on juggling work and home life!

As most people already know, managing one's household and career at the same time is no cakewalk! It takes a great deal of brains to ensure the smooth operation of both. Since we started living together we have had much more on my plate than we did before. Doing laundry, shopping for household items, menu planning, running errands, cleaning and vacuuming...the list goes on!

Strangely enough I am empowered with more energy these days...perhaps my personal mission has expanded to covering two people thus giving me loads of energy? I wake up around 6am to prepare a healthy breakfast to help get us through the day. Sometimes if I feel ambitious or extra genki I even make a bento box for Hiro...for the most part, it is leftovers but when he's lucky he gets something made fresh! I am learning time-saving tips here and there which make life easier. Lemme tell ya: the microwave is magic when it comes to making bentos!

I have had to give up or cut down on some night classes in order to prepare and have dinner with Hiro. Oops, now don't get the wrong idea - I love both...classes and dinner with my fiance! My father always emphasized our family dinners, even when it was just the two of us for my four years of high school. At the time I could not understand why he made such a fuss over not wanting me to be a latchkey kid...but in retrospect, I can understand he was going at.

Dinner is a time to share stories and find out if one's family has any concerns that need to be tended to. Studies have proven children who eat with their family tend to be more mentally sound. I couldn't agree more. I hope that with more working parents in Japan, they still are able to make time to have dinner. Some admirable parents I know (in Japan) return home for dinner and go back to work after they have tucked the kids into bed.