I have been so stressed out lately that I could feel myself starting to slide into a mini-depression, nothing serious but a funk.

The dog ate a $50 baby gate the other day and dug a huge hole in the backyard, my cat only uses her litter box occasionally, Cameron is teething, Matthew won't leave his diaper on, we sold our house, bought another, I'm getting quotes on moving, DH was disabled for 3 days , winter hockey is starting, gone are my Sunday afternoons and DH is bumping up his travel schedule.

Now I know that probably doesn't sound all that bad compared to what some of you are going through, but it was stressing me out.

Each night when DH gets home I run upstairs and have a bath, it wasn't working, so I went out for a pedicure, I wasn't home 5 minutes and Matthew stomped on both my feet ruining my nice toes.

I called DH today asked him to please leave work on time, I was almost in tears and my house is a disaster and I could feel myself starting to slide. So I said enough is enough and I went into the kitchen put in a CD (Sade) and sang at the top of lungs while I cleaned up. *BLUSH*

I feel 100 times better, that's how I de-stress how about you?

By Yjja123 on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 06:33 pm:

I go in my workshop and cut glass. My workshop is "my room". It is my place to get away from it all. The family knows that if I am in there, I am to be left alone. Hubby has his TV/theater room. I have my workshop. I think it is important for everyone to have their own place to go.

By Tripletmom on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 06:45 pm:

I RUN to the van,drive to Tim Hortons,grab a LARGE double double,crank the music and drive....

By Colette on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 07:22 pm:

I get oldest dd to babysit and I have dh take me out for drinks and dinner.

If it's during the week, I do the same as you, I crank the music and sing my heart out.

By Heaventree on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 07:27 pm:

LOL Sherry, you're such a Canuck! Double, double. LOL!

We left the doctor's office today and I headed straight to TH for a French Vanilla!

By Hol on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 08:05 pm:

I treat myself to a full body massage once a month. It was a long time before I could justify spending the money, but now that my hair is long, I don't spend as much at the hairdresser, perming and cutting. I don't colour my hair, but if I did, I can buy the professional colour and do it myself, since I am a hairdresser. I also do my own nails.

The massage every four weeks just loosens me up and takes out all the stress. The girl I go to gives me a sport massage, so it is rough, but when you get off the table, you feel like you are under anesthesia. She took the month of August off because she is going to school to be a physical therapist. It has been eight weeks, and I can really feel the difference. I go tomorrow, and I can't wait!

In between massages, if my guys get on my last nerve, I too go for a drive. I plug in one of my favourite CD's and sing my heart out. Or, I go park by the dam, and pray. I don't go home until I have sufficiently calmed down. LOL!

I get a kick out of you, Heaven, calling Sherry a Canuck. We have Tim Horton's here, and I don't even know how they stay in business. Nobody here likes them. We are in Dunkin Donuts land. However, when my DD lived in Detroit, she said TH is very popular, I guess because so many Canadians go to Michigan. My sister lives outside of Rochester,NY and it's the same deal there.

By Tripletmom on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 08:28 pm:

Hol- I didn't know they have TH in the States.I loooove my Timmys.

Heaven-I like the Frenchies too!!Last week I was going through the drive through and all my boys were screaming(not crying)They have discovered they like to scream.I placed my order but the lady couldn't hear me cuz of the boys.I drove up to the window and asked if I could have a Double double in an I.V. bag.That would be ideal for me somedays LOL eh!

By Heaventree on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 08:44 pm:

Hey Sherry, we are moving a bit closer to you next month, won't say where on the board, however I'm thinking of starting a Mom's/playgroup once a week starting in January.

Anyway, if you want some adult interaction and something to do and would like to come send me an email at heaven _ tree at hot mail dot com

By Tripletmom on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 09:06 pm:

Heaven-I just emailed you.

By Heaventree on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 10:05 pm:

Sherry, I didn't get your email.

By Paulas on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 10:12 pm:

Well, I am in MAJOR stress zone right now!

I'm teaching a 1-2-3 class this year! I wish I had some answers for you. I think I'm heading in the same direction

By Reds9298 on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 10:17 pm:

Hhhmmm...to de-stress...#1)Play the piano. Immediate de-stress./ Listen to music #2)I have a scrapbook space that no one can touch and I like to go there to work on cards or pages #3) BOOKS! Of course I can't just do that on a whim, but it's something I look forward to in the evenings. Cleaning something out (like re-organizing a closet or a dresser, etc.) is really de-stressing for me, too!

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 11:25 am:

Reading, playing on the computer, playing the piano, etc.

Heaven, I couldn't tell my hubby to just leave work on time. He has to get the work done and that doesn't always go by the clock! Also, him telling me he is almost done, doesn't work, either, because that could mean 15 minutes, or an hour? LOL!

Deanna, want to come and help me clean out the closet in my bedroom? It would be very relaxing!

By Reds9298 on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 02:27 pm:

Dawn - I would love to!LOL Do you ever watch "MissionRganization" on HGTV? That is one of my dream jobs!!

By Reds9298 on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 02:28 pm:

Sorry, I have no idea what happened there. It's "Missionrganization".

By Bellajoe on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 04:30 pm:

alright ladies, i'll bite. What is Tim Hortons? What's a double double? I"m thinking either ice cream or coffee?

To de stress i
1) crank up the music loud and dance around.
That is if i can't get away from the kids because dh isn't home. The music and dancing helps us all chill out a bit.

2) If dh is home and i just HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE, i either go get some ice cream, walk the mall, or go to visit my brother and sister in law.

One time when i needed to leave, i called my SIL and asked if i could come over because i was totally stressed. She met me at the door with a glass of wine and she had a piece of chocolate cake cut and on the table for me!

Another time i had spoken to dh while he was at work and told him how much the kids were driving me nuts...misbehaving, screaming etc...this is when they were younger.
That night when he got home from work, he gave me a gift certificate for a massage and pedicure.......Oh yeah, i cried and cried! I was so thankful!

By Tink on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 05:23 pm:

Climb into bed! I love my bed and I rarely choose to leave the house to destress. I put on the white noise machine to play "Ocean Sounds" to drown out the family, grab a book and read until I fall asleep. Driving stresses me out, I turn into a slug when I'm stressed out so I don't clean or organize (although I'm jealous of those of you that do!) and turning music up loud just adds to my stress level since loud noise overstimulates me. I need to go somewhere to cut out all the stimulus! My bed fits the bill.

By Heaventree on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 05:35 pm:

Patti,

Tim Horton's is like Dunkin Dounuts and a double, double is two cream, two sugar.

I love the chocolate cake, nice SIL!

By Hol on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 08:33 pm:

Cori - I love my bed, too, but I would never be left alone. Someone would have a crisis or be knocking on the door to ask me where something is. Since DH causes about 50% of my stress, that wouldn't work either. He would want to be in the room, too, and getting in my face trying to make up. At least when I am out of the house, in the car, I am alone except for the radio. (Of course, I leave my cell phone on in case they need me, but they KNOW it had better be serious! ).

I enjoy my bed the most when everyone is at work or school and I can lie down with a cat and a dog and watch a "Lifetime" movie or snooze.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 03:16 am:

Tim Horton's is in Canada and some in Michigan. It's WAY too far from my home in WI, but we did stop at a Tim Horton's for lunch, on the way home from Niagara Falls and the cookies were to die for! We saw so many commercials for the cookies, when we were IN Niagara Falls and we HAD to try them! I'll probably never get another one! LOL!

When I was in college, I did dishes to avoid studying and did studying to avoid dishes! LOL!