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. :)

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!! 

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!!

Our July 4th (on July 5th). Happy birthday America!

We spent our first 4th of July "down the shore" and on the boardwalk with friends. The Jersey Shore was actually better than I expected! I knew the company would be awesome (we do love our friends!), but when you've grown up near "the beach" your entire life and then you go to "the shore" for the first time, you wonderful how different/similar things will actually be. Guess what peeps--a beach is a shore and a shore is a beach. Whew! Glad it worked ok. ;)

We laid out, played soccer in the sand, dared to dip our toes in the freezing cold Atlantic Ocean, ate some amazing fresh crab legs and shrimp, danced, and celebrated America's birthday with traditional fireworks. We had a blast! *pun intended*

Happy birthday, America. We are proud to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

Our 2nd anniversary trip, Pt. 3

On our last day at Sweetwater Farm B&B and Grace Winery, we took our time waking up and getting to breakfast. Since check-out was at noon, we wanted to make the most of the last few hours of our anniversary weekend.

Once again, breakfast was wonderful. Scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and caramelized onions on an english muffin and coffee. Seriously, I've got to get better at cooking breakfast, ha! After breakfast, we took a walk through the vineyard. It was so fun to see the grapes growing, even if they weren't ready to pick. 

After our walk, we went back up to our room and finished packing. But before we said goodbye to our anniversary/getaway weekend, we had to stick with tradition and take our 2nd anniversary picture! We decided to take this one in front of the red barn where we did our wine tasting the first afternoon. 

I'm so glad that Luke and I decided to spend a weekend away from New Jersey and everyday life to celebrate our 2nd anniversary. Someday, trips like this won't be easy. I've cherished so much these first two years that Luke and I have had as husband and wife without kids or too many big commitments. I know that someday I'll look back on these early years and be so grateful that we took the time to invest in each other and just be "us."

If anyone is ever looking for a cute place to stay with your husband/wife, get the family together, or even have a fun girls' weekend in or near Glen Mills, PA, we definitely recommend Sweetwater Farm B&B! :)

Our 2nd anniversary Trip, Pt. 2

The best part of staying at a bed & breakfast? The FOOD! Sweetwater Farm's breakfast was amazing both mornings we were there. Orange, cranberry, and apple juice...coffee (my fav!)...scones and muffins...fresh fruit...and two main courses you can pick from (different each morning). YUM! Luke went with the french toast  and sausage for his first breakfast and I chose the veggies/potatoes, eggs, and sausage. If I had the time to cook breakfast like that every day, it would probably be the only meal I'd eat. We were so full afterwards!

After breakfast, we took the house dog, Brogan, with us on a hike. This dog was so awesome! All you had to say was, "Brogan, walk?" and he would take off towards the trail. We hiked the trail twice, we liked it so much. The most beautiful creek runs through the trail about two-thirds of the way through and we stopped both times to enjoy the view, take pics, and just listen to nature. 

After our hike, we drove down to the Brandywine River and rented a canoe for an hour and a half canoe trip. The canoe company made us wear lifejackets (a little laaame), but we still had a really great time! Luke decided he wants a legit canoe now and I don't hate the idea. :) Maybe for Christmas?

After our canoe trip, we were ready to go back to SWF and relax. We laid out by the pool for a little while and then headed back to our room to get ready for dinner. The funny thing is, once we got to our room, we were even more tired! So, we took a short nap and then decided that instead of dinner, we'd catch a movie and just eat popcorn. I mean, it is vacation after all, right? We saw World War Z (bleh), which I had no idea was about zombies or I would have protested. It was still fun to see a movie though.

At this point, I couldn't believe our weekend was almost over!

Our weekend getaway to Washington, D.C.

Last week/weekend, Luke and I took Thursday and Friday off from work and drove down to Washington, D.C. for a long weekend with some friends. This was sort of a Sara's birthday/our friends' anniversary/we all need a weekend away from life kind of trip and it was exactly what Luke and I needed!!

{View from our hotel room}

I had forgotten how beautiful DC is! It had been over 10 years since I'd last visited and Luke had never been. In addition to being saturated in our country's history and American pride, DC is an awesome city for your professionals to live/work in and it has a really fun restaurant/coffee shop/bar scene. We stayed at the Washington Hilton and I would totally recommend this hotel to anyone!

{I love the cherry blossoms in the spring!}

We stayed three nights, but didn't get into town until closer to dinner time on Thursday. Knowing that Friday and Saturday would be our only two full days in Washington, D.C., we spent all day Friday visiting touristy sites. We took the metro over to the Arlington National Cemetery, where we watched the changing of the guard. We also walked through the National Mall and Memorial Parks (Washington, Lincoln, Vietnam, WW2, etc) and even made a quick stop into the National Museum of Natural History. We did a TON of walking on that first day and I'm pretty sure we all felt like our knees/ankles/feet we're going to fall off! 

We also ate some really amazing food that day. I have to admit that my pub onion soup at lunch was by far my favorite!

{Warm doughnuts with caramel and chocolate dipping sause after dinner on Friday night. SO YUM!}

On Saturday, the four of us tackled the Smithsonian National Zoo and it was amazing! DC's zoo is free to the public, but this does not mean it is mediocre in the least. It is actually a very nice place and we had the best time walking around out in the sunshine feeling like kids again! We ate over-priced chicken fingers and french fries for lunch and, of course, Luke had to have Dippin' Dots, ha! Zoo food at it's finest. 

After the zoo and a ton more walking, we decided to start walking back towards our hotel so that we could rest up and get ready for a fun last night in DC, but of course, the girls had to make a quick stop into Lou Lou Boutique, the cutest little shop just a couple of blocks from our hotel. Our sweet boys suffered through and I'm so glad we stopped! I picked up a couple pairs of earrings and a beautiful, spring-inspired infinity scarf for my birthday. :)

For dinner on Saturday night, the four of us walked down to Tortilla Coast, a popular Mexican food restaurant in DC. It was like HEAVEN for these displaced Texas kids just dying for fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas! We toasted to birthdays, anniversaries, and a great weekend in Washington, D.C.

Waking up early on Sunday morning so that we could get back to Jersey and pick up our furbabies from the doggy boarding place was a rough wake-up call (a little too much fun? nahhh!), but we were excited to get home and relax the rest of the weekend. As we were driving home, Luke and I could not stop talking about how much fun we had and ranking our favorite places we visited. I think that is a sign of a successful, long weekend getaway!  Our 2nd anniversary is quickly approaching and I'm already thinking about a weekend trip to...? Any suggestions??

Until next time DC! :)

Weekend Recap.

1) Felicia and Aubrey texted me this precious pic of Harper while they were shopping at Target on Saturday. Look at that baby fur vest! Of course, I was super jealous that I couldn't be hanging out with them.

2) Where do displaced Texans go for dinner on Texas Independence Day? Texas Roadhouse, of course!

3) Margarita to celebrate previously mentioned holiday.

4) Fro-yo after dinner. We were pretty much fatties on Saturday night. :)

5) I was SO PUMPED that the sun was out on Sunday!! Never mind that it was still 39 degrees outside. I can't remember the last time I saw that amount of sunshine. Please hurry summer!

6) I lost my Trader Joe virginity on Sunday afternoon. Never will I ever shop for groceries at Kings again. How have I lived without this store in my life for almost 26 years??

7) Don't you think I could be on the Desperate Housewives of NJ? Sweeping the kitchen in leggings and my Tory wedges? Nah, I don't think any of those ladies know what a broom is, ha!

8) Bought new gerber daisies for the kitchen and my work desk.

9) Zucchini boats for dinner on Sunday night. Blog post to come!

Hope you had a fun and restful weekend. Here's to a great week!

Have a lovely weekend.

{via}

{via}

Aren't these pictures beautiful? Tomorrow, we're going into the city and I love the way the excitement of being in NYC never gets old. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, whatever you're up to.

:)

We went for a drive.

After church, Luke and I decided to drive around our snowy little town to check out the beauty Nemo left behind. Snow, although we've seen 4-5 snows since we moved to Morristown, is still a little foreign to us. Being from South Texas where it never snows, Luke and I have seen more snow over the last 3 months than we have our entire lives. And it really is so beautiful!

The rest of our day has been spent lunching, shopping for a few necessities, and relaxing because we know Monday will be here all too soon.

Hope you all have had a nice weekend!

Labor Day Weekend Via Intagram

This Labor Day weekend was much needed and couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I hope all of you were able to spend some quality time with family and friends over the last few days! Here are a few pictures from our weekend via Instagram (what did we ever do without this app??)...

{Diet coke at lunch on Saturday. Photo credit: Luke}

{Luke just got his concealed hand gun license in the mail, so we bought him a conceal and carry gun holster. I don't know much about guns, but this accessory is awesome!}

{I've been wanting a charm bracelet for a while, so Luke bought me one this weekend. I already had a few charms to put on it, but Luke bought me two more too! A puppy dog charm for our furbabies and an "I Love You" charm. I picked up the bracelet today and I love it!}

{Afternoon ice cream treat at the mall}

{Yup, someone got a new motorcycle helmet this weekend. When you put the two of us together, you get a pretty intense shopping team. It's a good thing that we also know how to save money, or we'd be broke!}

{After our 3-mile run on Saturday night}

{We watched Baylor kick SMU's butt on Sunday night in their season opener. Sic 'Em Bears!}

{We caved and ate pizza for dinner that same night. You just need to eat some pizza while watching college football and Breaking Bad!}

{Monday morning was so peaceful. I never get to just lay in bed, drinking coffee and watching Good Morning America, so I definitely took advantage of this on Labor Day!}

{And of course, Brooklyn took advantage of having mom and dad sleep in on a Monday morning. Extra snuggles!}  

  {I worked on some "school work" aka continuing education class}

{The pups got to ride in the car with mom and dad Monday afternoon, which they always love! Sticking your head out the window is the best!}

{And last, but not least, I snagged this adorable necklase from Lisa Leonard Designs on Monday evening right before her Labor Day sale ended. It was $19 down from $44, plus I got an extra 15% off. Yes!! It was a great way to end a wonderful, long weekend}
Hope you all had a blessed Labor Day weekend!!   P.S. Do you have Instagram? If so, look me up!    saramhinton