Monthly Archives: August 2025
In the spring of 1832, Captain Benjamin Bonneville of the US Army organized a privately funded wagon train to the Rocky Mountains and beyond. Maybe it was a fur trading expedition, maybe it was his adventurous spirit, of maybe it was a secret spy mission. The mission was presented as a fur-trading venture, complete with backing from financiers John Jacob Astor and Alfred Seton. For all intents and purposes, the trip seemed like an innocent hunting trip, but the rumor was that the true purpose of the trip was a spying mission. The Army had approved Bonneville’s request for a yearlong leave, making it seem even more likely that the journey was unofficial. Nevertheless, the detailed observations and reports expected in his leave authorization suggest the Army was seeking intelligence in return. Maybe it was a simple bargain, but maybe it was exactly what everyone suspected.
Bonneville set out from Independence, Missouri, in late April with 121 men and 20 wagons. He planned to reach that year’s mountain rendezvous in July at Pierre’s Hole in present-day Idaho, just west of the Tetons. The group traveled through Wyoming’s rivers…the Laramie, North Platte, and Sweetwater. They were joined by experienced mountain men Joseph R Walker and Michel S Cerré. Strangely, Bonneville missed the gathering. Nevertheless, even with the delay, Bonneville achieved a groundbreaking feat of crossing the Continental Divide at South Pass on what we now call the Oregon Trail, with wagons. This was groundbreaking in that, two years earlier, mountain man William Sublette had led a wagon caravan to the eastern edge of the Wind River Range but switched to pack horses for trading trips to the rendezvous they didn’t think the wagons could make it through the pass. Bonneville’s expedition ultimately opened the door for future wagon travel through the mountains…another thing that may have made the trip more official than unofficial.
Like many explorers, Bonneville kept a journal of his journeys. Bonneville returned from his expedition in 1835. At that point, he attempted to write an account of his journey. Unable to find a publisher, he sold his journal and writings to Washington Irving, who was famous for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Irving then crafted a romanticized and enduring tale of the explorer’s western adventures, title “The Adventures of Captain Bonneville.” Most of what is known about Bonneville’s time in Wyoming comes from Irving’s work. However, there was one report Bonneville submitted to the army after his first year in Wyoming that Irving likely never saw. This report went missing but was eventually discovered in the 1920s among misfiled Army documents. This “lost report” revealed insights into what historian Anne Abel-Henderson, who helped uncover it. It was referred to as Bonneville’s “ulterior motive” for venturing into the far west. It was the details chronicled in that 
report that made everyone think the trip had been official after all. Historians have long suspected that the captain, under the guise of commercial fur trading, was preparing for an eventual invasion of Mexico’s California territory. Bonneville’s 1833 report concerning his first year in the Wind River Range and beyond remained lost for almost a century before resurfacing in the 1920s. Then, finally, author Jett B Conner examined the intriguing details revealed in that historic document. Now, it could be examined.
My grandnephew, Jaxon Killinger has had a pretty busy summer!! The family, Jaxon, his dad Chris, stepmom Lacey, and sister Brooklyn have been doing a lot of camping, and Jaxon absolutely loves it. This year, while they were camping over the 4th of July, both Jaxon and Brooklyn caught their first fish!! They were so excited about that. Of course, another highlight of the 4th of July camping trip was setting off fireworks with his dad. Like most boys, setting of fireworks is a big deal, and rather a right of passage when they are allowed to be anywhere near that process. They feel grown up, and a part of the “Guys’ Club” when they are there. Jaxon is no different. As he gets older, he is quickly becoming more a young man than a little boy. Afterall, this is the year that Jaxon hits the all important double digits, i.e. 10 years old. Congratulations Jaxon!!
Jaxon has put some milestones behind him, such as setting off fireworks and catching a fish, but he also has another pastime that he enjoys…catching crawdads with his dad. Of course, the most important part of this 
pastime is to see if he can catch more of them than his dad. Another important part of catching crawdads is, of course, eating them. I don’t think I could get past the way they look, but to each his own. Crawdads (also called crayfish, crawfish, or mudbugs) are a Louisiana staple known for their light, sweet flavors, and it’s so easy to get to the edible parts inside the shells. Apparently you have to twist off the head, suck out the juices, peel and eat the tail meat. Again, I don’t think I’ll be trying this apparent delicacy, but I’m not one to judge those who do. Bon appétit!!
Jaxon got to go to Denver this last weekend, and he rode some pretty scary rides at Eliches. That is really another rite of passage for kids, I think. First being tall enough to ride the more scary rides is a big milestone. Then being unafraid to ride such rides is another way of showing one’s maturity. Finally, getting off the ride and not getting sick is a big plus. That part is the reason I don’t do the carnival rides anymore, haha!! Jaxon also love, love, loves basketball and loves all things Michael Jordan!! I can see that. Michale Jordan has been a kid-
favorite for years now, and the adults love him too. Most of Jordan’s career was with the Chicago Bulls, and he finished up with the Washington Wizards. That is about the extent of my knowledge of Michael Jordan…sorry Jaxon.
As with many kids his age, Jaxon is very into dirt biking and really wants a new one for his birthday. Of course, we all know how expensive they are. Stay tuned to see if that dream was realized. Whether it is or isn’t this birthday, there is always next year, and in the meantime, Jaxon will continue to improve and hone his skills on the bike he currently has, because his love of dirt biking is strong and healthy. Today is Jaxon’s 10th birthday. Happy birthday Jaxon!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Matt Masterson is the only son of my nephew, Rob Masterson and his wife Dustie. Because he is the only boy, he feels a responsibility to be the mentor for his sisters Raelynn and Taylor. For Taylor, that has been a great thing, because he is one of the best influences in her life. Taylor says, “He has this energy to him that screams, ‘I have confidence’ but he’s still very humble about it.” Buba (as Taylor calls him) has been loving his job in phone repair and as he grows older that teenaged annoyance with his siblings is gone. As Taylor says, it’s really hard to believe that Matt is already 20 but time flies. Just a couple of days ago, he made a real effort to get to know their sister, Christina’s new stepson and husband. Just a few years ago, he would have said, “Hi” and left ten minutes later. This time, he stayed and visited with them. Since Chris lives in Colorado, they don’t get to see her very much, which made the visit even better.
Matt likes to ask his sisters if they will go with him to grab his pick up orders when he knows they have been inside for too long. Although he still teases them all the time for their “being weird.” Taylor says, “I love Matt a whole lot more then any language written, spoken, forgotten, or unknown can describe, and I hope he has a great day!!”
Raelynn says, “I recently started to spend more time with Matt. He’s been coming out of his room more for work, and they talk while he gets his shoes on. I love him a lot. This year has been pretty…rough, on everyone, and it stresses him out. He’s so much like dad it’s insane. Because he wants to help, when we’re stressed or anxious, but he doesn’t know how to. He does his best anyway, but he’s been open with us. On the way to Chris’ wedding, he even played rock paper scissors with me. He lost both rounds, and scared Mom, Dad, Taylor, and Taylor’s friend Christian, when he yelled about it. The car had been pretty much silent to that point, but we were both bored. Apparently, I’m too good at reading him. Matt’s just funny like that, though. I’d been tired, but unable to nap, and unable to focus, but he made me laugh so hard I’m sure my face was red. He’s also been chilling out with his allergies. I had something with pistachios in it, but he wasn’t mad I ate it before we left. He seemed happy I made sure to wash my hands and rinse my mouth out, though. He’s come a long way from the anxiety he used to feel regarding anything that could cause a reaction. As long as we pick up our 
mess and let him know we had it, he doesn’t mind what we eat anymore, and it’s honestly a relief to see. I’m glad he’s learning to relax again. I get why he was so anxious about it, it is a life or death situation for him, but constantly being scared like that took a toll on him. He’s smiling more now that he’s been calming down and not stressing about it. I’m really proud of my brother, and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings!!” I can’t either. Today is Matt’s 20th birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandniece, Alice Harman is a teenager!!! When did this happen?? If it’s a shock to me, just imagine the shock it is to her parents, Melanie and Jake Harman. As always happens, time has flown by and her mom says, “Its amazing and mesmerizing getting to see her grow and all the changes that go along with that!! We couldn’t imagine our life without this sweet girl in it!!” Alice loves to dance and sing!! She can usually be found, with her ear buds in her ears for hours out of the day listening to her music and just singing and dancing along with it. She doesn’t care who sees her. She’s just into it. Alice gets her love of music from her mom who is exactly the same. For the past few years, Alice has been in choir at school and wants to keep being in choir because like her love of music, she loves choir!! It is probably the highlight of her school day, and she is looking forward to getting back at it. She really enjoys middle school and being more grown up.
Alice is an awesome big sister, who loves her siblings very much!! She’s at the age now where she likes to babysit them, mostly so she can make some money. Typical of teenagers, but she enjoys the time with them too. The money is just icing on the cake. With teenage comes the whole girly-makeup thing, and Alice is no different. She is all about her makeup, appearance, and “what people think” about her. That can be a good thing or a tough thing, depending on how a person feels about themselves. Alice is a beautiful girl, inside and out, so I’m sure she has a positive self image too.
While she is as sweet as she can be, she also has a whole lot of 
“Teenaged Sass” and all that goes with it, like the hand on her hip when she’s talking to you!! Even with her sass, there is that lovey side coming out too. As she gets older…over this last year, Melanie tells me, “She has gotten more loving towards her dad and me and it feels amazing to have that love! She still has her random moments though of pure onery with Jake. They just have this bond.” I think that “onery bond” is something they both love. In a family where teasing is a big part of the fun, having a teasing bond between parent and child is awesome. It keeps things light. As Melanie says, “God blessed us with Alice and all that she is!! Her dad, her brother, sister, and I couldn’t ever imagine our lives without her!!” Today is Alice’s 13th birthday. Happy birthday Alice!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Dave Balcerzak loves music. As we all know, each person has their own music style. Dave, joined our family when he married my niece, Chantel, on June 22, 2002. Chantel says that their musical style is “far, far from classical but definitely becoming classic!” Their musical style is Heavy Metal. She says Dave likes his a bit heavier than hers, but both definitely like Heavy Metal music. One of their favorite pastimes is attending various concerts. They plan these events months in advance, and then wait excitedly for the day to arrive.
If there is an opportunity to get tickets, Dave is on it. He knows what concerts they will both love and Dave wants nothing more than to surprise Chantel with the tickets. Dave and Chantel often attend these concerts with their daughter Siara Kirk and her husband Chris, because their “babies” were raised with a big love for big hair bands. Son, Jake and Dave are two of a kind, both loving the heavier stuff, but Chantel and Siara are more “Def Leppard minded.” Unfortunately, this year was a “lean” concert year, because the we only got one concert in because, unfortunately the new Ford Center hasn’t been drawing as many good bands. Nevertheless, Hair Ball is a cover band that comes to the gas light once a year and they never miss it. Chantel tells me that when she is out with Dave, she “always feel like a teenager with her hot guy when we go. It’s a step back in time and a bond we will share until the end.” 
While being “big kids” is often considered odd, I think that those who can be a big kid once in a while are maybe the most sane. Dave and Chantel first met as kids, but then went their separate ways. Years later, after they were both divorced, they met again, and it was as if they had never been apart. They were as much in love as they had been as kids, although they probably didn’t know that’s what it was as kids. These days, it’s as if they have never been apart. They have a beautiful blended family with now four kids and their spouses, as well as 8 grandchildren (one who lives in Heaven). They just couldn’t be happier if they tried. Today is Dave’s birthday. Happy birthday Dave!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, JD (short for Joel Donald) is a great mechanic. He studied in Phoenix, Arizona in what he would best describe as an oven. You can tell a true “northern” boy by the clear dislike for the super hot weather. JD likes summer, but definitely not summer in the south. Nevertheless, JD is a great mechanic, and my husband’s go-to guy when he has a vehicle that is giving him trouble. JD has worked on all kinds of vehicles, and he can often diagnose the problem when Bob can’t get it figured out. His favorite cars are Hondas and that’s what he went to school for, but that doesn’t mean he can only work on Hondas. He loves older cars too, and has a beautiful royal blue older pickup that he has completely restored. It is showpiece quality for sure. 
JD actually started his career as a “child mechanic” when he spent as much time with his uncles, grandpa, and day working on cars with them. As a child, most of JD’s helping involved handing tools to the men…if he could figure out which one they needed. Those days are long gone, as JD is now highly skilled in mechanics and spends much of his time working on his own projects. Being an avid car enthusiast, he owns more vehicles at once than most people do in a lifetime, and he drives them all! JD firmly believes you can never have too many cars. His day job is also in mechanics, and he enjoys his work so much that he brings it home, or rather, simply shifts locations to work on his own cars in the evenings. For JD, there’s no better way to relax than tinkering with a car, and it seems the other men in the family feel the same way. He also bought a big truck with a winch and a big trailer for car hauling. He runs his own towing business on the side too, and even travels long 
distances to help out someone, like his aunt and uncle when they need a tow.
One thing JD truly values is his role as an uncle to his three nieces and his nephew. They are his top priority, and he loves spending time with them. JD enjoys playing with the kids and makes an effort to see them as often as possible. The kids adore him, and they always have a blast when he’s around, as JD, like many men, is a big kid at heart. Today is JD’s birthday. Happy birthday JD!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
It seems that it’s always a good idea to have a “Plan B” in life, in business, and in combat. That was exactly the situation that changed history during World War II. There were a number of situations during World War II that changed history, to be clear, but this on was unique. On August 9, 1945, the B-29 Superfortress Bomber named Bockscar took off from Tinian Island. Its intended target was the Japanese city of Kokura, where a major Japanese arsenal was located. The flight itself went fine, but upon arrival over the target city, dense clouds covered the area. They would not be able to accurately drop their bomb. While few people have heard of the city of Kokura, millions of people, even today, know the name Nagasaki…the alternate target…the “Plan B” of that bomb run.
When the bomber approached the city of Kokura, they quickly realized that there was no way to accurately hit 
the target. I’m not totally sure why hitting the target exactly was so important, given the type of bomb that was to be dropped. Nevertheless, it apparently was vital. Due to the dense cloud cover, pilot Charles W Sweeney circled the area three times before deciding to plot a course for the mission’s secondary target, Nagasaki. The cloud cover that saved one city doomed the other. At 10:58am local time, Bockscar dropped its nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 35,000 people and obliterating 44 percent of the city. The mission was vital. He had no time to think about the consequences. They men bombing any of the cities in World War II, or any war for that matter, could not consider the “collateral damage” of the bombs they were dropping. Losing was not an option. The mission was so important. Far too much was at stake to think about the lives lost, even the innocent lives.
In the end, of course, the Allies won the war. The necessary bombs were dropped on the necessary places, 
even if it was the secondary target…even if they had to resort to “plan b” to drop that all important bomb. I’m sure that at some point, the men who dropped the bombs had to think back on the lives lost, especially when they read a historical account of the events. I’m sure it made them sad to think of the loss of innocent lives. Still, this was war. They had orders, and they had a vital mission to carry out. They had to do their jobs, and they couldn’t be sorry they did.
My grandniece, Katie Balcerzak joined our family when she married my grandnephew, Keifer Balcerzak. They were sweethearts in school, and they were perfect for each other even then. They always seemed to me to be a “glamorous” couple, even as kids. Some kids just have that kind of look about them from the very start. It’s funny to me, because I’ve heard Katie say that she wasn’t “girly” or “glamorous,” but I think she was, and she just didn’t know it. Some girls just have no idea how beautiful they are. I think it comes from a lack of vanity. They just think of themselves as simply that…themselves. It rather removes that sense of “snobbery” from that person all together. That’s Katie.
When they were married, Keifer knew that he had found his other half and Katie knew the same. Of course, they really knew it long before that. They had already been together for a long time before they said, “I do.” These two always seemed to me to be perfect for each other, and the years they have been together just reaffirms that. They are great parents, and their kids are happy. Katie is a great mom and wife. She loves her family, and loves being a wife and mother. Life wasn’t always easy for these two, especially when their daughter, Reece was born very prematurely on December 14, 2016. They spent that Christmas in the neonatal unit of Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, where Reece received amazing care and grew to be the size of a full-term baby, so she could go home on January 29, 2017. Through those hard weeks, Katie and Keifer clung to each other, giving each other the support they needed to go through that tough time. Their marriage stood the test of hard times and came through with flying colors. Their son, Asa was born without complication, which was a great blessing, but no matter what life throws at these kids, I know they will handle it.
Katie is a typical “sports mom” and “sports wife” because her family all participate is one sport or another. It’s up to Katie to make sure everybody gets where they need to be, when they need to be there. It’s a big job as any sport parent knows. Dealing with the cuts and scrapes, the bumps and bruises, and the disappointments of loss or missed opportunities. It all happens in sports, and it’s all part of the game. Nevertheless, the games are also lots of fun for players and spectators alike. And Katie loves every minute of it. Today is Katie’s birthday. Happy birthday Katie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Baseball players, like any other sport, want to be remembered for their accomplishments in their sport, but sometimes, it makes no difference how many hits a player hit, how many run he made, or how many outs he assisted in. Sometimes, it’s something totally outside the normal scope of the game that really matters. Such was the case on August 8, 1982, at Fenway Park…a moment that will be forever remembered in baseball history, and it wasn’t for the game.
It was a normal day at the ballpark. Everyone there was doing the normal baseball things. They were there on that hot day to watch the game they loved, to eat hot dogs and other baseball food, and to cheer on their team. For many of them, that team was the Boston Red Sox. Little did they know, that remembering the details of the game would soon be the furthest thing from their minds. Instead, they would remember the actions on one player in a moment of gravest circumstances. That player was Jim Rice.
Everyone is used to the crack of the bat hitting the ball in a baseball game. All eyes start to follow the ball to see how it will affect to score. Foul balls are of particular interest, because catching a foul ball means having a souvenir of the game. So, all eyes were on the ball that struck a four-year-old boy in the head. He simply didn’t have time to react. Everyone froze. Gasps were heard. Everyone knew how bad this was likely to be. In a moment when speed was needed, everyone seemed to move in slow motion…except Jim Rice, who had been watching from the dugout. He literally sprang into action. His didn’t think, didn’t call for help, didn’t wait to see what would happen. He ran to the boy. The boy had fallen to the ground unconscious, and Rice picked him up, with purpose, turning to run back to the dugout where he knew the team doctors would be. The EMTs arrived soon after, and soon the boy was taken to the hospital. He survived, and some would say that it wasn’t because of a miracle, but rather because Jim Rice moved. Still, I say that sometimes people are instrumental in God’s miracles. That what really happened that day. God spoke to Jim Rice and told him to run. He did, and a boy was saved. Doctors said that if Rice hadn’t acted so quickly, the boy would likely have died. Seconds were saved, and that was what mattered.
It was a day and a game to remember, but it didn’t end there. Rice was a good man…a generous man. He went to th hospital to check on the boy and found an even bigger story. The family didn’t have much, and the medical expenses would be really hard on them. Rice still wasn’t trying to make baseball history or worrying about his fame. He was just a generous giver, and so he went to the hospital’s business office and told them to send all the bills to him. That family would never see a medical bill for their precious son. He wasn’t trying to be 
famous for his actions, in fact for a long time, no one even knew. He was just trying to help someone in need. One story said of the incident and of Jim Rice, “No press release. No spotlight. Just grace.”
Afterward, he simply returned to the game still wearing a bloodstained uniform. He wasn’t looking to get into the news. He didn’t tell anyone what he had done. He was “just a man who had done something heroic and saw no reason to tell anyone about it.” The act had nothing to do with baseball, it was about a boy in crisis, a family in need, and a man who cared. While Jim Rice was a great baseball player, it was no baseball that was his “finest moment” but rather the heroic act that saved the life of a four-year-old boy…and his family.
My niece, Melanie Harman is married to one of the most adoring husbands ever. What a wonderful blessing they are to each other. Melanie married into our family when she married my nephew, Jake Harman, and they truly never have a negative word to say about each other. Everything they tell me about their spouse is sweet, loving, and uplifting. Jake tells me that Melanie is “my best friend and my other half. She has the most beautiful smile in the world and the greatest laugh known to mankind. She is without a doubt the best wife ever and an even better mom. She works all day, then comes home to take care of everything here. She is super mom!! She does any and everything for the babies (12-year-old Alice, Green, 9-year-old Izabella Harman, and 8-year-old Jaxx Harman). They are her life!!”
Melanie has worked at the State of Wyoming for 3 years now, and she really loves it. Melanie’s coworkers are always telling her how much they love her. She brightens everyone’s day when she enters the room. She has this way about her that makes you feel like you can tell her everything, so she has to constantly tell people at work, “I have to work,” because people won’t stop talking to her. It’s a funny, but sweet problem. So many people go to work thinking only of when they will get off. And so few people ever consider that those around them might need to talk, or even to see a smile aimed at them. Especially these days, people have become so “closed in” and think only of themselves. In that kind of a global atmosphere, Melanie shines as a light in the dark to those she touches with her smile and caring ways.
For Jake and “the babies” her smile is a happy point of their day, every day. They have a game at the house to 
make sure they give Jake loves before her, because she is his, after all!! Of course, the kids always run to her first, and then Jake has to “beat them” for touching his wife!! It’s all in good fun, and the kids have no fear of their daddy, because he’s really a softy!! Jake hurt his shoulder at work back in October, and he had to have surgery. It was a bummer of a situation, but Melanie took care of Jake every step of the way. In true Melanie style, she never complained. She just took care of him. In his own words, Jake best states his feelings for his wife, when he says, “She is the most beautiful, loving woman ever and there is absolutely no one luckier than me to have this amazing family, and it’s all because of her!!” Today is Melanie’s birthday. Happy birthday Melanie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
