Thank you, Eau Claire, for 20 amazing years living and working in the Chippewa Valley. In June 1996, our little family of three set up shop here looking for a Midwest college town to call home. Fast-forward 20 years and here we are with three kids loving all that is local. We have established so many great relationships and are thrilled to call this home. Summer is the time to hit the farmers market and head to our own gardens for Chippewa Valley fresh harvest; then open a bottle of local wine and enjoy some time with friends. Bon Appétit, …

It has taken me to the end of my junior year to realize that not everyone has to be my friend. And not everyone will appreciate me. I try to be kind to everyone, and I would love to be friends with everyone—that’s just my personality. But it is hard to see people respond to kindness in a negative way. I expect kindness to inspire kindness. Click the magazine below to read the rest of “Standing Up” on page 43:

Meet Jackie Boos: busy wife, mother, business professional, and Tourism Director for the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Jackie and her husband, Matt, have built a home in the beautiful rural area of Tilden; they plan to stay residents for life. While she enjoys her ambitious schedule, Jackie also realizes that it takes a balance of the five Fs—faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance—to build a successful life. Click the magazine below to read what Jackie has to say about faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance on PAGE 10:

Ladies, find your flip-flops and grab your sunglasses. Summer is finally here! After a long and unseasonably cool spring, I know I’m not the only one eager to get outside and get moving. Every June, I am giddy with excitement. The more relaxed schedule and the summer adventures await, stirring up child-like anticipation and joy. We’ve dedicated this Summer Fun: Let’s Get Healthy issue to inspire our readers to jump aboard the wellness wagon and have a blast while doing it. There are so many reasons to fall in love with summer in Wisconsin. Here are a few of my …

Ladies, find your flip-flops and grab your sunglasses. Summer is finally here! After a long and unseasonably cool spring, I know I’m not the only one eager to get outside and get moving. Every June, I am giddy with excitement. The more relaxed schedule and the summer adventures await, stirring up child-like anticipation and joy. DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE BELOW TO READ MORE! Having problems with the flip book above not loading correctly? (Please note: Due to the large file size of the high resolution PDFs, loading time may be slow) Cover photo credit: Mary Moua Photography In this Issue: [ …

I was sitting in Zorn Arena trying to look like I wasn’t sweating through my jacket when my daughter filed in with her high school graduating class. The announcer asked the kids to locate their parents in the audience and wave to them as a way of thanking them for getting them to this day. As my daughter looked up at us with a big smile on her face and waved, it happened. I saw her as a five year old smiling at me and waving goodbye as she entered her kindergarten classroom. I was stunned at how all that …

Susan Peterson has been a resident of Eau Claire since 2008. She is a focused mother, business professional, advocate for children, and the Director of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc., Northwest District and Coulee Region. From working diligently in her professional role to raising her daughters, Peterson knows continues to discover various ways to implement the five Fs of faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance. Click the magazine below to read what Susan has to say about faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance on PAGE 10:

As I write this, the men in my life (my husband and son) are organizing their opening day of fishing plans. Their banter gets me dreaming of warm weather—hence this recipe for fish tacos. Personally, I am hoping to see fresh walleye on my grill for this recipe, but I do have a backup plan of store-bought halibut. For dessert, enjoy these buttermilk brownies from my grandmother’s cookbook from 40 years ago. I have brought these to picnics on paper plates, and I have served them on my china at dinner parties. They are always a favorite. Bon Appetit, Lanette …

It’s crazy to think I am about to enter the fourth quarter of my junior year of high school. I’m about to go to prom, which I’ve been looking forward to since I was in elementary school. Time is flying by, and in a few months I’ll be a senior. New students will arrive, walk the same halls, use the same lockers, and experience a lot of the same DUMB high school drama I have survived. Although high school can be a drama-filled, stressful, scary time; it can also be an amazing time of learning who you are as a …

Good intentions of using this Lenten season to slow down and reflect seem to have flown out the window. It seems fair to say, we women take on much worry over our seemingly endless roles and responsibilities. As wives, moms, business owners, career women, friends, therapists, taxi drivers, accountants, and cooks (and the list goes on), it’s all too easy to find ourselves overwhelmed. The good news is we are a supportive community of women and this issue we celebrate that community along with the men in our lives. As I write this editor’s note, my mind floods with concerns. …