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 ❤️
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??
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Life & Finances, Work · February 9, 2016

How To Be Productive When You’re Overwhelmed and Freaking Out

I'll be the first to admit that sometimes life can get a bit ahead of me. Or, okay, maybe a lot ahead of me. Sometimes I freak out. Sometimes I shut down and pretend like I actually don't have anything to do! Yeah, don't do that. But instead of doing either of those things, here are some thing you can do to chill the heck out and get crap done!

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes life can get a bit ahead of me. Or, okay, maybe a lot ahead of me. Sometimes I freak out. Sometimes I shut down and pretend like I actually don’t have anything to do! Yeah, don’t do that. But instead of doing either of those things, here are some things you can do to chill the heck out and get stuff done!

Go to sleep!

As much as you feel like you need to get that crap load of stuff done right now (even if it’s due in the morning- umm… stressful!) you might need to consider just letting yourself get some sleep! Up until becoming a mom, I was never a morning person. But even in college I knew that I was waaay less distracted and way more motivated to get stuff done in the morning. I find that there are a lot more distractions at night. We’re way more prone to surf the web, watch TV, get that late night snack and disrupt the workflow. Also, as much as I would love to push through my need for sleep, I know that I think and make connections way easier when I’m rested. So, give yourself a break, and pick it up in the morning.

Wake up early

I am never more proud of myself for being a better worker(/wife/mommy) than I am if I can manage to get my butt out of bed in the morning and stuff done. I love checking the first few things off my list before noon! I also feel especially entitled to get out and treat myself to a coffee instead of a home brew. Like I said in my last point, I’m about 10x more productive and motivated in the mornings than I am at night, even when I was a night owl!

For you mamas out there…

I know this might go against everything in your being at 7 (or 6, or worse…) a.m. but waking up BEFORE the kids are up will completely change the feel of your morning! Being an introvert, one of the things I miss most about my pre-mommy days is quiet and focussed mornings. But nowadays I’ve been using my baby monitor as an alarm clock. Waking up to a toddler’s coos or cries is a heck of a lot different than waking up on your own, getting that first cup of coffee, (drinking it while it’s still warm…) and setting out to do what you gotta do.

Too stressed to sleep?

When I’m stressed, I feel the need to think about and plan out every detail so I know exactly what’s going on. And what sucks is, most of the time this happens at 1 a.m. So. Instead of lying in bed and pondering all the stuff you have to do the next day- write it down! When I do this, it is like I am literally taking the ideas from my head and placing them on paper, freeing my mind to chill the heck out and get some sleep! I use an app called Google Keep for all my list making and reminders. It is one of the best apps I have ever stumbled upon in my smartphone life. You can create checklists, location reminders, time reminders, picture reminders, everything you need to stay organized and keep yourself on track. Check it out here.

Set reminders throughout the day

One of the biggest problems with being stressed and having too much to do is feeling like we need to remember everything at once. Well, that’s kind of impossible and you’re probably setting yourself up to forget stuff and make mistakes. Just sayin’. Instead, try to think about your daily schedule and plan timed (or location) reminders for when you need to be reminded about a certain task.

Here’s an example of how I do this: I know that at work in the morning I’m going to need to send out an email, so I set a reminder for 15 minutes before I need to do that. I also know that when I get home I need to remember to call my mom. So I set a location reminder so that when I pull in my driveway my phone says, “Beeboop! Call your mom!” That was my impression of a ringtone…

Anyway… know your schedule and try to declutter your mind by only thinking about tasks when they need to be thought of. You’ll find yourself way more focussed and way less overwhelmed.

Change your context

So I know that “working from home” sounds super great, but honestly, I can’t get any work done from home before 7 pm when babe goes to bed. And even then my attention is split between work, my husband, my dirty house, the dog, and whole lot of other random crap. Getting out and going to a place like a library or coffee shop says to my mind, “Hey, you’re here to work. Let’s get to it.” In a setting other than my home I am way less needed (big one there) and way less prone to be distracted by personal life.

Instrumental music

One of the best things to get the creative juices flowing. OR if the thing you have to do is incredibly boring, spice it up a bit with some tunes. My favorite things to listen to while I work lately? Rodrigo y Gabriela. But that’s just me. I LOVE Spanish guitar. It wakes me up and get’s me focussed! Others find that classical helps them focus when writing or working on difficult tasks. Check out this superb article on what to listen to when you work.

What do you do to calm down and get stuff done? What music helps you focus?? Leave your suggestions in the comments and share with friends!

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In: Life & Finances, Work · Tagged: crazy, life, mom, momlife, morning person, multitalk, night owl, overwhelmed, productive, sahm, stay at home mom, stress, Work, working mom

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Comments

  1. Maggie says

    February 9, 2016 at 6:03 am

    love all these ideas! I’m going to wake up early tomorrow. 🙂

  2. Amanda | Maple Alps says

    February 9, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    Changing context is a huge one for me. Sometimes I’m most productive at Starbucks 😛

  3. ashley Lee says

    February 10, 2016 at 2:32 am

    Even though my toddlers sometimes wake before 7 am, I feel so much better when I wake and start my morning before they wake up! If I can get my coffee in peace.. It is going to be a good day! 🙂

  4. Amy Jones says

    February 10, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I think these are all great tips! they’re so simple but we always forget to do this when we’re stressed out or don’t think it will help and the truth is that when we follow this tips the final result of our work is so much better

  5. Natalie says

    May 9, 2016 at 2:43 am

    you always have such helpful stuff! so glad I subscribed to your blog! from one Woman to another!

  6. Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says

    June 2, 2017 at 9:20 am

    I love and agree with these tips. I am a blogger and stay at home mom too and had gotten into a good routine of waking up at 6 am to have 1.5 hours before little kids wake up. Yesterday and today6, I tried to push it to 530am. Problem is my little ones must sense I’m awake and,the sleep getting up earlier too. They draw, write or read until breakfast but still my time isn’t as uninterrupted as I’d hoped.

  7. Veronica says

    October 10, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    Thanks for the Tips! I’ve read that music can help to improve productivity before I’ll need to test it. When I need some productivity tips and methods to test, I look for them here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KanbanTool2009 . Check it out, I hope you;ll find the website useful as well.

  8. Mojoblogs says

    October 30, 2020 at 8:10 am

    Waking up early is hard especially when you’re not a morning person. But it will be a great start if you want to be more productive. Thank you so much for this helpful list.

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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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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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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 ❤️
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?

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