Relaxation Techniques to Help You De-Stress

After a long day at work, it’s natural to search for ways you can relax and watch all of your stress melt away. Finding relaxation methods that work for you might seem complicated, but there are a number of simple techniques that you can try out. Once you’ve incorporated your favorites into your daily routine, you can observe a noticeable difference in your stress levels on a day-to-day basis. Here are some of the easiest and most enjoyable relaxation techniques that can help you de-stress naturally.

Muscle Relaxation

Whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation, you may notice that your muscles become tense in response to the trigger. To combat this reaction, you can try engaging in muscle relaxation. This technique requires you to deliberately tense each muscle group and then relax it slowly. The purpose of this exercise is to help you become aware of the difference between tension and relaxation, which can teach you how to relax whenever you’re caught up in stressful circumstances.

Taking a Bath or Shower

There are few things more relaxing than coming home to a refreshing bath or shower. Hopping into the tub is more than just a method to cleanse yourself. By immersing yourself in hot water, you can also relieve tension and relax your muscles. You can further enhance the effects of a hot shower or bath by building a steam shower. Showers that contain extra steam help to raise levels of oxytocin, a hormone that improves interpersonal bonds and fights feelings of depression.

Listening to Music

Have you ever noticed how your mood seems to instantly improve after you put on your favorite song? As it turns out, there is a scientific reason for this phenomenon. Listening to music has been shown to combat symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Calm and slow-paced songs can even decrease your blood pressure and lower your pulse and heart rate. In addition, focusing on the music you’re listening to prevents your mind from racing with stressful thoughts. Whether you play music in your Thermasol shower or in bed before you sleep, this relaxation technique is both enjoyable and highly effective.
Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life, but it can be properly controlled with these relaxation techniques. Remember to be patient with yourself as you try out each method and choose the one that is most appropriate for your needs.

Headbands of Hope

Hi Neighbors!!

We received three different headbands from Headbands of Hope.  Each one is beautiful and unique.  We also have their Beanie Hat, that one of my daughter's claimed the minute it came out of the package.

Let me tell you a little about Headbands of Hope before we share the different bands we received.  Jess is the founder of Headbands for Hope.  Her journey started in college when she did an internship at Disney World as a photographer.  She saw and photographed many children there on wish trips from organizations who donated trips to children with life-threatening conditions. Move forward in time and Jess came up with the idea to create headbands and for every headband sold she donates one to a child with cancer.  Be sure to read the full story on her website.

The Gold Crystal Tie (above), is perfect for a dressy night out or perhaps to a concert.  This piece is very dainty and delicate looking.  The tiny gold wire has beautiful, crystal gems as accents.  They pair so nicely together.  The tie itself is a suede, and is long enough to fit just about any head.

The next headband is the Cabernet Lace Tie.  This is my favorite of the three ties we received.  The delicate looking lace is 1.5 inches wide.  The tie is a burgundy ribbon, perfect for the upcoming holiday season!

The Cafe Diamond is a beaded headband, with an adjustable elastic band.  The back of the beading is lined with velvet for a secure fit.  The adjustable elastic band allows you to adjust from 14" to 20".

This is M's favorite!! She has already worn it, as we have had a spell of chilly weather.  The Oatmeal Confetti Beanie is a slouchy beanie. The different colors woven in, give the look of confetti sprinkled over the beanie.  

Headbands of Hope are carried in stores across the world and have been promoted by many celebrities.  They have donated headbands to every children's hospital in America and 15 countries.  So, if you are interested in giving a gift this year, that will also give a gift to someone else consider gifting your mom, sister, grandmother, or aunt with a beautiful headband from Headbands of Hope.  Or maybe they would prefer a Beanie.  Either way, a child will receive a Headband of Hope for each item purchased.  

So, go check out their website and give them a follow on their social media and tell someone else about Headbands of Hope.

Facebook - HERE

Twitter - HERE

Instagram - HERE

Pinterest - HERE

Thanks for stopping by, where neighbors share!!

Defender Ring

Hey neighbors!!
The Defender Ring is a unique piece of jewelry, also designed to be used for self defense.  You simply remove the beautiful floral top and there is an extremely, small, sharp blade.  You probably would not actually cause major harm with it, but it would definitely break skin and cause bleeding.  Not to mention, it would retain DNA evidence.  It comes in a nice gift box, with a pull string bag for storing your ring.  I know my daughters would LOVE to find this ring under the tree!!

I know my daughters will think this is a great addition to the pocket knives and boot knives they already carry with them when they travel.  A nice thing about the Defender Ring, is obviously, you can wear it anywhere, unlike trying to carry a pocketknife on you.  My daughters regularly attend concerts, where it may not be easy to carry a small knife with them.  This also prevent fumbling in your purse searching.  Your self defense ring is right there on your finger.

The blade itself is 5 mm in length, and 2 mm in diameter.  The tip is very sharp. The band and actual knife are made of stainless steel.  The actual rose is made of 925 sterling silver and is coated with rhodium to protect and give it a nice shine.  The ring tops come in 4 different styles, so you can purchase the others and trade out the look of your ring, by simply unscrewing the one you have on and exchanging it with a different top.

Defender Ring is a unique idea and even if it is never used in self defense, I know my daughters will enjoy wearing the beautiful ring.  

Visit the Defender Ring website, and be sure to follow them on their social media.  

Facebook - HERE

Twitter - HERE

Instagram - HERE

Pinterest - HERE

Thanks for stopping by today!

Holiday Gift Guide Posts Start Tomorrow!!

Hey neighbors!!

I am sure many of you have already purchased gifts for the holidays, but if you are one of those like me, who still has some gifts to purchase, or if you haven't even begun yet, then this Guide is for you!!  It will be easy to find, as we have a tab at the top of our page.  We will be sharing some of our old favorites, as well as some "new to us" products.  We will give share our thoughts on these products and include links so you can go look at the websites yourself.  I am going to include links to their social media pages, so you will be able to follow them, and see if they are offering any specials for the holidays.  So keep an eye out, because we have a lot to share!!

Problems Millions of Children Face Each Day

The modern technological world is an amazing place filled with innovative comforts and advancements – but only for some. Millions of children fight each day just to stay alive in a world they find filled with obstacles. Here are just three of the many problems millions of children face every day.

Water

Children throughout the world lack clean water. When they do find a water source, it is often filled with bacteria, larvae, or animal feces. The kids are even forced to share watering holes where animals are bathing as children are drinking the water. There are charities that focus on bringing clean water to those youngsters. If you have a few extra dollars each month, save a child.

Food

In a world filled with so much abundance and prosperity, it is difficult to believe that children lack ample food, but it is true. There are over 16 million American children that go to school hungry every day. Although those starving children may have one meal a day during the school year, what about the children that aren’t in school yet – and the babies. Donate to a food bank if you can.

Homelessness

They may be invisible, but there are homeless children that live a transient life filled with lack. The children often don’t go to school, can’t read or write, and they lack basic social skills. What will become of the millions of homeless kids? When Eyal Gutentag heard about the homeless children in Los Angeles, his charity sprang to action to help. You can help too by making a donation to a shelter or charity.
Children are supposed to be the hope of the future, but if they are not given the basic requirements of life, there is no future for many of them. Your world may be filled with amazing modern advancements and tech toys, but for millions of children, the day simply means finding enough food to eat and a warm place to stay out of the horrible weather. Can you help?

Retro Viewer - Memories of our Trip!

Hey neighbors!!

I love this last product from our Pigeon Forge trip!  Do you remember Viewmaster Reels?  Well this company, Retro Viewer allows you to commemorate trips, birthdays, anniversaries, sport events, graduations and the like by creating your very own, unique reel!!  I LOVE it!! I was able to choose some pictures from our trip and have a reel created.  I also received a viewer, which is not included in the price of the reel, but it can be added to your order.

You can put 7 pictures on a reel.  So be sure to choose carefully, or perhaps you can order a 2 reel.  I stuck with family members and some of the things we did on the trip.  For example a picture with my husband and I with Ray Reese of the Kingsmen at NQC, my daughters at the Ripley's Aquarium Gatlinburg, my husband in the Batmobile at Hollywood Cars in Gatlinburg and a couple others.  You are also able to choose a picture that appears in the center of your reel.  I added the Image 3D Viewer that has "I Love You" inscribed on the back.

Each individual reel is priced at $14.95, but if you purchase identical reels, the price goes down.  For example 2-10 reels are $12 each, and 11-25 are $10 each.  If you purchase a reel and viewer, the price is $29.95 and they do the same thing in bulk as you purchase more identical reels.  If you purchase 26 or more sets, for a fee, you can have the viewers imprinted with your own personalized touch like a saying or business name. (25 characters)

The Viewer arrived in a pretty pink box with a sleeve for the reel.  It of course shipped inside a regular cardboard box.  From the time of completion to arrival date, was extremely quick.  I finished creating and ordering on October 4th, and it arrived within 10 business days as they state on their site.  I am sure it was faster than that, but I do not remember the exact day it arrived.

Since we are fast approaching the holidays, you might want to consider a Retro Viewer Reel as a perfect holiday gift.  What a neat way to update family and friends on how your family is doing.  Imagine doing one each year and seeing the changes in the children as they grow.  Or perhaps you have a special event you would enjoy sharing with someone.  Visit the Retro Viewer website and take a look around.  Be sure to follow them on their social media as well!!
Facebook - HERE
Twitter - HERE
Pinterest - HERE

I highly recommend Retro Viewer as a gift, or just for yourself to view precious memories over and over again.  Thanks for stopping by today, where neighbors share!!

Hollywood Wax Museum Pigeon Forge

Hi Neighbors!!

(James Lyman)

The Hollywood Wax Museum, located in wonderful Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is filled with wax figures of celebrities from every era.  If you are younger, and therefore lean more towards the modern film stars, you will have plenty to enjoy with likenesses of Jason Statham, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp.  

For the folks that remember the more golden years, Clint Eastwood, Lucille Ball, John Wayne and others are present.  Many of the figures are of actors and actresses that have been popular in both eras such as Pierce Brosnan, best known for James Bond and Remington Steele.  Of course any tribute to Hollywood would not be complete without Sylvester Stallone, hero of Rocky, Rambo, the Expendables and many more movies. Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston are just a couple of the actresses represented by the figures.  

My personal favorites were the Star Trek scenario, (complete with the likenesses of Captain James T. Kirk and the always familiar Spock and McCoy), Indiana Jones, Bruce Lee and Jurassic World.  In fact, just viewing the wax figures makes this attraction worth the price, but to me what really made this a no-brainer while visiting the area, was the props that were available for use by those going though the museum.  Wow!  Standing on the transporter ready to beam down to a class 3 planet! And being “part of the crew” while wearing a Federation uniform shirt!  Standing with Chris Pratt amidst the dangerous dinosaurs (they are right there in a short video that plays next to you)!  How about donning the boxing gloves and giving Rocky a bump on the chin?  Or dueling it out with martial artist Bruce Lee?  I do not know if the props are a recent addition, but regardless, it was a genius move to have them.  

By the way, the monsters section is a plus to the Hollywood Wax Museum.  While I am more of an old-school guy who enjoyed Frankenstein growing up, there is enough here to accommodate any age or taste.  Needless to say, I hate to give too much away, but be prepared to be “alien-ated” as you tread down this path of horrors!  

As well, if you have an interest in music, you will see likenesses of many here including Dolly Parton (certainly not a surprise to have here in the Pigeon Forge area), Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and others.  Make sure you go up to the VIP deck and after taking in the nice view on the observation deck, compare your size to that of the enormous King Kong!  And don’t forget your camera as pictures can be taken freely inside the museum to share with friends and families and enjoy for years to come!  Then check out the gift store that carries a variety of Hollywood themed items!

      

But you are not done yet!  In the same parking lot you can enjoy another building that is full of fun and surprises-all for one price with the all access pass!  No doubt Pigeon Forge and nearby Gatlinburg host numerous attractions, rides, and the like, but be sure to stop by the Hollywood Wax Museum!  You will be glad you did!

106 Showplace Blvd.
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 428-5228

Follow them on their social media:

Facebook - HERE

Twitter - HERE

Thanks for stopping in today, where neighbors share!!

Ober Gatlinburg - Gatlinburg TN

Hey neighbors!!

While we were in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area of TN, we had the opportunity to visit Ober Gatlinburg.  We were all pretty excited to ride the aerial tramway up the mountain to the actual facility.  Once there my husband and daughters wanted to ride the ice bumper cars.  Since no one else was there when we arrived they were able to move around easily and bump into each other.

Next a few of them rode the carousel.  It was really designed for smaller children and they were disappointed that the seats didn't spin.

They have a small game room, with a small shooting gallery right outside.  The family of course had to try it out.

Next on the to-do list was the Mountain Coaster.  I waited inside for that one, as I can not ride due to an older back injury.  

The Amaze'n Maze became the competition of the day between dad and the three girls.  The girls worked together and managed to complete the Maze in a better time than dad.  They teased him the rest of the day.  

The girls headed out on the Scenic Chairlift while my husband and I wandered a few of the shops.

Some of the family slipped out to take a peek at the Wildlife Encounter.  It was pretty hot that day, so several stayed in the shade.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Sidewalk

Ober Gatlinburg does offer ice skating, and in the winter months has many outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding.  

Overall we had a pleasant time there.  If you are looking in to going to Ober Gatlinburg, be sure to visit their website and check out their social media.

Facebook - HERE

Instagram - HERE

Twitter - HERE

Ober Gatlinburg

Ski Area & Amusement Park
1001 Parkway Suite 2
Gatlinburg TN, 37738

Thank you for stopping by today, where neighbors share!!