Life Lesson Tuesday!

Life Lesson #1

Take your life into your own hands and make it what YOU want it to be, no matter what everyone else's opinion is. :)

Marriage? Yes Marriage. I'm 23 years old with a almost 2 year old and the best possible dad/partner/spouse I could ask for. We are NOT married yet!! Yes I said it. At this time we are not married. 

At first I stressed about it and made it a bigger deal than it was. I didn't like being out in public with a newborn, especially at my age, with no rings. People in this world are very harsh and judgmental. (I'm guilty of judgment too). Mackenna wasn't planned like most babies in my opinion, but we wouldn't change it for anything. I think some people get married for the wrong reasons, and to get married just because you are pregnant or just had a baby isn't a reason to just get married. I feel as if I've been married the last 4 years anyway. The car loans are in both of our names, Mackenna and I and Ian are all on his insurance, car insurance has had both of our names for at least 4 years. I guess at this time, it's not a real importance to us at this time, because marriage would only bring in legality and paperwork, it wouldn't change how we treat each other or how we live our life. 

I never thought how much it meant to my own family that we get married. I wish they knew that its something that we want to do, but wedding's costs a lot of money. Which we are more concerned with saving money to buy a house rather than save money to get married. It's really hard to do what you want when you have an over bearing pressure. The pressure and the constant reference to marriage makes me not want to get married. I want to do it for me and the day that I want.

This is all that is important to us right now..... Mackenna Jane

New Meals, Moving.. Oh My!

 New Meals and Moving

This week is going to be very busy. I was thinking about planning out my meals this week, but then thought we are going to be so busy with moving and packing, that I figured I need to come up with some quick and easy things this week. I have already packed up half my kitchen, so I'm not going be able to get all fancy or anything.

Monday 

Chicken and Cheese Rice Dish

Tuesday 

Green Chile Sauce Enchiladas 

Wednesday

Italian Sausage's and Salad

Thursday

Pizza

(Moving Day Eve)

Friday

TBD

(Moving Day)

Saturday

TBD

(Moving Day)

Sunday 

BBQ Chicken and Salad

So, pretty boring for us this week, but I found it hard to start getting organized and really start planning meals until you are settled and not in the middle of moving right. Much to do this week, but can't wait to move! 

Starting a New Weekly Meal Plan.. So Far a Success!

After a lot of research I've been doing on the internet on how to get more organized, I think I've finally found some good idea's that I can stick with and follow through on. I shared the website last week, where I've gotten these great ideas from.

I found a weekly meal planner on this website. I planned all of our meals on Sunday night and cooked Monday's dinner right off the list last night. Ian walked in the door and asked if he had walked into the wrong house. I get off of work 2 hours earlier than Ian, so I thought how nice it would be to have dinner cooked and done by the time he gets home and then we wouldn't be eating so late. 

Now I work full time, a full time student, and a mom. So trying things to get more organized and make things a little more easy on the family is good. Plus if I have something to do for school, or overtime at work. Ian can look at the weekly meal planner and get dinner started for me if he gets home before me. (Sometimes this happens a lot). But, making things easier for Men, I have learned you will have a better outcome.

So here is my Meal Planner for this week May 17- 23rd

Monday

Pasta with Garlic 3 cheese sauce and meatballs

Corn Bread Muffins

Tuesday

Pizza (Softball night)

Wednesday

BBQ chicken and Salad

Thursday

Teriyaki Burgers with Pineapple

Sweet Potato fries & Salad

Friday

Tri Tip Marinated 

Cheesy Cali flower dish

Caesar Salad

Saturday

Leftover Tri Tip made into Sandwiches

Caesar salad

Sunday

Home Made Shepherds Pie

I'm so excited to know what I'm going to be cooking this week and weekend. Also, Ian can make any of these items so if one of us has overtime at work or something we can both know what to cook for dinner. 

Most of these menu items are our little family favorites. Please feel free to try them. 

I need to start getting Organized

I've been doing some research lately on how to get more organized with some things and found a lot of good information out there. I've always been a very organized person and love to be organized, but lately I've been so un-organized and need to get myself back on track before I love everything and my mind :)


So, Any who. First of all I want to have more of a budget for things. Such as grocery shopping. We've never really had a budget, but I think organizing my spending on groceries and things might be more helpful to me for planning dinners and who know by doing this I might even save some money. That is always a plus. 


http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday/recipe-index 
This website has been super helpful with some idea's and I got to download a meal planner PDF and a grocery List PDF. It's pretty awesome and excited to get started with it and use it soon. 


If you have any meal planning or recipe ideas for me send them my way. 

Sccccchhhhhhooooooooools Out For Summer!

So today marks the last day of the spring 2010 semester. Thanks Goodness! It was a very long semester. Working full time and being a full time student and having a little 22 month old girl is not easy. It's been late nights, running back in forth between, home, school and work. It gets real tough when you don't have enough time for you all the time. I took 5 classes this semester and about killed myself, but then again I did it. Ian has been a huge help and without him school would not be possible for me. So thanks to Ian.


I finally decided to change my major and become declared. I changed it to Elementary Education. As long as I could remember I wanted to be a teacher, so for once I'm no longer doing what everyone else wants me to do, but what I want to do. So, I'm going for it. 


I can't wait for the summer to kick off and really get started. We are moving into a bigger place in a couple of weeks and everything is moving along nicely and smoothly. After I get the house and us settled, I can't wait to get back into my scrap booking and catch up on my reading and do some other projects with Mackenna. It's going to be so nice to be home for the summer and not to worry about when the next assignment, exam or paper is due.


Here's to a great Summer!
Kristina Jane

Las Vegas for Autumn and Jessica's Bach Party

Couple of weekends ago 8 girls and 2 brides were hitting up the strip in Las Vegas. It was an awesome weekend. Plenty of drinking, gambling, poolside relaxing. I can't disclose all the details of the events of that weekend because, "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!" I can't wait for the wedding in August. It was such a good time.

Mother's Day and Moving to Glenshire

Good Morning,
We are officially moving to a 3 bedroom house in Glenshire. Can't wait to move into a bigger place and have more space. Last night I packed 7 more boxes and still feel as if I have a million other things to pack.

Yesterday, Ian and his dad made eggs benedict. It was so good. Ian also surprised me with a necklace from Zales. My first Mom necklace.

Busy 2 weeks ahead of packing and some more packing... but very excited for the new place.