#dirty30

if you follow me on instagram, facebook, or any other form of social media out there...you've probably seen most of these pictures and maybe even some details, but in case you haven't...you're in a for a treat (or a long boring post...whichever you prefer).

 

background:

my friend Kelly has a birthday 2 days after my own.  our friend Devin has a birthday on July 12th, but we all have the same zodiac sign.  and since our 23rd birthday, we've celebrated our birthday's together and have since dubbed ourselves "The Cancer Girls."

The "Cancer Girls" L-R: Moi, Devin, Kelly

back in march, I went to lunch with my best friend, Sandi.  we were discussing a lot of 30th birthday's arriving in the summer.  I said "I don't care what I do for my 30th, but I don't want to have to plan it."  Sandi, "I'll do it." 

 

so until this past weekend, Sandi along with 3 other sweet friends planned a big wonderful birthday weekend for myself and the 2 other "Cancer Girls."

 

reveal:

up until a week before the scheduled birthday weekend, the birthday girls had no idea where we were going, what we were doing, who was coming, etc. 

 

we got this in the mail exactly a week before the celebration.

 

that was it.

 

I rushed back to my car from the mailbox, opened my phone and input that location into google.  and this is where it took me...

we were going to CHARLESTON for the weekend!  and if you know me, you know Charleston is probably my favorite city in all the world and luckily, it's only a 3 hour drive away.

 

friday - day one/night one:

the day started at 10:30AM.  4 of us girls packed up and headed to Charleston.



we made a few pit stops and checked in with the other car pool of girls on the way.  we got to charleston around 3:00PM and immediately started the party with a few cocktails in the hotel room. 

 

suprise guest #1 - Andra!

 

Andra went to Pharmacy School with Devin and Kelly and we've all be good friends ever since.  She was one of the party planners and were so glad she got to come join us.

 

we were greeted with 3 huge new striped beach bags full of birthday goodies from the "party planners."

we freshened up and headed out to dinner a block over on King St. and after dinner headed down King to Midtown Bar and Grill to have some drinks and listen to live music and start the weekend shenans.



surprise guest #2 - Cameron! (blonde on left)

 

Cameron was sorority sisters / roommates / suitemates / best friends with Sandi (above R) in college...and basically...if you're friends with Sandi...you're friends with me (and vice versa).  Cameron has lived in Charleston for about a year, so I was hoping she made the surprise guest list.

 

the minute we walked into the bar until the time we got back to the hotel...the party never stopped.  literally.

"The Cancer Girls"

saturday - day two / night two:

we nursed a few hangovers with hotel breakfast and headed out to folly beach for the afternoon around 11AM.

 

surprise guest #3 - Christie!

 

Christie is another good friend that I met through Devin and Kelly while they were in Pharamacy School.  She walked onto to the beach only 5 minutes after our own arrival and we were SO surprised she got to join us.  With a new baby...we weren't sure she would make it, but we were so glad she did!

L:R - Sandi, Andra, ME, Kelly, Devin, Vivian, Kristen, Christie

after tons of sun, loud music (on our part), prancercising, giggles, and boy watching we headed back to the hotel to rest up for saturday night.

 

we had dinner that night on East Bay at Cypress

after a delicious dinner we headed to a bar a few doors down for a few after dinner drinks.

 

surprise guests #4 & #5 - Jessica and Melanie!



I've known these two girls since our Freshman year at University of South Carolina.  Jessica (L) and I randomly had two classes together the first semester of our Freshman year.  Jessica asked me if I wanted to be in her group in Spanish 101...and the rest they say..."is history."  Melanie lived on the same dorm floor as Jessica.  We invited her out one night with us Freshman year and have corrupted her since that night. 

 

Both of these girls live in Charleston and I was hoping they were on the guest list, but I was kept in the dark on the guest list and was so glad to see them show up at the bar Saturday night.

 

sunday - day three:

 

Sunday morning we woke up, packed up and headed close to the water to have brunch at Fleet Landing.

 

 

it was the perfect end to our birthday weekend.  like icing on the cake.

 

Turning 30 isn't so bad when you're surrounded by awesome friends.  I'm truly blessed with amazing friends who made my birthday so special.  I'm not sure how I got so lucky or that I even deserve it, but I'll be grateful for this weekend for the rest of my life.

 

(the best friend / 1 of 4 party planners, Sandi...did a sweet post for us on Friday)