Heather Land was living within a picture-perfect scenario, marrying her Bible college sweetheart and having two children, now 12 and 16. But after 15 years of marriage, she found herself staring at a jarring blank slate: Going through a divorce, relocating from the home she had spent more than a decade residing in and starting...
“Give a person a gift and they’ll be a happy for a day. Teach him or her to hack and he or she will be happy for eternity.” — Unknown The holidays can be a stressful time, what with being forced into small rooms with relatives you see twice per year, carbo-loading on fruitcake and...
They say that to raise a child, it takes a village. But according to local leaders, the same can be said of empowering women to step up and make a difference in their communities. The theme of “help” was a common thread that ran through Oct. 9’s Salute to Women Awards breakfast at Diamond Jo...
While a white Christmas is never guaranteed, we can contribute to a greener holiday season by engaging in eco-friendly gift-wrapping practices. As December quickly nears, tri-state business owners shared creative ideas for sustainable alternatives to traditional wrapping paper. Kristina Beytien, owner of Upcycle Dubuque, described the holiday season as “notoriously wasteful.” She pointed to the...
Why wait until the new year to begin a hobby, like yoga, art or cooking? The holidays are an excellent time to include gear on wish lists or put together a gift package for someone special — even yourself. Pair tangible gifts with a workshop, and an experiential adventure awaits. Here are suggestions from local...
At some point, people with retirement or employer-sponsored investment accounts will be faced with the decision of what to do with rollover funds. This can happen when you change jobs or when you retire. In any case, it’s important to think through your options. Ideally, it’s best to choose a strategy that meets your retirement...
From the time you learn how to walk to later in life when you face challenges at school or work — or especially if you’re riding a horse. It’s become a cliche. “If you fall, get back up, shake it off and try again.” Nowhere, perhaps, is that advice more appropriate than in ice skating....
I don’t know about you, but every year when the gift-giving season approaches, I think to myself, “How am I going to cut back on my expenses? I know: I am going to put a lot of thought into gift-giving, and I am going to enjoy the season.” Then, as it approaches, I think of...
Your heart starts pounding. You have a sense of impending dread. A wave of nausea takes over and you begin to feel lightheaded. The thought of buying a special gift for a special someone sends you into a tailspin. Put those anxiety-inducing thoughts aside. Art often is thought of as the niche of the rich...
As we learn about ideal holiday gifts in this issue, it sparked a thought of what gifts that caregivers need. Caregivers need the gift of time. This is one of the most generous and supportive things you can offer the caregiver. Consider dedicating an hour per month or an hour per week to plug in...
When kids go back to school, the germs come out to play. It doesn’t help that there is an increased risk for illness as the months progress. School, colder weather, holidays and diets can play a role in decreased immune function during the fall and winter. One of the most frequent questions I’m asked in...
It has been said that change is the only constant in life. Change can be a deliberate choice we make, or it can be thrust upon us unexpectedly, such as in the loss of a loved one through death or divorce, the onset of a life-altering illness or the end a career due to downsizing....
For an undergraduate student, the Christmas season can be daunting. We are slammed with papers, presentations and final exams. Immediately after school ends, the Christmas season is upon us and we worry about finding gifts for friends and family while trying to stay on a budget. With “seven out of 10 college students feeling stressed...
When it comes to putting a smile on kids’ faces during the holiday season, video games are a pretty safe bet. So, how do you make buying decisions that make both kids and parents happy? And how do you choose video games that are fun for kids, but also safe and educational? Here is what...
This holiday season, keep in mind that what your children play with can have a large impact on their interests and brain development. So when it comes to a walk down the toy aisle, parents are becoming more discerning, leading smart toy makers to design toys with a learning component that‘s equally as important as...
I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and except for a short stint in Chicago in the mid-1990s, it is where I lived my entire life until moving to Dubuque in 2012. It’s not like Iowa and Wisconsin are so very different. But there is one striking difference that became starkly evident to me the...
It’s fitting that this edition of Her magazine is hitting your mailbox on Nov. 1. As the last trick-or-treaters leave my doorstep with remnants of candy from my oversized Halloween bowl, I am ready to pull in the pumpkins and haul out the holly. It’s probably even a safe bet that a carol or two...
“Give a person a gift and they’ll be a happy for a day. Teach him or her to hack and he or she will be happy for eternity.” — Unknown The holidays can be a stressful time, what with being forced into small rooms with relatives you see twice per year, carbo-loading on fruitcake and...
