Everyday is a new day 🤎 As a mom who works (fr Everyday is a new day 🤎

As a mom who works (from home, thank goodness!!) I know how hard it can be to find the time and evergy to be intentional. When it feels like all the work you do during the day is for the kids, sitting down and coloring feels like only a distraction. 

But it's so important to make the effort--those moments are what they'll remember! When we're intentional with our time with them, we're showing our kids that they're worth our time and attention. And those small connections are what will help them feel loved, secure, and supported. 

As they grow up, they'll carry those feelings with them, and they'll use them to build healthy relationships with themselves and others. So don't underestimate the power of the small moments of intention--we're giving our kids a gift that will last a lifetime.
One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ S One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ So blessed to call this family mine!
Just beachy 🌴 Just beachy 🌴
Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and I have been pretty go-with-the-flow with Cleo, we've found that she's been getting overly tired at night and almost inconsolable. So the last few nights we've been intentionally putting her to bed around the same time as Davey and Evy and she's actually been loving it? Go figure (also, not complaining! 😆).

Also.. today I walked out of the house to grab something from the car and this 10~ year old girl was walking by with her mom and she goes, "Mom she looks like Barbie!!"

Well that's the best compliment I've had in a while and I'm gonna hold onto it 💖
I've always seen myself as a "go with the flow" ty I've always seen myself as a "go with the flow" type person, and for the most part that's true. But what I've realized recently is that I'm good at going with the flow when I can see a good outcome down the road. But if I smell trouble, "go with the flow" Chelsea is gone with the wind 🌬️

This week we were working on memorizing some Bible verses with the kids. Evy randomly chose Psalm 119:105, "Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way, it is like a light that guides me."

It made me think about how all through scripture, God is just BEGGING us to trust that he has it all figured out. And time and time again, he comes through and does exactly what he says he's going to do. 

But for whatever reason, whenever anything unexpected happens, we immediately think that we need to jump in and control the situation. Some of us are really good at it, too. So it can be really difficult to leave the unknown in God's hands and trust that, yet again, he will provide. 

In this season of unknown for us, I'm praying daily for God to do His will with our family, that he would use us for good, and that we would trust the outcome. It's a scary thing to pray. But ultimately, that's exactly how we hope our short lives will be used—following the path he leads us.
Happy 6th birthday to the OG sister! There's no be Happy 6th birthday to the OG sister! There's no better feeling than getting to know the wonderful person she is growing into. We're so proud of this girl!! 6 is going to be a great year 💕
I'd want to sleep all day, too, if I were up every I'd want to sleep all day, too, if I were up every hour last night 🙃🙃 

Outfit @honest 🦋
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 😉
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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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Everyday is a new day 🤎 As a mom who works (fr Everyday is a new day 🤎

As a mom who works (from home, thank goodness!!) I know how hard it can be to find the time and evergy to be intentional. When it feels like all the work you do during the day is for the kids, sitting down and coloring feels like only a distraction. 

But it's so important to make the effort--those moments are what they'll remember! When we're intentional with our time with them, we're showing our kids that they're worth our time and attention. And those small connections are what will help them feel loved, secure, and supported. 

As they grow up, they'll carry those feelings with them, and they'll use them to build healthy relationships with themselves and others. So don't underestimate the power of the small moments of intention--we're giving our kids a gift that will last a lifetime.
One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ S One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ So blessed to call this family mine!
Just beachy 🌴 Just beachy 🌴
Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and I have been pretty go-with-the-flow with Cleo, we've found that she's been getting overly tired at night and almost inconsolable. So the last few nights we've been intentionally putting her to bed around the same time as Davey and Evy and she's actually been loving it? Go figure (also, not complaining! 😆).

Also.. today I walked out of the house to grab something from the car and this 10~ year old girl was walking by with her mom and she goes, "Mom she looks like Barbie!!"

Well that's the best compliment I've had in a while and I'm gonna hold onto it 💖

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Everyday is a new day 🤎 As a mom who works (fr Everyday is a new day 🤎

As a mom who works (from home, thank goodness!!) I know how hard it can be to find the time and evergy to be intentional. When it feels like all the work you do during the day is for the kids, sitting down and coloring feels like only a distraction. 

But it's so important to make the effort--those moments are what they'll remember! When we're intentional with our time with them, we're showing our kids that they're worth our time and attention. And those small connections are what will help them feel loved, secure, and supported. 

As they grow up, they'll carry those feelings with them, and they'll use them to build healthy relationships with themselves and others. So don't underestimate the power of the small moments of intention--we're giving our kids a gift that will last a lifetime.
One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ S One of the best Mother's Days! Thanks fam ❤️ So blessed to call this family mine!
Just beachy 🌴 Just beachy 🌴
Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and Some photos of life recently. As much as Josh and I have been pretty go-with-the-flow with Cleo, we've found that she's been getting overly tired at night and almost inconsolable. So the last few nights we've been intentionally putting her to bed around the same time as Davey and Evy and she's actually been loving it? Go figure (also, not complaining! 😆).

Also.. today I walked out of the house to grab something from the car and this 10~ year old girl was walking by with her mom and she goes, "Mom she looks like Barbie!!"

Well that's the best compliment I've had in a while and I'm gonna hold onto it 💖
I've always seen myself as a "go with the flow" ty I've always seen myself as a "go with the flow" type person, and for the most part that's true. But what I've realized recently is that I'm good at going with the flow when I can see a good outcome down the road. But if I smell trouble, "go with the flow" Chelsea is gone with the wind 🌬️

This week we were working on memorizing some Bible verses with the kids. Evy randomly chose Psalm 119:105, "Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way, it is like a light that guides me."

It made me think about how all through scripture, God is just BEGGING us to trust that he has it all figured out. And time and time again, he comes through and does exactly what he says he's going to do. 

But for whatever reason, whenever anything unexpected happens, we immediately think that we need to jump in and control the situation. Some of us are really good at it, too. So it can be really difficult to leave the unknown in God's hands and trust that, yet again, he will provide. 

In this season of unknown for us, I'm praying daily for God to do His will with our family, that he would use us for good, and that we would trust the outcome. It's a scary thing to pray. But ultimately, that's exactly how we hope our short lives will be used—following the path he leads us.
Happy 6th birthday to the OG sister! There's no be Happy 6th birthday to the OG sister! There's no better feeling than getting to know the wonderful person she is growing into. We're so proud of this girl!! 6 is going to be a great year 💕
I'd want to sleep all day, too, if I were up every I'd want to sleep all day, too, if I were up every hour last night 🙃🙃 

Outfit @honest 🦋
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 ❤️

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