Hope you have a happy weekend!

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• East Coast, brace yourselves.

• Each of these incredible celebrity photographs tell a story.

• Parenting lessons from around the world . Even as a non-parent, I found this so interesting.

• Is this supposed to be the Big Mac’s secret sauce? Because if so, then YES.

• Be happy you don’t live in any of these.

Over the weekend, I saw Sophie and she is still just as charming. Except only weeks ago, she was this calm little thing that nestled in the crook of your arm and now she’s wild and wiggly and deep into her teething stage. She nips everything at from pinkie toes to chins to boobs. Nothing’s safe from those sharp puppy teeth.

But you can’t help but adore her, even when she’s trying to snack on your calves.

Even my Dad thinks she’s a baby and likes to treat her as such.

She’s a princess and she knows it.

*All photos taken with my iPhone.

I had a second grade teacher named Ms. Mirana*. What I remember most about her was that she was a short, heavy-set woman with big eyes that bulged every time she scolded a student. Her voice was high-pitched and nasal and she wore long, pleated skirts, shiny nude tights and orthopedic shoes every day.

Oh, and one another thing. She didn’t like me. I have no proof of this and she never told me as much, but I felt it at the time and still believe it to this day.

One day, around Christmastime, we were making wreaths out of brown paper bags, ribbon and little accessories. Since Ms. Mirana was using a hot glue gun to stick the decorations on, she had each of us come up to her desk with our paper wreath. It was my turn to get my wreath glued and it just so happened that Chris, the class clown, made some kind of commotion behind me, which prompted me to look back quickly. Well…Ms. Mirana missed and got glue on her desk because, of course, I was the one who diverted her attention. So, naturally, I was the one who was responsible for her mistake. Her argument being that if I wouldn’t have looked back, she wouldn’t have been distracted. Never mind the kid who was jumping on his seat and and wearing his lunch on his head. “See what you made me do! I almost glued my own finger! You know better than to pay any attention to him!” As if that wasn’t enough, she instructed the class to sarcastically thank me. And so everyone, in unison, turned to me and shouted, “Thank you, Jillian!”

At an after-school program, a group of us kids and Ms. Mirana were playing some game where everyone holds hands in a circle and whoever is chosen has to weave their way in and out of the circle until the singing stops (do we know what this game is called?). It was my turn to weave. I ducked under kids’ hands, in and out and in and out. Finally I stopped and looked up, stilll crouching on the ground. For a couple of seconds, I had no idea where I was. I was surrounded by a large sheet of pale pink flowers and…oh no…underwear! Old lady underwear! Bloomers! I was under Ms. Mirana’s pink flower dress. The wind was so strong that day and her long skirt was so wide and flowy that I somehow ended up underneath it without even realizing. “Get out of there!” she yelled, glaring at me as if I somehow planned it. I was mortified. And I never played that game again.

Ms. Mirana had a special reading group in her class called “The Reading Rainbow.” It was exclusively for the best readers in class and students who generally did well on Spelling and Langauge Arts tests, both of which I excelled at and yet I wasn’t a part of it. They would read and discuss stories in a small group in the middle of the classroom, while the rest of us did quiet penmanship practice at our desks. They would have such lively and interesting discussions! How I longed to be reading those same stories and be a part of their conversation. When I asked Ms. Mirana to be invited into The Reading Rainbow, she told me she wasn’t accepting any new students. SHUT. DOWN.

Several years later, I encountered her again after school (I stayed in the same parochial school from 1st to 8th grade). I was talking with a friend of mine about how I loved Buffy and Dawson’s Creek, but didn’t particularly care for 7th Heaven. If you don’t aready know 7th Heaven was a show about a Protestant minister and his family. Very wholesome, very Full House meets Degrassi. I told my friend, “I don’t really like 7th Heaven.” Ms. Mirana, who happened to be listening eavesdropping, yelled out, “Of course you don’t like 7th Heaven! Because it’s about good people and family values, that’s why!” Then she stormed off.

As an adult, I’ve learned to just laugh it off. It’s kinda’ funny! She was a grumpy old lady after all. But it’s certainly something that stands out in my mind, as these were the first few embarassing encounters I had as a kid that I can recall.

My question to you is: ever have a teacher that didn’t like you?

*Names have been changed to protect the guilty

Who said the 80′s were tacky? My mom was absolutely fabulous during that decade (and still is!), as I learned this weekend while sifting through some old boxes of toys, clothes and photos.

Also in those same boxes, I found this hunky specimen. Oh yes.

My mom makes it look so easy. She has done so much for this family without so much as a single complaint. She is nurturing, goofy, patient, extremely huggable and is the best shopping buddy a girl could ask for (When we’re trying on clothes in the fitting room, her best line is “Mmmm..that does nothing for you”. Gotta’ respect the honesty. I’ve since picked up that line when shopping with friends, which I hope they appreciate as much as I do!). At our family get-togethers, she’s the one working hard behind the scenes, cleaning and making things comfortable for everyone. And she also makes the meanest bowl of comforting rice with milk (even better than my grandmother’s, ssshhh). She is so much more than I could possibly ever put into words here. There isn’t enough space or time to express it! Thanks Mom for being your lovely self.

Hope you all have a happy weekend!

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• This is by far the best thing I’ve seen all week. Be prepared to fall in love with every second of this video (Found via Kaity).

• Most awkward handshakes ever. Number 15 made laugh so hard.

• Low carb lunches to battle the mid-afternoon slump.

• Writing advice from the Spice Girls.

• The worst things said by teachers (the comments are equally interesting).

I tried to come up with an anecdote or something to say about these nachos. I couldn’t. Not really. What is there to say except that they are a big fat YUMfest? But nachos are expected to be delicious! It’s hard to mess them up. I don’t think I’ve ever had a plate of bad nachos before.

Wait, scratch that. Those stale round chips with the fake cheese sauce that you find at the movie theater. Those make my stomach turn. Blech.

Note: These are far from that.

Another note: The measurements are appoximate. Use the amount of ingredients you feel necessary to suit your taste. For example, I went lighter on the cheese 1.) to make it healthier and 2.) because the chicken, beans, avocado, tomatoes and cilantro provide more than enough flavor.

Baked Chicken Nachos
serves 2

1 bag of natural corn tortilla chips (you won’t use the entire bag for only 2 servings, so I just eyeball this part)
1/2 large chicken breast (I use a whole because I like to have the option of using more. There’s always chicken leftover so I use that for salads, tacos or chicken tortilla soup).
1-2 tablespoons oilve oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 – 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (again, if you don’t use all of it it can be saved for salads, tacos or chicken tortilla soup).
2 or 3 handfuls of grape tomatoes, sliced
1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, grated
2 small handfuls of cilantro roughly chopped, or to taste
1 avocado pitted and cut into small pieces
1 or 2 spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, paprika and salt.
Place chicken breast in a bowl and evenly coat the olive oil and spice mixture on chicken breasts.
Place chicken on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove and shred using two forks.
Place tortilla chips on a baking tray.
Sprinkle half of the cheese over chips.
Spread the shredded chicken evenly over the chips, followed by the black beans and the rest of the cheese.
Place in oven for about 5 minutes.
Remove and spread the tomatoes, avocado and cilantro evenly over the nachos.
Top with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, if desired.
Serve immediately.

Party food! But also, dinner food! It’s preferable as dinner since you get to hoard them all to yourself. But that’s just me.

I think this might be a record for me. Blog post in which drinks make it into 99% of the photos! How many drinks can we spot?
Just kidding. We’ll stop it right here. My future employer(s) may be looking and shaking their heads. Or my Mom.

Okay, just one more because I love my friends in this picture.
And a pretty awesome rendition of one of my favorite 90′s jams right here, sung by Jen.

I just started watching The Office on Netflix and I now get this whole Jim and Pam fandom. Love them.

Oh and I also just finished the episode in season 3 when Michael wore a women’s suit. I could not stop laughing!

Happy weekend!

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• A cute and casual updo.

• I love Jake Johnson.

• Fellow glasses-wearers, you’ll appreciate this.

• I’ve seen some cool resumes before, but this takes the cake.

• Make your home feel even homier.

• Never thought a fish in a life jacket could warm my heart like it did.