I feel like I am just now finally recovering from all the birthday festivities which really shows my age. They did last almost 2 weeks straight in my defense.
As I’ve said before, there are no secrets in our household. Never have been and up until now, I wasn’t sure there ever would be. I have on many occasions tried to hint at John that I would really love for him to take me to The Mill Pond out in Boykin. Surprise or not- I just wanted to go! So, riding to work one day it hit me- I’m going to surprise him and take him to Mill Pond. Which turned into I’m going to surprise him, have the Mill Pond limo pick us up with a handful of his best friends to surprise him there when we arrived. This was a good 3-4 weeks out. I just knew I could not keep this from him. Those handful of friends were now in on the secret and I knew there was not a chance he would truly have NO idea.
Side note: He conveniently surprised me with granite counter tops Friday, the same day this surprise was set to take place. Really? There may have been a few “Well, I have a surprise for you too but I’m not telling”. {Another post on that coming soon!}
I had a half day at work and before I could head back to Camden I met some of the girls at my parents to set up for Sarah and Rob’s Shower. On my way home, I picked up some beer for the limo ride and planted it on Ben and Liz’s back porch. Ben, Will, Suzanne and Coy were riding in the limo with us.
This is when it gets good. Not only had John talked all. freakin’. week. about what he was going to order at Outback, I had to sit and play it cool during every Outback commercial that came across the TV. I told him we had reservations at 8:00 in Columbia so we needed to leave by 7:30. AKA the limo would be at the house at 7:30 to pick us up with said friends already inside. 7:00 comes and he tells me he is going to load up Sulley and get ready so we can leave. Suzanne texted me when they were on their way around 7:25. I was super nervous because I just knew I’d cave and accidentally give it away at the last minute so I kept my space pretending like I was still getting ready. The next thing I know John is be lining it down the hall asking why there is a limo in the drive way. Surprise number 1- SUCCESS! 
I handed him a note with a few clues and an Outback gift certificate. I knew I wasn’t getting out of Outback that easy so I planned ahead and bought a gift certificate to reassure him we would eventually go. We headed to the limo where he was greeted by a BIG surprise! I finally told him we were going to Mill Pond and that his friends had been in on the secret! He still had no clue there would be more friends waiting at the restaurant. 
He didn’t realize this surprise was more like the gift that kept giving and was shocked to find Stephanie and Phillip waiting and later Todd, Jill and Liz! We were ready for a fun night and this view was not so bad either!
The waitress caught wind that it was John’s birthday and that he was expecting to be at Outback eating blooming onions that night. With the help of the chef, she surprised the whole table with a twist on the good ole’ blooming onion! It was delicious! We had such a fun night with our friends and to my surprise John was not disappointed. He must have told me 25+ times since that it was the best birthday he’s ever had which was music to my ears!
The next weekend we headed to Charleston to celebrate John’s '”Sandy Point” Birthday. I rarely use my canon anymore and this weekend was no exception. I did make sure to capture a handful of pictures on my phone though!
I took off Friday so we could head down early and enjoy some relaxing beach time.
The view totally made up for the fact that we were shackin’ up in the La Quinta Inn. In our defense, it is the only reasonable hotel within walking distance of Ripley Light Marina where we put the boat in.
On the way to Red’s for dinner and baseball
Camden boys
boat ride to Sandy Point
Dinner at Coast before a fun night out
And there you have it- John’s never ending birthday festivities.
Until next year…
