Welcome to another post in my Fabulous {Organized} Friend Series! I’ve created a new page that highlights each of my beautiful (or handsome) friends. If you want to be inspired feel free to hop over HERE to see them all!
This month, allow me to introduce you to David….
WHAT?!? That’s a guy’s name? I KNOW. Let me just begin by saying this “friend” has repeatedly asked to be featured. And in all fairness he is my total sounding board for this adventure that I’ve termed “MWM”. He listens to ALL the ups and downs and is often my voice of reason and also a huge promoter and motivator of all things “Morganized”! Without him I may have moved away from blogging and limited my potential with growing my business. So from the bottom of my heart I am grateful to him.
However, he is not “organized”. #truth
BUT he is fabulous so I granted him a feature. You’ll appreciate his sense of humor no doubt.
Picture circa 2006 – the Tyree boys.
Give me a snapshot into you and your family. What does your “whole” life look like? Schedule etc…feel free to over share!
I am very happily married to Morgan. She is an amazing woman at so many levels and despite how organized she is, I fell in love with her at first sight, unaware that one day, with a family of five, she would know where everything is in the house at any given moment. I have three wonderful children who help me to create the chaos for her to control!
We have had too many cats to count and we just added a seven month old puppy to keep things interesting. My whole life looks like a tablecloth after a kid’s birthday party but I am “under construction” and that is all that matters. I have a rewarding job but nothing compares to spending time with my family! We live in Portugal right now. It is hard to describe the time here without going all over the place in my head and heart but I love how much I am learning and growing from it all.
I love to wake up early, exercise and eat a big breakfast – the rest of my day is subject to change.
What is your number one organizing tip you would share with other busy moms/dads?
Mercy and grace! I always say that “organization is for people too lazy to look for things!”
In reality, I am a “list-guy.” Most men are. We feel great when we are “serving” so a list with things to do works well for me. I love the feeling of crossing things off the list – it makes me feel accomplished! I must point out that I like it best when I make the list vs. receiving a list. This may be a “guy thing” too but I like to “see and do” so when I receive a list, I can tend to feel a little guilty for not paying attention to the lightbulbs in the hallway or the mess in the basement (usually left by me). I like to leave a “trail” – I think I must have gotten lost as a kid so a trail of clothes, lunch box, DVD, wallet, keys keeps me connected to the environment around me.
So my tip is “leave a trail so you don’t waste too much time lost – plus you just work backwards and you will find what you misplaced!”
How do you find time to plan meals and to grocery shop?
This is a great question as I do tend to go shopping with my wife as a “night out.” Living in Portugal, you can get a nice glass of wine almost everywhere and who doesn’t like to have a glass of red wine and see all the butchered meat at the market?
I do have some high-diet needs and I find it best to either leave a request with Morgan or if I really need something, I pick it up in the evening after work. Without Morgan, I would have to modify my diet a ton and go back to the days of tuna and rice….agggggg.
How do your kids help around the home?
My kids do a great job cleaning up after themselves and organizing life. I give all the credit to Morgan. She has always encouraged them to be responsible and at the same time, been there to guide them through the stress and pressures of life. It is a wonderful thing to watch and be a part of. We don’t use “chores” anymore around the house but we all participate in a “cleaning blitz” with an end-time and usually some kind of reward at the end. We blast music and work together from floor to floor to clean up the place. It is a great way to start a Saturday and leave the rest of the weekend to relax and play!
How do you create the time to exercise and take care of your own health?
To those who know me, I have always made this a priority. To be honest, sometimes way too much of a priority. Again, “under construction.” I was not raised in a “health focused” home and there was a lot of “out of control.” Exercise fills that void in my life and allows me to spend some focused attention pushing myself because I WANT TO not because the forces of nature around me are pushing against me. It may sound strange but for years, I have told myself that I will always try to make the 45-90 minutes I exercise a day the hardest part of my day. I train like my life depends on it and one day it just might! I try to eat right 80% of the time which helps as I grow older.
What are some of your secrets to keeping a clean home?
I have a “floor” thing so I spend time daily sweeping/mopping the floor. I just feel better when the floor is clean. Morgan folds my laundry but I put it away! I iron my shirts and do everything I can to decrease clutter (except for my 4-5 junk drawers – don’t ask). I think a “secret” to a clean home is what I read as a child: “Our home is clean enough to be healthy but dirty enough to show the love we share from living here.”
What are your tools for managing stress and finding time for just you or time for just you and your spouse?
I am working a ton on stress management right now. I can be a super intense person. I dial it back around work but at home I tend to let my guard down and my stress/anxiety often get the best of me. I ask God daily to help me navigate my fears and surrender them to Him. This is new to me but so far, so good.
I love time away with Morgan and I love carving out time weekly to get away for a walk/date or even a run to the store. I love just catching up, managing life and relationships with her. She is an amazing coach and gentle with her counsel. Everyone should have a “Morgan” – she is my rock!
What advice would you most like to share with other moms in how they can best live their lives with intention?
My advice is this: Be good to yourself. Take care of yourself, take care of others and then take care of business. When I say “love yourself” I mean it in the most biblical sense from 1st Corinthians 13:4-7: 4 (my thoughts are in the parenthesis).
Love is patient (be patient with yourself, your situation, your season in life – it will pass and you will only miss the best parts – be patient with relationships. This doesn’t mean you have to allow bad people to infect your life but allow yourself to learn from the hard people in your life – maybe just to be sure you will not be like them some day), love is kind (be kind to yourself and don’t judge yourself by the other moms at Whole Foods. Sure she may look great, and maybe she is but that should not contribute or take away from your own self-worth). It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud (these three things are so prevalent around moms. Envy can be about the life you are giving your kids that you did not have – very destructive. Boasting is taking credit for God – don’t. The pride I read about is one that says “I am better than you” – ugly stuff – avoid it!)
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (Okay that is pretty much the model for moms and I think most do a great job at this. I love how much Morgan sacrifices for our family but I love it more when she considers herself in the equation – it is the difference between good and great!) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (Truth is none of us have it down – we are all just trying to do our best – there is no traffic when we go the “extra mile.”) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (Morgan has always protected me, always trusted me, preserved through the toughest parts of our time together and her hope in God and hope for me to work to become the best version of me have made all the difference.)
Thanks honey! You are awesome, authentic and a HUGE help around the house!(When he says he is a “floor” guy he means it. I never mop, ever.) Thanks honey for sharing from your heart, for all of your sweet words and for the great reminder to moms about what love really is. I love you and I love cooking for you because then I don’t have to smell tuna and eggs…ugh. 🙂
Speaking of cooking, I know one of David’s faves is this week’s recipe. We had this recently and every time I make it I just love it more. Enjoy!
Go the Easy Recipes Page to get your own printable copy! Have a fabulous weekend!!!
