Last week I continued my now-annual tradition of taking a couple of days of vacation around my birthday. The goal for these two days was simple – no agenda, just time to decompress and do whatever I felt like in the moment.

It. Was. Awesome.

Here’s a brief recap in photos… It appears I ate a lot.

• Thursday: Coffee and scone (cheese and bacon!) at Salt and Straw.
• Window shopping on NW 23rd … without the kids. Lush, Urban Outfitters, World Market… (Dog coat hangers. Why is this necessary in life?)
• Photo Book browsing at Powells and one more addition to the collection.
• Pedicure. I considered going with yellow or green but settled for predictable red.
• New year, new profile pic. (I need a haircut)
• Friday: Mocha with Marshmallows at an adorable new (for me) Happy Sparrow Cafe.
• Yoga… Namaste.
• Lunch al fresco on a perfect Portland day
• Delicious bento at Samurai Blue
• Saturday: Dinner at http://www.aviarypdx.com/with Kei. He had the Pigs ear and I had the goat curry. Tasted about a thousand times better than it sounded. I also recommend the chicken skin salad.
• Ended the weekend with my boys at the Farmers market.

Of course there was more. Lots of reading, enjoying the sunshine, soccer and a Cinco De Mayo party with Kei’s golf buddies.  Things I didn’t do include laundry, much cooking and, surprisingly, pulling out the camera. It was refreshing to take a break and relieve myself of the pressure to document everything apart from a few quick pics on the iphone.

The down side is that I felt incredibly unprepared for Monday morning – although that may have also had something to do with a few too many celebratory Cinco De Mayo tequilas.

Bring on 39!