The year was 1996...

...And it was a magical year to be me.

-Hello contacts.

-Good-bye braces.

-Farewell Algebra 1 (Oh wait, you passed because you can sweet talk your way out of anything. You will have to retake this again in 9th grade - and still struggle for a B. Sucker.)

-Shortalls. (You stay classy.)

-Nice jorts combo with the socks and loafers. (Photo likely taken in 1995.)

-Thank goodness for TGIF (The best line up: Full House, Step By Step, Boy Meets World, and Perfect Strangers. NO thank you Family Matters and Sabrina the Teenage Witch)

-I love Saturday Mornings on TNBC. (Teen NBC - Saved by the Bell, Hang Time, California Dreams)

-Girl Scout trip to home of Girl Scout Founder Juliet Lowe in Savannah, Georgia. Entire trip paid for with cookie sales. Boo-yah.

-Socks + Sandals = a winning look. Lookin’ good.
-Way to graduate 8th grade from a small private school and enter a big and scary 5A public school. (Making it through the 1st day of high school without being shivved and only sobbing once - VICTORY! Shank you, shank you very much.)

-No more practicing piano at 6:15am. "We were on a break!" (Read: QUIT)

-Hooray for pithy journal entries that say things like: "This is my link to the past..." Thank you Captain Obvious.

-HAIR FAIL. Perm.

-Filling out an application to be the Brio girl was an absolute highlight. Dear Susie: pick me!

-LYLAS. Love you and you and you...like a sister. (Don’t read into that too much, Val and I still side hug.)