If I aim to have plants big enough to pot up 4/19/15 the seeding schedule I think looks like this :
based on being ready to pot up on 4/19/15
1/11/15 Geraniums
1/18 Verbena and Lobila
1/25 peppers
2/1/15 catnip
2/8 petunias
2/22 Toms
3/1 Basil and Cat grass

OR do I deal with smaller plants being potted up and seed in this order?
Feb 1th start petunias and geraniums
Feb 8th start Verbena and lobelia seeds
Feb 22 start Pepper and cat nip seeds
March 1 Start Tomato and Basil,cat grass seeds

There are usually 2 pieces of information on packets: Start time and days to maturity. If it says start 12 weeks from frost date, that means it will take 12 weeks to germinate and mature to a size suitable to be planted out after the last frost. The packet should also have days to maturity, which will be different.

I find root growth to be more important for transplanting than top growth. Pot up only once there is a good tight root ball from the cell tray. Plants with big top growth but spindly, loose roots never seem to do as well. If size is a problem, don't be afraid to plant multiple plugs in a larger pot; they will fill in faster than a single little plug in a big pot. I've done this with basil to good effect, planting a purple with a green makes a nice display.

you have probably seen the pepper threads on here. I'll put in my experience as well. Peppers DO NOT like to germinate in peat based media, which almost all potting mix is. I have no idea why. I spent years wondering why peppers didn't germinate well, I learned about the peat problem, and since switching to other media, I have seen a dramatic improvement. I use Cactus and Succulent potting mix, which is composted forest products and sand, according to the bag. Hot peppers especially need lots of bottom heat and a long time, weeks even, to get going.

Thank you grow life! That is a lot of helpful info!

Growth and germination rates are both very dependent upon conditions. Good heat and light speed things up. On cloudy and cold days, not much growth happens.

Make sure you harden off the seedlings that are started indoors, by gradually exposing them to the UV light of the sun. I find that when I don't do that, all of the growth from indoors will get sun burnt off, and then have to re-grow.

Thank you!