Now that we still have some sunlight hanging aroun Now that we still have some sunlight hanging around after the kids go to bed, my new thing is sipping a glass of wine on the back patio while making small talk with Josh and praying the kids stay in bed.
 
I've been obsessed with cleaning our house recently but I've been so good about it, I have nothing left to clean or tidy right now and I'm left to face the things I don't really want to think about like the fact that I miss my kids when they're at school or how I really want to fill this house up with some more of them 😅 

At any rate, one of my simple pleasures in life is decluttering and purging unused things and I feel like I've accomplished a lot!! What about you?
Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growin Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growing up, I thought it was pretty much all I was cut out to do, which ended up being false. But even though I've learned that I'm capable of so many other things, being a mom is still one of my highest aspirations. As we're getting our home ready for fostering, I can't help but think of how the little one(s) entering our home will feel but also how David and Evy will feel. How will they react if we parent slightly differently? Will they understand that we're working to build trust and connection or will they feel indignant? These are the things I pray about and also speak to the kids about in the days leading up. We're all excited but I have the feeling of heaviness that we don't and won't understand the burden until we're all already carrying it together.
Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over here and I think it might be working 😉 Today the kids had TWOsday at school and they were so sweet. David wore a tie (I don't exactly get how it tirles in to Twosday but the kids were happy so..) and Evy "twinned" with a couple of sweet friends in her class. It's so sweet when you see your own kids building their own friendships. It just loosens a little piece of anxiety I've had about parenthood since David was still in my tummy. How did you spend your TWOsday??

Sandals @naotfootwear 💕
Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Jos Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Josh in a quiet house - the kids slept over my parent's last night. Got up, raced to clean the kitchen as fast as I could while my coffee was brewing. The coffee won this time. 

I recorded a Reel while getting ready. Went to the place where we were going to meet my fam a bit early so Josh and I could get in a walk. Then we got coffee, went to a huge antique store (sadly left with nothing but took pictures of my faves so I can remember to come back) and went to lunch with the kids and my parents. Love easy-going and fun days like these 🖤
Back in the day,I was talking with someone about m Back in the day,I was talking with someone about marriage.Josh and I had been married for a few years at that point but this guy was still single. ..

He told me he was studying to get his masters in counseling and he wanted to be a marriage counselor one day.I thought "Hey that's pretty cool" but, curious,because,you know, he was single. 

Anyway, after we'd been talking a few minutes about our interest in helping married couples, he leaned in and said, "You know, I have this theory on marriage.." "Oh yeah?" I said (pretty curious to hear what theories this guy had for all of marriage for everyone everywhere). 

He said, "I believe that every single problem in marriage boils down to communication."

At the time, I didn't really know what to say. I'm more of a *reflector* and then I come up with what I wish I had said later.

Here's what I wish I had said: "Um. Yeah I don't think so. I mean sure, communication helps with a lot of issues. But what about selfishness,⠀addiction,⠀past hurt and trauma, etc? Communication will help people work through those issues but they're connected to much deeper issues that concern the heart--not just your communication skills."

We are all broken, very human, beings and when left to our own devices,⠀we don't have all the tools necessary to "fix" ourselves or our spouse's problems. We can talk until we're blue in the face but we just can't fix ourselves. 

What we do need, is to lean on the Creator who made all things good and makes all things new. To understand that we are not the main characters here. The whole world and everything in it points to Christ and His redeeming power. And yes, he often works that out through us and often through communication. But it's not communication that saves marriages. It's Jesus.

I was just thinking about that today and wanted to get it off my chest. What role do you think communication plays?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! 🎁 Merry Christmas from the Damons! 🎁
So much joy in one photo! Ok, maybe 4 photos 😜 So much joy in one photo! Ok, maybe 4 photos 😜 Love my littlest niece, Eva ❤️
Let's hash something out together: what's somethin Let's hash something out together: what's something you do or used to fight about in your marriage/relationship regularly?

Do you feel like the issue is/was pretty cut and dry? 

Or was there an underlying issue that bubbled up in different ways?

Curious to know your thoughts. 

When Josh and I were first married, we fought a lot. We were pretty low-income, didn't have great jobs, and had a wee baby. While our fights were often about the grocery list, the real issue was that we were SCARED. 

Scared of the adult life we had just stepped into. It was kind of like jumping into a puddle you don't think is that deep until after it's too late and now your socks are completely drowning 🚣🏼‍♀️ 

Luckily, though, they dry off over time, don't they?

After lots of learning and working really hard (both at our jobs and relationship) things started to ease up. We started to see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and even though we weren't there yet, it gave up hope to carry on together ❤️
Go on a walk with your spouse before Netflixing. O Go on a walk with your spouse before Netflixing. Or if you can't leave the house, sit in the kitchen with a glass of wine. Make time to talk. And make it easier by doing things together. It's so so important ❤️
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Family, Life & Finances, Sponsored, travel · January 17, 2018

5 Factors Often Overlooked When Considering Moving to a New Area

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PUR. The opinions and text are all mine.

Moving to a new city can be exciting, but it can also be stressful, nerve-wracking, and a bit of a headache. There are so many things to consider when choosing a new area to live and while dreaming about nicer weather or decorating your new home might be fun, there are many other things to consider when choosing your next home city. Check out the list below to see if you’ve thought about these commonly overlooked aspects of moving to a new city!

Moving to a new city can be exciting, but it can also be stressful, nerve-wracking, and a bit of a headache. There are so many things to consider when choosing a new area to live and while dreaming about nicer weather or decorating your new home might be fun, there are many other things to consider when choosing your next home city. Check out the list below to see if you’ve thought about these commonly overlooked aspects of moving to a new city!

1 | A city’s culture

Often when moving to a new city we get excited because of the weather, the house, the amenities, or the picturesque location. We often forget that even if we’re moving to the next city over, each city has its own culture and vibe. If you’re a young family, do some research to make sure the neighborhood you’re moving to isn’t an unofficial retirement community.  You won’t typically find information like this on real estate websites but online forums can be very eye-opening and honest when trying to find out what a city is really like!

2 | Schools

Even if your children are still very young at this point (maybe even nonexistent), if you plan on living in this city for a while, the quality of schools it has to offer ought to be on your radar. Even if having your children attend school is in your distant future, you’ll want to talk with your spouse about the type of education you’d like your children to have and then do the same type of research mentioned above. Better yet, if you already know a family in the area, ask their advice or what they’ve heard about the local schools!

3 | Taxes

It’s not the most fun thing you’ll have to think about when considering your move, but it can make a difference. Some states off no individual income tax while others offer no retail sales tax. According to Taxfoundation.org, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, Montana, New Hampshire, Utah, Indiana, Oregon have the best-rated tax systems while Vermont, California, New York, and New Jersey (my home state) have the worst rated tax systems. Do your research, it could cost you or save you a sizeable amount each year!

4 | Proximity to an airport

Chances are, if you’re moving to a new town, you’re leaving some of your old life behind. If that’s the case, you may want to go back to visit at one point or another (or have family or friends come to visit you) and you’ll want that to be as easy as it can be. Finding flights out of smaller airports can be tough, not to mention the fact that they can cost a lot more! Although you may have no choice in the matter, finding a new city that’s within a reasonable distance to a major(ish) airport can save a lot of hassle later on (depending on how often you think you’ll be traveling or hosting out of town guests).

5 | Water quality

Did you know that the national EPA maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) for lead is zero? But the current allowed maximum contaminant level (MCL) is 15 ppb because when the EPA standard was developed in 1991, 15 ppb was the lowest reading that could consistently be achieved through anti-corrosion technology.

Using the KnowYourWater.com tool created by PUR®, I found out that our water here actually has a little bit more lead in it than our water at our old home. (KnowYourWater.com is the first and only free online resource that gives hundreds of millions of Americans access to the largest collection of US water quality data ever assembled! It pulls information from more than 98% of all public water systems, including those leading to homes, schools, businesses, hospitals, and more, allowing users to easily learn what’s in their water by simply typing in their address and zip code). Of course, both homes are well under the maximum of 15 ppb but it still makes you think twice before drinking from the tap!

Our home in Washington:

Our home in Virginia:

I was actually surprised by our results!

Wherever you choose to live, using a PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System, can give you peace of mind whether you’re drinking, cooking, or simply washing with tap water. PUR is certified to reduce over 70 contaminants, including 99% of lead, 96% of mercury and 92% of certain pesticides. It’s also certified to reduce chlorine (taste and odor), microbial cysts, as well as industrial pollutants and is the only faucet filter certified to reduce certain pharmaceutical compounds. Beside this, PUR faucet filtration systems offer a refined horizontal space-saving design that withstands tough kitchen use and comes in a variety of finishes to accommodate any type of kitchen decor.

Want to win a year of PUR® water?

Enter the giveaway simply by commenting below with your favorite aspect of the Know Your Water tool or the PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System for a chance to win 1 PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System, 1 11-Cup Ultimate Pitcher Filtration System and replacement filters for each) and a 21 oz Hydro Flask water bottle with a sports cap, a $198 value! Giveaway will close Sunday, January 21, 2018, at 11:59 pm and the winner will be chosen within 24 hours.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PUR. The opinions and text are all mine.

In: Family, Life & Finances, Sponsored, travel · Tagged: agua, airport, amenities, area, city, consider, contaminants, culture, faucet, filter, filtration, know, lead, location, move, moving, pitcher, PUR, schools, system, taxes, town, water

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Whether you’re engaged or you’ve been married for 25 years, this post is for you. I’ve come to find that husbands and wives often, without meaning to, assume things about each other. These assumptions will shape how you judge, forgive, and accept each other for years to come in your marriage. In order to have a relationship where you and your spouse are really jiving and thriving, you’re going to need to understand each other on a very deep level. So, if you’re looking for ways to do that, this post is for you.7 Ways to Better Understand Your Spouse
Hey mama. Having enough energy to get through the day is important, especially for you! Being a mom requires early mornings, long days, and late nights. As much as you might want to take advantage of a mid-afternoon nap, naptime is usually just for kids. There are so many things to do! That being said, energy can be hard to come by for any mama. Which is why I created this list of a few ways we mamas can support our energy during the day3 Ways to Boost Your Energy in the Morning
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Comments

  1. Kansas Bonanno says

    January 17, 2018 at 3:51 pm

    This is a awesome tool, our water is pulled to a local treatment plant and sent back. I think its so neat how it analyzes all the contanimates in the water to keep you safe!

  2. Britney Kaufman says

    January 17, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    oops, not sure if my comment with through but we have horrible water around phoenix. i love that their filter is tool free and easily installed! awesome giveaway.

  3. Joanna says

    January 18, 2018 at 7:42 am

    Water is one of those things I never thought to look at, if relocating. Our water here, happens to be top in our state. We got lucky!

  4. Angela Tolsma says

    January 18, 2018 at 3:47 pm

    I actually didn’t consider any of these when we moved to our new city. We had no choice on what city we moved to, but there are a few things I wish we had considered when we moved here, like PROXIMITY to a bar. Water though is a huge one for me when we move again, as is the airport!

  5. Rachel says

    January 18, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    My brother worked for the water department for a while so he is always checking out the water in the area where people live. It is an odd little perk of his former job.

  6. Melissa Chapman says

    January 18, 2018 at 9:48 pm

    I fell in love with my house when we first saw it but we were young and did not think about schools and airports. That Pur system is so helpful.

  7. shandy kaye says

    January 19, 2018 at 3:09 am

    great factors indeed! Moving to a new city involves a lot of thinking and a lot of planning.

  8. Shoshana Sue says

    January 19, 2018 at 6:43 am

    Availability of schools in an area is an absolute first for me as my kids are still in school. I have never considered taxes before, but maybe that is because I move locally where tax is flat rate

  9. Diana V says

    January 19, 2018 at 7:15 am

    Schools is the most important for and my family, since we have kids and education is first

  10. Jeanine says

    January 19, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    Schools was why we moved to a whole new town. Although we’ve had some issues it’s nothing like where we used to be. Water is also something I never did consider.

  11. Heather says

    January 20, 2018 at 12:16 am

    My father-in-law is a city water engineer so water quality is very important to our family. It’s so important that we have safe water and sometimes that’s not coming straight from the tap. PUR is a great way to ensure you have safe water for your family!

  12. Britt says

    January 20, 2018 at 6:44 pm

    My husband and I have moved around a ton but it all changed when’s we had kids. There’s so much more to think about.

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Hi! I'm Chelsea and we're the Damon's. We spent the last two years in WA state paying off student loans and just bought our first house in SC! I love a smooth black coffee, Josh's first love is the Seattle Sounders. Our kids are huge dorks and constantly make us laugh and we all love spending as much time outside as possible.

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Now that we still have some sunlight hanging aroun Now that we still have some sunlight hanging around after the kids go to bed, my new thing is sipping a glass of wine on the back patio while making small talk with Josh and praying the kids stay in bed.
 
I've been obsessed with cleaning our house recently but I've been so good about it, I have nothing left to clean or tidy right now and I'm left to face the things I don't really want to think about like the fact that I miss my kids when they're at school or how I really want to fill this house up with some more of them 😅 

At any rate, one of my simple pleasures in life is decluttering and purging unused things and I feel like I've accomplished a lot!! What about you?
Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growin Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growing up, I thought it was pretty much all I was cut out to do, which ended up being false. But even though I've learned that I'm capable of so many other things, being a mom is still one of my highest aspirations. As we're getting our home ready for fostering, I can't help but think of how the little one(s) entering our home will feel but also how David and Evy will feel. How will they react if we parent slightly differently? Will they understand that we're working to build trust and connection or will they feel indignant? These are the things I pray about and also speak to the kids about in the days leading up. We're all excited but I have the feeling of heaviness that we don't and won't understand the burden until we're all already carrying it together.
Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over here and I think it might be working 😉 Today the kids had TWOsday at school and they were so sweet. David wore a tie (I don't exactly get how it tirles in to Twosday but the kids were happy so..) and Evy "twinned" with a couple of sweet friends in her class. It's so sweet when you see your own kids building their own friendships. It just loosens a little piece of anxiety I've had about parenthood since David was still in my tummy. How did you spend your TWOsday??

Sandals @naotfootwear 💕
Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Jos Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Josh in a quiet house - the kids slept over my parent's last night. Got up, raced to clean the kitchen as fast as I could while my coffee was brewing. The coffee won this time. 

I recorded a Reel while getting ready. Went to the place where we were going to meet my fam a bit early so Josh and I could get in a walk. Then we got coffee, went to a huge antique store (sadly left with nothing but took pictures of my faves so I can remember to come back) and went to lunch with the kids and my parents. Love easy-going and fun days like these 🖤

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Now that we still have some sunlight hanging aroun Now that we still have some sunlight hanging around after the kids go to bed, my new thing is sipping a glass of wine on the back patio while making small talk with Josh and praying the kids stay in bed.
 
I've been obsessed with cleaning our house recently but I've been so good about it, I have nothing left to clean or tidy right now and I'm left to face the things I don't really want to think about like the fact that I miss my kids when they're at school or how I really want to fill this house up with some more of them 😅 

At any rate, one of my simple pleasures in life is decluttering and purging unused things and I feel like I've accomplished a lot!! What about you?
Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growin Being a mom has always meant so much to me. Growing up, I thought it was pretty much all I was cut out to do, which ended up being false. But even though I've learned that I'm capable of so many other things, being a mom is still one of my highest aspirations. As we're getting our home ready for fostering, I can't help but think of how the little one(s) entering our home will feel but also how David and Evy will feel. How will they react if we parent slightly differently? Will they understand that we're working to build trust and connection or will they feel indignant? These are the things I pray about and also speak to the kids about in the days leading up. We're all excited but I have the feeling of heaviness that we don't and won't understand the burden until we're all already carrying it together.
Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over Doing my gosh darned best to manifest spring over here and I think it might be working 😉 Today the kids had TWOsday at school and they were so sweet. David wore a tie (I don't exactly get how it tirles in to Twosday but the kids were happy so..) and Evy "twinned" with a couple of sweet friends in her class. It's so sweet when you see your own kids building their own friendships. It just loosens a little piece of anxiety I've had about parenthood since David was still in my tummy. How did you spend your TWOsday??

Sandals @naotfootwear 💕
Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Jos Today was a sweet day. Woke up at 8:30 next to Josh in a quiet house - the kids slept over my parent's last night. Got up, raced to clean the kitchen as fast as I could while my coffee was brewing. The coffee won this time. 

I recorded a Reel while getting ready. Went to the place where we were going to meet my fam a bit early so Josh and I could get in a walk. Then we got coffee, went to a huge antique store (sadly left with nothing but took pictures of my faves so I can remember to come back) and went to lunch with the kids and my parents. Love easy-going and fun days like these 🖤
Back in the day,I was talking with someone about m Back in the day,I was talking with someone about marriage.Josh and I had been married for a few years at that point but this guy was still single. ..

He told me he was studying to get his masters in counseling and he wanted to be a marriage counselor one day.I thought "Hey that's pretty cool" but, curious,because,you know, he was single. 

Anyway, after we'd been talking a few minutes about our interest in helping married couples, he leaned in and said, "You know, I have this theory on marriage.." "Oh yeah?" I said (pretty curious to hear what theories this guy had for all of marriage for everyone everywhere). 

He said, "I believe that every single problem in marriage boils down to communication."

At the time, I didn't really know what to say. I'm more of a *reflector* and then I come up with what I wish I had said later.

Here's what I wish I had said: "Um. Yeah I don't think so. I mean sure, communication helps with a lot of issues. But what about selfishness,⠀addiction,⠀past hurt and trauma, etc? Communication will help people work through those issues but they're connected to much deeper issues that concern the heart--not just your communication skills."

We are all broken, very human, beings and when left to our own devices,⠀we don't have all the tools necessary to "fix" ourselves or our spouse's problems. We can talk until we're blue in the face but we just can't fix ourselves. 

What we do need, is to lean on the Creator who made all things good and makes all things new. To understand that we are not the main characters here. The whole world and everything in it points to Christ and His redeeming power. And yes, he often works that out through us and often through communication. But it's not communication that saves marriages. It's Jesus.

I was just thinking about that today and wanted to get it off my chest. What role do you think communication plays?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! 🎁 Merry Christmas from the Damons! 🎁
So much joy in one photo! Ok, maybe 4 photos 😜 So much joy in one photo! Ok, maybe 4 photos 😜 Love my littlest niece, Eva ❤️
Let's hash something out together: what's somethin Let's hash something out together: what's something you do or used to fight about in your marriage/relationship regularly?

Do you feel like the issue is/was pretty cut and dry? 

Or was there an underlying issue that bubbled up in different ways?

Curious to know your thoughts. 

When Josh and I were first married, we fought a lot. We were pretty low-income, didn't have great jobs, and had a wee baby. While our fights were often about the grocery list, the real issue was that we were SCARED. 

Scared of the adult life we had just stepped into. It was kind of like jumping into a puddle you don't think is that deep until after it's too late and now your socks are completely drowning 🚣🏼‍♀️ 

Luckily, though, they dry off over time, don't they?

After lots of learning and working really hard (both at our jobs and relationship) things started to ease up. We started to see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and even though we weren't there yet, it gave up hope to carry on together ❤️
Go on a walk with your spouse before Netflixing. O Go on a walk with your spouse before Netflixing. Or if you can't leave the house, sit in the kitchen with a glass of wine. Make time to talk. And make it easier by doing things together. It's so so important ❤️
Top knots over crop tops 😜 Top knots over crop tops 😜

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