5 Pet Traveling Tips

If you are a Centralia High School alumni or had a child attend Centralia High School, then you are familiar with the Centralia May Fete tradition that has existed for over 100 years.  The Monken Family has been proud to be a part of this tradition and all family members have participated in the dances and/or court during their high school years. Jan Monken's mother, Dorothy Rixmann Miller, was the 25th May Fete Queen.  At that time May Fete was held outdoors and Dorothy made her own dress and train.  Her daughters, Jan, Melissa, and Wendy, were all attendants their junior year. Kim Monken McMillian's daughter, Megan Marcum, was a flower girl for Stacey Smudrick, a freshman attendant and May Fete Queen.  Her sister, Andrea Walton, was a freshman attendant the same year that Megan was queen. Both girls were involved with dances when they weren't on the court.  Lance and Megan’s kids, Hadley and Eli Marcum, served as scepter bearer and crown bearer. Shawn Monken Hartmann, was a flower girl for Carol Jo Vaccaro and an attendant her senior year.  Her children, Bredesen Hartmann and Katie Hartmann, along with their cousin, Will Miller, served as the trainbearers and flower girl for Megan Marcum.  Bredesen Hartmann participated in the couples dance every year and became a May Fete escort during his junior year.  Katie choreographed and participated in multiple dances all four years. Wes Monken, was the trainbearer for Jan Johnson when he was seven.  He wore the first white tuxedo ever used in May Fete and participated in the dance. Wes's older daughter, Jalyn Monken, participated in dances all four years. This year Wes's daughter, Addison Monken, will wind the senior maypole for her last year at Centralia High School. She has participated in dances every year.  Addison is the last Monken grandchild to participate in May Fete.  We look forward to all the great-grandchildren participating!

5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Car Buying a car is a really big decision and can be really stressful. It’s typically a decision you never want to rush into. It’s worth taking some time to work through a few questions before investing in a big purchase like a car. We know buying a car is not something you do frequently, so we want to help ensure customers feel comfortable and confident in their new investment. In order to help, we’ve compiled a list of the top five questions to ask yourself before buying a car. Should I buy new or used? This is probably the top question you should ask because it could be the difference of a few thousand dollars in your final total. Did you know there’s a $15,000 average price difference between a new and used car. If you are on a tight budget, used is the way to go because it will likely still have a full warranty and probably everything you need minus the new car scent. If you have no budget and are planning for your dream car, then buying new is probably for you. How are you going to use it? If you have a large family, then you’ll want several seats, extra space, and maybe even built in dvd players. If you need to tow a trailer every week then you’re going to need to find a vehicle with a tow rating and payload best for whatever you plan to haul. These little factors are going to determine a lot with what vehicles you should even consider. Ask yourself what life changes are you or your family likely to see soon? We won’t tell you to avoid the two-seat sports cars, but you might meet someone in a year and have a child in 4 years, lots can happen in 10 plus years. (a common lifespan of a car) Also something to keep in mind with children is how big they will be near the end of the lifespan of your car, this is often forgotten and later regretted. What are the operating costs? Many people love big SUVs or sports cars, which might be within your car buying budget, but when you discover you need to gas your car every other day, your budget might implode. If you already budget a certain amount of gas each month, then buying a car that will use a similar amount is your best option. Another option is always spending more on an economical car, because long term it will likely increase your budget. What do you like or dislike about your current car? This is a great question to ask yourself, especially since you’ve probably had your current car for a while. What made you buy the car in the first place? Do you like or dislike how it handles, safety features, gas mileage, repair costs, etc.? You know what you like and don’t like about your car, so make a list. When you decide to start the buying process bring the list with you, so we can help too! 5. Do you really need to buy a new car? People often get caught up in the idea of new, shiny things, especially cars. Look at your expenses. Are you paying more per year for car upkeep than car payments? Is your car hurting your budget? Maybe your family has outgrown the car or are you just planning ahead? Asking yourself these questions and making sure a car payment truly fits into your budget is really important. You want to be ready and prepared for a big purchase.

Not all parents want the same type of vehicle, therefore, we researched the top 3 areas most parents value in a family vehicle. Being a parent can already be stressful enough, so here are 3 tips to help take the stress off buying one. Safety Safety is the number one feature valued by parents because they want to protect their families. Both parents usually look through many consumer reports and crash tests to see how the vehicle they are interested in will perform in an accident. Other important safety features to them include airbag locations, child safety locks and latches for child car seats. Size The size need in a vehicle depends on the size and age of the family. Car seats can take up a lot of room and really determine how much space is needed for seating. If the parents don’t have any kids in car seats, they might have sports gear and three of their kid’s friends to haul around during sports season. Whatever the reason may be, a roomy vehicle is very important to parents so their family can be comfortable when traveling. Affordability The third factor parents’ desire in a vehicle is typically its value for their family. They don’t want to break the budget when it comes to the vehicle, insurance, and gas. This factor has one of the biggest impacts on their family, especially when parenting can already be expensive. Most parents love a good deal or getting the biggest bang for their buck out of anything, including a vehicle. If you’re a parent currently searching for a vehicle perfect for your family, consider these three factors that most parents appreciate in any vehicle!