Snapshots of my vacation.

Jesse and I began our vacation with a trip to the outlets in Freeport. I scored a pair of Cole Haan flats for only $32! Then, later that night, I treated myself to some time at Soakology, a teahouse and foot sanctuary. They lead you downstairs to sit on overstuffed couches and chairs that are up on platforms. Then you soak your feet in warm warm of the scent of your choice (mine? mint chocolate!). They refill your water three times over the course of an hour. I also got a 20 minute foot massage and some red chai. It was amazing and the perfect way to begin the week!

Maine blueberries are just about my most favorite thing ever. They are smaller and sweeter than anything we can get here. I enjoyed this blueberry and lemon tart from the Standard Baking Company.

My Mom and her boyfriend came up to visit and meet Jesse's parents. Here we are looking like we got dropped into a Maine themed postcard.


A shot of the sun setting on the bridge.


Our most favorite vegetarian restaurant ever, The Green Elephant. I had tofu tikka masala, a blueberry soda and Jesse and I split a chocolate and orange mousse cake. LOVE this place! It was one of the best meals I ever had. From there we wandered around the Portland Museum of Art, which is free on Friday nights.


We spent a day at Old Orchard Beach. We walked on the beach, ate pier fries and played mini-golf.

On Saturday, after the second of one the best meals of my life at Street and Company, which was beyond incredible, we headed about 30 minutes north to the lake house (affectionately called "camp") that Jesse's family rents every summer. We spent the days doing camp things--sleeping, reading, eating ice cream, playing cornhole and ping pong, swimming, canoeing and challenging each other at board games. Oh, and making friends with the wildlife.

Here are Jesse and my Mom in the canoe.

This picture is a good example of what camp is like. Relax by the water, read and enjoy doing nothing! Overall, the trip was amazing and far too short. I fall in love with Maine more and more every time I visit.

My Blissful Weekend

I had one of the best weekends I have had in a long while.  I feel relaxed and rejuvenated and like I might just be able to handle the end of the semester/year at work without a meltdown.  

The weekend included:

-A visit from my wonderful boyfriend.  We hadn't seen each other in nearly a month.  It was great to have him here for a few days.

-Two homemade dinners: spinach and mushroom quiche/sweet potatoes/salad and salmon/veggies/corn bread.  And rice krispie treats!

-Watching "Bridget Jones' Diary" while snuggling  (Can you tell that my movie pick won out?!)

-A walk through Georgetown

-Lush bath bombs.  I stocked up for winter!  I was sad to hear that they are discontinuing the Hot Milk bubble bar.  But I did get plenty of Creamy Candy and Ma Bar bubble bars, as well as some Butterball and Big Blue bath bombs.  

-Partner yoga workshop.  I felt so relaxed after it!  It's great that Jesse likes yoga as much as I do and that we are able to connect in that way.  I also picked up Kimberly Wilson's new yoga CD, Tranquility to Go.  Can't wait to try it out!

-Lots of episodes of "The Office".  I swear we could sit and watch it all day long and not get tired of it.

I'm such a lucky girl.  

{Photo credit: Linds:-)}

Relaxation.

Here is my full confession:  I do NOT know how to relax.

In high school, I took all honors classes, worked a part-time job and got involved in numerous clubs and activities.  In college I took a full load of classes, worked at the university's writing center and held various leadership positions in my co-ed fraternity.  Post college, I worked 80 hour weeks in a restaurant while using my one day off a week to pump out job applications and do laundry.  Then I worked a Monday-Friday job while working nights and weekends in a restaurant.  

Currently I work full time and go to graduate school at night.  My weekends are for errands, working out, going to yoga and doing homework.  I am constantly making lists in my head of things I need to pick up, errands to run, papers to write, emails to send and people to call.  I multi-task like crazy--commuting is for listening to podcasts while reading the newspaper and the eliptical is also for getting homework done.  Baths are for soothing sore muscles, but they are also for list-making and magazine reading.  I am contemplating working full time, taking a graduate course and doing the 200 hour yoga teacher training in the Spring.  I feel like I never stop.

I am taking a vacation in two weeks and I already have lists of things I want to see, do and accomplish during that time.  Unplanned time makes me skittish.  I think that is partially because I am afraid I am wasting it and partially because I have no idea what to do.  So my question to you all is....How do you learn to relax?  I'm afraid of what will become of me after I graduate next May and all I have is my full time job.

{Photo credit: Bloch05}