Magazine Articles

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. Helen Keller Whew! We made it to December, and I am not wearing a stocking cap to bed this year. The Sorels, however, have been well worn already this season. Wisconsin women know how to remain fashion-forward even in bulky boots and big parkas. I am so excited to share our article on how we women can keep cozy and cute in the frozen tundra. As our adventure in chaos draws to a close, my family and …

Having a safe, livable, and warm home is something that most people take for granted. When was the last time you worried about being evicted or having enough money to pay next month’s rent? Unfortunately, there are families throughout the nation and in the Chippewa Valley that worry about these things each day. However, the local Habitat for Humanity organization strives to help families achieve their dream of home ownership. Through volunteerism, hard work, and community support, the organization makes a significant impact—one home at a time. Josh Rizzo serves as Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s development coordinator, and he …

Imagine being hungry and then walking into a room lined with exquisite appetizers, gourmet entrées, and professionally decorated desserts. As you look around the display, your mouth begins to water as you contemplate which food you will try first. Life could not get any better! You’ve hit the food lottery! Now, imagine walking into the same room lined with the exact same food. Your hunger is the same and your mouth is still watering. This time though, your state of mind is different. In fact, it might even feel like the worst day of your life. There is not ONE …

A blessed fall and Thanksgiving to you and your family. This is a great time of year to cook up some comfort food. I realize it might take some “courage” to invest the time to make this labor-intensive lasagna, but it is well worth it. I usually double this recipe to make two 8×8” pans and a 9×13” pan, freezing two and baking the other right away. Also, I have included a dessert I make for book club. I hope you enjoy it! Please share some of your favorite fall desserts on our Facebook page. Bon Appetit, Lanette How to …

WRITTEN BY GRACE THEISEN “Patience is a virtue.” “Good things come to those who wait.” These are a couple of mottoes that have been repeated quite a bit by my family lately. Several months ago—and it was several months—I told you that my family had just bought a new house that had been built in 1861. (“New” is kind of a funny word to describe a 150-year-old house, but the house was new to my family at least. Pretty much everything else about the house was old: old paint, old floors, old plumbing, old electrical wires, old heating system. There was …

WRITTEN BY HEATHER ROTHBAUER-WANISH Jane Cooper is a woman on a mission to lead a happy, whole, and satisfying life. In addition to caring for her special needs son, she takes time for family, tries to find time to center herself, and works diligently to focus on the positive aspects of everyday living. Through both challenging and fulfilling times, Cooper knows that it is important to take a moment and appreciate everything the world has to offer. Faith “It is not that faith has shaped my life. It is that life has shaped my faith,” says Jane. Her faith is …

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt Fall is here! Only yesterday it was a sunny 80 degrees. Today, I sit with a fresh cup of coffee as the wind whips and temperatures plunge. The chill in the air reminds me just how quickly seasons can change, in nature and life. Often, the change …

Nominated by Anneliese Fish (fan, baby sister, cookie dough) I once read a quote, “In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.” How true this statement is! I love my sisters as much as I love my children, as much as I love red wine, as much as I love chocolate cake, all the things which I cannot live without. In all seriousness, I look up to my sisters more than anyone else in this world. They are both smart and beautiful, levelheaded and compassionate. They have helped guide me through life, and I know they will be …

Nominated by Teresa Jolivette I would like to nominate my friend and coworker, Tracey, for The Courage is Contagious Award. Tracey is a beautiful, busy mother of two girls, ages 10 and 7, and wife of Tim. She is an RN, a PTO leader-extraordinaire at a local elementary school, and an active member of her church. Tracey is also a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed one year ago with breast cancer. She has undergone treatment for the last year, including multiple surgeries, chemo, and radiation. She has been an example of strength, courage, and grace through it all. Tracey is …

By Vicki Larkowski The Great Depression triggered a wave of co-op organizing across our nation. One leading co-op launched during this period was the Consumers Cooperative Association of Eau Claire—“the Co-op.” The Co-op’s first purchase for its members was a carload of coal in 1935. Subsequent ventures included a gas station and, by 1953, a grocery store. From there, the Co-op Shopping Center continued to flourish on South Hastings Way. It became the only place in the region that “had it all”—from groceries to clothing, jewelry, and more. In 1962, a married mom with two children and no car needed …