ACV in the tub and a Hyland's Gift Basket. It's a dandy Vinegar Friday!

TGIVF!

Did you know that over 70% of Americans suffer from stress? I must say I'm guilty from time to time. Financial stress is probably my worst enemy, followed by deadline stress. Deadline stress, however, is self-imposed, since deadlines rarely sneak up on me. It simply comes down to mismanagement of time.


So, what do I do to de-stress? For as long as I can remember, hot baths were the answer for me. When I was a young mom, my late-husband would often come from work, take one look at my frazzled expression and say, "You look like you need to relax." Then he'd send me off to the bathroom for a soak in the tub. Often, he'd even bring me a cup of hot tea while I was in there. I could relax, knowing he was taking good care of the kids. Yeah, I was blessed that way.

My kids grew up with a mom who spent endless hours in the tub reading. The bathtub was my stress-free zone and I rarely skipped an opportunity to unwind there. 

Lately, however, I'm finding my body doesn't appreciate the position I'm in while taking long baths. I guess it has to do with my scrunched up neck and the odd position of my head. Plus with the summer heat and/or onset of hot flashes, it's no longer my favorite de-stressing activity, although I do still indulge in an apple cider infused bath at least once a week. The ACV draws toxins out of my body and re-balances the acidity. It is also energizing and skin-softening. 


But what happens when there are bills to pay and deadlines to meet and webinars or conference calls to participate in and there simply isn't time for the luxury of a relaxing bath? That's when I reach for Hyland's Nerve Tonic. Since it's homeopathic, I'm perfectly fine with it. It's not like I'm reaching for an Ativan or Valium to help me deal. And if it's too late to take a bath because I have an early morning ahead, I simply take a few Hyland's Calms Forte tablets to help my mind let go of the day's stress and allow me to sleep peacefully.

What about you? What causes the most stress in your life? What do you do to stress less?

Leave a comment below by 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17th, then click the easy entry link on the Rafflecopter. I will announce a winner of a Hyland's Gift Basket on Wednesday, Sept. 18th! Simple as that.

Click here for the Official Rules. 

The Hyland's Gift Basket includes:

• Hyland's Calm Forte, 100 ct. ARV $9.59
• Hyland's Nerve Tonic, 32 ct. ARV $7.99
• Arnica 30X, 50 ct. ARV $7.49
• Muscle Therapy Gel, 3 oz. ARV $8.59
• Bioplasma, 500 ct. ARV $12.79
• Bioplasma Sport, 12 pack ARV $11.99
• Leg Cramps, 50 ct. ARV $9.19
• Restful Legs, 50 ct. ARV $8.99

 Total ARV of Prize Package: $76.62 


On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Hyland's is accepting registrations for the 5-Day Stress Challenge on Facebook, which kicks off on Sept. 30. I'll be posting details on Wednesday, so don't miss it! There is a fantastic GRAND PRIZE! 


So, I'll ask again: What causes the most stress in your life? What do you do to stress less?

Looking forward to awarding someone in the GG community a fantastic prize package, courtesy of Hyland's!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; void where prohibited.  Open only to legal residents of 50 US (inc. D.C.), 18+.  Ends 9/17/13 at 1:00 p.m. ET  See Official Rules for details.  Sponsored by Green Grandma, 132 Martin Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15237. 

Sometimes we all need to play hookey

If you read yesterday's post, you already know I'm stressed. Stress, quite simply, is not good for our health. And I've been feeling a bit unhealthy lately.

My husband had a vacation day yesterday. As he slept in, I worked. We enjoyed a late breakfast together and I headed back to work. As the afternoon wore on, I couldn't help noticing what a gorgeous day it was outside. And then I got an idea. Hesitantly, I went into the bedroom to present the idea to Bill. He had just changed into his work-outside-clothes. Looking at me, he detected that, "I want to go somewhere" look and I saw his countenance fall.

"What?"

A perfect cloudless sky

"Umm. What were you going to do now?" I asked hesitantly.

"Why? What do you want to do?" (He knows me so well.)

I sat down on the bed, scared to ask because my husband tends to say yes to me simply because he hates to disappoint me. I don't like when he does that. I'd rather he be honest and say no when he has other plans.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, with a tad of dread in his voice. God forbid I'd say, "The mall."

"Well, since we never seem to do it early enough, do you want to go to the Wildflower Reserve?"

His expression changed. Without hesitation, he said, "Sure."

So off we went. The Wildflower Reserve is in Hookstown, PA, about 40 miles away. It's a long drive to simply go for a walk, but it was one of our favorite places to go when we were dating. Every year, we plan to go in the early spring so we can see the spring flowers. But we tend to be too busy, and we miss it. We go later in the season, or in the summer, and we miss the spring surprises and experience the bugs instead.

What a lovely way to play hookey. We walked for miles through the woods, down the trails to the creek and climbed back up, crossing over felled trees, muddy patches and tree roots. We looked for animal tracks and unique flowers and found quite a few of both. We forgot about work, and deadlines, and impending financial challenges that will accompany Bill's retirement next month. We didn't think about problems or taxes or even household chores left undone. We skipped talking about pink slime, BPA or GMOs. We held hands. We listened to the quiet. We enjoyed being unplugged. Ahhh. This is exactly what I needed.

I adore my husband. I relish the friendship we have. And I'm so glad we decided to take off on a cool, sunny April afternoon and enjoy the gift of creation and the joy of couplehood. Today, I'm thanking God for both.

When's the last time you played hookey? 

Sharing another glimpse into my life,

Hana