My birthday weekend turned out to be a wonderfully adventurous weekend full of surprises and new experiences!  Sean took my birthday off and had planned out a full day of fun.  I just had no idea what he was planning.  It taught me that I have the ability to just go with the flow, but I do have to be mindful about it.  In not knowing what adventure was up next I was forced not to worry about it, therefore keeping my anxiety away in a most refreshing way.

In today's post, I'm talking about all the activities of my exciting weekend and showing you what I wore in the process.  And FYI, there are a lot of photos in this post because I am covering the whole weekend and didn't want to break the post up.

Friday - May 12th

Friday was my birthday!  I woke up early to prepare for the day that Sean was keeping under wraps.  I love surprises and I didn't want him to feel like he had to spill the beans, but I did have to ask him questions about what activities we would be doing so I could dress accordingly.  I knew it would be a busy day, but he said there wasn't a ton of walking.  The weather was mostly dry but still a little chilly.  And I wanted to be comfortable.  As usual, I went with my three Cs - casual, comfortable, colorful.  I also painted my nails, which I don't have a chance to do too often.  I chose Zoya's Bobbi and Pixie Dust in Lux.

Avenue Pintuck Top  /  Ava and Viv Skinny Jeans  /  Sequin Converse

I've had this Avenue pintuck top for some time.  They continue to put out patterns and colors in this style, sometimes with buttons instead of a zipper or a tank instead of sleeves.  I just adore this style of top and always get tons of compliments when I wear it out.  I paired the top with my trusty, distressed Ava and Viv skinny jeans and sequin Converse.  Hopefully, I looked like a young and very cool 37-year-old. haha



Sean ran out for some errands while I was getting ready and came back with coffee and birthday treats in the form of a croissant and a doughnut.  I avoid gluten as much as possible, but there are still occasional times I allow myself a glutenous treat.  Sean had an itinerary for the day because there were specific times we had to be at certain places.  I was ready on time and we headed out to the unknown. 

Upon getting in the car, Sean already had the New Kids On The Block's new EP "Thankful" in the CD player.  It came out on my birthday and he had picked it up at Target on his errand run.


First up, a stop at Redwood in Portland for brunch.  This place was new to both of us, but we were excited to check it out.  I had the Rosemary Mimosa, a mix of rosemary simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and sparkling wine.  It was yummy, but I would have loved a bolder rosemary flavor.  Sean had the Wingnut, which consisted of pecan whiskey, coffee, and whipped cream.  It was deliciously nutty and flavorful.  For food, we started with the Blueberry Fritters with lemon curd.  They were basically  balls of deep fried blueberry muffin and so, so delightful!  The lemon curd was a great accompaniment.  We didn't eat all of our fritters in an attempt to save room for our more substantial meal.  I had the Scalloped Potatoes and Baked Eggs with bacon and cheddar.  I likened it to a deconstructed baked potato.  It was so warm and cheesy and comforting.  Sean had the Chilaquiles - fried tortillas, roasted chicken, green sauce, sour cream, eggs, salsa, and queso fresco.  His was more like a deconstructed enchilada.  Both of these main courses were served in bowls in a manageable size.  We look forward to coming back to Redwood and checking out more brunch spots in this Portland neighborhood.

After brunch, we walked around for twenty minutes or so to kill time before our next adventure.  We stopped into a local pet store and browsed the dog toys, bowls, food, and treat options, eventually settling on some goodies to take back home to the boys.  Then it was off to the car and on to the next stop.

After a few minutes drive, Sean parked the car and we set out walking towards parts unknown.  He still wouldn't tell me where we were going.  This neighborhood was a bit older and I noticed a lot of places had bars on the windows, so I became thoroughly confused.  Suddenly, Sean stopped and knocked on a barred door.  I looked up in time to see a banner sign up above the awning that said "Escapism Portland, Live Interactive Escape Game" just as a man clad in a lab coat opened the door and invited us in.  It was all starting to dawn on me.


The "scientist" asked us to sit down and introduced himself, Russian accent in full force.  This part went by really fast, but he was in character from the get-go.  He basically told us we were looking for a way to get a radioactive vial from a safe to help stop some baddies from getting it.  Could we handle the mission?  He went over a short list of rules and led us to the next room and locked us in.  We had an hour to start collecting and solving clues in order to open the safe and remove the vial.  Solving clues involved searching the room for any hints, more clues, keys, codes, opening locks on briefcases and drawers.  There were some puzzle-solving aspects of it as well and different ciphers for different clues.  I have always wanted to do one of these interactive puzzle-solving games!  I was so excited, but that clock started immediately and we had to focus on the game at hand.  When you see people do it on television, it looks so easy.  In person is a whole different story.  That clock on the wall is ticking down the hour and time seems to fly by so fast!

I already knew Sean and I were a good team, but doing this game reiterated that for me.  We both have different strengths and weaknesses and were able to complement each other well in that forum.  If we got stuck (which we did a few times), we were able to use a walkie-talkie and ask the "scientist" for a hint.  There was a small camera in the room so he could watch our progress.  We eventually managed to unlock the main safe with about 5 seconds to spare!  When the "scientist" came in the room to see if we got it at the last minute, he was talking like a normal dude and totally not in character.  It was pretty funny.  He pointed out a clue that we noticed immediately that he says most people don't notice.  He asked us about our experience and offered to take our photo as well.  We joked that we were glad we didn't have to reset all the clues, but he said he is pretty fast at it now.  We left excited and exhilarated!  I did a quick InstaStory video about it as we walked back to the car.  I really want to do one of these again!  Sean said this company has multiple locations around the greater Portland area.  Some rooms are larger for bigger groups, so we plan on going to one with a group of friends.  If this is something that interests you, I highly recommend going for it!  It was so much fun!

Next, we headed home to feed the boys and freshen up.  When I walked in the door, there was a little pop-up birthday card with sloths on it in the foyer.  Of course, I loved it and picked it up to look at it.  I turned to thank Sean and he said, "Did you see the note?"   He had written a little sticky note that said "Come visit us!" on it, but I didn't know what that meant.  Sean smiled and said, "You're going to meet the sloths."


"When?" I asked, probably in a higher pitched voice.

"Today," he replied.

"Today? Like today?? When??"

He laughed.  "This afternoon, in about two hours."

"WHAT!?!? ARE YOU JOKING!?!?!"  So I ran to go potty and freshen up for my soon-to-be sloth friends.

When I heard there was a sloth sanctuary within hours from my house, I told Sean about it and knew I wanted to go at some point.  I found out about it last year and mentioned how it would be fun for my birthday, but I wasn't sure it would happen.  I added it to my Amazon Wish List just in case, but we hadn't planned it so I certainly didn't expect it.  They have certain days and times for visiting and I didn't know how our schedules would work with that.  I thought it was farther north near Tacoma, but it is only about an hour drive from Vancouver.

The Zoological Wildlife Conservation Center has lots of info on their website.  The rules and guidelines seem really blunt and intimidating, but our experience was really great.  We did have to drive by the gate several times until we saw someone standing there to open the gate because we didn't want to do anything considered against the rules.  But our guide was immediately friendly and had tons of knowledge about the sloths and answered any questions we had.  When we pulled into the driveway, Sean paid the balance of our experience and we pulled off to the side to park.  He ended up booking the private sloth feed, so it was just the two of us and our guide for the 40-minute meeting.  We didn't have to be strict about wearing long sleeves and she also suggested I not take my purse inside.  We didn't bring the big camera because I wasn't sure what was allowed or not.  You are not allowed to take video or use a flash, but taking photos was permitted.  We ended up using our phones and the Action Cam.


Our guide led us to a big, windowed room to the side of a large house and told us a bit about the sloths before we went in.  They are very sensitive to noise, so we had to talk in library voices.  They also can't see very well and use their sense of smell more than anything.  She led us in to the warm room where seven sloths were sleeping in their housing area.  She introduced us to all the sloths and told us a little about each one.  One of them, at 36, is the second oldest sloth in captivity.  I believe the oldest is 43-ish.  And in researching links and info for this post, it looks like the oldest sloth, Miss C, passed away in Australia today.  In the wild, they only live to be about 12-years-old.  We were able to take handfuls of cut-up zucchini and walk from enclosure to enclosure feeding the sloths and taking photos.  I could have stayed there and watched them all day!  Once we handed them some food, we were able to safely pet them on the back.  Otherwise, they want their food and they will reach for you and latch on.  They were friggin' adorable, of course.  They all looked healthy and happy and well cared for.  The enclosures were clean.   It was so amazing to be so close to them, to be able to touch them, and look into their precious little eyes.  Sean took many photos of me being a total excited goober in the presence of the sloths.



After all the Sloth excitement, we returned home for a short time to let the boys go potty again and give them an early dinner.  I changed into my Kiyonna Elise Flutter Dress and we headed off for a spectacular dinner at Feast316 in Downtown Camas.  You cannot have a bad meal there and the service is amazing!  I knew we were meeting my mother-in-law for dinner, but unbeknownst to me Sean had asked some more friends to join us too!  Our friends Tim, Nigel, and Felis all showed up to celebrate with us!  I was so excited and happy they could join.  It made me feel so loved and special. 
It would take forever to review everything that everybody ate (and I am now aware this post is going to be longer than I anticipated), so I will just talk about what I had for dinner.  We ordered the Truffle Steak Fries and Filet Mignon Skewers with Smoked Gouda Fondue as appetizers for the table.  The truffle fries were cut shoestring style and were delicious on their own or dipped in the fondue.  And as far as the Filet Mignon, you cannot go wrong with steak and cheese.  For my main course, I went with the New York Strip served with caramelized onion and gruyere gratin, zucchini noodles, and topped with Bleu Cheese compound butter.  It was so incredibly yummy!  I did take part of it home with me though because we all ended up sharing the White Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding for dessert.  It was all comforting and decadent and delightful in every possible way.  I opened gifts before we headed back home to call it a night.

My lovely gifts (clockwise from top left): A wall vase and NKOTB cards!; Jim Shore Gus and Jaq figurine; embroidered denim jeans from Torrid; Life Factory Silicone Sleeve Wine Glass; Coach Wallet, necklace, unicorn purse charm; Charm holder for my charms; Pineapple pouch and necklace; LulaRoe leggings and shirt

Saturday - May 13th

Catherines Plaid Tunic  /  Catherines Girlfriend Jeans  /  Cobb Hill Zahara Flats

Personally, I was exhausted by my immensely exciting birthday, but we made plans to meet my mom-in-law Sharon and her friend in Hood River for a wine tasting event.  I have learned that, sans thyroid, I can only have so much extended fun time before I crash.  Even regular days can be exhausting and hard for me to get out of bed, but I didn't want to miss out on our fun but full weekend.  I decided on a leisurely look that consisted of this Catherines plaid top and girlfriend jeans and my new Cobb Hill Zahara Flats.  I brought along my Ava and Viv anorak jacket and Steve Madden sparkly scarf just in case.


Sean and I were running a little late, as usual, but we made good time driving to Hood River, Oregon.  The weather was a little cloudy with moments of sun, making the drive to and from moody and gorgeous with the clouds over the Columbia Gorge.  I wanted to stop and photograph everything, but there aren't many stops to facilitate that.  We made it to the Cathedral Ridge Winery before the rest of our party, so Sean and I walked around taking some photographs.  He's been bringing his 360 camera and Action Cam with us everywhere lately and I love the different angles we can get using all our gadgets.  It was windy and chilly, so the jacket and scarf definitely came in handy.  Once Sharon and her friend arrived, we headed back for the member's wine tasting party where they were offering six wine tastings and food pairings from three local businesses.


The Pinot Gris and Cabernet Franc paired with creamy goat cheeses from Skamokawa Farmstead Creamery.  We tried the Chevre with cranberries, the tomato/garlic/basil, the garlic and dill, the pistachio/rosemary/lime, the Cajeta Goat Milk Caramel, and the Cajeta Apple Bourbon Caramel.  They were all creamy, flavorful, and so enjoyable.  We ended up buying the tomato/garlic/basil and pistachio/rosemary/lime flavors to use with lunches and dinners for the week.  The cranberry goat cheese paired exquisitely with the apple bourbon caramel sauce, so we bought both to have together as a mini and guilt-free dessert.

The Cabernet/Merlot and Bolton Barbera were paired with dry cured meats from Beautiful Pig Charcuterie.  We tried a long list of samples with my favorites being the Andouille, Dry Keilbasa, and the Black Truffle Coppa.  The next set of pairings was the Rusty Red Reserve and Zinfandel Reserve paired with truffles from Smitten Truffles.  We tried four different flavors of truffle, my favorite being the Passionfruit.  The tasting room had heaters going because it was pretty chilly outside, but Sean and I headed out for fresh, cool air once we became too warm.  The property of the winery is absolutely beautiful.  We'd love to come back in the summer and hang out there.


After the wine tasting, the four of us headed to downtown Hood River to walk around and look at the shops.  We all bought coffees at Ground (Lavender Coconut Milk Latte, for the win!) and meandered through art galleries and gift boutiques before stopping at Naked Winery to do another wine tasting.  Naked Winery seems really popular.  Their booth is always hoppin' when we attend the Portland Seafood and Wine Fest, but I wouldn't recommend them.  The wines are mediocre at best.  They feel extremely gimmicky, like Hooters for wine.  The wines have names like Vixen, Penetration, Climax, Blazing Straddle, and Orgasmic, and are presented to you by young, attractive, thin women.  The service wasn't great.  If you do end up trying their wines, I personally think the Vixen Syrah, Bareback Sweet, and Sure Thing Symphony were the best offerings.  Thankfully, the rain held off until we were walking back to our cars.  The clouds and intermittent sun provided us with spectacular views of the Gorge on the way back.  I just wish they had multiple viewpoints to stop and take photos.



From there, we walked around a little bit longer and then headed to Multnomah Falls for dinner.  Sean and I haven't stopped at the falls in a long while, so it was nice to walk up and see them.  I've never met an ugly waterfall.  We took some photos of the 611-foot-tall cascade and then headed to the lodge for dinner.  While my mother-in-law has had dinner at the lodge restaurant before, this was mine and Sean's first time.  I was still in celebratory mode, so I chose the Slow Roasted Prime Rib with baby potatoes, broccoli, and horseradish cream.  It was another tasty meal.  The lodge building was finished in 1925 and you can really feel it inside the building.  It just has that feeling that old buildings have.  There is a certain energy in the air there that goes beyond the look or smell of the place.  It is the same feeling I had when we visited Timberline Lodge, which was constructed in 1937.   There were fires going in the fireplaces off the dining room and waiting area at the Multnomah Lodge, so it also had this cozy, firewood smell and warmth to it.  This concluded our Saturday, as we went straight home to bed to rest up for Sunday.

Sunday - May 14th

We were up early Sunday to join a local Outlander fan group, Outlandia, to help prepare food for and feed the homeless and people in need.  Because it was Mother's Day, we asked Sharon if she wanted to join us.  Outlandia does this every few weeks in conjunction with Clay Street Table.  I've been wanting to help out for a while now, but it always fell on a day when we had too much going on.  I was excited that we were able to get down there this time!


The meal is prepared in the kitchen of a local church.  We were running late, but were able to be put to work as soon as we arrived.  Sean and I got to slicing roasts while Sharon chopped and helped put together napkin and utensil sets.  After the meal was prepped and boxed up, all the food was taken down to the riverfront where we plated and handed out meals to those who wanted food.  It was another whirlwind experience, but I think 175 or so people got fed.  It was nice to help out and do something for the community.  I dressed for the unexpected because I had no idea how the process worked or where we would be going, and the weather was a bit rainy from time to time.  Jeans, comfy sneakers, my new Outlander Voyager-themed shirt, and a plaid shirt with sleeves was actually perfect for the day.


When we were done helping Outlandia, we ventured over to the Portland Saturday Market to grab some food and look around for a while.  The three of us shared paninis and pirogis and found some little treasures from the vendor booths.  Sean bought me a whimsical little fox for Mother's Day that can be a necklace or a piece of wall art.  The artist, Marca Fantasy Figurative Art, had the necklaces displayed on decorative frames for a unique look.  Once we were all sufficiently tuckered out, we returned home, said goodbye to Sharon, and got ready for bed.  Sean also presented me with a drawing of Dobby he did as a Mother's Day gift.  Since Dobby is a new family member (and one I still need to write about on the blog), we don't have any photos or drawings of him up in our Fur Kid Corner, an honorary couple of walls in the hallway where I display photos and art of my fuzzy kids.  I colored in the drawing with my pencils and hung it up recently.


It was an insanely busy weekend full of fun and surprises, little adventures and special moments.  I'm grateful for all the things I was able to do and all the lovely people I shared these moments with.  Sean really went above and beyond to make my birthday special and make me feel so celebrated and loved.  It meant a lot to me that I was going to be able to just spend the day with him.  All the other activities were just extra cherries and sprinkles on an already wonderfully beautiful little cupcake.