Meet @ the Barre Life + Style blog by Amanda Elizabeth

A look back•Birthday Fun•Lifestyle

A Look Back At Birthday’s Past- A Travel Through the 20’s

July 2, 2014
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Three days y’all it’s about to get real.  The idea came to me for the post from that timehop app.  I don’t have it but I probably should it’s fun to see some throw back pictures are where you were at that time in your life.  I thought it would be fun to take an embarrassing trip down memory lane, especially the beginning half of the decade.  Would you like to join me?

Oh also linking up with Kathy today because honestly is there any better confessions than old embarrassing photos?

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(oh that necklace I wore it on repeat…why??? I wish I knew)
 

I was living in Gainesville and going into my Junior year.  I had gotten into an Honors research program for the College of Nursing. Gainesville in the Summer is the best time to be there, less traffic, you can actually go to Publix and the bartenders servers remember your orders.  I had a nice routine that Summer, get up go to the gym, pool, log some research hours, take a nap and then head out…..rinse and repeat it was pretty stellar.  I celebrated my 20th with my big big in my Sorority who I was inseparable with that Summer out I believe at the Swamp.  20 though seriously…..I mean does this one even count?  You’re not 21 so you can’t legally drink and you are no longer in your teens.  Blah this age in general is kind of uneventful.

21

I mean were my friends not the cutest things ever?  They kept it a surprise and came out dancing to some song with those shirts on.  They had to buy extra letters for all the extra A’s hahahaha.  My birthday night Gainesville was a ghost town (no problems easier access bar), we wore the exact same outfits the next night (I mean if no one saw it…it doesn’t count right) and had two 21st birthdays it was pretty epic. Thank goodness Facebook hadn’t taken off yet….that is all I have to say.  My friends made me a laminated sign of things I had to do….clearly I surround myself with people just as Type A/OCD as myself (or Nursing gals same thing).

Oh and that crown was legit.  Not like plastic….it was heavy.  It got passed on throughout the birthdays and unfortunately got broken Mean Girls style at the prom….I think Gretchen Weiner even got a piece of it.
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I don’t particularly remember the logistics of this one.  I have an album labeled “It’s not your 21st Birthday again“….so I’m pretty sure it was this night.  We were all in costume, it would make sense.  This was my last Summer in Gainesville before I moved to Philadelphia for Grad school

Or it could have well very well been this night where I wasn’t dressed like a beauty pageant Queen.

23

In Philadelphia getting my Masters degree at University of Pennsylvania.  We had sushi at our favorite place Raw (I know so original) and then headed out to Old City.  This was also the start of the birthday cup tradition.  It is still kicking.  That thing has been across the country, in very potentially breaking situations and it has survived!

(can you tell where Facebook starts kicking in?)
 
24-27
 
I was now living back in Florida.  They pretty much all blur together.  Those were the days I would go out in 4 inch heels and dance…..all night.
Where you would be out by the pool all day having fun.
Then actually have enough energy to go out at night (the days…..)
(look an actual digital camera not iPhone for pictures…..are you sick of the birthday cup yet?)
I believe is this also around the birthday I let someone “professional” do my makeup and I looked like a tranny at a bad drag show…..luckily there isn’t much evidence of it (it was a sweet gesture just a little much for what I usually wear).
Oh and it was seemingly tradition to sing karaoke.  Don’t worry that is the dress another year.  I got some serious mileage out of that thing.  I think I leant it to someone and it never came back (probably the universe trying to tell me something).
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Mark and I had been together for about 6 months and he suggested we go somewhere together for our birthdays (mine is the 5th and his is the 11th).  So we went to Chicago.  This was big time.  First travels together.  He didn’t believe me that I could fit everything into one carry on suitcase….I’m an excellent packer and my tiny dresses don’t take up that much room.  We went to Sunda for my birthday and the Signature Room for drinks.  It is still to this day one of my favorite trips.
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Back to the city we love (this is also the time on Facebook where you stop putting pictures into albums and just mobile upload….you totally know what I’m talking about).
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Back to Chicago!  Then home to celebrate with my friends and family as well.  Thanks for sticking with me through that picture heavy post.  There were so  many pictures to choose from but the majority of the ones in the younger years involved perhaps things like keg stands in bathing suits….while wearing a giant sized clock Flavor Flav style (I wish I knew how that clock got there).  Looking back has definitely reminded me how many amazing people I have had in my life over this last decade who really went out of their way to make my birthday be unbelievably special.  What was your favorite birthday?  Was Facebook around for your 21st?  xoxoxoxoxo
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Comments

  2. Love this! And haha to all the Facebook updates. Facebook was around for my 21st but lucky for me I didn’t have an account until after that night was over.

  3. i need to step up my bday game! i try to do something different every year. one year there was a surprise party, which i thought was really sweet.

  4. Happy Almost Birthday! I loved the throwback pictures, Facebook was around for my 19th birthday (we get to jump on the party train a little earlier here), there are definitely some, interesting, pictures from that night!

  6. I love all these photos!! I’m so happy that you didn’t have one of those signs for your 21st birthday with the task list…I always felt so bad for those girls haha!! Your birthday just keep getting better and better as they should!! Summer A/B in G-ville…there is nothing better! xo

  8. Love all of these birthday memories!! So fun! Don’t worry, I had a few “blurry” ones in there myself. <– Does that mean we’re getting old? ;) Hope you guys have an amazing time in Chicago!!

    <3, Pamela
    sequinsandseabreezes.blogspot.com

  9. I loved this post! It was so neat to see all these changes in your life captured through your birthdays. You look gorgeous in all the pictures! Here’s to the big 3-0 being the best birthday yet!

  10. Love this post!! It’s so fun to look back at birthday celebrations. I went to Sunda for my 23rd birthday in Chicago and have spent every birthday there for the past 4 years! Crazy!!

    Maybe I’ll see you this weekend since I’ll be in Chi town too!!!

    xo, Jen
    http://www.comfortably-chic.com

  16. Your commentary is seriously the best. A digital camera?! Whaatttt? Oh to have the energy to spend the day poolside and then stay out until 3 AM. I couldn’t do that if I tried now. #byecollegedays

  17. The few things I’ve taken from this post: 1) you have really awesome friends. 2) your birthday celebrations ROCK MY FACE OFF and 3) you are freaking gorgeous at any age! Happy almost birthday, friend!! (I also have to comment on all the boobies from your 21st bday! You know we’re 21 when…. haha)

  18. Such a fun photo recap! I don’t even know if I have all these birthday pics. They might need to be developed. ;) Happy almost 30th!

  19. I love the look back. Love you made tanks for all your friends :) & the Mean Girls reference… but did Glen Coco get anything? :)

  25. Isn’t it so much fun/slightly humiliating to look back at old birthday photos? Thank the Lord Facebook wasn’t around for most of them (gah does that make us old?) because I’m sure I would have never lived down actual proof of some of my shenanigans!

  27. Fun! I love that you can look back to college on facebook, but it’s dangerous at the same time. I definitely have some cringe-worthy pics from crazy college days (or nights rather). Love Sunda – we went there for my bachelorette party dinner. So good.

  28. This is awesome, so fun to look back on years of birthdays! Your friends seem like such awesome people! All my birthday celebrations during university were so strange because my actual birthday was in the summer when all of my roommates lived far away, and my half birthday was during Christmas break – so I’d always choose an arbitrary day in January to celebrate my “fake-half-birthday” haha.

  30. What a great idea! You have so many great pics and really take advantage of your birthdays! I also love noting the changes in facebook, haha!

  32. great idea love this post! FB was around on my 21st but I feel like photo albums were a lot harder since I had to upload from my digital camera haha. And UGH I had a terrible necklace that is in every picture from my 20th year of life. Like whyyyy

  36. How fun that you have all of these pictures to look back on, thanks for sharing them with us! Since I’m going to be disconnected until next week, have a FABULOUS birthday girl! Have so much fun in Chicago :)

  41. Have a wonderful birthday!! Be sure to document if there are any keg stands done during your 30th celebration ;)

  43. i feel like i grew up with you, fabulous. also you look the exact same as you did when you were 20, except for the hair and the tans ;)

  45. hahahaha! Keg stands in bathing suits – definitely been there! ;) What a great post idea! On a serious note, you look the same! Haven’t aged a bit! Lucky! ;) First of all, I love that you have a birthday cup and it’s stuck with you over the years! How fun! And those tank tops your girlfriends made?! Hilarious! Every year looks like a blast! I hope this year is just as awesome, if not the ultimate best birthday ever! Facebook was definitely not around for my 21st! But it was for my 22nd! I’m not really sure which birthday is my most favorite though! Timehop recently reminded me of some great pics of my 22nd and 23rd and 25th and I think those stand out the most :)

  48. Aw this was such a great idea for a post. Love traveling down memory lane with you :) this pics are fab, and you look gorgeous as ever, of course! And yes that Facebook photo upload thing is too true haha :)

  49. I loved the birthday memories. It is so great you have your birthday pictures. I think most of the ones I have are from the one’s I added to facebook.

  50. You sure found a lot of photos, considering that some of the years were pre-facebook. I don’t know what my favorite birthday was, maybe it’s still to come. One year on my birthday I went out wedding dress shopping with my mom and all my little sisters because I’d gotten engaged 3 weeks earlier…that was a pretty fun one!

  55. What would we do without Facebook to remind us of all our PLD we made when we were younger?! Loved the throwback pics and love that you and Mark come to Chicago for your birthdays! Nick and I’s are only 3 weeks apart so maybe we should steal your idea and go somewhere each year :)

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