I can still remember the excitement I would feel as a kid having a friend sleepover, but with adulthood in full swing there’s a different thought process that goes through my mind when I think about this event now, especially if it involves that special someone.

1. Time to look like an adult. Because you can’t wear the pj’s you’ve had since middle school. The hole in the crotch, permanent stains, and the fact that they’re now considered vintage is not sexy time. I guess it’s time to rock the grown up set mom bought you last year for Christmas.

2. There are not enough drawers in the world to hide anything and everything you don’t want him to see. So tuck the high school yearbooks under the bed, along with any and all embarrassing pictures, and then keep in mind if he wants to check his email on your laptop that you hide the “Engagement rings I love” folder out of clear view. Not that I have one of those… Great, I guess I’ll just destroy my computer now.

3. They’re here!!! Now you have twelve hours of trying not to toot. Why didn’t you toot before they came? Probably because you don’t want to stink up your place. But now you have to endure the pain of holding in a fart for a full night. You can always pretend there’s someone breaking in, that way you can go “check things out and investigate.”

4. You’ve got a blanket stealer on your hands. So do you steal them back? Do you lie there angry and just shiver all night? On one hand he does look super cute and cozy, on the other hand what the F bomb you blanket stealing think for yourselfer.

5. The middle of the night pee and how to handle. Slooooowlyyyy slide your arm out from under his grip, then grab the headboard using only your upper-body strength to untangle your legs. Then, over the course of the next 20 minutes slide off the bed to avoid startling him. Now you must crawl on the floor to the bathroom avoiding all creaking floorboards, hold a blanket against the door to muffle the flush, and repeat everything in reverse to get back into his arms.

6. The morning poop. Can we just put our bodies in standby mode for the next 12 hours please? Because we both know when the fan is on full blast, the water is running, and possible even the shower for good measure that it’s poopy time. To add insult to injury don’t you just love the condos that have the toilet about three steps away from the pillow?

7. Ummmm I’ve been up for hours so should I wake him up??? Ok it’s 1pm and you’ve already made breakfast, gone to the gym, showered, made lunch, and even done a load of laundry. But seriously dude, are you dead??? Never mind, I see you breathing.

Don’t even get me started on having to pack an overnight bag if you have to sleep at his place. I once brought a suitcase on wheels for a first sleepover with a boy. I made a joke as I was wheeling it up to his door that I was NEVER leaving. FYI boys don’t find these types of jokes funny.

But good news if the sleepover goes well and you decide to let him stick around for food, these chicken nuggets could just seal the deal to open up that engagement ring folder (insert winky face here).

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/3 cup grated pecorino sheep’s cheese (this is the sheep version of parmesan)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Pepper and salt to taste

2 eggs

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into nugget sized bites (you could also do strips)

First up preheat the oven to 350°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Next spread out the cooked quinoa onto your sheet, then into the oven until dry and crispy, about 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep an eye out that it doesn’t go from crispy to burnt.

Once it’s to the crunchiness of your liking, set aside to cool.

Increase the oven temp to 425°F and in a mixing bowl, toss together the cooled quinoa, pecorino, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and salt to taste.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and now for the nugget assembly. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then coat with the quinoa, then place the nuggets onto your baking sheet. Once they’re all coated bake for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, crispy and delicious.

I’d marry you if you made me these… Just sayin’