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 😜
  • Family
  • Marriage
  • fitness
  • travel
  • Life & Finances
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Family
    • Marriage
    • fitness
    • travel
    • Life & Finances
    • Devotional
  • About
    • Contact
  • Devotional

Living the Sweet Wife

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Family
    • Marriage
    • fitness
    • travel
    • Life & Finances
    • Devotional
  • About
    • Contact
  • Devotional

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

join the club

You’ll Also Love

Three Ways to Keep the Kids From Going Crazy (Quarantined) at Home [With Peppa Pig]Three Ways to Keep the Kids From Going Crazy (Quarantined) at Home [With Peppa Pig]
WHAT TO DO WITH A FREE DAY IN SEATTLE: A PARENTS’ STAYCATIONWhat to do with a Free Day in Seattle: A Parents’ Staycation
As a general rule, the idea is to pack smart. Don’t pack more than you need as you’ll probably be the one carrying it all back, but do keep certain scenarios in mind like hunger, bathroom breaks, weather, etc.The Best Tips + Packing List for Hiking with Kids and Babies

Comments

  1. Rachel says

    July 5, 2017 at 2:41 pm

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

    Reply
  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

    Reply
  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!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

How Third Wave Feminism is Killing Marriage

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.

join the club

Recent Posts

3 Ways to Make the End of Summer a Blast for the Kids

3 Ways to Make the End of Summer a Blast for the Kids

3 Ways I Create Quality Time With My Husband

3 Ways I Create Quality Time With My Husband

The Best Tips + Packing List for Hiking with Kids and Babies

The Best Tips + Packing List for Hiking with Kids and Babies

The Pros and Cons of Getting Married Young

The Pros and Cons of Getting Married Young

8 Super Easy Ways To Show Your Spouse Love Throughout the Day

8 Super Easy Ways To Show Your Spouse Love Throughout the Day

The Best and Worst Parts of Being a Corporate Mom

The Best and Worst Parts of Being a Corporate Mom

Categories

  • Family
  • Marriage
  • fitness
  • travel
  • Life & Finances
Shop Presets

Instagram

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?

trending now

  • 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
  • Do you ever wish that sometimes you could just write a long list to your spouse of all the things he does that drive you insane?? I have done this. 8 of the Worst Marriage Habits
  • Disrespect in marriage can go both ways. Women can react to disrespect from their husbands in many ways. I'm here to share a few positive ways women can react to disrespect in their marriages in order to handle it well and steer their marriage in the direction of grace and kindness again. How to Handle Disrespect in Marriage
  • Sure, they say don’t go to bed while you’re still angry, but sometimes husbands and wives just need some space! That being said, there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways (productive and hurtful, if you will) to get space away from a spouse. Let’s talk about those. The Right and Wrong Way To Give Your Spouse Space

instagram

Follow @chelsealeighdamon

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 😜
Josh and I have been doing a lot of reading on par Josh and I have been doing a lot of reading on parenting recently and I love so many of the lessons we've been learning on creating structure while also being empathetic to your child's needs. 

One of the concepts that's stuck with me is how we should "sandwich" our criticism or corrections with positive things. Kids can get discouraged pretty easily but we can help make sure they feel reassured and loved by complimenting them and noticing & verbalizing their growth as well. 

So for example, saying, "I'm very proud of you for putting away your toys. I want you to work on not bossing around your sister - I'll be the parent in charge. Ok? But the way you put your clothes in your drawers was great!"

Idk about you but I would love if other adults sandwiched their criticism too 😂

Explore

  • About
  • My Book
  • Contact

join the club

Shop My Favorites

  • About
  • Instagram
  • About
  • Media Kit | Guest Posting
  • Privacy Policy & T&C’s

Copyright © 2022 Living the Sweet Wife · Theme by 17th Avenue