerves aren’t as stretched meaning sexy time is way more fun. So hate on small boobs all you want- they’re WAY more fun for me.
Things Never Get Lost in My Cleavage: Because I have no cleavage. But if I did, I’m pretty sure I’d lose something in it, or at least get mashed potatos in there or something. Or I would do something really dumb like stick a glass of wine in there and injure myself. Either way, the good Lord knew what he was doing by denying me a cleavage. Too dangerous.
They’re Easy to Clean: I figure large breasts would be hard to clean, right? You have to lift them up and stuff…get all the gunk out from underneath. Or at least I hope you would… anyway, that’s a non-issue with me. Small breasts are very low-maintenance, so that’s one less thing to worry about.
Bikini Shopping is Easy: Again, the tops always fit. I can buy $14 bikinis on Amazon because proper support is a non-issue.
Small Chests are Hot: Look at Charlize Theron, Kate Hudson, Kiera Knightly, Cameron Diaz, Kate Middleton… they’re all STUNNING and have minimal mammaries. Those are just the first that came to my mind. Anyway, you don’t need big jugs to be a babe. I don’t know why that’s even up for debate.
Those are just a few reasons off the top of my head why not having a large chest is awesome.
Now, I’m not knocking my busty friends at all. To be honest, most of my friends have big breasts-either real or fake- and they’re fabulous. But it’s time someone gave the tiny tatas some love too. So here I am.
There’s nothing wrong with loving what God gave you- or didn’t give you.
Love yourself, and own what you got (or don’t!), and to hell with everyone else.
But seriously, not having boob sweat IS pretty awesome…
Halestorm finally announced their new album “Back From the Dead”- and it will be out on May 6th.
AND they dropped a new single “The Steeple”!
Yup. Another badass rock anthem from Lzzy and the boys. Seriously, how badass is she?
May 6th can’t come soon enough.
I've always been a late bloomer in life, and the same goes for me and motherhood. So many people would ask me in my late twenties and thirties why I didn't have...
As 2021 draws to a close (which noone is mad about, I’m sure), I have to say that at least music-wise, it was a good year. One of the silver linings of the pandemic was the fact that many artists had a chance to work up some new tunes, and here’s a list of some of my favorites of the past year.
#10: Jack White “Taking Me Back”
I’m a big fan of Jack White, and was pretty excited to get a new song from him this past month. Expect a new album and tour from him in 2022!
#9: Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits”
Ed is one of my favorite Pop Stars. Straight, no-bullshit talent and a great persona to go along with it. His latest album “=” leans to more 80’s dance-pop, which I am here for. “Bad Habits” is fun, catchy, and proves that Ed can do way more than love ballads.
#8: Walker Hays “Fancy Like”
At first listen, I was like, “Um, what?” But then I couldn’t get it out of my head. And I totally relate, as I love me some Applebee’s. Walker is one of the nicest guys in the biz, and after so long of having “almost” hits, it’s great to see him finally blow up in a major way. He deserves it. Ain’t nothing wrong with fun, catchy tunes. We needed it with all the mess happening in the world.
#7: Halestorm “Back From the Dead”
Halestorm is one of my favorite Modern Rock bands, and Lzzy Hale is a certified badass. They continue the badassery with their latest single “Back From the Dead” and it gets me ready for their new album due out next year.
#6: Parker McCollum “Like a Cowboy”
Parker is one of the hottest things on the Country Music scene right now, and I’m kind of pissy that this song wasn’t as big as it should be. Sure, his radio hits are ok, but this song is what’s up. Real Country music… more of this should be on the radio, in my humble opinion. Or maybe I just like anything that refers to Cowboys.
#5: Royal Blood “Troubles Coming”
I’ve been a Royal Blood fan from the start, and this song definitely had me rocking in the studio every time I got to play it. When a radio personality doesn’t get sick of a song, that’s saying something.
#4: The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”
Ok, so it’s not the deepest song, but I love the Weeknd, and the beat to this song goes perfectly with a horse’s trot. As someone who usually has music playing when I ride, (courtesy of my phone in my sports bra) this is definitely on my riding playlist. Yes, I have a playlist for horseback riding. When I was a kid, all I wanted was to ride to music, and now I can. Isn’t technology grand?
#3: Kenny Chesney “Knowing You”
Such a simple, yet beautiful song. It had me turning it up every time it came on. Also, any song that references tumbleweeds makes me happy. I blame Tracy Lawrence for that.
#2: Dua Lipa “Levitating”
Ok, when I first heard this song, I hated it. Mainly because of the lyric “My Sugar Boo”. But dammit, it grew on me like a fungus, and it stays stuck in my head. It’s a fun, easy dance bop, and every time I heard it, I would crank it up and sing and dance along, much to my husband’s chagrin. It’s ok to like stupid songs. There, I said it.
#1: Eric Church “Hell of a View”
Eric Church is one of the best artists out there right now, in any genre. And this song spoke to me not only on a music level, but lyrically as well. Having a near fifteen year marrigae to a soldier with a lot of adventure and new things happening (um, like a new baby?), this song hit me hard in the feels this year, and was definitely my 2021 theme song. Looking back on life so far, all the good and bad, it’s one hell of a view.
So, there ya go. My Top 10 favorite songs of 2021. Some may complain that it’s too mainstream, but I really don’t care. This is what spoke to me this year, and that’s what is so cool about music- it hits everyone differently.
That being said, I would love to hear what your favorite songs of the year are!
Here’s to a new (and hopefully better!) 2022! At least there’s always music, right?
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