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So, we're still being socially distant and sheltering in place.  We've got a little routine down, but the days run together.  

Captain has taken to it well. He has taken a lot of coronavirus information in and processed it, and he's been strangely cool. He's got all his stuff, all of his people. He still hates Zoom calls, but he's been getting better. I think having a birthday helped - new toys especially video games. This house has always been a videogame-free house, but that's over.  He's doing ok with school.  He hates reading and writing and it's hard to keep him motivated.  Luckily, I've found some worksheets online and an app he really likes that has actually helped him write.  It's too early to see if it's been helping him read.  He's very behind the milestone with reading and writing.  He does love being read to though.

Little Miss is all over the place. She's ok depending on the minute of the day. She misses the structure of school and her friends. We've been doing some cooking and baking which helps. Nothing major, but I think the whir of the mixer helps calm her. 

The photo below is from a visit with my parents who dropped some presents off while maintaining distance in the parking lot of our building. My mom crocheted The Child from The Mandalorian for me (well, the kids, but we're sharing custody).

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2020 #thechild #facemasks

A post shared by April Moore (@princessapr) on May 10, 2020 at 3:03pm PDT

Movies We Watched - Upload

OK, I know that some of these "movies" are really series.  I just didn't want another Label for sorting purposes.  So, as you may have guessed, this latest one is also a series that better get a second season.  The first season ended in a cliffhanger.

So, I recently made my way through all 10 episodes of Upload on Amazon Prime.  I liked it.  I wanted it to be funnier.  The commercials made it seem funnier or quirkier.  Once the plot kicked in, I got more intrigued.  There were some cringe-y, awkward scenes which I don't love, but I liked Nathan and Nora.  I loved Nathan and his niece.  I'm curious about Ingrid.  I didn't like her, but she did make me laugh.  Either way, I think it ended strong and now we'll never know how long we have to wait for another season.  There better be one though.

Movies We Watched - Never Have I Ever

OK, it's not a movie.  It's a tv show.  I almost watched it all yesterday, but I had to go to bed.  I have 3 episodes left.  I'm writing this and making the assumption that the last 3 episodes continues the quality and style of the rest of the series.  I really like this series a lot.  It's funny and clever.  John McEnroe is the narrator which is hilarious.  He also asks as a guide to the characters and the is a great way to explain Devi's culture and inner thoughts to the viewer.  Plus, he's just hilarious.  I love that the show is centered around Devi, but it also breaks and shows you her friends, her family, and her enemies separately so you get a pretty full picture which helps see Devi's strengths and weaknesses.  All the characters are three-dimensional and quirky without being caricatures.  

Movies We Watched - The Half of It

I wanted to see this movie when it was advertised on Twitter awhile ago, and I missed the release date, but I caught it yesterday (it only released 5 days earlier). It was so good. I liked so many things about it. I liked the storytelling and the way it was filmed, almost like a dream. I loved how funny it was, how timeless it seemed. I love a unique love story. I don't want to ruin the ending, but in a story where you may suspect things don't end well, this ends the best way it could and with happiness and optimism. I felt all the feels and ended up crying and laughing all at the same time which is always so glamorous. Plus, now I want to try taco sausage and want dumplings ASAP. I highly recommend this movie on Netflix.

On a sidenote, there was zero authentic Asian representation for me growing up.  I remember reading Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume and was like this girl is Asian and adopted.  What?!  We have a ways to go, but I love some of the offerings out there.  

Movies We Watched - Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I caught Won't You Be My Neighbor? on HBO before it left.  I meant to watch this when it was released and then when it was on cable, but I needed the "Leaving Soon" warning before I actually watched.  I really liked it.  I knew much of it and heard some of it before, but it is always joyful and calming to listen to Mr. Rogers and hear that the joy he gave to me is the same as the joy he gave to everyone else who has ever met him.  

New Food 2020 - Pizza Dough

OK, this one was mediocre.  I think it would be fine with some herbs or with better toppings, but for a plain pizza, it's a bit tasteless.  Still, it's a good dough and consistency.  The kids are it, but they complained about it.  So, for kids to complain about pizza, it is not a win.

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Pizza dough without yeast - all random pantry items. It's good but it needed to be baked longer and was a bit tasteless, good enough for kids! https://pin.it/4kb5GMt

A post shared by A4MinimalEffort (@a4minimaleffort) on Apr 22, 2020 at 4:36pm PDT

New Food 2020 - Skinnytaste Bagels

I liked these bagels. They taste best right out of the oven or air fryer. I think they'd be best as a breakfast sandwich, but they were pretty good plain, too. The kids said they didn't love them, but they ate half of them.

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I made bagels today! I made 2 in the air fryer and 2 in the oven for comparison. https://pin.it/mgfjaRw

A post shared by A4MinimalEffort (@a4minimaleffort) on Apr 26, 2020 at 10:45am PDT

Book Opinion - Dear Girls

My work has organized a book club.  Ali Wong's Dear Girls was our first read.  It was a quick read full of Ali Wong's life and experiences in the form of letters to her daughters.  It was a bit raunchy if you don't know her humor.  If you enjoy clean humor, it is very raunchy.  I liked it.  It was a unique outlook format which is always welcome by me.  I don't know if it was my favorite memoir, but I liked the format, and it was easy to read.  It had overall positive reviews within our group, too.  

New Food 2020 - Molten Chocolate Cakes

We made molten chocolate cakes (twice actually) in the Instant Pot.  So good and so easy.  It's from the book, The Instant Pot Desserts Cookbook from Williams Sonoma. For the recipes in the book, you do need a few special tools.  So, we purchased a silicone trivet, ramekins, springform pan, and fluted cake pan (bundt pan).  Nothing was very expensive.  The trivet and ramekins have multiple uses.  You can use all in the oven if you prefer.  It's nice because baking in the Instant Pot makes smaller servings in the smaller baking pans so we're not stuck with a ton.  The molten chocolate cakes use a ton of eggs, but they don't use much of anything else and we happened to have everything in our pantry.  I'm looking forward to cooking more with this cookbook and trying out more baking in the Instant Pot.

Movies We Watched - Instant Family

I watched Instant Family last night on Amazon Prime.  I had heard good reviews.  I really liked it.  It was funny and touching.  I loved that the parents did so many things wrong which is relatable.  There were definitely things I have heard before about adoption.  That part wasn't only true about adopting foster children.  With so many choices, sometimes, it's hard to settle on something to watch or read, but I'm glad I made this choice.

Podcasts - Fake Doctors Real Friends

We started a Scrubs rewatch and listening along to the podcast, Rake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach + Donald.  It's been so nice rewatching and listening to some behind-the-scenes.  It is one of our favorite shows and good comfort viewing.  If you are a fan of the show, I highly recommend rewatching and listening along.  

Movies We Watched - Fleabag

After obsessing over the tv show, Fleabag, we jumped on the chance to watch the one-woman show of the same name.  I loved that it was still new and funny and touching.  Phoebe Waller-Bridge is just a gift to humanity in her humor and subtlety (and sometimes by not being subtle at all).  She brings such a softness to a brash character and humor to solemnity.  

I will definitely be rewatching the tv show again.  

Quarantine Life

Whelp, the novelty has worn off.  Or life with a pre-teen has hit a valley, or peak.  I don't know.  

It turns out, Captain really likes to have a schedule and a plan.  He gets frustrated with writing and not being perfect which hinders him trying.  He prefers staying home.  Even when we've offered him to go get the mail or take a walk, he prefers to stay inside.  There was some chalk painting on the balcony, but that's about it.  Today, we got a little creative with lessons.  Even though it's Spring Break, I still like to keep him busy.  Today, he got to watch some Penguins of Madagascar and then had to write about his favorite part.  In the afternoon, I had him write a letter to his great-grandparents.  

Little Miss has been super great and making cookies for the family by herself or super emotional.  So, 12 is fun.  She gets a little cooped up and does like to get out to run around the block or walk down to get the mail.  She has been allegedly working and keeps in contact with many of her friends.  

All in all, I can't complain.  They've been good.  It's hard to keep them learning and motivated, but I think they (at least Captain) like the interaction and being around us.  

Husband and I have been having Zoom calls with family.  We've started Schitt's Creek.  I've watched Glow Up, Next in Fashion, and Making It but having trouble concentrating on finishing an actual book.  We've also been listening to the Scrubs podcast and doing a rewatch along with it.  So, that's been fun.

So, we're hanging in there as I hope you all are as well.