Sponsor Lovin!

Well hello there everyone. How was your weekend? Mine was very eventful. Lets just say killer spider, babysitting, wedding dress fittings, shopping, make-up trials, more killer spider and even more babysitting. Needless to say, I have had NO SLEEP this weekend and I am feeling it this Monday. 

So, I think I'll introduce my sponsors to you today, and take a wee rest from blogging today.

These ladies are incredible and I seriously am in love with all of them (you know, in a platonic and non-creeper like way). Please, make sure to click on over to their blogs and get to know them! I guarantee that yo u will fall in love with them, just like I have.

Aubrey//The Kinch Life

Twitter//Pinterest//Instagram//Email

Kristen//Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Hey, Im Kristen from Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! Im an Army wife/blog designer, about to move to Germany with my Hubby. I hope you'll follow us on our journey in a new country! Cant wait to meet you :)
Twitter//Pinterest

Ashlee//And They Lived Happily Ever After

Well, hello there.

I’m Ashlee and my little blog is And They Lived Happily Ever After...

My blogworld is all about my life as a health obsessed, faith obsessed, entertainment TV obsessed, happily(moooost of the time) married life. I have been known to laugh too much, cry too little, and always have a joke on hand.  Well, a joke that at least one person thinks is funny…including me.   Serious is so not my cup of tea…or coffee….or scotch….hey, whatever your little heart desires.  We are not here to judge.

My husband of two years is a Submarine Officer and that keeps our life intriguing. Meet him. He’s a gem, I tell you. So, if you want to follow along our little life together, we'll be sure to keep you entertained.  

Mary Kate//From the Guest Room

Hello! My name is Kate Wise (or mK) and I am a wife to Dustin Wise, current resident of Nashville, TN and a lover of all things creative! I enjoy writing and telling stories, so on my blog you will find lots of posts on things that make me come alive; people, fashion, food, crafting, life, faith and so much more. Be my guest and come say hello!

Facebook//Twitter//Pinterest//Blog Lovin'

Jess//Jess Is More

I'm Jess and I blog over at Jess Is More. I am a future wife, momma to 3 fuzz balls, and a domestic diva in training. Lover of caffeine, a good book, and far too much television. Half-Cuban-Southern-Floridian turned Minnesotan -- My little blog is about my desire to get the most of this precious life, and all of my adventures in between.
Twitter//Pinterest

Katie//The Lee Family Happenings

Hi, I'm Katie! Wife to Anthony Mama to Liam and Aurora (due in June!). My blog is combination of things I love most: family, healthy living, and baking. Stop on by, I would love to meet you!
Twitter//Instagram

Lauren//Pink on the Cheek

Hi, I'm Lauren! Join me while I explore California, finding my way through food, fitness, and fun!
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Also, have any suggestions for books for the June "The Book Club?" Please, let me know!!! We'll be opening the polls next week. Hope you're enjoying "Bloom."

About Me... Today

Everyday I tell the King how excited I am that I have new followers. I have NO CLUE where you guys are coming from, but I am so excited to have you and you are making my day. 

I promised that I would write a little bit about myself so that my new readers could get to know me. It's kind of like a blind date where they have agreed to meet me, but have no clue who I am. Well, here you go lovelies:

Right now I am sitting at my desk, listening to a Parisian Cafe station on Pandora. Why? Because I really wish I were there. My life is so stressful and hectic right now and I feel like I am stretched so thin. Listening to French music and daydreaming that I were walking along the left bank, holding the King's hand relaxes me. It reminds me that my job right now, my school right now and my life right now are not what my life will be 5 years form now. 10 years from now. Even 2 weeks from right now. I shouldn't be so caught up in my stresses. So, for right now, this girl is halfway stuck somewhere in Orlando and halfway stuck somewhere in Paris.

That brings me to my next thing. I love to travel. I rarely get to travel, but I love it. I love learning about other cultures and wish I could immerse myself in them on a daily basis. India, Morocco, France, England, Wales, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Cambodia. These were right off the top of my head. Any conversation where someone says, "Oh, I would love to go to {fill in the blank}..." I immediately say, "ME TOO!" Even if I have never thought about it before their comment. I am always game for going anywhere, anytime. Like right now, can I go here? Please?

More important, I love the King. Just in case anyone wants to know why I reference him as the King, it is because his name is King Benjamin Gwyn. Yep. I'm marrying a King in 16 days and I will therefore be Queen Benjamin Gwyn. He makes me incredibly happy. Loving him is one of the easiest things I have ever done. His love for me makes me want to be a better person. I just love him. Okay?

Speaking of Kings and Queens and Royal Weddings, I completely forgot to wish the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge a happy one year on Sunday. It was marked on my calendar because 1. it is a royal wedding calendar and 2. because I am mildly obsessed with them. Happy One Year Kate and Wills, love King and Queen Benjamin Gwyn.

Other than all of that stuff, you can almost always count on me being random, having dance parties (according to my friends. I didn't realize that they thought every time I fall on my face, I was dancing... Ill take it) and hiking the urban metropolis of Orlando.

I'm so excited to have all of you following me in my adventure of becoming a newlywed and wife and of become a normal human being. I cannot wait to get to know you all better. Thanks for hanging around, and hang on for the ride.

The Book Club - May

Together with Mary Kate (From the Guest Room) and Aubrey (The Kinch Life), every month I will be hosting a book club! Bloggers and non-bloggers welcome.

For May, the votes tallied up in Kelle Hampton's book, Bloom's, favor. 

I bought my copy over at B&N and got 20% for a Mother's Day Special they are running. Hurry up and grab yours and start reading!! 

On May 14th I will be hosting a giveaway where we will be giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader. Make sure you come back and jump on that great opportunity. Then, about a week before the link-up party, we will post a series of questions about the book. You can choose to answer these questions in your post if you'd like, but if not that's fine too. Just make sure you post about the book and what you learned, loved or grew from the book. 

Friday, May 25th is going to be the big link-up party! I am so excited for this guys. It is my first link-up to host and I cannot wait to see what you all think of the book. I cannot wait to get to know you all better as we bond over this story of a mother's love and growth as a person. If you are a blogger, create a blog post and link it up. If you aren't a blogger, but just a reader, please, leave us a comment of what you thought! It is amazing to see how many of you are joining in this adventure with us and to see my idea "bloom" into what it is now is an incredible feeling. It is only because of loyal readers like you. Thanks for your support and help (I feel like a PBS donation commercial).

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In other news, I finally got my engagement ring back yesterday. After "the incident" you bet this puppy is even more protected.

Reunited and it feels so so good! Also, the King doesn't care for my lip color choice. Nor do any men I have accidentally ran into today. The women though? Boy, they love it. What can I say... I'm a lady killer.

Check out that Blang Blang.....

Lessons Learned as an Almost Newlywed

When you fall in love its all roses and unicorns. Really, it is.

Then you fall deeper into love. That is where commitment comes into play. Its only roses; no more unicorns, but roses. They still smell fantastic and things are great, but just not unrealistic.

Then you decide to combine lives. The roses are there, just with tons and tons of thorn.s They are just as beautiful and wonderful; there is just a lot more to work through and past to see it. 

The thing with marrying someone is that you have to be willing to remove the thorns (no matter how painful that process it.... It is.... Trust me), so you both can enjoy the beautiful and more meaningful rose garden that awaits.

  Enough with the SUPER corny and "rosy" use of symbolism.

The truth of the matter is, the King and I are at the stage where we are combining two different lives so that we can form OUR one life. We had no clue that our lives were different, but what we want is one together, and so that, my friends, requires sacrifice.

I know I know I know. This is a, "duh, you were going to have to do this," kind of situation. I guess what I am getting to it that it is really hard. You want to be selfless, but sometimes you have to be selfish. You have to fight it out, talk it out, kiss it out and then start it all over again. You just do. That is how the whole "marrying someone and staying married" thing works. 

I don't know if he needs to hear this, but I need to say it, if not for him then for everyone else to know this about him. The King is the most responsible, loving, loyal and kind-hearted person I know. He is selfless and charitable. He would only kill a fly if it would be the only thing that would make you happy or if you needed it because that fly was the last thing available for a food source and you needed it to survive. We have been making adjustments career-wise, home-wise and life-wise to prepare for our life together and he has been incredible giving. 

Despite how hard this all is, I know it will be worth it. I know I will never starve. I know I will not want for anything that I need. I know that my children and I will always be cared and loved for. I know this because the King is dedicated to me. I am dedicated to him as well.

So, moral of the story... getting married and making a life is hard. It is worth it. Oh, it is going to be worth it! Being able to be his forever is going to be the best part of it all. I don't care if I have to give my right arm... and my left... it is so going to be worth it.

April...Via Instagram

April is already over? Seriously? I think this is a joke. Because if April is over, that means it's only 19 days until my wedding!!!! As much as I'd like to think that is true, it isn't. Therefore, there is no way April has already come and gone. 

But it has...... May, bring it on. My wedding, honeymoon, and first ever Book Club are going down this month folks. Its going to be a fun ride.

Here it is, my April through Instagram:

The cutest little niece ever; Happy Easter from the Mr. and Mrs.... almost; My hair actually held a curl for almost an entire day; The annual "grandchildren" picture.

Wearing my wedding band because I lost a diamond; Final projects = death!; The King and his 'stach; We are pros at killing space invaders.

Matching hats for our honeymoon; Just plain happy; Spring cleaning on the blog; The lovely ladies from my bridal shower.

How was your April? I really cannot believe we are so far into 2012 already.

If you want, you can follow my instagram here. My user name is kayleehornsby.

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In The Book Club news, the votes are in and it is Kelle Hampton's Bloom. I am so excited to read this! I bought mine on sale for Mother's Day at Barnes & Noble. Get out there and get the book ladies. I cannot wait to read with you all. Check back later this week for more information on how to get involved and join in on the club fun.

ALSO!!!

*and this is very important*

I have a TON of new readers! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have so many new people join me in this here adventure. I'll be posting more about myself later this week so you can get to know me. I would hate to disappoint. Until then, you can click here to hold you over. 

SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU!

Sorry So Short

Sorry that you're getting a really lame blog post, but it's my first night of freedom and I'm enjoying it with the King. First stop Chipotle, next stop Volleyball. Where will the night end? The world may never know. Until tomorrow!!!!

Finals, Fast Cars and Freedom... oh and AD SWAP!

Tonight is my last final.

Can I get a hallelujah? How about an amen?

I am so relieved. This final is actually nothing more than a vocabulary quiz.

That has 52 words on it. Words that are super hard.

Put together by a professor that may or may not want us all to fail...

*I'm banking on the first one*

But after that.... Oh the sweet sweet freedom!!!

I cannot remember if I posted this yet, but I dropped my summer classes.

For the past 4 years I have been working full time and going to school full time.

As much as I'd like to think I am Wonder Woman, this semester has kicked my butt.

In addition to working and going to school, my dad had heart problems, I got engaged, am getting married and I changed jobs.

Wayyyy to much for this Wonder Woman to handle.

I found out that my scholarships won't pay for summer anymore, so that was going to be around $1,000 out of my pocket (hello, I have a wedding to pay for). If I wait until fall, I won't have to pay it at all.

So to add into my new found freedom, I am going to go three months without school. This way, I can enjoy my new job, my wedding and my new husband.

Can I get another hallelujah? How about another amen?

The Book Club voting ends today folks!!! Hurry up and vote for your favorite. Currently, Sarah's Key is winning, but Bloom is right behind! I can't wait to announce the book and get started with you lovely people.

One last item before we go: I'm currently accepting blogs for ad swapping in May.

Interested? I sure hope so.

Click on over to my "sponsor" page to find out more.

The swapping includes not only your button (duh) but a "guest post/get-to-know-you post" and a possible give-a-way, all for the LOW LOW PRICE of "hey, just swap buttons with me."

Email me:

BrightandBeautifulBlog {at} gmail {dot} com

P.S. Fast Cars has NOTHING to do with this post. It just reminded me of the Rascal Flats Song. Unless the King wants to take me for a ride in the Jeep... which is the closest thing we have to a fast car.