When lists just aren't enough...

I am the queen of to do lists, well actually, the queen of lists... period.  I make them for absolutely everything.  I'd be one big, forgetful, unorganized mess if I didn't.  But lately, even the lists aren't helping me any.  The lists just grow and grow, and now I'm to the point where I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed and almost kind of anxious.  There is a definite need for something more.  A little more balance.  A little peace.
Last fall, I started meal planning.  I love it!  It was nice not having to think about what to make for dinner.  It was already decided, the ingredients, already bought.  I played a little with chore lists as well.  Assigning specific chores to specific days.  That didn't go over so well, and I don't think that is something I will ever do again.  Things around here just need done, when they need done.  I haven't been so good at meal planning lately.  Things sort of went out the window with all of the hubbub of Christmas and the holidays.  I really need to get back to it.
I feel like I don't accomplish even a fraction of what I used to before having Landon.  Life sure is different with an infant around again.  It's been 9 years since having my first baby, I think I may have forgotten just how time consuming babies actually are.  I mean really, who couldn't spend a whole day just staring at those chubby cheeks, and wrists, and little leg rolls?  And watch them learn, and grow, and explore the world around them.  And the funny faces that they make when they sleep, and the funny sounds, and baby babble.  They are perfect little beings in every way.  But the dishes don't do themselves, the cat hair doesn't get the vacuum out on it's own, the laundry wont put itself away.  And my body sure doesn't exercise without me doing the work, just because I'd like it to.
We also recently moved Landon into his own room.  He goes down to sleep at night fairly well now, but we are having a bit of a harder time with naps during the day.  That may be because we now follow a nightly routine that I think he's starting to get the hang of, and we don't really have a routine at all during the day.  So I think that he too, may need a little something more.
I'm tired of spending my "family time" doing chores.  When we are all home together, we should be able to spend our time just enjoying each other, and not spend it caught up in trying to get caught up.
So I've decided that I need to come up with a daily routine, a schedule of sorts.  Something I follow everyday.  Something that allots time for everything I want to do and accomplish in a day.  Not for uber specific things, as that doesn't seem to work for me, but time that can be spent doing a "type" of thing.  Cleaning, exercise, creative playtime, computer time, nap time, you get the idea.  Something that I can actually pair with my lists, so I can begin to cross things off again.  Obviously, it will have to be flexible as Landon grows and his needs change.  And I'm certain, that it will mostly be centered around the needs of my children rather than my own, because lets face it, my children are my most important job after all.  But I hope, when all is said and done, after the kids are taken care of, my household duties are done for the day, and I've spent a little more time on myself, that I will begin to feel the balance again, and find the peace in it.  I'll let you know how it goes...