From the Editor’s Desk

The month of “love” is upon us, and our staff at the Bugler wants to take this opportunity to share with you just how much we “love” you!
Yes, that’s right – somebody loves you! ☺
Our readers and advertisers are the most important parts of our business, as if we didn’t have YOU – we would simply cease to exist.
So, in return – do you “love” the Valley Bugler? If you enjoy this publication coming across your path once each month, we would ask but one simple thing. Just one thing to show your appreciation!
I’m guessing that most of you probably already know what I’m going to request.
Yes, you’re correct, we would ♥“love”♥ for you to share with our advertisers that you enjoy seeing them in the Valley Bugler. Share with shops and businesses that you see advertising within these pages your appreciation. Call them or when you are shopping there (because they’re all local, you know!) tell them you saw them HERE!
In this time and economy, I can’t stress to you the importance of our beloved advertisers hearing that their ads are being viewed and seen by our thousands upon thousands of local readers. The economy is tough, and understandably, businesses have to tighten their belts with fiscal expenditures.
If you want them to continue helping get this community paper into your hands each month, then we would encourage you to showcase your “love” by expressing your gratitude.
Being that we are one of only a few free community papers, it is essential that our advertisers continue seeing the impact of their dollars that are spent here to help publish and produce this paper.
Show a little ♥ and share a little ♥!
Speaking of showing and sharing love, I’d like to invite you to a special Theatre production that is happening at our very own Columbia Theatre here in Longview from the 16th – 19th showcasing a “Love Story”!
The infamous ‘Cinderella’ will grace the stage, full of local talent (including yours truly…)!
Yes, I decided to take a leap and get back into the musical theatre world, after having been more in “Mommy Mode” raising three small children for over 8 years.
The last major role that I performed was “Marian the Librarian” in The Music Man, as seen on Mainstage in 2001. Wow, was it really that long ago?
Since then I have done small performances that don’t require the intensive rehearsal schedule that a major production entails, such as Cinderella.
The only possible way I could do this was with the loving support of my sweet hubby, Oscar. He makes sure that he is home every night so we can have dinner together before I brush my teeth, kiss the kiddos and rush off for a 3-hr rehearsal.
In return, I am working my tail off with a great Director, Ron Daum, from Portland, Musical Director Dorothy McMillan, and a local cast that has some of my dear buddies in it as well.
I was cast as the floor-scrubbing girl, one who is always dreaming of being somewhere else than where she really is – like, the Prince’s ball!
Yes, I am Cinderella – so if you would like to come and say hello to me after the show, I would absolutely love it. I do hope that all the little girls get their tiaras and princess dresses out and that the mommy’s and daddy’s glam up as well. I hope to see lots of little Prince’s in their best suits as well, because every princess needs a prince! ☺
The show is sweet and frought with laughter and unexpected twists and turns. Laura Ouellette Tack and Katie Jansen play my “Stepsisters”, and with Lorraine Little at the helm of the “Stepmother”, you will be rolling in the aisles with laughter at their antics.
My own daughters are eager to see the show, and my son has demanded to as well, although I am guessing his 3-year old attention span wouldn’t quite survive the duration.
We hope that you enjoy the sweet love story within ‘Cinderella’ if you can make it, which is running during the “Month of Love”.
So until next month, I’ll be at rehearsals preparing for the show, and sharing with those around me just how much I love and appreciate them in my life. There are wonderful suggestions and tips found on page 10-11 for those who lack their own burst of creativity.
Sitting in my own little corner,

Michelle Myre
Publisher / Editor

Valley Bugler & omOriginals Marketing announce internship opportunities

Ever wonder what it would be like to work at a newspaper or local marketing agency? Here is your opportunity to shine up your resume with an internship position at the Valley Bugler Newspaper or omOriginals Marketing.
Interns will be exposed to multiple job skills and positions, including:
• Customer Service
• Office Management
• Article Composition
• Journalist / Interviews
• Advertising Design & Research
• Advertising Sales
• Business Marketing
• Web Development & Design
Internships will be awarded to those individuals ages 17+ that demonstrate a high level of professionalism, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn the industry. There are a variety of positions, so we are looking for a wide variety of people to apply.
Interns must be willing to commit to a 6-month period, and will be paid a very small stipend each month, depending upon multiple factors.
“The growth here at the Valley Bugler and omOriginals Marketing has been phenomenal, especially through the recession. It’s high time that we offer a local internship program to the community in order to help cultivate our future journalists, designers and marketing experts”, stated owner and Valley Bugler Publisher, Michelle Myre.
If you are a person older than seventeen, and have a desire to do and learn something “new” and different or develop your current skills in any of these areas, please bring your resume and smiling self to the omOriginals Marketing office, located at:
705 Vandercook Way
Longview, WA 98632
*Detailed informational sheet will be available at the front desk.
*or eMail: editor@valleybugler.com

Requirements:
- 17+ or older
- Apply with a resume in person
- Basic Computer Skills
- Cheerful Attitude
- Willingness to work
- Commit to 6 month term

It’s Happy Birthday to…

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

Savvy Designs branches out into new Retail Shop: The Savvy Dog

“I love your shop, it really is just darling!” exclaimed new Savvy Dog customer, Michelle Carson.
During the time that I came in to interview shop owners, the Skinner family, Miss Carson was checking out and made her statement to Cyndi Skinner at the cash register.
That statement really sums it all up regarding this fantastic new Pet Shop that is offering another locally owned resource for Pet Lovers.
Although the focus is on the canine variety of our furry friends, The Savvy Dog also offers cat food and accessories, natural healing products such as lavendar calming collars and essential oils.
“As much as humanly possible, we have kept everything that we offer in this store American owned, American made, and locally created,” stated Cyndi Skinner, owner and operator in the recent interview.
True to that statement, there are beautiful artwork on the walls, painted especially for The Savvy Dog by local Ethel artist, Stephanie Mcleod, as well as locally crafted with beautiful material, collars and leashes.
Bags of American made pet foods grace the open air racks, and include one of the only certified organic pet foods available on the market today.
“They offer all locally made items here, and I appreciate it,” offered customer Michelle Carson when asked what she liked about the store.
The Savvy Dog also is known as the one and only Savannah Skinner’s “The Savvy Dog”, a grooming operation that grew into what is now The Savvy Dog. Offering grooming and pet supplies and accessories, they can now offer the best of both worlds for pet lovers.
Both mom and dad Skinner are proud of their “little girl”, and co-owner of The Savvy Dog, and owner Savvy Designs, Savannah.

“Savannah has a very strong work ethic,” said mom Cyndi Skinner, “you won’t find many 25 year olds that work and operate two businesses with the dedication and hard work that she does! For goodness sakes, she was in here tiling the floor on her birthday!”

The entire shop offers a delightful experience for browsing, and includes a fantastic “Snack Bar” as shown here. Doggie and Kitty owners can belly up and offer a sample to see which treats appeal the most to their furry darlings.
The Savvy Dog also features a local community fundraiser program with their absolutely gorgeous doggie beds.
St. Vincent de Paul’s, a local charity that feeds and clothes thousands in our area, is an integral part of the process in making the beds.Serta and another furniture manufacturer donate the mattress roll ends, fabrics and interior materials to St. Vincent de Paul’s, who in turn creates the dog beds.
The doggie beds are built as a part of the community outreach and training program through St. Vincent de Paul’s, and 50% of all the proceeds are poured right back into St. Vincent de Paul’s – keeping all funds raised local and helping a local charity.
“Our hopes for 2012 are to grow and become even more involved in the community,” glowed Cyndi Skinner, with nods from husband Todd Skinner and daughter Savannah.
To visit The Savvy Dog, visit their new shop location at:
1220 Ocean Beach Hwy
Longview, WA 98632
(360)353-5143

Happy Birthday!

December is the month that things start to go a little wild in our families. Not including Christmas and New Year, there are a total of 8 birthdays in the span of 6 weeks. FUN! So, happy birthday, to my dear sweet little boy, who is turning 3 this Christmas! Oh my goodness, I can’t believe how fast these three years have gone – you are such a smart and loving little boy and just filled to the brim with personality! You are truly my little buddy, and I cherish these times we get together playing at home “tackle mommy” and “hide and go seek”, as well as our special “mommy school”..I LOVE YOU, SON! ☺
And a special Happy Birthday wish to Grandma Jill, Colby and Miley – we are so excited to celebrate your special days, too!

Oscar Myre V ♥
December 22nd

Sweet son, you are a light in our lives, and make
our family such an interesting place to be.
We love your humor and intelligence!
Happy Happy Birthday!! We ♥ you!!

Local family opens trendy kids resale shop in Kelso

By Michelle Myre
When walking into “Bibs 2 Bloomers”, the new kids resale boutique in Kelso, one feels as though they are transported to a hip “big-city” boutique with the surrounding interior decorating. Those who know Kindra and her decorating talents, myself included, were not surprised, but the majority of shoppers are!
“Oh my goodness! It looks so nice in here! I love the colors!” exclaimed a new shop visitor while I was perusing the racks doing some personal shopping.
I came away with a new pair of cowboy boots ($3), a CARS sweater jacket ($2) and a nice pair of slacks ($3), and some hanging door beads ($1), feeling rather proud of myself for my scores. Such great shopping and Zojo’s coffee to boot. I’m hooked.
Kindra Lehner and her husband, Jordan, self proclaimed “thirty-somethings”, decided to venture into the land of business management and due to their own family and homeschooling schedule, a kids resale boutique was an obvious choice.
“We just wanted something that would be able to work with our flexible schedule, and I’m used to doing laundry…so…Bibs 2 Bloomers came to be!” Kindra Lehner commented while in a recent interview with the Valley Bugler Newspaper.
The Lehners completely remodeled the 2,000 square feet interior of the former real estate building, with brightly colored walls and tasteful childrens photography by Jessica Lemmons Photography displayed throughout the shop. (Jessica Lemmons Photography also has a studio in the back).
The Lehner’s also share storefront next to Fresh Attitude Dance Studio, owned and operated by their dear friends, Sam and Sharnessa Sanden.
A key draw for the new store is the kid’s playroom, as pictured at left. Jordan Lehner constructed from start to finish, this amazing “Dr. Seuss-like” playhouse, complete with small television, green carpet for “grass”, and numerous play puzzles and wood blocks, a cash register to play on, as well as a little kitchen – fully stocked for those miniature chefs.
My three year old son put it best his love for the playroom when it was time to go. I called him over to the half door, and he responded with,
“No mom. You go. I stay.”
I had to bribe him out with the promise that we would return soon.
Bibs 2 Bloomers offers an upscale shopping experience with rock-bottom pricing, as well as consignment on large furniture and trade.
Already listening to customer requests, Bibs2Bloomers is looking to expand in early January 2012. With the new year will come a new Maternity roo, featuring gently used and some new maternity clothing for the mom looking to save a bundle on clothes she may wear only a measley 9 months.
“I have gotten quite a lot of requests from people looking for maternity clothes, and I have to keep sending them to Target, so we’re going to open up a special room just for maternity clothes”, Lehner commented.
Offering a wide variety of clothes and shoes ranging from Newborn through size 16, all the accessories you could imagine, and of course – lots of toys, cribs and strollers, B2B provides a wonderfully economic shopping choice in town.
If you are looking for a pleasant shopping experience where you can take your children with you,and have a place to let them land to have some fun of their own, then plan on making Bibs 2 Bloomers a stop on your list and get to know the Lehner family.☺
Bibs 2 Bloomers Boutique
107A Church Street
Kelso, WA 98626
(360)442-4164 (Call for trade hrs)
Open Tues – Fri: 10am – 5pm
Open Sat: 11am – 4pm

From the Editor’s Desk

Are your halls decked? Do dreams of sugar plums dance in your head? Do you even know what a sugar plum is? ☺
For those of us who have no idea what a sugar plum is, this Editor decided to do some holiday investigating of this one line of the infamous Christmas poem “The Night Before Christmas”, as well as the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from the Nutcracker.
Visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.
Alright, this obviously inspires pictures of little children snuggled in their warm blankies, sleeping and dreaming of sugarplums. But just what in the world is a sugarplum?
It turns out I am not the only one to ask this question, and thankfully, Google is full of answers. A sugar plum, according to the Food Network site, is a “small confection, often consisting of cruit such as a candied cherry or dried apricot surrounded by fondant.” They don’t even need plums in them!
The term “plummy” seems to originate back in the early 19th Century, where things were referred to as “plummy” if they were sweet.
So, in short, sugar plums are sweet treats. No wonder children are dreaming of them before Christmas. Their stockings are sure to have some sweet treats inside, and it’s usually the only day of the year that they are allowed to eat it before breakfast!
Now the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, is a sweet treat for the artist or any enjoying great ballet and physical beauty.
So I suppose that anything “Sugar Plum” related is simply sweet.
This issue is just ‘plummy’ for me to produce. I absolutely love it. Quite literally it is one of the issues that I hold most dear to my heart.
It holds such a true sweetness in the fact and truth behind why we celebrate Christmas. Now, I know that Jesus Christ wasn’t born in December – it was probably March or April.
I know all those facts, and yet still this is the time of year that we have chosen to celebrate His birth.
A sweet time of life in the midst of a dreary winter season. A ray of hope for all who are frustrated with life, providing a day on which to simply celebrate the joy of giving.
The joy of giving because we were first given to. God gave us His greatest Gift of all in His Son. His Son then reciprocated the greatest gift to us Himself, by dying on the cross so we could have eternal life and be blameless in the eyes of the Father.
He died for our sins – covered us and made us blameless. That is, if we choose to accept His birth, life and death as the truth that it is.
Newborn babies are a sweet blessing to us, and this Newborn baby, born so long ago, was the sweetest gift of all.
We wish you a ‘plummy’ Christmas season, filled with love and the joy of giving gifts from your heart to those you love so dearly. Merry Christmas!
Michelle Myre
Publisher / Editor

From the Editor’s Desk

Whether we like it or not, the holiday season is fast upon us. I think we were well for-warned with the Christmas decorations in department stores showing up around late September and early October.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas! It is my favorite holiday of the year next to Thanksgiving and Easter. Oh wait, I love them ALL, but Christmas does hold a special place in my heart.
That being said, I think that Thanksgiving gets overlooked. The short end of the stick. It is the perfect precursor to a holiday celebrating the perfect Gift of all, so I love that they are literally back to back. But…
Here’s my dilemma. When to decorate? No sooner have I just gotten up my fall decorations, pumpkins and autumn leaves into my home than a few short weeks later, I am tempted to begin decorating for Christmas.
So why can’t we have the best of both worlds? What do you do?
I am thinking that this year I am going to surreptitiously slide in Christmas Decorations amidst the turkey and acorns. We already do that in our Christmas shopping, do we not?
There is an onslaught of Bazaars, found on page 5 of this issue, where we are already sinking into the joyous holiday mood of “twinkling lights” and “bowl full of cherries” ideas.
I say let’s make the most of both! Keep up your Thanksgiving decorations, and entwine them with Christmas, just as the two holidays are entwined together – let’s give the poor Christmas decorations a chance to shine longer in our homes.
At least – that’s in my house.
No longer! I have resolved to include Christmas with our Thanksgiving jovial decorations, and make it feel welcome in our house for as long as I can get away with.
I’m thinking the second week of November is a good time to start.
We’ll see what my husband has to say when he starts seeing my darling Christmas Snowmen begin to appear.
For him, he gets to start telling his horrid “favorite” Christmas joke again, I suppose!
This issue is dedicated to all that is Thanksgiving and Christmas. Entwining two of our beloved holidays that really dance well together.
We are so thankful for the gift of our readers and advertisers, here at this community paper. Without that symbiotic relationship, we would totally cease to exist.
There have been a few readers ask me lately what they can do to show their thanks for our paper. The best way you can show your thanks is to tell everyone about how much you love the Bugler, or extol your favorite columnist to your friends via eMail or on FaceBook.
Also, chatting with businesses who are spending their advertising dollars with us, and letting them know that you appreciate their support in helping bring GOOD NEWS to the area is a fantastic way to show you are thankful. This is one of the only ways they can track that you have seen their advertisement. Call them or stop in and say “Thank you”.
Our thanks comes to you each month, via a fresh new paper, put together with loving and tender care, with you in mind! Happy Thanksgiving to you, our friends, our readers!

Michelle Myre
Publisher / Editor

From the Editor’s Desk

Here in the Northwest, we were blessed with an unusually long and beautiful Indian Summer – I’m sure to make up for the horrid March – July.
The children’s issue is always one of my favorite issues, because kids are near and dear to my heart – and every single one of us can relate. Don’t shake your head! You were once a child, full of abundant life and seemingly limitless energy and questions.
It is one of the subjects that we are all a part of, have all experienced and maybe will fondly remember – at least I hope so!
Our annual Children’s issue incorporates a focus of articles concerning children’s health, issues and of course the “Kiddy Korner” of laughter and riddles just for kids.
Chloe, my daughter, scours the Bugler each month for the “jokes and riddles” so she can practice memorizing them and sharing with her friends and our family. The innocence of having a good belly laugh at a clean joke is refreshing and will hopefully turn up the corners of your mouth in a perky grin.
Kids are back to school, hopefully in the grind of being industrious and curious little scholars, and this issue is dedicated to this group. The children who delight us with their antics one moment, and terrorize us the next with something else. It’s just the joy of children!!
Of course, my own children are perfect angels, and would never do anything to destroy that image. Yeah, right! How many of you believe that one? Hee hee!
Oscar and myself work hard at developing the “deep breath” of patience and always try to share with them that we love them no matter what.
Any parent or guardian knows that the rollercoaster ride of raising children is one that requires full body armor and safety straps!
I once read somewhere that the average child laughs 400 times per day! And a sad counterpart is that the average adult laughs only 4 times per day…
Well, we decided to try and encourage more laughter this month with our childrens issue, and so you will find more than the usual joke fodder and riddles.
Isn’t there a saying that “Laughter is the Best Medicine”? Happily, I found out that it is indeed true.
According to multiple studies, in addition to the “domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body”, authors Melinda Smith, M.A., Gina Kemp, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. reported in May of 2010.
In short, humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, help diminish pain, boosts energy and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.
Who knew that the Valley Bugler Newspaper could contribute to your long, healthy and happy life?!?
Well, to be honest….we did!
Wishing you much laughter between these pages, hopefully bringing you a lighter sense of life, inspiring your hopes and bringing you a “healthier” you! Go on – give a good belly laugh outloud….we dare ya!
Until we meet again during Turkey month, giggle away!

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