For many people, dogs are family members. Whether small, large, old, or young, these dogs are like children—holding a special place in our hearts. Fortunately, many loving homes exist in our area with people willing to adopt dogs and get them to their forever homes. Three dogs hold the hearts of Brittany Bergeman and her fiancé, Matt Murphy, of Eau Claire. Diesel and Dante are Miniature Pinschers, and Dre is a Doberman. Both Dante and Dre were adopted from unpleasant situations. “I love adopting dogs in need because I feel they deserve their happily-ever-after with a loving family who will …

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. Ladies, welcome to February—the perfect month to roll out the Love Your Life issue! We’re delighted to feature articles showcasing ladies embracing life. It is our hope that this issue will offer a new perspective to help you love your life through any season.  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 PDF’s loading time may be slow) In this Issue: …

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. Ladies, welcome to February—the perfect month to roll out the Love Your Life issue! We’re delighted to feature articles showcasing ladies embracing life. It is our hope that this issue will offer a new perspective to help you love your life through any season. No matter the length of the to-do list, the seemingly never-ending responsibilities, and the crazy schedules we all face—it is possible to love your life now! It is possible to thrive, even when life feels like an impossible, …

WRITTEN BY HEATHER ROTHBAUER-WANISH The past year has been challenging, exciting, and full of changes for Meghan Kulig. With a new baby, a career transition, and a positive outlook on life, Meghan is excited to see what the future holds for her and her family. And, as with many women in the Chippewa Valley, she is busy balancing the five Fs: faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance. Faith After more than eight years as a news anchor and reporter for WEAU 13 News in Eau Claire, Meghan now works for Regis Catholic Schools as the Communications Director. She describes, “Because …

Happy New Year! For a self-proclaimed foodie like me, part of the Love (of this issue’s Love Your Life theme) is definitely shared in the kitchen. Over the Christmas break, our family got to enjoy some of our favorite things, which included our long-held tradition of family pizza/game night. Our evening was inspired by the movie The Hundred Foot Journey. I follow the same pizza recipe that my husband grew up with; it was passed down to me from my mother-in-law. Try this or a similar family tradition with your own loved ones. And then find us on Facebook to …

Decorating comes easy for some, while others struggle with the basics of furniture placement and color choices. Then there are those of us who just do. I have no formal training—aside from a middle school Home Economics project where we created our dream house complete with carpet samples and a room-by-room floor layout. I loved that project! I would pore over my parents’ copies of Good Housekeeping and even the Sears catalog for inspiration and furniture photos to cut out for my “dream house.” It would be fun to see that project now; all I remember is a canopy bed …

WRITTEN BY GRACE THEISEN I love winter. I love winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing. I love going to the cabin, cuddling up under a blanket next to a fire and reading a good book. But even winter can be a hectic time of year. Recently, my life has been hectic. I have had a hard time keeping balanced—my faith, family, friends, school, and boyfriend (“Hi, Logan”)—and still having time for myself. In the cold of winter, wrapped up in a blanket, I took the time to write myself a few life lessons about loving myself: 1. Don’t get caught …

When the cold months blow in, Wisconsinites dig out their dormant wardrobes: large winter jackets, bulky sweaters, and layers-upon-layers in black and brown tones. Fashion can get lost with the balmy days. However, local style professionals offer fantastic advice—promoting fashion-forward looks practical enough to vanquish Jack Frost, Mother Nature, and Old Man Winter. Comfort stylist Judy Foust fell in love with Jockey Person to Person®’s clothing and concept after attending her first in-home event, The motto of “Where Comfort Meets Style” was truly evident in every item I tried on and purchased. As a Comfort Stylist, I’ve been with the …

WRITTEN BY HEATHER ROTHBAUER-WANISH For Sylvia Hedberg-Thomas, each day is a new day of opportunity, hope, and desire to build a better future. In addition to assisting her husband, Jeff (who is blind), Sylvia works at the Eau Claire YMCA, is a mother to two daughters, and is a three-time cancer survivor. Through resolute faith, family dedication, and a focus on tomorrow, Sylvia is moving forward with an optimistic outlook that defies the odds. Faith Faith defines Sylvia’s life. She professes, “Without Jesus, I feel like I would have nothing. My faith is the most important thing in the world …

WRITTEN BY GRACE THEISEN The holiday season is my favorite time of year. And I have a special way of enjoying the holidays all year long. All you need to do is make a batch of shrimp bisque. Allow me to explain. My mom is a great cook. Soups are among her specialties. She makes a tasty leek soup. Everyone loves her potato chowder. And thanks to one of her best friends, she has a special recipe for shrimp bisque. Put simply, the bisque is to die for. So, when we go to my grandpa’s house for Christmas Eve, my …