Life Lately According to Instagram.

1. Record shopping. Scored some mega awesome ones.
2. The hat that saved my face from a sunburn on beach day.
3. The stretchy pants that I wish I never had to take off.
4. Lately I've been reading like a crazy person that reads a lot.
5. Jordan's delicious stuffed peppers that I really wish I could have again.
6. Oh, ya know, just my new favorite outfit combo.
7. Mr. Handsome Squinty Face Husband
8. The prettiest yellow flowers on an evening walk.

Jokes on you, some of these I never even posted to instagram. Gotcha. Follow along: @secretlifeofbee

Beach Day.

Over the weekend we went down to the beach in Galveston. We had a lot of fun on the boogie boards and walking in the sand and coming back with really bad sunburns. But seriously, we came back totally red and shameful. We have been keeping the aloe in the fridge and applying it often. We definitely learned our lesson. You better believe that will never happen again.

(Sidenote: We did put sunscreen on, we're not THAT dumb. We just didn't put it on as generously as we should have. Also, Jordan actually was there. He told me he didn't want his picture taken.)

Heating Up.

It's amazing the changes that occur in your wardrobe when you move to a new climate. The last few weeks my outfit choices have all been based on keeping things light and breezy. I still do not know how I am going to survive my first official summer in Texas and this Houston humidity. Especially with this long brown hair on top of my head which I have grown very attached to (pun intended) and would like to keep. This girl is going to be wearing a lot of skirts and eating a lot of popsicles the next several months. Which actually doesn't sound so bad when I think about it. Does anyone have advice for a Colorado girl's first experience with southern heat?

Telling.

I was going to post these pictures and tell you how much I miss photographing my siblings. I was going to tell you how much I miss film process and development. I was going to tell you that I can't believe these were taken almost two years ago. I was going to show you these pictures and give you a long explanation of how they make me reflect on where I am as a photographer, if I am anywhere at all. I was going to tell you that I am more in love with these six crappy images than all the rest of my work combined. Instead I'll just tell you that I never realized, until now, how much my sister looks like our dad in that top image.

Guest Posting.

Hello, hello. I answered some questions about fun things to do around town over here. So check it out, if you'd like. Today I am grieving Monday and all its horribleness. (Why, Monday? Whyyyy?) We are no longer friends. Hopefully you are all having better Mondays than this chick.

Read My Lips-Introduction

Earlier this month my little sister turned 13. Part of the present I gave her was some bright red lipstick. On the card I said it was for her to wear when she was having "one of those days" because every woman should have a lipstick that makes them feel like they can take on the world. A few days ago, my mother texted me with the most brilliant idea ever that I have decided to turn into a guest post feature on this here site (lots of credit and virtual high fives to my mom for thinking of this). We are going to call it "Read My Lips" and it will spotlight different bloggers that I want to learn more about. Each lovely lady will send me photos of herself in her shade of lipstick and three ways she draws confidence in her life. I am really excited to get to know some of the beautiful women I have come to admire by following their blogs. I hope it is something you readers will enjoy as well. Naturally I will start this feature off with my own answers.

1. I find confidence in laughter and lightheartedness.
2. I find confidence in knowing that you don't have to be what people assume you are.
3. I find confidence in knowing where I came from, physically and spiritually.

My color is a very bold red. For me, being bold is being brave enough to be yourself. Sometimes, in my case, being myself is being quiet. It comes off as shy but that is generally not the case. When I have something to say, you will hear it. When I was younger I felt the need to apologize for being quiet, but we don't need to apologize for things like that. I feel driven to be exactly what I was created to be. I hope my color choice reflects that.

Guest Posting

Find me over at Book of Love (link fixed) today. I'm talking about my favorite book plus a few others. You can find the post here. Like I've mentioned before, I am always looking for new books, what are your favorites?

Today I Have Nothing to Say

...except that spending time with this guy is my favorite thing ever.

On Being Sensitive.

A few months ago I read this quote from Zooey Deschanel and it has had me thinking about it ever since: "Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things. Whether it’s a song, a stranger, a mountain, a rain drop, a tea kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all – look around you. All of this is for you. Take it and have gratitude. Give it and feel love."

The last few years I have found myself becoming increasingly sensitive as life takes its toll. For awhile I was constantly suppressing it and getting so angry at myself when I would cry at certain things or feel too much. Then a woman I go to church with was talking about our collective tenderness as women and that it is in our nature to be sensitive because we are nurturers and we cannot nurture without empathy. I hadn't ever thought of it that way and it has helped me slowly come to terms with my sensitivity.

So here I am admitting that I cry when I am overjoyed. I cry when I am overwhelmed. I cry when I watch Ellen DeGeneres, always. Sometimes I cry when I am singing in my car and I have this epiphany of my existence and I feel overcome by love for my family and friends and God and all the goodness that He brings to all of us. If someone cries in front of me, I will cry with them and for the first time in my life I am not ashamed of it. Showing emotion and feeling puts us in a very vulnerable state and all of my reasons for hating it are because of pride. I have wanted to look put together and if I let myself fall apart, I cannot appear as such. I have been oppressing the very gift that God has planted in all women: The gift to love and nurture and mourn with those that mourn.

So this is my ode to feeling. I will not beat myself up for it any longer. I will love it because it is my nature and it's everything I am supposed to be.

The Garden.

Jordan has had a wonderful time working with his dad in the whole process of their garden. Everything grows like crazy in Texas but I have still been very impressed with them. We have had delicious cucumber, radishes, peas, and tomatoes. It has been really fun watching him get so into all of it. I'm excited to learn and experiment more wherever we find ourselves. You can't argue with fresh produce, amiright?

Tuesday Trade

Today's trade is a piece I bought from Buffalo Exchange in Houston. I looked it up later to find out it's from Modcloth. I know, right? Score.

When I was taking these pictures I had the pleasure of coming upon a man peeing on the side of this building. Luckily he was pretty far off and I don't think he saw me before I ran in fear at realizing what he was doing. He just parked his golf cart right on the sidewalk and didn't waste anytime. What is it with guys, huh? Happy Tuesday!

Make sure you check out how Rae styled this piece over at An Eclectic Heap.

Life Lately According to Instagram.

1. Last weekend we went to the Crawfish Festival. 2. I got a henna tattoo while we were there. 3. Jordan has really gotten into gardening and he is growing a jungle in the backyard. 4. Fun rides at the festival. 5. Buying children's books for children I do not have. 6. NUTELLA S'MORES. 7. Jordan learned how to make butter beer. It is delicious. 8. Thanks to those of you that gave me positive feedback on making music. It is really encouraging.

If you want, you can follow along on instagram: @secretlifeofbee

Making Music.

I have been hesitant to talk about this with, really, anyone. But it has been such a big part of my thoughts lately, I feel like it's time to share: I am making music. For some reason, this last month I have felt this overwhelming urge to create music. I cannot explain it. I have always loved music and I have missed singing in high school like nobody's business but it has always stopped there, at nostalgia. A fire has been lit inside me and there is no ignoring it anymore. I only started a little while ago but this experience has been so incredible. I don't know if I have ever felt so incompetent yet so empowered. Some days I feel like, "What am I doing? I can't do this." And other days I listen to the little voice memos on my phone that I record throughout the day whenever melodies or lyrics pop into my head and I think, "Where is this coming from? This is not coming from me." I know it sounds dumb but I honestly feel like I am being helped and blessed with inspiration in this whole process. I anticipate a lot more days of doubt and asking myself why I am doing this, but I feel like it needs to be done. So I'm taking a leap. Thanks to all the people that have hired me for blog designs, I was able to get all my equipment because of you.