What's on the docket?

"What's on the docket tomorrow?"

That is the question my husband asked me one night about 3 years into our marriage that made me think he was "out of his tree." (Both are phrases I had never heard before.)

"You've never heard that? For someone who supposedly loves lists, you should know what a docket is!" David teased me for a while with that one.

If you don't know what a docket is, then I'm going to make you look it up just like I had to when I felt dumb.

I do love lists though. When our family goes camping- or anywhere overnight really- I make a packing list for each person. I have a list of chores for my toddlers that they can check off with stickers. I make to-do lists once in a while just so I can check stuff off when I finish. When I go grocery shopping every two weeks there are 4 different lists I make to get through my meal planning process. Sounds a little excessive, I know. I could basically create a list for everything.

Most of my lists are made on plain old notebook paper. Don't worry, I'll link you to a printable version (see list #4) so you can join me in my organized chaos. Mwahaha! (evil laugh, duh) It really does all make sense somewhere inside my noggin.

While not necessarily always in this order, here are my grocery lists:

1st- I make a list of the days of the week for two weeks that I need meals for, and then later (sometimes after I shop) I'll add in the meals planned for each day. Which I then transfer to my dry erase calendar so everyone can see what's coming up for dinner.

2nd- I make a list of meals that I can make in the next two weeks based on food I have in my pantry and items on sale in the grocery store ads. (I also already have a list made on my computer of all of the meals that I make and add to with each new recipe.)

3rd- I make a list of items that I will be ad matching. I do a lot of my shopping at Wal-Mart because they match ad prices, it's really close to my house, they sell a lot fresh produce, they have most of the same brands-except store brands, and their regular prices are USUALLY better. Plus, once I get home I always plug my receipt into their Savings Catcher and sometimes get extra money back. Sorry for the tangent, but this list makes it easier for me to make sure I don't miss something while I'm at the store.

4th- And lastly I make a grocery list organized into department in the store. It is so frustrating for me to have to go back to an aisle that I already visited just because I didn't see an item on my list. Especially when I have three kids with me. Did I mention I usually take them all to the store for 1-2 hour long grocery shopping experience? Here are two different versions of this system that are great. Here and Here

I also love highlighters. I know, I'm kind of a nerd. They make things fun, clear, and organized. I don't know why you need to know all of this. Maybe you don't. Maybe I just want to give you a little bit of insight into the "organized" part of my life.

My best friend growing up probably doesn't believe that side of me actually exists. She was the one who would come into my crowded and messy bedroom and just accept it. She was the one who could also tell me where my dance shoes were hiding when I thought I'd lost them forever.

The truth is, I LOVE having a clean house. I love lists. I love to be organized. I just sometimes lack the motivation. And that is why I NEED lists. They give me something to check off. They give me proof of some kind of accomplishment.

And luckily I have an extremely motivated husband who can't sit still for even two seconds. He always has to be doing something, making something better. Which makes me want to be doing something. He makes me be a better person. Even if he does make fun of my lists and my lack of knowledge about weird sayings.