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, Motherhood, Sponsored · October 27, 2017

How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!

Hey mama, I know as well as you do that when sickness strikes, we don’t get a day off. Is a runny nose going to make the baby change herself or make the toddler his lunch? I don’t think so. I don’t know about you but I get a serious cold about once a year, with a couple cases of the sniffles here or there- I mean, how can you not with kids in the house?? We’re coming up on the one year anniversary of the last time I was pretty sick and I’m wearing a large wooden crucifix as we speak to keep the next cold away.

Jk.

But seriously though. Did you know that about 20% of Americans will get the flu this year? 20%! (ie. the odds are not in our favor). And as common as the flu might be, it sure as heck is debilitating. Bodily fluids everywhere. You might as well sleep in the bathroom. But you can’t. Because you’re a mom. So what’s a mama to do?

Prepare and anticipate.

This isn’t your first flu season. And this year, you’ll be ready. Here are a few tips you can (literally) save for a rainy day and pull them out when a cold or the flu comes knocking on your door.

1 | Get a daily vitamin

No need to go crazy here and take 4000% times the amount of vitamin C recommended in a day. A simple multivitamin can really help to take the edge off when it feels like a cold is coming on. These are especially important to take if you plan on traveling! I always begin to feel a cold coming on after we fly but a daily multivitamin really helps to make the cold-coming-on feeling disappear.

2 | Get some sleep!

And a lot of it! Or at least as much as the kids will allow. This might mean putting the dishes off until bedtime when you’d be up anyway and using naptime to take a nap yourself. Whatever you do, don’t stay up late catching up on your new Netflix addiction. 24 hours later, you will feel something coming on and the only one you’ll have to blame is yourself. Unless the baby woke up 3 different times to nurse in the night, then you can blame her, no matter how late you were up anyway.

3 | Drink water

You know what makes drinking water throughout the day the easiest? Getting a ridiculously large water bottle with a straw. The straw is the important part here. Without one, you’ll have to put effort into unscrewing the lid or flipping it open, depending on your water bottle and honestly, we, as human beings, are so lazy. If it takes even the littlest effort to drink water, we won’t drink nearly as much as we would if all we had to do is slurp. This is true for me and it’s probably true for you too. Therefore, get yourself a huge water bottle (so you don’t have to make your lazy self refill it every hour) and slurp away!

5 | Make my mother-in-law’s amazingly strong cold & flu tea!

Here’s the recipe:

Grab a saucepan

5 cups water

4 herbal lemon tea bags

2 (ish) Tbs lemon juice

3 Tbs grated ginger root

Simmer everything in the saucepan on low with the lid on for about 15 minutes. Strain out the chunky stuff, let cool until drinkable, then consume.

Alas, if a cold or the flu does come to you or a member of your family, it’s always good to be prepared. Starting this Sunday (10/29), you can save up to $5 on medicine cabinet essentials just in time for cold and flu season when you shop at Walmart. On this date, look in the P&G brandSAVER in your local Sunday newspaper or at PGeveryday.com to find coupons for $0.50 off Puffs and $1-$3 off Vicks products including DayQuil, NyQuil, Sinex and VapoRub. This arsenal of cold and flu symptom relievers will get you and your family back to business in no time!

How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!
How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!
How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!
How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!How to Survive Cold and Flu Season with Kids + My MIL’s Cold & Flu Tea Recipe!
This conversation is sponsored by Puffs and Vicks available at Walmart. All opinions are my own.
   

In: Family, Motherhood, Sponsored · Tagged: avoid, babies, bathroom, cold, dayquil, diarrhea, flue, gross, kids, mama, mom, mother, motherhood, noads, nyquil, p&g, recipe, runny nose, shop, sick, sinex, sleep, sponsored, survive, symptoms, tea, throwing up, tissues, to-do, toddlers, treat, vaporub, vicks, vitamin, vomit, vomiting, walmart, water

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Comments

  1. Jessica Joachim says

    October 27, 2017 at 10:08 am

    Flu and cold season is the worst. It is great to be prepared though. That recipe of your MIL’s sounds great, I will give it a try next time one of us gets sick.

  2. Katrina says

    October 27, 2017 at 11:35 am

    I’ve only just started taking multivitamins, i didn’t realise how much they can benefit you.as for the tea, i’m gonna have to save the recipe for cold & flu season!

  3. Kayla Uimari says

    October 27, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    I for sure need to try this tea! Your other tips are really great too, i always forget that sleep helps your immune system!

  4. Karen Morse says

    October 27, 2017 at 1:47 pm

    It pays to be healthy especially during the cold season. I make sure that I get enough sleep aside from taking vitamins everyday. I think these are awesome tips. Curious about that tea!

  5. AnnMarie John says

    October 27, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Loving these tips! Prevention is always better than cure, even with common colds ANd flu. I would love to try that tea recipe.

  6. Jamie says

    October 28, 2017 at 1:46 pm

    LEMON ginger tea is so GREAT, I’ll have to try this recipe. I like to add some MAnuka honey to!

  7. Terri Steffes says

    October 28, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    I keep nyquil very close at hand. The stuff is so good. I can manage to sleep and feel somewhat rested in the morning.

  8. Cindy Ingalls says

    October 28, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    I always try to up my vitamin intake when cold and flu season rolls around. There is nothing worse than missing out because you are sick. That tea sounds heavenly. Lemon and Ginger really help ease cold and flu symptoms.

  9. Cassie Tucker says

    October 28, 2017 at 11:38 pm

    I hate cold and flu season! I can never convince people that sleep is one of the most important factors to staying healthy this time of year.

  10. Jeanine says

    October 29, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    This post is exactly what I need right now. It’s major cold and flu season up here and it seems my kids are getting some form of a cold, or bug every week!

  11. Angela Ricardo Bethea says

    October 29, 2017 at 4:21 pm

    During flu season, one cannot be without Vicks products, Thanks for the tips and I’d love to try that tea recipe.

  12. Lily Ashley says

    October 30, 2017 at 8:55 am

    That’s a great tea recipe. Maybe I can try doing that for my mom. Thanks for sharing.

  13. Heather says

    October 30, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    When your kids are sick it’s so hard. but when YOU are sick it’s just miserable. This looks like a great combo to make you feel better!

  14. jennifer says

    October 30, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    Nyquil is always on our medicine shelf during the winter months. I am definitely going to have to try your mil’s recipe!

  15. Susie P says

    November 4, 2017 at 11:34 pm

    Hello, Chelsea.

    I usually catch flu every year. I don’t get enough sleep every day because of the nature of my work. I never tried any flu tea in the past but I really want to try one.

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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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Follow @chelsealeighdamon

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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