// And Then There Were Six (!!!) More...

Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Mama Kitty - Kaelah Bee
Yep... six! While Mike and I were away on our North Carolina trip, my mom called to tell me that we had kittens. We had no idea where they came from or how they got there, but they were taking up residence on our carport. She said my stepdad claimed he saw three or four, but they were too fast to get a good idea. I was a little dumbfounded to be honest. There are some (seemingly?) feral cats in our wooded neighborhood, but we've managed to keep our brood down to only two. Our first order of business when we got home was to figure out what my parents were talking about.

Well, as soon as we pulled into the driveway we saw two kittens scurry away. They looked to be a few weeks old, but we didn't know where the mama cat was. We finally found the mama cat lounging on our carport the next morning. To my surprise she was incredibly sweet and friendly. It's obvious that she's been domesticated. The heartbreaking part was how incredibly skinny she seemed. We gave her some food and she crawled right up into my lap for some petting. We started noticing more of the kittens, too. I was able to pick up two of them, but they didn't like it. (Not one bit!) I realized that I was only making them more scared so I've since kept my distance. One bit me 4 times and left my fingers swollen and bloody, but I still try to approach them with treats. The orange one is starting to warm up to me a little bit. We came to an agreement that there were only 3 kittens - a grey-ish version of the mom, a black-speckled kitten, and then a bright orange one just like Tater Tot. A few days later we noticed them all nursing on the carport... this time there were five kittens! There just so happened to be three versions of the little grey one. Oh boy...

Mike was not stoked on me feeding and petting the mama cat. I've resisted the urge to name her because I know once I do I'll never be able to let her go. I'm not trying to earn a spot on Animal Hoarders, okay?! I just don't have it in me to see a hungry cat with kittens go without. I've been trying to let the kittens warm up to me so we can round them all up and send them to new homes, and I don't want to use a trap. I want them to be able to trust me. Ideally I'd love for them to all go to the same home together, but I know that's just wishful thinking.

Our little town doesn't have a proper humane society or anything like that, so I refuse to just drop them off somewhere. We've been keeping Enid and Tater Tot inside most of the time just because the new cat hasn't been properly checked out by the vet or anything. The kittens are old enough that they're eating solid food, but they also still like to nurse. I really don't know anything about cats but I'm hoping some friends (or friends of friends) might want to take one or two of these little guys home. They're all really beautiful kittens, and the mama cat is the sweetest thing ever. We simply can't be "those" people in the neighborhood... you know, the one with seven cats and two dogs?! Yeah...

So with that being said, if you have any words of wisdom or anything about how to rehome these kittens, I'm all ears. I'm so out of my element here haha Also, if you're in/around Nashville or Middle Tennessee and you want a cat/kitten of your own, get in touch! Our Animal Control just kills them all and I can't stomach that thought. I'd love for them to go to homes that will actually care for them. The last thing our small neighborhood needs is more feral cats.

edited to add: The orange kitten just let me hold him for about 5 minutes. Progress! Slow, but steady progress! // Judging by this, they're around 3 or 4 weeks old. (In that case, we'll keep them until they're fully weaned, then assess our options. Or if someone is interested in all 6, then we'd rehome them together). They're eating solid food, but still also nursing. // We also called our vet and while there's nowhere we can take the cat or kittens, we've been given the number to a (sorta) local organization that will help spay the mama cat.

// Happy Hour

Happy Hour - Kaelah Bee
Happy Friday, folks! I can't think of a better day to be sporting a dress decorated with cocktails, ya know? (Okay, so maybe these photos are from Wednesday, but hey... it's cool) I decided to put a little pep in my step on Hump Day and flaunt a petticoat while running errands around town. I can't help but feel a little silly when I wear it, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it! Crawling up in our truck is kind of funny though - I have a huge poofy forcefield around me! (If you're on the hunt for a decent - and inexpensive - petticoat, I totally recommend this one that I have) I've had my eyes on this Bettie Page dress for a while so I was stoked to finally claim it for myself. I actually expected it to be a little more mustard colored in person, but I'm not sure why since the customer photos actually show it perfectly (Seriously though - how cute are those girls?!). I love the buttery yellow hue though so no complaints here! The petticoat was honestly a necessity because the dress is a bit long for me. Once it's fluffed up I feel like it's the perfect length... but boy oh boy - the skirt on this baby is huge! 

This cardigan is a recent score from a Stitch Fix package. I loved the color but the cuffs were solid white so I decided to roll them under. The emerald necklace is another Stitch Fix goodie and it was a very last minute addition because Mike thought it'd look nice. Haha Sometimes I just leave it all up to him. I wasn't sure if the black bag and shoes would be too heavy for the dress or not, but I went with them anyway since the outlines of all the cocktails were black. Plus I just really love this Ivanka Trump bag! It's just so structured and classy!
Happy Hour - Kaelah Bee
Happy Hour - Kaelah Bee
Yesterday Mike and I joined Toby's Pre-K class at the local pizza shop for a "Make Your Own Pizza" field trip. Toby showed up wearing his new tie-dye t-shirt and clinging onto his "best friend" Wyatt. We get to see how he interacts with kids in public, but before yesterday we were never able to see him in his element around kids he spends every day with. It was so funny to see him all buddy buddy with two of the little boys. His friend Hunter sat with us in our booth and they had a grand ol' time. One little boy even asked if he could come over to our house and play with Toby after school! We've officially entered the "school-age friendship" realm of parenting! Kind of terrifying but also so sweet. We noticed Toby was running a bit warm even though he wasn't acting sick, so we whisked him away after the field trip, picked up some medicine, and kept him in bed for the rest of the day. He's still running a bit of a fever and we're keeping him home from school just to be safe. Mike and I are starting to feel an icky sore throat and cough coming on ourselves, so it looks like it's going to be a sick weekend in the Flynn household.
Happy Hour - Kaelah Bee
Happy Hour - Kaelah Bee
Today I'm planning on finishing up some signs, working on lingering design commissions and taking it easy. Hopefully whatever we're coming down with is fast paced and will be out of our house before long. At least we have season 2 of New Girl to occupy our time! (Speaking of TV - Any good shows y'all can recommend on Hulu+ or Netflix?! We're on the hunt for some new shows to play in the background while we work during the day!)

Hope the sun in shining wherever you are, friends! Have a happy weekend! xo

Drinks on Me dress c/o ModCloth
Stitch Fix cardigan
Petticoat via Amazon
Stitch Fix necklace
Ivanka Trump purse (gifted via MAGIC)
Blowfish wedges

// Things I Love Thursday v.152


this is adorable! ♥
this notebook reference. ♥
this! ♥
♥ loving this pattern (and others!) from kendra dandy! ♥
flamingos are seriously so magical! ♥
♥ i'm only a little bit obsessed with moths - this rosy maple moth is amazing! ♥
this little illustration! (and all of melissa chaib's work!) ♥
the perfect graphic for autumn! ♥
♥ aw! this is cute! ♥

♥ love this top so much! (and it's so cheap!) ♥



♥ i love this photo project so much! ♥
check out what some former college classmates are doing for women in Haiti! ♥

// Louis C.K.'s Explanation of Why He Hates Smartphones is Sad, Brilliant. I feel like there's so much truth to what he says. I guess I never really thought much about it, but this article made a lot of sense.

// 50 People On The Secret My Company Doesn't Want The Public To Know. Despite #44 being a Workaholics reference, and the natural skepticism one should have, I found this post fascinating and horrifying. And it links to even more!

// Want to see an adorable sloth snack without a care? Oh my stars, it's so cute!

// Sophie is getting ready to come over to the US for a trip and she's packing the most beautiful dresses EVER! I'm dying!

// 8-Year-Old Boy Asks Santa To End His Sister's Bullying. My heart! Did it make you cry?! Ahh!

// Family Hosts 200 Homeless People for Dinners After Daughter's Wedding Gets Called Off. This also made me cry... and they're planning on making it a yearly thing! Some people are seriously so rad.

// 10 Things This Southerner Wishes North-Easterners Knew. Or anyone not from the South. Try to take it as a silly read.

// Whoa! This "Mirror Maze" outfit post over on K+B is so neat!

// Roxy did an Etsy roundup of her favorite "fox" goodies and it's full of so much cute! Totally on point for her, too!

// Photo Album Printing! Tera shares various books from different sites so you can see what they're like!


// Wishlist Wears: this black and white carnations dress is amazing! // this cardigan is what dreams are made of // this rose garden dress is perfect for the cooler months // this chambray tie-waist dress with scalloped bust! (in light blue, too!) // this coral midi skirt! (ahh!) // this skirt makes me think of Pixar movies // my dream boots // this military inspired utility jacket is perfect for Autumn // i wish this silhouette looked good on pear shapes! // this pink dress is perfect for a birthday party

// Honest Pays Off For Homeless Boston ManHe returned $40,000 in cash that he found! I love reading stories like this. And I love that the owner of the money put forth the effort to give back to the honest man. Can't wait to see how it all pans out.

// Loads of awesome going on over at the Little Big Blog! : Greek Food Festival (yum!) and this Snapshots post! (I always love the links CA picks!)

Happy Thursday! xo

// The Evolution of Blogging

Have you noticed a shift in the blogging world recently? Part of me has been wondering if it's a widespread thing or if it's something that I'm sort of projecting due to my own feelings toward blogging. While there was no specific "start" date for the shift, I attribute a lot of the change to the end of Google Reader. Many bloggers publicized the ability to subscribe to their blog via Feedly and Bloglovin. While I love Bloglovin (and feeds in general) and read blogs exclusively this way, it has completely changed the interactions on blogs. 

Truth be told, I was never super invested in Google Reader. It was never my main method of blog reading. My GR was filled with too much junk and unsubscribing to blogs was a bit too time intensive honestly. For this very reason I read blogs via bookmarks -- yeah, old school. Once I started using BlogLovin (post GR), I became very intentional with my subscriptions. Currently I only subscribe to about 13 blogs. That doesn't mean I'll only read those 13 blogs, but I've been very slow and meticulous about what blogs I add and why. It's a stark comparison when you consider I subscribed to over 300 in GR/Blogger... I never read that many blogs! Opening GR to me was like immediately setting myself up for failure. BlogLovin (and Feedly) allows me to have a "fresh start" with blog subscriptions, and I really like that.

I've witnessed (and participated) in several conversations about this shift in blogging recently. Mandi of Making Nice In The Midwest recently posed the question "Do you ever just have one of those nights where you wonder if you're even relevant any more? Like, internet wise, not like real life wise." I feel like that's a potentially loaded question, but it was born simply due to dwindling blog stats. Many bloggers (including myself) chimed in and mentioned that they've had these thoughts, too, and that Mandi certainly wasn't alone. Even "professional bloggers" nodded in agreement and expressed their thoughts on the issue. Mandi suggested the change came with GR dying and people opting to follow less blogs. I mean, that's what I did, so it seemed to make sense. I added to the conversation by saying that the slack in the blog world helped me feel more comfortable stepping away for a few days at a time. I don't feel as pressured to create content every single day. In the 4.5 years prior I felt like I needed to keep on the grind in order to keep up with everyone else. So in one way it's a blessing that blogging is letting up, even though my thoughts were totally self-imposed. There were/are tons of other bloggers out there who can go days, weeks, months between posts and still have an engaged and excited audience. I think being okay with those breaks as a blogger is actually what's so surprising, ya know?

Are you a blogger? Have you noticed a change in your blogging stats and the interaction on your blog? Do you publicize BlogLovin or Feedly as a way to subscribe to your blog? This is my theory: These feeds allows an alternative way to read blogs. Readers no longer have to visit the blogs themselves, and they don't even have to read truncated feeds. I've read contrasting opinions and "facts" on whether or not BlogLovin hits actually "count" as pageviews if the BL navigation bar is still in play, so to play it safe when I visit a blog via BlogLovin on the computer I always click the little [X] in the nav bar so I'm just reading the blog as is. I read blogs because I truly enjoy them, and I want those bloggers to see that reflected in their pageviews. Clicking out of the little [X] (even if it does nothing more than give me peace of mind) literally takes no extra effort. However, I do almost all of my blog reading on the BlogLovin app... where I can see the whole blog post at a glance. I've yet to find a source that says the BL app gives those pageviews. I hate the fact that the easiest way for me to read blogs means that I'm skimping out on giving bloggers pageviews (and pageviews = profit!). I also found it difficult and tedious to check out the comments on the app. (You can fix this by going into your BL app settings and turning off "mobile view" - the blog will load as though you're viewing in a browser, and you can quickly access comments, too!) 

Feedly is also a popular blogging feed that many use. Feedly gained insane amounts of popularity when GR was going down (so much popularity that the site crashed for a while!). I love the way Feedly allows you to customize the reading experience, but Feedly doesn't count toward stats at all. That was the reason I decided to ditch my Feedly account. I felt like it wasn't fair for the blogs that I was reading.

In my opinion comments and engagement have also dwindled due to the switch. Maybe a lot of people are just "over" blogs (I totally get it!) and maybe the blogging bubble is about to burst. Who knows! I've been a little shocked at how many "huge" bloggers I follow whose comments have dwindled by upwards of 40-50%. I've noticed it on my own blog, too. I've even noticed it as a blog reader. I'm more of a quiet reader myself, but I try to be mindful of my presence and comment any time I have something to add to the conversation, but doing so through feeds is more time consuming, thus making me less likely to do it. Mandi's blog is one that I read regularly, but because I don't like clicking through and waiting for multiple pages to load, I rarely comment. (And if you want to get technical, that means I'm contributing to her bummer feelings toward herself/her blog because I don't interact. And I say "her" as a universal pronoun which encompasses all blogs that I read!

No one wants to be that entitled person who feels like they're owed something by their readers. After all, it's only blogging. Yet at the same time I think people want to understand why blogging is going the way it's going. Is it silly to invest all of this time thinking and worrying about it? Well, that depends on who you ask. I think in this day and age there are so many "professional" bloggers who basically do their blog for a living. I know it's a goal for a lot of people. There's nothing wrong with the job and there's nothing wrong with the goal - but much like the 9 to 5 job market, you have to be hyper-aware of what's going on around you in order to "make it." 

A large part of me wonders where blogging will be in 6, 12, and 24 months. Obviously blogs will always exist, but I'm speaking more in terms of being digital influencers. One or two years ago, blogging was at an all time high. Bloggers were "celebrities" and brands flocked to them at rapid speed. Many brands severed their blogger programs all together and even more cut back on their outreach greatly. I'm wondering if it's a sign of the times or if it's just a coincidence... What do you think?

I plan to continue blogging as long as it's fun for me. I blogged with less than 5 readers for quite a while in the beginning, and while those posts are uber embarrassing, they were honest and authentic. I wonder if we'll start seeing as rise in authenticity in the blog world again? I'm probably just reading too far into it... It's all speculation and nonsense at this point anyway! Haha

Edited to add: Another potential culprit of blog engagement: Instagram and Twitter. So much is shared quickly on those two platforms, it's almost pointless to go read a blog now. Not only that, but 90% of the time when I ask a question via the blog, my readers will engage with me on Twitter or IG instead. Interactions are quicker and more likely to get noticed. I don't know how I forgot to include these in my post! (Thanks to Danielle + Melissa for reminding me!) -- Is Instagram the new blog?!

// Lately In My World..


We're officially back from our little vacation to North Carolina! Yesterday we spent 13 hours in the car driving through new parts of NC and enjoying the incredible view along the way. (Check out those Blue Ridge Mountains in the photo above!) We opted not to go to Charleston, SC for a few days due to my asthma acting up the entire trip and the threat of yucky weather. We had a great 5 days away though! It was so very needed. I think this trip further solidified our love for NC and our insane desire to live there. Mike has always been on board, but I think this trip really sealed the deal for him. Plus it never hurts to be around some of your very best friends for nearly a week, ya know?

During the trip we went on some trail walks, frolicked on the beach, went to our favorite restaurant and bars, and just had a generally wonderful time. Bryan and Elle (above!) were the most hospitable hosts ever. They cooked for us everyday, too! It sucks to be so far away from so many of our friends but at least it gives us a good excuse to travel and visit them.

We were greeted with Land Shark beer (my fave!) and veggie nachos when we arrived. We also went straight for our favorite thing to do when we're all together: play board games. They may or may not have been inebriated board games, but they're always a highlight of our hang outs. Above is my senso-sketch of skydiving. I had to draw that quickly with my eyes closed so I'd say it's not too bad haha We played girls against guys and the poor dudes didn't even stand a chance to me and Elle. We absolutely dominated the game.


On Thursday we popped over to downtown Wilmington (our favorite spot!) and shopped around the little boutiques. On Friday night we headed back over to eat at Nikki's Sushi (so good!) since we never go to Wilmington without popping by. Afterward we tried Rita's for the first time (I wanted an Ice, but we just didn't have time) and then headed over to The Opera Room. TOR is one of my two favorite bars in Wilmington and I love that it never gets swarmed. We took advantage of them having Mickey's since that's what we always drink at the local dive bar when we visit Chris and Susannah. After staying for a drink or two we migrated over to Blue Post (my other favorite Wilmington bar) and we played skeeball for a while. Seriously, a bar with arcade games is my dream for my next life. Wouldn't that be so fun?! We also headed down to see the place where we got engaged, but sadly they didn't have any twinkle lights turned on on the trees! I was so bummed.

On Saturday morning we woke up to a lot of rain. Mike and I wanted to sneak away for a little bit and just enjoy some alone time together. We drove over to Mayfaire Town Center and shopped around at some of the stores. We picked up some novelty coffee mugs, delicious wine, and coffee. We also popped into Barnes and Nobel for a bit and each left with a new book. I picked up Adulting and it's so good! I promise to give an actual review of it once I'm done. It's hilarious in every way, but actually really informative, too. 

This has been my life motto as of late. I whipped this up on my phone in the car yesterday and posted it to Instagram, only to be met with "but she has assistants!" comments haha I mean, obviously she has assistants and help and all that jazz, but she wasn't born with that, ya know? I think we've all got an inner Beyonce. We just need to channel our Mrs. Carter and get shiz done. I'm definitely going to print this out and hang it on my bulletin board because it's a great way to put things into perspective. We're all capable!

Mike and I are both super motivated and excited for this week. We plan on kicking butt and taking names! Elle sent me home with several of her latest "biz book" reads and I can't wait to dive in. I love reading business books because they really put a pep in my step. I'll be sure to share those once I'm done, too! Overall I'm glad I opted to leave the blog alone while we were enjoying our trip. It's a bit silly that it's taken me 4 and a half years to learn that it's okay not to blog everyday haha Here's to hoping we all have a really productive and fulfilling week! Happy Monday xo


// Things I Love Thursday v.151

Hello from North Carolina! Mike and I made it into Wilmington yesterday evening and we've been having a blast seeing our friends. I can't wait to share all of the photos we've been snapping! You can keep up with our hijinks around the Carolinas on Twitter or Instagram if you feel so inclined! I'll try to keep the blog stocked with fun bits and bobs, but I'm going to make it a priority to enjoy what little time we have with our nearest and dearest! We all need a break, right? Enjoy this week's collection of goodies! I have a feeling you're going to love it...
this little reminder ♥

this cat dress!! ♥
these gifs of this cuttlefish are super relaxing for some reason ♥

this is so true! ♥
this gorgeous moth! ♥
♥ this strawberry cookware! (anyone have a source?!) ♥


♥ this is hilarious, even if it's not true haha! ♥
this is precious! ♥
♥ i love this tattoo ♥
♥ i could watch these all day ♥

this hilarious infographic of the typical Yelp user ♥

♥ this chiptole ad is incredibly moving... amazing! ♥

// The Real Life Of Barbie And Ken. This is actually rather disturbing, but a neat concept/execution.


// Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy. There's been a lot of backlash against this article, both in the comments and in responsive writings, but I think it's a great read. Even if you don't feel this way 100%, I think many of you will find yourselves nodding your head in agreement.



// Roxy just got a new kitten! Look how cute she is!


// Karen has been making progress on renovating her new home! I love seeing the before/during/after shots of projects like this.

// Street Style: Fashionable Duos at NYFW

// I have these Kate Spade "correspondence" cards and I love them so much! I think everyone should own a set!


// 20 random facts about Tera. I love these posts and I've been working on mine for a few weeks haha

// Do you want to launch your own online shop? My best friend Elle is a "Shopify Expert" and she just launched this online class that will teach you how to start your own Shopify store! Ah I can't wait to dive into this class!



// I Just Saw A Photo Of Myself So Bad It Made Me Want To Change My Entire Life. Oh girl, I feel you. I think we've all been there.

Happy Thursday!

// Toby in Florida - Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography

Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
Him And Honey - Nashville Film Portrait Photography - Kaelah Bee
One of the perks of having such a cute kid is that we get to photograph him everywhere we go. We went a little overboard in Florida, but this is the product of only two rolls of film! You can tell he was a little exhausted in many of them. Sometimes he just like to give some lip haha! Catch him any other day and he's all "Can you guys take some pictures of me now?" - no joke. I probably could (and should!) have narrowed them down more, but I'm a biased mom. I think he's a total ham and I know we're going to cherish these photos forever. (I say that every time I share photos of him, don't I? ha) That last photo really gets me though! That's totally a Toby face...

Today we're driving 12 hours to the Atlantic coast! We're spending a few days with our best friends in Wilmington and I'm so excited to get there! Mike and I haven't been to Wilmington since we got engaged in March 2012, so we're stoked on getting our Nikki's Sushi and Opera House fix. Crossing my fingers for perfect weather and smooth sailing. See ya on the other side!

You can see more of our film adventures over on the Him and Honey blog! xo