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What is Presidents Day? Why do we celebrate it?

On February 20, our nation will celebrate what is now referred to as Presidents Day. it is meant to honor and remember the pas presidents of the U.S. and their contributions to creating the country it is today.
To many states, the day remains Washington’s Birthday. February 22 is President George Washington’s actual birthday. Our first president was elected to that post by a unanimous vote in 1789. His birthday was made a national holiday in 1885.
Often referred to as the Father of Our Country, Washington inspired his group of ragtag troops to victory over the British, and later presided over the Constitutional Convention. Both Washington D.V. and the state of Washington are name after him. The monument bearing his name is one of the most recognizable tributes in our nation’s capital. The U.S. Senate takes a moment to read his Farewell Address every year, a tradition that dates back to 1862.
Washington’s Birthday is now celebrated on the third Monday of February each year, but to some states, it is knows as Presidents Day. Advocates in the 1960′s wanted to honor both Washington and President Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is February 12, on a single federal holiday. Lincoln is known for his Civil War presidency during which he freed the slaves, but saw the nation break apart and begin the Civil War. His famous Gettysburg Address is considered one of the greatest speeches of all time. Contrary to popular belief, Washington’s birthday has never been officially changed to Presidents Day.

HUGE Tack & Saddle Farm Auction • Feb.4th

Don’t miss this huge Public Auction of Old Time Tack and Saddle Farm Equipment.
February 4th at the Cowlitz Expo Center, 1900 – 7th Avenue in Longview, WA. Preview of auction is at 6:00pm and Auction starts at  7pm.
Auctioneer Mike Murphy will be highlighting all the items up for bid, including the entire inventory of a wholesale saddle distributor that closed after 25 years of business. New and used merchandise.
We also accept new or used equipment for auction. If you have stuff that you haven’t used in years, this will be an opportunity to turn it into cash. If you can bring it, we can sell it.
Call: (541)787-4116
Over 60 Western Saddles (Roping, ranch, barrel, silver show, pleasure, youth, pony), Over 100 Bridles, headstalls and halters, breast collars, saddle bags, saddle pads & Blankets, bits and spurs, Miscellaneous strap goods, buckets, grooming items, etc.
Come visit us on February 4th @ 7pm for the Auction.

Is the giraffe showing this furry little friend some love for Valentine’s Day or just helping slick down some hair?

Valentines Day Quote

‘Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.’
- Song of Solomon 8:7

Ten ways to save money on your wedding

1. Get married in the morning, on a Friday or Sunday and/or in the winter months.
2. Keep the guest list small.
3. Make your own veil. Most craft stores sell how-to books and supplies. You can save hundreds of dollars by making your own.
4. Supply your own alcohol if you’re able too.
5. Consider not having a dinner reception. Opt instead for a brunch, after noon tea, cocktail or dessert party.
6. Decorate with more greenery and baby’s breath, and less flower blooms.
7. Make your own invitations. There are software programs available that can help you with this task, and you can purchase wedding paper at Arvey’s in Portland.
8. Check out local universities for qualified and inexpensive musicians, Professors will be able to point you to the best students in the program.
9. Shop around for everything -  get prices and commitments.
10. Have friends bring their digital cameras to the reception. They’ll get photos your photographer wouldn’t and you can do your own processing. Be sure to have a photographer do the wedding and posed group shots however, Skimping on your memories will only cause disappointment. Shop around, and be sure to read our article containing tips on choosing the right photographer, found on p.16

This Bridal Guide Page is Sponsored by: Red Lion Hotel & Conference Center

Bridal Shower 101

A bridal shower is a party to outfit the engaged couple’s new home. It also allows friends and family a chance to spend time with the bride before she starts her married life.

WHO MAY HOST?
Friends of the bride who are in the wedding party, another couple, or even a male friend may host the shower. The bride’s mother, sisters, or close relatives of the groom’s usually don’t do  the hosting, to avoid the appearance of asking for gifts. They may help finance or help organize, however.

WHO IS INVITED?
Usually, only those who will be invited to the wedding, with the exception of office or club showers. Traditional all-women showers include guests from the bride’s and groom’s families, but co-ed showers are becoming more popular as well.

WHEN IS IT HELD?
At least two weeks before the wedding. Mail invitations or call guests at least two weeks in advance of the shower date. A post-wedding shower may even be more convenient for some, and is also acceptable.

WHAT HAPPENS?
Gifts are the primary focus. Be sure to have someone on hand to help record gifts (for thank you notes). Ribbons and bows may be collected for practice bouquets for the rehearsal ceremony. Themes make the party special, and can vary from a honeymoon theme, gardening, cooking, movies, patio party, picnic, or hobby themes.

Red Hot Bridal Show – Sunday • Feb 19th

Sunday, February 19th
10:00am – 4:00 pm
FREE ADMISSION

All of your wedding planning needs are met with expert vendors, and see the latest fashions at the Fashion Show, hosted by Michelle Renee.
Our “Red Hot” Bridal Show is the perfect time to gather information and quotes for services that you need to make your day just the way you want it to be. Grooms, Mothers of the Bride and all those in the wedding party or family are encouraged to attend!
• Wedding Dresses
• Wedding Party Attire
• Floral Designers
• Bakery Specialists
• Photographers
• Jewelry
• Caterers
• Health & Beauty
• Fitness
• Party Supplies
• DJ’s

….and so much more! Please make it a date on your calendar, if you already have a date, or even if the ring isn’t on your finger quite yet….come and experience all that the Red Lion’s RED HOT Bridal Show has to offer!
We encourage you to consider purchasing services and goods from local merchants, such as the ones showcased at this event. It keeps our dollars in the local economy and helps build local businesses to create a vibrant and lively community! These local vendors are wonderful to work with, and offer an in-depth and professional working knowledge of their businesses and services.
Bring your man, your mom or your girls, anybody is welcome to attend – even those who may be just dreaming of a wedding, or remembering a wedding of long ago! Looking to renew your vows? Make it a date on your calendar to come and see all the new styles and fashions as well as opportunities to make your event even more memorable.

New tech advances in autos and home heating devices

Car-stopping Tech puts the brakes on crashes.
The good news about auto safety: vehicles are becoming more crash worthy. It’s largely because of SUV and pickup redesigns that take less of a toll on smaller cars during collisions. Fatalities have dropped by two-thirds from a decade ago.
Bigger safety gains are predicted as automakers focus on electronics that will help avoid collisions instead of making them more survivable.
The most promising are brakes that work automatically when sensors detect a crash is imminent. Similar intelligent braking systems are already on some high-end vehicles and on a few more affordable cars.
Brakes that work autonomously when a crash is imminent at highway speeds are expected to save lives and prevent far more serious injuries than the low-speed versions now available. But the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), says not enough vehicles are equipped with these systems yet for researchers to qualify how effective they are.
IIHS is studying the effectiveness of warnings that alert drivers they are leaving their lanes and indicate another car is in the car’s blind spot.

Revolutionary ‘Nest’ thermostat sold out in 2011

The Nest is the first thermostat in almost 60 years that’s designed in an entirely different way. That’s since the T-86 Honeywell came out in 1953.The Nest was designed by former Apple executive Tony Fadell in brainstorming sessions with several other technology experts.It has a round LCD screen that’s orange when it’s heating and blue when it cools. To set the temperature and perform other functions, you just turn the wheel. It has a Wi-Fi connection that enables you to control the temperature from afar with a smart-phone app.
The developers have designed a product that “learns” as well. It looks for patterns in the adjustments you make so it can program itself. For a week’s time, it will automatically adjust heating and cooling if you aren’t there. It also has built-in activity sensors that detect when the house is empty and doesn’t require as much heating or cooling.
USA Today’s Edward Baig notes that at $249, it’s expensive in the world of thermostats, but its makers say it pays for itself in two years through energy savings. If Nest is operating at what it considers to be an ideal energy-saving temperature, a green leaf appears on the screen. Changing the temperature even one degree can cut energy costs by 5 percent.
According to Time, it works in most homes and is supposed to be as easy to install as a light switch. It uses a lithium battery, which is supposed to last as long as its five-year warranty.

Having a family Valentine’s Breakfast makes kids feel special, too

It doesn’t take much effort to serve up a really special Valentine’s Day breakfast to the family, and the kids will really enjoy any of the ideas below.
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts out of your morning toast, and spread thickly with strawberry jam.
Make a heart-shaped fried egg, placing a metal cookie cutter into your greased frying pan and breaking the egg into it.
Cut a heart shape from the centre of a slice of bread using a cookie cutter. Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan, then place the bread into the pan. Break an egg carefully into the hole and fry them both together, turning carefully when the egg is nearly set.
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes out of your breakfast pancakes. Serve with a knob of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and some red berries.
Serving up hot chocolate or a frothy coffee? Fill almost to the brim of the cup, then carefully lay a paper stencil with a heart-shape cut from the centre over. Sprinkle gently with cocoa powder or icing sugar. Serve immediately.
You can put almost anything on your kids’ plates in a heart shape – even baked beans!
Serve up a pink breakfast smoothie.
Cook up a delicious bowl of oatmeal and swirl a red heart in the centre with strawberry jam to serve. Try our special occasion oatmeal or our vanilla oatmeal with a cherry twist.
Spoon some natural yoghurt into a bowl and drizzle a honey heart over it. Now fill the centre of the heart with granola and outline the yoghurt with berries. Pretty and delicious!
Get the kiddos involved, and let them be a part of the cooking or preparation process. It’s always a special time, and you may be surprised at what they are capable of doing on a regular basis!
Most of all the ingredients, use a lot of hugs and kisses and let the laughter flow most of all!

Cinderella – a magical love story

The Columbia Theatre presents Rodger & Hammerstein’s Cinderella!
Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th:

February 16th @ 7pm
February 17th @ 7pm
February 18th @ 2pm, 7pm
February 19th @ 2pm

**Tickets: Call (360)575-8499**
With an amazing cast of local talent, this production is sure to be the hit of the SEASON! Michelle Myre, Publisher and Editor of The Valley Bugler Newspaper, is cast as Cinderella, the dreamer who can’t believe what happens at the Ball!
“I can be whatever I want to be…”
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical retelling of the classic fairy tale. Cinderella (Michelle Myre) is a teenage girl forced to do all of the menial tasks in the home she shares with her coldhearted stepmother (Lorraine Little) and homely stepsisters (Laura Tack and Kathryn Jansen).
One day the king (Carl Jansen) and queen (Bethany Pithan) invite every young maiden in the kingdom to a royal ball so that the crown prince (Dylan Disch)  can find a girl to marry.
Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters go to the ball, leaving Cinderella behind to wish about how her life could be. While she is daydreaming, she is visited by her Godmother (Adele Swift), who makes it possible for her very wishes to come true.
Much to the Prince’s disdain, he must dance with every girl at the ball, until he is surprised by an enchanting young princess, who simply won’t give her name, and then runs away at a most peculiar time!
Utilizing the local talent of the area, the Columbia Theatre is proud to present Cinderella under the direction of Ron Daum and Musical director, Dorothy McMillan.
Come experience the magic for yourself!

Left: Michelle Myre, cast in the musical theatre production of ‘Cinderella’ as Cinderella. She has enjoyed multiple roles in the local area, some of her favorites include “Dorothy” in The Wizard of Oz, and “Marian” in The Music Man. She is excited to portray Cinderella, encouraging all those to follow their dreams, because sometimes…dreams really do come true!

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