Kids
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.
It’s National Amy Day!!! Did you even know there was such a thing? I didn’t, but for our family, Amy Day is usually celebrated on June 1st, because that is our Amy’s birthday. Nevertheless, today is actually National Amy Day, so we will celebrate again!! To put it quite simply, National Amy Day is a day set aside to celebrate girls named Amy. It is not the only name that has a set aside day to celebrate it, but I thought it was interesting anyway.
National Amy Day is celebrated every year on January 28th. In modern French, Amy is an English variant of the Old French name Aimée. Amée was a translation of ‘Amata,’ a Latin name originating from ‘Amatus,’ which means ‘beloved.’ That meaning was one of 
the things I liked about the name Amy. Amie and Ami are two other spelling possibilities. Although it is much less popular for babies these days, Amy was the second most popular baby name in the 1970s, right after Jennifer. That makes sense then, because my Amy was born in 1976. It is still a short, charming “Little Women’s” style classic today.
I first came across the name, not from the movie “Little Women,” but from a western show I used to watch years ago, called “The Monroes.” The show only lasted a year, from 1966 to 1967. It was a story of the survival of a group of five kids heading West, whose parents died in an accident. The kids were determined to go on, to fulfill their parents’ dream. The youngest sibling was played by Tammy Locke, and her name was Amy. She was 
such a cute little girl. I had never known anyone named Amy, but I liked this little girl, even though her name wasn’t really Amy either. I guess that is probably how many different names become popular. Whatever the case may be, we have always felt blessed to have our Amy, as well as her older sister, Corrie, who also has a day…I have discovered.
Little did I know that there is also a National Corey Day, that falls on December 10th…but that’s a story for another day. Today is National Amy Day, so happy National Amy Day to all the Amy’s out there. Have a great day!!
The past few years, my niece, Lacey Killinger has been living her dream life. On October 28, 2023. They decided to wait on their honeymoon until April, and it was totally worth the wait. They went to Cancun, Mexico, and had so much fun that they want to go back sometime in the future. One of the highlights of the trip was when they went swimming in caves down there. The cave walls were beautiful, and it was a very different experience for them. The trip was one they won’t forget. Lacey and Chris have very demanding jobs, and when the time came for the trip, they were both very ready. With her marriage to Chris, Lacey became a bonus mom to his children, Brooklyn (11) and Jaxon (9). She is really enjoying that new part of her life. The kids really love her, and she really loves them.
Lacey owns and operates LuxLou Beauty, where she specializes in hair and makeup for weddings, although she does both for other occasions too. Her business is doing fantastic she loves her salon and all her clients. Her 
business is doing so well, in fact, that the family “had” to take a trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota over Labor Day so Lacey could do a girl’s hair and makeup for her wedding. Now, that’s a hardship, hahaha!! While Lacey and Chris have both been to the Black Hills before, the kids had not. They had so much fun. They went to Deadwood and Rapid City, to the WaTiki water park, to Mount Rushmore, and Bear Country. They got a special show at Bear Country, when some brown bears were wrestling and then walked right next to the car. That was a highlight of their time at Bear Country for sure. Very few people get to be so close to a bear…safely and without fear of attack.
The holidays were awesome for the Killinger family. Spending time at Christmas with family and extended family was great. Then for New Year’s, they had the kids, so they made a party of it. The did a crab boil and watched the ball drop in Times Square. The food was amazing…or so I’m told, and I can see that Lacey and Chris are great cooks. I love being awake and at a party for New Years Eve. There is just something about making note of the changing of the years that appeals to me, and to many other people too. For Brooklyn and Jaxon, getting to stay up so late was a rare treat too.
Lacey and Chris have put the kids in sports this year, and Lacey has been fundamental in teaching them the skills of the sports they are in. She especially enjoys teaching Brooklyn the sport of volleyball, because Brooklyn loves volleyball as much as Lacey does. Lacey has also been great for helping the kids to achieve the fashion and hair looks they want. It really pays to have a professional hair stylist to make your hair look just the way you dreamed it would look, so you fit in nicely with the rest of the kids at school. And it’s not a negative to have that be free either. Let’s face it, hair stylists, especially the great ones, like Lacey, don’t come cheap. Today is Lacey’s birthday. Happy birthday Lacey!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Our aunt, Margee Kountz became an aunt at a very young age…just 18 months, to be exact. Of course, I’m sure she really didn’t know about it for a while, and by the time she did know, it was simply the normal for her. Margee is not the youngest aunt in history, of course, because some kids are actually born as aunts or uncles. Still, it is an interesting fact of life for Margee. She grew up around not one, but a number of nieces and nephews. By the time Margee was eighteen years old, in 1967, she had four nieces and one nephew. Another niece and two nephews would be added in quick succession but also added to her life at about the same time, would be her own children, Dan and Sandi Kountz.
Becoming a mother was probably not all that much different from helping out with her 
nieces and nephews, except for the fact that she had to take care of her own kids full time…not going home after babysitting, like she did with nieces and nephews. Maybe that’s why Margee was such a good mom both while she was married, and later as a single mom. Margee has always had a helping heart, and a heart for kids. In reality, she is just a kindhearted person in every way. She helped raise her grandchildren and helped care for her sister, my mother-in-law, Joann Schulenberg when we needed her help during mom’s Alzheimer’s disease. I don’t know what we would have done without Margee, and it was comforting to my mother-in-law, because she knew Margee, and we didn’t have to use a home health nurse or respite care worker as much.
Those years of caring for others are behind Margee now, but she still has her health for the most part. She is the last of the siblings in her family, because her sisters, Joann and Linda are both in Heaven now. We are thankful to still have Margee with us. She is the last link to her entire generation. These days, Margee does all the common things people younger than she is, do online. She is on Facebook, she texts, and she uses a cell phone. At 76 years of age, many people have no idea how to operate in the computer age, but Margee is sharp as a tack, and she is still going strong on the tech stuff. That’s something to be proud of. Today is Margee’s 76th birthday. Happy birthday Margee!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandnephew, Nathan Kirk is a sweet baby boy who is growing up so fast. His first year is already behind him and he has accomplished so much. He is walking now, and he has stolen the hearts of his parents, Siara and Chris Kirk…along with everyone else he comes across. When he smiles, his whole face lights up, and that makes everyone else happy. I’m told that his name means “gift from Heaven” and nothing could be truer. Nathan is the rainbow baby of my grandniece, Siara, who lost her first son when he was just three months old. Nathan has helped her heal. She will always miss Alec, but Nathan has truly been a healing gift.
Nathan makes the cutest little faces, and he is very photogenic. I just love seeing the latest pictures of him. Nathan loves his 
mommy and daddy, and his face lights up when they come into the room. Of course, there have been many firsts in his short life. He loves things like singing with his grandma, Chantel Balcerzak. He has also been very busy filling his mouth up with lots of teeth. His mommy and Daddy better get ready to start making his steaks…now that he has teeth.
Nathan has been initiated into the world of sports too. He has attended football games in Laramie with his parents, watching the Wyoming Cowboys. And I’m sure his grandpa, Dave Balcerzak has introduced him to the Pittsburgh Steelers too. I’m not sure who his daddy likes, but if it’s not the Steelers, I’m sure he is initiating Nathan into the other team too. No matter what, I know that Nathan will like lots of different kinds of sports, because he is his daddy’s boy, after all, not to mention his cheerleader mommy’s boy. It would be hard to be 
their kid without liking sports. Nevertheless, right now, he has other things on his mind. Things like learning to talk, run, and of course, eat. Boys always have big appetites.
Nathan’s real name is Nathaniel, but he has gone by both versions since he was born. Of course, there are other nicknames too, but I think most people call in Nathan. As with all kids, the nicknames he might use later on with be of his own choosing or something someone gives his that just sticks. Whatever nickname he uses later on, I know it will fit him perfectly. For now, he is too busy just getting to be a big boy. Today is Nathan’s 1st birthday. Happy birthday Nathan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Gaby Beach has been a serious athlete since before joining the Navy, years ago. Now that she is discharged from the Navy, she has made the commitment to her health, and she has never looked back. Gaby love many kinds of sports, including hiking, weightlifting, and running. When it comes to her workouts, Gaby is fierce!! She doesn’t give up, and she doesn’t slack off. She is a very determined woman, with the mindset of being the very best she can possibly be. I have no doubt that she will meet every goal and make every dream come true.
Gaby loves to run, and while I don’t know how many marathons and half-marathons she has participated in, I would not be surprised to find that the number is a dozen or more. If she is not competing, she is training. Her workouts are rigorous, and her runs are done with determination. I think the one thing that surprises me, an avid walker, who only runs from a bear (just 
kidding), is that even in the middle of a long run, Gaby still has the energy to kick up her heels with a big smile on her face. I’m doing my best just to breathe in a run.
Gaby and my nephew, Allen Beach moved from Casper to Washington a couple of years ago, and they have been doing quite a bit of exploring and hiking the trails in the area. They have taken a couple of trips up the coast, to Utah, and to Arizona. Part of those were for runs, but the trips were amazing too. Gaby is a social girl who makes friends easily. She works as a nurse at the Veteran’s Hospital in Eugene, Oregon, and she absolutely loves her job. Being a veteran herself, Gaby has a heart for veterans. In her work, she deals with 
various ailments, disabilities, and emotional needs of the veterans. While any nurse could care for the needs of the veterans at hospital, it occurs to me that a nurse who is also a veteran would have a unique connection to the needs of the men and women themselves, not just their bodies. I believe this is what makes Gaby perhaps the best nurse they could have at that hospital. Today is Gaby’s birthday. Happy birthday Gaby!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
