Magazine Articles

Standing Strong Together By: Jack Tice Ashley Peggs shares her courageous story and the community that rallied around her. Recently, one of Ashley Peggs’ four daughters had a question. “Mommy,” the young girl asked, “When was the best day of your life?” Ashley Peggs is a young woman, a mother, a family-oriented person. She’s a teacher—first in a classroom where she taught second graders, and also at home, where she embraced a teaching role as a stay-at-home mom. Further, she is a teacher in the community, where she has worked at learning centers and where she educates through her blog, Parenting …

Self-Care AGREE-ment During the Pandemic By Natalie Hanson I remember being nine (plus) months pregnant when my mom came to visit us in our small home in Salt Lake City. It was a scorching late-summer day in the mountain desert, when my overdue baby and I were outside trying to work a floral miracle in my tiny backyard. I was trying to resuscitate all of my wilting flowers that had surrendered for the season (for what mother worth her salt could bring a baby into the world when she couldn’t even keep her geraniums happy?). I was hot, frustrated at …

Hello, my beautiful readers. It has been a long minute since we have all been together. I have, however, seen you courageous mamas. I have seen you taking care of your babies of all ages. I have watched you navigate working from home and traverse our daily changing new world. I have looked into your scared eyes at grocery stores. I have watched you take care of your parents and say your last goodbye to your family. I have watched you take action on social injustice and help your community in ways that have indeed been remarkable. The world and …

The past six months have felt like years. So much has changed.  Covid has caused division and left us out of normalcy.  And then there was the George Floyd incident followed by riots.  And through it all, I feel like our nation has never been so divided. Admittedly, it is with hesitancy that I share this story. I am a white kid, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and honestly cannot think of one instance that I have been discriminated against in my life. I realize that I will never be able to understand what it is like to be a black …

Happy Labor Day, America! I hope this article finds you enjoying time with the people you love and pondering the positives realized during the pandemic. I have enjoyed the extra time with family — especially cooking in the kitchen with my sous chefs (you know who you are). Thanks to my niece Heather and her sister-in-law Courtney for passing along this recipe. I am pairing this dish with a Korean mojito. Remember to buy local, stay safe and share kindness. Bon Appetit, Lanette Bulgogi Adapted from my Heartbeats.com INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon oil or fat of choice 3 cloves garlic, minced …

If you would have asked me on January 1st what I would be doing 6 months into 2020, my answer would have been vastly different than what it now is. I would have told you that in June of 2020 I would have a few races under my belt, I would be starting my training for a longer race in the fall, my outdoor bootcamps would be in full swing and that I would be enjoying the start of the summer with family and friends. Instead I am facing a whole different reality – we are facing a whole different …

My beautiful readers, I am hoping as you read this, you are all well. This is my third attempt, as the first version had to be rewritten in light of the current circumstances. I could no longer share all the graduation hype and parties that were on the calendar. The last family trip we were taking as Henry graduates and heads off to a Service academy is now stripped away. I was so excited to share all those exciting things with all of you. Unfortunately, we all have had a change in plans. This issue is still about family and …

Bellevue Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem  at America’s Most Storied Hospital By: David Oshinsky This book was a gift from my son, and he picked a very riveting story. Being a retired registered nurse may have influenced my opinion of the book, but I feel all who read it will thoroughly enjoy the book, as Oshinsky weaves his way through three centuries of history of this famous New York hospital. Oshinsky takes us from the hospital’s rise from a almshouse infirmary to a public hospital that is now well-known as a great trauma center for visiting world leaders. Bellevue …

Hot Brown Sliders INGREDIENTS 1 12-count package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, sliced in half 1 lb. turkey breast, thinly sliced and divided 12 slices white sharp cheddar cheese 8 slices bacon, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces and cooked until crisp 12 tomatoes slices, about ¼-inch thick (I use Campari or Roma tomatoes) Mornay Sauce (make about 1 cup) 3 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1½ cups milk Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Dash nutmeg ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded Butter Glaze ½ cup (one stick) butter, melted 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds 2 …

The Worst of Times, the Best of Times By Katie McKy For a Chippewa Falls mother, it was the best of times. Her husband Eric had just been hired by Southwest Airlines, and they had their beautiful children — a four month-old, a two-year old, and a four-year old. Then streptococcus, a common bacterium, one that typically leads to a mere earache or a sinus infection, changed everything.     When Beth Vrablic started to slip away, no one knew at first. She and her family went to church one Sunday in late October. The next morning, she took the kids …