December... via Instagram

Well folks, it's the end of the year and gosh darn it, we made it. Honestly, 2012 was one of the biggest years in my life. I turned 22, got engaged, planned a wedding, got married (all before the first half of the year was over), had four different jobs, adjusted to living with a man, went to school at Hogwarts and got an iPhone (finally). OH! and I also reached 200+ followers. 2012 really treated me right.

Here is how I spent my last month... via Instagram:

A proper Gwyn Christmas tree; Holiday Craft Night 2012; The Nativity at the Orlando Florida Temple; Crocheting machine.

Holiday luncheon; Book wreath; My long lost Katie love; My crazy (and beautiful) sisters.

Christmas eve with my love; My family, in all their glory; Jingle Bellzzzzz; the Cousins perform the Nativity Story.

Merry Christmas, love the Gwyns; Shooting my padre-in-law's gun; 6 of the 8 Gwyn brothers before camping; Sparklers with Olivia to bring in the New Year.

 Follow along:

@kayleegwyn

What did 2012 bring you?

December Cara Box

*I tried posting this through my blogger app on my iPad. It didn't show up, so sorry for the delay!!*

This is my second month doing the Cara Box link up with Wifessionals and it did not disappoint!

I was matched up with a beautiful soul named Jasanna (who unfortunately doesn't have a blog, but is seriously one of the sweetest people I have ever had the chance to get to know) and I sent her a package full of sparkles.

I also was paired with Kayla, who SPOILED me with her box. Just check it out for yourself.

My goodies!!

A cute ceramic travel mug for the Holidays!

Red lipstick. My FAVORITE! 

Tie hairbands. I have been DYING for some of these!!! 

A frame to personalize! 

The cutest holiday shelf sitter!

My favorite part was her heart felt note. I honestly believe that sweet and true words of love and encouragement mean SO MUCH more than worldly gifts this time of year (who am I joking, anytime of the year) and Kayla really made my Christmas with her loving words.

Cannot wait for January's Cara box!

Join in!

If We Survive

This is Friday Letters, 12/21/2012 style:

Dearest Husband,

If we survive the end of the world, I promise to be more diligent in washing the dishes. I know you say you like doing them all the time, but we really know you are just trying to preserve our happy marriage. Also, I promise not to come home and grab your bad fingers anymore, NO MATTER HOW EXCITED I AM TO SEE YOU!

Love,

Your creature.

Dearest Holiday Weekend,

If we survive the end of the world today, I promise to cherish every last moment of you. I promise to take as many mental pictures that I can and to really show the love of Christ throughout this holiday season. Also, I promise not to try and tell everyone what their presents are before they open them, nor will I attempt to figure mine out.

Love,

Your biggest fan.

Dearest Car,

If we survive the end of the world, I promise you will not be overly used this weekend. Actually, I cannot promise that at all. I can only promise that you will get to spend a lot of time with the King and I as we drive to grandmother's house, mom's house (multiple times over), mother-in-law's house and back to the cottage.

Love,

Your happy owner.

Dearest Christmas Tree and Twinkle Lights,

If we survive the end of the world today, I promise that I will keep you up all year round. I can't promise that my husband won't thwart this plan, but I can try. Last year we made it to March before he brought you down. That was because he wasn't living with us. He is this year. I promise to try my hardest.

Love,

Your biggest fan.

Dearest Katie Love,

If we survive the end of the world, I promise that I won't wait until the next end of the world to see you. I am so excited to see your beautiful face tonight and I know it has been far to long. In a world such as this, it is great to have an incredibly loving friend like you. I am blessed.

Love,

You undeserving friend.

 Dearest End of the World,

If we survive the end together, I promise not to laugh at you for being wrong. I promise to not to never believe you again. I mean you have to be right eventually. Right? Anyhoo, just know that you still have a friend in me even if this all blows up in your face. Yeah, that wasn't very nice, but you know what I mean.

Love,

Someone who appreciates you.

Christmas Cards

When I was younger, I loved the holiday season because it meant Christmas cards. As a youngin', it was the only time that meant i could open the mail because the letter was addressed to "The Hornsby FAMILY," not to just one of my parents (I seriously thought I would be arrested if I opened my parents mail). As I became as wise teenage, I loved the cards even more because it was the precursor to Facebook  We got to stalk and creep on peoples family through the picture in their card or the long letter about what they did that year.

Christmas cards were magic. You can only image how excited I was for this year (being my first Christmas as a Mrs.) meaning I could send out cards of my own. The King cooperated and took pictures and even helped me pick them out. He really didn't get the whole point, but he knew they meant a lot to me.

These bad boys only went out to our family and like two friends. I still have other cards I'm sending out to others. I should probably get on that.

Anyhoooooo when I found out that my gal Sarah, over at Just the Two of Us, was doing a Christmas card swap, I HAD TO JOIN IN!

I was matched up Elizabeth

 and Noel.

Do you adore the tradition of Christmas cards like I do? What does yours look like? Want a card? Email me your address!

BrightandBeautifulBlog{at}gmail{dot}com

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Blogger Book Club Review

If you haven't read (or seen) Bridget Jones Dairy or the Squeal  Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, you are missing the heck out! 

I read the first book after I saw the movies (and watched them on repeat) and I decided to read the second one since it is a movie too (Renee Zellweger is hilarious as a Brit). So, here is my attempt at a tribute to one of my favorite movies/books (P.S. If you are wondering who Mia is, click here):

Weight: 140 pounds, Number of Calories Eaten: 800, Alcohol “Units” Consumed: none (huzzah!), Cigarettes Smoked: none (double huzzah!), Moments Spent Having Negative Thoughts: a few…, Posts for this Week on My Blog: 1 (poor, MUST IMPROVE), Number of Boyfriends: 0, as I am now a Smug Married! 

 This past month has REALLY been killer. Not only have I had to wake up every day and go into office (bore), I’ve had to function as a normal human being (since that is what I am supposed to be). The holidays are everywhere I turn and I’m desperately trying to get my shopping done before Wednesday. Maybe that will be what I do after work. That, or go cuddle my husband (do love being a smug married). 

7am Alarm goes off. Snooze.
7:09 Snooze again.
7:18 Really will get out of bed now.
7:22 Oops, did I fall back asleep? Well, I’m up now and I must get in the shower.
7:45 Geez! Shower, yes, must shower. Really need to figure out a different morning routine.
8:15 Kiss the King and am off to work! Yeah for being a contributing member of a successful marriage.
8:31 Late for work. By a minute. Wish I had been early instead.
8:35 Ugh….. work. Only 7 hours and 55 minutes left! Huzzah!!!
10:30 IT’S ONLY BLOODY 10:30????
11:53 Lunch is soon. I wonder if I can skip off this early. No, should wait the 7 minutes.
12:35 Ommm nommm noommmm Subway. Wait, too many calories in this. Must hit up the gym on the way home.
1:45 I should probably get a gym membership if I am going to “hit up the gym on the way home.”
2:15 Christina just rang to remind me about the party tonight. Completely forgot! Should be exciting, except that Mia girl will be there. Bummer. Maybe I can drink enough eggnog to get over this? Will consult my lovely husband. Do love that man.
4:59 WORK IS DONE!!!
7:30 Duh, running late once again. Really must work on my time management skills.
10:30 Party was fun. That Mia girl cracked me up. She was drooling all over herself and could barely put two words together. I really would feel bad for her, but she is trying to steal my husband’s love and I will not let that happen. Oh well. Off to bed so I can wake up on time tomorrow.
11:50 Pride and Prejudice is on the Telly! Cannot wait to see the part where the scrumptious Collin Firth jumps into the fountain. Swoon. Oops, the King just stirred. Really must be more considerate now that I am a happily smug married.

Link Up with Alyx, Kim and I! What book have you read that was turned into a movie??

Day Two... Still Under the Weather

Well, I pretty much slept all day yesterday. Then I woke up this morning, only to sleep a TON more. Then I woke back up to med up, catch up on Gossip Girl, crochet a bit, sleep some more and then to finally try to get out of bed and do something productive. I'm heading out right now to drop some of my headbands off at the post office for some lucky ladies!!!

The King tells me it is freezing outside.

We'll see if that makes this worse or lifts my spirits (I've always LOVED the cold and we so rarely get it in the Sunshine State).

Here's to hoping that I feel TONS better by tomorrow for work and for my weekend ahead.

What are your remedies to feeling better... more specifically for sinus infections as that is what Web MD says I have (well that, among multiple types of cancer).

Tootles. Off to binge on some more Dayquil.

I'm Sick... BOOOOOO

Yesterday my boss said, "What's with your face? Are you okay?" I'll admit, I wasn't looking too hot and was feeling a teeny bit under the weather. "It's in your eyes.... you're getting sick. Here! Take some Emergen-C." That crap is disgusting, but everyone swears by it, so I thought, maybe it WILL prevent me from getting sick.

NOPE. Last night the King came home from his Nazi final (not only is it a Nazi because that describes the amount of ridiculousness, but also, because it was called "Hitler's 3rd Reich") and he said, "I'm feeling sick." Well, one thing leads to another and...

BOOM!

I'm sick.

So I went into work for a bit. Left a few hours into it. And I'm feeling like total crap.

I just woke up from a 4 hour nap and no hope in sight. I have a feeling hot showers, hot tea and Nyquil will be my BFFs.

Excuse me while I go blow my nose.......

Back! Well, all you lucky ducks who aren't sick, please live life to the fullest for me over the next few days, will you?

Headbands for Sale!!!

You may or may not know that I cannot just sit and do one task at a time. Like right now. I’m typing, listening to a book on CD and texting. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal except for the fact that it really has become a problem. I can’t just sit and watch a movie. I have to watch a movie while doing something else. I have to use all of my time. So the other night when I sat down to watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” at my sister-in-law’s house, I had to have a project to do because it wasn’t good enough to sit and just hang out with her. I started working on this crocheting project of ear warmers that are gathered together to look like bows. The first few trials were MAJOR fails, but eventually, I got the hang of it. I posted a picture on instagram and next thing I know, I’ve made close to 30 for people who want to buy the suckers.

So here is how to do it, you know, if you are interest. They are super fun and cute and would make THE PERFECT stocking stuffer. If you order by Wednesday, December 19, 2012, I can ALMOST guarantee delivery by Christmas (I mean, who the heck really knows when it comes to the USPS). The headbands/ear warmers come in black, deep purple (more of a brown color), teal, grey, mustard and rose. If you want a specific color not listed, just let me know and I’ll see what I can do. Normally, I’ll sell them for $15, but if you order them by the 19th, I’ll cute you a deal… $10! Just email me at BrightandBeautifulBlog{at}gmail{dot}com with the subject line “ear warmers” and let me know the color and your address. I’ll send you an invoice from paypal and once I receive payment, it will be shipped to its new home with Y-O-U! Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

So get on it! Pretty please :)

Oh! And Aubrey is giving one away on her blog. Go check it out!

Sponsor Love

It continues to amaze me, the women I meet through blogging. They are so kind, giving and just plain funny. Every month as I meet new ladies who are my sponsors, I start to feel more like friends with them. Their blogs are a daily read and I really start to feel as if we really know each other.

Please, take time to get to know these ladies too. This month, I had them answer this question:

"What is your favorite holiday song and movie? What else gets you into the holiday spirit?"

My answer: Love Actually for sure; Dominick the Donkey; and decorating my Christmas tree while watching HORRIBLY cheese made for t.v. holiday movies.

Veronica from Passion, Pink and Pearls

blog//instagram//pinterest

"My favorite holiday movie, hands down, is Miracle on 34th Street. I love it and it's a must watch! I also enjoy all those super cheesy/corny Hallmark & ABC Family Original movies...silly but true. December is one of my favorite times of the year. It starts off celebrating monthiversies with my husband (we celebrated these when we dated too) and then skips to my birthday (and my mom's birthday) and then onward to Christmas. All that put together gets me it the spirit."

Kaitlyn from Wifessionals

twitter//facebook//instagram

"The old fashioned Rudolph and Frosty The Snowman are still my all time faves. And I LOVE Ms. Mariah Carey's Christmas songs! We also always buy eggnog as soon as it is available and drink it consistently until it disappears off our grocer's shelf (:"

Emily from Newlywed Moments

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"Ohhh I love the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life!” My family has a tradition where we always watch it together. Just being with my family helps me get into the Christmas spirit. It is SO wonderful for all of us to be together!"

Sarah from Just the Two of Us

twitter//pinterest//instagram

"I absolutely love the movie A Christmas Story, it is my favorite to watch every year for Christmas. And as far as songs go... I really love anything Josh Groban, Michael Buble and Mariah Carey for Christmas. I love getting into the holiday spirit by drinking lots of hot cocoa and cuddling by the fireplace BUT this year I am in Florida and it is still 80 degrees here! So this year, I am excited to get home for the holidays in Utah so I can be around the snow and with my family. "

Rylee from RyleeBlake

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"well, if we're being honest here... justin bieber "mistletoe" is obviously a christmas fave. to go with biebs i also really love the 'hotel cafe' christmas album with colbie caillat, ingrid michealson, sara bareilles, lenka and priscilla ahn. i didn't really get the privilege of listening to the classic holiday songs growing up. so when i had my first christmas away from home it was up to me and me only to build that christmas spirit. once i found the winter songs album i was enveloped into this wonderful holiday! also, the grinch and elf are absolutely bomb. And the love of my life gets me into the spirit. this is our first year of christmas being hubby and wifey and we just moved into our first real home with our lil pup mowgly bear. this gets me into the christmas spirit because here we are, as newlyweds, with absolutely no more money left over and surrounded by the best family! we just have lots and lots of love in our hearts. and even more gratitude for where we are and what we've been through together. this year, christmas means starting our own special traditions, snuggling like crazy and doing as much service for others as we can. that's what helps us get into the spirit i guess. love. and loving others."

Lisa from Happy Joyful Day

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"My favorite Christmas movies are The Holiday, Home Alone, Little Women, Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version), Elf, White Christmas, Holiday Inn, The Bishop's Wife. . . too many to name. I love Christmas movies! The best thing that gets me into the holiday spirit is doing service for someone in need or sometimes even someone that I don't really like. Christmas is all about love and the perfect time to mend broken hearts."

Sarah from Sunlight After Rain

twitter//pinterest

"My favorite Christmas movie would have to be, without a doubt, The Santa Clause. As a kid my siblings and I were so obsessed with this movie that we would watch it all year 'round (even in July!) - to the point where we wore out three different VHS tapes as a kid. Paired with Britney Spears' "My Only Wish This Year" (yes, lame but such a good song!) or Destiny's Child's acapella "Carol of the Bells" and you got yourself a perfect Christmas!"

Please go show these ladies some love!! You won't regret it. Promise.

Friday Letters

Dear Weekend, 

I am so happy that you are almost here! I cannot believe this week has flown by and that you and I will be reunited again. Lets promise to just relax together and enjoy our sweet time. Sound like a plan? Good!

Love, your bestest friend - Kaylee

Dear Hubby,

Thanks for loving me. Even when I say things like, "well, I won't be with you anyway if that happens," when we are signing our Estate Planning documents and I'm trying to explain to you what it means when you are in a "terminal state." You know I'll be with you forever. That's not what I meant.

Love, your scatter-brained and horrible spoken wife - Kaylee

Dear Work Week,

Thank you for being quick, painless and over in about 40 minutes.

Love, your hard-ish working worker - Kaylee

Dear Craft Night,

Thanks for being the most fun I've ever had with crafts. You were so successful and have now created a monster. Thank you. 

Love, your glitter obsessed crafter - Kaylee

Dear New Sponsors and Bloggy Friends.

I have no clue where you guys come from or why you are so amazing, but I am so happy to have you in my life and to be apart of yours. No one outside of our little bloggy-world gets it they way y'all do, and for that, I am a changed and grateful woman.

Love, your fellow blogger - Kaylee

Laura from Bissonnette Blog || A Guest Post

Alrighty everyone, I am SO SUPER DANG excited to share with you my Blogger of the Month for December. She is stunningly gorgeous, her blog is WAY TOO CUTE and little did I know, she hails from where I live right now. Read along. Her post is perfect and I cannot wait for you all to get to know her more. She is quickly becoming a great friend and I would love for you all to show her some lovin.

I'm over at her blog today with a guest post of my own. Stop on over to see me there!
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Hello lovelies! My name is Laura.  I am delighted to be here with you today,
and sponsor my dear friend Kaylee, from All Things Bright and Beautiful! 

I'm pleased to swap blogs with Kaylee for the day, she's quickly becoming a very good friend of mine, and I adore her creativity and illuminated personality. Kaylee radiates genuine beauty, and originality through her writings and I'm honored to be her Blogger of the month. I also look forward to getting to know you!

Bissonnette Blog is where I write about Faith, Love, Life, Beauty and Adventure. 
It's a darling little place with lots of charm, and character, I know you'll find it to your liking. 
I'd like to invite you to follow along with me, as I share a little bit about myself and why I'm here .... 

I'm a twenty-three year old newlywed, and California transplant. I was born and raised in Orlando Florida. 
I'm an Aveda concept Hair Designer, Makeup Artist and Esthetician, but my true passion is for Antiques.



In 2009 I met the love of my life, and in 2010 I joined the United States Navy.

|| Love letters from my Beau, while in boot camp ||

Unfortunately I was honorably discharged from the Military due to an injury, but it was certainly a blessing in disguise. We were engaged in the Autumn of 2011, at beautiful Lake Tahoe, California. Brace yourself! ....

|| Beautiful Fragrant Pines ||

|| The Lovely View ||

|| Keep Tahoe Blue! ||

|| Of course, I said "Yes!" ||

On June 30th 2012, I married my Airman on a beautiful, sunny Florida afternoon, in historical Winter Park.

||  I was inspired by Grace Kelly's wedding attire ||

|| Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church. Winter Park, FL. ||

|| Awwwe! ♥ ||

We dreamed of going to Alaska for our honeymoon, but we settled for the next best thing, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park! ( In case you haven't guessed, We're very fond of the great outdoors )

|| The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park ||

|| Grand Teton National Park, Mountain Range ||

The adventure doesn't end here, I would love for you to join me on many more expeditions!
From beauty and do-it-yourself tutorials, to hiking endeavors and caving through lava tubes.
Where elegance meets rustic, there's something for everyone at Bissonnette Blog.
Blogging is becoming a fantastic way for me to network with friends, family and wonderful readers like you! Thank You for following along, please show your love and support by visiting Bissonnette Blog.
I'll see you there! XO, Laura ♥

Blog // Twitter // Google+ // BB TV

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Told you she was amazing! Stop on by Bissonnette Blog to get to know her and to read my post today!

Holiday Craft Night 2012

As I mentioned yesterday, last night was craft night. Craft night started as a teeny baby idea last week and blew up into the huge project of me trying to come up with holiday crafts for me and my gal pals to do in a few hours and for under $5 a person. Needless to say, and with a couple of baby hiccups, it was a fabulously fun time.

The three crafts we did were these:

Painted mugs. via

Paper tree ornaments. Closely resembles Martha's version. BUT WAY easier.

Antho inspired snow globes. via

I wish we were cool enough to have taken the time to whip up tutorials, but the links under each picture should suffice. Hopefully.

Mostly it was just a ton of MUCH NEEDED girl time with the ladies that I love with glitter thrown in.

the mugs before pain. 99 cents at Ikea.

Christina, my sister-in-law, whipping up some EXCELLENT hot cocoa.

Princess Mia stuffing her face with Oreos.

Jill and I!

Darling jessica. I've missed her so!

The aftermath.

Las Tres Cabellaras back together!

Some of THE finest ladies around. Especially Megatron, aka Magen, aka Cindy Lou Hoo with the Christmas tree bow on her head.

The supplies for the snow globes. All the trees and people came as pairs for a $1 at the dollar tree.

Me making my snow globe.

Jill is the only one who finished her paper ornament. And it turned out beautifully!

My finished mug. I recommend not putting SO MUCH glass and porcelain pain on the sucker. I had to remind myself that it isn't puff paint.

And the most beautiful Diana Maria with her mug (halfway cut out) that has Arabic on it, because yes, she speaks Arabic!

We decided (at least, I decided) to make this a monthly-ish thing. January we are doing bracelets! So dang excited for that one.

Anyone living in the Central Florida area that's a blogger? I want to do a get together kind of like this for bloggers. It's step one in my master plan for a blogger conference for Central Floridians. Seriously, reach out to me at:

BrightandBeuatifulBlog{at}gmail{dot]com