Hot List Eight awesome items the whole family will enjoy in 2017. By Nadine Bubeck   Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum A mother’s dream come true. This cord-free, hassle-free, powerful vacuum stays charged for 40 minutes. It works like a charm, cleaning carpet, hard flooring, and beyond. The V8 easily transforms between stick and handheld mode to clean high and low, and comes with numerous head options for cust ...

Thanksgiving Apple Bread Pudding Serve this perfectly sweet treat during your seasonal celebrations. By Leann Grunwald Bread pudding is a dish with old roots. It began as a use for stale bread. Wasting bread was unheard of, so cooks created savory and sweet dishes to use the stale bread in. Bread puddings have remained popular throughout time. But more so in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Belgium, than ...

Stretching Theses simple movements offer a host of health benefits. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Stretching, although often overlooked in one’s fitness routine, is an important part of staying in shape. Stretching offers a wealth of health benefits including reducing risk of injury, better posture, and improved performance in a variety of sports. Stretching increases your ...

Band Notes Schizophrenia overcomes the North Valley’s Boulder Creek High School band. By Eric Olson   It’s that time of the year again. The sun has finally ceased (some) of its incessant torture; stepping outside in the evening, you can almost feel the sensation of a cool breeze. If you listen closely, off in the distance, carried by the wind, you’ll likely hear the thump, thump of the bass drum, the r ...

HIIT Reach your fitness goals through high intensity interval training. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography Shot on location at Orange Theory Fitness McCormick Ranch If you’re looking to burn more calories and make your workout more interesting, HIIT (high intensity interval training) might just be your answer. HIIT can be accomplished doing cardio or weight bearing e ...

Off Road Amp up your overall fitness with trail running. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography Trail running is an excellent way to nurture one’s physical and mental fitness abilities. Getting off the roads and venturing through nature can transform both the body and the mind. For those new to trail running, start with shorter runs and don’t be afraid to combine running ...

Spring Cleaning 101 From an epic house-cleaning playlist to cleaning your home naturally, Kristin Caliendo makes spring-cleaning easy breezy.   You shouldn’t feel defined by whether or not your windows shine, but it’s hard not to judge your own housekeeping skills when trying to stay ahead of the gunk and grime that inevitably comes with having kids. I’ve found that being a step ahead of the mess helps ...

Total Body Strength Get your heart pumping with this energizing workout. By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Photography If you’re short on time and want to target a variety of areas on your body, this workout will do the trick. It incorporates strength training alongside exercises that will get your heart pumping. Complete the following circuit for three to four rounds. If desir ...

Body After Baby By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty   Sculpting a fit, toned, and healthy body after the birth of a child is definitely achievable. New moms often want results quickly; however, it’s important to be patient with your changing body and realistic about your goals. If you are easing back into a workout routine, allow yourself time to adjust. Doing small bursts of activity daily, even if it ...

Hot or Chilly M.D. Thalmann bemoans the various temperatures and other topics of the season. I’m supposed to write a cheery, upbeat little blurb about civilian life in the suburbs. Meanwhile, other folks are going to outer space, finding water on Mars, developing driver-less cars, and such––you know, important stuff. Me? Well, the best topic I could come up with is Arizona weather. Newsflash––it’s not hot! ...

Holiday Traditions North Valley readers share what makes this time of year so special to their families. By Kristin Caliendo I never realized how important holiday traditions were until I had a family of my own. I was inspired looking back over my childhood, while tracing my family traditions for this column. This journey made me appreciate all the effort my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles put in to ...

Increase your balance and reduce anxiety with these simple yoga moves.  By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Photos by Stephanie Heymann Yoga is well known for increasing flexibility, improving posture and building strength, but it’s also practiced by many for the physical and mental wellness attributes it provides. Yoga encourages deep breathing as part of the practice, which aids in reducing stress and ten ...

Writer Lynette Carrington catches up with Ryan Sims about life before and after The X Factor. Life is good for Ryan Sims. He’s enjoying writing music, playing, and performing in Arizona. As the lead singer of the band EastonAshe, Sims led a talented group of musicians as they worked at venues around the Valley. But as the EastonAshe band members got married and had families, their schedules got hectic. The ...

Ladder Down Use repetition to your advantage to lose the fat and build muscle using this simple, effective workout.   By Shannon Dougherty and Kim Miller Photos by Stephanie Heymann, stephanieheymannphotography.com Moving your body daily can make a big difference in your long-term health. Workouts don’t have to be complex to be effective. This ladder-down workout repeats the same move several times on ...

Try this quick exercise routine that can be done just about anywhere.  By Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty Models: Shannon Dougherty and Kari Burghardt and their daughters Photos: Stephanie Heymann, stephanieheymannphotography.com Exercise has a wealth of benefits, including reducing stress, preventing disease, helping to control weight, increasing life expectancy, and improving focus. Studies show that act ...