406 woman vol 6 no 5

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M c G o u g h & C o ... W h e r e M o n ta na G e t s E n g ag e d www.McGoughandCo.com

131 Central Avenue Whitefish, MT 59937 406-862-9199 800-862-9199





contents

406

406

love

26. Allysen & Justin - Wedding 30. Jason & Annie - Wedding

36. John & Margie Donoghue - Marriage 38. Watching Love Happen - Follow the Rainbow

food & flavor

20. Tablescaping - Valentine's Day 44. Three Cooks & A Book - Beyond Parsley 46 In the Kitchen with Denise 48. Taste - Spiced Glazed Nuts & Pretzel Mix 50. Wine - Women Who Know How to Wine

outdoor Woman 42 Kendall Cole - UM Women's Hockey Coach

home

54. The Beauty of Living in Whitefish


health

56. Brighten your Montana Smile 58. Skincare Answers - Microdermabrasion 60. Health Answers - Exercise & Pregnancy 62. Fitness - Going for the Gold

wellness

68. Oh Sh*t - What Was I Thinking?

Fashion 66. 114-west

family

70. Get your "but" Out of the Way 74. Games - Ride Out the School Storm with a Plan

Non-Profit

80. Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center


w o m a n

406

publisher

Cindy Gerrity

cindy@montanasky.net

business manager Daley McDaniel

daley@montanasky.net

executive editor

Kristen Hamilton

Cover Girls

montanakristen@hotmail.com

director & design Sara Joy Pinnell

sara@mrsandmrpublishing.com

photographers

Lisa

Lisa Shew

Montana Native, living in Polson with her husband, Jarrod, and her kids, Emma and JD. She works as a real estate agent for Century 21 Big Sky Real Estate. She loves her life here in Montana, enjoying the outdoors with her family and friends. is a

photo by: Scott Wilson ( www .S c o t t W i l s o n -P h o t o g r a p h y ) makeup by: Britlee Moore – La Vita è Bella at 33 Baker Salon in Whitefish clothing and accessories by: SM Bradford in Whitefish & Bigfork

Scott Wilson- Scott Wilson Photography Daniel Seymour- Sharpe Eye Photography Carrie Ann - Carrie Ann Photography Rachel Spray- Jeremiah & Rachel Photography Danella Miller – Danella Miller Photography Juan de Santa Anna - Juan's Photography Shannon and Jeremie Hollman - Shannon Hollman Photography Megan Kennedy - Rogue Heart Media

Published by Skirts Publishing six times a year 6477 Hwy 93 S Suite 138, Whitefish, MT 59937 info@406woman.com Copyright©2013 Skirts Publishing

View current and past issues of 406 Woman at w w w . 4 0 6 W o m a n . c o m

Annegret

Annegret Pfeifer is

the

owner/operator

of

Kettle Care Organics,

manufacturer of all-natural body care products from essential oils and herbs, with a new location just north of

Although

Kalispell

on

Hwy 93.

she has an extensive business background with degrees in

economics and accounting, she truly is thoughtful businesswoman that will undoubtedly succeed in the future.

Read more Annegret in Jill Seigmund’s story in our business feature. photo by:

about

Danella Miller (www.DanellaMillerPhotography.com) makeup by: Britlee Moore – La Vita è Bella at 33 Baker Salon in Whitefish hair by: Liberty at Soucie & Soucie Salon in Kalispell

Want to know about great events, open houses, and more? Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/406 Woman 406 Woman is distributed in Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Missoula, Whitefish and every point in between. Check out www.406woman.com for our full distribution list. Have a great story idea or know someone that we should feature? Email us with your comments & suggestions. Interested in increasing your business and partnering with 406 Woman? Check out www.406woman.com.



contributors

406

''

Our Talented

Contributor’s Corner With St. Patrick's Day coming soon, do

you have a special tradition or do any-

''

thing special to celebrate the day?

Erin Blair

Licensed esthetician and owner of Skin Therapy Studio

Delia Buckmaster Leslie Budewitz

Lawyer and national best selling writer of 'The Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries'

Cris Marie Campbell

Master certified Martha Beck coach and consultant, co-owner of Thrive! Inc.

Susan B Clarke

Faculty at The Haven Institute for 20 years and co-owner of Thrive! Inc.

Brian D’Ambrosio

Accomplished writer and newly published author of 'Reservation Champ'

Jen Euell

Program Director for the Women’s Foundation of Montana

Courtney Ferda

Owner and blogger of www.114-west.com providing expert fashion advice

Kari Gabriel

Exec Dir or Flathead CARE plus wildlife rehabilitator and educator

Gwenda C Jonas, MD

Board certified OB/GYN with Kalispell OB/GYN

Susan C l ar k

Certified in pilates and an active health coach, owner of Exhale Pilates Studio

I have to say, I never really appreciated the meaning of St Patty's Day - other than wearing green and some odd connection to drinking green beer…as a result not many traditions. I will share my best ever St Patty's Day which was highlighted by finishing third in a 10K run with green beer stops every mile. It was fun and really the best solution for drinking too much - no driving involved and the calories were easily burned running! I can't say though it's any type of tradition - I can't chug beer these days and though I could still run a 10K, even without the beer, it might not be too fast!

Gretchen Knuffke

Motherhood and parenting expert, owner of Maternal Instincts

Marti Kurth Cara Lard

Owner of Goldfinch Events & Design and Mum’s Flowers

Jill Seigmund

Entrepreneurship Coordinator at FVCC; Accomplished writer and editor

John Miller, DDS

Specializing in general dentistry, Dr Miller provides expert advice

Britlee Moore

Licensed Esthetician and makeup artist, owner of La Vita è Bella

Naomi Morrison

Talented writer and Community Relations Coordinator at North Valley Hospital

Gwen Sutherland

Mir i am Si nger

Public relations and marketing expert for organizations in the arts and music

We usually celebrate St Patrick's Day by enjoying Irish music and wearing something green.

Owner of Marketing Bits, writing and design business

Kelly O’Brien, Esq.

Business law specialist with Measure Law Office, P.C.

Kristen Pulsifer Maria Phelps

Specializing in business relationships and owner of Find It For You, LLC.

Karen Sanderson

Wine expert and owner of Brix Bottleshop in Kalispell

Rabbi Allen Secher

Rabbi for 50 years, an Emmy award-winning television producer, and a family man

Miriam Singer

Talented writer and songstress, promoting music as Singer & Simpson Productions

Rachel Spray

Wedding and lifestyle photographer, together with her husband Jeremiah

For full bios for our contributors, please visit www.406woman.com. 12

Sc ott W i lson

Writer, editor and owner of Whitefish Study Center

My special tradition is that we make all the standards, corned beef cabbage, soda bread, etc... and I try ONE Irish Car Bomb, and that one is enough to tide me over until next year. Ha!



Checking

In

Every issue of 406 Woman puts us in contact with some really amazing people. Not just women but people that motivate us, inspire us, and educate us. It’s important to us that you get that same result so we strive to tell you stories (with great writers and photographers) that fit that bill. When reviewing stories, we always ask ourselves, “What is the takeaway?” We want you to learn, get excited, be entertained, and ultimately feel really good about picking up the most recent issue (and maybe even sharing it with a friend). We hope we are doing our job in your eyes. As 406 Woman does, we are constantly evolving to be the best. To live our personal life as we live our business life. By always doing the right thing. We want our friends, colleagues, and associates (whatever the situation) to feel good and worthwhile. It’s not always popular with our checkbook but I can assure you it’s much easier to fall asleep every night. Enjoy this issue of 406 Woman – it’s for you! Very Sincerely, Cindy & Kristen

What did we learn after reading this issue?

{

Kelly O’Brien, Attorney at Law, provides some great information to consider when deciding who should be in charge of your estate. See page 24 in the business section for her advice in choosing a personal representative or trustee to manage your estate. Stop letting your “but” get in the way and use your mind to achieve your goals. Gretchen Knuffke shares some great ideas for setting goals for yourself and your kids plus a great chocolate cake recipe on page 70. 62 years of marriage is inspiring! Read about the Donohue’s wonderful “Love Story” on page 36.



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w h i t e f i s h p l a s t i c s u r g e r y. c o m

Call now for same day appointments. 406-862-6808. Ask about our payment plans. Conveniently located by Montana Coffee Traders off Hwy 93.


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food}tablescaping

Written, Photographed, and Styled by: Cara Lard of Goldfinch Events & Design and Rachel Spray of Jeremiah and Rachel Photography

Valentines Day isn't just for couples; take the opportunity to spread some LOVE to all the special people in your life. Pop a handwritten card in mail, bring a friend coffee at work, or stick a note on the fridge for your roommate.

FOR THE LOVEBIRDS Every year around this time, as women we start thinking about what our hunny is going to do for us for Valentine's Day. Historically, it's all on the guy to send flowers and chocolates, make reservations at our favorite restaurant, or spend his hard-earned dollars at the jewelry store. Take the pressure off your man this year by planning your own romantic evening for two.

Surprise him by making his favorite dish at home or spending the evening cooking together. Go buy a dessert that you both love and make your own beautiful tabletop arrangement. Light a collection of candles, turn on old jazz, and romance the night away. ALL THE SINGLE LADIES Don't have a Valentine in your life? Plan a fun night in with your girlfriends! Don your favorite flirty cocktail dress and jump in a cab for a night out on the town. Need to save some $$$ or just feel like staying in? Rent a chic flick, pop a bottle of champagne (or try out a fun new cocktail recipe), bake a batch of cupcakes, or get the girls together for craft night! Stick to a fun theme, like ombré Valentines colors, or everything in pale pink. Have fun with it, create a play list, and make it a slumber party complete with Saturday brunch.


C redits :

Photography: Jeremiah and Rachel Photography Styling: Cara Lard and Rachel Spray

Event Design: Goldfinch Events & Design Floral Design: Mum’s Flowers

Desserts: Arrowleaf Baking Co.

Party Rentals: Goldfinch Events & Design

Make-Up: Kristen O'Leary at Envy Salon & Spa


food}tablescaping

This streamer backdrop is perfect for any event! For weddings, it looks lovely as a cake or dessert table background, a ceremony backdrop, or a photo booth. Buy crepe paper in pretty pastels for a baby shower or mixed metallics for a New Years celebration!

1. Collect crepe paper in an assortment of colors. we found ours on papermart.com. cut the rolls in half.

2. Have a friend help you stretch the crepe paper out to about 8-10 feet long.

3. Fold the paper in half a few

times, lengthwise, keeping the edges as straight as possible {this will make cutting much easier}

4. Using sharp siscors, cut thin

strips into each side of the folded paper, creating fringe. Leave aboutt a 2� uncut gap in the middle as shown above.

5.

There are a couple options to hang up your fun new streamers! Use a thumb tack to tack to the ceiling, or use double sided tape. We chose to hang a string across the room and drape the streamers over. They will double up in some areas, but the more the merrier! Be sure to twist them to give a fun look.

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Allysen & Justin Photographed by Rogue Heart Media www.rhweddings.com

How they met: Small town girl meets small town boy in the big city. So begins the story of Allysen and Justin. Allysen Hepp was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. Justin Mattison hails from the rural village of Greenwich in upstate New York. The two met outside Boston, Massachusetts, at Tufts University. Allysen was finishing her last semester of undergrad. Justin was a first year grad student.

Sparks flew the first time they met, but with Allysen graduating and leaving for New York City (NYC) in a few short months, they didn’t want to be too serious. Yet chemistry can’t be ignored. Justin courted Allysen with his softer side, writing songs on his guitar. She couldn’t help being drawn to his down-toearth qualities from working summers on a farm. Allysen returned music with art, making Justin calligraphy pieces and drawing the lilies he gave her for her birthday. When the time came for Allysen to move, they packed her entire dorm room in the back of Justin’s pick-up truck. As they crawled through the streets of NYC in a sea of traffic, Allysen felt suffocated by the towers of cement looming in every direction. A ball of nervousness tightened in her stomach, but Justin kept her calm. He successfully navigated to her new 380-sq-ft apartment for two.

The following day, Justin braved IKEA with Allysen, roommate, and roommate’s mom. For over eight hours he made sure the three didn’t get overwhelmed by sofas, reminded them to buy forks, found the lamps, and on and on. Justin had been a champion the entire move. Allysen was in awe of his motivated attitude and dedication. When she told him how impressed and appreciative she was, he said, “I don’t have a lot of money to buy you fancy gifts, but I can give you my time.” That’s the moment when Allysen fell in love with Justin and his heart of gold.

For four years, their love endured the burden of long distance. Allysen pursued her finance career in NYC, and Justin finished his psychology graduate studies in Boston. Despite their busy, stressful days, they made time to call each other every night. They tried to see each other once a month, meeting somewhere in the great outdoors to ski, hike or just relax in fresh air.


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Wedding

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About the Magical Day

VenueHairWhitefish Mountain Resort Reecia's Salon in Whitefish Theme Mountaintop Elegance

DressBeautiful Weddings

Colors- Shades of navy, blue, purple, lavender, silver

Bridesmaid Dresses David’s Bridal

VideographyRogue Heart Media FloristMum’s Flowers DessertsDelectable Catering DJ Mobile Beat RingsFox Jewelers Ceremony GuitaristChristopher Crecelius

To Allysen, NYC was smelly, crowded, He turned to Montana. With Allysen’s and expensive. She missed Boston mother’s coordinating with the (and Justin.) jeweler and Allysen’s sister, a certified gemologist, personally selecting the So Allysen left the job she had fought loose diamond, Justin was able to buy so hard to keep during the financial the perfect ring for his special girl. crisis, and moved back to Boston to start working for a new firm. Now The Montana affair didn’t stop at back together in the same zip code, the ring. Allysen’s father had passed Allysen and Justin still didn’t rush away the prior year. Justin knew how into anything. It took another three hard it was for Allysen to be living on years before Justin contacted Allysen’s the East Coast so far away from her mother and sister to ask for their family, so he wanted her to be able to help in arranging a custom designed share their future engagement with engagement ring. all of them. Justin planned to propose to Allysen when they would be on During his first visit to Montana a vacation in Montana that summer. During childhood, Allysen’s family few years prior, Allysen had taken lived outside Great Falls above a Justin to Big Mountain so he could small field her dad farmed as a hobby. experience a real mountain with Justin planned to propose in front real snow, unlike the icy hills he had of her dad’s field with her mom and sister there to celebrate immediately snowboarded on all his life. There, afterward. Justin bought a ring with a small pearl enveloped in a swirl, just like Once again, Justin sought the help Allysen’s curly hair, and surprised of Allysen’s mother and sister. The three prepared a delicious steak and her. Justin knew how much Allysen potato dinner. They all ate together loved that little pearl ring from Big outside on the deck overlooking the Mountain, and he wanted the field. After dinner, Allysen and Justin engagement ring to have a similar were out on the lawn taking in a spectacular Montana sunset. As the swirl setting. He looked all over fiery clouds changed from pink to Boston and couldn’t find anything orange over her dad’s field, Justin gave her the most beautiful ring she had that would do.

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TuxesRusso Tux Shop Groomsmen TuxesRococo's Invitations- Mary and Grace Stationery Rehearsal DinnerWhitefish Lake Restaurant Rentals- Celebrate Event and Party Rentals PhotographyRogue Heart Media

field on each side of the altar; Justin’s song “Allysen” played by the solo guitarist; a unity candle floating on water brought from Great Falls and Greenwich and poured from her grandma’s cruets. Specialty cocktail: Montana huckleberry vodka mixed Although Allysen had left Montana, with New York sparkling apple cider. Montana didn’t leave Allysen. Of Wedding cake: no, a buffet of the course, she wanted the wedding to couple’s favorite desserts instead. be in her beautiful state. With all of Justin’s family and friends on the Allysen and Justin were blessed East Coast, his one condition for a Montana marriage was that the venue with beautiful weather for their needed to look like Montana and not union. It was by far the most wonlike anywhere in the East. Nothing derful day of their lives as they celis more Montana than the summit of ebrated with family and friends Big Mountain dotted with summer wildflowers and the snow-scattered way up high in the Big Sky. Howpeaks of Glacier in the distance. So a ever, one day wasn’t enough Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding it to fully savor the magnificence was to be! of Montana and the joy of their Just as Justin had put so much marriage. The following day they thought into the ring and proposal, went to Glacier Park. Dressed in Allysen planed the intricate details tux and gown, they hiked, fished, of the wedding. (Again, not without and relived the cherished, heartthe endless help of mom and sis!) Invitations: adorned with Allysen’s felt, exciting moments of their specalligraphy. Something old, borrowed cial day. and blue: her mother’s necklace made from her father’s sapphire So continues the story of the meeting ring. Flowers: lilies, the first flower in Massachusetts. With a marvelous Justin had given Allysen, and poofs Montana mountain marriage, a of baby’s breath to match the clouds. new chapter begins for Mr. and Mrs. The ceremony: a tree from her father’s Mattison. ever seen and asked her to marry him. A few moments later her mom and sister were beside her with hugs and champagne. Shocked. Overwhelmed. Ecstatic! Allysen couldn’t have imagined a more perfect proposal.



Jason and Annie Photographed by Shannon and Jeremie Hollman with Shannon hollman photography shannonhollman.com

How they met:

Jason and I first met on the sidewalks of Whitefish in 2006, during the Whitefish Winter Carnival. After that time, I slowly got to know Jason through mutual friends and gatherings. During the summer of 2008, when what we thought we had was nothing more than an innocent friendship, something between us began to grow and we knew we would never want to let go. Before we knew it, Jason and I were spending more and more time together, just the two of us sharing laughs and going out on little adventures. Somehow we found through our friendship that we both have the same drive for the outdoors and love for trying new things, even though Jason was way better than me at most new things we tried. He somehow pushed me to levels that I would never have gotten to on my own. This is why I love him and why I realized at the end of that summer in 2008 that I didn't want to spend another day without him. Two years into our relationship, everything came crashing down on us. On April 10th in 2010, driving home, we hit black ice and our vehicle rolled twice, ejecting me from the vehicle. You always hear about these stories or see them on the news but never do you believe that one day it will happen to you. The sound of the alert helicopter was so pronounced that night and I knew it was coming to get me. I knew this because I could not move my legs. I knew something bad had happened but tried to stay calm in the situation. Sure enough, I was flown to Harbor View Medical Center after a quick stop at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. It was in Seattle where I was diagnosed T12 Paraplegic. I would never walk again. Since the accident I have continued rehab and upper body strengthening. Despite being paralyzed, I continue to do almost all of the same activities that I did prior to the accident with the support of Jason, my family and friends.

Just a couple weeks following the two-year anniversary of our accident, on April 24, 2012, I came home after work to find my perfect diamond waiting for me. Well, not quite like that! We went out back on our porch to eat dinner and when Jason told me that the resident fox was in the field; of course I turned to looked, right? When I didn't see it, I turned back around to find my diamond ring sitting on the table. It was then that Jason asked the big question, and without a doubt, I said YES!

30   

Oh, the wedding! So you would think I would be ecstatic, right? Well, I was excited to be marrying Jason, but about the actual wedding, I had mixed emotions. This is the kind of thing I think


406 love}Wedding


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every girl dreams about from the time that she is a little girl. I know I did. I had a vision of what my wedding was going to be like and I will tell you, it did not include a wheelchair. If you think there weren't tears during the planning process, well you can think again. I didn't know if I should just go to the courthouse or maybe have a destination wedding. I knew I didn't want to "roll" down the aisle. One day, my mom showed me a video on YouTube of a girl who walked down the aisle with her leg braces on; braces which I own, too. It appeared that she walked with what looked like her father and a sibling. I thought to myself, I could do that. So, I decided and I set my mind to it that that was what I was going to do. I would walk down the aisle with my father and my brother. Now, practice, practice, and practice!! The thing was, I could walk great with my walker and braces, but I have to watch my feet because I cannot feel them touch the ground. At my wedding, I would be in a dress and maybe only be able to see the tips of my shoes. Also, I would be replacing my walker with the arms of my father and my brother. Everything was a learning process to us all but eventually we would figure it out. And so, the planning began. I knew I was going to walk down an aisle, stand through my vows and once we said, "I do", Jason would carry me out. Since we had a plan, we set a date. July 13, 2013, we would get married.

32   

We decided to book our wedding and reception at Diamond B Weddings in Kalispell, MT. Our theme for the event would follow in the direction of vintage/ shabby chic with a splash of rustic. Having our ceremony at Diamond B, we could all gather down by the shore of Flathead River and enjoy the view of the mountain range in the backdrop. I also chose to arrange the seating in a semi-circle to create a shorter aisle for me to walk down and to allow a better visual of the ceremony and beautiful arch hand made by our good friend Jon. When the time came, and it did, I walked arm in arm with my father and oldest brother, John. In my eyes, it seemed flawless. If you can only imagine, there were just a few tears and I

even got a standing ovation for my efforts. Jason and I stood face to face through our vows and once we were announced husband and wife, with some help from our wedding party, Jason swept me into his arms and carried me down the aisle. We were honored to have Jason's brother-in-law, Joe Kola as his best man and Chance Buckallew as his groomsman. Also, I had my sister, Sarah, as my Maid of Honor and Hilary Shepard as my bridesmaid. We had all four of our nephews for ring bearers, Jack, Caden, Michael and JW. Our flower girl was my niece, Maura. Following the ceremony, everyone would gather up at the red barn for wonderful food and appetizers served by Johns Angels Catering and cocktails by Scotty's Bar. While we let everyone get comfortable with their favorite drink and a bite to eat, we took advantage of the setting sun and got a few more amazing photos by Shannon and Jeremy with Shannon Hollman Photography. Once the photos wrapped up, everyone gathered in the barn and we shared some laughs and memories with a slideshow. The last song during the slideshow, we got up and did the best of what we could and had our first dance. We like to call it "an eighth grade sway". It seemed to fit. After we cut into our gorgeous cake from the IGA in Bigfork, it was time to get the party started. Chance broke out the limbo bar made from the glow sticks at the reception and got the DJ from Mobile Beat to start playing her top hits and that was all it took. The party took off from there. If you can imagine, Jason and I went side by side under the limbo, wheelchair and all. I'm pretty certain that I even got a few jitterbug dances in as well. One thing I miss for sure is dancing, but I made up for it at my wedding. I never thought that I would ever dance so much in my wheelchair. We kept that place rocking until one o'clock and continued back at our place gathered around a bonfire with a group of our close friends until the early morning. It was absolutely a night that I will never forget. I never thought that I would feel so calm and stress free on my wedding day. I feel a huge part of that credit goes to Michelle and the crew at Soucie and Soucie for doing my hair and makeup


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so perfectly. All I really had to do that day was put on my dress. And walk down the aisle of course! A huge thanks to Don Bestwick and the crew at Northern Physical Therapy because they helped make my walk possible. Of course, thank you to my dad and my brother, John, for helping make that walk possible, too. I also could never thank my mother enough. This wedding would have never happened without her and my sister, Sarah. With their help, all of the signs, so much shopping, and any idea I had, they helped make it happen. My sisterin-law Elena, thanks too, for all that she did before and during the wedding. She was literally there for anything that I needed on my wedding day. Any many thanks to so many friends and family, including my brother Matt and Jason’s sister, Tracy, and parents, and grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and more, that helped make it all happen and for being there to support us on such a momentous day in our lives! Thank you to Aileen at Diamond B Weddings; she is one of the hardest working women I know, and the Party Store for all of my tables, chairs, linens and more. Thanks to Jacqueline at J Scott Couture Bridal in Bigfork. She was so patient with me as we got my dress to fit so perfectly and trust me it wasn't an easy process. John's Angels Catering and Scotty's did a great job serving food and drinks to our 250 guests. Mobile Beat kept us dancing all night. Thank you! I can never say enough about how beautiful the flowers were from Mum's Flowers in Whitefish, and I certainly had plenty of them to enjoy. I felt like the flowers were the finishing touch on the rest of the decor. They truly were stunning! Last but not least, my photos. Ahh my photos! Maybe this truly does become the only memory you have left of your wedding, but one thing is for sure, I chose a photographer that truly was amazing, not only at capturing these memories, but to work with as well. Thank you so much, Shannon and Jeremie with Shannon Hollman Photography. Many, many thanks to everyone that helped and supported us on this journey and thank you to 406, for letting us share our story with so many others. We look forward to many adventures together, Jason pushing me to new levels, and a future of being best friends.




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Marriage

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Aristotle

John & Margie

Celebrating 63 years of marriage on June 3, 2014 About the Couple… John J. Donoghue was born in Des Moines, Iowa during the Depression era. His family has a rich Irish heritage. His grandfather, Michael J O’Donoghue, was the Des Moines Police Chief. Margie Throm Donoghue- was born in Great Falls, MT. Her parents homesteaded in Ft. Shaw, MT and Rev, William Van Arsdale in Sims, MT, married them. Van Arsdale was a well-known figure in C.M. Russell paintings, known as “Brother Van”.

36

How They Met… On a summer evening in June of 1949, John attended a baseball game in Great Falls, where Margie was working at the concession stand. When John was served a hot dog, their eyes met! After repeated trips to the hot dog stand, introductions were made and after a memorable first date at the Meadowlark Country Club dance, the rest is history! Their courtship was hindered by months of separation but sustained by numerous telephone calls and bundles of

letters. When John’s Army Reserve unit was mobilized in July 1950, he made a farewell trip to Great Falls, and the ‘fire’ was rekindled! “Neither of us had any doubts, as to our feelings for each other.” The Proposal… During the weekend of February 17, 1951, John, while stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA was able to secure a weekend pass and obtained a “hop” on a C-54 to the East Base at Great Falls. During an anxious meeting after a six-month separation, on a cold snowy evening, the proposal was made, accepted and permission sought from Margie’s parents! A blizzard prevented John from returning to Ft. Lewis on time, and consequences were administered! Thankfully, he regained his stripes in time for the June wedding!

The Wedding The wedding was held at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church, which was adjacent to Margie’s family home on 6th Avenue North in Great Falls. Margie

and her parents bore the full responsibility for planning and preparation of the celebration, as John was only able to secure a 7-day leave due to wartime constraints. Friends, classmates and neighbors all participated with the making of gowns, flower arrangements, gifts, and refreshments. The reception following the beautiful liturgy was held at the Rainbow Hotel. The Honeymoon… Following the reception, they left town in Margie’s older bother’s 1948 Mercury and spent their first night at Frenchy’s Cabins in Wolf Creek, MT. They only had 3 days left on John’s furlough so a circle trip was made through the Rocky Mountains, the Flathead Valley, Glacier Park, Browning and home! They bought a 1939 Chevy and left for Ft. Lewis, WA where we settled in nearby Olympia, WA. What is Love… “When we reflect on the definition and real meaning of “love”, we realize that the feelings of young persons, that are involved in a blos-


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Marriage

Let me tell you why I fell in love with you… because you were the man I had always dreamed of, because you were not at all what I had expected, because I looked into your eyes and saw my soul’s companion. soming relationship, are really so simple and vastly different from what is experienced and felt by mature married couples. The passage of time allows for the development of what Our Creator has promised us. His Gift, freely given, has directed our progress through years of joys and sorrows, trials and tribulations, and successes and failures; all of which are a part of a fully committed married life.” Margie once wrote to John; “ I fell in love with you in one moment. I married you because I needed a lifetime to tell you why!”

Blessed with Love, Family, and Faith…

Following discharge from the Army, the Donoghue’s returned to Great Falls and began to live what they felt was ‘their dream’. Their family began to grow in size, and John soon realized that in order to fulfill his ambitions he needed to advance his formal education. Housing, employment opportunities, and degree selection caused them to relocate to Spokane, WA. He earned a degree in Engineering and a career with a major oil company located in Seattle was the reward. The next 15 years were filled with challenges and opportunities. The family grew in size, their home was open to young infants that needed foster care, and community involvement placed additional demands on a very busy household. Then, together they set new goals to become indepen-

dent business owners. They achieved these goals when they developed a mid-size industrial supply company, and then moved on to a destination resort complex and fruit orchard in North Central Washington. They faced many of the aforementioned tests of their loving relationship, and look back with joy that the presence of God in directing their lives brought them back to Montana.

They now have the time and resources to enjoy their family of seven married children, twentyone grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren, with two more on the way! Their lay ministry activity within their Parish Church brings them in contact with the aged and infirm. As members of the American Red Cross emergency relief team, they respond to natural disasters throughout the country. “When we reflect on the past six decades and we gather with family and friends and celebrate life together, we know we are blessed! We do live in the Treasure State!” From top left to right: Volunteering for the Red Cross following Super Storm Sandy. December 2011 Family Shot: From Left Back Row– Janae Donoghue, Mark Donoghue, John (dad), Jim Donoghue, Patti Nelson. From Left Front –Mary Kay Bredson, Margie (mom), Jeannie Donoghue. Missing from photoDaughter, Marna Gleason. Bottom left: Wedding Shot from Newspaper. Current shot of John and Margie. Oppisite page from left to right: Bon Vonage photo before honeymoon. First wedding anniversary at the Hollywood Palladium to see Tommy Dorsey.

I fell in love with you because I heard your voice and I’d found my heart’s desire, because you could make me laugh and kiss away my tears. I fell in love with you because you were strong but didn’t need to prove it, because you were wise beyond your years but would always be a little boy at heart. Margie bought a card for John , with this poem written on it, for their wedding day…”It really says it all.”

37


406 love} Watching Love Happen

Follow the Rainbow As told by Rabbi Allen and written by Ina Albert Dear Reader, Life cycle events are exciting and wonderful, but they are also filled with emotion. Even the most ideal situations have moments of tears, joy, anger and frustration. Everyone has their dream of what their wedding should look like, and they usually don’t look the same to everyone. I want to help you through these challenging times. So send me your confidential questions. I will protect your privacy and not identify you by name. Meanwhile, Readers, I look forward to hearing from you and to helping you and your family make the wedding everything you dreamed it should be. Best thoughts and blessings, Rabbi Allen Secher Sech1818@gmail.com 406 863-2333 38

I know I don’t possess any mystical powers. But sometimes magical things occur and it feels like I do. An elegant wedding in Acapulco was just such an occasion.

Peter, the father of the groom, remained one of my oldest and dearest friends since I was rabbi for a congregation in Mexico City in the 1960s. I was proud to be invited to marry his oldest son. The wedding was to take place on a broad stretch of beach at The Princess Hotel at sundown. The bride, Yamilla, was from Lima, Peru. Her wealthy parents reserved an entire wing of the hotel for the guests. What’s more, every tab, including the room, bar bills and restaurant receipts for the four days prior to the wedding, was on them. The only thing required of all the 250 guests was to get there. And so we all ate, drank and played together in perfect weather for three days. The guests, a mixture of Mexicans and gringos, were all bent on celebrating in grand style. Sumptuous buffets were set up for breakfast and lunch. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres were served by white-gloved waiters at poolside in the afternoon. Dinner, a formal affair in the main dining room, was served late in the evening al tiempo Mexicana.

In the course of getting acquainted, my wife, Ina, took a particular interest in the bride, a statuesque dark haired creature with large haunting brown eyes and a beautiful figure. What a gorgeous bride she will be, I thought. “Yammie is just delightful,” Ina said. “And she is so interesting. You know Peru is a major spiritual center in South America. Yammie told me when she was a little girl she watched her grandmother levitate objects on the dining room table. Until she was in her teens, she felt possessed by spirits constantly. She told me that they followed her everywhere. By the time she was sixteen she had had enough of them and ordered them to leave her body and never return. And they did.” “That makes them a perfect match,” I said. “Manolo has always had an interest in the supernatural as well.” Actually, his interest in mysticism always made his stepfather a bit nervous. Peter was of German extraction with a no-nonsense personality. Manolo’s mother had been a sweet tempered elegant Mexican woman and Manolo inherited a healthy dose of his mother’s characteristics. She passed away when the children were young, and after a number of years, I officiated at Peter’s second marriage to


a socially prominent American woman from Chicago. “Yammie is lovely,” Ina continued. “They met in photography school in California, and she tells me that Manolo’s work is quite extraordinary. I’m sure they will do well together.” On the day we arrived in Mexico City, we searched bookstores in the Zona Rosa District for love poetry in Spanish I could read at the wedding. We found a number of heartfelt poems, but my Spanish was a little rusty so I was spending considerable time brushing up on my pronunciation. I wanted the ceremony to be perfect. The days were sunny, warm and dry. But the morning of the wedding dawned with a tropical rainstorm. So what does one do at a resort when it rains? You walk around and talk about the weather. What else? Since the guests had been together constantly, I knew everyone and they all had the same question. “Allen, when is this rain going to stop?” Invariably my answer was the same. “At 3:30. Count on it!” At 3:30 on the nose, the rain stopped. Ta Dah! But, there’s much more. The family had built a lavish platform on the beach for the ceremony so guest chairs wouldn’t sink into the sand. They also built a walkway out to the platform so the ladies’ would be comfortable in high heels. As the guests assembled to begin the ceremony a rainbow appeared no more than fifty feet over our heads. Now a rainbow is both good news and bad news. The good news is the rainbow. The bad news is where there’s a rainbow— there’s rain. Sure enough, a silvery mist began to fall. However the guests, including all the ladies in their finery, were so transfixed by the rainbow that they didn’t budge. Picture this: a rainbow framing the Huppah (wedding canopy), and in the distance, a glorious sunset over the Pacific. Cecil B. DeMille, eat your heart out. And no sooner had the wedding ended that the rainbow disappeared. I have 250 witnesses to this, so I couldn’t make it up. The rest of the evening, though not as dramatic, was nonetheless spectacularly elegant. We retired to the roof of a nearby building for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while the platform was prepared for dinner. Just in case we might get bored, the family arranged for fireworks on barges floating out at sea during cocktail hour. Later, two bands—no waiting—played continuously through the evening. At 2:00 am the bands were replaced by mariachis and a wedding breakfast served at 4:00 am. For those who couldn’t make it through the entire evening, they arranged for a brunch the hotel at 11:00 am. An exquisite experience for all of us.

There’s a wonderful postscript to this story. One year later Yammie and Manolo were vacationing in the Bavarian Alps. They were staying in a romantic hideaway castle turned hotel. Manolo told me that he was bothered by something when he woke up the first morning. It felt as though he had forgotten something, but knew not what.

Late in the day, as he gazed out of the window of the castle across sylvan meadows and majestic hills, he saw a magnificent rainbow in the distance. Then it dawned on him. It was their wedding annivsary. The spirits were still at work……. Q: We’re Paying for Our Own Wedding on a Very Limited Budget. What Can We Do to Keep the Expenses Down and Still Have a Memorable Moment? A: Lots of us these days have limited funds for out-of-pocket expenses. Even though weddings are central to life cycle celebrations, I have found that they can be just as meaningful, memorable and impresssive without breaking the bank. A little imagination and some out-ofthe-box thinking are all it takes. Let me share some ideas from celebrations that worked on a limited budget. In this issue I’ll talk about the ceremony itself and then the reception will be covered in in the next issue.

Ceremony: Antique bridal gown. Thousands need not be spent for a one-time only dress. Start with seeing if your mother or other members of the family still have theirs. Re-do one from a thrift store, and there are places where you can rent a gown. All this is with the proviso that you feel the need to have a white gown. A casually dressed wedding party. Tuxes are only if you insist you need to imitate Prince Albert, and formal dress is so very rare in Montana. Any venue is proper. The backyard of your home, a spot by the lake, the top of the mountain…it all works. Pick what suits your souls. Use local musicians that can engage the guests in participating in the music with singing and folk dancing. A guitarist, violinist, banjo player….you get the idea. And if musicians are out of your price range try a DJ or record your favorite music and have a friend set it up. These are just a few ideas. I’m sure you can come up with others that fit your style and vision for your wedding day. Next issue I’ll deal with the reception. I am available for private consultation should you need me.




UM Women’s Hockey Coach Kendall Cole By Brian D’Ambrosio Photos by Juan de Santa Anna, Juan's Photography

Kendall Cole believes that every day is a great day for hockey.

42

“Goaltending is so much fun,” says Cole. “I really enjoy goaltending, because it allows me to find new perspectives on the ice. When you are in the net, you get much more of a The 26-year-old University of Mon- A part of Cole’s identity soon bevisual of the entire ice. It’s a big eyetana graduate turned women’s came forever enmeshed in the Cole says that one of the challenges opener. I find that using my knowlhockey coach hails from a small shared allegiance and collective of coaching is successfully balanc- edge and vision as a goalie has been town in Alaska; she has always pursuit of team sports. ing the natural camaraderie and very useful.” cherished playing hockey, skating friendship with leadership imperaon ice within weeks of learning Female athletes in predomi“I grew up in the locker room,” tives. how to walk. nately male sports are somesays Cole. “I grew up playing not “It’s still a bit hard as far as my age, times judged unfairly. Despite “My mom put on a pair of figure only hockey, but soccer, bas- at 26, and where I’m at right now,” skates on my feet when I was little, ketball, and even a little track says Cole. “But I’m young enough to recent progress, discrimination and I’ve never really taken them and field. Team sports were and relate really well, relate having to based on the talent or ability of off,” says Cole. still are an integral part of my life, balance school, work, and hockey. female athletes persists. I’m trying to distance myself, and After years of figure skating, Cole and I continue to learn new skills not be so much of a friend. But it’s Even though the University of Monwalked into a local hockey rink even now as a coach.” tana men’s hockey team fizzled out all a learning process.” and observed a bunch of kids playa few years ago, men’s hockey is ing hockey, passing pucks, tapping Transitioning from player to coach Cole graduated from UM in 2011, still more popular in Missoula. sticks, slamming lumber against has been a sharp learning experi- and is in her second year as head ence for Cole. the boards. coach of the women’s hockey “It is tough dealing with women’s team, which formed in 2000. She sports in general,” says Cole. “The “I thought it looked like fun,” says “It's the hardest position, for sure. has a wealth of experience in Mis- recruitment part is much tougher, Cole. “I never looked back. I was 10 All of a sudden I'm drawing up soula’s novice and intermediate too. Fortunately, the university ator 11 when I started playing orga- plays, scheduling practices, mak- hockey leagues, playing a range tracts people who’ve played hocknized hockey. There were no girl’s ing sure the girls do their home- of positions, including, most re- ey in the Midwest, the East Coast, programs in Big Lake, north of the work, and so on. And that's on top cently, goalie. and Alaska.” Wasilla area, so I played high school hockey with the boys. There wasn’t much to Big Lake, a gas station, a grocery store and a post office.”

of getting some ice time as a player. Coaching has opened up a whole new avenue in hockey, and I love it. I'm hoping I can continue down this path for a very long time.”


outdoor woman}

Kendall Cole

Front from left: Jill Lawrance, Lini Reading, Martha Rendahl Back row with helmet on: Kendall Cole

In high school, Cole played as a left winger, and she earned a spot on the Team Alaska girls’ roster. Several years ago, she decided to make Missoula home, and she says that the area’s hockey community is large enough to be quite impressive.

“I’m not too experienced with the hockey culture in other parts of Montana, but I think that Missoula may be the biggest hockey town in Montana. Missoula has some of the highest number of registered players around.”

the local ponds in the Rattlesnake, and to the ponds around town that are scattered about. On a cold and clear day, I grab a shovel, I find a pond, and I skate for hours. That for me is the best kind of hockey.”

Recently engaged, Cole says she is pleased to have found a like-minded companion. “I am about to marry a fellow Missoula hockey player. And we are going to keep playing hockey.”

All is rosy in Cole’s future, except for, well, the weather With its close proximity to top- forecast, which is unseasonnotch ski slopes and groomed ably bright. Too much sunlight cross-country ski trails, Mis- in January may spoil her winsoula lends itself to outdoor ter fun. recreation. And it also offers a couple of splendid winter ad- “I don’t like it,” says Cole. “Janventures of a different variety. uary is supposed to be January. January is supposed to be cold “I like to get outside and go to enough for hockey.”

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food}

Cook Books

T hree C ooks & A B ook j u n i o r l e a g u e o f Kansas City, Missouri by Jennifer, Sally & Peggy photo by Scott Wilson Photography

“Cooking Block”! It’s like “Writers Block”- when the writer can’t decide on the next paragraph - we can’t decide on what to cook for dinner or what appetizers to make our guests. When this happens to us and it often does, we check all the recipes on the Internet, cookbooks and magazines. If we are still not inspired, we go to “Beyond Parsley”.

Some of the best cookbooks are published by Junior Leagues across the country and “Beyond Parsley” is at the top of the list. Of all the cookbooks we have, “Beyond Parsley” is the one cookbook we would never give up! We can honestly say that we have made 95% of the recipes in this book. We have put them on our menus, used them for catering, and in our homes for our guests and family. Each recipe is followed by ideas for presentations, serving suggestions and additional menu ideas.

Parsley” at the top of your list. It is the cookbook extraordinaire! It was, truly, so difficult to pick one recipe to share, as they are all equally delicious.

We hope you will contact your Cool to room temperature and local bookstore and orders “Beyond refrigerate overnight. Remove from Parsley”- Enjoy, Bon Appétit! pan. We chose a dessert this month in time for Valentine’s Day. You can even make it 5-6 days ahead of time so no last minute rushing for dessert. Panache Truffle Cake

8 ounces semi-sweet pure chocolate 1 cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter ½ cup coffee 4 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar If you add any cookbooks to your collection this year, put “Beyond ¼ teaspoon vanilla 44

In a double boiler or microwave, heat chocolate, sugar and butter; cool. Add coffee and beat in eggs. Beat for a few minutes or until the crust forms.

Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until peaks form. Pile whipped cream on top of cake. Decorate with fresh strawberries, raspberries and or shaved chocolate. Keep refrigerated. Cake can be made 5-6 days ahead or frozen; add whipped cream when ready to serve. 10 servings. This recipe can be increased by one half to serve 16. *The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri also published “Above & beyond Parsley” in 1992.


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food}Bread Pudding

Recipe forSuccess By Denise Lang

Photos of David and Denise by Daley McDaniel

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I found that to be true when my 2 “young men” were one and three years old. Raising two headstrong boys was a challenge. To create peace and harmony, we headed for the kitchen. I propped both toddlers up at the counter and we made my grandmother's potato salad. That was the first thing I can remember making with Eric and Drake Doepke, but I must have done something right because Drake is the owner and operator of SakeToMe, creative Sushi in Bigfork. Eric is a chef at Bølgen og Moi Sandvika in Norway. We’ve all come a long way from potato salad! And you can tell, I am a proud mother. Cooking and food to me is more than a hobby or pastime, it is the universal language of love and it is my second job. At the end of the day or when times get tough, I head for the kitchen. Believe me it is better than therapy, and most of the time, less expensive. My first job, real estate, always requires some form of creative thinking. How do I help seller and buyer find common ground? How

do we work through property, financial or personal issues that my clients may be having? You got it. I cook. The creative process of cooking helps me put everything into perspective and find solutions. Surprise! Cooking is useful in all other aspects of life, too. I can’t imagine a day when food was not part of my life. I love to cook. I love to experiment and I love to entertain my friends with good food and good wine. A perfect recipe for happiness? You bet, and that’s where David and Judy Feffer come into the picture.

When the Feffers returned to Montana, they found the perfect property to build their dream home, which they did in 2013. We have always enjoyed each other’s company, not just about property, but about food. David has loved being in the kitchen since he was a little boy, making concoctions after school. Like me, he can’t remember when cooking was not part of his life. In their newly built Bigfork home, David personally designed the entire kitchen according to his specifications, except for one gorgeous thing. The mosaic was inspired by Judy’s many trips to Southern France. She created a stunning backdrop for the stove from hundreds of marble pieces.

To me, food is the universal language of love.

46

Meet David Feffer, well known founder of The Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival, a passionate guitar aficionado and home chef, as makes one of his favorite dishes-Killer Bread Pudding.

The Feffers raised their three children in Missoula while David was Director of Public Health. He then moved on to create Health Incentives, which spawned a worldwide industry and founded several other successful health busi-


food}Bread Pudding

#

Le Poullet Rouge’s

Killer Apple Bread Pudding

result…it works for food, it works for real estate and I daresay, it probably works for life. nesses all over the US before heading back to the Flathead Valley. However, David is probably best known in the Valley for his founding the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival, a fantastic musical event held every August at the Flathead Lake Lodge. Through his efforts and energies, David sponsors new artists and raises scholarship funds for approximately 20 musicians every year from Montana and throughout the world. But I digress, let’s get back to food, because that is what this is all about. The recipes I will be sharing with you throughout this year are tried and true. They look good. They will make you look good and better yet, they are easy to prepare. You don’t have to be the Galloping Gourmet or Julia Child. My friends and I have done all the work for you. “Killer Bread Pudding.” David found this recipe in Boise, Idaho 15 years ago on a business trip. He came into town hungry and stopped for lunch at the Le Poulet Rouge (the Red Hen). Upon entering the café, he was over-

whelmed with the aroma of the bread pudding for which they were famous. He ordered it, loved it and had to have the recipe. The owners were thrilled to oblige and to this day, it is David’s favorite specialty to share with good friends, family and now all of you. David claims, “The secret to its lightness is the croissant crust.” Thinking creatively to bring a successful result…it works for food, it works for real estate and I daresay, it probably works for life. Just get in your kitchen and have fun. I guarantee you’ll be successful. And if you have kids or grandkids, get them up to that counter and let them stir something!

A tip from Denise: When you have people over for dinner and your kitchen is a mess, just make sure that your guests face you and you face the mess.

If you have a tip or a recipe you would like to share contact me at DeniseLang@nationalparksrealty.com.

8 large croissants 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled, cut into pea-sized chunks: tossed with 2 T sugar) ½ cup raisins 5 cups milk

3 large eggs 1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

½ teas freshly ground nutmeg 1 teas vanilla

sweetened whipping cream

Tear croissants into bite-size pieces. Combine croissants with apple chunks and raisins: toss together. Pour milk over mixture (gently pressing croissants pieces with the back of a spoon until submerged in milk). Refrigerate overnight or for at least 12 hours. Preheat oven to 350⁰. Combine eggs, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together. Pour mixture into apple/croissant mixture and stir to combine well. Pour into 8″ by 11″ glass baking dish and bake for 1 hour (or until puffy and brown). As soon as pan is removed from the oven, pour whiskey sauce over the top and let cool before serving with whipping cream.

Whiskey Sauce

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1 cup powdered sugar 1 egg

1-2 Tbsp sour mash whiskey or to taste

Whisk egg slowly, adding melted butter. Stir in powdered sugar and whisky and mix well. Sauce may be made the day before and will keep 2-3 days (refrigerated)

Denise Lang Your Recipe for Success

Photo by John Stalowy

Thinking creatively to bring a successful

Bread Pudding

Denise Lang, Broker National Parks Realty 8270 MT. Hwy 35 Suite 5 Bigfork, MT 59911 DeniseLang@nationalparksrealty.com. Local 406-837-1249 Cell 406-249-1758


food}

taste

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE Like most avid cooks, I’ve got binders of favorite recipes torn from magazines or printed off websites. Others I’ve created myself, based on a dish we’ve enjoyed in a restaurant or seen on a TV show. They don’t go into the binders until we’ve tried them and decided they’re worth making again.

Meanwhile, the stack of recipes-in-waiting threatens to spill off the cookbook shelf and on to the floor at any moment. A promising recipe may get lost in the stack, especially if it calls for ingredients that are out of season or that I can’t be sure that local stores will have in stock. (After reading Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love & War by Annia Ciezadlo, I was so desperate to make her Fattoush, or Levantine Bread Salad, that I begged an urban friend to send me a few ounces of sumac when the only spice shop carrying it refused to ship less than a pound, and made my own pomegranate molasses by cooking down the juice.) I may save a recipe, certain I’ll make it within the next week, only to lose track and remember it months later when a magazine falls open to a similar recipe.

48

All of which is to say that I have no idea how many recipes for sugared or spiced nuts live in that mysterious stack. So when I was wrapping up the manuscript for Spiced to Death, first in my Seattle Spice Shop Mysteries (Berkley

By Leslie Budewitz, Author/Lawyer

Prime Crime, March 2015), and came across a recipe combining nuts with sweet, spice, and salt on food writer David Lebovitz’s blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, and realized I had all the necessaries, I tarried not. Made several batches, testing a few variations, and settled on this one. Just put it somewhere safe so you can make it again.

Spiced Glazed Nuts and Pretzel Mix

2 cups mixed raw nuts: any combination of cashews, whole almonds, Spanish peanuts, or pecan halves 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

1-teaspoon flaky sea salt, kosher salt, or other coarse salt 2 cups mini pretzel twists (if you can’t find mini twists, break up larger twists or sticks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the nuts in a large bowl. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring once. When you take out the nuts, leave the oven on.

While the nuts are toasting, melt the butter in the microwave in the now-empty bowl, and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and maple syrup. Add the toasted nuts, still warm, stirring until coated. Mix in the salt and pretzels, and stir until the nuts and pretzels are completely coated. (Adding the salt after the warm nuts are stirred keeps it from dissolving.) Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15-18 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Remove from oven and cool completely.

When the mixture first comes out of the oven, you may taste a sharpness and fear that you overdid the cayenne. Spice blends sometimes need a little time for the edges to wear off— these flavors mellow beautifully in just a few hours. Makes about 4 cups.

The mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. But I bet it won’t last that long.



Women Who Know How to Wine! By Karen Sanderson

Earlier this winter, I asked a distributor rep if she knew who else in the valley carried a particular new wine that I loved. “Donna and Nikki have it,” she said. “Oh, of course they do,” I teased. “They have excellent taste!” And then it dawned on me. Here we are, in a fairly male dominated industry, and two of the most profitable alcohol retailers in the Flathead are run by WOMEN. Plus, three of the Flathead’s top wine reps are women. Even two of the top beer and wine distributors in the state are owned and operated by women!

shelves. Now there is truly something for everyone!” fered a course on area wine and winemaking. I loved Donna’s highlights have been attending Oregon Pinot the course and decided the wine industry was where I Camp and a wine trip to Italy. wanted to be. I worked at The Stockbridge Wine Cellar in Massachusetts, and did retail sales at Lazy Acres Market in Santa Barbara. Eventually, I had an opporNikki Thompson, C.W.S. tunity to move to Montana and ended up in WhiteWine Consultant, Markus Foods, fish. I co-founded Pescado Blanco in 2004 then I was Whitefish MT hired at Flathead Beverage in 2006 as a wine rep and 13 years in the biz in 2010 Intermountain Distributing acquired the wine Background: “I was a very good customer at a lo- division of Flathead Beverage.”

cal wine shop. They eventually needed a wine manager and I thought I would be up to the task. I knew I had finally found something that I would truly love doing. My defining moment was drinking a 1994 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. Something just clicked and that was it! What’s amazing about wine is that you keep having those moments. When they happen they are magical … almost like the heavens open up and you see the light. For me the most intriguing part of the wine business is that you’re constantly learning something Below is a brief history on five women in the Flathead new. There is a vast wine world out there. I’ll never wine business, and how they got there: be able to learn it all but I know I’ll enjoy every step of the way.” Annie Garbagnati Owner, Rocky Mountain Wine Distributing, Karen Sanderson Kalispell MT Owner, Brix Bottleshop, 20 Years in the biz Kalispell MT 15 Years in the biz Background: Annie’s introduction to wine was during her bartending years at Grouse Mountain Lodge Background: “College waitressing … Chef Doug where she turned a simple wine list into one that re- Day (from Hops) taught me about wine basics and ceived the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. “I pairing when I was a server at the Marina Cay in Bigcaught the bug after tasting so many amazing French fork. My interest grew even more while living in Euand Northwest wines,” she said. From there she grew rope. After returning home, I took a job to open a the wine set at BYOB Liquor. Still wanting to broaden winery tasting room in downtown Portland, OR, and her horizons even more, Annie worked her way into that experience solidified my passion for the industry. becoming the first female sales rep for Fun Beverage. Next, I traveled for Elk Cove Vineyards as a sales manAfter that, she was eager to import more artisan wines ager for 6 years. Then came baby girl, and we moved to into the valley and started Rocky Mountain Wine Montana in 2010 where I worked for George’s DistribCompany in 1999. Ever since, Annie’s small business uting for a year. Eventually, I decided to open up my grew and she now distributes her highly coveted small own business. I love how wine keeps challenges you. vineyard wines throughout the entire state. Just when you have a defining ah-ha moment, another one comes along that totally changes your whole perception of the first. I love it!” Donna Lawson Owner, The Jug Tree, Bigfork MT Jennifer Lewis 17 years in the biz Wine Sales, Intermountain Distributing Co., Kalispell MT Background: “My father, Sam Stephens, started the 12 years in the biz Bigfork Liquor Store in 1949 and I took it over in 1997. At that time, we had Thunderbird, boxed wines, Background: “I was introduced to wine while workand Lancer’s. After going through the first summer ing in restaurants through college at UCSB. Beringer with Bigfork’s clientele of tourists, I thought it might White Zinfandel was the first wine I liked and from be time to upgrade my inventory. Thus began my rela- there I moved to the standards: over-oaked chardontionship with fine wine. Over the past 17 years, the se- nay, ripe red zinfandels and merlot. Everyone has to lection has grown to over 1,500 different labels on our start somewhere! One restaurant in Santa Barbara ofAccording to the wine blog, Grey Report, only 25% of women in the American wine industry hold any sort of managerial position. In the Flathead however, over 50% of the beer, wine, and liquor positions are held by females. How did that come about, you ask? I, too, was curious how these ladies broke into the boys club, and discovered they all have one definite trait in common: passion.

50

Jerianna Shultz Sales Rep, George’s Distributing, Kalispell MT 15 Years in the biz Background: Jerianna is a native of Kentucky who worked in wine savvy restaurants throughout college and gained a tremendous thirst to learn more. “I listened to every pre-shift about wine pairing, studied the menus and wine lists, and read publications. Soon I realized I had a real knack for the business and along the way developed a palate. Here in the Flathead, Andy Kriss and Andy Blanton from Cafe Kandahar influenced me greatly. Their obvious and unapologetic passion for wine and food made me realize how passionate I am about it as well.” There are several other women in the Flathead wine biz as well, such as Lana Walker and longtime wine consultant Erin McCormick at Whitefish Liquor. When you include restaurant and grocery managers, other retailers, and servers, the numbers really add up. When asked about their views on women in the biz, none of these ladies had any qualms. Donna replied, “Female business owners are a force to be reckoned with and in today’s society. They are well respected. In Bigfork, there is a large majority of successful female business owners.” As you can see, these ladies have been passionateabout wine for a very long time. It is apleasure working alongside them in the Flathead! Cheers, Karen Sanderson Brix Bottleshop


The Girl’s Go-to Drinks & Favorite Wines:

food}

wine

Donna, Jug Tree: One of my new favorite cocktails is a St. Germain Fizz: a 187 ml of Lunetta Prosecco with a splash (or maybe a little more) of St. Germain Elderflower liqueur. It’s s so refreshing and I am all about the bubbles! With wine, I am a white girl at heart. However, Grenache is coming in a close second, and then there is Pinot Noir, and then … truth be told, I love them all! For special occasions, I love white Chateauneuf-Du-Papes from France. You can’t go wrong there.”

Nikki, Markus Foods: “I’m obsessed with wines from the Rhone at the moment. I would say the one wine I couldn’t face life without would be Champagne. It truly is the Nectar of the Gods and simply delicious! Farmer Fizz Rocks! Rotie Cellars VdP 2011 from Washington is a favorite. The Vdp is a Syrah/Mourvedre/Cinsault blend and usually a “winery club only” wine. This is a meaty wine perfect for these chilly nights. Focused blue fruits along with some rustic goodness that we all love about the Rhone. Nicely Done!”

Jennifer, Intermountain: “My favorite cocktail when I'm not drinking wine is a margarita rocks, no salt ... yum! My current favorite white wine is Chablis and sancerre. My favorite red is anything from Walla Walla.”

It has been well documented that females have a better sense of taste and smell than males. The famed wine critic, Robert M. Parker Jr., once told Lettie Teague for The Wall Street Journal, "My wife, Pat, has a much better palate than I do." Now that’s saying a lot!

Jerianna, George’s: “I am from Kentucky, so Mint Julep! (BTW, traditional juleps contain NO soda water.) Wine is a toughie. I find that my palate changes like fashions, and it seems like wines change as well, just like fashion trends. Right now a favorite is Amavi Semillon, which manages to provide beautiful acidity, honeysuckle and butterscotch. For red, I'd say, San Polo Rosso de Montalcino. If you try it, run it through the decanter!”

Karen, Brix: “My favorite cocktails usually include Gin or bubbly, like a French 75. When it comes to wine, it usually depends on the seasons. After all those years in Oregon, I still tend to prefer lighter bodied, silky wines like pinot noir. Certain Barolos, Cotes du Rhones, and Amarones have literally made me weak in the knees. The 2007 Palladino Barolo is sooo sexy.”

Annie, Rocky Mountain Wine: “My favorite wines this time of year are the rosés. For me, a classic sign of spring is seeing all my pre-releases. It’s like seeing the first robin of the season.”

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home}

montana

+ L The joy of living in Montana with the air clean and vibrant is a godsend to us living here. Enjoying the vastness of our mountains, lakes, rivers and open prairies begins us to imagine a world where mankind is lucky and fortunate. We are the few in Whitefish and the Flathead Valley that wish we could live the moment one more time breathing in the fresh fragrance of our forests, streams and mountains. The lucky we are and the might we carry is the lives of our children’s lives. They are the ones who follow our exemplary care of our forests, streams, rivers and prairies.

The Beauty of Living in Whitefish Montana… By Chad Phillips

Our children will too cherish the mountains, air and lakes as we have done. They too will know that life is well and cherishing. They also will know the beauty of the giving we contributed to keeping the Flathead well maintained and cared for.

Your continual giving to keeping our valley pure, clean, nurturing and vibrant is the reason we all fought, struggled and aspired to become residents. We all lived pure and bright when we committed ourselves to believing we could be here. We committed to the lives that cared to say “Welcome” and the lives that said “Enjoy” upon our entrance into our valley.

We aspire to great heights every time we cherish the lives that were so welcoming and so adoring to the dream we enjoyed within. Our home, the land of joy, fun, adventure and laughs is filled with the need of attention every once in awhile.

Our laughs can keep going with your pledge to caring for the home we hold dear. Enjoy the ever lasting smile of kinship and laugh the length of your stay. You’re Friend, Chad Phillips Architect/ Planner



health}whitening

B r i g h t e n Yo u r M o n t a n a S m i l e by Dr. John F. Miller DDS

First off let me welcome the lovely women in the 406 to 2014. In my last article I encouraged you to include an improved oral healthcare routine amongst your goals for the New Year. Remember, your mouth is the window to your overall health so I encourage you to remain resolute. The year is fresh, your goals are fresh, let your mouth be fresh also. To be honest, I'm sitting on a plane to Salt Lake City right now and for someone like me, with mild to moderate undiagnosed attention deficit disorder (ADD), planes are torture. I feel like I've been placed in "timeout." However, my greatest moments of clarity always come within the confines of a fuselage and I'm ultimately grateful for the opportunity to step away from the distractions of Terra Firma and reflect. My poor wife Juli calls it my flight induced manic episode. Anyway, my present flight has my mind wrapped around my young career as a dentist and what I desire for the community that I serve. My enhanced clarity & focus strip away the fluff and I have it: SMILE! In other 56   

words, I want Montana to SMILE bigger, brighter, and often. So let's focus the remainder of this discussion on the quickest and easiest process in which to freshen and brighten your Montana smile. Whitening! Most of us are familiar with the current whitening campaign, which claims that "if you're not whitening your yellowing." I agree with this statement and I actually like it. The process of teeth whitening is considered a cosmetic dental procedure and it can be grouped with cosmetic procedures in general. And if we really consider the purpose of a cosmetic procedure, it is to look fresher, healthier, and I think the one word that embodies cosmetics is "Youth!" Our teeth naturally yellow as we age, whitening your teeth will automatically make you appear younger. In my kitchen I have a raw butcherblock island. As wood being porous, it absorbs stain (especially Huckleberries products). It needs regular maintenance to stay fresh (if you haven't figured it out yet, fresh is the word of the day). Â Teeth, while much more resistant, are also porous and will pick up

the stains of life: coffee, tea, dark berries, red wine, smoking = the usual suspects. Let's discuss the current available methods to combat these stains and maintain our bright smiles. Over the counter whitening options: 1. Whitening toothpaste and gums:

tive and readily accessible option for whitening your teeth. Easily found at nearly all supermarkets and drugstores, whitening strips utilize peroxide to break down the stains in your teeth. Consistent usage of whitening strips will deliver some result, but the general rule in teeth whitening is quick easy and cheap equates to a greater time commitment. 3. Whitening gels and whitening trays:

Toothpaste and gums that claim to whiten are blurring the lines between what is actually stain, and what is actually debris. Brushing teeth, obviously the most important thing you can do for your oral health, it is effective at removing physical debris, plaque, and minor surface stain from your teeth. In doing so your teeth are obviously going to look whiter because they are indeed cleaner. With that being said, toothpastes and gums that claim to whiten teeth have little if any effect on removing actual stains.

Whitening gels are clear, peroxidebased gel systems that can involve filling a generic mouthguard like tray with a peroxide-based gel or applying it with a small brush directly to the surface of your teeth. These modalities will get results but there will be a greater time commitment involved, with less predictability and consistency.

2. Whitening strips:

1. In-office whitening:

Whitening strips are very thin, virtually invisible strips that are coated with the peroxide-based whitening gel. They represent a quick, cost-effec-

In-office whitening, also known as bleaching, provides the quickest way to whiter teeth, and usually comes with the most expensive price tag. During

Dentist facilitated whitening options:


health}whitening an in-office bleaching treatment, the whitening product is applied directly to the teeth. Used in combination with heat special light and or a laser, results are seen in only 30 to 60 minute bleaching appointment. This procedure is usually followed with a set of custom trays for follow up take home treatments. 2. Custom Bleach Trays: Custom bleach trays have long been, and remain the most effective and predictable teeth whitening modality. Custom trays are fabricated using stone models of your upper and lower teeth. A small reservoir is created on the surface of each tooth in which to hold the peroxide-based bleaching gel. Depending on the bleaching system used and the strength of the gel, these treatments last anywhere from five to 30 minutes. For me, the commute home from work once or twice a month is the perfect opportunity to maintain my "fresh" smile.

Things to consider: A common side effect to whitening one's teeth using a peroxidebased gel is increased tooth sensitivity to cold. In fact about 80% of patients who undergo a teeth-whitening treatment will experience some form of sensitivity. With that in mind, people with gum recession and exposed sensitive root surfaces may find the whitening ingredients further irritate their teeth, and may not be good candidates for teeth whitening. There are ways to lessen the sensitivity through at home topical fluoride treatments (prescribed by a dentist) or in more simple cases adding a toothpaste for sensitive teeth like SensodyneÂŽ prior to and during your whitening regimen. Â People with active dental cavities should avoid a peroxide-based whitening program, as it could cause additional harm to their teeth. It should also be noted, that fillings and crowns do not lighten with bleaching or if you have any unusually dark stains, you may not get the result that you desire to achieve. Lastly, teeth have an element of translucency. If teeth that are highly translucent are bleached they will actually appear darker and this cannot be reversed with time. Your mouth is very dark inside and the shadow will show though. Your dentist will help you to know if you fall in this category. I guess what I'm ultimately driving at is there is more to whitening your smile than just slapping on some bleach. A conversation with your dental health professional is strongly recommended before undergoing any tooth whitening regimen whether it is at home or supervised by a dentist. This will ensure you achieve the result you are hoping for. This is so cheesy, but I love smiles. A true smile is an uncontrollable reflex caused by pleasure. What's not to love? With that I encourage you to keep smiling Montana! Smiles are contagious. They brighten the lives of those around you. You show me yours; I'll show you mine.


health}

Answers

skincare answers By Erin Blair, Licensed Esthetician + Certified Health Coach

Q: A:

I think the issue you find yourself facing is very common. However (and this will be controversial no doubt), I don't recommend any of the treatments you're considering. There is a better way to slow or even reverse the aging process of your skin! But first, a little background. Let's begin with a broad overview. Thus far, microdermabrasion, peels, and laser or intense pulsed light have been considered the gold standard in professional skincare. These are all methods of wounding the skin to achieve exfoliation (removing dead skin cells) or encourage collagen growth. While collagen may be stimulated by wounding treatments, there is evidence that this is ineffective since the new collagen is applied to the new damage, which negates our purpose. Why is exfoliation considered a desirable outcome? The goal has been to increase cellular turnover, a term you may be familiar with. What's good (and not so good) about cellular turnover? The reasoning behind increasing cellular turnover, although an outmoded approach, is logical enough. As we age, the rate at which our cells die, slough off and get replaced slows significantly. This means the outermost, protective layer of dead skin is slower to flake away as we get older. It would follow, then, that helping our skin 'hurry up' that process is essentially mimicking the activity of youth.

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I'm looking for a skincare program that will really give results. I've tried a lot of products, and while they do seem to make a difference at first, I usually end up with pretty much the same skin I started with, only that much older. So I'm considering microdermabrasion, peels, or laser to see if I can finally get some help with anti aging. After much research, I'm just not sure which I should try first, or if I should combine them, or what. Everything claims to be the magic treatment. Can you help shed some light on this? I know you haven't seen my skin, but can you tell me what you most recommend for anti-aging treatments? What am I doing wrong?

Basically, the skin care industry has decided that our skin doesn't know what it's doing, and that we need to help it along by forcing the exfoliation process. The immediate, short term benefits are smoother texture, and plumping or tightening. It's not surprising that this approach would be popular. But it doesn't work in the long run. These strategies make the skin temporarily look healthier, which is not the same as creating healthier skin.

Our body is intelligent; it knows what it needs, and if it's healthy, that includes perfectly timing the release of outer layers of dead skin cells. These outermost cells have an important purpose, which is to form a protective barrier. When we 'help' by speeding up the process, we negatively affect the deeper layers of the skin with unwanted longterm side effects. But it LOOKS younger

Yes, wounding methods do indeed make the skin look plumper, more glowing, and rosy. Why? You've incited inflammation. The plumping you see is actually swelling. And...it's temporary. Not only that, but it leads to a host of other healing responses that actually deplete the body and accelerate aging.

Speaking of accelerated aging, let's talk about what's going on in the dermis, which is the deeper layer responsible for providing the skin with nutrients and oxygen through a rich network of blood vessels. Contrary to common thinking, it is this layer, rather than the outermost epidermis, that deserves all our anti-aging efforts. The dermis is


This approach rebuilds healthy skin, rather than tearing it down. The goal becomes to support the skin in healing itself, rather than inflicting further damage. This leads to the best results I've seen for melasma, including complete remission.

where wrinkles occur. You may have heard that skin thins with age. This thinning is actually taking place in the dermis, and if we truly want to slow the process we must focus on nourishing, repairing, and remodeling down at that deeper level. This cannot be achieved by injury, but rather through delivering potent nutrients that support the skin in doing what it naturally knows how to do. The high price of instant gratification

The travesty of exfoliation is that ultimately, the precious dermis is sacrificed in the process. It so happens that the protective outer layer is our body's priority, being a major part of our immune system and the first line of defense against potential invaders. It also controls hydration and temperature levels. It turns out that this 'dead' layer of skin is pretty important.

As we peel and scrub and slough off this layer in an attempt to look more youthful, our dermis goes into survival mode. It puts its' normal schedule of cellular renewal on fast forward, ensuring that our protective layer gets replaced without delay. The end result of this 'accelerated turnover' comes at the expense of the dermis, which can only do so much. The very thing we had hoped to avoid - dermal thinning and thus, aging – becomes the one thing we can count on. First, do no harm

There happens to be a holistic, 'first do no harm' faction growing among skincare professionals. It's a philosophy I subscribe to, because it works. This approach marries dietary nutrition and internal wellness with topical nutrients delivered through skincare. It's an approach of feeding the skin everything it needs to be healthy and do the job it so brilliantly knows how to do. We also have technologically advanced treatments such as microcurrent and LED therapy, which increase cellular energy and help cells to release their toxins more efficiently, without injury. When the skin is well nourished, function is improved on every level. Inflammation is decreased. Natural sun protection is enhanced. Wound healing is accelerated. Healthy color, thickness, and texture can all be accomplished by simply supporting the skin...instead of punishing it.

Erin Blair, LE CHC, is a Licensed Esthetician and Certified Health Coach. A Whitefish resident for 17 years, Erin owns Skin Therapy Studio. She takes a ‘whole body’ approach to the treatment of difficult skin concerns, with a focus on acne management. For more information, visit SkinTherapyStudio.com. Please submit questions for this column to skintherapystudio@gmail.com.


health}

Answers

Q:

A:

health care answers

By Gwenda C. Jonas, MD Kalispell OB-GYN

I am a runner in the first trimester of my pregnancy. Is it safe for me to continue to exercise in pregnancy or should I stop or significantly modify my activity until after I deliver?

That is a great and often asked question. Now, more than ever, women are reaping the benefits of regular exercise. For many women, physical fitness and active recreation is a way of life, so when a woman becomes pregnant and wants to continue her routine of daily exercise, is it possible? Is it safe? Is it recommended? What are the risks of exercise in pregnancy? What are the benefits? What types of exercise are allowed and what complications of pregnancy preclude exercise of any kind?

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The majority of women who desire to continue their exercise routine during pregnancy are motivated by the desire to maintain health benefits of muscular and cardiovascular fitness. For most healthy women with an uncomplicated pregnancy who engage in a moderate level of physical activity before pregnancy, fitness can be maintained throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period. The goal of exercise in pregnancy should always be to maintain a sense of wellbeing and fitness, not to curb weight gain, maintain a certain level of fitness or competitively train. Those women who are interested in maintaining performance need closer follow-up with their healthcare providers.

How intensely can I exercise? Studies of exercise in pregnancy showed no effects on fetal heart rate when mother’s heart rate was kept below 70% of their maximum heart rate. Mothers with a heart rate above 70% (the anaerobic range) had transient decreases in fetal heart rate during the recovery period, but no long-term effects were discovered. Based on these findings, a “submaximal threshold” level of exercise is recommended. If one knows their maximum heart rate from prior exercise testing, then 70% of that is the submaximal threshold. Other methods to determine maximum heart rate include, estimating it using the age-based formula of 220 minus your age equals your estimated maximum heart rate. Lastly, you can rate your perceived exertion on a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is your maximum exertion. Your perceived exertion during exercise is recommended to be at or below 7 on a scale of 0-10.

What changes occur as the pregnancy advances that affect my exercise? Your center of gravity shifts as the baby grows and has several effects: you may experience more back strain as the baby grows that can cause more hip, back and sciatic nerve pain. This may be improved by stretching or back strengthening exercises or worsens with certain types of exercise. The shift in your center of gravity will also affect your balance and

could increase the incidence of falls with some exercises and should be undertaken carefully. The changes in pregnancy cause more joint laxity and any fall could result in serious injury to you or your baby. Although direct trauma to the baby from a fall is rare, a fall can lead to premature separation of the placenta, called an abruption, which is an emergency for the mother and baby and could lead to the need for an early and premature delivery. As your baby grows, your uterus enlarges, and when you lie on your back it can compress the large vessel (the vena cave) that brings blood back to your heart. This can decrease your cardiac output, which can decrease oxygen-rich blood flow to you and your baby. As a result, during times of increased cardiac need, like when you are exercising, you should not lie flat on your back. If you do lie down, you should shift your weight to your left hip by slightly elevating your right hip with a rolled up towel to help shift the weight of the uterus off the vena cava and improve blood flow back to the heart. Lastly it is important to drink plenty of fluids when exercising to prevent dehydration. You may need to alter your routine or exercise regimen to accommodate these changes. What are the effects on the baby? Concerns in the past regarding exercise in pregnancy with regard to miscarriage rates, fetal growth, and premature labor have prompt-


health}

ed multiple research studies over the past several decades. Theses studies have concluded that these concerns are unfounded in otherwise healthy women with low risk pregnancies. Women who participated in moderate amounts of exercise in early pregnancy, had the same rate of miscarriages as those who did not. Furthermore, the rates of premature labor and premature delivery were the same between groups. Multiple studies on fetal growth were unable to draw clear conclusions regarding differences in birth weight, but none showed significant fetal growth restriction. There are some data that report infant APGAR scores (the 1 -10 score a baby gets at birth assessing health at delivery) are higher in babies when the mother participated in regular exercise. The hope that women who exercised would have shorter labors or easier labors was unfortunately found to be false. Studies have shown that women who exercise during pregnancy also suffer fewer adverse symptoms of pregnancy such as anxiety, insomnia, and lowered self-image than those who didn’t exercise.

What kinds of exercise are allowed in pregnancy? A woman can continue in either weightbearing (running, walking, dancing or step aerobics) or non-weight-bearing (swimming or spinning) aerobics, although nonweight-bearing exercise will minimize the risk of injury and increase the likely continuation of exercise during pregnancy. Studies have shown that women who participate in non-weight-bearing exercise were more likely to continue with the same level of satisfaction throughout their pregnancy as compared to those who participated in weight-bearing exercise. As previously mentioned, activities where a sharp sense of balance is needed and the likelihood of falls significant, should be substituted for other, less risky activities.

What should I do if I plan to exercise regularly in pregnancy? If you are already exercising regularly, discuss with your caregiver to ensure you don’t have conditions related to pregnancy for which exercise is contraindicated: preg-

Questions & Answers

nancy associated hypertension, preterm labor, and premature rupture of membranes or incompetent cervix. You should discuss your exercise plans and make sure your goals are reasonable, attainable and safe. If you haven’t been exercising, in addition to talking to your caregiver about your ability to begin exercise, you should consider starting a program with a certified trainer with specific expertise in exercise in pregnancy. Even if you start a low-impact activity like walking, you stand to improve your health and sense of wellbeing. Most women who currently exercise and those who would like to start during their pregnancy should have no trouble doing so with the right supervision. The primary goal of exercise is to promote health and a feeling of wellbeing in pregnancy and this does not change with pregnancy.

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Going For The Gold “The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone. It has to be yours.” -Peggy Fleming (American Figure Skater, 1968 Olympics)

You don’t have to be at the Olympics to feel the heat. You can sense the “electricity” even while watching the games on television. The games are motivating, and inspiring. The commercials itself will put tears in your eyes and get your heart racing with adrenaline. I’ve worked hard as an athlete, fitness instructor and an avid devotee to fitness. My amount of training and dedication doesn’t hold a candle to those that have dedicated their entire lives to their sport. However, I see the games as a wonderful way to find motivation, perseverance, desire and focus.

The main characteristics of great athletes are the 4 P’s: Potential, Passion, Practice, and Perception. (Scott K. Forman, MD)

Just because the majority of us are not Olympian hopefuls, doesn’t mean we can’t train hard and have passion in the sports that we love. Olympic athletes train year-round for their moment in the spotlight. And although the sports of the Winter Olympics are as varied as the countries represented, Olympic athletes use some common training techniques to 62

By Delia Buckmaster Photos by Scott Wilson Photography

excel in their chosen sport. Here are a few sports that make up the Winter Olympics and some training methods.

balance. Boarder Cross and giant slalom both require speed and skill navigating a ski slope at top speeds without missing a gate. Athletes often use surfing, skateboarding and mountain biking as training in the Cross Country Skiing is one of the most off-season. demanding endurance sports in the Winter Olympics. They have been known to have some of Freestyle skiing includes aerials, moguls and the highest Vo2 Max (maximal oxygen uptake) levels ski cross. These sports include a mixture of acrobatics, of any athletes. Perfect offseason training is cycling speed, strength, agility and endurance and do it all on or rowing. snow. Aerial specialists have acrobatic backgrounds and often start out in gymnastics and diving. This Figure Skating is known for its grace, sport requires power and control. Mogul skiers need gymnastics, speed and power. It can be compared quick reflexes, strength and power and train with to ballet on ice. Skaters need flexibility, balance, plenty of plyometrics. coordination as well as power and endurance. Speed Skating is more than just skating on ice. Hockey is fast and aggressive and the players need It’s a game of tactics and strategy that rely on speed, quickness, speed, agility and stamina. Hockey players cornering and passing. Athletes need power, balance train all year-round on and off the ice. This full body, and finesse to navigate the rink at top speeds. Skaters contact sport requires muscular strength, particularly train on and off the ice with a series of drills that build in the legs, hips and core. Pilates is perfect to endurance and power. Squats, lunge, plyometrics and strengthen the “level one” muscles for stability, endurance training with cycling and running are all part of a skater’s routine. flexibility and quick recovery from impact. Snowboarding success is a combination of acrobatic moves, speed, and flair in on the snow and in the air. Snowboarding at the Winter Olympics includes halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross. The Halfpipe event involves mainly tricks and acrobatics that require agility, power and

Alpine Skiing includes a variety of events in which skiers reach speeds of 70 miles an hour or more as the fly down the mountain. Ski racers generally train on the snow, but dry land training consists of strength, speed and agility drills that mimic their event.


Food Focus: Quinoa

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fitness

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutritional powerhouse with ancient origins. The Incas originally cultivated it more than 5,000 years ago; they referred to it as the “mother of all grains.” It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is also high in magnesium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, riboflavin and zinc. While quinoa is widely considered a grain, it’s actually the seed of a plant called Chenopodium or Goosefoot, related to chard and spinach. Quinoa is a gluten-free grain and has a similar effect as other whole grains in helping to stabilize blood sugar. It has a waxy protective coating called saponin, which can leave a bitter taste. For best results, rinse quinoa before you cook it or even soak it for a few hours or overnight. When cooked, it has a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture. Try it in soups, salads, as a breakfast porridge or as its own side dish.

The BOSU trainer is perfect to improve balance and strength. Try the One Leg Dead Lift. Stand with right food on the BOSU, right knee slightly bent. Lean forward, slowly lifting your left food behind you. Come back up to standing: switch legs. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

For quinoa, and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your grains well and with awareness. A great meditation is to find a calm place, without distractions, to sit down for your meal. Make it a habit to chew each bite 20 times or more. See how this simple practice can help your digestion and overall focus for the rest of your day.

Eat Right If you want to have a fit and healthy body, you must give it the fuel that it needs. Starving yourself or neglecting to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet will (A BOSU – Both Sides Up – trainer is referred to make it impossible to build strength and endurance. as the blue half-ball and is often used for balance Drink plenty of water; eat a healthy combination training.) of protein, carbs and good fats. Watch your caloric intake and adjust it based on your activity level, and Remember to… understand that is acceptable to sometimes splurge on something you love. Switch It Up Always do a variety of exercises, alternating between Set Goals and Persevere high-impact, weight training, and balance exercises. Train with a goal in mind and you are less likely to If you only choose one form of exercise, your body is give up. Start with small goals and set larger ones as not getting the complete workout that it needs. you go; this is a great way to enjoy success with your workout program. Get Enough Sleep Olympic athletes require more sleep that the rest of Being an Olympian also means never giving up us. Exercise burns calories and energy, and sleep helps rebuild what was lost in training. Being overtired and and being dedicated to your dream. Visualize your not allowing muscles to rest can be detrimental to intentions, know what steps are necessary, and fitness success. follow through. Make it about YOU.

Recipe of the Month: Quinoa Pilaf Prep Time: 3 minutes Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa 2 1/4 cups water or stock 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup walnut pieces 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley pinch of salt Directions: 1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. 2. Boil the water and add quinoa and salt, cover and reduce heat. 3. After 15 minutes add cranberries and walnuts to top; do not stir. 4. Cook 5 minutes more, until all the liquid is absorbed. 5. Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with fork, cover and let sit for 3-5 minutes and serve. References: Sportsmedicine.com Olympics.org DrOz.com Fitness.com Integrative Nutrition About.com

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fashion}

114° west By Courtney Ferda - www.114-west.com Photos by Brooke Peterson Photography

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Transitioning between seasons is an important part of Montana fashion and style. We spend plenty of time in February and March looking out our window each morning to see if it’s another snow boots day or if just maybe we’re lucky enough to pull out our favorite summer flats. I know I look forward to wearing boots but then by February, I am ready to move into a more spring look. This blog post today is about transitioning outfits, how you can move an outfit from a chilly winter day to a warmer spring afternoon. My name is Courtney Ferda and I started this blog a year ago this month, it has been a crazy adventure but so much fun. The New Year has been a great opportunity for me to reflect on everything that has happened, but also to look ahead to where this adventure may be taking me. I named my blog 114° west after the longitude of my hometown, Whitefish, which is one of my favorite places on earth. Much of my style inspiration comes from the attention-grabbing textures, stunning views, and crazy weather patterns that happen here. I remember a year ago looking at other blogs, girls in LA and New York, wearing denim and native prints; girls in beanie’s with flannel shirts and wondering why someone had not started a blog in Montana. Obviously, daily style has been impacted by the West, and I decided to take a chance and try and show people what Montana Style looks like, showing all the unique and special details that our beautiful state has to offer. I have loved

sharing with you all my favorite looks and style ideas along with some people that I think dress pretty awesome. One of the biggest blessings has been working with local photographers and shops, making new friends and having tons of laughs along the way. This past fall I was chosen as one of H&M’s style ambassadors, helping spread the word about their new online options (a highlight of the past year!). It set me on the right track for the months following, including being invited to write for this awesome magazine. Please welcome my friend Anna to the 406 Magazine family. She is one of the loveliest people I know and the outfits she comes up with always captivate me. You cannot describe Anna’s wardrobe without using words like distinctive, beautiful and colorful. She joined me to set out to show a new way to transition your favorite styles from winter to spring! These outfits are totally different but show how you can take a basic outfit, either a dress or pants and a button up, and change up the accessories just a bit to morph the outfit from a cool winter outfit to a warmer spring option. I chose to use one of my favorite items in my wardrobe, my chambray button up shirt, and pair it with a pair of dark denim jeans (never be afraid of mixing denim with denim, just make sure that the colors of denim are far enough apart!). For those cold days I paired it with an awesome Pendleton jacket I bought at the Village Shop in Whitefish on a huge discount (spring is the time to check out your local shops


fashion}Courtney Ferda looking for some sweet end of season savings!) and a chunky knitted scarf. Boots finish off this outfit and I chose a comfy pair that can match with basically everything in your wardrobe. These are my go to items for a cold winter day, because I can wear a pair of comfy wool socks and stay toasty warm. Anna chose an awesome leopard print dress from Target to dress up for winter with a leather jacket and knee-high boots. I love how she added the long socks with her boots to give more dimension and also add warmth. Her dark lipstick is a great choice for any outfit, and doesn’t wash you out in those sunless winter months. When looking to transition an outfit from winter to spring make sure you choose lighter options for jackets and tops. This green jacket from H&M has become a staple in my wardrobe; you can find me wearing it a few times a week with everything from pants to dresses. Pairing it with a light scarf like this yellow one reminds me of spring. I was so excited to pull these wedges out of my wardrobe and wear them. Wedges are a great option for Montana women in the spring because of the many rainy and slushy days that can leave girls wearing flats wet and cold. Anna removed tons of layers for her spring look and just wore this unique dress. Long sleeve dresses are awesome for transitioning to spring in Montana because many days it is still not warm enough to wear a t-shirt or tank, so having a sleeve is a must. She also kept the boot theme rolling but transitioned to a boot with a heel that is not quite as tall: cooler for those warm spring days, but with the support and height you need to dodge those spring puddles! It is time to start putting away those long coats and warm hats and switching it up for lighter jackets and fancy scarfs. Transitioning from winter to spring can be a frustrating time in this beautiful state we live in, but I believe in you! For more ideas and inspiration, check out my blog at www.114-west.com.

xoxo Court

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wellness}

What was I thinking

“Oh Sh*t! What was I thinking?” Written by CrisMarie Campbell

I had been enjoying a significantly long period of time at home, about three weeks. Without the push and constant pressure of keeping up with emails, working with clients, marketing our corporate team offsite events or couples’ workshops, my focus turned to the luxury of going to Yuletide and Oliver shows and parties, making Christmas dinner and candy, watching movies and walking in the snow. Ahhh—It was like the world had stopped spinning, and it was safe enough to slow down and turn inward. It was lovely.

That is until 10 PM Thursday, January 2, when my safebubble popped. At that moment, the red alert inside of me hit, and I crashed into the reality of all I had to do in January. I had five new presentations to prepare, a Couples’ Workshop to lead in Canada and another to market here in Whitefish planned for April, a Seattle wedding to attend, plus this article to write. “Oh Sh*t!!!!!”

So you get the idea - an “Oh Sh*t!” Moment is when a situation overwhelms your current ability to respond. As in my case, it was too many new things to do and a lack of confidence in my ability to get them done. But Oh Sh*t! Moments can take many forms. Here are some examples: Your spouse and you want very different things, like wanting to start a family or not.

You shift careers only to find out you hate your new one and you can’t go back. You are diagnosed with a disease you did not see coming. Your business is taking off and you have no way to meet the demand.

Here is how smacking into an “Oh Sh*t!” Moment can go: You are at your annual doctors appointment, and she informs you that you are pregnant. You stop breathing. Your mind freezes, unable to compute what she is saying. You start to stutter, unable to find your words. Your heart is racing “OMG, I can’t be pregnant. I just got my dream job! OMG, we just put all our money in this new condo on the mountain. There’s no room for a baby! I can’t have a baby. I’ll lose my job. We’ll fight about where to live. He’ll leave me and I’ll have nothing!”

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Finally, the doctor shakes your shoulder and says, “Did you hear me?”

The decent into your own demise took a millisecond.

Dealing with an “Oh Sh*t!” Moment

Scientists that study the brain know that the part of our brains that wrap around the brain stem is called the reptilian brain. Its main purpose is to insure our physical survival. The reptilian brain is constantly scanning for danger and broadcasting concerns, what Martha Beck, author of Steering By Starlight, calls “lack and attack” concerns. Can’t you hear its voice now: “You don’t have time to be reading this article. You’d better get to work!”

So how do you cope with those personally overwhelming Oh Sh*t! Moments? Here are some ideas.

Now, add an emotionally stressful event and the reptilian brain takes over, even starts controlling body functions. Our breathing gets shallow, our vision tunnels to focus on what we think will cause us the most harm. No wonder we so quickly envision the worst-case scenario, feeling beaten up from the inside out. In those moments it’s as if our brains can only see the danger. It can feel like it’s only a matter of time before our precarious house of cards comes tumbling down.

Take a brisk walk, swinging those arms, saying and feeling whatever you need to say about the situation out-loud as you go. Afraid people will think you’re crazy? Just put in some ear buds and people will assume you are upset with someone on the phone.

The reptilian brain is convinced we are not going to have enough: food, money, acceptance in the tribe, you name it. Furthermore, even if we think we do have enough now, it is only a matter of time before someone or something attacks and takes it away.

That’s when maybe a well-meaning friend steps up, offering support, “Don’t worry. It will all be okay.”

Your trusty reptilian brain bites back, “Oh, Really? If you know so much, tell me how, how is this going to be okay, because right now it feels like I am going to die!” The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen at this point. You are creating your own suffering by imagining and feeling the worse case scenario. Again, the reptilian part of your brain is doing this to protect you. However, you don’t want this part of the brain to be driving you.

1.Find a safe place and let your energy move. Cry or rant or freak out – what

ever your body needs to allow the energy to flow. Some strategies that clients have tried:

Just let yourself collapse and cry on the floor. This sounds dramatic, but remember doing that as a child when you were upset? Oh… no? Well, okay, maybe that was just me.

Put some music on that fits your mood and dance around the house as wildly as your body wants to, allow any emotions, like anger and sadness, to have their space. You may want to make sure those curtains are closed first! This step doesn’t have to take long, just lean into it fully, anywhere from three minutes (the average length of a song) to twenty minutes (enough time for a brisk walk), and I bet your body will feel differently.


2. Show up and give yourself some compassion. You are feeling this way for a good

reason. Don’t compound the problem by making yourself wrong for how you feel. Here’s how:

It may seem like everything inside of you is freaking out, but try isolating it, cutting it down to size by saying three magic words, “Something in me is freaking out about: this pregnancy, this relationship impasse, this health issue or work situation.” Now imagine you could turn towards that part and be a caring friend, “No wonder you are so upset. This is really scary.”

3. Separate facts from fiction. This is

where you engage the rest of your brain and separate what is actually happening from what you are imagining as the worse case scenario.

When you are convinced something is a fact, follow Byron Katie, author of Loving What Is, and ask: Is it true?

Can I absolutely know that it is true?

Fact: You are pregnant. Fiction: You will lose your job, husband and condo.

We actually don’t know at this point what will happen. You are inventing it. (FYI - It is not legal to lose your job from being pregnant. As for the condo, babies have actually survived, even thrived, in small quarters. Your husband? Well, imagine that he loves you bunches.)

4. Break it down to baby steps, focusing on what can you do. Taking one small step will

help you figure out what fits, what you can do, and how you really feel with more information. Try this: Have a conversation with your husband. Consider the idea of starting a family.

Talk to your boss or friends that have had babies and still work.

In Summary

Sometimes we just want life to slow down so that we can catch up and feel safe. Living life fully means things can happen and sometimes things happen fast. As long as we can find ways to deal with reptilian reactions and maybe even give that part of ourselves some appreciation for all its awesome survival efforts, all will be well. Life isn’t about getting rid of things or parts of ourselves, it’s about experiencing everything, and by learning and growing – even through the Oh Sh*t! Moments. Frankly, those often become the highlight or blooper reel of our lives!


406 family}

BUT....

Get your “but” Out of the way

by Gretchen Knuffke

“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the BS story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” ―Unknown Do you have a BS story you tell yourself? You know that excuse you have that lets you off the hook and becomes the reason why you can't get your house clean, run a marathon, lose weight, write a novel, get up earlier, etc.

The difference between you and the people who actually do these things is not the reason you think it is. It is not because they are naturally thinner or more athletic; they are not morning people or neat freaks. It is because you allowed your "but" to get in the way. I would clean house, but the kids just mess it up. I would lose 10 pounds, but I have a slow

metabolism. I would train for a marathon, but I am not an athlete. I would write a novel, but I don’t have time to write. These are just excuses that your mind uses; they are your “but.”

If you really wanted to do these things, you would get your but out of the way and do them. That is what people who achieve do. They stop giving themselves a free pass and an excuse and they quit stopping. They start exerting self-control and discipline.

Most of what you accomplish in life has everything to do with your mind and very little to do with your body.

Recently I was watching a survival show and everyone started out positive, excited and set on winning. As soon as those people started getting down or discouraged, as soon as they let negativ-

ity take root in their minds, then their bodies started to fail them. They didn’t realize that their mind was the greatest tool they had for survival, and once they lost control of it, they might as well lie down and die. It is the same with goals. Your body never wants to anything. Your mind forces it to do whatever the mind sets as a goal. Once you get control of your thoughts and stop telling yourself that excuse story and start telling yourself positive words and affirmations, you can do anything you choose to do.

Self-discipline is THE single most important thing for achieving goals. Anyone can run a marathon, anyone can lose 10 pounds, anyone can keep a clean, organized house, and anyone can get up an hour earlier. Control your thoughts and you will control your body. Want to start achieving in 2014?

l Make smart goals that have steps and are measurable. l Write your goals down.

l Don't share your goals. Recent research has shown that telling people you are going to do something, gives your brain the same boost as doing it. Don't reward yourself until the goal is reached. Wait to tell people after you have done it. l Get control of your mind. Remember that to achieve something; you must be willing to give something up...sleep, food, time...in order to achieve. You must be willing to accept some discomfort whether it is physical-pain, hunger or whether it is mental-fear. You must tell your body that it is okay to feel discomfort.

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l Get your but out of the way. Stop accepting that story you have been telling yourself. You can do anything you set your mind to doing.


Mocha Valentine Cake Goal Setting With Kids “The tragedy in life does not lie in not reaching your goal, the tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” -Benjamin Mays One of the most important things we did on our parenting journey with our kids was regular goal setting. Every New Year’s Day we take our children out for a nice dinner and review our year. Each person tells their favorite memories from the year and how they did on the goals they set a year ago. Then, we make our goals for the coming year. It is so fun for kids to be able to share their successes of the year so we make the dinner a big celebration of goals reached. Kids are natural goal setters. They have hopes and dreams for the future, what they want to do and what they want to be. They also start life with a lot of self-efficacy and hope. They naturally do not put limits on their dreams. As parents, we help them take their dreams and make them smart. We help make the goals specific and measurable. We help them narrow it so it is attainable and realistic within the time frame of one year. The goals are posted on their bedroom walls so they see them every day and periodically we check in with them on how it is going. What makes goal setting so powerful for kids is that they really see the connection between hard work and success. They see that their choices and the decisions they make affect their success. These are great lessons for kids to learn early in life and will benefit them so much as adults. As a parent of grown children I have been able to see first-hand the good that goal setting did for my kids. I can look back on their goals and see what made them become reality. Try it with your kids and see what amazing things they can accomplish with a little hard work and perseverance.

Ingredients 2 cups sour cream 2 large eggs 1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix 1/2 cup coffee liqueur 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels Powdered sugar

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in morsels. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

-Southern Living 2008

Winter Family Fun Moonlight Dine and Ski: Load Chair One after hours and enjoy the view of the Flathead Valley at night. Taste the best of what our Mountain Chefs have to offer at The Summit House, Montana’s only mountain-top restaurant, with its spectacular views. After dessert ski down the mountain accompanied by a local guide. March 15th. www.skiwhitefish.com Snowshoe Walks: Glacier National Park is offering Winter Snowshoe Walks every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. through March 22. The program is free and rentals are available for a nominal fee at Apgar Visitor Center. 406-888-7939

Ice Skating: Woodland Park in Kalispell. Ice skating rink with an old-fashioned warming hut. Also an artificial ice skating rink, the Woodland Ice Center is open from October through March.




family} Plan

ride out the school storm with a plan By Kristen Pulsifer, Whitefish Study Center

I have learned that school, of any kind, and at any grade, is like a slow boat ride into a massive, spinning tornado. Everything starts out smooth. You step into your beautiful boat with all you need- a life jacket, snacks, drinks, towels, and then…the storm hits! Life jackets are strapped on tight, but then straps are twisted, and snacks are swished over board, leaving you hungry, thirsty. Then, the towels go. You are left wet and cold. Water actually splashes onto your eyeballs, leaving you blinded and confused!

This is a semester at school. Students walk into school all organized, with new colorful notebooks that have dividers and pretty sparkly pencils latched inside by a decorative pencil bag. Kids are smiling, backpacks look new and have zippers that work! Then, the first set of tests hit and notes are gathered for studying, but then put away in, yes, the wrong section of the notebook, never to be found again, not even for finals. And then final exams… and that’s the storm. The final test that is worth 20% of your grade or even more has come! The students cannot find the notes. They don’t think to look for their science notes in their English section, so they are never found and panic sets in. Notebooks are thrown, pencils are snapped and a student has had it! They become stressed and then sick, and are ever so lucky if they can just pass that last exam. Now, I realize that it’s not this way with every student. Some reach finals and their equipment still looks good, and is still safely on board, and the final exam or project is met with preparedness; but this unfortunately does not happen with everyone. Fortunately a new semester is

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in sight, through that massive funneling storm, and there is a chance for a fresh start, a better grade next time, and maybe, yes maybe even a new backpack or notebook. So, what can you do to ensure that this second chance… this new semester… is a better one? Well, let’s see-

GOALS – It is always good to have a goal and know where you or your student want be at the end of a quarter or a semester. Maybe your goals are not grade related. That’s great! But what are they and where is it that you want your boat to take you? Maybe you want to simply be more organized so when you reach next semester finals, you are in good shape for the test. And, because you have been more organized all semester, your current grade is solid and does not weigh so heavily on that last exam or project. Organization is important and leaves all of us feeling more prepared for each school day and what it brings. GRADES – If a better grade is what students seek, what does the student think they need to do to get there? If they are overwhelmed and cannot figure this out on their own, make sure students talk to their teachers and ask them to set reason-

able goals for their ability levels. There is nothing more frustrating then trying to achieve a grade, and then setting a goal, that may simply not be reasonable for a student in that particular class.

PARENTS - If parents are more concerned than their students, then don’t be afraid to ask for help. School and school work is extremely stressful in the home and sometimes it’s nice to simply have an outside resource to help you and your child/ student figure out how to make school a more positive and successful thing. Many of the families that come to my study center, come for just that. Discussions about school can result in conflict at home, so finding an outside resource to buffer interactions with teachers and kids can be helpful and relieving. RELAX – Students and parents…. Remember to relax. Stress adds an additional negative element to all of this that will only succeed in making things worse. I know it’s quite difficult for everyone to be calm when we only want what is best for either our kids or ourselves. So, make sure to look at other factors outside of school and academics that may be disturbing a student’s ability to study and progress. Look at eating habits, social lives, work areas and home lives. Are students getting enough free time and exercise? Are things at school, outside of academics, stressful? Take time to calmly sit down and look at all factors that contribute to the day to day. Know that no matter what, progress can be made. Even if a storm hits, and all supplies are lost, we can all do things to make the storm less tumultuous, especially if we can work with people that are able to help.







non-profit}

mwwrc

Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center Written by Kari Gabriel Photos provided by Sue Haugan and Kari Gabriel, Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center (MWWRC) is a local 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that takes in injured and orphaned wildlife, located in Kalispell, MT. MWWRC admits about 100 animals annually (mostly birds), and has wildlife rehabilitation facilities at a private residence. The MWWRC mission is two-fold: caring for injured and orphan wildlife, and returning as many as possible to the wild, as well as providing public education. Those that are not releasable, and have the right disposition for handling, enter the education program. They are worked with and trained to become education ambassadors for the center. MWWRC volunteers provide education programs for schools and the general public, as requested and as time allows. The area served by MWWRC extends from the Canadian border to Ronan and from the Continental Divide to the Idaho border. The organization is staffed by volunteers with permits issued by the State of Montana and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Originating in 1982, by Beth (Sorenson) Watne, the group is comprised of federal & state permit holder Beth Watne & and state permit holder Kari Gabriel; subpermittees Alex Moore, Cindy Grossman, Doug MacCarter, Kim Vierra, Sue Haugan, Diana 80

Ludwik, and Keith & Nancy Kratzer. MWWRC receives 100 plus injured birds in the region annually - everything from robins, waxwings, woodpeckers and waterfowl, to all species of raptors, as well as small mammals. Kari Gabriel, MWWRC Asst. Director, stated, "The single most common injury we see with raptors, and owls in particular, are collisions with cars and buildings. Sometimes they are so focused on going after their prey, that they realize too late, that there is a building or a vehicle in their path. They can't stop on a dime, unfortunately. Most collide with cars, while feeding on the side of the road, or hunting on or near the road. The most common owl we intake, is the Great Horned Owl, and Red Tail Hawks are the most common hawks seen at our facility." MWWRC operates solely on monetary contributions from individuals & organizations, food donations from the public and FWP, and veterinary services from local veterinarians. The center relies on help from Montana FWP and local law enforcement to contact them (and sometimes transport) when an injured bird is found. MWWRC volunteers spend their own money on needed supplies, food & gas, and occasionally medication, for

resident birds. FWP fisheries personnel bag and donate fish for our eagles, local hunters donate game meat. The mice, which the majority of the residents require, are purchased, and cost the center .50 to 1.00 each. Approximately 25 mice are feed daily to the owls, so it adds up pretty quick. “Through the generosity of local volunteers; LHC, for a load of pea gravel, and FWP, for some of the building materials, we were able to get a new raptor house put up before the winter set in, and can now house 10 raptors out of the wind and cold. We also received

word that we are being awarded a grant from the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association to help complete that building this spring, and get the roofing finished. Without this kind of help, we could not have gotten this much-needed building finished,” said Beth Watne, MWWRC Director. Folks that are interested in donating needed items, or are interested in hosting an education program, can contact Kari Gabriel or Beth Watne, at their email addresses or phone numbers below. MWWRC asks for donations to help defray the costs of buying food for the birds.


From right to left: Kari Gabriel releasing, Doug MacCarter at Edgerton School, and construction of a new bird building.

Some of the items needed at MWWRC are: Food Items:

Frozen mice, rats, quail, pheasant, grouse, beef heart & fish Frozen cut up venison, chicken, beef (not freezer burned) Powdered Espilac puppy replacement milk Powdered KMR kitten replacement milk Powdered Exact baby bird formula Jars of baby food with meat (chicken, beef, turkey, etc.) Frozen veggies & berries (small pieces) Live earthworms, waxworms & mealworms (spring/summer) Dehydrated mealworms (available at Murdoch’s by bag or jar) Kitten & Puppy Kibble (good quality dry & canned) Unsalted peanuts, millet sprays, bird seed Pedialyte Vitahawk raptor vitamins (northwoodsfalconry.com)

Cleaning/Sanitation Supplies:

Dishwasher soap pellets Bleach, Simple Green & Awesome! Cleaner, Chlorhexadine disinfectant Scrub brushes & sponges Latex gloves, rubber dishwashing gloves (all sizes) Paper towels & cloth towels Antiseptic hand wipes & Baby wipes (unscented)

Miscellaneous Supplies:

Dishwasher safe cutting boards & knives Large electric dog bowls (Cenex or Murdoch’s) Rakes Clipboards Utility scissors/shears Leather welding jackets & gloves Leather work gloves Sampo stainless steel ball bearing swivels (all sizes) Giftcards from: Home Depot, Cenex, Murdoch’s, Petco, Costco, Smith’s Grocery, Northwoods Falconry or Mike’s Falconry Artificial Turf or grass carpeting Extension cords Kangaroo Leather for making jesses Soft vinyl screening for lining cages (Home Depot or Lowe’s)

Medical Supplies:

Long tweezers (for feeding hungry birds with sharp beaks) Syringes (all sizes - clean but don’t have to be sterile) Vet wrap Bandage scissors

For more information on MWWRC, contact Kari Gabriel, (Asst. Director) at 406-249-7800 or kgabriel1963@gmail.com, or Beth Benjamin Watne (Director), at 406-250-1070 or bearden1947@ yahoo.com

Building Supplies

(contact Beth Watne for complete list of needed materials): Metal roofing Miscellaneous lumber Concrete

The MWWRC Team: Every one of these volunteers selflessly contributes their time, expertise, and financial resources to keep the center going strong – THANK YOU! Beth Benjamin Watne, Director Kari Gabriel, Assistant Director Cindy Grossman Doug MacCarter Alex Moore Diana Ludwik Sue Haugan Kim Vierra Keith and Nancy Kratzer Jeff Sternad Dr. Dennis Dugger & Dr. Katie Sherrill at Central Valley Animal Hospital Dr. Mark Lawson at Glacier Animal Hospital Dr. Scott Smiley & Dr. Becky Jessup at Smiley Veterinary Services Dr. Dean Aldrich at Flathead Pet Emergency Clinic In every issue, we’ll share a full bio to introduce one of our volunteers. In this issue, meet Beth. Beth Benjamin Watne has been helping injured wildlife in Montana since the 1980’s when she was a young Mom and also a Physician’s Assistant. She founded Wildlife Return, another non-profit organization in 1982, and turned that organization over to another rehabber in 2007, when Beth decided to retire. Due to that rehabber relocating to the East Coast, Beth founded Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center in 2012, and began doing wild animal rehab and education programs once more, with a small group of animal rehabilitators. Beth is the Director of MWWRC and the federal permit holder for all of the birds in our care. Beth and her husband Bob, live on the property, and Bob is the chief builder on all of the structures required to house and care for the birds. Bob and his crew of volunteers (Bob’s kids, Beth’s kids and all their friends) built a food prep building, framed in the new bird building, and will do some more cage building this spring, when everything thaws. In her expansive history caring for Montana’s wildlife, Beth has cared for everything from black bears, grizzly bears, elk, horses, Lynx, bobcats, fox, coyotes, songbirds, swans, squirrels, eagles, hawks, falcons and owls, and everything else in-between. Ed Note: We are pleased to be working with the MWWRC on this new feature that following this issue's introduction, will showcase injured birds that have been brought to the center and ones that have been healed and released.

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