let birds fly

MY PARENTS' VOW RENEWAL IN PUERTO RICO

2013-06-17T14:19:00.003-05:00

Last August, my family went to Puerto Rico to celebrate my parents' 30th anniversary. We had a blast, and on the last full day, we took family portraits on the beach.

After about 30 minutes of taking portraits, my parents went back to the hotel to "change into something nicer" so they could take more elegant photos of just themselves. Us kids stayed back and took more photos.

After about 30 more minutes, we started to become worried about them taking so long, because they said they had only booked the photographer for an hour. They finally come walking up, but in full-on beach wedding gear! My mom had on a simple and beautiful wedding dress holding a bouquet of flowers, and my dad was wearing your typical groom-at-the-beach attire. :)

We were stunned!

...as you can see from this photo. We had no idea!! Reggie is the funny one, looking at his watch, noting how long it took them to change, but not yet realizing that they were about to renew their vows!

Carley, my younger sister, had the most heart-felt reaction of us all!! She sat there with her mouth open for a full minute before starting to tear up. Haha!

They thought the looks on our faces were hilarious.

Luckily, I had brought my camera, so instead of taking photos (since we already had a photographer), I decided to record it all.

My dad's wedding ring had just gotten lost in the ocean that day. But the pastor made a save and grabbed a long leaf from a nearby tree so my mom could tie it around my dad's ring finger as a sign of commitment. :)

Yay!!!! :)

After the pastor serenaded my parents with a beautiful song, my mom and dad gave an amazing speech.

In short, they said that though they've managed 30 years, it hasn't been all peaches and cream. They've had to work hard, and sometimes even felt like quitting. But they said that marriage isn't a 50/50 thing. When one falls short and isn't giving their 100%, that's when the other one takes over and gives above and beyond 100%. They also said that marriage isn't about just two people. It is about a covenant between three people - the husband, wife, and our Lord. Jesus was the only one able to keep them going when neither of them felt like it.

It was amazing. They both cried a little, and you could tell that they're mission in their vow renewal wasn't for them. It was to be an example to us, their children. God totally used them that day, and I will never forget it.

My parents are truly my angels.

Then my mom threw the bouquet, and guess who caught it? Yup, Carley, the only one of us who isn't married. Hah!

Me and my dad. Yes, we still kiss on the lips. :)

My pretty mama and my handsome papa. :)

(The above three photos, the black and white one, and the first photo in this post are the only ones that I actually took. All the rest were from the photographer that the hotel hired for us.)

Cuties. :)

More family photos. P.S. My niece is just too hilarious in these two photos!! :'D She's really the only reason I included both!

The original six.

We then had a "reception" outside under one of the hotel's pavilions. It got super dark, so the only photo I took was the cake. We had yummy food, wine, and had so much fun talking about how surprised we were about the vow renewal.

Afterwards, we went back inside the hotel, and Mark found a piano so he could play and sing songs while we danced. So fun! We then went back to my parents' hotel suite and told stories of mom and dad. It was such a great day.

The next day, as a congratulatory gesture, the hotel graciously reserved one of their verandas for my mom and dad to enjoy. It usually costs money, so that was pretty awesome of them.

Us kids left to go back to Texas that day while mom and dad stayed back to enjoy a day for themselves.

They deserved it!! :)

ROAD TRIP SURPRISE - FROZEN LAKE IN AZ

2013-06-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about road trips are the surprises you get to see along the way. You know, those huge windmills in west Texas. Or driving over a really cool bridge. Or getting to wave to the hugest cacti you've ever seen. Or turning that corner in the mountains and seeing the amazing valley below.

So many happy surprises can happen on the road. It happened quite a few times for us on our southwest trip last year. One in particular was the frozen lake in Tonto National Forest we drove past while driving from Phoenix, AZ to Petrified Forest National Park.

We were probably a mere two hours from Phoenix, where it had been a good 75-80 degrees, and then we drove into the mountains and BAM. There's snow everywhere. And it was COLD.

There were so many little, cute, quaint towns we drove by that my head was practically hanging out the window because I was so interested. So there was no way I could've missed seeing this small frozen lake as we drove by. I made Mark stop so we could get out, take photos, and touch the frozen water.

I had seen frozen water before, so I don't know why this was so different for me. The frozen lakes I see are usually covered with snow, so maybe that was it? I don't know. Anyway, it was beautiful. You could still see the ripples of the water in the lake. Crazy!

This was such a fun, unscheduled event for me. Getting out of the car at a place that ISN'T a gas station is always great on a road trip. And the beauty of this place was just the icing on the cake.

What are some fun unscheduled things you've seen on the road?

PAINTED DESERT - ARIZONA

2013-06-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

On our road-trip through the southwest last year, we drove all through the Painted Desert, which is part of Petrified Forest National Park (of which you'll see more of in a later post).

This place is so colorful, so pretty, and so dynamic. The morning looks completely different from noon, which looks completely different from sunset. That's probably my favorite part of it.

The Painted Desert is so huge, with so many different things to see. The slight bit of snow in the morning was beautiful.

We had just been with tons of people at my sister-in-law's in Tucson, so it was kinda weird being in a place of such solitude. But sooo nice. I don't know why more people don't stop to see this place, if even for 10 minutes. It's right off the highway.

Since we got there at sunrise, we were able to see the desert during all hours of the day. I loved it.

Don't you just love those stripes?! And do you see those rocks that look like little pebbles down there? Those are pieces of petrified wood. And they're huge! You'll see more of that on a later blog post! :)

So pretty, huh? I love all the colors.

Sunsets in the desert are seriously THE BEST. So much sky and so much horizon to play with. :)

We stayed in Holbrook the night before, which is the nearest town with any hotels or places to stay. (If it was warmer, we might've camped. But it was 20 degrees when we were there. Whew!) Anyway, we traveled east to Petrified Forest, about 25 miles, and exited for the national park. We went north on the road first, since most of the Painted Desert is located north of I-40.

If you're ever passing through Arizona on I-40 or near, DON'T miss this place. It is gorgeous at any time of the day, as you can see.

BRANDING | RARE BIRD BOUTIQUE

2013-06-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of working with Melanie from Rare Bird Boutique. She owns a local boutique that sells exceptional vintage, handmade items, and party supplies. Melanie was absolutely a gem to work with, and I completely love her style.

Check out all her amazing vintage items in her Etsy shop and follow her on Twitter and Facebook to see where and what she's selling next. :)

SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

2013-06-07T23:10:00.000-05:00

After Albuquerque, our road trip took us to Tucson, Arizona. We were quite busy here, so we actually didn't do much but hang out with people. Mark's sister, Jill, lives in Tucson, and threw a party for us while we were there.

We barely had the time to visit Saguaro National Park, but I made sure we did. I've always wanted to see these handsome guys, the saguaros. A saguaro is this large type of cactus. They can grow to be 50 feet tall and hundreds of years old! Mark makes fun of me for this, but I think of them as friendly people, because each one seems to have their own personality.

I love all the colors that this desert provides. So much life!

Look how big! We didn't have time to look for any of the 50-footers. But this is still huge!

Look at all of them! So friendly! :)

And this is just me being my clumsy self. I was taking a photo of something and I backed up into a cactus. That's me! And my amazing sister-in-law, Jill, was kind enough to get the needles out of my legs.

More pretty, pretty flowers. I love these colors so much.

This guy kept trying to steal our food during our picnic. He wasn't afraid of us at all! :)

After lunch, Mark found some rocks to climb. I went, too, but not with my camera.

Look! They're dancing! I love these saguaros.

Another little visitor! Love that orange.

So huge!! And there's Mark being silly. :)

Do you see what I mean now about the saguaros having so much personality? Each one is so different. We found ourselves making up voices for each of them and having them converse with each other. (Much like what we do with our dogs!)

As we drove away from Tucson and towards Phoenix, there were thousands of our saguaro friends waving us goodbye from the roadside. The further away we drove, the more sparingly we encountered them, though, and I was so sad when I saw the last one.

These saguaros are not something to miss!

I LIVE HEALTHY FOR A REASON

2013-06-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have come across a hundred situations in which I have to defend my healthy life. Since I live by crazy healthy means, people are automatically interested and even offended. I've gotten a million questions, worded a million different ways, about why I eat the way I do - most of them defensive:

Why is milk bad?
Jesus said we can now eat pork, so why don't you?
You don't eat sugar? Well, I guess I'm the fatty around here.
You take THAT many supplements?
You're not eating meat? Aren't you worried about getting enough protein, B12, etc.?

People hear about my healthy lifestyle and are immediately offended, thinking that I am inwardly judging them for not treating themselves as well as I do.

Friends, please trust me. I am not judging you. While I do wish that everyone took a couple more steps in their life to be healthy, I understand that my way of living is not practical. I don't expect people to live the way I do.

So why do I live the way I do? Simple.

I have chronic diseases. Chronic pain, chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia...whatever label you want to put on it. I'm in constant pain and I'm constantly tired, among many other debilitating things. Therefore, I'm going to do everything I can to combat these awful symptoms that I have to deal with every day.

I am not exaggerating my pain. Or my fatigue. Or my brain fog. Or anything else. People think that I am, but most people just don't understand what people with chronic issues go through. How do I answer the question, "How do you feel?" when I've forgotten what normal feels like? How do I explain to you how hard it is to cope with living a life that won't let me forget about my frailty, my limits, and my mortality? How do I explain to people that I can't get a job right now because of my health without them thinking that I'm just lazy? How do I explain that I can't come visit because, right now, the mere two-hour drive is too painful to bear? How do I explain my lot in life without sounding too whiny or too "oh-woe-is-me", while still being truthful about my suffering?

And lastly, how do I explain my healthy ways of living, even though they aren't curing me or even (seemingly) helping me?

I get asked this last one a lot. Why do I keep up this impractical healthy way of life if it isn't helping me? And since I do keep it up, I come off as elitist to those who don't put a priority on health.

But I'm not an elitist. I simply value my health. Even if I KNEW that I could not be cured by the healthy way I treat my body, I would still continue to do all of it. It is because of my chronic issues that I have learned health. I might be in pain, but at least I don't have cancer. And that is my goal now. To not die of cancer or a heart disease.

I live healthy for a reason. Not to be better than you. Not to know more than you. Not to make you feel bad for eating that Snickers. NO. I live healthy so I can limit my suffering here on earth. So I can help others who suffer. So I can have compassion for those who suffer. I also live healthy so I can better serve the Lord.

My health has nothing to do with you. I might only eat a salad (minus the cheese) while going out to eat, and ask for balsamic vinegar and oil instead of their salad dressing, but that DOES NOT mean you have to forgo your cheese and dressing. I have worked hard and long in order to eat this healthy and actually ENJOY it, and I want you to enjoy your food too! So eat that cheese! ;)

I live with constant pain. You probably don't. You can't possibly understand all the reasons that health is important to me. I, in turn, can't possibly understand your lot in life. I am not judging you, so please do not think that. When you inwardly think that I'm an elitist who thinks I am better than you for eating well, that is YOU judging ME.

But because of what I've gone through in life, health is one of my top priorities. So I WILL talk about it. A lot. Please don't be offended about that. Everyone talks about what's important to them at the time. If you just had a baby, you probably want to talk about your baby. If you're about to get married, you probably want to talk about your wedding. If you just got a job, you probably want to talk about your workday. Right now, my life IS my health, so I'm gonna want to talk about it. That doesn't mean you have to relate. Just listen. I can't relate to you having a baby, but I still want to hear about it.

In conclusion, know that I love YOU more than I love my health. So I would never judge you for eating macaroni and cheese.

Just please don't get offended that I don't drink milk, even if you do. ;)

DOGS ARE JUST LIKE CHILDREN...RIGHT?

2013-06-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago, I posted this on a friend's blog as a guest post. I don't know why I haven't posted it on here yet! (Please know that this post is written completely in jest. Just a fun, silly post.)

I have two great danes. One is a 50-pound 5 month old puppy named Mozart, and the other is a 110-pound 3.5 year old named Quinn. They are both so funny and smart. They are very well behaved, but still sometimes get into trouble. And since my husband and I don't have kids yet, they are most definitely our big ole fur-children.

So much so that we compare them to other children, like my 5-year-old niece and my 3-year-old nephew. We've found that kids and dogs (or at least ours) can be a lot alike. Now, don't judge! Your kid is probably the exception, right? :)

Since our dogs are so much like other kids, we feel like we're totally ready for whatever types of kids the Lord throws at us. I mean, if I can raise a dog, kids should be a cinch, right? ;)

I have proof. Consider the following list.

Ambiguous Tips for Raising Kids and/or Puppies (you choose): **

Crate train your little one. I guess a crib might work too. But they're the same thing; they both have bars, and your little one can't get out of either of them. They're like little jails! How neat. And if you can't afford a crib, just buy a crate!
Make sure you potty train your little one before they make a mess all over themselves and on the floor.
Is your little one whining (or crying or barking) too much? Just ignore it, they'll stop eventually.
They need to eat what you put in front of them or they don't eat at all.
Are they bored or rowdy? A ball or a laser light will do the trick.
Use positive reinforcement. Give treats when they do something you approve.
You know those treats you keep on the counter? Push them all the way back so they can't reach.
Make sure your neighbors are well acquainted with your little one. Just in case you leave the gate open.
Don't be afraid to use a stern voice when giving commands.
You will need to repeat yourself often when your little one is learning.
Always follow through with your threats.
Make sure your hubs is on the same page as you regarding discipline.
Independent play is a necessary thing to learn.
Keep your little ones on a schedule. Routine is a must for well-behaved tots!
Be prepared for spoiling from their grandparents!
Schedule play dates.
Go to the park.
Set aside time for grooming.
Make bath time fun, but don't expect them to stay clean for long.
Check for ticks after playing outside.
Trade out their toys so they don't get bored too easily.
If you let them in bed with you, they will take up the entire bed.
Encourage them to show off their tricks when with a group of people.
When traveling in a car, stop regularly for potty breaks.
When you go outside or around busy places, does your little one like to run off? Use a leash!
They always look good wearing a fake mustache.
Take lots of pictures. They grow up way too fast!

See?! I'm TOTALLY gonna be ready for kids when my time comes! Aren't you excited for me?!

**Caution: I am not a mother. I am not licensed to give motherly advice. Or any advice for that matter. Although when I am a mother, I will probably give the same advice. Just don't listen to me. Laugh and go on to your next blog. Go ahead. Good job.

HOW MEGHAN EDITS HER PHOTOS

2013-06-03T06:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, I showed you how I edit my photos. This week, I'm sharing with you how my friend Meghan from Eat Live Make edits hers.

Meghan and I have been thinking of ways to collaborate since we've become friends. Since we have SO much in common, we think that it would be fun to share our knowledge on several subjects with you.

Since we are both photographers, small business owners, health nuts, both deal with chronic pain and celiac disease, and we both love to travel and be outdoors, we have some pretty awesome collaborations in the works!

For now, we are teaming up to show you how we post-process our photos for our blogs and for our businesses. We both use different methods, and we both love our results. Here is Meghan's video:

Meghan uses Visual Supply Company presets in Adobe Camera Raw to edit all of her photos.

Photographers, whether beginner or pro, are continually looking for ways to fine-tune their editing processes. Meghan says that it took her about 6 months to find her niche in post-processing (I'm jealous - it took me about 7 years!!). We both believe that no one particular way of editing is better than the other, but hopefully our videos might help you out in finding what you like!

SURVIVING THE "ROAD" PART OF A ROAD-TRIP

2013-06-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you're anything like me, being stuck in a car for hours at a time can be very grueling. Rewarding, yes, because of the destination, but also grueling. (What a word, huh? Grueling. Grueling. If I say it enough, it just sounds really weird.)

I LOVE road-trips. But they can be the death of me. My pains and aches seem to climax when I'm confined to only one or two seating positions. For all of you others who don't have aches and pains, the road part of road-trips can be pretty boring. (Especially I-10 in Texas. Until you get to the windmills. Right?!)

Note: For those of you lucky enough to live in places that are consistently beautiful for miles, this may not pertain to you. Oh, and also - I hate you. ;) You know who you are, Pacific Northwesterners, Coloradans, Europeans, etc. We Texans have to travel through 8 hours of endless nothingness before we get to anything pretty! (Okay, enough hate. You know I kid.)

Anyway, my friend Mallorie over at Home is With You compiled an awesome list of tips for road trips and I thought I'd do something similar. My hubby and I just drive way too much. Our family lives everywhere, and since Mark is a musician, we're on the road all the time.

So here's a list of not-so-common things you can do with others on a road-trip in order to survive the road!

1. If time is on your side, take the more scenic route. We did this when we were driving from New Mexico to Tucson, Arizona. Instead of keeping on the big highways, we drove through Gila National Forest. It was quite the scary drive with narrow roads looming over a mountainside, but it was so worth it. And it made the long drive much more bearable, because of how pretty the sights were.

2. Read a book aloud. In our first year of marriage, Mark and I road-tripped from Texas to Virginia and back, and moved three times. During that year, I read Mark all of the Harry Potter books while on the road. It was great because Mark now shares my love for Harry Potter, AND we found a fun thing to do on the road. We have since read aloud probably over 30 books on the road.

3. Listen to a book. This is another great thing to pass the time. It is almost as good as the above tip. I say "almost", because listening to someone's recorded voice can sometimes put you to sleep. Just choose a good book!

4. Put it on shuffle. Whatever you have - an iPod, your phone, all of your Pandora stations, or even just the radio. Songs on shuffle keep the music mood in a surprised tone, and it's always exciting to belt out Boyz II Men or Mariah Carey when you least expect to. :)

5. Stop at fun roadside destinations. I once drove by a teepee hotel on a road trip. Each room was a huge, cheaply made, concrete teepee. It looked ridiculous, so of course I HAD to stop to take a photo of it. Giant windmills in west Texas? Yes. Fruit stands in the country? Of course. Stopping at places like this makes "stretching your legs" a hundred times more fun.

6. Play games. We play one where we each take turns saying only one word, all of us trying to make a sensible sentence or story out of what we are saying. We always have a blast because it's so hard to just say one word. We also play a kind of I-Spy game. Going through the alphabet, we name things we see on the road. Whoever gets to Z first wins. There are NUMEROUS car games. Look 'em up!

7. Pack fun snacks. Don't pack what you'd normally eat on an everyday basis. I always make an amazing granola trail-mix with all sorts of goodies in it. Mark is always excited to see what's in my trail-mix each time, because it's always different.

8. Look up trivia about your next destination. Interesting facts are always fun. Although, there are some things to avoid until after your trip. After our trip to the Grand Canyon, we picked up a book called Deaths at the Grand Canyon. We were SO glad we didn't read it before! :)

9. Record a brief video after each destination. When we road-tripped with some friends, we would sum up on-camera what we had just done at a particular destination as we were leaving that destination. A fun way to save a memory, while already reliving it on the road.

10. Have a sing-along. This one is my favorite, of course. Different from putting it on shuffle, because you choose songs that everyone knows. Disney, NSync, The Sound Of Music, Queen, Don't Stop Believing....the list goes on. Just belt it out, even if you suck at singing!

That's all for me! What unconventional things do you do to pass the time on the road?

PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT

2013-05-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

Another place we checked out while in Albuquerque was Petroglyph National Monument. These petroglyphs are images carved into the rock (mostly volcanic rock) by early Pueblo and Spanish settlers in the area.

A few photos taken by my husband of me taking pictures. And learning about the place, of course! :)

A little trail leads to the top of a hill overlooking the city. Across the city, the pretty Sandia Mountains loom over. There are so many different views of this city, and each of them are beautiful.

Mark loved reading every single little information sign about the place and about the different petroglyphs. I loved reading some of them, but mostly I just loved taking photos. :)

Hope you enjoyed my Albuquerque posts! I love the southwest. Putting up these posts are making me miss it so much. Next up on our southwest trip will be some Arizona posts! :)

ALBUQUERQUE VOLCANOES

2013-05-30T19:16:00.000-05:00

While planning our road-trip, I mentioned to someone that we'd be briefly hitting Albuquerque. I was told that I just HAD to visit the volcanoes that are part of the Petroglyph National Monument. I was told that they are a sight to see, but are looked over for some reason, both by visitors and locals alike.

I'm telling you, I am SO glad we went. We decided to watch the sunset there, so we parked outside the gate and hiked in, since the gate is locked at 5pm.

The hike is really easy, as the volcanoes aren't that tall. But they DO give a fantastic view of the city and of the Sandia Mountains.

We had a bit of time before sunset, so we decided to have fun exploring.

We took a lot of photos of ourselves this day. Which is weird. And awesome! But this was like the only place we did this for some reason. I wish we were better at taking photos of ourselves!!

And finally the sun started going down. Yay! This pink hue is why they named these mountains the Sandia Mountains. Sandia means watermelon in Spanish. And those are the mountains that we went up on the tramway the day before.

Mark loved climbing all over. Isn't that sky so beautiful?!

More photos of us. Yay!!!

Look at that pink! Love.

Since we didn't bring flashlights with us, we started back to our car at dusk. And I'm glad we did. I loved this view. These muted colors are so gorgeous together. And makes me want to go back!

Here's a map to the parking area. Remember, the gate locks at 5pm, so park outside the gate if you want to watch the sunset, and walk up the street and then to the trailheads. It might look like a long way, but it's really not.

View Petroglyph National Monument Volcanoes Area in a larger map

Stay tuned for more travel posts! Who loves the southwest?! :)

HOW I EDIT MY PHOTOS

2013-05-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I'm here to share with you my first ever video on my blog! Yikes. I'm nervous.

My friend, Meghan, over at Eat.Live.Make, had the great idea of both of us sharing the way we edit our photos. After you watch my video, head over there to watch hers. We'll also be featuring each other's videos on our own blogs next week. Yay! :)

Hope you like!

I use Totally Rad for all of my editing, specifically RadLab for the most part. RadLab is only $99, which is an amazing price compared to other editing software, actions, or plug-ins.

Here are the photos from the video, SOOC (straight out of camera) and the after-edits:

Come back soon for Meghan's video, and later on we'll have more videos up for you to enjoy and learn things from! (Don't be too hard on me, folks. I'm rough in videos!)

PICTURES OF ME TAKING PICTURES

2013-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt from Jenni's Blog Every Day in May challenge is a post of only pictures.

The first thing I thought of was doing a travel post, because that would consist of mainly photos. But I really like to talk during travel posts, so that was out.

Then I thought I'd just do something silly instead. And so here we have several pictures (including instagrams) of me taking pictures, since that's all I seem to do. At least I have proof now that I actually go on these trips! :) (And yes, that is Quinn as an 8-week-old puppy in the first picture. So cute!)

This one's a little different. I'm sure I was griping at Mark for taking photos of me instead of taking photos of the landscape. :)

This one too. I was taking photos of some pretty saguaros in Arizona, and I backed up into some cacti. Of course. So here's my sister-in-law being awesome and getting the needles out of my legs. :)

The end! :)

GUAVA TREE CAFE - ALBUQUERQUE, NM

2013-05-23T12:29:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but when I travel, finding good, local food is one of the most important things for me.

Since I like to travel cheap AND I have food allergies, I like to be able to make most of my food while I'm traveling. That's why I find some little apartment or an extra room in someone's house on HomeAway or Air BnB that also has a kitchen to stay in. When we travel, typically we cook breakfast and dinner every day, and eat out at a local restaurant for lunch.

Since we only eat out once a day, I like to research to make sure I will experience something local and something that I can actually eat and enjoy.

We found Guava Tree Cafe when researching places to eat in Albuquerque. Guava Tree Cafe is a Latin American cafe serving Latin-inspired sandwiches, breakfast, desserts, and drinks. Not to mention their tamales and, my favorite, their amazing stuffed arepas.

Arepas are basically cornmeal patties that can be stuffed with whatever you want. Guava Tree Cafe stuffs them with anything like shredded beef, avocado, roasted red peppers, plantains, beans, roasted veggies, and cheese. Basically, arepas are my favorite thing ever. (When we were in Puerto Rico, I made my family stop by a million arepa stands so they could try them. Needless to say, they also fell in love.)

And Guava Tree Cafe's arepas did not disappoint.

I'm drooling. Isn't it gorgeous?! Plus, they're cheap! I couldn't get enough, and I stuffed myself to the brim that day. :)

We also got a tamale, which was heaven as well. Even their side of beans and rice was to die for.

If you're ever in ABQ, I implore you - go to Guava Tree Cafe. You won't regret it!

GOING BACK IN TIME

2013-05-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

I've been pretty bad at this whole blog every day in May thing. I knew I would be, so no judging! May is the month of graduations and getting ready for camp in the summer. And, finishing LOTS of stuff on my to-do list.

Today's prompt is pretty easy - that's why I'm actually doing it! :) Today you get a list of my favorite posts in my archives. Hooray!

Travel posts: Big Bend National Park | Arlington National Cemetery in DC | Falmouth, Mass | The Buffalo National River | El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico

Posts of my dogs: Interview with Quinn | Singing Quinn | New Puppy - Mozart

Our Love Story: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | (to be continued!)

Health posts: Understanding my Chronic Pain | How to Drink More Water | Juice Fasting

Photography posts: Easy Photography Tips for Bloggers | Photo Editing Fads

Recipe Posts: PB and Chocolate Overnight Oats | Almond Milk | Roasted Tomato Masala Soup | Moroccan Tagine Soup

That's enough, right? Is it weird to say that I love my blog? :)

HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE IN ABQ

2013-05-17T18:06:00.000-05:00

Last year, we visited Albuquerque on our southwest roadtrip for our anniversary. Going on a balloon ride had always been in all caps on my bucket list, so why not do it in ABQ, which holds the International Balloon Fiesta, and is most famous city for hot air balloons?!

We went with Rainbow Ryders because they seemed to offer us the biggest bang for our buck! (Also, from photos I saw, it seemed like they had the most colorful balloons out of all the companies! Haha! I'm sure the other companies are just as colorful, but a girl's gotta be sure, right?)

We had to be there early in the morning, around 7:00 am in order to help them set up, have pictures taken, sign waivers, and so forth. It was cold at first, but warmed up later on.

That's our balloon! Our basket only held 3 people - us and the pilot. We loved learning about balloon piloting and hearing crazy ballooning stories from our pilot along the way.

Other balloons blowing up while we wait to board the basket! :)

The only photo we got of us on our entire ride. Sad, I know. Mark's eyes are even closed. I gotta get better about asking people to take photos of us!!

And, we're off! So fun!

Our group is right behind us.

Even though I rock climb, work on a ropes course, and like to find the highest spot in the city for a good photo, I AM afraid of heights. I am one of those weird ones that likes the feeling of being afraid. But there have been points in my life that I've become overwhelmed with a fear of falling so much that I forgot how to walk. Like that time when I realized I was WAY too close to the ledge at a precarious spot in the Grand Canyon. Or that time in Switzerland when I walked out on a man-made glass walk-way that jutted out into nothingness over the Alps.

But there was no point in this ride that I felt afraid. Not remotely.

The basket was high enough on my body that there was no way I could get out. It was actually very relaxing. One of the most relaxing things I have ever been a part of.

Something I loved about our hour-and-a-half-long ride was that the pilot took us up, then down, and then back up again.

We went down at the river, our basket skimming the water, and then we went back up again.

We even got to chase a couple of frightened ducks! Hehe.

Headed back up!!

This is my favorite photo of the day. We got super high, and I loved seeing our group up there with us. I also loved the landscape while we were that high.

We began our descent over a neighborhood. Dogs started barking at us like crazy! :)

We learned that pilots don't really have much control over where they land. Basically, the only thing you can do is to ride longer or shorter, and read the wind. But they never have a definite landing spot, and they radio their ground crew along the way so the ground crew can know where to pick them up at the end. When we got lower, we could even see the cars of the ground crew following us! :)

Our pilot told us a story about landing in the middle of a neighborhood intersection! In Albuquerque, you pretty much HAVE to be okay if a balloon lands in your backyard. ;) I was praying for us to land in a cool spot like an intersection! But we landed in a random field, just past these houses.

Touchdown and 'Merica.

I loved this a million times over. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I'd love to do it over different landscapes, and different times of the year. I'd also love to go to the ABQ Balloon Fiesta.

ABQ was a perfect place to try this out for the first time. LOVE!

PHOTO EDITING FADS

2013-05-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that the world of photography has seen it's share of fads that come and go. I'm sure that for as long as photography exists, there will be fads that people chase after.

I've been using Photoshop since my high school photography classes, so for about 11 or so years now. Needless to say, I've gone through my fair share of post-processing fads. (You should see my high school portfolio when we first started color photography! Yeesh!)

One of the hardest things for a budding photographer to do is to stay away from fads. They see an editing style and want to emulate it. A fad editing job can look really cool because of a certain effect, and because of it's newness in the photography community. It's also very exciting to learn new things, and to be able to accomplish things that are so complex - like editing a photo in Photoshop or Lightroom. So we will, naturally, do these new things and become part of the fad. Plus, it takes a while (years!) for a photographer to learn his/her own style. It's only natural to try out the fads.

The negative side of fads is that they don't stay forever. They become over-used and they burn out quickly. In other words, fads are not timeless. My advice to photographers would be to either stay away from them, or use them sparingly and in moderation.

In my opinion, less is more in regards to editing. A color bump, an increase in contrast, and a quick sharpening can make a photo really great. What's more, these simple things create a timeless photo. And with these simple editing techniques, the photo still looks real. A photo that looks fake will not stand the test of time.

But let's look at the positive a little bit. We all have our talents. Some people can create a timeless masterpiece using a so-called "fad" editing technique. I've seen it a hundred times! But then if I try out the fad, it turns out horrible. Haha! I just might not have the eye for that particular editing technique. (Which you'll see examples of in this post!)

This is a list of 9 post-processing fads in photography that have gone on throughout the years and even today. Please don't be offended about what I write. Take each thing with a grain of salt, and know that I have participated in almost every one of these fads at some point in my photography career (high school included). A couple of these fads I even LOVE. (We'll see if I still do in a few years, though. Wink!)

1. Selective Coloring. This is probably the first thing people think of when you say "editing fad". This one was big in the 90s-00s. Remember the black and white pregnant bellies with a pink bow tied around? Yikes. Just stick with color, y'all. If you want the color to pop, do it in-camera - eliminate clutter, and the color will stand out. (And obviously, I suck at this technique. I laugh every time I glance up at my pathetic attempt!)

2. The Glow. When I see this, I think of the typical Glamour Shot. I guess people liked it for it's dreamy blurred look. Like an angel in your photograph. I'm all for sharpness, so this is not up my alley. This fad has come and gone, thank goodness, and is actually the only fad on this list that I never took part in.

3. Sepia. To me, sepia just looks like a dirty photo. I remember dabbling in this for about a month in high school and then giving it up, though still liking others' attempts at it. But now? Yuck. Just stick with black and white, people. Black and white will always be incredibly timeless, and it just looks great!

4. The Barbie Doll. Plastic-looking arms do not look real. They never will. And people can always tell it's been over-edited. Of course, a slight smoothening of the skin in your photo is nice, and taking away a pimple may be a good selling point, as well. But everyone has some sort of lines under their eyes! Everyone. You might even offend someone by taking out a mole, freckle, scar, or even a blemish. Moderation is key here, folks. I want my client to look her best, yes, but I also want her to look natural.

5. The Heavy Vignette. Vignetting can sometimes really help a photo. But if you own a camera with a full-frame sensor, then natural, beautiful, and moderate vignetting will happen on it's own. If you want to add it in post-processing, again remember that moderation is key. But a heavy vignette is a sure sign of an amateur photog trying to go pro (I know from experience).

6. Texture Overlays. This is a tricky one. I have seen it beautifully and masterfully done. But not often, folks. As you can see above, I do NOT have a talent in this. Haha! I have tried several times and failed quite miserably. Poorly done, a texture overlay makes a photo look messy and dirty. And also looks like you need to clean your lens.

7. The "Vintage" Effect. I put this in quotes for a reason. When applied, the effect almost never actually looks vintage. The example you see here is not the only effect used when people try to go for "vintage" in their post-processing. The one above is just a very popular one. And it just looks fake. A complete change in tone will never look real. (Once again, I've seen very beautiful photographs with a vintage effect, but in these photos, the effect actually looks vintage. Not just yellow.)

8. Grain. This is a technique that is quite popular today. One of my favorite photographers, Amelia Lyon, adds grain in post-processing, and her photographs are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. But when over-used, the photo just looks low-quality. If you want natural grain, try shooting in a high ISO before adding grain in post-processing. Once again, moderation is key.

9. Film Emulation (or The Fade). This one is SUPER popular today, made famous by VSCO Film. If used correctly, this can be beautiful and is actually an effect that I love seeing when done right. This effect is supposed to emulate film photography, but not every photographer can make this effect beautiful on every image. (Just because it's emulating film doesn't mean it's what is supposed to be seen. When you look at the world, does it look hazy and faded?) Once again, I actually love this effect, but I'm afraid that it might become cliche soon, and just become a fad of the past. (P.S. these last two - grain and film emulation - often go hand-in-hand.)

In conclusion, when editing, think about what you would say about your photos in 10 years. Would you still love that "vintage" effect, or would you think, "What was I thinking?!" :) Try to stay with what looks real. Play around a little with the fads, but in moderation. As photographers, we capture real life (unless you're a fine art photographer of course), and because of this, we want our photographs to reflect real life.

--> I do understand that post-processing is very individual. Any of the above-mentioned "fads" have been and can still be very beautiful. If you are using any of these, and you love it, and your client loves it, and you are getting business, then who am I to tell you what to do?! :)

-->Also, I never want to discourage someone in their artistic endeavors. But since I have gone through over 10 years of post-processing self-actualization, I thought I could maybe help you skip a few agonizing years. :)

Can you think of more editing fads that you've seen or even (gasp!) been a part of?

GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS N.P. (PLUS MY GREATEST FEAR)

2013-05-07T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt for the Blog Every Day in May challenge is to blog about the thing I'm most afraid of. So I thought I'd tell you a little story along with my greatest fear.

I will, first of all, tell you my greatest fear. I am afraid of being unable to physically or mentally do the things I love to do.

I'm sure most of you know this already, but I have several chronic conditions that can be pretty debilitating at times. I'm in pain 100% of the time, and while sometimes I can handle it and carry through my day pretty normally, other times I cannot at all. I've gone into my conditions more in depth on this post if you want to know more.

One of my greatest loves is the outdoors. I love to hike, bike, swim, climb, kayak, etc. You name it. I was even a recreation major in college and I can tell you the history of the National Parks systems. I'm an outdoor geek. :) But my favorite thing to do in the great outdoors is backpack through God's creation. Backpacking (or backcountry camping) can get you to the most remote and beautiful places that you can't get to in a car, plane, or train. I love looking out over a beautiful vista knowing that the only thing that could get me there was my own two feet.

But backpacking is hard work. Hiking up a mountain with a 40-50 pound pack? Yup. Hard.

My most recent backcountry trips have been a testimony to my seemingly debilitating health conditions. My greatest fear is that I might have to give up this love of mine.

About a year and a half ago in the fall, we went backpacking at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It is one of two national parks in Texas, the other being Big Bend NP. Visiting all the national parks in the US is at the top of my bucket list.

Once at Guadalupe Mountains, we got our backcountry pass, heaved on our packs, and started up the trail to our first campsite, with plenty of time to get there, or so the map and my research had told me.

But it wasn't before long that my knees started aching (already?!) and we had to take a quick break. Still in good spirits, I got out my camera (like I do during every break) and snapped some photos. There's Mark above, lookin all happy to be in the Lord's beautiful splendor.

There's Mark again, looking peeved that I needed another break. Haha.

Okay, I'll tell you a little about Guadalupe Mountains. It is in the Texas desert. Not many people know much about the desert, so I'll tell you a little. The desert is not how most people think of it: sand dunes, heat, dry, no vegetation, no rain, etc (of course it can have these things as well). The desert is a climate, not just an area. It can have TONS of vegetation. In this desert, in Texas, it even snows. There is a creek that has running water more than half of the year. When we were there, it was a good 75 degrees during the day, and 45 at night. Get down to the bottom of this post, and you'll see maple trees with beautiful fall colors.

I love the desert. I think it is beautiful, and is a place where you can feel peace in your solitude. It's an amazing place for getting away from the hustle and bustle of life, for connecting with a significant other or friend, and for deeply appreciating the beauty that God has given us.

Above: a little canyon.

It was about this time that I took another break. I took my pack off and sat down on a big rock along side the hiking path. I jumped back up, realizing that I sat on a cactus. Yikes! I hadn't seen it before I sat because it was very small. But I wish it had been big, as bigger needles are easier to get out.

So. There we were. With tiny cactus needles in my butt. Luckily, we were the only ones around, because I had to drop my pants in order for Mark to get the needles out of my booty cheek. Also luckily, we had tweezers in our first aid kit. Thank the Lord. :)

It took about 10 minutes of Mark really working to get them all out. And then we went on our merry way again.

I loved these fellas.

It was about this time that we were beginning to worry about getting to our campsite in time. We had hiked about 30 minutes longer than expected, but we also knew that we had taken more breaks than usual (to rest AND to take photos).

I was taking photos of this plant when a park ranger came by on a donkey. He told us that it was only about 30 minutes to our campsite. So we calmed down. And I took more pictures. :)

But then the sun started to set. And we kept going up and up. And we couldn't see an end in sight. At every switchback that connected us to another mountain, we fooled ourselves into thinking that this corner was the last one to turn since we couldn't see any more mountain above us. But we'd turn another corner, and BAM!, another 50 feet of mountain.

We had been hiking for an hour since we'd seen the park ranger. We were really worried. Was the ranger mistaken? Or did I just suck that much at hiking now?

There's me in the left corner, worried, hurting, and tired. In the shade. Because the sun was going down. Fast.

I remember when the sun went behind this little peak. I was so scared that we'd have to find our way with flashlights. What if we miss our campsite sign? Those signs are easy to miss even in broad daylight!

This was the last photo we took that night, since the sun went down while we were still hiking. We finally found our campsite, but it was barely still dusk. And it was about 2 hours after we had seen the park ranger.

We set up our tent in the dark, made dinner, ate, and went to sleep, praising Jesus the whole time that we had made it, and praying that the next day would be better.

I woke up refreshed, but aching. I made breakfast and walked around camp in my Chacos, glad for my feet to breathe before putting on shoes again.

Our view at our campsite.

The trees all around us were incredible. Really different, with crazy awesome textures.

I was actually reluctant to leave our campsite that day. I felt so peaceful just lounging around. And that scared me. Usually I'm raring to go see more and do more.

The hikes were easier while we were in the mountains. We barely ever had an incline after the first day.

Here's Mark, posing with his beef jerky. Heh.

And me! Yay.

Weird little Dr. Seuss looking plants. :)

At one point, we came across this vista. I loved it. The white you see is salt flats and salt dunes.

Desert plants, with their curly hairs. :P

And a beautiful agave plant!! Lovee.

We only documented one of our campsites this trip. Here's Mark looking happy! :)

During our descent out of the mountains, we came across beautiful maple trees that proved it was autumn. And made us think that we weren't in the desert anymore! :)

I went crazy with my camera, of course.

I even loved the dead leaves!

After this, we had planned on getting back to our car, dumping our packs, and making our way to a campsite at the base of the mountains. Our plan was to camp there one night, and climb El Capitan, the highest point in the park and in Texas, the next day.

That was our plan. But I was hurting so bad that I literally couldn't go on. I had always wanted to hike that peak, but I knew I wouldn't be able to reach it.

There's El Capitan, the highest point in Texas, from afar.

I was so sad while taking this picture. I had never set a goal like this and not achieved it without even trying. I couldn't believe that my body was failing me this much. This day was the day I realized that my dreams might be stronger than my ability to accomplish them. My pain was getting worse. And I was scared.

Mark helped me to see the bright side of things on the drive home. We saw amazing places! And El Capitan will just be another thing on our list to do in the future.

Since then (1.5 years ago), we've only gone on one other backcountry trip. And we made sure it was an easy one. I don't know what the future holds for my outdoor adventures. I am afraid that I'll have to give some of these things up.

Though losing my ability to backcountry camp/hike is my greatest fear, I will never lose hope that I'll be able to backpack great distances one day, without my chronic pain. And if I do lose this ability, I will never stop finding ways to see great vistas such as these. I will use Christ as my crutch, and pursue Him in His great creation, whether by plane, train, or automobile. :)

WHAT DO YOU DO?

2013-05-06T05:55:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt from Jenni's Blog Every Day in May challenge is: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, "What do you do?"

I've always found it nonsense that this is the first thing that comes out of someone's mouth when meeting someone. I remember living in Dallas and not having a job. People would ask this question and I didn't know how to answer it. "Nice to meet you. So, what do you do?"

"Um...well I'm looking for a job right now..."

"Ooh." That's it. No more questions. As if they just got to know me by my answer to that awful question. I don't have a job, so that defines me? What will they say when they're talking about me later with their significant other?

"Who?"

"You know - Bailey. The unemployed one."

Although, now that I have a job, I fall into this habitual routine we as westerners indulge in. "I'm a photographer, graphic designer, and blogger!" Yes, I am happy to tell everyone what I "do". I am proud of my work. I'm proud of the road I've faced to get here. I am even proud of the time when I was unemployed, not knowing what my next step was. It helped me get here. So I therefore can answer this question swiftly and happily now.

But when I think about it, I still don't like it.

I wish that this question didn't mean what it does. I wish it meant something deeper. Do they really know me now that they know I'm a photographer? Instead, I wish the first question we asked when meeting someone was something like, "What defines you?"

Hah. That would be weird, huh? "Nice to meet you, Kristina. So, what defines you?"

Haha.

But for real. How awesome would that be if this was the norm? So thought-provoking. So in depth. So much less shallow than, "I'm a photographer." Because, although, being a photographer shapes me and partially defines who I am, it is not who I am as a whole. Not even in the least bit.

So. What defines me, eh? (I guess I'll have to answer now that I've made a big deal out of everything!)

My Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, defines me. He has strung out every detail of my life from the beginning, and shapes every decision I make.

And to answer the first question. What do I do?

I live for Christ. I love because of Him. I care for others because He tells me to. And I want to because I know love, and have His love to share. I try to glorify Him in all that I do. Through photography, blogging, and design. From being a wife to a friend to a dog owner. In how I treat myself. In how I react towards unexpected news. Even in how I make mistakes. Everything.

I could talk about this for hours. If we ever did meet face to face, and you ask me, "What defines you, Bailey?" then I just might talk to you about this for hours. :)

MY BBF (BEST BLOGGER FRIEND)

2013-05-05T05:45:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt for Jenni's Blog Every Day in May challenge is to profess your love for a blogger friend. I'm so excited to tell you about that friend of mine.

My friend, Meghan, blogs over at Eat Live Make. Even though we've never met in person, she is truly one of my best friends.

That's David (Meghan's hubby), Meghan, and their sweet pup Dakota. Aren't they so cute?!

We first started getting to know each other when we swapped ads for the first time, sometime last year. We knew we had a lot in common, but we really didn't know HOW much until later. Let me just list a few of the things we have in common with each other. We both:

1. Are basically the same age, less than a year apart.
2. Have been married almost the same amount of time.
3. Seek Jesus in all we do.
4. Are bloggers. Duh.
5. Love to travel.
6. Love the outdoors. Adventure-seeking peeps just get each other.
7. Are healthy, natural living nerds. We're into natural ways of healing.
8. Are gluten-free celiacs and (mostly) vegan.
9. Love cooking and LOVE food.
10. Own dog(s) that we treat like our babies.
11. Are professional photographers and own our own respective photog businesses.
12. Don't have any children yet.
13. Love simplicity and frugal living.

But the biggest, most important thing we have in common is:

14. We both deal with chronic pain and chronic illness.

This last one is huge, y'all. Even though I don't want it to, my pain and illness ends up defining most of my life. It shapes me. And I hate that it does. (Read more about my chronic issues here.) While I would never wish my pain upon ANYONE EVER, it's hard going through life not having anyone who understands this thorn in my side.

And then I met Meghan. She gets it. She understands. And, just like me, she doesn't like her pain or her illnesses, but she knows they have a purpose, and that God is greater than her greatest pain. Like me, she prays and hopes for healing, and believes that God is our ultimate Healer, our Jehovah Rapha, but she also knows that He doesn't have to heal. And, like me, she's found peace in this.

We now e-mail each other back and forth, text each other, skype, pray for each other, and plan things together. Meghan even sent me an amazing watercolor painting in the mail!

I'm so blessed to have Meghan. She understands my weaknesses and can have sympathy while praying for me (and I do the same for her). She knows exactly what I need to hear when she encourages me on bad days.

I just love her, and I am so blessed to have her in my life. Hooray for blogging, right?! :)

So go check out her blog, Eat Live Make!! It covers a multitude of awesome things, like faith, natural living, photography, recipes, travel, the outdoors, health, life, and love.

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE

2013-05-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

For a long time now, I have firmly stood in the belief that happiness is a choice. But I haven't always believed this. I thought that happiness was something that was given to me, not something that I had to work for. I've had my share of times in my life where I couldn't stop feeling sorry for myself. I would watch Peter Pan or read Harry Potter and wish that my life was an adventure, and cry myself to sleep over the beauty that I saw in fantasy stories that I would never see in real life.

Then I made the choice to start doing things. I planned my own adventures. I took photos and saw beauty in everyday life. I laughed along with a friend instead of staying quiet. I sang in the car instead of overanalyzing song lyrics. I savored food. I stopped to feel the wind. And I became happy.

Happiness isn't something that comes to you when you are sitting in bed feeling sorry for yourself, merely wishing you could be happy. Happiness is something you have to run after and fight for. I found out that doing things made me happy. So I choose to be happy by doing things.

My choice to participate in life made me happy.

So, what makes you the opposite of happy? Stop doing those things. Do you get sad when you're alone? Go out with a friend. Do you get angry when you're left out? Plan something and invite everyone before they have the chance to leave you out. Are you in a fight with a family member? Think of the memories you have with that person that make you happy, and reminisce with them.

I know people that hide behind their troubles. They want the attention they get from being "depressed", but at the same time want so desperately to be rid of their sadness. It's a complex emotion, I know. I used to be this person! But instead of feeling self-pity when you wake up tomorrow morning, ask yourself "What would make me happy today?" and then DO IT.

See? It's your choice.

And to make it easier for you to choose joyfulness right now, here's a Michael Scott quote:

I'm linking up again today with Jenni for day four ("Favorite Quote") of the Blog Every Day in May challenge.

6 THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNCOMFORTABLE

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late to the game, but I'm going to try to participate in Jenni's awesome Blog Every Day in May challenge. I know for a fact that I won't do every day. But I will try to do as many as I can.

Today, the subject is "things that make me uncomfortable". And I chose to include 6 things, since going to a primarily Baptist school in junior high brainwashed me into being uncomfortable with the number 6. So there's a bonus for ya.

But let's get one thing straight. Something that makes me uncomfortable is totally different than something that gets on my nerves. Pet-peeves make me shake my head or want to fix what is wrong - like grammatical errors and people that still do the duck-face. When I'm uncomfortable about something, I squirm in my seat or have a strong desire to run away. If you want a list of my pet-peeves, go here. But the following is what makes me uncomfortable:

1. Maternity forums. There've been a few times in my married life that I've thought I was pregnant. So, of course, I googled my symptoms and found my way onto these forums. Whew! Let me tell ya, these woman have NOTHING to hide, especially when they are baby-crazed and trying to conceive. They get into everything from baby names to midwifery to things I would never talk about. Just reading that a mother is about to name her child "Hashtag" makes me uncomfortable, so yes, EVERYTHING ELSE about these forums do too.

2. Kids from the ages of about 2-10 that I've just met. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE kids. I'm also pretty good with them...once I get to know them. But no kid is the same, so I feel like I've gotta feel 'em out before I can get to their level and be able to play with them. I've even put my foot in my mouth a few times in some situations: "Nice to meet you, Sally! Oooh, I love drawing too! Look, I'll draw you an elephant!" And then the kid screams and yells that she was sprayed in the face by an elephant at the zoo last week. You just never know. But tweens are easy. They all like the same stuff. Same with babies.

3. Cats. Pretty much same as above. ;)

4. Talking about myself. I am a very private person. In fact, I have made a promise to myself and to my readers to be more open and vulnerable on this blog. So this post in itself is a big step. You should see me in person, though. When I'm particularly vulnerable, I start shaking and twitching uncontrollably. It's super weird, but it has always happened. If I'm with someone, I try to pass it off as being cold. :)

5. Having to talk to the camera in a video. Which is why you'll never see me vlog on here. (MAYBE if it was just my voice. Maybe.) I really don't know why being in videos makes me so uncomfortable. I guess I'm just a perfectionist, so I second guess everything I'm about to say. Catch me in a candid moment, and I'd probably be hilarious in a video, as long as I'm not speaking TO the camera.

6. PDA (Public Displays of Affection). This includes seeing others engaging in PDA, along with myself engaging in PDA. I just don't do it. Even holding hands with my husband is hard for me to do in public. And kissing?? No way. I know what it feels like to see it and be uncomfortable, so I never want to do that to others.

GALVESTON ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2013-05-01T23:25:00.000-05:00

There was this one time when I shared about my photography business on this blog. I really don't know why I stopped! I want to start sharing my favorite shoots, because this job of mine is my passion!! (Actually, I really wish I could be a travel photographer and make a living from it, but getting hired by Nat Geo is pretty slim to none. Hah.) Joking aside, I LOOVE my job. I'm so blessed.

Last August, I got to shoot these two beauties for their engagement session. They were probably the sweetest couple I've ever worked with.

They chose Galveston Island for their location, and I couldn't have been more happy about that! I love Galveston! The beach, the town, the history. All amazing. We started off at East Beach in the morning. We then made our way to the Strand (downtown area), and ended up under a pier with amazing lighting.

And that is why I love my job. These two could not stop smiling the whole time. They had the hardest time doing a "serious face" because they were just so happy!! It's super contagious. I remember going home after the shoot with the residue of their giddiness still consuming me. :)

Check out their post on my photography website for more!

SANDIA PEAK TRAM

2013-04-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, on our 3rd anniversary trip, we took a road trip around the southwest. Our first stop was Albuquerque, and I LOVED it. I was so surprised at how cool Albuquerque was. Why don't people talk about ABQ? Well here I am, talkin it up.

Our first outing was the Sandia Peak Tram, which is the world's longest tramway! You can reach the peak to have an amazing view of the city below and the surrounding mountains.

Even just riding the tram was super fun. There's our shadow! :)

There's a huge red deck waiting for you at the peak.

I loved this view. The deck just seems to drop off the edge. (Yeah, I'm one of those weird people that LOVES heights.)

If you're hungry, there's even a restaurant at the top.

We were staying up at the peak until sunset, so I had time to teach Mark how to shoot in manual with my other camera. He picked it up so fast!

He even got me in action! :)

Also, if you want to ski, there are a few slopes on just the other side of the peak. Take the tram up for easy access, unless you want to drive all the way around the mountains in order to get to the bottom of the ski lifts.

This was very neat. Every one of these pipe-like viewers was pointed in a different direction in order to show which peak or landmark was which. Mark had a blast with this.

The sun's going down...yay!! :)

I love the above one. And since we stayed until sunset, why not stay for another hour so we could see the lights of Albuquerque from above? :)

Usually we're hiking, so it's weird to get to see the sunset or night lights from such great heights. When hiking, we have to worry about getting back to our car or our campsite or wherever else we came from.

But with a tram, we didn't have to worry about it all! Just hop back on and ride down! What a treat! ;)

If you're going through the ABQ, make sure you take the tram up to Sandia Peak. Don't miss it!

OUR STORY, PART THREE - CAMP AGAIN

2013-04-24T09:30:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I started sharing our love story. And I only got to part 2! I had planned on getting all the way to the wedding day so I could post our wedding photos on our 4th anniversary, which was March 28th. As you can see, that didn't happen. Why do I ever try to PLAN things? :)

I guess wedding photos will just have to be on a day other than our anniversary. Hey, we don't have to celebrate only one day a year, right?! :) If you are just now tuning in, please go read the other parts of our story. I've got easy links right here for ya:

Part One - Camp
Part Two - The In-Between

On to part three, which I've titled "Camp Again". This is a long one, guys.

I ended part two with Camp Blessing (a camp for people with disabilities) about to start, and me finding out that Mark was going to be transferring to my college after the summer. We valued our friendship, but both were dating other people. Mark was not going to be at camp (or so he and I both thought) and I was going to be working with his sister on the leadership team at camp.

Before I get to camp for training, my then-boyfriend (we'll call him T) seems annoyed that I am leaving him for the whole summer. He is happy for me; he just doesn't want to be stuck in a college town, working a crappy job, with all of his friends gone for the summer. I don't blame him, but I don't feel bad at all for being at camp. T understands, and says he'll write me letters. And that makes me happy, because getting mail at camp is absolutely the best! (If you've worked at a camp before, you'd agree.)

I arrive at camp, pumped and ready to plan. Kim (Mark's sister) and I end up being a perfect team, and we recruit a couple of other folks, Laura and Sterling, to be on leadership with us.

Laura, Kim, Me, and Sterling

While working and planning during training, Kim talks to me about Mark transferring to Texas State, and I tell her how happy I am for him and that we'll get to be friends while in college. I don't remember how or why, but we get into talking about my friendship with Mark, and how it started. I basically tell her everything I've told you guys already (the camper giving us nicknames, our e-mails back and forth, our social networking, and the time we met up for lunch).

Laughing, I tell Kim that Mark and I had once joked about going skydiving together on our birthdays, since our birthdays are only two days apart (and Mark saw skydiving on my bucket list on a Myspace post).

Kim also precedes to tell me about Mark's girlfriend (we'll call her G). They have been dating for about three years with one break-up in there somewhere, but Kim and Mark's family doesn't really like her as a girlfriend to Mark. G is a good girl, Kim explains. But G and Mark together make their individual bad traits come out. G is kind of a jealous person, but that was probably because Mark was apathetic (or vice versa). Mark was sometimes a jerk, but that was probably because G was naggy (or vice versa again). Things like that. Neither of them are bad people, but they don't make each other better or even want to be better, Kim explains. There's a little more, too. They don't share any of the same interests except music. Music is what got them together in the first place, but it seems that music is the only reason they are still together.

As camp training goes on, Kim, Sterling, Laura, and I (the leadership team) end up becoming closer as friends and as a team as we plan skits, bible studies, parties, games, and activities like crazy for camp. I am so busy that I completely forget about T until I get a letter from him. Everyone suddenly knows that I have a boyfriend because the letter was passed around camp (unopened, don't worry) before getting to me.

I'm excited about the letter, but all of the sudden, I have to tell everyone about T and me. Ugh. I hate that kind of attention (the kind that the only things worth talking about is boyfriends/girlfriends and who likes who).

I open the letter, and it's four pages long, front and back. Whew! I read it all, but it's challenging.

The rest of the week, I get a letter from T every day. That's about four pages, front and back. Every single day. I seriously stop reading the letters except for the first and last page. (I'm just not a lovey-dovey, sappy person, y'all. I find that stuff flattering at first, but if I get too much of it, I'll start closing off.) I finally decide to write him back after about five of his letters. I write to him about my new friends, the awesome leadership team, and how I wish he could experience the amazingness of camp. After about a page and a half's worth of blabbering, I can't think of anything else to write, and I send it off.

Camp starts. The days of planning, building, praying, working together, and learning are about to be challenged, and we are so excited for the campers to come.

I continue to get long letters from T every day. I end up dreading them, especially with my friends reading the sappyness over my shoulder and making fun of me because of it (all in jest, I swear). I even read a few of them in the bathroom so I could throw them away before anyone grabbed them out of my hands like they usually did when we got our mail during lunch.

The end of the first term of camp rolls around, along with the staff break, which is 24 hours long. There is a nearby mall that some people are going to, and I decide to go with. I end up talking with T on the phone the whole time, though, instead of hanging out with my new friends. T is kind of angry that I've only send him one letter and he's written me eleventy-hundred. I start getting SO apathetic about our relationship at this time in order to avoid conflict (which, of course, is really bad and something I'm not proud of). I figure I kinda still like him, and I really don't want to break up with another guy, especially over the phone, and because of something as petty as writing each other letters.

The second (and last) week of camp starts, and we get back into the mode of being busy. T continues to send me letters every day. I stop reading them altogether. My friends at camp don't even ask about him anymore.

A day into the last week, Kim tells me that Mark is coming to pick her up from camp because they have a funeral to go to. It's not far, so she's only going to be gone not even a full day. I get excited that Mark is coming, but in a totally innocent way.

Mark comes the next day, and as soon as I see him walking up the sidewalk to the building we're in, I get so overjoyed that this happy, goofy guy is here, and run outside to greet him. He sees me, breaks into a huge smile, and once again, gives me one of the best hugs ever (read about Mark's hugs in Part 2). It was that moment that the butterflies started flitting around in my tummy.

Mark comes in to meet the rest of the leadership team. He is immediately playful, goofy, and fun. It's a breath of fresh air. We talk a bit, Mark walks around camp to say hi to people, and then he and Kim leave.

Mark and Kim get back that night and, once again, I get butterflies. Kim talks Mark into staying that night so he doesn't have to drive home so late.

The next day, Mark hangs out with us and comes with me to a few activities that I lead. This time it's Archery, and I am again reminded why I liked the guy (just as a friend) in the first place. He is at home with these kids. All of them - kids with cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, autism, and everyone else. Once again, his smile doesn't stop and I find myself laughing along with the kids the whole time.

I am aware that I have a crush on him at this time. But after just one day of being around him? "It's just a crush, he's going to leave soon," I tell myself, and I brush my guilty feelings aside.

Mark ends up staying until the end of camp (which was just the end of that week).

We find ourselves camp-flirting with each other the whole time. Let me explain "camp-flirting" to you. At camp, you can't flirt normally. Normal flirting takes time - time which you don't have. Normal flirting has innuendos - innuendos that certainly do not belong at camp. Normal flirting includes invading the other person's personal space - which is strictly against the rules at camp. (Side hugs only, folks.)

Here's how we camp-flirted. Mark helped me lead activities. I asked Mark to help me lift heavy objects. We played frisbee together. Mark told kids to tickle me. I told kids to steal Mark's hat. We made jokes. And yes, we even noticed each other looking at the other from across the room, and may or may not have locked eyes for a split second before quickly looking away (gasp!).

He even looked at me sometimes when he was singing to campers onstage. I bet you feel the heat coming off the screen, don't ya?

Yay for camp-flirting! Can't feel too guilty for that, right?

Wrong.

By this time, Mark knows that I have a crush on him and I know that he has a crush on me. It's very obvious to us. A few friends at camp can tell, too, and one of them even mentions T and all the letters he writes to me right in front of Mark.

I become so embarrassed as Mark gives me a look as if to ask if that's true. I confirm with my red cheeks and suddenly sweaty forehead. Even though he also has a girlfriend, I still didn't want Mark to know that I have a boyfriend. I had again forgotten all about T. When I had justified my feelings for Mark earlier, I am now suddenly and painstakingly aware of how guilty I feel. I don't want to hurt Mark or T, and I don't want to lead either of them on.

My apathy towards my relationship with T becomes more apparent when my feelings toward Mark don't go away. I try to just ignore them, and tell myself that I just really like Mark as a friend. But I also stop even trying to think of T, and when I do, I don't feel that bad anymore. Because camp crushes are sometimes just that, and only last during camp. It's natural to crush on someone when you're working so close and with them all the time, right? Camp would be over in a couple of days, and everything would go back to normal.

But the camp-flirting doesn't stop. I lie to myself more and more every day about my feelings toward Mark and T, and my guilty feelings continue to decrease. Apathy is self-destructive.

If anything, Mark and I begin to like each other even more. I can't get over how joyous Mark is and how much fun I have when I'm with him. He's so good with every kid, he doesn't ever complain, he's open and honest, and he enjoys giving of his time, talents, and efforts. Mark is enthralled by my ability to plan camp and to perform under pressure. He thinks that I'm funny and that I create anti-drama. He's also never met a girl with all the same interests and values as him, and sees that my interests, values, and attributes are something he can learn from.

Mark and I end up talking about it on the last day of camp, finally saying out loud what we've both known for four long days already. Mark, never being one for subtleties, starts the conversation: "Bailey...you like me, don't you?" Oh goodness. Red face once again. We talk about how fun the next semester will be "as friends", which we both emphasize. We both feel guilty about our feelings, and don't want to end our respective relationships for a silly camp crush, but we don't feel guilty enough to sever ties with each other, either.

A life-long friend, Hayley (who is at camp at the time), invites me to her family vacation when camp ends. I accept the invitation, glad to have some relaxation after camp.

Camp comes to a close. Kim invites me to their family reunion at a lake. In my heart, I wish I could go, but my brain thanks Hayley for inviting me on her trip sooner. My heart wants to be around Mark and the rest of the Klentzmans, but my mind tells me that it wouldn't be a good idea.

The next day, Hayley and I are sitting by the pool at a resort on her family's vacation. Hayley asks me about Mark (of course she could tell), and I tell her honestly that I have feelings for him, but I don't want to break up with T. I tell her I think it is just a crush, heightened by camp euphoria (it's a thing, y'all), and she understands. She tells me she likes both T and Mark, but that I shouldn't break up with T just because of a crush on Mark. I thank her, because I think that's good advice.

The trip ends early because of torrential rains (thanks, Texas!), and I drive back to San Marcos to see T, still with the "crush" lingering inside of me. I tell myself that once I reunite with T, these feelings will go away. After all, it was only four days with Mark and this little crush! I had been dating T for two months before camp started, so obviously my feelings for T will make their way back. I also tell myself that Mark's feelings aren't anything more than a crush, too. His crush will definitely go away once he sees his girlfriend again, since they've been dating for three years.

Meanwhile, Kim and Mark are at their family reunion. Even though there's a lake with fast boats, tubing, fishing, and water skiing, Mark doesn't seem like his normal happy-go-lucky self. Instead of spending the night hours at the campsite singing around a campfire, talking, and playing games, Mark spends his nights writing a letter to me, confessing his feelings, which end up being wayyy more than just a camp crush.

------------------------

END OF PART THREE!

Oh, is that a bad place to stop? Well, suspense is key, folks. I guess you'll just have to come back for part four!

What I want to emphasize is that the timeline in the above chapter is less than 3 weeks. And from the time that Mark arrived at camp and the end of camp was about 4 days! Doesn't take long to develop feelings, huh?

Sorry I don't have that many photos for you here. Camp is too time-consuming for taking photos.

I can't wait to share the next part of the story with you!