River Valley Woman October 2019

She Knew She Had a Choice

She Chose OrthoEdge for Joint Replacement Surgery.

She got quality care close to home. The OrthoEdge Joint Replacement Program features two of the most experienced orthopaedic care providers in the area, The Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic and River’s Edge Hospital.

• 3,000 successful hip, knee and other orthopaedic surgeries

• 245 years of combined orthopaedic surgery experience

• 1 of 13 hospitals in the nation accredited as a hip and knee replacement center of excellence

Getting the care you deserve and trust, close to home, makes OrthoEdge the right choice for joint replacement surgery.

Learn more at OrthoEdgeMN.com

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Recognized for Being the Best!

River’s Edge Hospital has been recognized as a DNV GL Healthcare certifi ed Orthopaedic Center of Excellence for:

• Hip & Knee Replacement

• Shoulder Surgery

• Spine Surgery

Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

BY EILEEN MADSEN Editor

It’s our annual health and wellness issue, with a focus on alternative and holistic methods of healing. My enthusiasm is literal as in “hooray, perhaps there may be hope for my painful hip.”

Having taken a spill down an icy hill in our backyard a couple winters ago, my backside has never been quite the same. At least I am blaming it on that misstep, and not the simple fact that I’ve been on the receiving end of weekly AARP invitations for the last decade. Seems their qualification age for membership gets lower all the time. Apparently 50 is the new 65 now. However, I declared the other day that 60 (my soon to be birthday milestone) is the new 40. So by my age calculator, I have 25 years to go until I can retire, and 10 to go to qualify for AARP. Although the downside to this equation is I won’t qualify for senior discount day at the grocery store.

But downsides can have an upside when your mind and body stresses give you an opportunity to discover new ways to relax and unwind. Cover feature Gari Jo Jordan is worth her Himalayan salt, and probably pepper as well, with her booming Body Concepts spa. Created from a need to find a way to take care of herself and create thehappy life she craved, Gari Jo launched her own business to share her healing methods with others. Leave your worries, and possibly your cellulite, behind with one of her many options. Float, soak, salt, slim…smile.

If you have found that you are off the beam with your health issues, Andrea Wagenman can help find your balance. Owner of Balance From Within, she offers hope to those who have not had the desired results from other methods. Her gentle, hands-on approach using craniosacral therapy is said to relax one’s fight or flight undercurrent, among other benefits. If only I would have found my balance before taking that header down the hill.

OK, I admit it. I’m a hater, and haters gonna hate— bras that is. Being a 98 pound weakling for so much of my life, this hasn’t always been an issue, and I’ve been able to get away with going

au naturale for a few decades, unless decorum demanded otherwise. Then, well, life and few more numbers on the scale happened and I’ve found myself on the hunt for the perfect under garment. Nothing with a freaking bow in the middle (I mean, seriously, I’m not 8 and if I was I wouldn’t need a bra), no lace (itchy), t-shirt worthy (because I’m cool like that), no under wires and not tight (because my claustrophobia applies to clothes too.) Pat Will to the rescue. She can take what’s inside and make it look great on the outside. Looking to find her niche after she and her husband moved to the river valley area she started her Inside Out custom bra fitting service. This best kept secret that will keep your best kept secrets front and center. As Pat says, you have to like your bra. Likers gonna like.

This month we bring back HERstory with a spotlight on 90-yearold Edna Roegiers. I gotta tell you, it took every ounce of my persuasive skills to get this self-proclaimed stubborn woman to agree to spill the deets of her life. Finally convincing her that every woman has a story to tell—she jumped out of an airplane for gosh sakes, does water aerobics with her pals, is a world traveler, and most importantly knows the value of having girl friends. Women such as Edna make herstory.

Sometimes the most serendipitous experience sets you on the road to healing. Or in Angie Pidde’s case, it was a sidewalk that led to a little house on the corner. That house, which she discovered and bought, represented hope and a new beginning after her recovery from opioid addiction. If you think that is something that just happens in big cities or to people you don’t know, think again. It’s easy to fall in love with pain killers, but not so easy to break up with them. This “epidemic” is becoming alarmingly commonplace in small towns and rural areas. I commend Angie for telling her story in the first person.

We don’t want to kid around when it comes to our health. And that includes 10-year-old Jadyn Kietzer whose mystery condition started at birth, was diagnosed at kindergarten age, and continues to this day, albeit much improved. Thanks to her mother Sara’s perseverance to find relief through a variety of treatments, including CBD oil and medical technology, Jadyn has unlimited possibilities for her future.

The best things in life are free so we are told, and Lori Mathiowetz drives this point home in her What Next column when it comes to downtime. As in unscheduled free time to laze, gaze and graze. Problem is, with our self-inflicted busy days, we end up having to schedule our unscheduled time. Planning is the new not planning. Try crossing off your to do’s with to-who knows?... and just let life happen once in a while.

Traditional healthcare, alternative methods, and choosing to chill… I’m hip.

GARI JO JORDAN

By MARIE ZIMMERMAN

PHOTOS BY RHONDA MILBRETT PHOTOGRAPHY

hen Gari Jo Jordan discovered how to take care of herself, it opened all kinds of doors. She felt empowered to create the life and future she envisioned, and also to open a new business where she could share her methods for healing. Jordan founded Body Concepts in Mankato, creating a holistic oasis with unique ways to relax, de-stress and nurture wellbeing.

“Body Concepts is everything I’ve done and used myself personally, to make my body healthier, to make me happier,” Jordan—who launched her business in 2013 after a difficult personal journey—said.

The spa offers detoxing foot soaks, sauna pods, float therapy, a Himalayan salt room, and a My-Lipo Light slimming and toning program. Body Concepts also incorporates aromatherapy as cheerful notes of peppermint greet clients as they walk in the front door. That same spot, just inside the entrance, is where Jordan encourages people to leave their worries (and their cell phones, if they’re willing to go without them for a stretch).

Jordan finds that a bit of “forced relaxation” can really help people who have so much trouble turning away from stressors and stimuli.

Empowering women—as well as men—to take care of themselves is Jordan’s passion.

A study on gender and stress by the American Psychological Association showed women are more likely than men to report having a great deal of stress (8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale).

Women are also more likely to have mental health conditions that are made worse by stress, such as depression or anxiety, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health.

“As women, we often put everyone else’s needs before our own. We carry babies and raise children, we work hard each day and manage our homes and our relationships,” Jordan—a mother of two—said. 



“Most of my clients come in here overwhelmed, lacking confidence, feeling sick. Nobody sleeps. Nobody has any energy. Everybody’s too stressed,” she said. Jordan chats with everyone, taking time to get to know them and make connections, to understand their problems and see how she can help.

“I love meeting new people and being inspired by them,” Jordan said, noting that clients range in age from 16 to 80. “People leave with smiles; they’re happier, healthier.”

A tough journey

Growing up in the rural town of Wood Lake, near Marshall, Jordan watched her parents run their own small business. She says it planted the seeds of her own entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic. She was always interested in health, but took college courses to earn a political science degree with thoughts of becoming a lawyer. After graduating, she married someone she’d met in high school, and they moved to Mankato.

Over the years, Jordan sold real estate and multi-level marketing products, always drawn to being her own boss and her strengths in leadership. When her children arrived, she stayed home to raise them and spent 15 years volunteering for everything— leading Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, teaching Sunday school, and chauffeuring people’s kids to school and taekwondo classes.

As a pilot, her husband was constantly away from home. He wasn’t supportive, and the relationship became toxic. It took years for Jordan to realize the emotional turmoil in her life and marriage.

“Every day, I just kept getting up and tried harder, gave more, and still it was never good enough, and I was never good enough,” Jordan said. “I was driven and have always had a good work ethic. Every day I felt I was failing everyone, but all I knew was to get up and try again. When you’re in such a negative state, you don’t know anything else. I thought being unhappy was normal, that I didn’t get to be happy.”

Nearly unable to function, exhausted, Gari Jo’s cup was empty.

She began to feel the effects from her mind on her body.

“I had high blood pressure. I was breaking out into full body hives. My stomach was in knots, full of anxiety, and I was always looking for ways to cope. Our bodies and minds, when they become toxic, that toxicity shows up in so many different ways,” Jordan said.

Eventually, Jordan realized she wanted more than struggling to live up to someone else’s ideals for her life. That’s when Body Concepts was born, as little by little she started researching how to heal the damage of stress in her life, taking time for herself and finding ways to rejuvenate her mind and body.

“Through my journey, I went out to look for things that would make me happy and feel better. I found a lot of value in helping others, and I discovered a lot of us have the same things going on in our lives. Body Concepts evolved into what it is because I was feeding my needs and healing myself. I’m where I’m at because of all the things I went through. I wouldn’t change anything. I appreciate where I am,” Jordan said. She especially enjoys the relationship she has with her daughter and son, now ages 16 and 21.

Nothing else like it

Every service offered at Body Concepts is something Jordan has tried—and still uses. She does a lot of her own research and has brought together cutting edge ideas from other spas to offer an experience not found elsewhere in Minnesota.

“There’s really nothing else like it around, offering this many things. This area is very open to holistic and alternative ideas,” Jordan said. She even has plans to expand in the near future by adding yoga, hot yoga, and a second float therapy tank.

Services are aimed at helping clients relieve stress and boost their energy, improving their body’s ability to care for itself. There are also potential weight loss and health benefits such as alleviating swelling and pain, and improving sleep. In fact, clients often nod off while at Body Concepts, Jordan said. 

Hi, I’m Candee Deichman with Century 21 Atwood. Let me guide you through every step of the selling process with clever tricks of trade that make selling and moving as easy at it should be. So, before you overwhelm yourself with questions about your big move, make things simple and just #AskCandee

Q&A WITH

If you had to choose only 3 adjectives to describe yourself, which would you choose?

Hardworking, outgoing, and positive.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Everything happens for a reason.

If you had to eat one thing for every meal going forward, what would you eat?

Chips and dip.

What’s your hidden talent?

Amateur travel agent.

If you could spend a day in someone else’s shoes, whose would they be? Why?

Oprah Winfrey because she has empowered women and influenced others for the better.

If someone were to play you in a movie, who would you want it to be?

Jennifer Aniston

What are some of your favorite ways to practice self-care?

I love the sauna pod and massages. And I also think it’s important to get away a few days to rejuvenate.

 The float therapy tank is one place people fall asleep from the calm atmosphere. Nearly 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt is dissolved in 10 inches of skin temperature water in the float bath, creating effortless buoyancy that induces a deep state of relaxation.

“It’s like taking a power nap or even getting a full night’s sleep for some people,” Jordan said.

Dry salt therapy is at work in the salt room, where 2,000 pounds of Himalayan salt is spread three inches thick over the floor, like a warm sugar sand beach underfoot. A halogenerator releases microscopic particles of salt into the air of the room, which are intended to improve respiratory conditions, reduce allergies and asthma and decrease inflammation. Jordan and her boyfriend built the salt room over six weeks, including installing more than 600 illuminated salt tiles covering one wall.

From detoxing foot soak to a dry heat sauna pod, every service at Body Concepts is designed to melt away the stress pervasive in society today.

“Stress is so toxic to our bodies. That ages us like nobody’s business. Detoxing the body and mind is your longevity. You need to take the time to do it. It’s amazing how much more you get done when you have good energy,” Jordan said.

She recommends a healthy diet, exercise, and lots of water to enhance and maintain the glow clients have when they leave Body Concepts.

As Jordan’s business has grown and helped more women look and feel better, she’s found her health and positivity attracting more good things into her life, including new love and supportive friendships.

For those women who feel trapped in a loop of obligations and aches, Jordan offers hope. “You can evolve and be awesome. As much as it doesn’t look like there’s a way out, you have to hunker down and find it,” she summed up. RVW

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By AUTUMN VAN RAVENHORST

e all endure some level of stress or pain almost daily. There are those who are seemingly better equipped to handle it—even thrive—while the rest of us are left to crumble, all the while our responsibilities and obligations are kicking us repeatedly to keep going. If your methods of coping and feeling better aren’t contributing to the greater good of your emotional or physical state, don’t give up just yet.

It is understandable why many of us would rather admit defeat, because whatever the problems, we are all given the same solutions—follow a nutritious diet, get enough sleep, exercise, spend time with family and friends, improve your work/life balance, get outside, indulge in self-care and drink enough water.

Let’s add in “Perform the perfect cartwheel” because that is just as unrealistic an achievement for most adults as is doing everything else right.

“My best clients are the ones who feel like they have nothing left to try and that this is it, they are going to feel this way forever,”

Andrea Wagenman, owner of Balance From Within, said. “They are those who actually do want to feel better and have given things a shot, but have hit a road block on what else to do. It could be a number of things, from wanting to decrease the number of medications they are on or to help treat anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, migraines, injuries—the list goes on.”

Balance From Within strives to release blockages in our daily lives to allow us to sleep better, work more productively, and live fearlessly. Treatments provided include myofascial unwinding, healing touch, subconscious belief balance, regression therapy, and one of Andrea’s more popular treatments, craniosacral therapy.

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on therapy that relieves pain and dysfunction throughout the body and within the central nervous system. This is achieved by gently manipulating the fascia—or connective tissue—throughout the body, in order to remove restrictions that are causing these dysfunctions.

Andrea spent 23 years of her career as a dental hygienist. In search of a more holistic way to treat her children, craniosacral therapy was mentioned so she had it done on herself.

“I was hooked,” she said.

Andrea began all of the necessary education to become certified, including massage therapy certification and certification of completion for 100 hours through an accredited program. With a bachelor of science in dental hygiene that covered much of the anatomy and physiology, Andrea was able to test out of many of the courses and completed her MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) in one year, something that often takes two years.

She opened her first space inside No Knots Professional Massage & Body Work in the Twin Cities in 2012. Upon meeting her now fiancé, the two were in search of a change in life and landed in Faribault in March 2018 where Andrea opened her new office inside Humfeld Chiropractic and Nutrition Center in downtown Faribault.

A visit to Balance From Within will begin with a review of the client’s health history and overall goals for the session or sessions. The session begins with either sitting or lying down, fully clothed, on a massage table. She gently supports or manipulates certain parts of the body, starting at the feet and working up to the head—including all extremities—to allow the body to release any tensions or better “unwind” the muscle or fascia that encases it. Visceral unwinding, or releasing tensions in and around the organs of the abdomen and thoracic cavity, may also be performed. Andrea offers 60- and 90-minute sessions, as well as 30-minute sessions for younger kids.

“When I am going up the body, I look for restrictions.” Andrea continued. “The relief comes from these gentle manipulations. Many come from the bony structures of the head. It releases the fascia of the plates in the skull, all the way down the spine to the tailbone. It allows the central nervous system to finally relax and will take our adrenal glands out of fight or flight mode. All of the systems begin to balance, allowing them to ultimately work better from being in that relaxed state.”

Carmen Dorr, a Balance From Within client, explained her results as “without words,” and would recommend to anyone, regardless of circumstances.

“I had faced a major life transition and knew there were some things I wanted to personally work on for mind, body, and spirit balance,” Carmen said. “I hired a personal trainer and met with a psychotherapist and felt something was still missing. I didn’t know what to expect from my initial session with Balance From Within. Andrea talked through her approach, made me feel relaxed and comfortable. Her touch and movements were light and gentle with care and healing intention. It was an amazing, beautiful, therapeutic experience. I have been back for more sessions with similar results.”

One’s response and condition is uniquely one’s own; therefore the number of sessions needed varies. It varies from just one up to three or more a week, potentially over the course of several weeks.

The body has an amazing ability to heal itself, from a cut on your hand to the energy that flows within. Not giving your body the opportunity to heal itself can bring more distress, frustration, and other potentially preventative complications.

“It is an amazing adjunctive to what someone may already be doing to improve their health and wellness,” Andrea said. “It also helps re-teach people how to listen and be in tune with their bodies.” RVW

her nine decades, Edna Roegiers has been through some difficult times, but survived with faith, independence, and—she admits—sometimes sheer stubbornness. She’s also relied on the support of friends.

She explained, “No matter where I’ve lived, I’ve always had at least one girlfriend. We’ve done a lot of things together and enjoyed life. It’s my friends that have kept my life interesting. I treasure these wonderful women, nurture those friendships, and enjoy as much time with them as I can.”

Those special friends have helped Roegiers as she recently maneuvered two life-changing events—giving up driving and moving to an apartment after decades in her own house. She became a resident of City Center Apartments in downtown New Ulm late in July.

“It was difficult to leave the house I lived in for 27 years, with all its memories and possessions. The move was hard work, but my family and friends rallied to help me with sorting possessions, cleaning, packing, moving, and all the other details,” Edna said.

“I moved here because I don’t drive and I wanted to be around people,” Edna explained. “Once you make up your mind to do something, you just do it. I try never to look back—that was the past, you remember it. This is the present, you enjoy it.”

Giving up her car was difficult, but Roegiers realized that, with deteriorating eyesight due to macular degeneration, it was the best decision.

“I lost much of my independence when I gave up driving and have to rely on friends and the bus,” Edna admitted. “Friends are very sweet to get me to events now that I don’t drive.”

She said, “Faith has always been important to me. I wouldn’t have been able to do all the things I did if it hadn’t been by the grace of God. I’m just grateful for what my life has been, to be as healthy as I am and to have a good family.”

By RUTH KLOSSNER

Edna (Gieseke) Roegiers has lived in the New Ulm area most of her life. She grew up on a farm east of Klossner, in Brighton Township, and graduated from New Ulm High School in 1947. After completing a course at Mankato Commercial College, Edna worked at several places in Mankato, married, moved a lot, had four children, and divorced— at a time when divorce was not common or readily accepted.

While raising her children, Edna worked at Kraft in New Ulm and met the love of her life, Dan Roegiers. After they married, they first lived in New Ulm, then purchased a large farmhouse and 40 acres in Brighton Township. Between the two of them they have 10 children.

And, some of her friends are “like children” to her, especially Donnette Wheelock of Mankato.

“She does a lot for me…I depend on her. I’ve always considered her one of my adopted children,” Edna explained.

When Dan and Edna were married in 1963, Kraft had a policy that couples could not both work there—so Dan quit. During the 40 years they were married, Dan sold insurance, was a feed salesman, farmed, bought and sold feeder pigs, and was a crop insurance adjustor.

“Dan did a lot of things. He always felt he needed two jobs,” Edna said. Edna’s world crumbled when Dan died in a boating accident in July 2003. When Edna went through a period of depression, it was the support of friends that brought her through it. They supported her—and joined her in her desire to travel.

“She’s strong and resilient,” Donnette said. “She’s always set her jaw and said, ‘This is what I have to do to survive.’”

Donnette joined Edna for a trip to Greece in 2008—the first of Edna’s many trips that included Canada, the East Coast, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Iceland, China, and more. Most trips were on tours, with Edna especially enjoying traveling with R&Tours. She also takes day trips to plays, performances, tours, and events with the local bank—arranged by her friend Colleen Zeig.

For most of the trips, friends accompanied Edna, but she traveled to China alone—but made friends with Bonnie, a woman from St. Cloud, with whom she still stays in touch.

“Girl friends are important in life,” she said. “God brought wonderful people into my life, many of them angels who helped me in numerous ways.”

Although she retired from Kraft in 1989, Edna is still friends with people she worked with.

She often joins her water aerobics classmates for coffee twice a week after their exercise in the pool. A tradition that has spanned 30 years.

Other friends include Helen Scheman, LaDonna Rodewald, Elaine Poulson, Colleen Hokenson, and Brenda Ruch—and dear friends she’s lost, especially Marlys Schwager, Mavis Henning, and Lorraine Oswald. When stepdaughter Chris talked about going skydiving, Edna joined her and her son for a jump.

Many members of her family were there to watch. KARE 11 filmed it for a story and the New Ulm Journal also wrote an article.

But, of that experience—at the age of 84—all Edna has to say is “Many people have done it, so what’s the big deal?”

Although Edna says she doesn’t like to be in the limelight, she was placed there when she was inducted into the New Ulm Bowling Hall of Fame earlier this year. Friend Elaine Paa wanted to nominate her several times, but Edna wouldn’t have it. Elaine finally did it without Edna’s knowledge and Edna’s 30-years of bowling were recognized.

“You shouldn’t be honored for just doing what you enjoy,” Edna said of that honor. “I didn’t do anything special.”

As she looks forward, Edna said, “Even though I’m slowing down, I’m fairly healthy and continue to bowl, play bridge, participate in water aerobics. I still go out to eat, practice my faith, follow politics, and get together with family whenever I can.” RVW

Above: Edna and “adopted daughter” Donnette Wheelock when they arrived home from Greece.

Left: Edna was inducted into the New Ulm Bowling Hall of Fame earlier this year, at the age of 90.

By GRACE BRANDT

ost women know the difficulties that come with trying to find a really good bra.

Whether they’re between cup sizes, their breasts are shaped a certain way, or something else, women often struggle to find a bra that both fits and is comfortable. An often-quoted statistic is that “80 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size.” This “fact” has been passed down since the mid-1990s, and while it isn’t actually true, it does shed light on a truly frustrating problem women face as they walk into fitting rooms.

The search for a perfect bra is even more complicated by the fact that different retailers use different sizes. Just as you might be a size 10 in one store’s jeans and a size 6 in another’s, you won’t always have the same bra size as you hop between brands.

Women across southern Minnesota can find help with their bra battles at Inside-Out Bra Shoppe, run by Mankato transplant Pat Will. For more than 20 years, Will has helped women find better bras through her brand of Custom Fit Bras.

Filling a need

Will first learned of Custom Fit Bras when she was living in South Dakota and looking for a bra that would work for her. She found a woman who worked as a salesperson for Custom Fit Bras and appreciated how well the bras fit her shape.

“I wore this type of bra long before I sold it,” she said. “I put one on, and it stuck with me. The reason I started [my business] was because I wanted a good bra. I think it makes a difference.”

When husband Marnie was transferred to Wisconsin, Will first had trouble finding a job in her field and started thinking about opening her own bra-fitting business. (With Custom Fit Bras, people can buy into the company by purchasing kits and selling inventory out of their own businesses.) She admitted she wasn’t sure at first whether it would be a good fit.

“I [thought], ‘I can’t do that… I can’t touch anybody’s boobs,’” she said. “But then I got to thinking about it, and I had enough money to buy into the company and buy the kit.”

Will decided to just go for it and began selling the bras herself, along with becoming a certified bra fitter. That part is important, because Custom Fit Bras come in 315 cup sizes. Band sizes run from 26-52 inches, and cups run from AA to N. (Will’s onsite inventory runs from 28-52 inch bands and cup sizes A-JJ.)

According to Will, her custom fit bras fill a sizable hole in the bra industry, because so many department stores don’t sell cup sizes larger than DD or E. It can also be difficult for women to find band sizes outside the 28-42 inch range. When you add all those options together, that’s only about 32 cup sizes. It is important to note that Will’s customers can’t translate their custom bra size into department store sizing, since the sizes are different.

“Mainly, I work with people who aren’t able to find what they want in the store,” Will explained. “It’s difficult when you get over a DD cup. I fit to people who aren’t happy. They maybe went to a department store, and the girls are helpful, but they have no idea how to fit, so they’ll hand them bras until they find one they’re satisfied with. I got started to help women. That’s my main concern.”

Growing and expanding

Will said business was slow in Wisconsin, since she lived in the country and wasn’t as connected to customers in the nearby communities. However, things changed when she and her family moved to Mankato about 20 years ago.

“It was interesting because I didn’t know how to start here,” Will recalled. “I didn’t know anybody. When my husband interviewed for his job up in North Mankato, his boss said, ‘I’m going to interview your husband… What are you going to do?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to the mall to have coffee and see if any ladies need good bras.’”

Will started by becoming involved in the Zonta Club of Mankato, which hosted a style show and invited her to be one of the event’s vendors. After that, Will also tried hosting a few bra parties, but she didn’t really like the atmosphere. Instead, she decided to convert a lower room in her house into an office, and the Inside-Out Bra Shoppe was founded. 

When I was interviewing Pat Will about her unique business, she started trying to explain the difference between department store bras and her bras, but it was difficult for her to really show me how different her bra would feel. She jokingly asked me if I’d like a fitting, and I actually said yes, so that I could really see the difference for myself.

The fitting took less than 10 minutes. Pat measured around my chest at one spot and easily figured out what my band size would be. From there, it was all about determining the best cup size to go with. She was professional but also friendly, putting me at ease even though I was standing there shirtless in her shop.

Before Pat, I hadn’t been measured for a bra in about two years, when I’d been measured at a chain undergarment store as a 34-DD. In the past two years, I had noticed some bras didn’t quite right anymore, which was surprising to me because I was losing weight, but seemed to be growing in the chest. When Pat measured me, she said I’d actually gone up a band size and up a few cup sizes to a 36-GGH.

(The general rule of thumb is—if you go up in the band, you go down in the cup.) She explained that this was most likely because I’d built up a lot of muscle on my back and under my pectorals as I got more serious about weightlifting, so my breasts were sitting more prominently than before.

I tried on the “lacy” Custom Fit Bra, and it truly did fit very well. It supported my chest a lot better than the standard underwire bra I had been wearing, and everything felt more snug and secure while still being comfortable. Putting it on was a bit longer of a process than I was used to because you first put your breasts through a harness of sorts, then pull over the outer bra layer and snap it onto the straps. But it wasn’t difficult, and I knew I’d get used to it if I did it every day.

Once the bra was on, I was pretty surprised to see the change in my silhouette. My breasts protruded much farther than before, since my old bra had rounded them and pulled them in. The Custom Fit Bra was a more “natural” shape. This one was a pretty high coverage bra, so you can’t wear lower T-shirts with it or you’ll see the lace. Pat explained many people prefer the “smooth” version for this reason, since it doesn’t show through.

Overall, I enjoyed working with Pat and felt like she did a great job at fitting me with a bra that was comfortable and supportive. I think many women would enjoy the custom fitting experience and benefit from it.

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BEFORE AFTER

 “I have a place that’s private,” she said. “When people come to get fit, confidentiality is really important.”

Will works only by appointment, and fits about 50 women for bras every year. Her fittings are free and usually take less than 20 minutes. She recommends purchasing three bras (“Wash, wear and spare,” as she puts it) and stresses the need to line-dry them to preserve the elastic. Her bras sell for around $80 for one—but they’ll last three to five years if owners take care of them, according to Will.

“As long as you rotate, you get a lot more mileage out of your bras,” she said.

Will doesn’t advertise a lot, relying more on word-of-mouth. Her customers range from about 23-80 years of age, though more of them are older women. Her card files list around 300 customers she’s accumulated

throughout the years, and she can continue to send them bras even if they move out of the area.

Will currently has two types of Custom Fit Bras, a “smooth” version and a “lacy” version. She said people tend to prefer the smooth version, since it smoothes out their silhouette better and doesn’t show through T-shirts, which can sometimes happen with the lacy bra. She has a few other bra options as well, but she isn’t looking to expand her inventory—or her hours—any further.

Instead, she just wants to keep doing what she’s been doing for 40 years— helping women.

“I like to work with women and feel I’m helping them,” she said. “I really don’t like that women don’t have places to go where they can get proper fitting bras. That’s why I do it.” RVW

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By ANGIE PIDDE

ust over 900 square feet. That was the size of a little house on a corner lot that became the foundation of many stepping stones in my life, a new life, a repaired life…

A few short years ago, you may have not recognized the bottom I was hitting in my life. Many people didn’t. Or maybe they could see some signs, now looking back. But at the time, hiding it was what I did better than anything else in my life. I recall some days so vividly— what the weather was like, how the air smelled, even what people were wearing. But most of it, I don’t remember. A fog fills my brain. Blank moments and memories are gone. I won’t get them back and can’t repair the damage done. Had I known then that the drugs—opioids—were going to kill more than the mental and physical pain in my life, things may have ended up differently.

It was 2013 and the moment we heard the word “glioblastoma” my world was turned upside down. According to Google, the average person with this type of brain cancer lives 18 months. I had 18 months with my mom. She had been in my life for 35 years and now I had roughly 18 months with her. On the outside I stayed positive, upbeat, encouraging— exactly what I believed everyone thought I should be. But inside, I was dying along with her. She beat the odds and battled for 22 months. That pain in my heart hurt even before she was gone. I remember taking a few pills every now and then for a headache or a stomach ache. It numbed everything. It felt good…too good. It took away the fact that the one person that was supposed to always take care of me, even if I didn’t think she should, was now gone. How was I going to survive? How was I going to know what to do when my kids needed me? Where was I going to turn when I felt like my job or my

marriage or any other part of my life was out of control?

I still got up each morning and did what I thought I should, but I was numb inside. I wanted to make the feeling of emptiness and loss and hurt go away. The emotional pain was crushing me. So, I found a way to cope—opioids. The highest drug of choice among mothers according to my counselor. It numbed every part of my existence, yet, still allowed me to believe I was functioning as I always had. Just a few a day and I could conquer the painful world around me. For a year and half this was my life. I went to work, all of my kids events, family potlucks and holidays, meetings and whatever else was taking place. But, always under the influence of this drug. I was addicted.

March of 2016, one year after mom passed away: still addicted. During a girls’ weekend getaway I was tired, unhealthy, always wondering where and how I’d be able to take the pain away. I remember praying so hard at church that Saturday night to make the addiction and the pain stop. I wanted to stop so badly, but the fear and the physical pain of quitting was unbelievably difficult. I had tried. For a day, maybe, but never more than that. I remember arriving home from that weekend to see my dad and my now ex-husband, standing in the doorway. And I remember feeling a sense of relief. Finally I was free from being alone in this fight. And maybe, the pain of it all would end.

On March 21, 2016, I entered treatment. A day and a half after detoxing I was still shaking, crying and in physical and emotional pain. Now it was the embarrassment of facing it. I was a drug addict. I was the weak one. I was the one who couldn’t handle it all. I wasn’t perfect. I spent 28 days receiving care, counseling and real in-depth conversations on how to work through the issues with mom’s death, life in general,

trigger points, etc. In-patient treatment was two hours away from my family, my friends, my job, my life. I called it a mom retreat. It was the best treatment, yet, lingering in the back of my mind was always the question that never got answered: “Who was going to take care of me with mom gone?”

They didn’t prepare me for this or the reality that while I had changed mentally, everything was still the same. I went back home to my kids, whom I missed dearly, but didn’t want to face as I was so ashamed; back to a marriage that was now full of lies I created and questions I couldn’t answer; back to a full time job. I had no clue what I was doing or what I needed to do after failing them. But I jumped right back in the only way I knew how. Full force and just as I always had. I started outpatient treatment. Two times a week. Meetings and counseling sessions to help me “adjust” to life. While my addiction to opioids stopped, my bad choices didn’t. I made choices to hang out with people that could fill my head with what I needed and wanted to hear, instead of listening to the ones who really knew me. I made rash decisions. Had I listened to the counselors, family and friends, and had followed the treatment plan, I would have made better choices. But I was so lost and felt all alone. I made choices that ultimately ended my marriage of 16 years. I left my children and lost their trust in me. I broke promises, didn’t work to my potential and lost my job. It was now all gone. Rock bottom again. No opioid addiction, but no life.

I don’t recall why or what made me look at the little house on the corner. I know that there was always someone telling me, in person or in my head, that it wasn’t possible, it was stupid, I’d never be able to make it work to live there…but I did it anyway. It was the first step in trying to make things right. Just a few short months after making such

drastically wrong decisions, this home, my little house on the corner, would be the stepping stone to creating a new relationship with my kids, with my family and with my own heart and soul.

As I began to prepare this house for my new adventure, I was still unsure of who was going to be there to take care of me. This thought never seemed to go away from my mind as I hung up curtains; tried to balance cooking and cleaning and organizing; moving snow and learning about household appliances.

The days and weeks continued on and this little house on the corner began to hold more than just materialistic items and a safe place to watch Netflix and snuggle up on Sunday mornings. I took pride and joy in creating this warm space. I was excited and giddy to mow my lawn with a push mower. Shoveling the snow on cold winter nights warmed my heart. We celebrated Christmas and birthdays and random moments – just the kids and me. This little house was helping me see the one significant piece I had been missing since mom had passed away – I was going to take care of me!

It’s been a bumpy and exciting road! I’ve learned how strong I am and yet, how vulnerable I can be. I’ve learned to let the little things go and embrace the love and joy of every moment. I’ve learned that you can fill a home with a million things, but the best are the moments you create with the people you love. There are still relationships that have suffered and may never be repaired. There are jobs I missed out on, and debt up to my ears that will take forever to pay off. This haunts me often, and reminds me of the destructive things I have done. But I have said goodbye to addiction. I’m in recovery. Hello to me. RVW

Angie Pidde

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By RUTH KLOSSNER

Ten-year-old Jadyn Kietzer is wise beyond her years.

After all, she’s experienced so much more than the average youngster—four full-on surgeries and being under anesthesia more than 20 times. You wouldn’t know it as Jadyn is a growing, thriving, beautiful ten-year-old girl.

Mom, Sara, describes her daughter, saying, “She is tough as nails, wise beyond her years, a girly-girl, is always laughing, dancing and singing. She loves her big brother and they also like to pick on each other. She has taught us more in 10 years than anything we have learned in the school of life.”

“It is a privilege to be raising this little miracle,” Sara continued, “We are thankful every day that she continues to thrive. Her journey is ongoing and, of course, there is inherent worry that someday a shoe will drop, but we live one day at a time. We had, and continue to have, a terrific support system in our friends and family. We are so fortunate for everyone that has been with us through the thick and thin.”

The daughter of Sara and Lucas Kietzer of rural Vernon Center, Jadyn was born with health problems that weren’t even given a name until she was five or six years old—and then only in a general way. She has lymphedema in her face, tongue, airway, lungs, digestive tract, labia, and right foot and also has a large inoperable lymphangioma mass in her abdomen. (See sidebar for Jadyn’s story.)

As Jadyn described it, “Basically everything on my right side is a little bit swollen—a little bit puffy—except my arm.”

She added, however, “I think I look fine.”

The active little girl scampers around the family’s home and farm and doesn’t let anything stop her. She cuddles cats Mack and ChaCha,

climbs the climbing wall in their home, and jumps on the trampoline outside.

The trampoline—along with running, basketball and volleyball—might require the use of an inhaler but, don’t kid yourself, Jadyn is very active.

“Nothing much slows her down. She really doesn’t have limitations. For the most part, Jadyn wears a daytime compression garment. It does distinguish her a bit and she sometimes gets questions. She’s diplomatic, she just tells people, ‘I was born with lymphedema—that’s the way God made me,’” Sara explained.

Jadyn just started fifth grade at Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial where big brother Gabe is a freshman. She enjoys hanging out with her friends and loves to bake (and eat) cookies and cupcakes.

As Jadyn and her family look ahead, Sara commented, “We kind of operate on ‘one day at a time.’ We maintain and monitor.”

Jadyn continues to have yearly MRIs, along with regular visits to specialists. With her immune system messed up, she’s susceptible to infections and is unable to fight viruses. She’s also started another experimental medicine. While her main doctor is in Rochester, she receives additional treatment at the Mankato Clinic.

When Sara started Jadyn on CBD (cannabidiol from the cannabis plant) a year ago, she didn’t tell her why she was taking it. Within a week, Jadyn had no more complaints about her belly hurting and—about three weeks in—Jadyn pointed out that she could see her ankle bones for the first time. She put on smaller shoes and zipped them up.

“We’re seeing it as impacting her health in a positive way now,” Sara said.

Jadyn’s most recent MRI results came back early in September. 

Jadyn and Sara Kietzer

By SARA KIETZER

We welcomed Jadyn on June 24, 2009 at full-term and after a relatively normal pregnancy and delivery. I had terrible edema in my legs and feet during my pregnancy. One of the first things I heard after she was delivered was my mom saying, “Look, she has a swollen foot, like her mom.” It didn’t really register at first but things changed pretty quickly thereafter.

Jadyn had her first X-ray before she was 12 hours old to see if her right foot had somehow been broken during delivery. Thankfully it had not, but it meant we had a challenge ahead of us to figure out what was going on with our little girl. You know how moms are, their instincts and the eyes and ears to notice when something is “off” with their children. After snuggling and soaking in her thick dark hair and long eyelashes, I began to notice some asymmetry in her face. The right side was a little fuller and her tongue didn’t completely fit in her mouth. And her breathing—I called her my “little piggy” because she was such a noisy breather. I shared my observations with the nurses and they passed them along to the on-call pediatrician.

My husband and I will never forget the doctor coming in at one o’clock in the morning when Jadyn was just 22 hours old, to tell us he had been on Google to try and find a condition to explain her symptoms. It doesn’t invoke much confidence when your daughter has something a doctor has never seen or heard of, and his last resort was Google. His guess was Milroy’s Disease/congenital lymphedema. He showed us some photos he had printed and our concerns mounted. She had several more X-rays and many blood draws from her tiny little body. We had few answers and were kind of just in an exhausted fog. We thought we were headed home that Friday as none of her issues seemed to be causing any immediate danger. As the discharge papers came, so did the instructions that we were headed to the NICU at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. She had chromosomal testing done that afternoon and we were admitted as they had also observed some fluid around her heart.

We spent three days in the NICU and honestly didn’t learn much more except that she tested negative for Milroy’s so they had tested her for a few other genetic conditions, which were also negative. We continued doctoring at Children’s for the first six months of her life. Specialist after specialist, appointment after appointment, and really no clear answers. We eventually decided to take her care to Mayo Clinic where we have doctored ever since.

At one point, I believe we had 17 different doctors at Mayo involved in her care as more and more things kept popping up that would warrant a specialist for another anomaly. Jadyn spent about a month in the hospital over various illnesses and surgery recoveries. She spent about seven days in an induced coma to recover from two airway surgeries. She has had countless X-rays, about nine CT scans before the age of four, 10 or so MRIs, six sleep studies, and was under anesthesia about 19 times before her fourth birthday. The procedures seemed never-ending and she was scoped and biopsied more times than we can count. She is involved in three separate research studies out of Baltimore, Wisconsin, and San Francisco. Our Mayo doctors frequently have “round-tables” about Jadyn with other doctors from around the country and world.

Being Jadyn’s mom and dad was—and still is—a very scary journey, especially when she was an infant/toddler. She battled sleep apnea, vomiting blood, skin infections, chronic breathing problems, a compromised immune system, and eye anomalies, all in addition to the obvious lymphedema in her foot and face.

We didn’t really receive a diagnosis until she was about five or six and it really is just a blanket description more than a diagnosis—generalized vascular and lymphatic abnormalities. She has lymphedema in her face, tongue, airway, lungs, digestive tract, labia, and right foot and also has a large (inoperable) lymphangioma mass in her abdomen. She has a CD4 T cell count lower than that of an AIDS patient and generalized lymphocytapenia. In an effort to get a better diagnosis, we had her entire genome tested and documented two years ago. 25,000 genes in the human DNA and—when the test was done—we only knew the significance of about 6,000 of them. That information turned up inconclusive but her data is on file and we hope to learn more as modern genetics continue to advance.

Jadyn has been on several experimental medicines with little improvement. We decided to try CBD last Labor Day and it has really helped to manage her pain and symptoms. She was truly my “aha” moment that shifted my career and our lives as a family as we embark on understanding this industry and all of the possibilities therein.

Nothing slows Jadyn down—she’ll do anything, climb the wall, jump on the trampoline, play volleyball and basketball.

 Sara noted, “Thankfully, although she has grown considerably this last year, the large mass in her abdomen has not ! The jury is still out if this is related to the CBD as she is such a rare case, that it would be pretty difficult to verify with certainty. However, we see this as a win in her ‘journey’ and are so thankful that the pain is now controlled without resorting to ibuprofen, etc.”

Jadyn’s maturity and independence is evident in many ways.

“She’s 10 but goes to appointments and fills out her own questionnaires,” Sara said.

While some twice a year tests and MRIs have been cut back to once a year, there’s still a lot of blood work. There are some things that Jadyn doesn’t like but, when it comes to blood work, she said, “I just tell them ‘Here’s my arm, do your thing.’”

Jadyn’s journey has made a big change for the Kietzer family. They’re tackling a new way of farming—with Lucas partnering with his parents Jeff and Jane Kietzer raising eight acres of hemp on their farm and doing some custom planting and drying for others. Sara became an entrepreneur, opening Journey Organics in the mall, and is on the board of the Minnesota Hemp Association and doing some consumer education talks. RVW

& COUNTERTOPS We know

Jadyn loves the family’s two cats, Mack (pictured) and ChaCha

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ASK A

QWhat is a 3D mammogram? How do I know if I need one?

AWomen of average risk 40 years and older should begin annual mammograms to help detect breast cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 268,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year, and more than 40,000 women will die of breast cancer. Mammograms have been proven to decrease the number of deaths from breast cancer.

What is 3D mammography?

3D mammography (or Tomosynthesis) is an FDA approved advanced technology that takes approximately 300 images of the breast tissue, as compared to traditional 2D mammograms that take only two to four. Images from both technologies are read on a computer and allow for better detection of cancers, fewer false positives (false alarms), and more peace of mind. Think of the breast like a thick book. A regular mammogram will try to see through the book by compressing it as much as possible, whereas a 3D mammogram will look through the book page by page.

Who should get a 3D mammogram?

The American Society of Breast Surgeons recommend women of average risk over age 40 have a 3D mammogram yearly. 3D mammograms are especially beneficial in women with dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue appears white on a mammogram; tumors of the breast also appear white. So trying to identify the difference between the two on a traditional mammogram is like looking for a polar bear in a snowstorm. The 3D option is able to more clearly delineate the masses from the breast tissue. 3D mammograms are more accurate, and lead to less false alarms.

What can I expect during a 3D mammogram?

3D mammograms offer the same kind of fun as the traditional mammograms. Newer machines are able to obtain the information they need without the extra “squeeze” of the older machines. Prior to the procedure you will remove all deodorants and perfumes, and put on a robe. Some facilities will keep the robes in a warmer for comfort (which is fantastic, unless you are having a hot flash after you’ve just removed all of your deodorant). Let the technologist know about your concerns: breast pain, lumps, or any other concerns. They are there to support you, and ensure you get the images necessary for cancer detection. The breast tissue is placed on a curved plate and gently compressed. The 3D image will scan the breast as it is compressed and send the images to the radiologist. That’s all! Check the box for “self-care,” and take yourself out for lunch, girl, you deserve it!

How do I know my risk of having breast cancer?

There are many factors that can contribute to developing breast cancer. The most significant is having a genetic predisposition to having breast cancer (BRCA1/2, PTEN, CHEK2, etc.). If you have a strong family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, or advanced prostate cancers you should talk to your provider. Other factors that can contribute are age, age at first menstrual period, age at time of first birth, breast density, number of breast biopsies, history of atypia, smoking, alcohol use, fertility treatments, long-term estrogen use, hormone replacement therapy, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. If you would like to know your risk, talk with your provider. Having a higher risk of having breast cancer could mean that you have more frequent screenings, alternating mammograms with MRIs, or having medical or surgical risk reduction strategies.

Have a beautiful Day!

CORINNE JORDAN, MD, FACS General Surgery Physicians Group of New Ulm

CWILLAERT@FARMERSAGENT.COM

There is a lot of confusion these days on what skincare products to buy, what brands are best for your skin, or where to go to achieve the results you desire. Everyone seems to be an expert. Our favorite department stores, the internet, and friends selling different product lines, are now acting as our skin therapists. So who is an actual skincare professional? With all the choices available it can be very confusing for consumers.

So, what is a professional or medical grade product? These are products that are sold in a doctor’s office or medical spa that is overseen by a physician. The FDA regulates medical grade skincare and requires 99% active ingredients, and companies need clinical proof that the product follows its claims. These products are more effective due to high quality ingredients that can penetrate the epidermis and work in the dermal layer of the skin where collagen and elastin is produced. Another benefit of professional grade products is the amount of bacteria allowed in them. Over-the-counter products can have up to 30% bacteria, while medical grade products are allowed only up to five percent bacteria in their bottles. Highly stable ingredients and less bacteria means the product lasts longer and is more effective—giving you better bang for your buck! Many medical grade products are cheaper than what you’ll find in department stores, due to the fact they don’t spend money on celebrity promotion and large marketing campaigns. They rely on licensed estheticians and medical professionals to promote their products.

Over-the-counter products (OTC) have little oversight and do not need to prove any claims they make in terms of effectiveness and results. Products you buy at department stores and big box retailers don’t have enough active ingredients to penetrate the epidermis so results with OTC products will be limited. Only 10% of ingredients in these products are active while 90% are typically water and filler. Products created for retail stores are meant to reach a broad group of clients where medical grade products are formulated for very specific skin conditions and types. It’s also interesting to note that the FDA has no standard for products claiming to be natural or organic. Seek out a professional clinic for advice and education on ingredients in these jars.

I think the riskiest part of skincare product shopping today is on the Internet. Many clients I see are very proud of their ability to find professional products on sites such as Amazon, Walmart and ebay for half of what they will pay in the office. The facts are many of the products sold on these sites are counterfeit. When 47 products were bought on these sites, 20 were confirmed counterfeit. After evaluation, many have been found to contain hazardous substances including cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead and rat droppings. Products are coming in from the black market in Asia, and haven’t been cleared by any U.S. agencies. If you happen to find the real deal, check that the product isn’t expired and being sold by a third party to reclaim some money back. I have had patients proud of the C serum they bought online, only to find out it is expired and therefore unhealthy for their skin.

If you are looking to improve your skin’s appearance or to treat a condition, the best advice is to find a skin professional to help guide you in making the best choices for your pocketbook and health!

HEAD LICE

By Adam Ungerer, Pharm

D, Pharmacist at Mankato Riverfront Hy-Vee

The beginning of the school year elicits visions of new school supplies, meeting old friends after summer apart, and student heads bent together while engaged in various learning activities. However, the advent of the school year can also bring a resurgence of head lice infestations. Head lice are tiny bugs that attach themselves to the hair shaft of an individual, usually within 1 cm of the scalp and often at the back of the head and behind the ears. Many believe that head lice are only found on dirty or poor individuals. However, getting head lice affects all socioeconomic groups regardless of personal hygiene. Head lice more commonly affect children ages 3 to 11 in areas such as daycare centers, elementary

schools and summer camps, where children often have head-to-head contact (lice cannot fly or jump) and are more likely to share hats, brushes and pillows. Children might complain that their head is itchy, but treatment should only occur if live lice or nits (lice eggs) are present. Treatment often includes a combination of manual nit removal, over-the-counter medications and, in resistant infestations, prescription medication. Head lice can be scary and socially embarrassing for the individual and their family. Speaking with your HyVee pharmacist can put you on the right treatment track and help calm any fears you might have. Remember: It can happen to anyone!

115059

Seeds: chew on these!

Seeds range in all shapes, sizes, and flavor for a wide selection to pick and choose which ones are personally preferred. From flaxseeds, chia, hemp, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds the list is quite large. Seeds are beneficial for our health in multiple ways. Some of these benefits are contributed to the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids they contain. Omega-3 is a crucial part of human cell funcitoning. It improves heart health, increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), as well as reduces triglycerides and blood pressure. Omega-3’s help with reducing inflammation, stimulate hair growth, and aid in memory health such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Omega-6 fatty acids can also help raise HDL cholesterol, and may decrease risk of diabetic neuropathy and rheumatoid arthritis. Seeds are a good source for zinc, plant protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, calcium, and phosphorus. One convenient advantage of seeds is that they are easy to pack and eat on the go. They don’t require high maintenance essentials to carry or consume. Seeds can be used in trail mix, tossed in salads, granola bars, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, and main entree dishes for a garnish.

Pumpkin-Chia Seed Muffins

SIDE DISH

ALL YOU NEED

1 tbsp. chia seeds, ground

1 c. whole-wheat flour

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 (15 oz) can organic pumpkin

2 eggs

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. Hy-Vee Select pure maple syrup

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped black walnuts or toasted pumpkin seeds, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine ground chia seeds, flours, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.

In medium bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, syrup and vanilla. Stir pumpkin mixture into chia-seed mixture until combined; stir in nuts. Spoon batter into paper-lined or greased muffin tins. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Remove and place on wire rack to cool.

Holly Ellison, RD, LD Riverfront Hy-Vee Dietitian 507.625.1107

It can be tempting to skip your annual exam, but your annual well woman visit is worth making time for. Here’s why.

Women are complex and so is our reproductive system. An annual visit with an OB/GYN or your primary care provider is an opportunity to screen for cancers, prevent health issues, address concerns and improve your overall health.

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, I see women throughout their reproductive lives. From our teens though menopause, our bodies go through so many changes. Annual visits are a great way to check in with your healthcare provider. These annual visits build trust and help us get to know you better.

A well woman exam includes a physical exam, pelvic exam and clinical breast exam, but each life stage comes with its own set of health topics and recommended screenings. Here’s a quick guide.

Let’s talk

Tell us about your periods – heavy, light, painful, irregular? If you’re thinking about having a baby, we can talk about lifestyle, vitamins, medications and more. If you want to prevent pregnancy, we can discuss all of your birth control options. We are here to help with sexually transmitted infections and educate on safe sex. If you’re losing your interest in sex, we understand those issues as well. And when it comes to menopause, there are lots of options to reduce symptoms and enjoy this time of life.

Health screening

At your annual visit, we look at your overall health including your medical history, family health history, medications and mental health. It’s a great time to evaluate your health, understand your personal risks for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and recommend routine screenings. For instance, we might let you know it’s time for a cholesterol test.

Cervical cancer screening

Under current guidelines, we only do a pap smear every three years for women age 21-29 to screen for cervical cancer. From age 30 to 65, the preferred screening method is a pap test combined with a human papillomavirus (HPV) test every three to five years.

These screenings can actually prevent cervical cancer because we can detect abnormal cervical cell changes, known as pre-cancers. We can treat the abnormal cells before they can turn into a cervical cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the most invasive cervical cancers are found in women who have not had regular pap tests.

Breast cancer screening

Mammograms are one of the most effective tools in detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages when chances of survival are highest.

American College of Radiology Guidelines recommends annual mammograms beginning at age 40. 3D mammograms, also called tomosynthesis are similar to a conventional 2D mammogram in that the machine looks the same, but the technology is proven to detect more breast cancers in women of all breast types.

If you know the anxiety of being called to return for additional imaging, you’ll be happy to know that 3D mammograms reduce these callbacks by 40 percent! In fact, we recommend 3D mammograms as the first choice for breast cancer screening.

Some women may be at a higher risk for breast cancer due to a family or personal history of breast cancer. In these instances, we discuss when and how often they should be screened for breast cancer.

When it comes to women’s health, I believe in presenting information honestly and guiding women to make informed decisions on their care.

TARA DENKE, MD Mankato Clinic Obstetrics and Gynecology

License #BC225623

headaches and hormones are often linked—especially migraine headaches. Women are three times more likely than men to have migraines.

What’s the connection between headache and hormones?

Health care providers aren’t sure why headaches and hormones are connected, but it seems that a drop in estrogen levels is to blame. This means that women are more likely to experience migraines at three times in life:

Just before their periods

Girls are more likely to begin having migraines after their first period. Girls and women who are prone to migraines often notice that their headaches begin a few days before their period and last a couple of days into their cycle.

Just after giving birth

Estrogen levels go up during pregnancy, so women who are prone to migraines often get a break from them while pregnant. But, after delivery, estrogen levels drop significantly, and that can lead to severe headaches.

During perimenopause

The final time of life associated with a drop in estrogen is perimenopause. Women’s risk of developing migraines goes up during the years leading up to menopause. Migraines tend to become less frequent after menopause when hormone levels stabilize.

While hormones are often the cause of migraines, they also can be the solution. If over-the-counter and prescription pain medications don’t provide relief, birth control pills or other hormonal contraceptive methods such as the patch or vaginal rings might help.

And, about those menopause symptoms … = The average age of menopause is 51, with menopause defined as no menstrual cycle in 12 months.

Women can experience menopause transition symptoms—also called perimenopause—years prior to menopause, due to declining estrogen. Perimenopause can be accompanied by irregular periods with changes in menstrual flow length and intensity.

Most women probably are familiar with the most common symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. But there are a number of other symptoms that receive less attention connected to this stage of life, including sleep problems.

Sometimes, sleep issues are because women wake up from a hot flash or night sweats. But even women who don’t have hot flashes or night sweats may have trouble sleeping. Memory or concentration problems also can happen as a result of the drop in estrogen.

Menopause can affect the way a woman looks, too. Some women gain weight or notice a shift in where weight is stored. The loss of estrogen also can lead to dry skin and dry nails, as well as hair loss. Over the first eight years after menopause, women also begin to lose bone mass. Estrogen also helps protect the heart, so its loss increases risk of heart attack and stroke in menopausal women.

Some women tolerate their symptoms or don’t feel they’re severe enough to need treatment. Other women have symptoms that interfere with their work or family life. If that’s the case, treatment options are available.

Estrogen therapy can help with hot flashes and night sweats, while lowdose antidepressants can help with mood disorders. Hormonal treatment comes with risks, depending on your medical history. As always, it’s important to discuss possible risks and benefits with your health care provider to improve quality of life at each stage, including menopause.

JONATHAN BUCHHOLZ, M.D., OB-GYN Mayo Clinic Health System Fairmont & St. James.

GRAHAM KING, M.D. Family Medicine Provider Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato

I discovered it because I packed my summer with endless road trips, vacations, summer classes, and just sort of general projects I wanted to conquer before the “parade of snowstorms” that the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting descends upon me again. I don’t regret my packed travel schedule this time around. Though stressful, it was probably necessary to my discovery of “the unscheduled” trend because when we travel, we aren’t taking part in our routines, so it is easier to try out new behaviors. I could eat the exact same meal in London as I do in Minnesota, and I guarantee you I would savor it more in London because I’m not in my element.

I happened upon an article about a Yale professor teaching a course called “Psychology and the Good Life.” In it, she doesn’t teach incoming freshmen “time management” but rather “unscheduled free time.” At once this is an oxymoron, of course, because it necessitates that we schedule our unscheduled free time (but just ignore that I pointed that out). The studies she presents are incredible to look at. Over and over, research shows that people who commit to unscheduled free time are far and away happier than the rest of the population. Over-organizing your life often leads to anxiety, stress, isolation, and disappointment when things don’t go as you had them planned (which, if you live on earth, is inevitable). Contrarily, people who are purposeful about leaving unscheduled free time in their life are more social, flexible, and enjoy the journey to their daily destinations more. Interactions with the waxing philosophy with the coffee barista, or kite flying tips from the Fleet Farm cashier, are all more meaningful when you aren’t running from one thing to the next.

When I reflect on what has led us in America to this attitude toward our

BY LORI MATHIOWETZ

time-affluence snobbery, I often end up blaming the Protestant work ethic that gives us a sense of identity and pride in how busy we are. But I think I have to spread out the blame a bit and place the onus on a new culprit: FOMO. Social media, and our constant comparison of our own life to the lives of everyone in our news feed, leaves us with a perpetual Fear Of Missing Out. I read recently about a resident of Pisa who said that it is virtually impossible to get anywhere near the Leaning Tower of Pisa because hundreds of people are around it, pretending to push it, so they can get that exact Instagram photo they have seen on everyone else’s news feed. He lamented that he doesn’t think many of them notice all the amazing things around the photo that they are taking: the smells, accents, and even the other humans that could enrich their travel experience so much more so than the photograph ever will.

While lazing about in Guatemala with 13 other adventurous souls who thought it wise to trust me with their international travel experience, our schedules simply allowed for gaps in our daily activities. After a couple days of people asking me, “What should we do now,” and me shrugging and responding, “I don’t care,” (and then wandering off to look for those colorful marshmallows I really like), the group naturally started making their own decisions and did what they wanted. Walk around town, start a soccer game with some kids, take photos, siesta; the opportunities are endless, really! And here’s the kicker: If an activity, experience, conversation, etc., wasn’t in your plan and you just sort of stumbled upon it, 100% of the time it will bring you way more satisfaction than if that same activity was penciled into your agenda. Those sacred memories, those synchronistic occasions of happenstance, they have a quality about them that is indescribable. They can’t be pre-planned, and they can’t be recreated. When you recall them, it almost seems like the air was thick with magic.

You don’t need a photograph or Instagram post for those memories. They stay stored on the SD card located in your soul.

Unscheduled free time.” It’s a thing. Look it up.

Samantha Paige Davis

“No

Gender Justice without Racial Justice”

Samantha is an advocate, trainer, speaker, mentor, and unyielding optimist. At 25, Samantha founded The Black Swan Academy (BSA), a non-profit organization that is creating pipeline to civic leadership for Black youth who are committed to improving themselves, their communities, and the world around them. In the face of challenging work, racial injustice, and those who tell her she can’t, Samantha is committed to finding a path forward and a reason to smile.

Destiny Owens Dream Weaver “Becoming Virtuously Brilliant”

Destiny earned her Associates Degree in Education from South Central College, and is currently working on a degree in Educational Studies. As an initiative through her life success business, Destiny founded B.E.A.M in 2018 to bring Black History and the positive image of African Americans in the Mankato area to the forefront in schools as well as the community. Destiny believes that if people love first everything else will follow.

Karith Foster “You Are E.N.O.U.G.H”

For almost two decades Karith Foster has taken her passion for entertaining and critical thinking nationwidefrom the airwaves to organizations; from universities to corporations creating a seismic shift in mindsets when addressing issues of true diversity and inclusion. Karith leaves her audiences feeling inspired and encouraged to commit to the journey of mutual respect, acceptance and a greater sense of belonging.

What is offered in home health care?

It depends on the provider. Basic to skilled nursing services, homemaker, and companion services.

Basic: Assistance with dressing, self-feeding, oral hygiene, hair care, grooming, toileting, bathing, standby-assistance, verbal/visual reminders to take medications, exercises, treatments, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, shopping.

Skilled: Registered and licensed practical nursing services, medication management, transfer/mobility assistance, eating assistance such as feeding tubes, wound care, and all services listed under basic.

Homemaker: Primarily housekeeping tasks such as dusting, cleaning, and taking trash out; errands, and grocery shopping.

Companionship services may also be offered. There are many people who are either widowed or have no family in the immediate area who are lonely and looking for companionship.

How can I tell if my family member would benefit from home health care?

There are many benefits to receiving home care if the family and/or client wish to remain in their homes. The benefits of staying in your own home outweigh those of a long-term care facility. Home care is one-on-one care while long-term care can have a nursing staff for up to 20 people at any given time. Home care is focusing on that one client and nobody else.

Is it expensive?

Private home care costs are lower than long-term care placement (nursing homes). Receiving 24/7 care can be a factor in driving up costs. Home care costs are generally $60,000 or less vs. long-term care costs that are $90,000 or more, depending on the facility. Many home care providers request a set minimum of service hours before you can even sign on with them. Acuity of care is always a factor when determining what a person needs.

Does insurance or Medicare cover it?

Some insurance companies offer reimbursement to the client, such as long-term care insurance.

Medicare can cover some of the cost of home care services but Medicare does not pay for:

• 24-hour-a-day care at home.

• Meals delivered to your home.

• Homemaker services.

• Custodial or personal care (such as bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom), when this is the only care you need.

You’re not eligible for the home health benefit if you need more than part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care. You may leave home for medical treatment or short, infrequent absences for non-medical reasons, like attending religious services. You can still get home health care if you attend adult day care.

Medicare also has what is called “conditions” that need to be met before Medicare steps in to help pay for services.

Advantages of Home Health Care?

1. Clients may age in place and services are tailored to their individual needs allowing them to remain in their own homes.

2. Higher quality of care (not having to wait to use the bathroom, wait to get up/go to bed, etc.).

3. Lower costs.

4. Focus is completely on the client.

5. There’s no place like home.

LEANN DOMEIER CEO, RN JEREMY DOMEIER COO, LPN MN Comfort In-Home Care Services

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every October, people and organizations across the country commit to raising awareness of domestic violence. Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to mourn those who have died because of domestic violence and celebrate those who have survived.

There are countless victims and survivors of domestic violence and the impacts of violence reach beyond the individuals experiencing the abuse. Domestic violence affects survivors’ families, friends, and communities. One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence is an epidemic that has many faces and stories – one story is Anita’s.

Anita met Roger fifteen years ago. The beginning of their relationship was like something out of a storybook. They instantly fell in love and moved in together shortly after meeting. Anita’s friends and family loved Roger and couldn’t imagine a more perfect couple. Anita felt proud of her relationship and excited about the family she and Roger were building.

It wasn’t until five years later, after the birth of their first daughter, Libby, when things began to change. Roger convinced Anita to quit her job so she could devote more time to their family. Roger wanted to have another child almost immediately, and he pressured Anita to get pregnant again shortly after Libby was born. Within a year and a half, Charlotte was born.

When Roger was offered a transfer out of state he jumped at the opportunity and uprooted their family to a new state. Being hundreds of miles away from her friends and family was extremely challenging for Anita. When Anita mentioned going to get a drink with a few ladies from the gym, Roger warned her that these were not the type of people who Anita would get along with. He discouraged ladies’ night each time it came up. After turning the ladies down so many times, Anita just started avoiding them.

Now, five years later, Anita and Roger’s relationship is drastically different than it was at the beginning. Roger plays the role of the doting husband and father, so others don’t see these changes.

Roger and Anita argue constantly, and he will frequently use the silent treatment. There is name-calling and he belittles her daily. One night during an argument, Anita tried to leave to go stay at a hotel and Roger put his fist through their bedroom door.

While he is at work, Roger frequently calls Anita to check in on her. Sometimes when he gets home from work he checks the mileage on Anita’s car to make sure she hasn’t gone anywhere without permission. When he gives her money to buy groceries each week he checks the receipts and counts the change to make sure she didn’t buy anything additional. Roger becomes violent almost once a week. After these episodes, he is apologetic and even buys her presents to make up for his behavior. However, Anita is constantly walking on eggshells, never knowing what will set Roger off.

Roger believes he hides all of this from their children, but Anita can see how her girls have changed around their father. They’ve grown quieter and more apprehensive in his presence. She can see the fear on their faces when they hear the garage door open as he comes home from work.

What is Anita to do? She feels trapped for so many reasons. Anita’s story is one that could have many different endings. Anita might reach out to her family for help and might be able to leave Roger. A neighbor might overhear the violence and call the police. An officer might connect Anita with a local advocacy organization that will work on a safety plan and connect her with a counselor. Anita might stay with Roger because she wants her children to grow up with two parents. She might stay with him because leaving would mean facing homelessness and a lengthy custody battle.

There are thousands of people in our community who have experiences similar to Anita. Some stories will sound similar to Anita’s and some will be very different. Every person’s story is unique and every person’s story ends differently. By sharing stories like Anita’s and taking a stand against domestic violence, we can create real change.

Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of all individuals.

KRISTEN WALTERS Development & Volunteer Manager CADA, Mankato

“I was very pleased and pleasantly surprised at the advertising area coverage via River Valley Woman magazine. Many, many clients and non-clients commented on the ads. RVW is definitely worth my advertising dollars!”

— JENNIFER L.J. GILK Gilk Legacy Law PLLC

“My business has grown steadily ever since I began advertising in River Valley Woman! I am so proud to be associated with a magazine of such high quality and my clients appreciate it, also! I myself have patronized many of the other advertisers businesses and am happy to promote them just because I know the quality of River Valley Woman.”

— HEIDI NELSON OLMA Life Coaching

“Love it! Just gotta say! This magazine sits on my desk and then it’s gone! People love it! I run out all the time! Thanks for the abundance of them every month!”

— LAURIE DANBERRY Heintz Toyota

“I am so impressed with the quality and creativity that you gals at River Valley Woman consistently deliver each month. I’ve been advertising in RVW for over 5 years now and I completely trust your marketing and design team to create that perfect marketing piece! Thanks for continuously putting your magazine to work for Body Concepts!”

— GARI JO JORDAN Body Concepts

Manager

ne of the South's best-kept secrets for years, pimento cheese is catching on with the rest of the country. While pimento cheese and things made with it are still only on four percent of U.S. restaurant menus, according to www.datassential. com, that's an increase of 65% in the last four years. Still, people in the South expect puzzled looks when the subject comes up. It's just so simple: Grated cheese (preferably the sharpest cheddar you can find), diced pimentos and mayonnaise. That's it. There's still room for debate in those three basic ingredients: How coarse to grate the cheese, what kind of mayonnaise and whether it's OK to substitute roasted red peppers for the pimentos. Additions like hot sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika or cream cheese can all cause arguments.

Kathleen Purvis, (pictured) North Carolina-based food writer and author of two "Savor the South" cookbooks, calls pimento cheese "the duct tape” of party foods.

"You can nuke it, spread it, mix it with something else or slap it on a tray surrounded by crackers."

If you're just encountering pimento cheese, there really are endless things you can do with it. Stir it into hot pasta for a shortcut macaroni and cheese, stir it into cornbread batter before baking, and put it between two flour tortillas to make fast quesadillas. Or try these:

Hot cheese dip: To make a southern twist on queso, just bake or microwave a small bowl of pimento cheese. If you want something more substantial, stir in cooked black-eyed peas first.

On a biscuit: Try spicy pimento cheese on a warm biscuit. Even better, Bojangles', the chicken and biscuits chain known for its real deal southern flavor, has debuted pimento cheese on its signature Cajun Filet Biscuit. Pro tip: You can also add the pimento cheese on anything you order, like ham biscuits and Bo Rounds, the little hash brown bites. For a location near you, go to Bojangles.com.

Fried bites: Take an idea from a popular bar snack. Roll very thick pimento cheese into balls, coat them in flour, then beaten egg and finally in Japanese-style panko crumbs. Freeze them before dropping them in hot oil, so they don't fall apart before the outside browns.

P.C. deviled eggs: Beat the cooked egg yolks with pimento cheese, then pipe it into cooked egg-white halves. Garnish with a small slice of pickled jalapeno if you want.

Instant appetizer: Fill frozen phyllo cups with a dab of pepper jelly, top with pimento cheese and bake just until bubbly.

Grilled cheese: If you want to elevate a simple hot sandwich, use pimento cheese instead of sliced cheese. If you really want to make it special, try spreading a little raspberry jam or pepper jelly on the bread before you add the pimento cheese.

You get the idea: If you're just getting to know pimento cheese, the options are endless. (BPT)

KATHLEEN PURVIS

by Blue Skye Mercantile

What’s cooking at Blue Skye Mercantile? Tuscan Tomato Basil Pasta! Tomato and Basil are always a winning combo. This recipe is so incredibly easy to make. Give it a try and I’ll bet it will become a regular on your meal rotation. You can pick up the Tuscan

Balsamic Vinegar, Basil Olive Oil, and the Basil Fettuccine right at Blue Skye Mercantile. Buon appetito! - Lisa and Karina

Tuscan Tomato Basil Pasta

 4 Cups Cherry Tomatoes

 3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced

 2 Tablespoons Tuscan

Balsamic Vinegar

 2 Tablespoons Basil Olive Oil

 Salt & Pepper

 1 (16 oz.) Package Al Dente

Basil Fettuccine

 1 Cup Crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese

 ½ Cup Thinly Sliced Fresh Basil

 Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes, optional

 Additional Basil Olive Oil, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 400º. Place the cherry tomatoes in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic, and drizzle with the balsamic and olive oil. Season the mix with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes just start to burst. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add in the pasta. Give it a good stir to prevent sticking and cook the pasta no more than 3 minutes. Reserve some pasta water before draining.

Toss the pasta right in the baking dish with roasted cherry tomatoes, adding pasta water if you need more moisture. Add in the cheese and basil while tossing. Serve the pasta with a drizzle of the Basil Olive Oil. Yield: 4 servings

There is no argument that dogs can provide children and families with unconditional love but if you’re not cautious and respectful, they can also cause heartbreak.

As a child, having a dog has been proven to increase self-esteem, grades, social skills, and empathy. Children are also likely to be more physically active and have decreased blood pressure.

However, there is also caution to be had in families with dogs and young kids. There are 2,400 dog attacks daily in the United States. That is 100 each hour and one every 36 seconds! When a bite does occur we are often shocked, but when we look at statistics, bites are not unique.

Of these documented (requiring a doctor visit) bites, 50 percent of the victims are kids and in 77 percent of the cases, the victim’s family owns the dog. A large majority of these bites are delivered to the face. Seventy percent of kids will be bitten by age 12. It is a greater health problem then mumps, measles and whooping cough, combined. The unfortunate thing is, we contribute to the statistics.

Think about the picture you just saw on social media of the brand new baby placed on the family dog at home for the perfect picture. For many of us, our dog is our “first child.” Many dogs have never been around kids, so the first child they meet rocks their world and can be very scary. How many times does your child give your dog a hug?

Dogs do not show affection the same way people do. Some can learn to tolerate them, but it’s very uncommon to find a dog that looks like they are truly enjoying this activity. Even if your dog does tolerate a hug, it does not mean the next dog your child hugs will. Dogs have personal bubbles, just as people do. Some people would love hugs and kisses every couple minutes. Others get extremely uncomfortable just being within a foot of one another. We respect each other’s bubbles and we should give our dogs the same respect. Can you imagine a stranger coming up to you on the street and playing with your hair or putting their arms around you?

Ninety percent of aggression is due to fear and we continuously put our dogs in this position.

We have busy lives and we are not always watching our dog’s and kids’ interactions. Both kids and dogs are unpredictable. When dogs are left to stand up for themselves—when you choose not to be their advocate—you are allowing them to speak freely and behave how they feel fit.

If you aren’t in the room and your child falls on your dog’s tail and your dog growls or snaps, is the dog entirely at fault for saying, “That hurt?” When young children steal a toy from a sibling, does the sibling hit or bite in retaliation? Why are we so surprised when our dogs speak up? They will most likely give you signs that they are uncomfortable such a yawning, avoiding eye contact, licking their lips, looking at you out of the corner their eyes, walking away, or growling. However, this only works if you listen to what they are saying and teach your children what to watch for. Don’t wait for the bite.

You can help prevent dog bites by always supervising your kids (especially younger ones) and dog interactions, by teaching your child how to ask an owner and a parent if they can pet the dog; teaching your child to never approach an unfamiliar or unsupervised dog; and by teaching them about body language. Teach your child that dogs do not like hugs and kisses.

If a dog does chase you or your child, you should “stand like a tree.” If you are knocked down, “lie like a rock” and cover your head.

October is Dog Bite Prevention Month. Take three minutes to watch “Stop the 77” on YouTube. Please share this article and the video to help friends and family better understand their dog’s body language. Help us save your dogs and your kids. Help us keep dogs in their homes and loved ones together. Help us change these statistics for the better.

NICOLE LUECK, CVT Minnesota Valley Pet Hospital

• Organically grown in Colorado producing pharmaceutical grade, broad spectrum, phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) hemp CBD products. • Safe, Effective, and Consistent product. Every Order, Every Time. • Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available on all products to ensure quality and safety.

This mini-dress can be worn with a pair of black leggings or as is with a pair of booties.

BY SHANNON LANG LAURA FACTOR Co-Owners Mainstream Boutique

So many shades of blue to wear from work to play. Our favorite bell sleeve trend is here to stay!

Leopard spots paved the way for the animal print comeback and this year we take it to a whole new level with python prints and zebra stripes.

The perfect take on color block paired with our easy tuck Mac and Me tee and a pair of relaxed fit denim.

It wouldn’t be fall without plaid! Freshen this classic with a poncho that can be worn all season long.

Relax and unwind with a 507 Candle company candle or wax melt. So many scents to choose from that will remind you of the crisp Minnesota air or unwind with vanilla lavender after a long day.

Skol! Minnesotans love their Vikings and this soft knit purple and gold scarf is the perfect accessory whether you are rooting for the Vikings, the Minnesota State Mavs or just love the color purple. Purple and plum are also hot colors to incorporate into your wardrobe this fall.

Fall is the perfect time for hoodies and bonfires. These Minnesotathemed sweatshirts are sure to keep you cozy no matter the weather.

Show your hometown and state pride with some nifty pillows tossed onto a couch, chair or bed.

As we head into fall, you'll start to see many Minnesota-inspired pieces to add to your wardrobe and home. Whether referring to the land of 10,000 lakes or keeping it real with your Norwegian heritage, Minnesota-

Make a “state”ment with one of these little, dainty necklaces we love in gold or silver,

Stackable charm bracelets are a great accessory. Collect them for states you've traveled to, or simple add a little Minnesota nice to your wrist. They also make a sweet gift!

Waseca

YES, you can wear print, and you should wear print. It’s a fun and simple way to add color and visual interest to any outfit. Let’s explore some ways to incorporate common patterns into a wardrobe.

BY SHARRY SWART Owner/Operator Vivian Rose Boutique

It’s back! Leopard, zebra, snake, you name it and women are wearing it. Try layering animal prints under a jacket or cardigan. Want something simpler but still a little wild? Try shoes or handbag.

This print lends itself to more casual looks. It makes for a fun print on accessories, but nothing beats a cozy sweatshirt! It will be your new weekend go-to look.

Whimsical and playful, polka dots lend a feminine touch. Big bold polka dots make for a fun print on sweaters. Or, if big intimidates you, look for a more subtle, smaller print. They can add so much sweetness to a look. Polka dots aren’t just for fun—they can also be office appropriate.

Dark floral prints are an absolute fall must-have. They add a bit of drama and romance to any outfit. A floral dress in fall colors is absolutely stunning. Or, go for a beautiful blouse or kimono for those days when you want to wear something more special.

Try the bold look of an Aztec or a tribal print, in a multi-color. Try tempering the patterns and colors by adding it in smaller doses, such as a fun tote.

Plaid is a fall classic, and it’s one of those patterns that is appropriate for work and play. You can never go wrong with a bold plaid scarf or plaid button-down. Layer a top over graphic tees and tanks, or layer it under jackets, sweaters, and vests.

Model: Emily Gardenski

BY CINDY HAUGLAND tidytightwads.com

There are alternatives to all things in life, including cleaning products and household remedies.

I’ve long been a proponent—not only of finding cost-saving alternatives to everyday products—but also finding ways to get chores done that aren’t risky to children, pets, or long-term health.

That’s why I often share tips and homemade recipes that I use that work well for common household challenges.

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Use white vinegar and a soft cloth

Glass Cleaner

Mix one cup of rubbing alcohol, one cup water and one tablespoon of white vinegar in a spray bottle.

Oven Cleaner

Sprinkle automatic dishwasher powder on the dirty spots. Cover with a wet paper towel. Let it stand for a few hours, then clean with a damp sponge.

Drain Deodorizer Cleaner

Pour half a box of baking soda down the drain and then vinegar over top to create a foaming action. Allow the foam to settle and repeat until all of the baking soda is gone. Run hot water down drain to flush.

Daily Shower Cleaner

Mix eight ounces of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide with enough water to fill a 32 ounce spray bottle. Add a small squirt of Jet Dry.

Homemade Weed Killer

Mix together one gallon vinegar with one cup of salt and one tablespoon dish soap and spray on weeds.

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED

E-mail Ruth Klossner at cowladyruth@gmail.com by the 10th of the month. Listings are generally for events that are free to the public, or are fundraisers. Listings will be published as space allows and at the discretion of the editor.

Fri, Oct 4

• MVL Homecoming Tailgate Party, Johnson Field, New Ulm, 6:15-7:30 pm. Info: mvl.org or valh@mvlhs.org.

• SSTC Unplugged: The Alan Munde Trio, State Street Theater, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 7:30 pm. Info: statestreetnewulm. org or statestreettheater@ gmail.com.

Fri-Sat, Oct. 4-5 and 11-12

• Oktoberfest, Downtown, Best Western Plus & Schells Brewery, New Ulm. Info: newulm.com/ Oktoberfest, 507-233-4300, chamber@newulm.com or schells@schellsbrewery.com.

Sat, Oct 5

• Storytime on the Farm Family Event for all Ages, Tauer Dairy, 14684 230th Ave, Hanska, 9 am. Info: 507-794-7655 or Facebook.

• Augustana Lutheran Church Women’s Bazaar & Bake Sale, 730 Cedar Ave, Gibbon, 9 am-1 pm. Info: suzbentz@gmail.com.

• Barktober Fest ‘Bets For Vets’ Fundraiser for K9s For Warriors, Great Escape Bar & Grill, Minnesota Lake, 8:30 am. Info: Facebook.

• 20th Annual Grape Stomp, Morgan Creek Vineyards, 23707 478th Ave, New Ulm, 11 am-9 pm. Info: 507-947-3547, martimcv@aol.com or morgancreekvineyards.com.

• KingsPath Senior Living Fall Craft Fair, 125 Commerce Drive West, Belle Plaine, 10 am-2 pm. Info: 952-873-5800.

• Fall Festival & Trail Run, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, 10 am-4 pm. Info & registration: 507357-8580 or info@neycenter. org.

• Prairie Seed Collection, Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax, 12:30-2 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us.

• ISD 88 Foundation Hall of Fame Banquet, High School, New Ulm, 5-9 pm. Info: isd88founda -

GO. BE. DO. CON NECT.

tion.org or info@isd88foundation.org.

• Party on the Prairie Fall Festival, Benson Park, No. Mankato, 2-7 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Oktoberfest Waconia, Carver Co Fairgrounds, Waconia. Info: 952-240-4747 or DanPrecht@ hotmail.com.

• LCARC Color Run and 5K, Area Recreation Center, 621 W Nathan St, Lake Crystal, 9 am. Info: lcacc56055@gmail.com or 507-726-6088.

• Haunted Basement Tours, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, 1-3 pm. Info: marketing@paradisecenterforthearts.org.

• LureFest, 416 Main St, Madison Lake, 2 pm-12:45 am. Info: 507243-4343, 507-243-4145 or fun@ luckyluremadlake.com.

• Deep Valley Book Festival, 119 S Front St, Mankato, 10 am-4 pm. Info: 507-345-5566 or deepvalleybookfestival.com.

• Southern Minnesota Book and Art Festival, 514 Main St, Henderson, 10 am-6 pm. Info: arlingtonbookproject@gmail. com or 612-618-9092.

Sat, Oct 5 & 12

• Family Fun Saturdays, Barten Pumpkins, 5716 W 280th St, New Prague, 10 am-2 pm. Info: 952-758-3729 or bartenpumpkins.com.

• BCHS Popcorn Wagon, Brown Co Hist Soc, 2 N Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-5 pm.

Sat, Oct 5, Sat-Sun, Oct 12-13 and Thurs-Sun, Oct 17-20

• Harvest Festival 2019, Children’s Museum of So Minnesota, 224 Lamm St, Mankato, various hours. Info: Facebook.

Sat, Oct 5 & Fri-Sat, Oct 18-19

• Haunted Mansions Movie Series, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 7-9 pm. Info: statestreettheater@gmail.com.

Sat, Oct 5 & Nov 2

• New Ulm Bird & Small Animal Swap & Sale Day, Brown Co Fairgrounds, New Ulm, 8 am-noon. Info: 507-375-4716 or 507-3546448.

Sun, Oct 6

• St Peter & Paul Catholic Church Fall Festival, 105 N 5th St, Mankato, 10:30-3 pm. Info: sspeterandpaul.com.

• Preparing for Winter, Harkin Store, 66250 Co Rd 21, New Ulm, 1-4 pm. Info: 507-354-8666 or harkinstore@mnhs.org.

• Showcase Concert, Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, 2-3:30 pm. Info: gustavus.edu/calendar/ or mara@gustavus.edu.

• Norwegian Smorgasbord & Country Store, Nora UU Church, 12333 155th Ave, Hanska, 10 am-1:30 pm. Info: 507-439-6240, norachurch@sleepyeyetel.net or norauuchurch.org.

• Dinner Festival, Church of St. Joseph, Henderson, 10 am-1 pm. Info: 507-248-3550 or stjos@frontiernet.net.

• Mankato River Ramble, 100 Amos Owen Ln, Mankato, 7 am-3 pm. Info: 507-720-2039 or info@bikemn.org.

Mon, Oct 7

• Watonwan Co Entertainment Assn, Business Arts & Rec Center, Windom, 7-9 pm.

• Exploradome Traveling Planetarium, Vogel Fieldhouse, 122 S Garden, New Ulm, 9:30 am-1:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulmlibrary.org or 507-359-8331.

Tues, Oct 8 & Nov 12

• AARP Smart Driver 4-Hr Refresher, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 5:30-9:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm. ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

Wed, Oct 9

• Turkey Dinner & Country Store Event, Vineyard United Methodist Church, 1395 S Grade Rd SW, Hutchinson, 12 pm store, 4-7 dinner. Info: vineyardchurchhutchinson.org or 320-587-2200.

Wed-Sat, Oct 9-12

• History Fest, McGowan’s Farm, 2001 Hawkeye Ln, Mankato. Info: mcgowansfarm@gmail. com or 507-625-2257.

Thurs, Oct 10

• Southern MN Crisis Nursery’s Wine, Beer, & Spirits Tasting Fundraiser, New Ulm Country Club, 1 Golf Dr, New Ulm, 6-8:30 pm. Info: Facebook or smncrisisnursery.org.

• Introduction to Tree Identification, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 5-8 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

Thurs-Sun, Oct 10-13, 17-20 and 24-27

• Odin Fall Art & Craft Show, Craft Mall, Odin, 10 am-5 pm. Info: odincraftmill.com or 507-7368235.

Fri, Oct 11

• Oktoberfest Pre-Party, August Schell Brewing Company, 1860 Schell Rd, New Ulm, 4:30-9:30 pm.

Fri-Sat, Oct 11-12

• Rocktoberfest, Green Mill, 2101 S Broadway St, New Ulm. Info: gm@greenmillnewulm.com.

• Shadows at the Crossing, Treaty Site History Center, 1851 N Minnesota Ave, St. Peter, 6:30-8 pm. Info: 507-934-2160 or museum@nchsmn.org.

• New & Emerging MN Music Showcase, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. Info: 507-334-4381, 507-332-7372 or paradisecenterforthearts.org.

Fri-Sun, Oct 11-13

• Int’l Waterfowl Breeders Assn & American Bantum Assn Nat’l Show, Brown Co Fairgrounds, New Ulm. Info: 715-340-1261 or OfficialIWBA.com.

• Deer Camp, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm. 7 pm Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info & tickets: statestreetnewulm.org or statestreettheater@gmail. com.

Sat, Oct 12

• Maker Fair Minnesota, Fairgrounds, 400 W Union St, St. Peter, 9 am-4 pm. Info: makerfairmn.com/.

• Watonwan Entertainment Assn, Memorial Auditorium, Worthington, 7:30-9:30 pm.

• Revenge at the Ridge, Dacotah Ridge Golf Course, 31042 Co Hwy 2, Morton, 10 am. Info: 800-WIN-CASH ext. 8007 or dacotahridge.com/index.html.

• Waseca Art Center Fall Benefit, Lakeside Club, 37160 Clear Lake Dr, Waseca, 6 pm. Info: wasecaartcenter.org or 507-835-1701 or info@wasecaartscouncil.org.

• Full Moon Hike, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, 7-9 pm. Info & registration: 507-357-8580 or info@neycenter.org

Sun, Oct 13

• Three-Person Fall Classic, Coun -

try Club, 1 Golf Dr, New Ulm, 9 am. Info: 507-354-8896.

• West Newton Post Office Day, Harkin Store, 66250 Co Rd 21, New Ulm, 1-4 pm. Info: 507-3548666 or nchsmn.org.

• Heritage Acres Fall Festival, 507 W Lake Ave, Fairmont, 9 am-5 pm. Info: 507-236-1257.

Mon, Oct 14, 21, 28 & Nov 4

• Norwegian Treats from the Nora Church Kitchen, Middle School FACS Room, New Ulm, 6-8 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo. com or 507-233-8307.

Tues, Oct 15

• Women’s Quilt of Life Event, Kato Ballroom, 200 Chestnut St, Mankato, 5:30 pm. Info & registration: 507-625-5696 or kaylee. phelps@edwardjones.com.

• Your Organized Home—Keepsakes vs. Clutter, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 6:307:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm. ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

Wed, Oct 16

• Free Safety and Security Event, Event Center, 301 20th St South, New Ulm, 5-7 pm. Info: connect. thrivent.com/new-ulm-areagroup/ or 507-354-4413.

Thurs, Oct 17

• Babysitter Training for Boys and Girls age 10 & up, Community Education, 910 14th St N, New Ulm, 9 am-1 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Senior Expo, Waseca Jr/Sr High School Commons, 1712 2nd St NW, Waseca, 9-11 am. Info: info@ wasecachamber.com.

• Youth Focused First Aid Training, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 2-3:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

• Senior Expo, High School, 901 Ferry St, Le Sueur, 9-11 am. Info: lesueurchamber.org.

• Lifelong Learners Lunch—Wind Energy, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, 12-1:30 pm. Info & registration: 507-357-8580 or info@ neycenter.org

• Searles Senior Club, Bar & Grill, 13014 Main St, Searles, 12 pm. Info: 507-217-7886.

Fri, Oct 18

• Home Alone Safety (Grades 2-6), Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 1-2:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

• Leadercast Women, Crow River Golf Club, Hutchinson, 7 am-4 pm. Info & cost: 715-338-5862 or valerierosemack@gmail.com.

Fri-Sat, Oct 18-19

• Mankato Marathon, Minnesota State Univ, 200 Stadium Rd, Mankato. Info: 507-385-6660 or visitors@greatermankato.com.

Fri & Sat, Oct 18 & 19 and FriSat, Oct 25

• Haunted Mansions Movie Series, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 7 pm first weekend; 8:30 pm second weekend. Info: statestreettheater@gmail.com

Fri-Sat, Oct 18-19 & 25-26 and Thurs Oct. 31

• ScaritageFest and Turner Haunt, Turner Hall, 102 S State, New Ulm. Info: 507-354-4916 or newulm.com.

Sat, Oct 19

• Spirits & Screams Horror Film Halloween Party, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, 7:30-11 pm. Info: 507334-4381 or paradisecenterforthearts.org.

• October Lions Club Pork Chop Fry, Conservation Club, 46045 471st Ln, Nicollet, 5-9 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Pumpkin Express, Gopher State Railway Museum, 25501 Helena Blvd, New Prague, 10 am-4 pm. Info: 952-758-8729.

• Open Range Day, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, 1-5 pm. Info & registration: 507-357-8580 or info@ neycenter.org.

• Pumpkin Smash Fall Demo Derby, Brown Co Fairgrounds, New Ulm, 1-6 pm. Info: browncountyfreefair.com, info@browncounty-

freefair.com or Facebook.

Tues, Oct 22

• Heartsaver CPR/AED Certification Course, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 6:30-8:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo. com 507-233-8307.

Thurs, Oct 24

• Bridging Brown Co Annual Networking Dinner, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 5:30 pm. Info & tickets: director@bridgingbrowncounty.org, 507-240-0674 or bridgingbrowncounty.org.

Fri, Oct 25

• The Winery Comedy Tour, Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, 1179 E Pearl St, Kasota, 7:30 pm. Info: universe.com.

• Harry Potter Trivia, Trio Wine Coffee & Ale House, Waseca, 6-8 pm. Info: 507-835-3260 or info@ wasecachamber.com.

Fri-Sat, Oct. 25

• Special Needs Accessibility

Playtime, 224 Lamm St, Mankato, 4:30-7:30 pm. Info: 507-386-0279.

• Trick or Treat Street, Lake Crystal Rec Center, 621 W Nathan St, Lake Crystal, 6-8 pm. Info: lcacc56055@gmail.com or 507726-6088.

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 8:30-11 pm. Info: statestreettheater@gmail.com.

Fri-Sun, Oct. 25-27

• Barn on the Hill Fall Boutique, 2290 233rd St E, Prior Lake. 8 am Fri-5 pm Sun. Info: Facebook.

Fri-Sun, Oct 25-27 & Nov 1-3

• Leading Ladies presented by the Merlin Players, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. 7:30 pm Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info: 507-332-7372.

Fri-Sat, Oct 25-26 & Thurs, Oct. 31

• Francois Haunted Hotel, downtown, Redwood Falls, 7 pm. Info: celebrateredwoodfalls.com/.

Sat, Oct 26

• Trunk Or Treat, John Ireland

Catholic School, 1801 W Broadway Ave, St. Peter, 6-7:30 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Halloween Hop, various businesses, New Ulm. Info: 888-4639856, 507-233-4300 or chamber@newulm.com.

• Halloween Scavenger Hunt, Brown Co Hist Soc Museum, 2 N Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-12 pm. Info: browncountyhistorymn.org or 507-233-2620.

• Monsters on Main Street, downtown, Redwood Falls, 4-6 pm. Info: 507-637-2828 or contactus@ celebrateredwoodfalls.com.

• 6th Annual Trick or Treat Trail, Owatonna, 2-4 pm. Info: visitowatonna@gmail.com.

• Trunk and Treat, St. Paul’s School, St. James, 1-4 pm.

• B the Light Gala Fundraiser for breast cancer, Event Center, Sleepy Eye, 5:30. Info: Bthelight4someone.org/gala/

Sat-Sun, Oct 26-27

• Gun & Knife Show, Comm Center, 1750 Cottonwood Lake Dr, Windom. Info: 507-831-2752 or director@windomchamber.com.

Sun, Oct 27

• Hilltop Happenings, Hilltop Hall, 206 First St N, Montgomery, 4 pm. Info: wendyzaske@yahoo. com.

• Fall Mankato Bridal Show, Mankato Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plz, Mankato, 10 am-1 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Sausage Dinner, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Comfrey, 10 am-2 pm.

Mon, Oct 28

• Halloween Parade, Armstrong Blvd & 1st Ave S, St. James, 5-6:30 pm.

Tues, Oct 29

• Beer & Hymns, Main Street Sports Bar, Hutchinson, 6-8 pm. Info: riverofhopehutchinson.org or office@riverofhopehutchinson.org.

Thurs, Oct 31

• Trick or Treat at the Cox House,

E. St. Julien Cox House, 500 N. Washington Ave, St. Peter, 5-7 pm.

• Trunk or Treat, Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 665 Miller Ave SW, Hutchinson, 4:30-6 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Fright Night, Main Street, Arlington, 5:30-7 pm. Info: info@ arlingtonmnchamber.org.

Fri, Nov 1

• Henderson Lions & Henderson Roadhaus Ladies Night & Toy Drive, Event Center, 514 Main St, Henderson, 6-9 pm.

• MN Music Hall of Fame Induction, Turner Hall, 27 N Broadway, New Ulm, 5 pm. Info & tickets: 507-354-7305.

We see

it.

• Divas on Broadway, State Street Theater, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 6-9:30 pm. Info & tickets: statestreetnewulm.org or statestreettheater@gmail.com.

Fri-Sat, Nov 1-2

• Blue Earth Co History Center Anniversary Open House, 424 Warren St, Mankato, 9 am-5 pm. Info: 507-345-5566.

• Owatonna Hospital Auxiliary Holiday Bazaar, Hospital, 2250 NW 26th St, Owatonna, 8 am-5 pm Fri.

Sat, Nov 2

• 30th Annual 3M Club Holiday Craft Show, McLeod Co Fairgrounds, 840 Century Ave SW, Hutchinson, 9 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Ney Nature Center Fall Fling Fundraiser Dinner, Legion Post #79, Montgomery. Info: 507-3578581, info@neycenter.org or neycenter.org.

• MN Music Hall of Fame Inductee Showcase, Hall of Fame, 27 N Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-2 pm. Info: mnmusichalloffame. org.

• CPR & First Aid Training for Babysitting Youth, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 9:30 am-1 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm.ce.eleyo.com or 507233-8307.

Sat-Sun, Nov 2-3

• Natural Healing & Psychic Expo, Courtyard by Marriott, 905 Raintree Rd, Mankato, 10 am-6 pm. Info: 507-340-6809 or valc@ hickorytech.net.

Mon, Nov 4

• Beach Party Pool Event, Area Recreation Center, 621 W Nathan St, Lake Crystal, 1-4 pm. Info: lcacc56055@gmail.com or 507726-6088.

Fri-Sat, Nov 9-10

• Blue Earth’s Annual Holiday Sampler, Green Giant Statue Park, 1134 Giant Dr, Blue Earth, 3-9 pm. Info: 507-526-2916 or chamber@ bevcomm.net.

• Shopping Opener Weekend, downtown & other craft loca -

tions, New Ulm. Info: 888-4639856, 507-233-4300 or chamber@newulm.com.

• Wine Diva Days, Morgan Creek Vineyards, 23707 478th Ave, New Ulm. Info: martimcv@aol.com or 507-947-3547.

Sat, Nov 9

• New Ulm Women’s Expo & Craft Fair, Jefferson Elem, 318 S Payne St, New Ulm, 9 am-2 pm. Info: Facebook.

• St Peter Craft & Vendor Show, Fairgrounds, 400 W Union St, St. Peter, 9 am-2 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Fall Craft & Luncheon, First United Methodist Church, Center & Broadway, New Ulm, 9 am-1 pm. Info: 507-354-3358.

• Women & Wine—St James 840 Foundation Fundraiser, American Legion, St. James, 5-8 pm.

• DEAR Hunting, shops & restaurants, Waconia, 9 am-5 pm. Info: 952-442-5812 or ksites@destinationwaconia.org.

• Wine, Women & Comedy, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. 6:30 pm. Info: 507-332-7372.

Thurs, Nov 14

• Mike Lynch Starwatch Party, NU High School, New Ulm, 6:30-8:30 pm. Info & sign-up: newulm. ce.eleyo.com or 507-233-8307.

Fall is in the air. School is underway with so much excitement—as well as trepidation—on the horizon. There are many new things that kids will learn, experience, and take part in throughout their days with friends, teachers, coaches, club advisors, and others who cross their paths. Along with academics, there is social and emotional growth to look forward to as well.

However, stress, anxiety and worry can bubble beneath the surface for young people. These feelings can be good and normal to a point. When we experience stressors, we work through it— likely have some recovery in between—before another situation arises. This builds up our toolbox to handle more stress that is inevitable throughout our lives.

Stress becomes more difficult when these emotions take over our day, and we may not have enough tools to manage. Youth inevitably experience a variety of stressors. There are no set rules on what causes one person stress and anxiety. The stress could be different than adults but can be similar, depending on the structure of their family and their responsibilities. Youth are also managing many social media platforms such as Tik-Tok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, to name a few. Social media is a part of their day-to-day interactions and—with the fast-paced technology— we, as a society, will not likely be moving away from it.

With what can we arm our kids so that when they do feel stress, anxiety and worry, they can respond accordingly? As a social worker, I work with many students within a school day and throughout the year. Anxiety is a main topic during our many group and individual discussions.

Two things to consider. A) Anxiety leads to so many other things (attendance concerns, physical concerns, lack of confidence, frustration, irritability, unable to regulate). B) We can build tools to manage anxiety so when something stressful comes up there are ways to navigate successfully. This takes practice along with trial and error.

Some of the strategies and tool building to consider and incorporate are:

Sleep hygiene. Getting enough sleep and unplugging from your phone. Hydration. Dehydration can increase the sense of feeling anxious. Drink H20!

Mindfulness or finding something that calms. Music, breathing, coloring, art, apps such as calm.com, headspace, etc.

Connect. Having some positive relationships with others. The ability to communicate face to face with a person you trust makes all of the difference. Exercise. Walking, running, taking an exercise class, etc. decreases the level of tension in your body.

Identifying thinking errors. What we say to ourselves is what we believe. Change the message so that it is positive. Decrease Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS). This takes practice.

Schedule down time. Adults and youth are over scheduled. It is ok to sit down, unplug, and not have a schedule.

Checking in. Having time and space sometimes is easier said than done. Be thoughtful about practicing making the time. What it looks like on the surface may not be what is actually going on.

Take time to be outside in nature. Leave your phone indoors and take time to be by water or trees, on a path, or on a playground.

Keep in mind this all takes practice, but doing it will be helpful for anxiety relief.

MOLLY FOX, MSW, LICENSED INDEPENDENT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER Lead School Social Worker for MAPS President of Minnesota School Social Workers

MSO Destination

122366

MANKATO

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2019/2020 SEASON

September 22 Music on the Hill

2:00 PM at Good Counsel Chapel

28 Free Family Concert

3:00 PM at Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

October 05 Celebrate Mankato: Past and Present

7:30 PM at Mankato West High School Auditorium

November 09 Free Family Concert

3:00 PM at Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

10 Music on the Hill

2:00 PM at Good Counsel Chapel

December 08 The Snowman 4:00 PM at Saint Peter High School

January 25 Free Family Concert

3:00 PM at Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

February 16 Music on the Hill

2:00 PM at Good Counsel Chapel

March 22 Music on the Hill

2:00 PM at Good Counsel Chapel

April 18 Free Family Concert 3:00 PM at Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota

26 Earth Exaltation

4:00 PM at Mankato East High School

n Free Family Concert

Performances last 45 minutes. Great for families with young children who want to dance and clap along.

n Symphonic Series

Adults $11 to $35, free under 18. Our full orchestra presents a range of traditional and contemporary classical works.

n Music on the Hill

Tickets $12 and up. A chamber group of two to six musicians featuring talented guest artists play powerful pieces in this intimate space. Tickets are available at mankatosymphyony.org

OctoberMust

HAVES

1. Women's Sorel Wedge Buckle Booties

The Women's Sorel Joan of Arctic Wedge 2 Buckle Booties are a stylish, yet functional pair of boots that are ready to be paired with any style. With a medial side zipper and side buckle detail, these Sorel boots offer an edgy style backed with superior comfort. While the molded rubber midsole and outsole feature a durable design, the removable molded EVA footbed offers an extra layer of support. With an easy to slip-on design, these boots are a signature must-have for the upcoming season. Don't wait. Transform your boot selection today!

Scheels River Hills Mall 1850 Adams St. Mankato, MN 56001 507.386.7767 scheels.com

3. Carynhurst Large TV Stand

Bring a rustic farmhouse feel to any room with this large TV stand. This unique piece features a whitewash finish and sliding barn doors adding a comfortable vibe for your family to relax in. Only $479 at Rooms and Rest. Rooms and Rest

Furniture and Mattress

1760 Madison Ave. Mankato, MN 56001 1704 North State St. New Ulm, MN 56073 roomsandrest.com

4. Relax. Renew. Repeat.

Promote total calm and peaceful relaxation. Improve sleep, eliminate fatigue and jet lag, alleviate stress and energize your entire body. All it takes is 60 Minutes of Float Therapy. All new at Body Concepts. Call to schedule your appointment today!

Body Concepts LLC

Whether you call them Gnomes or Tomtes, Halloween just got cuter! These little guys are perfect to use in your home décor. Grainsack or cotton gnome features felt hat, faux fur beard and weighted base. Happy Halloween!

Inspired 119 N Minnesota St. New Ulm, MN 56073 507.233.4350 inspirednewulm.com

1615 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 507.381.5467 bodyconceptsmankato. com

5. Key Largo Gas Fire Pit

A showcase of fire, the Key Largo Gas Fire Pit Table features a beautiful, glowing fire that dances atop a bed of fire glass. The focal point of the design is a striking12 x 24” Stainless Steel Crystal Fire Burner. This simple, modern design will look great in any outdoor living space.

Glowing Hearth & Home 241 St. Andrews Dr. Mankato, MN 56001

2. Halloween Gnomes

5.

2.

1.

3.

6. Healthy, Vibrant Rejuvenated Skin

Skin Essentials offers DERMALINFUSION®, an advanced skinresurfacing treatment that simultaneously exfoliates, extracts and infuses skin with condition-specific serums for an all-inclusive treatment in one step to improve skin health, function and appearance with no downtime.

Call Skin Essentials and schedule a free consultation to discover if DERMALINFUSION is right for you.

Skin Essentials, Mankato Clinic

1400 Madison Ave. Suite 400A

Madison East Center Mankato, MN 56001

507.625.6599 skinessentialsmankato.com

7. Riverside Aberdeen Dining Server

Bring the French countryside into your dining room with the Riverside Aberdeen Dining Server. This lovely server is constructed of hardwood and poplar solids with poplar veneers, with a weathered worn white finish for an antiquestyle look. The top has decorative hand-chiseled grooves, which mimic the grooves along the server’s doors. The three doors open to reveal an adjustable shelf behind each, while the three top drawers have dovetail joinery, ball bearing extension guides, and feltlined bottoms. This server is a functional, beautiful to store dinnerware, table linens, and more.

Nordaas American Homes

10091 State Hwy 22 Minnesota Lake, MN 56068

800-658-7076 nordaashomes.com

8. SkinPen for Collagen Induction Therapy

The first FDA Class 2 cleared device provides the safest treatment on the market. Results driven procedure for the reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars and stretch marks. Improves skin tone and texture. Great for face, neck, chest and hands!

Complexions

1351 Madison Ave. Ste. 205 Mankato, MN 56001 612.462.0955

9. Ariens Snow Blower

Featuring a wide 30” clearing width that moves 71 tons of snow per hour with a powerful Ariens engine. Blows snow up to 50 feet, 14” auger and impeller diameter, Auto-Turn Triggerless Steering, Interlocking handles for onehanded operation. Get yours today!

C&S Supply 1951 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 507.387.1171 or 800.879.1938

10.

Time To Get Your Flu Shot

Stay a step ahead of flu season and save some money on fuel. All it takes is a few minutes to get vaccinated at work and you can protect yourself, your loved ones and your co-workers. Please contact your local store pharmacy to check availability and schedule a flu shot.

Hy-Vee Hilltop 2010 Adams St. Mankato, MN 56001 507.625.9070

Hy-Vee Riverfront 410 S. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 507.625.1107

11. Our Traveling Showroom

Blinds & More travels to your home or office with custom samples. We offer window coverings and interior design services. Our team will travel within a 60-mile radius of Mankato. Schedule your free consultation today! Blinds & More Interior Design Group 507.380.5019 blindsandmore.org

10.

8.

7.

9.

Aside from gardening all the time, I love reading. Fiction is my favorite, especially stories with rich historical contexts. The best book I read this past summer was Fruit of the Drunken Tree, a novel by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. I saw it in a bookstore way back in March, and the cover illustration drew me in immediately—a brightly colored drawing of a bell-shaped flower. I recognized the flower right away— brugmansia!—and it made me pick up the book and add it to my queue.

Contreras’ novel is about two girls growing up in Columbia in the ’90s, toward the end of Pablo Escobar’s reign. It’s a tragic yet empowering story of class, violence, and female relationships, and I highly recommend it for those reasons alone. As a horticulturist, I also loved reading about the book’s central metaphor—the “fruit of the drunken tree.” Said tree is a species from the genus Brugmansia, a showstopping tropical plant from the tomato family. They’re more commonly known as “Angel’s trumpets,” which is a fitting descriptor for their giant bell-shaped flowers.

I’ve been caring for two brugmansias (affectionately called “Bruggie One and Bruggie Two” by my husband) for the past five years or so. They overwinter in my basement. Each spring, I lug them up the stairs to plant in my patio pots, where they grow four or so feet tall and wide. Depending on the weather, they flower in late summer, usually August or early September. The flowers are absolutely, undeniably worth the wait.

A brugmansia’s large bell-shaped flowers are colorful, fragrant, and abundant. I cultivate one variety with warm yellow flowers and another one with glowing coral flowers. Each flower is sweetly-scented, giving off a heavy floral aroma that seems to increase in the evenings. In Fruit of the Drunken Tree, the main character claims that smelling brugmansia flowers can induce hallucinations and sickness. While I personally have not found that to be true, all parts of Brugmansia plants are very toxic. I would not recommend planting brugmansias if someone in your household is likely

to taste random plants in your garden. I plant my brugmansias in containers—they live in full sun and well-drained potting soil. I don’t bring them outside until all danger of frost has passed. In southern Minnesota, it’s best to wait until the end of May, usually around Memorial Day. I fertilize them once every few weeks with a balanced, low-nutrient fertilizer (Nature’s Source All-Purpose Plant Food).

The biggest maintenance issue with my brugmansias is keeping up with the watering. In their native habitat (throughout South America), brugmansias can be anywhere from 10 to 36 feet tall. They grow quickly and unapologetically, which means even my largest ceramic pot is soon filled with brugmansia roots. From midsummer onward, I water them almost every day. I think I’d have less watering responsibility if I planted the brugmansias directly into the ground, but I haven’t tried that yet.

As I mentioned, brugmansias are tropical plants, and they have to come indoors for the winter. In late October, I cut them down, re-pot them, and haul them into my basement. I usually cut off most of the past season’s growth, which is more a matter of practicality than of science. (Twofoot-tall brugmansias are much easier to wrestle than the larger ones.) The cutting feels rather brutal, as it usually removes most of the leaves altogether. However, in my experience, the plant will eventually resprout once it acclimates to its new conditions.

Our basement is chilly, but I have a special light bulb that provides my tropical plants with the appropriate spectrum of light, and I turn it on for about eight hours each day. (You can get a similar bulb at most hardware stores or garden supply shops.) Since the plant is no longer growing in ideal conditions (warm and dry), I drastically lessen the amount of water I give it. I wait for the soil to dry out completely before watering. The brugmansias often lose leaves throughout the winter, but once I move them outdoors again in the spring, they’re ready to get growing.

As I write this column, my coral brugmansia is about to burst into gorgeous bloom. It’s something I look forward to every year. I can’t wait!

LAURA SCHWARZ New Ulm native, Minneapolis-based horticulturist and writer