Yesterday, while most people were at the bar downing green beer I went to the tattoo shop for a little torture. You see, my cupcake was getting very lonely hanging out on my arm all alone. I made it though the outline, shading and coloring in the leopard spots before I was shaking too much to sit any longer. I’m going back in a month to have the ice cream, lollipop and candy colored in.

After my appointment I went to my parents house where my mom and brother were watching Slayer. We pulled lawn chairs out of the garage and sat in the driveway for a good hour enjoying the beautiful weather. First time this year! I had dinner with my family and then spent the rest of the night reading in bed.

I’ve been craving soft pretzels for the past few days, so I decided today was the day to conquer my fear of yeast. I used Alton Brown’s recipe since he is some sort of food genius. Getting the yeast going was a little bumpy, so I’m glad I had three packets…all of which I used. One my first try I didn’t read the directions carefully and stirred the yeast. FAIL. Second try, I think the water was a little too warm because it didn’t foam at all, just thickened a bit. Third try the yeast got all clumpy and sank. So I used the yeast mixture from try number two.

I was a little excited to get to use my dough hook. Best invention ever! I just dumped everything in the bowl, turned it on and it was mixed and kneaded perfectly. I let the dough rest for 55 minutes, but it didn’t even come close to doubling in size. I decided to just go with it. I formed the pretzels, boiled them, covered them in egg wash and salt and threw them in the oven.

After about 10 minutes the smoke detector started going off and I had to run downstairs for the step ladder and figure out how to make it stop. I used the same technique everyone uses when they’re frantically trying to make it stop screeching…I knocked it off the wall. Problem solved!

When the timer went off I opened the oven and VOILA! perfect golden brown chewy delicious pretzels!!

There was just one teensy problem…they were stuck to the parchment paper…so my pretzels are now bottom less. Not terribly attractive, but still so good.

Two things I’ll do differently next time – Instead of using parchment paper I’ll just put them right on an oiled pan and I’ll keep an eye on them in the last three minutes because they cook really fast at the end.

Speaking of eyes…check out the red shadow I’m rocking today. It’s a sample I received in my Aromaleigh order. For all the crazy color eyeshadow I wear I don’t think I’ve ever gone out in red. Kinda love it!

These 3D glasses are just a little ridiculous.

Yet Mae somehow managed to make the glasses look cool.

Then it was over to Bahama Breeze for dinner where SuperGirl met up with us. We all ordered fruity frozen drinks while we waited for a table. Mandy ended up with a dirrrty mojito. Which we pronounced phonetically and laughed like 10-year-olds.

Drinkies make bloggers very happy.

I feel so lucky to have met all these girls. They are some of the sweetest ladies I know and I can’t wait to hang out again!

mini ruffle dress + yellow studded clutch + Iron Fist Muerte platforms + blue stripe slip dress
sequin leggings + space leggings (for circus class of course!) + Motel Matilda dress

Also – if you’re looking to burn a little cash, SelfishStyle.com is offering SillyGrrl readers 15% off with coupon code “sillygrrl” and they have free shipping! Both are good for 6 months.

The weather is beautiful today. The snow on the deck has melted and I stepped out into a warm breeze for the first time this year. Therefore it was time to try out my new, blue knee socks from WeLoveColors! (w/ a black tee,  gray snakeskin jean skirt from Tripp NYC and black patent pumps from Payless)

This week has been a little exhausting so far. I’ve been coming in early for training, which caused me to wake up without an alarm at 8:30 this morning. I hate to admit it, but I kind of enjoyed being up an hour early…not that I got out of bed or anything. I’ve always been adamant that I am not a morning person, but as long as it’s voluntary and I’m not up before 8am it’s pretty OK. I even had time to make an omelet. Is this a sign of growing up?

Also making my mornings wonderful and a sign of growing up….

That would be my shiny, clean, brand new Scion XD. Love love love!

I can’t remember that this trick is called, but look at that foot lock on the bottom – perfect!

Half-cross = totally terrifying! This trick takes balls more that anything. I know my grip and arm strength will hold me up, but it’s so scary to take my feet off the bar. I couldn’t do it last week, but this week I was determined.

And the full iron cross – even more terrifying because you’re not hanging from anything. I just started yelling once my feet were off the bar and Ria made me do it again so she could take a picture.

I never expect to enjoy this class as must as I did. I’ve never been athletic or one to practice a lot. But this has been such a fantastic challenge that I work every week, stretching and building arm strength, so when I get to class on Sunday I can climb a little higher and stretch a little further. It’s been thrilling and surprising the crazy things my mind and body are doing because it takes as much balls and it does strength.

My pull up bar is going to a lot of use for the next two weeks and then it’s back to the Fly House for another eight sessions!

What a pleasant surprise! I expected the book to be more along the lines of We Were the Mulvaneys or The Heart is a Lonely Hunter – solemn, detailed and deep. But Half Broke Horses is beautiful and charming. Written in first person, Jeannette Walls, gives voice to her grandmother’s wild life.

It details the life of Lily Casey Smith, from her days growing up on a ranch in Texas, to her stint in big city Chicago and back to a ranch with her husband and two children. While most people would have trembled at the thought of leaving home alone at 15, trekking across the country on horseback for weeks and starting life in a new town, Lily jumped at the chance. After enduring flash floods, losing multiple jobs, and sorry excuse for a husband, strong willed doesn’t even cover it. She tells even the darkest parts of her life with humor and spunk.

This book has definitely been added to my life of favorites. I was excited to get home from work every day, hop in bed with Slayer and see what trouble Lily Casey Smith was getting into. Lily’s determination to keep herself and her family afloat is so inspiring and makes me want to get off my butt do something adventurous.

Want to join The Slow Readers Book Club? Click here!

I’m a little explosion of happiness today. I did 5 pull-ups this morning…FIVE!! I’ve never been able to do a pull-up in my life and then this morning I woke up with super strength and did five. I immediately texted my brother, who we call Popeye on account of his muscles, and bragged. To which he responded “time for a new goal http://www.beastskills.com/MuscleUp.htm” Uh Oh!

Other things lighting up my life…

+ sunshine and melty snow + LOST + meeting a rockstar I’ve been in love with since forever ::swoon:: + makin’ out + fake kiddie cocktails + purple nails + homemade guacamole + calls from Japan + sing-a-longs with old friends + stretching on the floor while watching Millionaire Matchmaker + getting on the high trapeze all by myself + gold leopard leggings + Just Dance for Wii + watching my brother dance + wearing my leather jacket instead of huge down coat + selling rings + notes from bloggers + switching cable providers = bill cut in half + puppy jumping in my bed every day at 8am + lace tights + almost crunchy peanut butter + grocery shopping with mom + blue zebra print + making silly videos at work – “I’m not wearing pants!” + bruises on the back of my knees…they hurt, but they still make me happy + starting to watch the second season of True Blood + almost time to ride bikes + leaving work when it’s still light out + Alice in Wonderland!! + Orchid Grey’s hair tutorials + morning solo dance parties +

Also, the first half of my tax return showed up in my bank account this morning and I hope the second half isn’t far behind because then I’ll be able to buy my car! Annnd I have a date tonight with 1/3 of Triple Threat!

OK, tell me something good…

[ Didn't get any full-length pics, but here's the legs - lace tights, leg warmers, lace-up boots.
Not pictured black mini, black tee, black leather jacket. ]

I picked up Jessica and we headed to Royal Oak for the Alkaline Trio show. I love shows like this because everyone comes out of the woodwork and I got to see faces that haven’t been hanging around lately. I saw Cursive live for the first time ever and hung out with my friend Jeremy who introduced me to their music in college.

AK3 played lots of old stuff (Crawl, My Friend Peter, Radio) and I had a great view from behind the sound booth. Jessica’s friend Jason managed to scramble into the audience and grab the set list after the sound guy turned it into a paper plane and sent it soaring over the crowd.

After the show we walked a couple blocks to the bar with hopes that AK3 would show up. Angie had run into Matt earlier in the day and told him he should come hang with us after the show. We loaded the jukebox, played pinball, ate 4 bags of popcorn (best popcorn EVER) and I had a super awkward conversation with some random dude. It goes in the same category of FAIL as my lovely kiss from last weekend. Can I please just have some normal interaction with dudes?

The band finally showed up and I used it as an excuse to get away from Mr. Awkward Pauses. We hung out and chatted, did our best to flirt, and at 2am as we headed out of the bar, Matt invited us back to the bus. Now, not to sound like some skanky groupie, but when the singer of one of your favorite bands invites you back to the bus, YOU JUST GO.

It was a little weird because everyone was chilling out watching “Purple Rain.” Matt made Jessica and Angie drinks and for me, the sober driver, he decided to make a kiddie cocktail. Though what I ended up with was San Pellegrino and pink Gatorade – not so good.

(Love Jessica and her covert picture taking)

We hung out until about 4am, Matt having a tourettes like urge to tell me I looked hot, gorgeous, foxy, etc. He questioned why Angie and I were single, repeatedly told us to never date a guy who doesn’t open doors, showed us pictures of his adorable girlfriend, and said we need to find guys that will take us for a picnic on a grassy knoll. And we were all “Those dudes don’t exist!! Send us some!”

I think I did a pretty good job of keeping my shit together and not spazzing because I was having a conversation with a dude from one of my favorite bands. I cannot really put the amazingness into words, but I pretty much died. And the universe totally made up for creepy-guy-palooza I’ve been dealing with for the past couple weeks. Two thumbs up, Universe, you rock!