Order, Comfort Style & Joy Spotlight

Kelley Rhodes is a new friend of mine.  Her family goes to the same church as ours and I would often see her when we'd pick up our four-year olds after Sunday School.  When our oldest started t-ball this fall, her son was on the team as well.  We quickly connected - it's great when that happens when you're not expecting it. 

Kelley has owned her DearBook for about a month and she brought it to a game last week to show me how she'd using it.  I was amazed at how she quickly has "brought her DearBook to life."  As a mom of two (adorable kids!!) and working full time, Kelley has a busy schedule and I wanted to find out more about how she pulls it off.

Order: How do you stay organized? What are some of your tips? Why do you appreciate being organized?

Kelley:  I'm insane when it comes to organization. It gives me a sense of peace and accomplishment when things are organized and neat. For me organization is also a form of survival. I strive to have it all-a big family, a big career, and maintain my own identity. The only way to achieve all of these things is through years of experience with multi-tasking and organization. It started at work and then I brought some of my ideas into my home life. My life is a to-do list. I am always trying to manage my to-do's for short term, long term, and everything in between. I maintain lists and calendars, and excel has become my best friend. I have found a calendar/planner that helps me keep things organized for home and I carry it with me everywhere. It has a monthly calendar that I can look at to see what we have going on and a weekly calendar at the back to write down things I need to accomplish that week. I write down gifts to purchase, reminders for appointments, grocery lists, phone calls to make, etc. It's nice check things off when I'm done. Also, if I don't want to forget something I need to do in a future week, I can skip to that page and log it so I don't forget to do it (i.e. make annual doctor's appointments for the kids). I also use it to write down things I want to remember to document in other places, for example a funny story I don't want to forget to put in my DearBook. It fits in my purse and I use it every day. I've found the more organized I am, the more I can accomplish so it helps me out in all aspects of my life.

Comfort: What are things that add comfort to your life?

K:  Family is a big comfort for me. At the end of my crazy day at work, it's nice to come home to my family. There is so much going on in all our lives, it's nice to come home and focus on the simplicity of family and remember what's important. Laughter is another big comfort for me. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the seriousness of life (believe me, I'm there every day), so laughter is a good break. I try to bring laughter into our home and to my workplace. It's a way to bring people together and spread a little cheer.
 
Style: How did you develop your style? What inspires you here? Certain magazines, people, etc. Tips on style?

K:  I've always had my own style that has developed and changed over time. Whether it is good or not is another question, but it's always been my own. When I get an idea in my head, it's hard to get it out until I find what I'm looking for. Whether it's the perfect outfit (an ongoing challenge) or a decorating idea for our home, I know what I'm looking for, now begins the quest to find it. I find style inspirations from people I admire, magazines, TV, movies, etc. I'm drawn things that I think exude sophistication and class. Of course, everyone's perspective is different so I believe in finding a style that matches your taste and lifestyle and sticking to it - make it your own.
 
Joy: What brings you happiness? Any recommendations on how to find more of it?

K:  Happiness, in my mind, is what it's all about. You control your own happiness by how you live your life and how you prioritize what's important. I wake up every day and look around myself to see the world I've created. The joy in my life comes from my children, my husband, my spirituality, and my sense of accomplishment. We control our happiness by how we react to situations, how we think about others, and what we let enter our minds. If we think negatively all the time, our outlook on life might be the same. If we think positively, try to speak positively, and try to have a positive impact on others, our outlook will be positive. It's a hard thing to do, but if you start to train yourself to go the positive route, it becomes easier over time. You start to let go of grudges. You start doing nice things for people. You start spreading simple acts of kindness that can be contagious - it's all up to you.
 
In general: Favorite book(s), magazine(s), things to do, recipes, places to go, ideas, whatever!

K:  Men are Like Waffles and Women are Like Spaghetti is a wonderful book to explore the differences in men and women. We're all wired differently, but we can appreciate one another and communicate better if we understand our differences. Men tend to focus in on one thing at a time (waffle square) and everything flows together and is intermingled for women (like spaghetti noodles). Check it out-it gave me so much insight into how my husband's mind works!

DVR - How did we manage without it before? I've found it to be a great help in a crazy life. You can catch up on your favorite shows when you have the time - oh, and fast forward through the commercials.

Starbucks in a can - What a great way to get your coffee fix in a convenient and cost effective way.

Life&Style magazine - The quickest way to get both celebrity gossip and style tips. (Besides, the articles are short). It's great for people with little time on their hands. You can read it while sitting in traffic (sitting, not driving).

DearBook: How do you use DB? Tips on using? Favorite parts?

K:  I use my DearBook like a family diary for that year to give a snapshot of our lifestyle and what things were important to us. I write down funny stories about the kids I don't want to forget. I write down meaningful passages I hear at church that inspire me. I put in cards that make me smile from family members and friends that mean a lot to me. I use it as a way to reflect on our lives as a family at that point in time. I especially love the kid birthday pages that allow them to write down (or you for them) all their favorites so you can see how their tastes change over time. I also like the calendar pages to show the exciting month at-a-glance. Man, are we busy?