Merydith Writes… reviews, about her marriage, parenting, motherhood, career, and more.

An induction cooker is faster and more energy- efficient than a traditional electric cooking surface; since induction heating only heats the pots it is essential to use induction compatible cookware. Because the surface of the cook top is only heated from contact with the cooking vessel, the possibility of burn injury is significantly less than with other cooking methods. Many parents prefer an induction cooker over a conventional gas or electric stove top.

When you are seeking safe and energy- efficient food and beverage making solutions, you would be well served to look into on demand or single serve coffee makers as they too are designed to reduce the possibility of burns and scalding injuries. A typical single serve brewing system looks somewhat like a conventional electric drip coffee maker in that it has a reservoir for water and it requires access to an electrical outlet. Unlike ordinary coffee makers, there is no coffee pot and warming plate which means the risk of burns is greatly reduced; there is also no thermal carafe which might break as well.  On demand brewing systems make one cup of coffee at a time using individually sealed coffee packets, discs or pods.

To make coffee you simply select a cup or mug and place it under the brewing port; select a coffee insert and press a button – in less than a minute you have a fresh, hot and flavorful cup of coffee that is never burned, bitter or stale.  A one cup on demand coffee maker is the modern way to make coffee and other hot beverages like tea, hot chocolate, cider and chai. They are easy to operate and convenient to use.

After his first birthday, I decided to take him to Great Clips to have his hair cut. It was getting so long, and it was uneven, so I thought it would be nice if I can have it cut and it can all grow together. He was crying when he saw the lady, and he didn’t want to settle down. He was sitting on my lap to assure him that he is going to be ok, but he kept crying because he was afraid of the lady. The lady did not shave his head. She just cut it about a quarter of an inch and actually looked better than shaving his head. He looks so cute in his new haircut.

He was so scared even if I held him. The buzzing sound made him cry.

New Hair

Chicken and turkey are popular dishes to serve during the holidays. Roasters and the Presto® pressure cooker are a few of the cooking methods you can use to prepare the birds. Here are some of the common methods you can use to prepare fabulous meats for your holiday dinner.

Roasting is a popular cooking method. It involves cooking meats in indirect heat. This cooking method helps to infuse flavor into the meat. It is important to buy the right turkey roaster. Foil is fine to use, but they should be used with caution. They are flimsy and can pose dangers during use. A solid roasting pan is sturdy enough to support the weight of a turkey and can be used safely to move the turkey from the oven to the counter. It is important to use a roaster that is the appropriate size for your turkey. Electric roasters are another commonly used type of roaster. They are an easy way to cook turkeys. These types allow you to make use of counter space as opposed to a hot oven.

Pressure cooking is a convenient method for cooking turkey and chicken. This cooking technique saves you time, eliminates the need to use an oven and produces flavorful and moist meat. The size of the meat cooked should be half the size of the pressure cooker. To make cooking easier, be sure to have pressure Presto cooker accessories on hand. Use your cooker with caution; they produce and release scalding steam.

There is an increase in the number of households that choose to eat fried turkeys. Deep fried turkeys provide the best of both worlds. The turkey is moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. The advantage to frying a turkey is time. It takes far less time to fry a turkey than it does to roast one. A drawback to frying turkeys is the increased risk of fire.

Chicken and turkey are highly-popular during the holidays. With the variety of cooking methods available, finding one that suits your cooking style is not an issue. Any of these methods is guaranteed to help make your holiday dinner fantastic.

Last December, Ryan told me that we are going to participate with the Engagement Health from his work, so instead of paying $1,200 more for the two us, by participating we are actually going to save. I was skeptical in the beginning because I didn’t know if we can keep up. I was afraid that they are going to kick us out  the program if we are unable to keep up. I thought it was a bad mistake, but I actually love it and I have been losing weight because of it. My breakfast is consist of Omelette with my favorite smoothie from my nutribullet.

Ryan and I commit ourselves with wearing the pedometer and we had to make 10,000 steps a day. For Ryan it is very easy to get to 10,000 because he moves around at work. I easily get 10,000 when I am working, but most of the time, the most that I have is 4,000 steps if I do not walk on the treadmill. When it is nice outside, I take Frankie to the trail. I walk while he bikes, but when it is freezing outside, I have to settle with the treadmill. I rented DVDs from the library to get me occupied while I am walking. It really helps because sometimes I do not even realize that I have been walking for 3-4 miles because I was so pre-occupied with the movies I am watching. I started with 170 lbs. and now I am down to 159 lbs. and I feel fabulous. I have a lot of energy, and I can actually keep tract of my classes now unlike before that I just want to sleep while in class. Eating healthy and exercise have given me plenty of energy. Ryan has lost over 10 lbs too for a month, and he is not as tired as before. We are getting there! All it takes is baby steps.

I also try to get Frankie’s lunch healthier and he loves them.

When I decided to go back to school, I was very nervous in the beginning. I felt like a little girl going to school for the first time. I know it is going to be different and challenging. It was rough in the beginning because I have a family to take care, but with perseverance and hard work, I did very well and in fact, surprised myself. Last semester ended very well in my favor. I had a rough start. I was worried all the time with my College Algebra, but with the help of my husband, everything fell in place. In fact, I am very happy and proud to say that I made it to the dean’s list. To get in to the dean’s list, you have to have GPA of 3.7 for the semester and up and 3.5 for the term. I got a letter from the mail telling me that I made it to the dean’s list. The names are not up yet in the college’s hallway, but it is in the website. I was so excited when I first saw it that I emailed Dada the link. I hope to achieve the same way this semester, but if I can’t make it, I will be fine. I am just looking forward to graduate and transfer this semester. Can you find my name? I am in the Park Forest list.

We were all very excited for Branden’s first birthday. We decided to hold it in a hall since we were expecting about 60 people to join us. Our house is too small to hold that much people. I was a little nervous because I never liked throwing a party. Ryan was very supportive. We did everything together just to make everything a success. Mama, on the other hand, helped cook the Filipino food. Ryan cooked the American food while I cooked the desserts. It was a success. My parents-in-law and my mother-in-law’s daughter helped us set-up and brought the food from the parking lot to the hall.

Ryan and I decided to invite some of Frankie’s classmates. He has been invited to several birthday parties before and I was not able to return the favor since we only have close friends and family during Frankie’s birthday. The kids did crafts. They decorated their own goodie bag, built their own cupcake by putting sprinkles and decorations, and colored Branden’s pictures. I made sketches of Branden’s picture online, and I asked the kids to color it for me. It turned out really good. Over all the party was a blast. If you are my friend in facebook, I have plenty of photos in my page. Hopefully, there is nothing crazy like this next year.

Every time I wake up in the morning, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed to see my two kids healthy and happy. That is the biggest reward a mother could ever have. Our Branden is 9 months old, and he has been pushing his push walker for a while now. He can stand independently now has been doing baby steps even if he is a little scared. We have also put aside the baby food because Branden likes the big people food better. He is such a bundle of joy. When Frankie and I are in school, we try to rush home as fast as we could just to play with the baby. He is such a big boy now and we all over him dearly.

I was trying to get ready for work while mama was in the living room ironing the clothes. Branden was in the living room too sitting on his swing in front of mama while doing the clothes. I had some stuff that needed to be written, and I wanted to finish it before heading to work. I know that I will be home late, and I don’t want to risk it getting expired. Branden was already super sleepy, but he was fighting it until mama was done. After five more minutes, it was just getting too much for him that he fell asleep in the swing. Poor thing, he was just too tired.

Thanks for visiting. This is my 162/366 BPC.

I can’t believe how fast my little baby is growing. It seems like yesterday when I had him then I went back to work and now he is already 5 months old. It is amazing how different he is with Frankie when it comes to his milestones. I know children develop differently from one another, but I felt like I am experiencing a different whole new experience. Branden hasn’t roll over yet or be on his tummy. He dislike being on his tummy actually. He likes to stand up, and when we let him stand, he makes baby steps. It is kinda neat actually and entirely different than Frankie. Frankie did the conventional development. I am eager and looking forward to how early or late Branden will start walking.

Thank you for visiting. I just joined 156/366 BPC

Every week, we diligently give my mama a little something that she could use to save. I told her that once I deposit the money in her account in the bank I don’t want her to withdraw it again for whatever reason until she is ready to use it to fulfill her plans. There were times when I do not have the time to go to the bank to deposit it for her, so she ends up keeping the money. For the 11 months she has been here, it seems like every month something happens to mama’s relative in San Fernando. First was, my cousin needed help for her schooling. Mama helped her. She has not even saved anything for herself, but she has been sending her money to the Philippines to help her relatives.

I insisted that she need to keep something for herself. She said that she is very blessed that she wants to share it, and as long as she is healthy, she is fine. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind sharing, but I also believe she needs to keep some for herself especially that she has so many plans. After talking to Ryan, I decided to open mama with her own account. When she got her green card, I took her to get her social security and state ID. The next day, we opened mama her own bank account. Week after week, I make sure to get all the money she saved, so I could deposit it, but there are times when I end up depositing it in my account, so I could send it to the Philippines in her behalf. I am so happy that even in a little way she is able to help, although some people should not take advantage of her generosity.

Thanks for visiting, I just joined 152/366 of BPC.