Getting back on track

Why is it that vacation gets you so off track? Maybe its because you have to pack your entire house (into your car) and live someplace different for a week. Or maybe it's because we are creatures of habit and getting us out of our routine causes chaos in our brains.

How is it that on vacation you have more time to do things and essentially less 'chores' to do but you can't find time to do the things that need to be done?

Whatever the case may be, I am totally messed up after this week!

Lillian has gone to bed at about 12am all week, opposed to her normal 'in bed by 10pm' that I could count on. I forgot about 3 (yes, three) bills while on vacation. We spent wayy more money than we had planned. I got 50 (ok 3) free magazines in the mail and didn't have the chance to read them. I only cooked one (yes, one) dinner while we were on vacation. (sad) 

I am not going to let it get me down, though! We have meals planned for all this week. I went grocery shopping yesterday and saved $12.00 on groceries by using coupons. Wow! I was so proud of myself. 

I have goals to set up new budget and spending tracking worksheets. You would think I would already have that sort of thing in place considering my degree and anal personality, but many things change when you have a child. Like not having the time, energy, or brain power to do things that you did with ease before. :o)

I also want to set up a master meal-plan list that we can post on the refrigerator and use it to choose our meals for the next week. New recipes can be added as they are discovered, but this will just be an easy way to decide at the beginning of the week what we want. And I need easy.

I would also like to organize my coupons better... and start getting the sunday paper to get more. Right now I am using a pink portfolio that my aunt got me to store them in while shopping. I used it for the first time yesterday and I think I liked it. 

That's it for now. I have many other goals, but I'll share those later. :)

To all my family who read this,  I love you and miss you (especially today for some reason). 

P.S.

Here is what I have been drinking as I post this. :)