Kids
My grandson, Chris Petersen, the boy who made me a grandma, and the man who made me a great grandma, continues to make me proud of his accomplishments every day. Chris initially went to culinary school at Sheridan College after graduating from high school, but when he realized that he couldn’t effectively support a family in Casper, Wyoming as a chef, he chose to switch careers and now is a store manager for Auto Zone here in Casper. Mechanics has always been his main hobby, and since changing careers, he is genuinely happy. Just because a person has a degree in something, doesn’t mean that they can’t change their mind when opportunities arise. Chris is an excellent manager, and that is what matters most…plus, with a family, a job of straight nights isn’t always the greatest thing to have. Chris works well with his people, and they respect his knowledge and abilities.
Chris is a great daddy. His wife, Karen and their kids, Cambree, Caysen, and Cyler are his top priorities, and his 
greatest accomplishments. He loves spending time with each of them and creating happiness for their whole family. Cambree is his little princess, and he enjoys spoiling his only girl just a little bit…not that she acts spoiled, because she doesn’t. Recently, he has taken up the sport of golf and has really enjoyed taking Caysen to be his golfing buddy. Of course, to ask Caysen, he is usually the one to beat his daddy. Cyler, thinks his daddy hung the moon. He loves playing chase with him, hoping Daddy won’t be able to catch him. For Chris and Karen, their family is the most important part of their lives. They are very devoted to each other and to their kids.
Chris is becoming quite the handyman. In the past they owned their home, and they will again, but with the market as it is, they will wait. When they moved into their current home, the back yard was really bad, but 
Chris went to work on it, and before long the yard looked really great. He takes care of the snow removal and mowing. And he has even put in a new dishwasher when it was needed. Of course, Landlords love tenants like Chris, because the place is well taken care of. some tenants just don’t care what the place looks like, but Chris is not one of those tenants. The yard is especially important to Chris, because his kids have to play there, and he wants it to be nice for them. When it comes to the yard, the kids and the dogs are the priority. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris! Have a great day! We love you!
My niece, Christina Hockenbrocht has had a busy year. Christina got engaged and married her husband, Colin Hockenbrocht on February 11, 2024. On that day, Christina became a wife and also a stepmom to Colin’s son Matt Hockenbrocht. The kids didn’t have a formal wedding, but in the not-too-distant future, they are planning to have a reception. For anyone who has never hosted one, the reception can be as much or more expensive than the wedding itself. It takes planning and finances. Since that time, Christina has been settling into married and family life.
Christina and Colin have moved into a “cute” rental house, and Christina is setting it up to their liking. She is really getting into the “nesting” thing. She has also been getting into gardening and house plants. Her favorite plant is Clawdeen the Monstera. I don’t know much about plants, having a “brown thumb” and all, so I looked it up. “Monstera deliciosa, also known as the split-leaf philodendron or Swiss cheese plant, is a tropical plant often kept as a houseplant. This easy-to-grow climbing evergreen provides a dramatic focal point due to its size and unique shape. Monstera deliciosa has glossy, heart-shaped split leaves and is relatively easy to care for. It is a fast grower, about 1 to 2 feet a year, and takes about three years to reach full-grown maturity.” One thing I do know is that Christina’s Clawdeen the Monstera looks very healthy, meaning that she does not have a “brown thumb” like her Aunt Caryn.
Chistina was educated as a dental hygienist, but when Covid hit, the job she had pretty much dried up. People couldn’t even go to the dentist in those days, unless it was an emergency. Christina went from hygienist to 
medical and dental billing, and then to insurance billing. In fact, that is what she is doing now. The only thing that is different now is that she is working from home. She is doing insurance billing for multiple companies, working under the umbrella company called Cher, LLC.
Colin was a military operations analyst in the military. He and Christina met through her stepdad, and the rest is history. Before long, they were engaged and soon after they were married. He is no longer in the service, and he works as operations analyst as a separate contractor. His son Matt has the choice of where he lives, and for now spends much of his time with his mom. He comes to stay with Christina and Colin for holidays and summers. Sounds like they have a real nice life. Today is Christina’s birthday. Happy birthday Christina!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My brother-in-law, Ron Schulenberg was the youngest of six children, and the second boy in the family. He was often told what to do by his older siblings, and especially his sisters, because, well…that’s what older sisters do. We were raised taking care of the younger siblings, and that just naturally included babysitting them and in general, telling them what to do. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the younger children appreciated that “influence” from the older siblings. In fact, most times, the younger kids, didn’t appreciate that bossiness of their older siblings…especially as they got a little bit older.
My brother-in-law was always being told what to do, but not quite as often by his older brother, Bob, my 
husband. Maybe it was because Bob understood how it was to be the boy among multiple sisters, or maybe it was because Bob was fourteen when his brother was born, so by the time Ron could be much trouble, Bob was already grown up and out of the household…having moved out when he was eighteen. That also gave Ron a little different relationship with his brother, who didn’t mind have his “kid brother” tag along, even on some of our daytime dates, like Dairy Queen and such. We took Ron a number of places with us, and I’m sure my mother-in-law enjoyed the break very much. I didn’t mind the “tag-along” either, since I never had a brother, just four sisters, it was ok with me…and, Bob might have thought that brothers should stick together.
These days, Ron and Bob are still close, helping each other as needed. They are both mechanics, so they work on their own cars and the cars of friends. Ron has an extensive shop, so many of the tools Bob or their nephews might need are available through Ron. Sometimes, you have to have a little help working on a car. Ron has a pretty lucrative “side hustle” with his mechanics work, and it keeps him busy too. He spends a good portion of each day working on someone’s car. No bad for a part-time gig. Today is Ron’s birthday. Happy birthday Ron!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
As our tenth year without our mom, Collene Spencer approaches, and in fact, it’s ten years without parents, I think my sisters, Cheryl Masterson, Caryl Reed, Alena Stevens, Allyn Hadlock, and I have been thinking a lot about her. Time doesn’t seem to go by so fast, until it is passing without a loved one. Then you just wonder, how could it be ten years already? And yet it is. Ten years without Mom’s goofiness, her laughter, her zest for life, and mostly…her presence, just seems impossible. I think that is what I miss the most…her presence. Just knowing that I could call her to ask a question, or to tell her about her new little great great grandchildren. Mom loved being a grandmother. She loved being a mom too. Her home and her family were her pride and joy. I know that while she is in Heaven, she still knows and sees how much her family has grown, and I know that she is so happy and so proud. I think we have all tried to live lives that would make our parents proud. From the oldest to the newest great great grandbaby, Mom would be so proud.
Mom met our dad, Al Spencer, when she was just a girl. Mom knew immediately that he was the one for hr. She 
remembered thinking, “What a handsome man!!” They married when she was still 17 years old. They immediately moved to Superior, Wisconsin and began a family. Ten months later my sister, Cheryl was born. I followed two years later. My sister, Caryl was born three years after I was. My sister, Alena followed two years later, and my sister, Allyn two years after that. Of course, we moved back to Casper before Caryl was born and have lived here since that time. Wyoming was where Mom’s family was, as well as part of Dad’s family, so moving here was logical. They loved Wyoming, and they thrived here.
My mom was a great Christian woman. While she loved her family, and especially our dad, her first love was for her God. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior many years ago, and she never looked back. She told anyone who would listen, just how important it was to receive Jesus. Through her, countless numbers of people were saved. My sisters and I never really felt as comfortable as Mom with witnessing to people. And in our teen 
years, we often wished she wouldn’t witness when we were around. We were embarrassed, but she wasn’t. She knew that her work was important, and she was right. I know that when she entered Heaven, our Father told her, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. We are so proud of her and hope to live up to her example. Today is the tenth anniversary of Mom’s graduation to Heaven. Mom, we love and miss you and Dad very much and can’t wait to see you when we all get there.
When I met my sister-in-law, Debbie Cook, over 50 years ago, we became friends right away. We both worked at Kmart then. She was in the Deli, and I was in the Millinery Department (handbags, gloves, and wigs, in case you didn’t know). In fact, it was at Kmart, where I met my future husband, Bob, who is Debbie’s brother. As our friendship grew, we decided to make each other our maid of honor at our weddings. Debbie and her husband, LJ were married first, on June 8, 1974. Bob and I were married on March 1, 1975, nine months later. As we had planned, I was her maid of honor, and she was my matron of honor. At that time, as with any marriage, there are no guarantees, but both marriages made it to our fiftieth anniversaries. Debbie and LJ celebrated theirs on June 8th, 2024, and we will celebrate ours on March 1st.
Our lives took turns that were the same and turns that took us in different directions. We both had daughters. 
Bob and I had two daughters, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce. Debbie and LJ had three daughters, Machelle Moore, Nancy Cook (who passed away shortly after her birth), and Susan Griffith. The girls spent a lot of time together…until Debbie and LJ moved first to Thermopolis and then to Powell. After that, while the girls were still friends, they didn’t see as much of each other as they had before. That part made us sad, but life takes us in different directions sometimes. The moves to Thermopolis and Powell were what was best for Debbie, LJ, and their girls. In fact, they still live in Powell today.
There were some other differences too. Bob and I had three grandsons and one granddaughter, while Debbie and LJ had two grandsons and two granddaughters. Bob and I also have one great granddaughter and five great grandsons, while Debbie and LJ don’t have great grandchildren yet, but that day will come too. There 
could well be more great grandchildren in all our futures. Life has taken us in different directions over the years, but it has also taken us to the same place too…our golden anniversaries. We have remained sisters and brothers-in-law. And we have remained friends. We have shared a family, her family, my in-laws. We have shared history, experiencing many of the same things. We may have taken a few different paths, but we have arrived together. Today is Debbie’s birthday. Happy 72nd birthday Debbie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
With her family living in several areas of the state, my youngest sister, Allyn Hadlock’s family decided to meet in Wheatland so that everyone could be there for a birthday celebration. Most of her family lives in Casper, but she has daughters and their families in Laramie and Cheyenne too, so Wheatland is the logical choice. Everyone decided that a “destination birthday party” was a great idea, even if it wasn’t like to Hawaii or something. Allyn really is all about her family. She would give her right arm for any one of them. She is a very involved grandmother too. Even though, granddaughters Adelaide Sawdon and Mackenzie Moore live in Laramie and Cheyenne, Allyn is always willing to happily go and stay a few days to babysit them if their parents have to be out of town or something. That time with the girls is so special to her, and everyone is so happy that she can work that out.
Speaking of work, Allyn has worked from home now for the past few years, so it’s pretty easy to just take her 
work with her when she is spending time with the grandkids. Allyn is actually a boss at her work, and somehow, she manages to juggle all the responsibilities she has, without missing a beat when it comes to family time. Working from home really gives her that freedom. She loves having the girls, or her local grandkids, Ethan and Aurora Hadlock come to her house and spend time too. The summertime might find her house filled with kids hanging out. She also has a bonus-granddaughter, Jolene Thompson, who joined the family a few years ago, and while she lives in Rock Springs, she gets to come and spend time periodically, especially in the summer. And we must remember the “grand dogs” too, because they love spending time with grandma too.
While she can’t always be with her kids, she talks to them just about every day, sometimes several times a day. Daughter Lindsay Moore says she can’t even imagine how many phone calls her mom gets a day. Allyn has four children, Jessi Sawdon, Ryan Hadlock, Lindsay Moore, and Kellie Hadlock, but that is only a small part of the family. Jessi is married to Jason, and they have Adelaide; Ryan is married to Chelsea, and they have Ethan and Aurora; Lindsay is married to Shannon, and they have Mackenzie; Kellie is engaged to Tim Thompson, and they 
have Jolene; and we must not forget her fifth child…her dog, Liberty…whose picture is also on the mantle!! Allyn is married to Chris Hadlock, who is just as dedicated to the family as Allyn is. The Hadlock bunch are very dedicated to each other.
This year is an extra special one, because Allyn is the mother of the bride. With Kellie and Tim getting married this summer, she and Kellie are busily planning the wedding. She and Kellie have been picking out the decorations and “doing all the things” that go along with putting on a wedding. Kellie says, “She is the most supportive, kind, funny, and amazing person, and I’m so happy she is my mom!!” And I know everyone in her family would heartily agree. Today is Allyn’s birthday. Happy birthday Allyn!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Jake Harman is a crazy guy, and as his wife, Melanie Harman says, he’s a “big old goofball.” Anyone who knows Jake will tell you that is the perfect description for Jake. Melanie says she absolutely loves his sense of humor, and I can say that I totally agree. Jake is incredibly funny, and he doesn’t cringe at things that might make most people feel totally embarrassed. Recently he and his bonus daughter, Alice Green decided that they needed to have a facial, so they did (or maybe it was a filter, haha), and they made sure to document the event so that everyone got to see it. Did it look crazy? Absolutely!! Did that stop Jake? Nope!! He did it for his oldest girl, and they had a great time!! Melanie tells me that all the “ornery” Jake has packed inside just makes him who he is, and while his “ornery” isn’t about being mean, but its rather about How many tricks he has packed inside him. Jake is always pulling something. Nobody is immune to his trickery. He loves to tease everyone, and 
if Jake picks on you, you know that you are one of his favorites.
Jake loves to wrestle with all his kids, Alice, as well as Izabella “Belle” Harman and Jaxx Harman. The kids always try to win against their dad, but it doesn’t usually happen, unless he goes easy on them…don’t tell them. It’s a secret. Truly though, Jake is a great dad to the kids, and a great husband to Melanie. She tells me that over the years they have been together, he has “definitely helped make me into who I am today, and I thank God for him every day. All three of these babies love the heck out of him and get sooo excited when they see him after being away for a certain amount of time.” Jake and Melanie are two pieces of the puzzle of life, and they totally “work” together. Melanie tells me that “His sweetness goes above and beyond.” Jake is one of the most energetic people you will ever know, just ask anyone who knows him. He is always on the “go, go, go!!” I don’t know where he gets all that energy. It makes most people tired, just watching.
Jake always has some project that he is working on, but recently, he purchased his dream Chevy Camero and now, he has taken that on as a new 
project to get it fully restored. Taking on the restoration of a car is no easy project, but it is very fulfilling, and I am really excited for Jake as he starts this new venture. I know that when he gets it done, it will be an amazing car!! When he gets it done, I will have to tell that story, but that will be a different birthday story.
Melanie says that “As with any family, there are occasional fights and challenges, but what family doesn’t haha!! We love Jake so very much and can’t wait for so much longer together!!” The most important part of any family dynamic is not the occasional fights, but the way you work through them that counts. Today is Jake’s birthday. Happy birthday Jake!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Jenny Spethman leads a busy life. Jenny has always been an early riser and loves to watch the sun rise in the mornings. Of course, by definition, in my opinion anyway, that makes her a lover of summer. It’s hard to get out and watch the sunrise in the freezing cold of Winter. Jenny loves her quiet time with the Lord before her family gets up, as the day begins. For Jenny that might mean getting food for all of her fur babies, and maybe her family too. Her kids are getting pretty grown up now, so she doesn’t necessarily have to get them ready for the day or get their meals, but, her daughter, Aleesia doesn’t drive yet, so there is transportation. Her boys, Xander, Zack, and Isaac are out of school and they all drive. Her husband, Steve is usually off to work early too, so then it’s Jenny time. 
Jenny works in the office of a law firm here in Casper. She is the runner…meaning that she takes documents to the courthouse for filing or runs other errands for the people in the office. They really don’t know what they would do without Jenny. Her work saves everyone a lot of steps each day and improves the efficiency of the whole office. The good news for Jenny is that she isn’t just stuck at a desk all day. She really loves the change of duties each day, because her work depends on what is needed for the day. She also covers the reception desk during breaks and lunch for the receptionist. A nice thing is that her mom, Cheryl Masterson works there too, so they get to say “Hi” periodically.
Jenny is such a happy person. Her cheerfulness is a blessing to all those she comes in contact with. Everyone considers her their friend. She loves to entertain, and she is very good at planning events for her family and for holidays. She is so easygoing and loving. She may not “love” Winter, but she will get out with her family and embrace Winter. However, the summertime is where she wants to be. She loves hiking and hanging out with the family in the yard. They always set up a pool in the Summer, and her house is the hangout for all the kids’ friends. In the evenings, the kids and their various friends or partners love hanging out at the Spethman house…even if they have places of their own. That always makes Jenny very happy. Today is Jenny’s birthday. Happy birthday Jenny!! Have a great day!! We love you!
Before Dave Chase was my nephew, he was my aunt, Sandy Pattan’s boss at the BLM. They got along very well, and when Aunt Sandy informed Dave that the girl he was dating and planning to marry, Toni Chase was her grandniece, he couldn’t believe it. At first it presented a problem, because he was not allowed to be boss over his aunt. His dilemma was if he was going to have to ask Toni to marry him and move with him or ask Aunt Sandy to transfer, because of this rule at work. Aunt Sandy solved the whole problem when she came into his office and told him she was going to retire. It was a win-win situation, because she was ready to retire, and he was ready to get married. He tried not to show his excitement, but when Aunt Sandy left his office, his first call was to Toni, telling her they could get married and not move. He tried not to seem too excited when Aunt Sandy told him she was retiring, but the reality was…he was very excited, because he got to marry the girl of his dreams. Plus, he and Aunt Sandy could still be in touch, and that has been very sweet for both of them.
That all happened in 2012, and now, Dave and Toni have been married over twelve years now. Dave wanted to do something special for their tenth anniversary, but some of the Covid restrictions delayed his plan. Nevertheless, in September 2024, they got to take the trip he had planned…to Portugal. They had an amazing 
time. Dave has always loved to travel. They were married in Hawaii, and they have since traveled to many different places, both in and outside of the United States. Dave is an avid sports fan and loves going places for games. Dave took his annual trip to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in Colorado last March. Then as they were coming home, they squeezed in some skiing on the way home. Dave loves all sports, and so he made countless fishing trips, stayed active in basketball, softball, golf (indoor and outdoor), as well as, cribbage, I know different, but sometimes he needs to sit down for something. He also went to Laramie for several football and basketball games. Dave likes to stay busy and connected to the world of sports. It’s the way of a sports fanatic. He and Toni also took trips to Glacier with the kids, James and Manuela, and then to New Mexico with his mom and sister. Thay all had a great time.
Dave is a sweet man, and he has been a wonderful addition to our family over the years. He is always willing to help anyone who needs it, and that has been a great blessing over the years for my sister, Cheryl Masterson, 
who is his mother-in-law. When I first met Dave, I had no idea of his great sense of humor, but before long, as he got to know everyone, he showed that side of himself. He can be very funny, and making people laugh is a wonderful trait for anyone to have. There is often too much seriousness in this world. We could all use a little laughter. Today is Dave’s birthday. Happy birthday Dave!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
I always liked that Grandma Hein’s birthday fell on Groundhog Day. It’s not that I think the groundhog does a very good job of predicting the end of Winter, but the weather man often misses it too, so there is that. Nevertheless, Groundhog Day is a fun day, and a lot of people enjoy the anticipation of it, whether the groundhog is right or wrong. I think Grandma liked having her birthday be on Groundhog Day. It was like an extra celebration to her celebration, and that made it fun, at a time of year when Winter is weighing everyone down.
Grandma was born in 1909, the eldest of two children born to Chester Leary, and his wife at the time, Viola Kirby. When she was ten, her mother left, and Grandma was needed to help around the house. It was a tough time. Her dad was a single dad for much of Grandma and her brother, Kirby’s young lives. He worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad as a yard clerk. It was a time in their lives when everyone had to pitch in. Grandma and her brother had to get things done around the house, 
because their dad worked long hours at work. Those were different times and for them hard times. Many of us would wonder about the kids being home so much of the evening alone, but kids at home doing their chores were much safer then, than they are in this day and age. The two of them knew that they needed to get the house cleaned and supper on the table by the time their dad got home. They weren’t afraid they would get in trouble if they didn’t, but rather because they knew how tired he would be. Grandma spoke so highly of her dad, that I know she felt nothing but love and respect for him.
Grandma grew up working hard for a living, something that she carried on to the years of her marriages and to motherhood. She raised five children and helped on the ranch she and Grandpa Hein owned. She grew a garden 
and canned foods, cooked the meals, and helped with the animals and the rest of the chores. She instilled respect and honor in her children’s lives, and every one of them grew into great men and women. She was blessed with twenty grandchildren, and a number of great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. Her family is still growing, and she would be very proud of every one of them. I still miss Grandma very much, and Groundhog Day, reminds me of her. Today is the 116th anniversary of Grandma’s birth. Happy birthday in Heaven, Grandma. We love and miss you very much.
