News Flash

Scottish Rite Scholarship Foundation of Washington: Applications for scholarships.
The Scottish Rite Lodge of the Valley of Kelso and the Scottish Rite Foundation of Washington announce the availability of college/university undergraduate scholarships for the academic year 2012-2013.
A recipient must be a US citizen, a resident of the state of Washington, and attending (or intending to attend) an accredited Bachelor Degree awarding College or University in Washington full time for the academic year 2012-2013.
The recipient must also be a third, fourth or fifth year undergraduate (Junior or Senior), and have maintained a grade point average of at least 3.0 for his/her college career before applying. Students from a community college bound for a four year college in 2012 are eligible.
Awards are based on the funds that are available. Applications are now being accepted and the deadline for such applications is 31 March 2012. Masonic affiliation is not necessary. For more information on this program please access the Foundation website at
www.wascottishrite.org
Director Jerry W. Cooney
cooney0145@comcast.net
360-423-3955, or Assistant Director Maynard Brent at 360-636-1477.

Bobby Lamantia Awarded 2011 McCrady Brothers Football Scholarship at Mark Morris High School
Mark Morris High School senior Bobby Lamantia was awarded the McCrady Brothers Football Scholarship at the team’s postseason award ceremony on November 20.
The McCrady award is made annually to a football letter winner who has excelled in the classroom and also serves as a student leader at Mark Morris. Lamantia started 18 straight games at center for the Monarchs during his junior and senior years. He earned two varsity letters and was a team captain in 2011.
“Bobby is a nice young man and good example of what hard work can get you. He was put in to the starting lineup his junior year and ran with it,” Mark Morris Head Football Coach Shawn Perkins said.
The $1,000 college scholarship is funded by Mark and Theresa McCrady and Mark’s parents, Roy and Colleen McCrady.
“Our family started this scholarship in 2007 after our sons Seth and Kyle had both completed their four-year high school football careers at Mark Morris,” Mark McCrady said. “The high school football experience gave our sons valuable life lessons in teamwork and taught them how to stay focused on goals they have set.”
The McCrady scholarship is managed by the Mark Morris Foundation. The independent, nonprofit organization accepts tax-deductible donations for the benefit of MM students ― for scholarship programs and projects at the school. Recently the MM Foundation raised over $23,000 to replace the sign at the 15th Avenue entry to the school with a new electronic sign.
“The Foundation appreciates the dedication of McCradys for funding this scholarship to benefit outstanding students like Bobby. Our goal is to identify alumni and supporters to help develop and fund other scholarship opportunities at Mark Morris,” said Foundation President Jackie (Kelly) Evans (class of 1960).
For more information about the Mark Morris Foundation contact Karen Kickabush at (360) 575-7770 or access www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/foundation
Jungle Technology: Local computer tech offers services for unemployed.
Battle Ground, WA.
Jungle Technology, a north Clark County computer repair service, is offering free or low priced services to their local unemployed neighbors. What is normally handled as an hourly service is being offered for free in their Battle Ground office or for only $20 for the mobile service completed in your home.
Unfortunately, due to fuel costs, Jungle Technology is unable to offer mobile services for free. Owner Alex Johnson says, “It’s our desire to help those who are falling on bad times, understanding how hard it can be and that a working computer system can be the difference between getting a job or not with most companies requiring electronic resumes and applications.”
While not all services can be covered, Jungle Technology can provide up to two hours of service which, according to Johnson, is generally enough time to get you up and running if you get a virus. If more services are needed, a discount program has been setup to help.
Jungle Technology provides services to Clark or Cowlitz County residents receiving Washington state benefits, and proof of benefits will be required. Also service is completed on a first come, first served basis with only 4 appointments per week. “We are sorry we cannot help more than 4 families per week,” states Johnson, “but we are a small business with only 1 technician performing services. We are a family business and will work to support those families in need this holiday season and we will strive keep this going as long as people need our support.”
A special number has been set aside that will go to a message machine. Appointments will be scheduled Mondays or until full, for the following Tuesday through Friday. The first four callers will be contacted and scheduled for that week. Callers who don’t hear back should try again the next week. Calls for the week will start at 9AM on Mondays. Interested unemployed persons can call
(360) 836-0208.
Details are available online at
www.jungletechnology.com/unemployed. Jungle Technology can be contacted for regular computer services at (360) 313-6483 in Clark county and (360) 232-1107 in Cowlitz county and on the web at:
www.jungletechnology.com

A brand new church is launching in the Longview/Kelso Region!
New and Living Way Church, pastored by Todd Beal, will begin services Sunday,  January 8, 2012 at the RED LION Conference Center in Kelso!
Service times are Sundays at 10am & 6PM,  with Powerful Worship, Teaching and Dynamic Children’s Ministry provided for all services.
NEW AND LIVING WAY’S purpose is for people to “Experience GOD’s Presence together.”  For more information, please call 360-703-3340 or visit newandlivingwaychurch.org.

Easy, healthy tips:

Avoid the afternoon slump
Why not just drink some water in the afternoon if you begin to feel tired? You could be dehydrated, which can cause fatigue. In addition to drinking water, experts quoted in Health give this advice:
Have a high-energy snack like celery with peanut butter or some dark chocolate.
Walk. It will raise your energy level.Go outside, especially into the sunshine, to perk up your energy and mood. The idea of doing the recommended 30 minutes of exercise every day keeps some people from doing any at all. But how about 10 minutes?
10 minutes instead of 30…
Researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Centerin Baton Rouge, La., say every bit of exercise helps. Studies show that just 10 minutes a day of low-impact exercise, such as walking, can improve your general health and reduce the size of your waistline.
That’s an important benefit because belly fat can surround your vital organs and that’s linked to higher levels of disease-causing inflammation.

Ever wonder?

Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why women can’t put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don’t you ever see the headline ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’?
Why is ‘abbreviated’ such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do ‘practice’?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why didn’t Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don’t they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
How is it possible to have a civil war?
If you ate pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?
Why is it called tourist season if we can’t shoot at them?
Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?
If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?
Why do they put Braille on drive-through bank machines?
Why are they called stairs inside but steps outside?
Why “abbreviated” is such a long word?
If money doesn’t grow on trees, then how come banks have branches?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
Where does your lap go when you stand up?

You can lose weight without going hungry: Here’s how

To achieve a healthy weight, and maintain it for the rest of your life, don’t think about losing weight fast. Do it slowly and steadily.
You won’t have to make intricate calculations about how many calories you should eat, then write down the value of every morsel you consume. And you won’t have to buy a diet book that calls for recipe ingredients you’ve never heard of.
Instead, reduce calories by making better food and drink choices.
Drinks: Rather than drinking a latte with 500 calories, have a cup of black coffee. Instead of drinking sugary soda pop, choose diet pop or water.
Planning: Plan your meals and snacks for a week. Make a shopping list that includes low-fat meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, fruits and whole grain bread.
Snacks: If you want to snack on chips, nuts, crackers or candy, put the amount you intend to eat in a bowl. Stash the bag away so you won’t eat more without thinking about it.
Prepare foods wisely: Broil or bake your chicken, fish and red meats. Frying adds calories. Battering and deep frying can double the number of calories.
Skip the butter when you make mashed potatoes. You won’t notice it’s missing after you add low-fat gravy.
Salads: Use fat-free or low-fat salad dressing. Two tablespoons of blue cheese dressing have 150 calories. You might use three or four tablespoons, depending on the size of the salad.
When to eat: At three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus an evening snack. Studies show that people who eat breakfast will eat less the rest of the day. Include protein, like cheese or an egg, fruit, and whole grain bread. Drink a glass of water before each meal.
How much to eat: At home and at restaurants, eat a reasonable portion of food. Relax and take your time. If you eat fast, you’ll eat more.
You may not want to do all of these things, but doing some of them will result in weight loss!

From the Editor’s Desk

It’s a new year! A new year full of opportunities and the feeling of a “fresh new start”!
Just recently, we celebrated the 3rd Birthday of our son, Oscar Myre V. It seems like only yesterday that I was playing with my little two year old daughter and waiting for our second daughter to be born. Now, I have the blessing of an almost nine year old, almost seven year old and a three year old!
I really feel as though we’ve moved into that “new phase” of life. Especially with the happy fact that we are now out of diapers! Happy dance! Happy dance!
And even though I am doing the happy “dance”, my heart and soul is somewhat sad that we have moved past the “baby years” and into a new time with our kids, who are growing into such beautiful little people.
It’s now a time of deeper discussions, harder chapter books and much harder math that mommy tries to keep up with…my children are brilliant!!
This new year of 2012 presents so many new ideas and perspectives. Isn’t it interesting that just a “season” or “time period” of life can change your outlook on everything in your world?
Many people decide that it is time to “get healthy” and go on a new path with new resolution to make a positive change in their life.
Some make resolutions to change their attitude and how they approach relationships, while still others just laugh at all the “hoopla” that goes into those New Years Resolutions.
I think resolutions are wonderful, and should be explored by each one of us, in solitude. Really, a resolution is something for you, not for anybody else. In conjunction, your resolutions affect those around you, because when you change – your world changes. And there are people in that world.
Many of our advertisers this month offer wonderful options for helping you reach your New Years Resolutions, and staying on that path. From acupuncture to weight loss, financial responsibility and management – please take a moment to assess what these locally owned businesses can offer your “new world”. There is a feature centerfold of businesses on pages 12 and 13, with advertising throughout the entire paper, too.
My own resolutions include simple things that I hope to achieve more and more each year, not just “this year”.
I want to be a better wife to my incredible husband.
I want to be a better mommy to my three beautiful children.
I want to laugh more. (Heck, it burns calories, so I can kill two birds with one stone….)
I want to build stronger friendships and deeper, meaningful relationships with those in my life.
I want to share more the incredible love and acceptance that Jesus offers everybody.I want to travel somewhere I have never been before.
I want to travel somewhere I have been before, and look at it from a different perspective.
I want to help others experience Joy as I have found it, even in the middle of some incredible pain and sorrow.
I want to help teach my children how wonderful they are, and learn something new about themselves with them.
I want to share the healing properties of NeriumAD with others as I experience it with my own problematic skin.
I want to have a healthy garden this year.
I want to learn more about interesting subjects, like gardening and solar and wind power.
I want to find more quiet time with God, to refresh my soul through prayer and worship.
Oh my friends, I could go on and on. These are my goals in life, as I try to remind myself of them each and every day, not just in the new year.
Setting goals is a fantastic personal development technique, and it is the process of planning to reach those goals that really does the shaping.
I would encourage you to set goals for your life – and enjoy the process and road that you travel in order to accomplish them. Would you like to share them with us? We would love to hear…

Publisher / Editor

Peanut-raisin-cashew Clusters

This month’s recipe is a little unconventional and for that I apologize. I’ve been super busy with Allrecipes.com and the Cookies Across America campaign. In December, I also took a trip up to the Allrecipes headquarters in Seattle and toured their office. I was really impressed.
This is the #1 (Numero Uno) recipe website on the internet and it’s also where I got my blogging start. If you head over there, look me up. I am the one and only witchywoman on Allrecipes. We have the “Buzz” over there and it is a forum where you can post questions and get answers from some of the best home cooks in the world.
The blogs are also a great source of information and humor. It is the one website that I will actually pay to support because they have opened up a whole new world for me, cooking-wise and I’ve made some dear friends from around the world due to Allrecipes.
I’m not sharing an international recipe with you this month, although we did receive some from readers. I’ll save those for next month.
Instead, in light of the Christmas baking and candy making that I have done, I created a new recipe that will surely fix any sweet tooth you may have during the rainy, cold winter season. It can be as simple as only using 2 ingredients or as complex as you want to get.

Peanut-Raisin-Cashew Clusters
24 ounces chocolate confectioner’s coating (or commonly known around these parts as Almond Bark)
2 cups roasted peanuts, unsalted (use salted if that’s your gig!)
2 cups multi-colored raisins (I buy mine in bulk at Winco)
1 cup roasted cashews (I had a cup hanging around from a recipe I did a few weeks ago)
*Melt the confectioner’s coating in the nuker (microwave) in 30 second intervals, stirring until it is completely smooth and no lumps.
*Stir in peanuts, raisins and cashews until everything is well-coated.
*Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
*Stick it in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
*Store in the freezer or refrigerator.
Now, I don’t know about you, but with me, I like to have something chocolatey hanging around because living where we do, tons of people suffer from seasonal depression. I, sometimes, get those wintertime blues myself. What is a better way to beat the blahs than with a piece of homemade candy??? That and hot chocolate and a good comedy in the ol’ DVD player and you’re all good to go!
I’ve made it through more countries from around the world. I did take a break over the Thanksgiving holiday for 2 weeks, but it felt like 2 years! This last month, I have made meals from: Rwanda, Ukraine, The Federated States of Micronesia and Bahrain. I have some giveaways coming up on Life in an RV, so make sure that you sign up to follow the blog to be able to get in on those.
http://lifeinanarv.blogspot.com
Peace!
**Note: All of your “International Recipes” qualify for an experiment in my RV kitchen, don’t you think? Submit to the Valley Bugler, and include your “tips and tricks” so I can cook my way into the international cuisine you send my way!
eMail to: editor@valleybugler.com

Onstage this month:

Shows were found online @ CowlitzToday.com – the online community calendar for our area.

The Rainy Months Series. A family experience for the imagination. Rain, rain, go away….NO, WAIT! Let’s PLAY!
Puppetry, song, foolishness and stories strang and wonderful make up the Rainy Months Series at the Columbia Theatre this season! Bringing the best in regional and national children’s educational performers with an emphasis on the shared experience for both children and the adults in their lives.
Tickets are very reasonably priced at $5 per person and a special “family pack” of 6 for $25.

Rainy Months Series for January: ‘Legends of Mexico-Leyendas de Mexico’
An original production by Nuestro Canto Gerardo Calderon & Nelda Reyes.
Sunday, January 22 at 2:00 pm
Mexico is very well known for its legends, myths and tales. There are legends since the time of the Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs, Hucholes, as well as legends after the arrival of the Euraopeans to the American Continent. There are legends that talk about love, nature and everyday life. Nuestro Canto has gathered legends from all over Mexico and has composed music especially for the legends narrated during their performances.

Runt of the Litter
He was second to one
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Former Houston Oilers Defensive Back, Bo Eason, brings his one-man play to the Columbia Theatre.
At nine years old, Bo Eason took a crayon and paper and made a plan. The plan was to play professional football in the NFL and become the best in the league at his position. Bo (whose older brother Tony was a starting quarterback in the NFL) was told he was too small to play and was passed over by every college in the country. Instead of packing it in, he kept at it and eventually became the first safety chosen in the 1984 NFL Draft. He went on to play five years for the Houston Oilers.
This is an inspiring first-person re-telling of his journey from “runt” to fearless defensive back. “Runt of the Litter” opened in New York to rave reviews with the New York Times naming it, “One of the most powerful plays in the last decade.”
Ticket prices: $25.00 to $40.00 (discounts for senior and student).

NeriumAD

Discovered quite by accident in a bio-tech company’s lab, NeriumAD is rocking the beauty world with its amazing results with its third-party clinical trials that show a dramatic reduction in the appearance of:
• Fine Lines and Wrinkles
• Hyper-pigmentation
• Uneven Skin Texture
• Enlarged Pores
• Aging or Sun-Damaged Skin
Nerium scientists developed a breakthrough process, NBio-PL2, to extract from the Nerium oleander plant in a way that preserves its unique and beneficial properties. This patent-pending extraction process yields the NAE-8 extract used to formulate this first-of-its-kind age-defying product line.
Want to see people who are using NeriumAD and seeing drastic results? People who live here in Cowlitz County and are excited to show you how their age spots, fine lines and enlarged pores are disappearing before their own (and their friends’) eyes?
Call: (360)430-7882
“It’s not just me that loves this natural product, I’ve enjoyed seeing other people’s lives changed because their skin is now glowing and healthy. That makes me happy”. – Michelle Myre, Publisher / Editor, Valley Bugler Newspaper.
www.BeautifulSkinWebsite.com
30-Day money back Guarantee!

Quips from Kids…they never get old

While I sat in the reception area of my doctor’s office, a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist’s desk, the man sat there, alone and silent.
Just as I was thinking I should make small talk with him, a little boy slipped off his mother’s lap and walked over to the wheelchair.
Placing his hand on the man’s, he said, “I know how you feel. My mom makes me ride in the stroller too..”

As I was nursing my baby, my cousin’s six-year-old daughter, Krissy, came into the room. Never having seen anyone breast feed before, she was intrigued and full of all kinds of questions about what I was doing.
After mulling over my answers, she remarked, “My mom has some of those, but I don’t think she knows how to use them..”

Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful.
“In ten years,” I said, “you’ll want to be with your friends and you won’t go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now.”
Carolyn shrugged.
“In ten years you’ll be too old to do all those things anyway.”

Working as a pediatric nurse, I had the difficult assignment of giving immunization shots to children.
One day, I entered the examining room to give four-year-old Lizzie her needle.
‘No, no, no!’ she screamed.
‘Lizzie,’ scolded her mother, ‘that’s not polite behavior.’
With that, the girl yelled even louder, ‘No, thank you! No, thank you!’

On the way back from a Cub Scout meeting, my grandson innocently said to my son, ‘Dad, I know babies come from mommies’ tummies, but how do they get there in the first place?’
After my son hemmed and hawed awhile, my grandson finally spoke up in disgust, ‘You don’t have to make up something, Dad. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer.’

Just before I was deployed to Iraq , I sat my eight-year-old son down and broke the news to him.
‘I’m going to be away for a long time,’ I told him. ‘I’m going to Iraq .’
‘Why?’ he asked. ‘Don’t you know there’s a war going on over there?’

Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children stricken with cancer, AIDS, and blood diseases. One afternoon, he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, stopped by to have lunch with the kids.
A counselor at a nearby table, suspecting the young patients wouldn’t know Newman was a famous movie star, explained, “That’s the man who made this camp possible. Maybe you’ve seen his picture on his salad dressing bottle?”
Blank stares.
“Well, you’ve probably seen his face on his lemonade carton.”
An eight-year-old girl perked up. ‘How long was he missing?’

Live a Longer & Healthier Life

By Tony Dole
You should balance your activities with the proper amount of rest. Some of the leading experts in the field of aging now believe that regular exercise along with the proper amount of rest may actually add years to the life span. Results from a number of tests indicate that speed and muscular strength of many of the elderly can be extended.
Leading authorities agree that this new data is going to shatter many of the myths about aging and physical performance. The conclusion now is that the performance and ability of the elderly has long been underestimated, diet, proper sleep and exercise along with rest and relaxation are all important factors in preserving our bodies.
Laughter is one of the best things for your mental and physical state. (Guess we’re doing okay by running Funnies in the Bugler, eh?) People are naturally attracted to someone who has a good sense of humor. You can develop a good outlook and a good sense of humor by associating with and surrounding yourself with pleasant happy people.
Recognize that stress is a killer. A life filled with stress can really wreak havoc on your body causing a number of illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma, gastric problems, menstrual disorders, ulcerative colitis, angina, irritable colon, increased blood pressure, ulcers, headaches, etc.
There are different types of stress such as mental, emotional and physical. Emotional stress seems to take the greatest toll on everyone. All stress is not bad; in fact, life would not be very interesting if it were not met with challenges. However, too much stress, too often with no effective and appropriate outlet, does not allow the body and soul to recuperate.
You might review a typical week to see if you can identify things that might be making you anxious or causing you stress. Once identified, stressors can be attacked and eliminated.
Are you a worrier? Chronic worriers don’t have more serious problems than others – they just think they do. Many worriers try to cope by trying not to think about their problems, but this just makes things worse. Doctors say that chronic worriers feel less anxious if they actually spend a half-hour a day thinking specifically about their problems.
Get plenty of exercise. People who are physically fit look good and feel good. A good exercise regimen will lengthen your life. Improve your appearance, build self confidence and help delay the aging process.
Remember that you need to do something physical every day. If you don’t use your joints, quite simply they’ll tighten up with age to create the stooped, bent and worn out appearance we so often associate with old age. Studies have shown that people with arthritis experience less pain if they continue to keep their joints flexible.
As one gets older, the bones tend to get brittle which is why it is common for senior citizens to break bones and especially their hips when they fall.
Eating right, getting proper sleep and learning to relax are all very valuable in maintaining a healthy body and mind.
And keep in mind that eating healthy foods and avoiding those high in fats, sodium and cholesterol will help to decrease your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and associated problems.
So – laugh with people, or at yourself, exercise with people or with yourself, drink your eight to ten glasses of water every single day, and eat healthy to live a longer, more satisfying and healthy life!

« Previous Page — Next Page »