Day Two Hundred

And on Day Two Hundred of this whole ::sigh::

What is this we're doing right now? I actually don't know the answer. There's a global pandemic or something? Except that not all of us believe it's a thing to worry about? I DON'T KNOW. If I think about it too much, I might Kool-Aid Man my way through a few brick walls out of pure rage.

ANYWAY.

Mila decided to use Day Two Hundred to ask some questions.

Lots of questions.

It started because we were talking about the holidays coming up. I have already told the girls that Halloween is going to be weird and we've moved towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. They ... aren't going to be normal. There's no point in pretending that everything is going to magically be better in a few months. It's very safe to assume that there won't be a mall Santa, for example. I'm leaning towards thinking any sort of travel to visit family will be a very bad idea ... you get the gist. I'm taking the stance that we should prepare for the worst and maybe we'll be able to find a few bits of normal here and there.

So, I was laying out the foundation so I can start building a skyscraper that might be something less than disappointing. Mila was definitely picking up what I was saying because all of a sudden, she yelled, "For crying out loud! How many holidays is this virus going to mess up?"

Oh, that's a very good question, my dear Mila. I'm pretty confident Christmas is going to be jacked ... and Alexis' birthday ... but what about Easter? I genuinely can't answer that question. We'll be able to hide eggs and all of that, but will there be an Easter Bunny at the mall? And will that Easter Bunny be willing to have hundreds of tiny little germ factories breathing on him?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

But Mila went down all the rabbit holes. She had questions about Santa and bunnies and then she went there. Yes, THERE. She asked why exactly it is that we're still having to do all of this stuff. She has enough awareness to know that if we would all just stay home for a few weeks and wear masks, the "germs wouldn't be able to find new people and keep spreading."

It's swell when a six-year old can piece together data to come up with a COVID-19 plan while politicians can't. JUST SWELL.

Day One Hundred Ninety-Nine

A few things about this photo.

1. Mila has suddenly decided that this awkward winky face thing is a good look. I vehemently disagree, but I know better than to tell her that because then she will do it ALL of the time. So, enjoy that face. It's probably going to last a few weeks.

2. WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL? WHY DOES MILA SUDDENLY LOOKS SO GROWN UP? I did not approve this development.She almost looks more like a kid than a baby which is entirely unacceptable.

3. Mila has not, for a single second, tolerated anything even remotely resembling the world of Harry Potter. She won't listen to Alexis read the books. She won't watch a movie. AND YET. Mila is completely obsessed with Hedwig. She is obsessed to the point of having a stuffed Hedwig (which, admittedly, I bought for her ... while I was at Platform 9 3/4 in London BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID ::flexes international travel muscles:: ::Oh, wait. COVID ended that. SOB.:: ). She also has leggings covered in Hedwig, pajamas, and that sweatshirt. It's ... a lot. It's especially a lot since she doesn't care about the actual character. To make it more bizarre, now the kid wants to be Headwig for Halloween.

I do not have the mental capacity to figure out that equation, especially three weeks before what is likely to be the most bizarre Halloween of all time. So ... how do I incorporate that winky face into a Halloween costume? Because focusing on that seems like a REALLY good idea considering all the insanity that's going on around us.

Day One Hundred Ninety-Eight

I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but Fresh Thyme. If you have not yet discovered Fresh Thyme, you should because they win for inexpensive, fresh produce. For example, this week they have peppers for $1 each. That means it is time for stuffed peppers. That doesn't mean I've forgiven Aldi for shutting down Bottom Dollar, by the way. I'm still cranky about that one.

Still, Fresh Thyme is like Whole Foods, but with better produce. So go get you some.

(This isn't sponsored, by the way. I ain't got time for that sort of stuff anymore.)

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

10 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow ... whatever)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package extra firm tofu - drained, pressed, and cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded jack cheese

1. Clean the peppers, cut off the tops, and remove the seeds. Set on a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Then sauté the tofu about five minutes. Add the onion and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is lightly browned and the onion is clear. Add the corn and black beans. Top with the lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir it all up and then spoon into the peppers you set aside. Top with shredded cheese.

3. Bake the stuffed peppers at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is well melted and the peppers are your version of "just right."

4. Pro tip - get yourself a high school freshman who likes to cook so she can just do this whole thing for you. IT'S MAGICAL.