Gram
Read in the Tub
Word of the Week
Effervescence (eff-er-veh-since): Bubbles or fizz in a liquid.
Splish splash!
It's National Read in the Bathtub Day! You read that correctly. I'm telling you, there's a holiday for just about everything, and I think it's so much fun! I couldn't seem to find the origin of this holiday, but some suspect it may date back to 500 B.C., when the Romans created luxury tubs for soaking and reading.
It got me wondering. . .how beneficial are baths? Here's a bit what I learned.
Baths help with muscle aches and soreness, especially when bath salts are added. Bath salts have been shown to help reduce inflammation.
When taken regularly, they can reduce blood pressure by reducing your stress levels.
Like mentioned above, baths are great for stress relief. By increasing your internal temperature, your muscles relax, which make you relax. Add some scented candles and oils for even more stress relief.
Some believe that consistent baths can help with weight loss. By elevating your internal temperature and causing you to sweat, calories are burned.
To celebrate, I encourage you to do just as the holiday says to do. And in the meantime, enjoy a couple of poems I stumbled upon that fit the theme of the day.
Soap (by Dorothy Aldis)
Just when I'm ready to
Start on my ears
That is the time that my
Soap disappears. It jumps from my fingers and
Slithers and slides
Down to the end of the
Tub, where it hides.
And acts in a most diso-
Bedient way. And that's why my soap's
growing
Thinner each day.
My Bubble Bath (Author unknown)
Once I'm in my bubble bath
I like to stir up more. Half the suds go in my eyes
And half go on the floor.
The fun is in my bubbles 'cause
They giggle on my skin,
And when I stick them on my face
They dangle from my chin.
When I splash them hard enough
They pop and disappear,
Then my bath time's over 'cause
I've made the water clear!
Really want to celebrate and relax? Try these DIY Bath Bombs! You won't be disappointed.

DIY Bath Bomb
Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
2-4 tablespoons of water
4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons of essential oils
Flower petals, optional
Instructions:
Set aside the citric acid and mix the remaining dry ingredients in a bowl.
Melt the coconut oil in a small bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons of water and the essential oils to the melted oil. Mix well.
Combine wet and dry bowls, mixing thoroughly.
Add the citric acid and stir. You may get a little fizzing, but that's expected.
Mix until you can form a small ball in your hands that doesn't crumble apart. If your mixture is too crumbly, add additional water until it holds together.
Spray your silicone bold with non-stick spray and fill them. Make sure you pack them tightly for the best results.
Place wax paper or parchment paper on a plate or tray, immediately removing your bath bombs from the mold, and placing them on the tray to dry.
Allow 1-2 days to completely air dry prior to use.
Happy soaking, and happy reading! Stay kind. . .
Gram