Good Times Never Seemed So Good

Do you recognize this sweet face?
Yep, it's Brandy Lou and she is now officially 21 years old!

A whole quality crew of lady friends got together to celebrate!
Dawn and Mama Kel - sisters!

Bobbi and I - she takes a better picture than I do for sure!

Steph was there for a short time, but just long enough to make me laugh!

Maura & Micaela showed up too!
It was a hell of a group!

I decided that the one thing Brandy needed above anything else was a pair of gratuitously large, diamond studded cat eye glasses!
Any good party has a quirky prop that everyone can enjoy!

And let me tell you, Ashley found her look!

Mama Kel shielding the camera's flash from revealing how sheer her shirt actually was...

Like Ashley, Dawn really worked the frames!

Well, it's actually a good look for anyone...

See...

Told ya!

And me...yeah, I got a new prescription.

A load of responsibility comes with wearing glasses like these.
Steph can handle it!

So, we met up at Armida's...a joint known for karaoke!
We perused menus, ordered meals and drinks, and then got down to the business of picking our signature songs!

They have a pretty decent selection of music!

At first, a lot of dudes crooned their hearts out...

While we shot the shit and compared nail polish!
Brandy and I instinctively wore complimentary polishes...because we're synced like that!

Despite what I've read on Yelp and heard from people about Armida's...my dinner wasn't too shabby!

Bobbi had the weakest, saddest bean burrito I'd ever seen in my life.
I felt sad about it!

I wasn't the only one happy with my meal!

After we'd sufficiently stuffed our faces...we started signing up for songs...

dancing...

and yucking it up!

Delicious Dia, a founding member of the Ladies Drinking Society, finally showed up!
I'd been waiting for her sweet face!

And Dawn entertained us with a variety of ways one can wear a pair of giant, diamond studded cat eye glasses!

She pretty cute!

Yep, I'm convinced!

I'm pretty sure Maura is playing air drums right here!

Brandy was the first of our group to get up and risk singing in front of this dicey crowd.
And let me tell you, Brandy Lou killed it...every time she sang!
She has a gorgeous voice and you could see the fellas, all over the room, swooning and drooling!

Bobbi and I had to make sure we could see her up there...

I'm all about a clear view!


Bi-focals?

Maura and I needed a little liquid encouragement...karaoke can be a touch intimidating!
Bobbi looked on kindly enabling.

Just what I needed...a shot!

However, it looks like the shot helped Maura...

Kelly flashing her particular brand of Aurora gang sign!

When someone sang something especially wonderful...we all sung along...
How can you help it when you hear someone belting out 'Sweet Child O' Mine'?

Those glasses really bring out the best in me...

Meg showed up - she's a musical powerhouse! She made us look good!
Maura ninja-ing...



Brandy Lou, Bobbi, & I sang 'Here Comes Your Man' and let me say, I LOVE THE PIXIES...but I'm not cut out to sing that song.
Bless Brandy for rescuing us from karaoke purgatory!

Mama Kel's dance moves.

Would you believe that Dawn didn't have 1 single drink.
She slammed club soda after club soda and then chased those with giant mugs of icy cold water.
TRUE PARTY ANIMAL!

As we usually do...we made some friends!
Maura cozied up with Nedra!

And Rick was totally a good sport!

The DJ reluctantly put the glasses on...I think he thought it was a trick.
SUCKER!

I think this gentleman's name was James...and he was MADE for these frames!
He yanked them out of my hand like they belonged to him!


I love Maura's face in this pic!
And Meg, you can practically hear her complaining about someone hacking The Cranberries!

Out of focus, but you can clearly see how amazing these ladies are!

Maura B - Totes my partner in crime!

She even gave me a piggy back ride!

She asked me to call this one, "Look Ma, no hands!"...

I don't know why I let people take pictures of our butts.

I love how Dawn and Delicious Dia are carefully obscuring Kel's shirt!

That rogue hand is Mary's...it was Mary's b-day too!

Foxy Franny!
Another OG Ladies Drinking Society member!

Work it!

It's not fun unless someone sings in a beer bottle or a butter knife!


"SWEEEEEEET CAROOOOOOOLINE!"

I love Bobbi's moves!

Neil Diamond protege!

Patsy Cline incarnate!

Sadly, this schmo was no Cyndi Lauper!

Brandy & I had to pitch in on 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'...because we know what the song is all about!

And then...Brandy killed it again!
'Criminal' by Fiona Apple - and holy crap, I could listen to this fine lady friend of mine sing all day long!
She's amazing!

Modelo made everything better!

Brandy & I singing Cher.

Meg & I singing 'Welcome To The Jungle'...and let me tell you, Meg will "Sha-na-na-na-na" your ass off!

I'm just back up and dance moves...

Pretty delicious, right?

Maura really took it next lev by doing her rendition of 'Push It' by Salt 'n Pepa.

That's birthday Mary and sweet Ashley - back up dancers extraordinaire!

Darcy pitched in on the grinding!

These ladies know what to do!

YES!

Even Maura busted out!

Go Ashley!

And last, but certainly not least, Micaela and Meg did a rippin' rendition of 'Call Me'!
Debbie Harry has some serious competition with these ladies!

It's awesome when so many people in your group are such talents!

Sadly, my camera crapped out...the batteries ran low and kept me from documenting Foxy Franny and Delicious Dia doing their version of Bel, Biv, Devoe's 'Poison'!
I felt like I was in 9th grade again!

What I was able to capture was some of my favorite people laughing, singing, and raising hell!
It was such a treat to celebrate with Brandy...she is a young woman that I'm honored to know!
And honestly, Brandy's lucky to have us too! We may look like a wicked band of banshees, but we love hard and forev!

Happy Birthday, Brandy Lou! I hope we didn't embarrass you too much!
xox