Lately.

 

Let's not talk about how I haven't blogged in for.eh.ver. It's bad enough that I feel two months behind without you pointing it out ok? Let's just pick back up right where we left off...;)

 

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind for The Hinton's! The last time I blogged, my busy season at work was just starting to pick up and Luke and I were trying to settle back in to life in Texas. As much as I would have loved to blog about all that's been going on these last 8 weeks or so, I just simply have not had the time. So, here is a brief recap...

 

-We're currently living in Hallettsville in a rent house my parents own while saving to buy a house.

-I just finished a two-week traveling spree in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas for work.

-Luke is working for my dad right now while we get through the tax season (Mom, Dad, Luke, and I all currently work for the same company. Something I NEVER thought I'd say/type, ha!).

-We took a trip back up to New Jersey in early November for a little work and a little play. It was so great to see our friends and to take in some real fall weather.

-Luke and I ate 5 Thanksgiving meals this year to make up for not being home for the holidays last year (at least, that is my excuse for eating that much green bean casserole).

-I just wrapped up my first semester of grad school, thought it would be a great idea to take a 4-week wintermester class, and then dropped the class 2 days in. What was I thinking?! Momentary lapse of judgment via lack of sleep.

-Luke and I froze our tails off in Waco at the Big 12 Championship game, but it was so worth it to be at the last football game at The Case. Can't wait for next season in the new stadium!

-Instead of Christmas presents this year, my family has decided to go on a family vacation this summer. I know it's a cruise (before baby bucket list anyone? yay!), but I'm not sure if we're headed to Jamaica or the Bahamas. Either way, I'm stoked!!

-The pups are good and are enjoying the Texas sunshine, but they are in desperate need of haircuts. As soon as we get this taken care of, I'll post some pics for you.

-The Hinton's 2014 Christmas Card = Fail. Who wants a Happy New Year card? *womp, womp*

-I've decided to start taking classes at the local health & fitness center and today's bootcamp class just might put this grandma into the nursing home. Can't.move.

 

So as you can see, we're still here. Just a little sleep deprived. :) Here's to hoping I get to start blogging more regularly again. I've definitely missed it!

World (aka Texas and New Jersey) Traveler

{Starting in the top left corner and moving clockwise: Houston sunset, fall in New Jersey, Corpus Christi sunset on my way to the Valley, and the Mexico border in the Valley}

The last month, I've been doing a lot of traveling for both work and personal reasons. My travels began in Houston, then took me to the Rio Grande Valley, New Jersey, Waco, San Antonio, and Austin. October has been a crazy travel month! Traveling alone tends to produce some goofy selfie pics and pretty amazing karaoke sessions (oh, to be a fly inside my car...), but working in Texas also means that I can sometimes squeeze in a quick dinner with friends. Work perks!

A couple weeks back, I had to fly back up to New Jersey for a week. It was super weird being back in Jersey, especially without Luke. At times, it felt like I'd never left and at others, I felt like a complete stranger. I also had to turn in our apartment keys, which was our last permanent connection to Jersey. We are now officially no longer connected to the Garden State except for that I'll continue to travel to Jersey for work. Crazy! That week in Jersey consisted of long work days, great food (as always!), and my first grad school mid-term. Talk about an adjustment! Taking a mid-term while traveling was not the easiest thing I'd ever done, but I guess it's time to get used to this since I've got another 2.5 years of grad school to go!

Once I got home from Jersey, it was time to study for a final exam, take my test, and then head up to Waco for the second half of Baylor homecoming! I was bummed to have missed the bonfire Friday night and the parade Saturday morning, but it I wanted to have my cake and eat it to (grad school + having a social life), it was a sacrifice I had to make! I'm so glad Luke went with me, even though it was a crazy fast trip up and back. I got to see my sweet sisters/friends, watch Baylor kick some butt in football, drive around the campus that has forever stolen my heart, grab a drink from Common Grounds, eat a little Bush's Chicken, and then we headed home. Baylor, you are always worth the trip. :)

Day trips to San Antonio and Austin were on the agenda last week and I'm in Abilene this week (and then back to Jersey the following week!). I think we should start a new game called, "Where in the world is Sara Sandiego?" What do you think? ;)

So that's my world (a.k.a. TX & NJ) traveler update! On a more serious note, if you ever think about it, please keep my crazy, traveling self  in your prayers. I always covet prayers for safety and traveling mercies. Thanks!!

The best kind of weekend.

I honestly can't remember the last weekend we had that included very little, if any, set plans. We might have still been in New Jersey the last time a weekend like this occurred. That is, until this weekend. And it was fabulous!

On Saturday morning, Luke and I randomly decided to go with my parents and Becca (the baby sister) to Chapel Hill, TX to check out a bull and heifer auction. Although we didn't buy anything (my dad owns ranch land, cattle, etc.), we ate a great BBQ lunch and watched some pretty intense auctioneering happen. I would be so scared to try and buy a bull or heifer at an auction! Once those auctioneers started yelling, I had no idea where the price was. I thought bulls were selling for a couple thousand dollars when they were being sold for $8k or more. Yikes! 

{On our way to the auction. Wearing my Baylor hat in support of my Bears kicking some KU butt!}

{Lunch at the auction with our Becca Boo}

Unfortunately, the rest of my Saturday was spent in bed with a pretty bad sinus pressure headache, but I just assumed this headache (which had carried over from Friday evening) was a result of too much staring at my work laptop and lack of sleep. That is, until I woke up this morning to some pretty heavy rain. I swear, I can tell when it's going to rain days out because of the way I get headaches! I'm feeling much better today and thoroughly enjoying lounging around with my extra snuggly pups, NCIS re-runs, and hazelnut coffee. Rainy Sundays, you bring out the lazy in me! The rest of today will include a nap, doing a little laundry, prepping for work this next week, and watching Scandal tonight! Does this weekend have to end??

I've been so bad at blogging the last couple of months, but this afternoon I plan on catching up! You can look forward to the following blog posts this week:

+All of my travels the last couple of months

+My first ever StitchFix review (non-sponsored; just my own, fun review!)

+Updates on The Hintons' living situation, job situation, etc. 

+And more!

Hope you have had a relaxing weekend wherever you are. :)

Exhaustion (with a little bit of a rant).

Hi there long-lost friend enemy. I forgot about you. I had forgotten for a brief moment the way the fall brings with it long work hours, big projects, and less sleep. This is the time of year when I tend to forget what day of the week it is because truly, does it matter? Every day looks the same. At the computer by 8am (or earlier depending upon what time my first meeting starts) and in bed no earlier than midnight.

I counted the number of hours I slept last Tuesday-Thursday. 17 y'all. 17 out of 72. Pure exhaustion.

And at least last year, I had my weekends to recoup. This year? I have lectures to endure and quizzes to prep for. I have a midterm and a final exam in two weeks, which also happens to be the week I'm in New Jersey for probably some of the longest works days I'll have all year. Stellar. 

 I'm at the point where my head continuously hurts, my eating patterns have turned all kinds of funky, and I run from anyone that barely coughs because I'm scared my immune system is so weak I'll catch the flu. Let me tell you, I'm having a good time over here.

I hate to complain. Let's chalk my rant up to my lack of sleep, shall we? I was in Houston last week and my co-worker asked me if I like my job and I almost screamed, "Yes!! I LOVE IT!" in the middle of Pappasitos. He was impressed I reacted that way and said it's great to hear someone my age say that. And yes, I chose school. I chose (back in the summer when life was slow, dammit) to start my MBA program this fall. But if I'm completely honest with myself, I have no regrets. I'm just having a couple of "those" weeks, you know?

If you think about it, please say a quick prayer for me. I have a quiz tomorrow that could very well determine if I make and A or B in one of my classes and I'm also driving to the Rio Grande Valley tomorrow evening for work this next week. Please pray for traveling mercies, sleep, and good health. 

This over-achiever is a little overwhelmed. :)

Where do you even begin an "update" post when you haven't blogged in 6 weeks??

Are you wondering if I'm still alive? Maybe not, since I'm sure there are all of about two people that even keep up with my blog anymore. I've been a terrible blogger the last few weeks (six and a half, to be exact!) and I feel terrible about this. Mostly, I feel like I've neglected myself. SO much life has happened since I last posted on my blog and I love the way writing allows me to sort through my thoughts and write about life experiences that I always want to remember. I've missed my blog!

Ok, it's time to catch you all up! Where to begin...

Well, the last time you heard from me, Luke and I were still in New Jersey. This is no longer the case! Over Labor Day weekend, Luke, I, and the pups packed up our apartment and car and drove 1700 miles from New Jersey back to Texas. It was crazy y'all, but waaay better of a trip than either of us expected. The pups did great and we were even able to stay the first night with friends in North Carolina, which was a HUGE blessing. We made it to Texas just in time for a Labor Day BBQ with my parents on Monday evening and it was the best welcome home possible!

After our first night in Texas, we got back in the car and headed down to Corpus Christi for a few days to catch up with family and friends. We had many lunch, dinner, and coffee dates with friends and family over those four days and it felt so good to be back in South Texas! I don't think I had realized how much I'd really missed my old stomping grounds until we were back. Luke, on the other hand, kept saying, "I love it here. I'm never leaving again. Why did we leave Texas in the first place?" Ha! Saying this Texas boy is happy to be home would be an understatement. :)

As if life hadn't been enough of a whirlwind up to this point, that next Saturday I hopped on a plane to Vegas for my company's annual convention. I spent almost an entire week in Vegas attending general sessions, meetings, break out sessions, and a trade show, although the pictures below don't quite depict this, ha! Lucky for me, I work with an amazing group of people that know how to both work and play hard. We had a great convention and I just know this next year of work is going to be the best yet!

 

(P.S. Luke stayed in Texas while I was in Vegas and helped my dad get a few things done around the house and ranch. He's the best son-in-law!)

Since I've gotten home from Vegas (about two weeks ago), work and school have both picked up like crazy! Between my job and taking two courses this semester, I feel like I'm talking marketing and information systems 24/7. Over the next six weeks, I'll travel to Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin, West Texas, and New Jersey (twice!). Throw a couple of quizzes and mid-terms in there and this girl has a full plate! But I must confess that I'm loving it and I'm so glad that I decided to go back to school for my MBA when I did.  As stressful as some days can be, I know that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. 

 

{Left to right: homework, working from my parents' house while the baby sister studies, my 1 year appreciation gift from my company}

 

So, I think that's about the best recap/update I can give you guys at this time. There are quite a few questions I haven't answered, such as, "Where are you and Luke living?" and "What's Luke up to these days?" But answers to these questions will have to wait for a later date. Let's just say both are a work in progress and that God is good. Once I have more updates, I'll share, I promise. :)

 

Hope you had a great weekend!

My week via Instagram + I just might have to buy these

Whew! Is anyone else happy this week is coming to a close? Don't get me wrong, it's been a great week. I had some awesome colleagues in town and got the chance to work out of our corporate office, but we were slammed with big projects and transitions all week and I think the ol' brain is a little fried. This weekend, I'm looking forward to sleeping in, running some errands, catching up on my TV shows, and just relaxing. Here's a little look at what's gone on over the last 7ish days...

1. A triple grande, non-fat no whip white mocha. My go-to 'I need to get shit done' drink. BAM.

2. Point Pleasant Beach last Saturday.

3. Crab legs at the shore. The best I've ever had. They didn't stand a chance.

4. Luke and I have been cleaning and packing. I married a clean freak, PTL. Isn't he adorable cleaning in his shorty shorts! :)

5. Dinner at Arthur's Tavern in Morris Plains, NJ on Tuesday night. Love the lights!

6. Why is lemon cayenne juice so popular in the clean eating/cleanse world right now? I almost died drinking this thing couldn't finish it.

7. Luke surprised me on Monday and came home early + brought flowers. So glad I get to keep him forever.

8. I was so tired after all my meetings this week.

9. Work hard, play hard. Drinks with the girls Wednesday night at Caitlin's Ten. 

And on a random side note, did anyone else get the new Michael Kors catalog in the mail the week? I'm OBSESSED with all the MK fall shoes!! Pumps, booties, flats...they are all so cute!! Looks like it's time for my to start saving my pennies. :)

Have a great weekend y'all!! 

The perks of moving to Houston...

1) These people live in Houston...

{From top to bottom and left to right: Emily (sister), Claire (sister), Cat (friend), Amy (aunt/big sister}

2) These two visit Houston ALL the time...

{Becca (sister) and Mom}

3) Houston means I live close enough to Waco to justify buying season tickets for...

4) Luke and I don't have to give up the "city" life...

5) I get to do research on this website and dream of buying/building a home in the somewhat near future...

And of course, there are many other reasons (being just a couple of hours from family and friends, amazing shopping, some of the best shows/concerts/sporting events, etc.), but these are just a few off the top of my head and especially on my heart right now. 

Houston, I'm getting excited to call you home soon. :)

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

When I decided this past spring that it was time to take the GRE and apply for grad school, I had no idea the headache that this process (at times) would be. Although it had been a few years since I'd last applied to college, I knew enough to expect a bit of studying for the GRE, requesting recommendations letters from employers and colleagues, and writing application essays. What I wasn't expecting was to have conversations that included,"I sent you my official transcripts WEEKS ago! What do you mean you can't FIND them?!"and "What do you mean I have to pay out of state tuition? I'm a TEXAS resident!!" And so, the first stresses of earning my MBA began.

A couple weeks ago, I called my mom and explained to her that my account balance for this upcoming semester was about $2k more than it should be because I was being charged out-of-state tuition [long story, but my NJ address ended up on my application and made my Texas college think I was a permanent resident of NJ even though I've never forfeited my Texas residency], which of course freaked me out. MBA programs are expensive enough without being hit with out-of-state tuition! I complained to told my mom that I was going to have to petition for Texas residency after all of the work I'd already put in to being accepted to grad school. At this point, I was just so tired of the paperwork! And in true Julie fashion, she said, "Sara, remember, if it was easy, everyone would do it. You've already come this far, what's a little more paperwork to fill out?" Got to love moms. Always telling you exactly what you need to hear.

So, back to the paperwork I went. Petition documents? Check. A letter from my boss confirming my employment? Check. Bank statements from the past six months? Check. Although, they only asked for one month, but hey--two can play this game. Have fun sifting through with six months of bank statements registar's office. Muahahah! Pay back. :)

And then on Wednesday, I got this saweeet email...

I can't even begin to tell you how pumped I was to receive this email!! First of all, I didn't think I'd hear back so fast. Second of all, my tuition payment deadline is quickly approaching and I was nervous my request wouldn't be processed in time. And lastly, I was considering deferring a semester if all of this hadn't worked out because I'm definitely not paying an additional $2k just because people do not believe me when I say I hold a permanent Texas residence, was born and raised in Texas, went to high school and college in Texas, and I own cattle (that makes me Texan, right? Jk!).

All in all, mom's reminder was spot on. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. And I'm so glad that I've made the decision to go for it; GRE, applications, and residency petition forms included. With women still being significantly out-numbered in the world of MBA candidates and a desire to always be learning and challenging myself, I know that the day I walk across that stage with my MBA will be one of the proudest days of my life (and I probably won't even remember these early stresses!). 

{I love this movie! via}

Now, if only I can keep this quote in mind while I train for my half marathon and take Business Calculus, bleh!

Linking up over here.

My Before Baby Bucket List

Let's get real, I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in the world not pregnant right now. At least, that's how it feels anyway. Hey--I'm not complaining. I'm purposely not pregnant now. Luke and I are just starting year three of our five year plan and a baby just isn't on the agenda quite yet (sorry Nana!). So when I came across this article on The Nest, I about screamed, "Thank GOD! An article for people in the same club as me!!"

Side note: This blog post is in no way meant to offend my friends and other bloggers that are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are moms now. God's timing is perfect and someday I'll be thrilled to announce that we're expecting. We just aren't ready quite yet and until then, I'm happy to play with and love on your precious babies until my own arrive. :)

{And just a little proof that someday, we'll totally rock this whole baby thing out!}

If you know me, then you know I'm a Type A goal setter and a list maker, so this list of 41 things to do before having a baby definitely intrigued me. I read through it and, although I'm indifferent about a couple of the things listed, for the most part I really liked this list! If you don't want to click through all 41 to-dos within the article, I've re-listed them all below, plus added my own notes and checked off the items Luke and I have already done. I'm definitely going to keep this list top of mind over the next couple of years to make sure I get as many of these things crossed off as possible. Is it a lofty goal? Sure. But to you hit goals by not setting them? Nope! 

The Nest's 41 Things to do Before You Have a Baby:

1. Purchase your dream car.  I'm not a car snob, so I'm good with my 2012 Toyota Camry for now. However, Luke's Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R counts. Especially since he's on #2!

2. Buy a home. We are actually in the very, very early stages of building a house. This is a goal for 2014.

3. Take at least one dream vacation. I've always wanted to go on a cruise to the Caribbean and now that Luke and I will be living so close to a port (Galveston), we're planning a 2014 summer vacay!

4. Take a cross-country trip. Aug/Sept 2013! New Jersey back to Texas!

5. Go to Disneyland and act like kids. We honeymooned at Disneyworld, so I say that counts.

6. Establish your career. Me = check. Luke = still working on this a little bit. We're close to checking this one off completely and God has opened some big doors, but our move back to Texas is changing things up a bit for Luke. He's adapting really well though and God is good!

7. Decide whether you want to be a SAHM. I'm nowhere near thinking about this one right now.

8. Have crazy, carefree sex. And we'll continue to. ;)

9. Address any problems in your relationship. 

10. Discuss how you want to raise your child.  I mean, I guess we have done this a little, but there is probably more we can do here.

11. Be spontaneous. I want to mark this one off, but I'm not. We make last-minute decisions, but we aren't crazy spontaneous. We could vamp it up. 

12. Enjoy an all-nighter. The Nest says to stay out until 4 a.m. and then sleep late the next day. Thanks to NYC, we're good here. :)

13. Invite a friend's child to spend the night. Umm...ok? I keep my dogs alive, does that count?

14. Enjoy Saturday afternoon movie marathons--at the movie theater. I have no desire to do this, but Luke and I have definitely had Saturday afternoon Netflix TV show marathons, so I consider this one done and done.

15. Start and finish any major home renovation projects. See #2. Not going to be needed, yay!

16. Get rid of the clutter. We could benefit from this.

17. Enjoy weekly nights out with your friends. And we'll continue to do so.

18. Relocate to your dream city. NYC! I got as close as I possibly could. And I've worked in my dream city. I'm smiling ear-to-ear that I've accomplished this!

19. Make a list of the books you want to read--and then read them.

20. Have at least one big adventure. This may not be "big" to some, but I really want to go scuba diving. Hoping to knock this out on the Caribbean cruise! And moving to NJ could totally count too.

21. Spend an entire day with each set of your grandparents. Unfortunately, this isn't entirely possible because we've each lost grandparents. But we will love on the ones we've got!

22. Enjoy a splurge. We do this too often, whoops!

23. Become a yogi, master kickboxing, or run a half-marathon. April 2012, Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Nashville (and two more coming up this fall!).

24. Spend time alone on a boat (or just take a cruise together). Yay!! See #3.

25. Perform a random act of kindness. Guess you'll have to trust me on this one. :)

26. Plan and host a surprise party. 

27. Save a 12-month emergency fund. People, be real with me. Have YOU ever done this? SO hard! I'll try, but I'm not hopeful... *fingers crossed* 

28. Kiss under a waterfall. I'm knocking this one out on the cruise too. 

29. Go camping.

30. Take a cooking class together. This is sooo never going to happen, ha!

31. Go to at least one major sporting event. I'm thinking Rio 2016!!! This may be after baby #1 though... 

32. Wear your most expensive clothing as often as possible. I think you have to own expensive clothing to do this.

33. Take a career risk. Check! 

34. Develop a hobby. 

35. Turn your extra bedroom into something fun...before it becomes a nursery. We will plan for both of these items when #2 commences. 

36. Do something outrageously nice for your parents. Isn't giving them grandkids enough? JK Mom!!

37. Make a list of all of the restaurants and bars you've been meaning to check out--and go. Working on this now.

38. Savor every minute of alone time. We already do this. For some reason, Luke and I are both hyper sensitive to this time in our lives and are truly loving it being just the two of us. 

39. Enjoy leisurely, boozy Sunday brunches. 

40. Fly first class. Bleh, whatev.

41. Be the last ones to leave the party or the restaurant. This one is hard. Luke and I are old farts sometimes, ha! But we'll try.

So, that's the list! And I guess it's now my adopted "before baby" bucket list. We've already completed approximately 41% of the list, and I'm thinking that's not bad! Will we check off every to-do before Baby H numero uno? Maybe/maybe not. But I'm excited to try! You know me, Type A, list-making, goal-setting crazy girl over here. :)

Our weekend according to Instagram. (What did we do before Instagram again??)

First of all, you should all go link up with my sweet friend, Breanna, over at My Beautiful, Crazy Life and make some new blogging fraaands. ;) This is a great way to start your week! 

This weekend...

+Packing commenced!

+We took pictures of ourselves in Home Depot. :)

+I found a few steals at Target! $17 maxi skirt, $5 sandals, and $9 heels. YES!!

+Half marathon training continued (I thought I was going to pass out, hence my ridiculous face).

+Some pumpkin spice coffee (it was 68 degrees outside, so I took advantage) and wine was enjoyed.

+We went for a family walk on Sunday morning.

+Church was watched online (Thanks First Houston!).

+And all we wanted for dinner on Sunday was veggies, so this happened. And it was awesome!

Hope y'all had a great weekend!!

Running, shopping, and packing (Oh my!)

Linking up with Britt over at The Magnolia Pair for this Friday's Love List!

Running...For the last couple of months, I have been wanting to sign up and train for another half marathon (you can read about my first half here), but something inside me was holding back. Now, I know why! Had I signed up for the run in Philly or the other run in Brooklyn that I was looking at, I wouldn't have been have been able to follow through with these runs because of our move back to Texas. 

{Half marathon training in the rain = gross, but so much fun!}

So, what did I do immediately after I found out about our move back to Texas? I committed to not one, but two half marathons: the Houston Half in October and the Rock and Roll Half in San Antonio in November. These two races are only three weeks apart, so there isn't too much of a training lull between the two. I'm running the Houston Half with my sisters and if anyone in Texas wants to join me in San Antonio, come on! 

Shopping...Do any of you gals shop at Piperlime online? To be honest, I never really have. The first time I ever heard of Piperlime was when they sponsored the "accessories wall" on Project Runway a few seasons back. But I was on the Old Navy website the other day looking for some layering tanks/tees when I noticed that not only does the Old Navy website link to Gap and Banana Republic, but it also links to Piperlime. So, I checked it out. And (whoops!) ended up with a few items...

{top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right}

{Major sale, flattering style and can be dressed up or down = SOLD!}

I mean, who can blame me? Piperlime is having a huge sale right now plus, I found a 15% off coupon at RetailMeNot, AND Piperlime offers free shipping + free returns. I. Could. Not. Say. No! Oh, and fall shoes are 25% off right now. You're welcome. :)

Packing...Luke and I are headed to Home Depot this weekend to buy some packing boxes, bubble wrap, etc. so that we can start the packing process. As much as I loathe packing and moving (this will be my 9th time to pack up a house/apartment in 7 years, yuck!), I'm excited that this time around, we're not going to be driving all of our stuff back to Texas. **happy dance** I got an amazing deal with a moving company that was recommended to me by a couple of friends that have moved cross-country. We will pack up our apartment and fill up a cube/pod-type box with our belongings, this company loads it on a truck, and drives it to Houston. Plus, they store it for you until you need it and then deliver it to you for free. Score! 

{This could be me in the next couple of weeks, ha! via}

Luke and I are so pumped to be able to relax, drive our own vehicle, and have an entire back seat for the pups to stretch out and sleep. I think we may actually have a chance of getting back to Texas without either of us strangling the other. :)

Have a great weekend!

Girls Day in Brooklyn

A couple of friends and I went into Brooklyn yesterday for a girls day. We experienced the Smorgasburg in Dumbo (on Sundays and in Williamsburg on Saturdays) for the first time, ate ice cream cookie sandwiches that were out of this world (Thanks The Good Batch!), and took Princess Olivia on Jane's Carousel. After hanging out in Dumbo, we took the ferry over to Williamsburg to the Brooklyn Flea, where we ate more food (I practically ran to the snow cone booth, ha!) and we did a little shopping. It was so good to get a little girl time in this weekend, especially in my favorite borough. 

Brooklyn, no matter where I live, you will always be my second home. A piece of my heart will forever stay in Brooklyn. 

One day at a time.

Moving...As you could possibly expect, life has been a little crazy around here lately. If you didn't read my previous post, I was offered the opportunity to relocate back to Texas and Luke and I are moving back in a little over 5 weeks. It took a few days for the dust to settle (we jumped straight into budgeting moving expenses, figuring out where we're going to live, etc.), but I'm feeling really great as everything is falling into place for the big move!

{Ha! This made me laugh. via}

Work...Everything is going great, but soon I'll be shoulder-deep in transitioning from my current territory in the northeast down to my new territory in the southwest. This will include me helping train someone new to take over my old position AND me being somewhat trained for my new position (although the latter should take less time). I've got a work trip to Vegas in September, one in New Jersey in October, and another in Florida in November. This girl is going to be on the MOVE! And this doesn't include my many shorter distance trips to Houston, Austin, San Antonio, West Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley throughout the fall. Summer is almost over y'all and this means work is about to kick into a whole new gear of busy! 

{via}

School...One thing I haven't talked about on the blog just yet is school. Back before we had any idea about being relocated, I decided that it was time for me to go back to school for my MBA. This is something I've always wanted to do, but the timing just hadn't been right until now. Back in June, I was accepted into UT Dallas' Naveen Jindal School of Management Professional MBA program. This program feels like it was created for my unique work and travel schedule. It might take me three years to finish it, but I can't wait to get started and to someday have my MBA!

{My sweet friend sent me this after she found out I got into grad school. Love her!}

Luke...This guy is amazing, y'all. I've been so grateful to have him by my side as we've decided to relocate back to Texas and make another huge life transition. He's wrapping up work in NJ and has already started the process job hunting in Texas. Please say a prayer for us as he goes through this process! God is already opening doors and we just want to be prayerful and faithful as we seek His will for this next step in Luke's career. Also, Luke is the mastermind behind all things moving (renting the truck, planning the route, budgeting the cost, etc.) and I'm so thankful for this! As you can see, this girl has A LOT on her plate as is. And at the end of the day, this guy lets me cry, scream, laugh, and just talk it all out as I self-induce panic attacks when thinking too much about all of these big changes.

I'm just taking it all one day at a time. But I must say, these temps in the mid-60s sure are helping make this week a lot less stressful. It's like a tease for fall, pumpkin spice lattes, and baked apple pie candles (I can't wait!).

Hope your Thursday is blessed. :) 

Here we go again! :)

I still can't believe I'm typing this, but if you've heard the rumors, then I'm here to confirm them as fact. The Hintons are officially moving...   BACK TO TEXAS!!!  

You're probably wondering why/how. :) 
Long story short, a spot on my team at work recently opened up in Texas and I was offered the opportunity to relocate. After weighing the pros and cons and praying about it, Luke and I decided that long-term, moving back to Texas is the best thing for our family and an opportunity we just couldn't pass up!   Ok, so now for some answers to a few of everyone's favorite questions:   1) When will you be back? In about 6 weeks. Sooo soon!!   2) Where will you live? This position is based in Houston, TX.   3) Will you still be doing the same job? Yup. I'll just manage a different territory.
And, of course, a few of the things we're most excited about with this move: *being so close to our friends and family again *authentic Mexican food, but most importantly: chips, salsa, and margaritas *a new city to explore (neither of us have ever lived in Houston)  *Baylor football season and homecoming *being able to conceal and carry (that's Luke's two cents, ha!) *and just being back in the greatest state that ever existed: TEXAS!!    Please be praying for Luke and I both as we make big transitions at work, pack up our apartment, and make that looong, 1700-mile drive back to Texas. We've got a lot going on, but we know that God will be protecting and carrying us the entire way.
See ya soon Texas!

City.

{Last night's view from the restaurant near Columbus Circle}

Evenings in the city will always make me think of this song and remind me of the 12-year-old Sara that first visited and fell in love with NYC all those years ago. No matter where I live and for the rest of my life, a part of my heart will always be in this city. 

Freefall to Fly...a story I want to share with all the women in my life.

A couple months back, a lady by the name of Rebekah Lyons visited our church here in New Jersey. I had no idea what to expect from her visit, but I'm convinced after hearing her speak and reading her book that God knew I needed to hear her story. Below is Amazon's description of Rebekah's new book, "Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning."

"Women today are fading. In a female culture built on Photoshopped perfection and Pinterest fantasies, we’ve lost the ability to dream our own big dreams. So busy trying to do it all and have it all, we’ve missed the life we were really designed for. And we are paying the price. The rise of loneliness, depression, and anxiety among the female population in Western cultures is at an all-time high. Overall, women are two and a half times more likely to take antidepressants than men. What is it about our culture, the expectations, and our way of life that is breaking women down in unprecedented ways?

In this vulnerable memoir of transformation, Rebekah Lyons shares her journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to the heart of Manhattan, where she found herself blindsided by crippling depression and anxiety. Overwhelmed by the pressure to be domestically efficient, professionally astute, and physically attractive, Rebekah finally realized that freedom can come only by facing our greatest fears and fully surrendering to God’s call on our lives. This book is an invitation for all women to take that first step toward freedom. For it is only when we free-fall that we can truly fly."

I just finished reading Rebekah's book last night. And I wish I would have read it sooner. Our stories are so similar in some parts, it's scary. I've struggled with anxiety throughout my life, but about 5 months ago I experienced my first full-blown anxiety attack, heart palpitations and trouble breathing included. Like Rebekah, I have a family history that includes anxiety struggles and depression and I recently moved from the south to the northeast, which was not as easy of a move as I thought it would. And to be completely honest with you, I've questioned God over and over, similar to this author, asking, "Why can't this just go away?? Where are you in all of this, God? Just show me what you want! Please give me peace."

Through her struggles, Rebabkah has realized that she has a story to share with women across the world because so many women do struggle with finding meaning in life, discovering what their passions are and then cultivating them instead of giving them up, fighting anxiety/depression/etc, and living in a "perfect" Facebook/Pinterest world. 

If any of this resonates with you, please read Freefall to Fly. I promise you, it will be the best $10-$15 you spend today. Don't have the money? Email me. I'll send you my copy. :)

Back at it!

I'd love to partner with you!!!

The Hinton Hook-Up took a break from accepting sponsors/advertisers for a while. Between my new job, moving to New Jersey, etc. it was just nice to take a breather, ya know? But I'm back at it and making the ad buying process as simple as possible! I sponsor a couple of blogs myself and using Passionfruit for your ad selling/buying is one of the best things that has ever happened to bloggers, in my opinion. Just visit my "Advertise" page, click on the ad size you want, and Passionfruit will walk you through the process. And ads start as low as the cost of a tall latte!

Questions? Email me!

thehintonhookup@gmail.com

I look forward to working with you! :)