Planning

I am a planner.  I love lists, calendars, folders, you name it.  I love being all planned out and organized.  Probably a little bit too much.

As soon as I found out we were going to Belgium, I started a folder.  Anything that is Belgium related goes into the folder (rocket science, huh?).

Forms, lists, everything goes into this folder.

Here is my ongoing to-do list:

*Book hotel in Belgium - DONE!  We are confirmed delegates.  I received our stamped confirmation form from our hotel in Ghent. Yay!

*Renew passport - DONE!
     -get certified copy of marriage license from Nebraska to include with      passport application
     -take passport photos
     -copy and mail passport renewal paperwork

*Find a 'watchdog' app for flights that will alert you when flights go on sale

*Research cheapest cities to fly in/out of.  We are going to Belgium first, but it may be cheaper to fly into/out of a different city.  Like London or Paris and then take a train to Ghent.

*Decide on a 'pull-the-trigger' amount for purchasing plane tickets - DONE!

*Register with the Belgium branch
     -arrange a day trip to Brussels
     -arrange a day trip to Bruges
     -tour the Belgium branch
     -ask about transportation, meals, etc.

*Start contacting friends in France to see if we can stay with them for part of our trip - IN PROGRESS (our friends are working on this)

*Plan side trips
     -Paris
          ~day trip to Normandy
          ~day trip to Versailles - purchase tickets online to get discount
          ~purchase Louvre tickets online to get discount 
     -Possibly London
     -Maybe Amsterdam
     -Maybe Germany (!)
     -Maybe Switzerland (!)
     -Possibly southern France (!)

*Attend a free European packing class at Liebers Luggage

*Start gathering gifts for our house/dog sitter (gift cards, wine, etc.) - IN PROGRESS

*Finalize budget for the next six months - IN PROGRESS

1-2 months before we leave:

*Order Euros from the bank to have some actual cash on hand

1 week before we leave:

*Contact bank/credit card companies to alert them where and when we will be gone

*Confirm hotel reservations in Ghent

*Write out detailed instruction sheet for our house/dog sitter

There is still so much up in the air, particularly with our side-trips.  If we end up going to the south of France for a few days, then most likely we will stay in France the rest of our trip.  But if we stay north near Paris most of the time, then we may take more side trips to other countries.  I am fine with either one!

I also have a new planner for 2015.

Apparently I am into gray this year.  My calendar plan did not go well last year.  I had a pocket calendar for my purse with just general stuff on there, another pocket calendar for paying bills, and another wall calendar for keeping track of our French assignments.  I don't know why I thought that having 3 separate calendars was a good idea.  So this year, I bought one larger monthly calendar that can fit in my purse and combined everything: when our bills are due, when our meetings and assignments are, and just other general dates to remember.  It has a pocket in the back, which I keep the bills to be paid.  I got it at Office Depot, the brand is 'Foray'.  It has a very sturdy cover.  I've been using it for 2 months now and I love it so far!

2015 is going to be crazy, busy, and very exciting and I hope that my planning abilities will be put to good use!