Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill it and fix it. On top of this, it’s hard for us to ask for help because we don’t want to be a burden to others. 

But in the process of meeting everyone else’s needs and neglecting our own (especially our need for rest), we often become bitter towards the ones we’re helping.

Instead, one of the best things we can do as a wife or mother is to assess our own needs and make sure to leave space to meet them ourself or to ask for what we need. 

It might be time to rest, help with the next meal, time alone to pray and meditate on God’s word, or allowing yourself to leave a task un-done so you can “selfishly” enjoy a hobby of yours like the rest of your family gets to do. 

In the end, making room to find joy each day may be one of the best things you do for your relationships.
30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet yo 30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet you. We *think* we've finally settled on a first name after non-stop back-and-forth and brainstorming. Any guesses?? Or.. what are your favorite baby girl names right now??
Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be s Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be super intentional with the time we spend with David and Evy recently, knowing that big changes are just around the corner! We pray with them, ask them what questions they have, take the time to explain things. I'm hoping they'll be set up pretty well for the transition of little sis coming in March but most of the work will happen after she gets here! How did you help littles prepare for baby?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️ Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️
The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊 The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊
We took the kids to baby's 20 week anatomy scan to We took the kids to baby's 20 week anatomy scan today and here's how it went. Have you ever brought kids to one of these appointments??
Bet you thought we were done!! 😂 We've kept it Bet you thought we were done!! 😂 We've kept it our little secret for a while but I'm so excited to let the cat out of the bag that baby #3 will be here March 2023 💙💗💗
When we know a new foster placement is coming, we When we know a new foster placement is coming, we might have a couple days or just a couple hours to prepare 😳 In any case, these are a few of the things we try to get done beforehand that help us to be more "in the moment" when he or she arrives. Would you add anything to this list?
The thing about not so simple times is that they r The thing about not so simple times is that they really make you appreciate the simple ones 🖤 

So grateful for this little fam of ours and let me just say, now that we live in the south, fall has definitely become my favorite season 🍂 The weather is 👌👌👌 meaning I can sit outside for more than 5 minutes and not break a sweat. There's so many fun festivals, and the kids go crazy pointing out all the spooky Halloween decorations and fall colors 🎃 I wish I could slow down the stage of life we're in but making memories like these will do the trick.
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Life & Finances, Outdoors, travel · July 4, 2017

In-Car Essentials For a Long Road Trip

So, to prepare for our long road trip, I’ve been doing some research and compiling a list of things and tips that will help us actually enjoy the drive and not go insane. Here’s that list:

So if you’re following me on Instagram (my favorite place to hang out recently), you may have heard that our family is moving to the great Pacific Northwest! We’re so excited because this is something we’ve been wanting to do since Josh and I got married but the timing was never juuust right until now. It’s bitter-sweet, though, because we love our church family so much and truly wish we can bring them with us. We’ll also be leaving the same coast that my side of the family lives on. My family and our small group can testify that we’ve been cornering each person individually and trying to convince them to come with us. Kidding! (short of…).

Anyway. As nice as it’d be to drive 40 hours with a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old, we decided against it (OMG THAT WOULD BE AWFUL).

So, to save the day, our superhero moms are going to be flying from our home here in central VA to Seattle with our babies while Josh and I traverse the country with our single trailer holding what’s left of all our belongings. Josh has already driven across the country twice but this will be my first time and I’m actually pretty excited! I love long road trips! Mostly for the opportunity it gives hubs and I to catch up and talk without technology being as much of a distraction.

So, to prepare for our long road trip, I’ve been doing some research and compiling a list of things and tips that will help us actually enjoy the drive and not go insane. Here’s that list:

Ps. If you have any tips of your own to share that you think I missed, leave them in the comments below!

A huge water bottle

Nothing is worse than being stuck in the drivers seat with your driving buddy sleeping AND being parched. When I get dehydrated, I start to feel sick real fast. I get a headache, my stomach feels gross, and I get tried. I always have a massive water bottle on me like this one and will definitely have one in the car!

A roof bag

My parents actually just gifted us this roof bag and I’m really excited to use it. We’ll get to try it out before the road trip when we go camping with the fam this weekend. This’ll give us much more space in the car (which we will so need since we’re moving everything to our names in one smallish trailer AND the fact that we’ll have the dog in the car with us. Did I mention that? He’ll be on pills).

A car adapter

We purchased this little guy so I could keep blogaloggin’ on the road. (I say “little” because my parents had a honkin’ one of these  in the 90’s and I had this image in my head that that’s what we were going to get when purchasing this. Nope. It’s cute and small. The wonders of modern technology). You may have also heard that I’m freelance blogging now. That, and helping companies with Pinterest. This will help me keep us with a couple jobs I have while on the road if/when we stop to eat and rest. Have I ever mentioned that I love that I can work from anywhere????? It’s pretty awesome.

A cooler

As much as I looove salty snacks, they can often make the dehydration I mentioned above a lot worse. Also, when you’re on the road, you’re eating out a lot and it can be hard to stay healthy. When we veer from our normal eating habits, we start to not feel so hot. That being said, I like to pack some bananas, apples, and berries to munch on while on the road. They keep up feeling good, energized, and keep us on track with our healthy habits. Put those in a cooler so they stay so fresh and so clean, clean.

Car seat organizer + trash can

Not just for kids, guys. If you’re anything like us, you know that the car can get messy real fast when you’re stuck in it for the long haul. I especially love this organizer because it has a cooler built in! Why not kill two birds with one stone? Also, we never don’t have a trash can in our car. I might not be a neat freak, but one of my pet peeves is having trash rappers just thrown around.

Roadside emergency kit

Road trip or not, every car needs one of these. We got a new alternator a few months ago (which, apparently, is responsible for charging the battery? Correct me if I’m wrong. But I’ll probably forget again anyway) and before we did, our battery died probably every other week. Mostly because our two year old would turn lights on in the car without us knowing and they would remain on over night. Come next morning, dead car. Don’t be stuck without a good set of jumper cables when you’re far from home!

Protein

It’s hard to get good nutrition when you’re on the road all day. Grab a little extra protein while you’re on the road in a bar, not unlike this one, that’s high in protein and low in sodium.

A good travel mug

If you’re traveling even half as much as we will be next month (or even a quarter) you might start to feel a little sleepy. WAKE UP! Grab a cup o’ joe to go in a travel mug like this one that’ll keep it hot or cold for hours! Not to mention it’ll help you clumsies (like me) from spilling all over yourself. Always a good thing. Did you know that lots of coffee shops will give you a small discount if you bring your own mug?? Give it a try!

A sweet camera

I love road trips. I especially love making memories. My sisters bought me this camera for my birthday and I intend to get A LOT of use out of it during our trip! Don’t forget to pack extra film!

A camping tent

Being the frugal people that we are, we don’t want ot have to spend money on 4 nights of hotels on our trek across the US. Instead, we’re opting for sleeping under the stars. We were given this tent as a wedding present (best thing we put on our registry!) and we have gotten a lot of use out of it! Here’s to many more camping trips to come!

A good pair of sunglasses

For some weird reason, I don’t get tired when driving at night. The only time I get tired is when I drive when it’s really sunny! I think the extra squinting just makes me sleepy!

Anyway…

I used to work for an optometrist who also sold glasses and sunglasses. These were my favorite products in the entire office. Maui Jims are q u a l i t y. These are polarized with contrast enhancements that really help improve your vision when it’s extremely sunny or overcast. The best pair of sunglasses I’ve ever owned.

Phone stand/charger

I tried to find the exact phone stand/charger we have but I could not. HOWEVER, this one is pretty similar! Our phone stand like this is a lifesaver. It helps hold my phone up for me while I have the GPS going and keeps it out of the clutter of snacks and whatnot. And no, the magnet will not hurt your phone (although I don’t understand why).

Eyemask and travel pillow


When you’re road trippin’ it, you’ll have to sleep when you can. I like these types of eye masks that are more shapely because other ones squish my eyelashes and I end up with mascara on my cheeks #girlproblems. Also, I think neck pillows make you look like a dork but they’re a necessary evil when traveling. Here’s a quality one for ya.

Baby wipes

Depending on how long your road trip is, you may get pretty gross. Or at the very least, find yourself needing to wash your hand without a sink nearby. These Amazon Elements wipes are truly my favorite. They take off makeup, they’re sensitive on skin, fragrance-free, strong, and the perfect wetness. Love them.

So guys, what’d I miss? Have anything you’d add to the list? Leave a comment below and help a fellow traveler!So, to prepare for our long road trip, I’ve been doing some research and compiling a list of things and tips that will help us actually enjoy the drive and not go insane. Here’s that list:

So, to prepare for our long road trip, I’ve been doing some research and compiling a list of things and tips that will help us actually enjoy the drive and not go insane. Here’s that list:

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you purchase through my link, I get a cut of the sale, but prices are exactly the same for you. Thanks in advance for the support! Of course, I only post products that I truly believe in and/or use myself.

In: Life & Finances, Outdoors, travel · Tagged: baby wipes, bottle, camera, car, cooler, drive, essentials, eye mask, fuji film, healthy, instax, maui jims, neck pillow, need, phone charger, road, road trip, roof bag, tent, travel, travel mug, trip, vacation, water, wipes

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Comments

  1. Rachel says

    July 5, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    I love bringing my polaroid along with me on road trips!

  2. Nicola says

    July 24, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    I love a good road trip and used to drive a lot for work. But surely you’ve forgotten the most important thing…a great playlist! You can’t go on a long road trip without some brilliant music

  3. Charlene says

    August 1, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    Chelsea! I just recently found you and have joined the Sweet Wife facebook group and have fallen in love with your blog. And then I find this post! My husband and I are moving to the PNW in January! We both grew up in Georgia, went to college in Arkansas and have lived the past 5 years in Ohio. It’s going to be crazy leaving all our friends and family but we’re super excited! I’m so glad to follow your journey in a very similar situation!

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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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Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill it and fix it. On top of this, it’s hard for us to ask for help because we don’t want to be a burden to others. 

But in the process of meeting everyone else’s needs and neglecting our own (especially our need for rest), we often become bitter towards the ones we’re helping.

Instead, one of the best things we can do as a wife or mother is to assess our own needs and make sure to leave space to meet them ourself or to ask for what we need. 

It might be time to rest, help with the next meal, time alone to pray and meditate on God’s word, or allowing yourself to leave a task un-done so you can “selfishly” enjoy a hobby of yours like the rest of your family gets to do. 

In the end, making room to find joy each day may be one of the best things you do for your relationships.
30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet yo 30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet you. We *think* we've finally settled on a first name after non-stop back-and-forth and brainstorming. Any guesses?? Or.. what are your favorite baby girl names right now??
Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be s Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be super intentional with the time we spend with David and Evy recently, knowing that big changes are just around the corner! We pray with them, ask them what questions they have, take the time to explain things. I'm hoping they'll be set up pretty well for the transition of little sis coming in March but most of the work will happen after she gets here! How did you help littles prepare for baby?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️ Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️

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Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill it and fix it. On top of this, it’s hard for us to ask for help because we don’t want to be a burden to others. 

But in the process of meeting everyone else’s needs and neglecting our own (especially our need for rest), we often become bitter towards the ones we’re helping.

Instead, one of the best things we can do as a wife or mother is to assess our own needs and make sure to leave space to meet them ourself or to ask for what we need. 

It might be time to rest, help with the next meal, time alone to pray and meditate on God’s word, or allowing yourself to leave a task un-done so you can “selfishly” enjoy a hobby of yours like the rest of your family gets to do. 

In the end, making room to find joy each day may be one of the best things you do for your relationships.
30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet yo 30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet you. We *think* we've finally settled on a first name after non-stop back-and-forth and brainstorming. Any guesses?? Or.. what are your favorite baby girl names right now??
Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be s Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be super intentional with the time we spend with David and Evy recently, knowing that big changes are just around the corner! We pray with them, ask them what questions they have, take the time to explain things. I'm hoping they'll be set up pretty well for the transition of little sis coming in March but most of the work will happen after she gets here! How did you help littles prepare for baby?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️ Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️
The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊 The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊
We took the kids to baby's 20 week anatomy scan to We took the kids to baby's 20 week anatomy scan today and here's how it went. Have you ever brought kids to one of these appointments??
Bet you thought we were done!! 😂 We've kept it Bet you thought we were done!! 😂 We've kept it our little secret for a while but I'm so excited to let the cat out of the bag that baby #3 will be here March 2023 💙💗💗
When we know a new foster placement is coming, we When we know a new foster placement is coming, we might have a couple days or just a couple hours to prepare 😳 In any case, these are a few of the things we try to get done beforehand that help us to be more "in the moment" when he or she arrives. Would you add anything to this list?
The thing about not so simple times is that they r The thing about not so simple times is that they really make you appreciate the simple ones 🖤 

So grateful for this little fam of ours and let me just say, now that we live in the south, fall has definitely become my favorite season 🍂 The weather is 👌👌👌 meaning I can sit outside for more than 5 minutes and not break a sweat. There's so many fun festivals, and the kids go crazy pointing out all the spooky Halloween decorations and fall colors 🎃 I wish I could slow down the stage of life we're in but making memories like these will do the trick.
If I was a... according to Josh 😋 What would yo If I was a... according to Josh 😋 What would your spouse say?? #ifiwasachallenge

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