Ready or not, here come the holidays, ladies! My favorite time of the year inevitably gets me thinking: Am I where I want to be? This year, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I hoped for a new experience to stretch me physically and mentally. Maybe a Tough Mudder® or even a mini triathlon? I even contemplated art classes. Well, the phone rang and I was presented with an opportunity surpassing any challenge I could have ever dreamed up. After some very creative salesmanship, I heard myself agreeing to participate in Dancing with the Eau Claire …

(Soup image credit: Diana Dolzhikova/Shutterstock) Happy fall! This is a great time of year, especially for us Midwesterners. Fall colors, fall temperatures, fall sports, and the harvest are some of my favorites. I really am an Iowa farm girl at heart. This is a perfect time of year for soups for lunch or dinner. My friend Angie gave me this soup recipe. And since we are blessed to live in a great area for apples, I am sharing one of my mother’s Apple Crisp recipes. Please visit our Facebook page to share your favorite fall recipes. Bon Appétit, Lanette Click …

Ready or not, here come the holidays, ladies! My favorite time of the year inevitably gets me thinking: Am I where I want to be? This year, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE BELOW TO READ MORE!   Cover photo credit: Deromi, Lukas Gojda/Shutterstock           [ in this issue] (14) Goblins and Gourds (16) The Story Lady (18) Primo Pooch (20) Scarfapalooza (22) Warming Up for Fall (24) 8 Holiday Fare Food Swaps (26) Holidays & Pets (28) Turning on the Olympic Power (30) Can Tai Chi Really be Easy? (32) Career Development …

Kitchens are one of my favorite rooms to organize when assisting my clients. Why, you ask? Excluding the bedroom (because of the hours we spend sleeping), the kitchen is the most frequented room in our home. We spend a lot of time in our kitchens. If this room is unorganized—or if the organization isn’t tailored to how the cook uses it—we may be sending valuable kitchen time right down the drain. Click the magazine below to learn Nancy Rothwell’s Seven Steps to an Organized Kitchen on PAGE 32:

August and September mean back to school, both college and high school for our family. There is no better way to start your school day than with a hearty breakfast—especially one that includes local apples. Try these recipes for breakfast in the morning, a brunch get together, or my favorite: breakfast for dinner. Bon Appétit, Lanette Click the magazine below for Lanette Hesse’s recipes for QUICHE AU SAUCISSON and YOGURT PARFAITS on PAGE 40:

Julie Nelson is an active wife, mother, and Chippewa Valley business owner. In addition to her role at The Coffee Grounds, Julie has an abundant schedule with family, friends, and outside activities. While she thoroughly enjoys both her personal and professional endeavors, Julie strives to be fully present in whatever she is doing each day. Living in the moment includes faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance. Click the magazine below to read what Julie has to say about faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance on PAGE 10:

It feels like the school year just got over, and suddenly stores are having Back to School sales. Fall sports are starting, and we are getting announcements concerning the next school year. And so, as I get ready to begin my final year of high school, I take time to look back. High school is a lot about learning, but most of the learning might be about one’s self. As I entered high school, I worried a lot . . . Click the magazine below to read the rest of “Lessons on Worry” on page 43:

Our summer days are numbered, and I’m not sure where they all went. Leaves of rust, red, and orange will not be the only transformation we realize as we head into autumn. Seasons of life remind me the harder I strive to slow time down, the faster it marches on. DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE BELOW TO READ MORE!   Cover model: Lanette Hesse Cover photo credit: Chumas Photography In this Issue: [ features ] (16) The Love of a Grandmother (18) The Magical Meal: Family Dinners . . . (20) Wine and Food 101 (26) Downtown Dining (30) A Dynamic Duo …

Our summer days are numbered, and I’m not sure where they all went. Leaves of rust, red, and orange will not be the only transformation we realize as we head into autumn. Seasons of life remind me the harder I strive to slow time down, the faster it marches on. It feels like only days ago we were seeing our eldest, Joe, off to college. Now my college graduate—as the kids at home say—is busy “adulting.” Miss Rays of Grace starts her senior year this fall and is diligently making college plans and visits. These days, overwhelming joy over the …

Ella Fitzgerald sang, “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” Listen to Ella. Of course, you could listen to the Kardashians, who live their lives in front of mirrors, forever polishing, primping, and poofing. Or you could really live, which means getting out there to smell that just-cut grass and stretch out like a cat on soft sand. However, you still want to look good goin’ out the door. You just want to get out that door ASAP. So, here are some quick and easy fashion, hair, and makeup tips. Click the magazine below to read the rest of Katie McKy’s …