CC: Helping Each Other

Marriage involves give and take relationship and two-way communication.  This is because marriage means synergy of two individuals--- well, one cannot marry oneself, can he? 

My husband and I helps each other in different ways.  The assistance he had given to me that cannot be ignored was when I was pregnant and even after I gave birth to our baby girl.  Since I gave birth through Cesarian (CS), and I should not do any tough chores.  My husband, Jeff, was the one who did most of the household chores, especially the laundry.  He also did most of the cooking (since he got interested in it!).  He also helped me clean the house (and I got him to clean the bathroom sometimes, hehe).  His schedule was working at office on weekdays and doing chores on weekends.  It seemed like he never gets tired.  I was a housewife back then and I wanted to take over the chores but he had always said that he didn't want me to get tired, and he wanted me to focus on taking care of our baby, since she was still an infant back then and I was having lots of eyebugs because of baby's irregular sleeping routines.  But then, I still got to do household chores while he's at the office.  I loved putting things in order in our simple abode.  Hehe.

I was really thankful for having a husband like him who is really willing to help around the house. 

When my baby turned 8 months, I started to search for work, because I wanted to help our family financially.  Though Jeff's salary was just enough for our basic needs, we thought that it would be better if we could have extra money for extra expenses and savings.  Now I got work (and left our home to live with my in-laws because it would be nearer to our workplaces), and somehow, even though I have lower salary than him, I still get to manage to chip in even a little amount for miscellaneous expenses.  And  I guess, in that small way, I could eventually help out my husband financially.  I am also thinking of a sideline so that I could have extra cash for our family savings.

Hmm...what I like best about helping each other is when both of us take turns in taking care of our daughter, Rian.  When Jeff knows I'm tired or doing some assignments or just so I could take a short break for myself, he would be the one entertaining and playing with our daughter.  But then, the bathing and diaper changing parts would always be my chore (except for the times when I'm not yet back home from the office).  It's a routine we do which we enjoy a lot.  Because when we help each other out in taking care of our baby, and even in other ways, we feel much more of a family.

Happy Couples Corner Meme blogging! :)

 

The Daddy and The Baby

Among the baby pictures my daughter has with her daddy, this one's my favorite.  It was taken when my baby was 2 months old.  At her young age, she could already sleep on her side, and copy her daddy's sleeping pose! Haha!  Ok...I know that she was not aware of what she was doing, but the sight of that two adorable persons I love most with the same sleeping pose really made me smile. So cute! Ang kulet talaga!  The moment I saw them sleeping together like that, I hurriedly grabbed the camera and took a shot of them.  And when my husband woke up, I let him see the picture and he was also delighted.  It's one of those kodak moments we had ever seen in our lives!

For those who first encountered the term kodak moments, it means a special, priceless captured shot (by camera or video) which is not directed, nor edited. According to http://www.urbandictionary.com/, kodak moment  is a rare, one time, moment that is captured by a picture, or should have been captured by a picture.  And that special picture above is one example of it!

Somehow, that picture reflects the similarities of my husband and my daughter in terms of personality.  Both are hard headed and very persistent.  They never stop until they get what they wanted.  My husband loves computers and other techi gadgets...I think, my daughter would like them too.  Hey, whenever I place my baby infront of the computer, she would always want to press the keys.  And she also gives a lot of effort to grab our cellphones and play with them! Haha! Hmm...what else...well, they say that my baby looks more like me.  But when she's asleep, she looks like a mirror image of her daddy.  They both have the same facial expression while sleeping.  Not to mention same pose, as well!

It's not just the picture that gives me extra joy, but also the times when they bond together (whether playing and laughing together, until the baby cries and so, my husband would pass her to me).  I love the sight of them together.  I hope they would not just be father-daughter, but also best friends.  I really love those two very important persons in my life---my husband and my daughter.  Daddy and baby.  I consider myself lucky to have them! :)

P.S. Now that my baby is 8 months old, she does more than copying her father's sleeping pose.  She can now hug him while they are sleeping, as well.  Someday, I'll be going to take a shot of another kodak moment--- a picture of the daddy and the baby embracing each other while sleeping.  Nice idea, right? :)

Food Safety in the House

My husband is the one who cooks meals while I am the one who wash the dishes.  He practically owns the kitchen, while I practically own the rest of the house (haha!).  Yup, he's the cook...but I'm his trainer.  I was the one who taught him to cook--- adobo, sinigang, and his favorite tinola.  And since he has found a passion for cooking, I just let him do the kitchen thing.  Now, he prepares meals other than what I taught to him (his favorite dish to prepare is Japanese!).  Of course, he searches recipes from the internet.  But the recipe is just the thing he learns.  I believe there's much more to learn about being a chef/cook other than the recipe itself.  One must also be informed about food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses.

I became an employee of a food service company, and I was the one who started to create their manual on Food Safety.  That's why I was very particular in that aspect.  As my husband's "trainer", I always remind him the right way to handle foods so that the meals he would prepare would not just be delicious, but also safe to eat.  He follows my advice...but only for a while.  Probably because he wants his food to be done as fast as he can.  Napapakunot noo nalang ako kapag hindi nya sinusunod yung mga sinasabi ko.  I just tell myself that someday, I'll make him attend cooking classes so that he would learn the importance of food safety rules.

Here is the list of some Do's and Don'ts in handling foods:

1. First rule in cooking: wash your hands!

2. To lessen bacteria in thawing meats, do not soak meat in water.  It's better if you just leave it in a container for few hours at room temperature (but not overnight!) or better yet, place the meat in the refrigerator/chiller overnight.

3. In thawing, place the meat in the lowest part of the refrigerator shelf and away from other foods so that contamination would be avoided.  Remember, raw meats have bacteria in them.

4. Use separate knife and chopping board to chop vegetables and cut meats.  If you only have 1 knife and chopping board, cut first the veggies then the raw meats.

5. Always check the expiration date of the items you buy!

6.  First in, first out rule: use the oldest item first before the ones you recently bought.

7. Avoid placing food on the floor, even though they are in a container or plastic bag.  Dusts and insects could climb on it...you never know.  Place them on the kitchen counter or table.

8.  Store your foods promptly.  For refrigerator storage chart, you can use this link: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/pages/utilities/docs/rf_storage_chart.pdf.  For shelf life of leftover foods, open this link: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/pages/utilities/docs/calculator.pdf.  Wow, I can't wait to print and stick them on our refrigerator!

9.  When purchasing canned and bottled goods, check, not only their expiry date but also their form.  If there are dents, cracks, or other malformations/deformities, do not purchase them.  (Dents can be a sign of chemical reactions in the container which can be harmful to the body).

10.  Keep the kitchen area clean after preparing meals.  This is to avoid insects to crawl all over the place.

For more information on food safety tips, you can visit http://www.homefoodsafety.org/.

Food safety should not just be contained in food service and food manufacturing, but should also be practiced at home.  It's important because our children would eat the foods we personally prepare...and of course, we wouldn't want our children to have foodborne diseases (and we don't want tummy aches on ourselves too!).  The enjoyment of eating is in the hands of the food maker.  I'll make my husband realize that more.