Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??
This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m s This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m so grateful for it.

On the one hand, there’s so much to do to get ready for little one to join us—it’s been a while since we’ve had a newborn! I’m spending most of my free time writing and nesting, nesting and writing. 

And then on the other hand, I’m feeling pretty ready to have my body back. And by that, I mean just to be done literally sharing it with another being. You start to miss things after a while like being able to breathe when you lay on your back or not getting indigestion for eating a few grapes. 

Overall, there’s so much to be thankful for. Each little inconvenience is a blessing and I’m happy they’re there. I’ll also be happy when they’re over. For now, I’m just savoring being a mom of “older kids” (8 and going on 6) that can grab their own snacks from time to time and put on their own shoes. We’re going to be heading back to square one in a couple months and I’m sure there’s a lot we’ve forgotten!
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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Beauty, Motherhood, Sponsored · December 27, 2018

3 Quick and Easy Braid Tutorials for Date Night

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hot Tools for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

Before I became a mom, I was so finicky about my hair! I used to wake up EVERY morning, shower, blow-dry, and style it. Of course, when the babies moved in, they seemed to think the morning would be a great time for diaper changes and feedings, so the daily shower routine went out the window. 

After being forced out of my daily hair-washing routine, I was able to see that I didn’t actually have to wash my hair every day! This seriously changed everything…

Except the fact that I still didn’t have any time to do my hair, even if I did want to…

Every mom knows that the first several months after a baby is born is mom-bun central. But after a while, the mom bun look starts to get old and I wanted to feel more like myself again!!

So… I started to get creative.

Since the prenatal vitamins I’d been taking had done wonders for growing my hair, it was finally long enough so that I could braid it without looking like I had two short pieces of rope sticking off my head #thickhairproblems.

When Josh and I go out on dates, I know I don’t have a ton of time between setting the kids up with a snack and getting myself ready and out the door, which is why I LOVE to stick my hair up in a quick and easy braid for our night out! 

Here’s the first braid:

Viking goddess

I call this hairstyle the Viking woman because, well…

You get the point.

I start this off by using my Hot Tools Signature Series Digital flat iron, 1 inch and straightening all of my hair. I then start to Dutch braid my hair and gather all the hair around my face up until I get back to about my ears. Then I continue the braid without gathering any more hair into it. Make this braid as long as you like, I made it a few inches down the back of my head. Tie it off with a rubber band or hair tie and you’re golden!

via GIPHY

Next up is the…

Crowning glory

This hairstyle is made up of two Dutch braids on either side of the head and then joining them together in the back. 

First, I part my hair to the side so that I’ll have a significant portion left on top of my head to tease and pin back later. 

Then, I start Dutch braiding by my temple and continue to gather hair into the braid until I reach halfway to the back of my head. Then I continue the braid without gathering any more hair for several inches.

via GIPHY

Then, do the same thing to the other side while leaving a large section of hair free on top of your head.

via GIPHY

Next, you’ll tease the back of that section of hair, brush the front so it looks smooth, and then pin it back on the back of your head.

via GIPHY

Lastly, take the braids and crisscross them behind your head. Secure them with bobby pins, doing your best to hide them. Then take the hair ties out of your braids and spray with a little hairspray.

via GIPHY

Lastly, we have the 

The Whirlygig

For this last set of braids, I’m going to start by curing my hair with my Hot Tools Signature Series curling iron.

via GIPHY

Then, I’ll comb my hair down the middle and split my hair into two halves.

Grab one half of hair and begin braiding just below your ear. Do the same to the other side of hair. For each braid, you’ll want to leave 3-4 inches of hair after the hair tie.

via GIPHY

Next, we’re going to grab the ends of our hair and pull outward so that the braid is crunched upward, making for thicker links. I’ll also pull gently on pieces of the braid to make some of the links larger.

via GIPHY

Of course, these hairstyles wouldn’t look nearly this good without my trusty Hot Tools Signature Series!

Seriously, I have never been more happy with my hair styling tools. I’m very protective of my hair and am always cautious when it comes to using heat on it. When I use my Hot Tools Signature Series, I never feel any pulling or breakage. 

I especially LOVE the Hot Tools Signature Series blow dryer! My favorite feature has to be the heat settings. I can blow dry my hair on a cool setting the entire time (without having to hold down a button) and afterward it feels just as healthy as if I had let it air dry!

I can’t recommend the Hot Tools Signature Series more! Shop for the tools at Amazon, Target or Walmart!

What’s your go-to date night hairstyle? Leave your tips in the comments below and let me know what you thought of these braid tutorials! 

Visit Sponsors Site

Shop The Hot Tools Signature Series!

In: Beauty, Motherhood, Sponsored · Tagged: braid, braid styles, couples, date night, hair, hairstyles, long, mom, momlife, noads, quick, sponsored, thick

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Comments

  1. Chelsea says

    December 27, 2018 at 7:04 pm

    These photos are gorgeous!!! I love your hair.

  2. razena says

    December 27, 2018 at 7:05 pm

    I wish I had known how to braid my hair like a viking instead of chopping off my tresses. Fortunately its growing back so i’m saving this!

  3. clare @ oh these are the good old Days says

    December 27, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    chelsea i love them all, but the viking is especially sexy! pinning for date night. 🙂

  4. Annaliese says

    December 28, 2018 at 12:38 am

    Oh I love all three!! I am not great at braiding hair and it’s actually a goal of mine to start doing more fun hairstyles!

    xoxo A
    http://www.southernbelleintraining.com

  5. lisa alfaro says

    December 28, 2018 at 1:11 am

    Your hair is beautiful! I love these ideas, especially the viking!

  6. MarciaF says

    December 28, 2018 at 1:25 am

    I’m so impressed that you can do this. I’ve never been able to braid, not even on someone else’s hair let alone my own. Your hair looks so stylish like this.

  7. Lily says

    December 28, 2018 at 3:39 am

    Love all of these on you!! I wish I was better at doing my hair.

  8. Kelsie Corbett says

    December 28, 2018 at 9:22 pm

    I LOVE all of these! I don’t have super thick hair so my braids don’t look that great, but i still love to do them! I like the first one best! I do that with a pony tail for the gym!

  9. Jasmine Hewitt says

    December 28, 2018 at 9:43 pm

    ok, i need to try All of these! I can’t do much with my hair as far as heat styling, but these are sooo cute and you make it so easy

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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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Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??

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  • So I know the title of this post says, “What men want most in a wife,” but to be more realistic, this is about what men need most in a wife. Like men, there are a lot of things that we (women) would really like in a husband. Like, it’d be a huge plus if he looked like Chris Hemsworth. But that’s not really what we need in order to have a positive relationship with our spouse. If we married him, we probably think he’s pretty cute, anyway. Take a look at these 5 things a man really needs in a wife, and if you can think of anything else, share your thoughts in the comments below! 5 Things men want most in a wife
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Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??
This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m s This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m so grateful for it.

On the one hand, there’s so much to do to get ready for little one to join us—it’s been a while since we’ve had a newborn! I’m spending most of my free time writing and nesting, nesting and writing. 

And then on the other hand, I’m feeling pretty ready to have my body back. And by that, I mean just to be done literally sharing it with another being. You start to miss things after a while like being able to breathe when you lay on your back or not getting indigestion for eating a few grapes. 

Overall, there’s so much to be thankful for. Each little inconvenience is a blessing and I’m happy they’re there. I’ll also be happy when they’re over. For now, I’m just savoring being a mom of “older kids” (8 and going on 6) that can grab their own snacks from time to time and put on their own shoes. We’re going to be heading back to square one in a couple months and I’m sure there’s a lot we’ve forgotten!
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 😊

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