Happy New Year!

Here's to an amazing new year! I'm not quite sure how 2012 could possibly top 2011, but I do believe that God has some great things in store. :) Today we've slept in, watched NCIS re-runs (typical!), completed our last workouts for the year, and hung out with our furbabies. Up next? A dinner date and cheers-ing to 2012! 

I hope you all have a safe and memorable night. See ya in 2012!!

{Cheers!}

January Sponsor Swap!

Hello lovelies! It's that time again!!

If you'd be interested in sponsor swapping with The Hinton Hook-Up during the month of January, I would love to swap buttons with you! Just shoot me an email over at thehintonhookup@gmail.com and let's get to talkin'!

I love nothing more than meeting new bloggers and reading awesome blogs, so let's partner together in January to do just this!!

Can't wait to hear from you. :)

-Sara

What I'm Loving Wednesday

1) Last night, my husband went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie with a few of the guys he works with. On his way home, I asked him to pick up a few things from the store. What I wasn't expecting him to bring home was roses! I love, love, love when Luke buys me flowers. There is just something very sweet and romantic about the thoughtfulness that goes into such a gift.

2) I am currently reading Catching Fire, the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. To say I'm obsessed with these books is an understatement. The movie that has been made about the first book comes out in theaters 3 days before my birthday and I cannot wait to go see it!

3) Luke's parents gave us a gift card to Bed, Bath & Beyond as part of our Christmas present and you know that a card such as this would not be hanging out in my wallet for long. :) Sooo, I spent it on my lunch break today and bought a Memory Foam Bed Topper. I'm so excited to put this guy on our mattress tonight! We have a queen-sized bed, which is the perfect size, but it's not the most comfortable thing in the world (but not the worst either). Our new bed topper should help settle this little problem. You can now look forward to blog posts about blissful sleep, ha!

4) Who doesn't love sparkly nails to ring in the new year?? These nails sure will look pretty cheersing (is this a word?) with my champaign glass!

5) And this last thing that I'm loving today is truly a blessing. Luke and I have been able to pay off three credit cards this month. Granted, none of them had a ton on them, but they had enough that those minimum monthly payments were ANNOYING. In 2012, it is our goal as a couple to pay off all of our debt, minus his student loans and my car. We will still make a dent in these two as well, but they are nice-sized payments monthly anyway. Wish us luck! We are budgeted and determined!

{Refusing to be this little dude!}

Top 5 Tuesday!

I'm linking up with Rachel from Just Peachy today! I'm not quite sure why I haven't stumbled across this link -up before, but I'm excited to participate again in 2012!! Feel free to link up as well and if you're visiting from Just Peachy, I'd love to hear from you. :)

1) Movie

I LOVED this movie! I went to see Bridesmaids before my own wedding just knowing that I would be able to relate. However, I was shocked to find out how wonderful and stress-less my bridesmaids were in relation to these ladies! My stomach hurt as I left the movie theater from laughing for a couple hours straight. My sisters and I are still quoting lines from this movie and I could watch it over and over. If you haven't seen Bridesmaids, please do!

2) TV Show

The. best. show. EVER! If you haven't watched Revenge, you are behind in great television. Suspense, long lost love, twists, turns, and revenge, of course! Just when I think Emily has a grip on her situation, everything changes. The writers of this show have kept me on my toes and I love any show/movie/book that makes me think. I will definitely be purchasing the seasons of this show!

3) Song

I think that pretty much any song by Adele is going to be my favorite from 2011. She has simply dominated the music scene with a pure, unedited sound and a heart that makes you want to slash the tires of the guy that has broken her heart. I wish her all the best in 2012 and can't wait to hear what she produces next!

4) Thing that happened

We got married! After almost 6 years of dating, I married my best friend. Long-distance, separate colleges, and different dreams could not stop God's plan to have Luke and I become man and wife. This is the accomplishment I am most proud of and I'm looking forward to a life of adventure with this guy!

5) Christmas present

This is a hard one. MY FAVORITE gift has to be our new puppy, Bentley! As far as commercial items, it is probably a 3-way tie between the diamond studs Luke bought me, the treadmill my parents gave us, and the Michael Kors iPhone/wallet wristlet my mom bought me. I am very grateful for such a loving and giving family!

Christmas.

I have laid around almost all day and it has been positively wonderful! I can't remember the last time I was able to do such a thing. I keep thinking about what a blessed Christmas and 2011 Luke and I have had. I hope you all had a very merry holiday weekend and that you took a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

On Friday night, Luke and I hosted our very first party in the new house! This was also the first time we have been able to host a family event.We had a great time hanging out with the Hinton side of the family, eating a fabulous Mexican meal (fajitas, guacamole, and tortillas, oh my!), and Santa even stopped by for a bit. :)

We had a blessed weekend filled with family, food, and cuddly puppies! We changed up our normal holiday routine and did not attend the Christmas eve service in Beeville this year. Instead, we spent both eve and day in Hallettsville with my parents and sisters. We also opened gifts on Christmas eve instead of morning. This is WAY against tradition in my family! But some traditions just cannot be messed with, like Christmas PJs handed out on Christmas eve and mom's amazing Christmas breakfast!

{In our Christmas PJs!}

{Silly pic}

This was Bentley's first Christmas and Brooklyn's second. These puppies had the best time playing with their cousin dogs in Hallettsville and eating the crumbs dropped from Christmas breakfast!

{Family pic}

{Me and the baby}

{Luke and the big girl}

The Hintons had a wonderful first married Christmas! We hope you also had a relaxing and memorable time with family and friends!

6 Months-O-Lovin'!

On Christmas day, Luke and I will have been married for 6 amazing months! Can you believe it? Sometimes I can and sometimes I can't. :) And since I will not be blogging on Christmas, but rather sitting around with my family drinking coffee, feasting, relaxing, and reflecting on the miracle that makes CHRISTmas so special, I've decided to go ahead and share my sappiness with you all a couple of days early.

Luke,

We have been married for (almost) 183 days and every day has been perfect. In these short 6 months, we've honeymooned to Disney World, taken on new job responsibilities, moved into our first house, and grown our family with the addition of Bentley. We've encouraged and prayed each other through difficult decisions and laughed so hard, our stomachs hurt. Sometimes we get on each others nerves, but hey--this has been going on for years, and guess it's part of sharing a small tiny bathroom!

You are my early-morning coffee brewer, my work-clothes-ironer, and I'm so grateful for the way you offer to help me get up so early each day for work. You're the best dog dad to Brooklyn and Bentley, which makes my heart very happy. You are the hardest working man I know and I'm so proud to hear other people say this same thing about you too. I've never met another person whose heart is as big as yours and the way you serve God's people challenges me every day. Thanks for being my #1 fan and for helping me follow my dreams. 6 months down, 594+ months to go! 

Love you husband,
Bird 

{The best day of my life.}

All I want for Christmas is..a nap.

So. Tired. Can't...hardly...keep...eyes...open...

This week has been crazy, to say the least. My job doesn't get much busier than at the end of a year. And not only is 2011 wrapping up, but 2012 is looking good (as in busy, loaded, packed with work to be done!). I can't seem to shake the tired headache my body is holding on to. Between working long hours, Christmas shopping, baking for friends and family, attending Christmas parties, and planning one of my own on Friday, sitting down is not an option. Sitting down = falling over = my eyes shut and do not re-open. :)

Yes, you heard me right. We are hosting our first party in the new house! We will have about 20 Hintons over on Friday night (Christmas Adam) to celebrate Christmas, family, love, and new homes. I'm really excited, but the stress of cleaning, decorating, and cooking is getting to me. I'm sure everything will be spectacular, but it's my house so of course, I'm a mess!

{Via.}

I'm thinking about putting a few of these guys around my house and the deck outside, but with red and green ornaments at the bottom, for decoration. What do y'all think? Thanks Pinterest for the idea!

Also, I'm so excited to announce that a very special package is out for delivery as I type and will be joining us at our new house this evening! Luke is on his way to San Antonio to pick up the newest member of our family, Boss!! Boss is an 8-week-old maltipoo puppy and our new baby. He is a first generation maltipoo. His momma is a purebred poodle and his daddy is a purebred maltese. We are THRILLED for Brooklyn to finally have a playmate and we just know that they will adore each other. I can't wait to see my new baby when I get home from work today!

{Expect many, MANY more pictures soon!}

I am sure that with two babies and working half a day Friday, this dog momma has no chance of that nap. I am taking off next Tuesday though, so somewhere in my 4.5 days off for the holidays I hope to squeeze in a little snooze time. Wish me luck!

P.S. Have any of you hosted Christmas parties so far this season? If so, any tips for this first-timer?

A couple of Christmas goodies for yourself.

If you're a woman who works hard year-round, business women and stay-at-home moms alike, then I'm a firm believer in treating yourself every now and then. And what better time of the year to do this than Christmas? There are sales all over the place and no one knows what you'd like better for a Christmas gift than yourself! So, I'd like to make a few suggestions...

Gift #1

A couple of days ago I was reading a post by Freckled Italian (which you can read too, here). Megan mentioned that her beloved Chanel eyeliner had finally run out and that she is now on the hunt for a new one. I'm a firm believer in eyeliner, but must confess that I've never found one I truly like. They all eventually smudge, rub off, etc. So, I decided to go check out the eyeliner that has helped Megan "find the balance between girl-next-door and street walker." Loved that line!

Here she is! I bought the Stylo Yeux Waterproof eyeliner in Black Shimmer. No worries, there is not actual glitter in this girl, she just has a hint of shimmer. I did pay a little more than I've ever paid for eyeliner ($29), but I like think of this as an investment (must look professional at work!) and as a little Christmas cheer for myself.

Gift #2

As a newlywed, I'm always trying to find a balance between sexy lingerie and a t-shirt+boxers (Both can be appropriate, but hey, I'm a newlywed. We've got a reputation to uphold, right ladies??). I was at Victoria's Secret yesterday and came across this little romper. So cute, right? I love the perfect balance between pjs and lingerie. It is seen here in pink, but I bought it in teal.

If you're looking for a little somethin', somethin' for yourself (and the hubs!), I totally recommend this silky sleepwear!

So, will any of you buy yourself a Christmas present this year? If so, what will you purchase? I'd love to know!

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How could I forget Thanksgiving?!

I just remembered that I NEVER blogged about Thanksgiving! What's wrong with me?? So, here it is in pictures. We spent time with both of our families and began our own Hinton holiday traditions. Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend and are wrapping up your Christmas shopping (Ha, ha! Pun intended!). If not, you better hurry. We have a week! :)

{We ate a ton of amazing food!}

{And hung out at Aunt Kathy's house}

{Took sister pictures...}

{...and silly pictures}

{We had a second round of amazing food at Luke's Grandpa's house}

{And we ended the night watching the gorgeous sunset in Portland}

{The next day, we picked out our first Christmas tree...}

{...brought it home and decorated it!}

{We packed up on Saturday and headed to Hallettsville}

{Where we helped the Martiseks pic out their Christmas tree}

{Luke and I went out to the ranch with dad to feed the cows and fish. Cool pic of my dad, right?}

{Being out in the country has its perks. :)}

{I got to play with my sister's puppies. SO cute!}

{We ended our weekend at the Festival of Lights in downtown Hallettsville, watching the Christmas play on the square}

{Love him!}

{Monte and Brooklyn had fun hanging out and are ready to see each other again for Christmas!!}

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Life has been really good lately. Almost unbelievably good. Luke and I have settled into the new house and I can't even begin to describe how great it is to FINALLY live under the same location roof as my husband. Work for both of us is great; we've grown a lot this year and God has opened many doors for us in this department. We are crazy about our child dog, Brooklyn, who seriously brings us so much joy. There is plenty of food in the fridge and Christmas presents are all purchased. But...

...for some reason when things are good, I can get to feeling pretty down. I feel guilty about times like these because I know there are other people out there struggling. And I don't just mean starving children in Africa, although I do wish that I could adopt 10 of them and bring them to live with me in my house. But I also think about friends that I know are having personal trials and tribulations and family members that are hurting. Why is it that in the middle of joy, I'm in pain?

At a work conference that I attended last week, one of the speakers said that, "The best time to build a relationship is when things are good. If you wait until times get tough, then your efforts to fix the situation look as if you're just trying to cover your tracks. Build the relationship when things are good. That way, when the tough days come, you're efforts to fix the problem are seen as sincere." Although he was talking about relationships with clients in a professional setting, I think that this theory could apply to our relationship with God. It is easy for us to run to God when we are hurting, sad, confused, angry, and beaten down. But what about when everything is going our way? It is at that point that we start to depend solely on ourselves because, of course, the reason life is great is because we earned it (most likely NOT!).

My favorite time of the day is from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. because this is my new hour-long drive to work. In this hour, I can sit in silence and drink my coffee. I can think about appointments I have scheduled later that day or my to-do list that is sitting on my desk at work. But my absolute favorite thing to do during that hour is to work on my relationship with Christ. Over the last few weeks, He and I have had some great conversations. I just turn on my Praise & Worship Pandora station and sing to Him. I was worried about this drive when I first heard I was going to be making it every day. I just new I would be "over it" in a week. But I have grown to cherish this time of the day and have committed to making in an intentional time with my Creator.

So yes, life is good. And I'm sure before I know it, there will be a hiccup. Something will go terribly wrong (and I'm sure I'll blog about that too!). But I want to make sure that I'm building my relationship with God right now, while things are good. I don't want to just run to Him in the tough times. How sincere would that be?

To my friends, family, and even to those out there at I don't know, if you are hurting in any way, I would love to pray for you. I have an entire hour to do so every day. :) Would you email me? I would love to pray specifically for you, if you would like me to. And if there is any other way I can help you out (and I'm capable), I wold love for you to reach out to me about this as well. Sometimes life is wonderful and sometimes it sucks. But God is never-changing and He is mighty to save. I love that about our God.

Goodnight. :)

Feeling a little wifey.

Although Luke and I were married almost 6 months ago, there are still days that feel as if nothing has changed. I guess that comes with the territory of dating for almost 5 years before being engaged and almost 6 years before getting married. However, I've felt extremely "wifey" today. This is a list of a the few things I've been up to today:

• Laundry (I'm up to 5 or 6 loads!)
• Grocery shopping, in particularly for the Zephyr Staff holiday party, in which I will be bringing an entree in serving dishes I was given as wedding presents. It's always so fun to us these!
• Baking
• Addressing the last of our Christmas cards
• Cleaning up around the house (vacuuming, sweeping, and other such wifey actions)

So, as you can see, I have good reasons for feeling a little extra wifey today. Also, here are a few pictures from our lazy (but still productive!) weekend...

{Brooklyn's new favorite place to hang out is under the Christmas tree. I just love her cuteness!}

{This cute face took me on a lunch date to Chilis on Saturday}

{Aubs and I gave each other our Christmas presents. She got a Vera duffle bag and I got some cute house slippers and a few gorgeous necklaces that we'd both been hinting about, hehe.}

{Brooky got a haircut and a pretty new pearl collar}

{Then, we took a nap}

{And, Brooklyn took more naps...}

{While Luke played a few rounds of Battle Field 3...}

{...And I baked!}

{These two don't know how to stop playing, ha!}

Hope you had a blessed, cozy weekend!!