THE CIRCLE
Fall Issue
The things we’re loving, the conversations we’re having, and the season we don’t want to rush through.
Maybe This Is the Good Part
Maybe this is the Good Part
There’s something about fall that makes us notice change.
The light shifts. The air feels different. Things that were green start letting go. And somehow, every year, we’re reminded that change can be beautiful—even when we didn’t ask for it.
Life has seasons too.
Some are everything we hoped they’d be. Some are harder than we expected. And some look nothing like the life we thought we’d be living by now.
It’s easy to spend a season looking ahead to the next one when this gets easier. When that finally happens. When I feel more like myself again.
But what if there’s something good here, too?
Not because everything is perfect. Not because every hard thing needs a silver lining. But because God is still good here. Still present. Still working in the ordinary parts of our lives we might otherwise rush past.
So this fall, we’re making a little more room to notice.
The people around the table. The text that makes you laugh out loud. The first sip of coffee. The song you keep playing. The friend who knows the whole story. The small mercies you almost missed because you were waiting for something bigger.
Maybe we don’t have to have this season figured out to enjoy parts of it.
Maybe we can give ourselves some grace.
Maybe we can thank God for what is good and trust Him with what isn’t.
And maybe, somewhere in the middle of ordinary life, we’ll look around and realize—
this is the good part, too.
Welcome inside the circle.
WHAT WE’RE READING
Soul Care
7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul
Dr. Rob Reimer
We’re pretty good at taking care of things. The people we love. Work. Dinner. Appointments. Everybody else’s feelings. The text we answered in our head and then completely forgot existed.
But our own souls?
Yeah. Those can get pushed pretty far down the list.
That’s why we’re reading
this fall.
Dr. Rob Reimer walks through seven areas of soul health—from identity and forgiveness to healing old wounds, facing fear, and breaking patterns that keep us stuck. And he doesn’t exactly let us stay on the surface.
This is the kind of book that asks you to get honest with yourself, invite God into the messy places, and actually deal with some of the stuff you’ve gotten very good at avoiding.
So, you know… light fall reading. 😂
But that’s also what makes it so good.
Because sometimes caring for your soul looks less like a bubble bath and more like letting Jesus into the places that actually need healing.
How is my soul, really?
Not: Am I keeping up?
Not: Is everybody else okay?
Just—how am I doing?
Maybe this fall is a good time to find out.
AROUND THE THANKSGIVING TABLE
5 Things to Make Thanksgiving More Memorable
Because eventually everyone finishes eating, nobody needs another roll (okay, maybe one more roll), and we’re all just sitting there.
So before everybody disappears to the couch, turns on football, or starts negotiating who has to deal with the dishes, try one of these
1.
THE “REMEMBER WHEN…” ROUND
Everyone shares a favorite family memory—but you can’t pick one from the current year. Funny, sweet, completely ridiculous… all fair game. Bonus points if someone says, “Wait. THAT is how you remember that?”
2.
PASS THE PHONE
Pick one person to be the photographer and pass them a phone. Their job is to take candid pictures throughout dinner—no posing, no “everybody look over here.” At the end, you’ll have photos of what the day actually felt like. And for once, the person who always takes the pictures might actually be in some of them.
3.
THE FAMILY SUPERLATIVES
Most likely to fall asleep first.
Best cook.
Latest arrival.
Most likely to start Christmas decorating tomorrow.
Most likely to leave their leftovers in your refrigerator.
Make up your own and vote around the table. Keep it nice-ish.
4.
ONE QUESTION EVERYONE ANSWERS
Skip the pressure of going around the table saying what you’re thankful for and ask one really good question instead:
“What happened this year that you hope you never forget?”
Same heart.
Better conversation.
5.
THE AFTER-DINNER TRADITION
Start something that has absolutely nothing to do with food. Take a walk. Play cards. Have a family dance-off. Watch the same terrible movie every year. Sit around the fire. The activity almost doesn’t matter—the fact that you keep doing it does.
The Best Traditions
usually aren’t the impressive ones. They’re the ones everybody would notice if you stopped doing them.
THE RECIPE WE’RE BRINGING
Brown Butter + Hot Honey Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is already invited to Thanksgiving. We’re just giving her a better outfit.
Think buttery mashed sweet potatoes with brown butter, maple, cinnamon, and vanilla, topped with a crunchy brown-sugar pecan crumble—then finished with the tiniest drizzle of hot honey.
Sweet. Buttery. A little salty. A tiny bit spicy.
And yes, the marshmallow people may have questions. We’re prepared to discuss it. 😂
For the sweet potatoes:
-
4 lbs sweet potatoes
-
6 tbsp unsalted butter
-
¼ cup pure maple syrup
-
⅓ cup heavy cream
-
2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla
-
1 tsp cinnamon
-
½ tsp kosher salt
-
and a pinch of nutmeg.
For the pecan crumble:
-
1 cup chopped pecans
-
½ cup brown sugar
-
⅓ cup flour
-
4 tbsp melted butter
-
and a pinch of flaky salt
For the finish:
-
1–2 tbsp hot honey.
Roast the sweet potatoes at 400°F until completely tender, about 45–60 minutes.
Scoop out the flesh and mash.
Meanwhile, brown the butter in a small saucepan until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden.
Stir it into the potatoes with the maple syrup, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Let cool slightly, then mix in the eggs.
Spread into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. Mix the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter until crumbly and scatter over the top.
Bake at 350°F for about 30–35 minutes, until hot and golden.
Then comes the twist: lightly drizzle with hot honey and finish with flaky salt right before serving. Don't drown it. We're making Thanksgiving dinner, not starting a hot-honey hostage situation.
THE MAKE-AHEAD WIN
Assemble the sweet potato mixture the day before and refrigerate it. Keep the crumble separate; add it before baking,
save the hot honey for the very end.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Your Hallmark Christmas Cheat Sheet.
Cozy blankets. Twinkle lights. A little hot chocolate (or a lot).
Hallmark 2026 Countdown to Christmas is here, and we've pulled a few we're especially excited about.
SAT OCT 17 • 8/7
Holiday Touchdown
A Bears Love Story
SAT NOV 28 • 8/7
Holiday Ever After:
A Disney World Wish Come True
SAT DEC 5 • 8/7
A Grand Biltmore Christmas
SAT NOV 14 • 8/7
The Nights Before Christmas
SAT DEC 12 • 8/7
Snow Globe
Town
SAT NOV 21 • 8/7
Christmas at the
Inn
THE CIRCLE’S
Fall Finds
Top Gifts for Women Under $30
Little gifts. Big “I saw this and thought of you” energy.
FOR THE BEAUTY GIRL Four mini Lip Butter Balms in one very giftable set. Perfect for her purse, desk, car—or all three. SHOP IT →
FOR HER EVERYDAY RITUAL A warm vanilla, amber and musk mist for hair, body and linens. Basically fall in a bottle. SHOP IT →
FOR THE HOMEBODY Soft, cozy and neutral enough to look good anywhere. The kind of gift she'll use all season long. SHOP IT →
FOR THE FRIEND WHO HOSTS EVERYTHING A tiny little kitchen luxury that's perfect for dips, desserts, sides and individual servings—and looks way more expensive than $22. SHOP IT →
FOR YOUR FALL-OBSESSED FRIEND Tiny pumpkin-shaped waffles on a Saturday morning. Completely unnecessary. Completely adorable. SHOP IT →
FOR THE BEAUTY LOVER A little pop of glossy color from Rare Beauty at an easy girlfriend-gift price. SHOP IT →
FOR THE GIRL WHO LOVES A GOOD READ A beautiful little book celebrating the gifts found in friendship, family, hope and everyday life. SHOP IT →
FOR THE WOMAN WHO NEEDS TIME TO HERSELF A pretty excuse to put down the phone, grab some colored pencils and do absolutely nothing productive for a minute. SHOP IT →
.png)
P.S. PRIME BIG DEAL DAYS ARE
A few of these finds may be even better deals during Amazon’s fall sale. We’ll be watching for the good stuff—because nobody needs another list of 400 things Amazon says we need.
OCTOBER 6–7
JOIN US FOR
HUMP DAY HAPPENINGS
LIVE ON X SPACES
WEDNESDAYS AT 8 PM CST
A place for women to talk about the stories everyone’s talking about, share real perspectives, and have a few laughs along the way.
Consulting
COMING SOON
YOUTUBE
LIVES
SUBSCRIBE AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS
More real-time conversations, special guests, hot topics, and a chance for you to be part of the conversation—not just listen to it later.
FOLLOW US
Consulting
ON SOCIAL
♡
FOLLOW
SUBSCRIBE
LIKE
SHARE
If something we share makes you laugh, think, or text it to a friend—like it, share it, and send it her way.That’s how this community grows!
FOR BEING PART
OF THIS YEAR.
We are so thankful for every one of you—for your support, encouragement, and for showing up week after week.
We’re grateful for every guest, every story, and every moment of grace that has been shared.
This community means more to us than we can ever say.
We pray this next season brings more truth, more hope, more courage, more laughter, and more women into this circle.
Thank you for being here. You make this possible.
Here’s to what’s next. ♡
Love, Summer & Ilonka