Turning 25: My Birthday Weekend

So, Sunday I turned 25-years-old. I was really excited because as I mentioned to my co-workers "I feel more legit" now. I posted several months back about what my teenage self would think of me now. If you'd like to read that you can do so here  and I believe that my teenage self would be ecstatic. 

Of course, turning a quarter century old, I have done some reflection and I am excited about where my life is headed and I am very happy with where I am now. I enjoyed the entire weekend as if all three days were my birthday and here are some pictures to prove it. 

Friday:

On Friday I snagged first floor parking in the garage (which only happens every blue moon and just so conveniently on my 24th birthday also), my coworkers decorated my desk with a banner and four birthday signs to bring in the big 25! I went for an awesome 3+ mile walk, as usual, and it was a magnificent 80+ degree day. When I got back from my walk my coworkers surprised me again with a scrumptious birthday cake (three layers: chocolate bottom, cheesecake filling and chocolate top with chocolate icing)! Once off work I met my amazing boyfriend and we had our normal Friday Night Date Night at Ye Ole Fashioned and ate until our hearts were content and our stomachs were about to bust!


Saturday:

So, Saturday morning we woke up and headed to brunch (I say brunch because we went to a buffet and they were in the process of switching breakfast for lunch; therefore, I received a plate of each)! We then headed to Folly Beach and explored the outermost edges of America! We went to the very end of Folly where neither Nick or I had been and realized it was beautiful up that way and that the waves were a lot better and that's why all the surfers were there instead of where we normally go. Either way it was beautiful and it was overcast which led me to believe it might be that way the entire day (as it was supposed to be anyways) but it wasn't because a few hours later it was sunny and warm! After we spend about half an hour exploring that side of Folly we decided it was TIME! It was time to go get the spray paint and paint the boat I had been wanting to paint and knock off my bucket list for so long. It actually only took around 30 minutes to cover up half the boat's painting and cover it with my writing. 

After writing on the boat we decided to head back to the beach and spend some quality time in the sand and surf! The water was great for a good thigh-high splash and we made sure to get in and we even grabbed some seashells too. We have started a collection in a nice vase since our room is nautical themed.

Once we spent a couple hours at the beach we decided it was time for dinner. I had my eyes set on this quaint-looking seafood restaurant that sits right on the edge of Oak Island Creek. It has a few picnic benches located in the screened-in side porch and all their food is fresh and fried; just how I like my southern seafood. I mean, come on, when you're in the south there is only one way to have your seafood and that is fried! Nick and I split the seafood platter which was enough for Nick and I to split and still have a little left over. We started with an appetizer of she-crab soup and it was so delicious we bought another bowl!

I ate from my first food truck, Tokyo Crepes, (bottom left) and they were delectable. It was a nice dessert addition.

After we stuffed our faces with all the delicious food we then headed to all the tourist-y shops and browsed around until the sun started to set and then we headed back to the beach so we could view the beautiful boneyard beach and the Morris Island Lighthouse. Both of which were on my bucket list!

Boneyard beaches occur when the ocean erodes barrier island shoreline until it is skeletal remains of tree trunks. 

Sunday: 

On my actual birthday Nick and I had Firehouse Subs (each a sub, chips and regular drink) for $11.40ish. If you show your ID at their restaurant you receive a free medium sub. This is a $6 value! Once we had our lunch we traveled to Mt. Pleasant for the Hone and Bee Expo which proved to be very successful! Nick bought the best honey I've ever tasted and I got to sample honey cotton candy! We got to see bees on the hive, sample lotions and candles that are straight from bees' wax and learn about what to plant to attract honey bees. This was all really interesting to me because I did a research paper in college about honey bees and how they are in danger of extinction. 

After we spent some time at the expo we headed over to Baskin Robbins for my praline ice cream birthday cake. The lady did a decent job decorating my cake but smudged my name a little, but she made up for it by using purple icing (my favorite color) even though I didn't tell her.  After dinner we had a celebration with sparkling cider and a slice of ice cream cake while watching Bob's Burgers! I couldn't have asked for a better ending to a wonderful birthday weekend! 

Future:

My boss suggested that I set a goal for myself to accomplish during my 25th year, since turning 25 is a special and monumental event. So, with that being said I have set out to accomplish a big feat I have wanted to finish for a while. I really want to jog an entire 5K. I have done a couple of 5Ks and have jogged some during the event, but hopefully during this year I will be able to prepare appropriately and by the time I turn 26 I will have jogged an entire 5K!

Cheers to a new birthday year and being able to spend it with the man I love!

Thank you, Nick for everything you've done for me over the past year especially making my past two birthdays amazing and rememberable. I love you.