Kids
My great grandnephew, Asa Balcerzak is a sweet little three-year-old, who is all boy. He likes trucks, motorcycles, and Grandpa Dave Balcerzak’s hot rod, but he also has a softer side…at least when it comes to kittens and other pets. I think Asa is very much his daddy, Keifer’s boy, but he also loves his mommy, Katie and sister, Reece very much too. Recently, his family made a trip to the Corn Maze in town. It was a big family thing, with lots of extra family members there too. There were rides and games, lots of things to see and do, and one big chair for picture taking.
Like many little kids these days, Asa likes the two wheeled bikes. When I was a kid, three might have been the age to receive a tricycle, but these kids can and do ride two wheelers, 
and even drive motorized cars, without running into everything in sight. I guess that with technology, comes the advancement of their abilities too. These kids know how to work a tablet, phone, and probably a computer too. Sometimes I am just amazed. The computer stuff doesn’t really shock me too much, because Asa’s dad is a computer programmer by trade, so why should his kid be different.
Asa has a great smile. I always think that when he smiles, his whole face smiles. Not everyone is that way, but Asa and his sister definitely are two of those people. Reese is so proud of her little brother, and they are so sweet together. I’m sure there are fights. All siblings fight sometimes, but they get along very well. I think Reece was very excited to get a baby 
brother. She was all smiles. I’m sure she wanted him to play right away, but that had to wait. Now, playtime is here, and they love having a sibling…even though their interests are quite different. Reece is a girly girl, and Asa is definitely all boy. Nevertheless, she watches out for her little brother, and I’m sure he will watch out for her when he is a little older.
It’s hard to believe that Asa is three years old already. It seems like he was just born yesterday, but her we are at the milestone between toddler and little boy. It’s amazing…they are a baby and then a toddler, and suddenly…they are a little boy. Before we know it he will be a grown man. For now though, he is a little boy. Today is Asa’s 3rd birthday. Happy birthday Asa!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Matt Miller Has been with my niece, Michelle Miller since they were in 8th grade. Theirs was to be a lifelong friendship that blossomed into love. Now they have been married for a little over three years and things keep getting better and better for them. This year, they have done quite a bit of traveling, and Matt, brave (or maybe crazy) guy that he is decided, along with his dad and aunt, to jump off the stratosphere in Las Vegas! Yikes!! Of course, that is a tourist attraction these days, but they truly do jump off of the building. They are hooked to a bungee cord, and it’s a controlled jump, but I’m pretty sure I would lose my lunch doing that. Nevertheless, Matt, his dad, and aunt, all had a great time doing it.
Matt and Michelle also did a lot of camping and hanging out with our dogs at his parents’ pool. On August 14th, they celebrated their 3rd anniversary up at the cabin on Casper Mountain, where we got married. Their third year of marriage also seemed like the perfect time to buy a house, so they took that logical next step. They are so excited about their new house, but like many people these days, they bought a fixer upper, and so the work begins. I know it will be very rewarding when it is done.
The home purchase is kind of a funny too. They knew that the home was going to need a lot of work, but when you get a good deal, you have to go for it. So, they moved into the lower level of the house, and they’ve been very busy remodeling the top floor entirely. You just never know what you are going to run into, and this remodel has been crazy. It ended up being a total gut job. They took it all the way down the nothing. Nevertheless, they are very excited to start rebuilding. It wasn’t that the “bones” of the house were bad, it’s just that everything in the house was from the 70’s era. It was completely outdated. To make matters worse, the previous owners smoked in there for 30 years, so it has taken a lot of work to clean it up. Still, when it’s all done, it is going to be an amazing house, and it will have their stamp on it, making it even more special.
While Matt and Michelle have been very busy with the new house, they still managed to take a little time out for a Broncos game. A guy can’t be expected to give up his sports, you know. Matt is an avid hunter, fisherman, and of course, his loves football, so I’m glad they got to go to a game or two. That will also make it easier to get back to work on the new house. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I know it’s going to look amazing. Today is Matt’s birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
In this family, I think we all feel like we will always love Chris Kirk, because he was the guy who game my grandniece, Siara Kirk her smile back, after a very rough year. Since that fateful day, when Siara made the first move, Chris has proven himself to be, as Siara says, the ultimate husband, and now also the ultimate dad. Since their meeting in late September 2021, Chris and Siara have married, and added a sweet little son, Nathanial to their family. Chris and Nathanial (Nathan) are definitely BFFs (Best Friends Forever), because Chris spends most of the weekdays he has off with Nathan when the baby isn’t at Siara’s mom, Chantel Balcerzak’s house. Chris and Siara bought the house next door to her parents, Dave and Chantel, and they couldn’t be happier about this close family connection, and the ease of daycare when Chris and Siara are working.
Chris and Siara want their marriage to be a loving foundation for their children, so they came up with a plan that no matter what, when either of us got home from work, we would kiss each other first, then the babies’ second. They want to show the kids that mommy and daddy love and respect each other. There is a stability in knowing that your parents are still in love with each other, no matter how many years they have been together. I remember my own parents kissing in the kitchen, and how my sisters and I would dance around them singing “Mommy and Daddy are kissing!!” It was a silly little song, but we were never embarrassed by their kissing, and we always knew they loved each other. We felt stable and 
comfortable that they were staying together until death parted them, which they did.
Siara says, “We still laugh in bed over something funny trying not to wake Nathan up like when kids try not to wake their parents up.” Almost like they should be asleep, and they are “sneaking” to stay up late. Hahaha!! I like the “little kid” part that still lives inside of Chris and Siara. Who needs to grow up too quickly…not them, for sure. While Chris and Siara want to stay young at heart, I also think that they have a very solid plan for building a solid marriage, and stable home for their family. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Dustie Masterson has had a very busy year. She is the assistant manager of Walgreen’s in Casper, and she has been taking college classes to better herself for her job and future positions within Walgreen’s. My nephew, Rob Masterson is so very proud of his wife, and he couldn’t wait to tell me that she is now a certified pharmacy tech in Wyoming. When she is finished with her classes, she will be certified nationwide. She is also certified to give immunizations. These are big steps toward managership within Walgreen’s. Even with her classes, Dustie spends a lot of time at Walgreen’s. I know that makes sense, since she is assistant manager, but to me she is almost a fixture. Every time I am there, Dustie is there. She is very dedicated.
While her job takes a lot of her time, Dustie is, first and foremost, a wife and mother. He oldest daughter, Raelynn says, “I love every part of my mom. This year has been a rollercoaster for everyone, but especially her. Still, she hasn’t given up on what she wants to get done. When she was diagnosed with diabetes, she had a small cry and has taken care to change her entire diet to manage it, rather than just take meds to manage it like everyone else she knows with it. She’s one of the strongest people I know. One of my favorite things about her is that she doesn’t let anything hold her down. She’s going to be 80 and old and still doing silly dances to her favorite songs. She’s been working on getting certified to work in the pharmacy at her store, so they can 
have the extra back up if they need it, on top of being a go to for almost anyone who needs help. My mom hasn’t let this hard year get to her and has taken it all in stride. I couldn’t be more proud to call myself her daughter.” That says it all, Raelynn. I know she is proud of you too
Dustie’s son, Matt says, “My mom is literally my best friend. She makes it hard not to enjoy life. She turns bad days to good ones and her cooking is to die for!! She’s also a little crazy, but what mom isn’t after four kids.” Well said Matt. Nothing wrong with a little crazy.
Dustie’s daughter, Taylor says, “My mom is one of my best friends, she’s the one I tell everything to, with full confidence that she won’t judge or tell anyone about it unless I tell her she can. Mom is a huge role model for me and how she carries herself anywhere is how I want to handle myself too. My mother is the funniest person I know, just the other day she made me laugh uncontrollably because she said, ‘Someone should make a musical about the trials and tribulations of rode construction’ when I was showing her a new musical I like. She likes to say she’s fun sized instead of short and will always get pretend defensive when we call her short. Mom is an amazing cook too!! Whatever it is, she makes I try and almost always love it. I really think she should open a restaurant with Uncle Steve (Spethman), and it would do amazingly well. I love my mother so very 
much and I really can’t find the words to explain all of it.” Taylor, I think you did just fine.
Sometimes, I almost feel like I have a “ghost writer.” When those who provide ideas say things in such a way that there is no improving on what they have sent me, all I can do is leave it alone. Dustie is very loved by her family. She gives of herself to any in need. She is very blessed, and she is a blessing to many. Today is Dustie’s birthday. Happy birthday Dustie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Tucker Schulenberg has had a year beyond belief. The year started off good. Tucker was in school and had a girlfriend. He was a happy uncle his nieces and nephews. Life was getting better every day. Things had been really hard for Tucker since his mom, Rachel Schulenberg passed away on January 19, 2021, following a massive stroke. Tucker was in a really dark place for a while, but he was finally on the way out of it. He will never get over his mother’s loss, but he was healing.
Then, came July 4, 2024. Tucker, his brother, Riley Birky and a couple of friends were picking up fireworks for the Independence Day celebration. Someone, no one knows who, lit a cigarette without thinking, and suddenly, 
the car was engulfed in flames. The fireworks were on the floor at Tuckers feet, putting him in the worst possible place. Riley managed to pull the car over without hitting anything and began pulling the other boys out of the car. It was a lifesaving maneuver on his part, and while all the boys were burned, they were alive. The boys would spend differing lengths of time in the hospital, and have different treatments while they were there, with Tucker’s being the longest stay. Tucker also required much physical therapy to get the strength back in his legs. It’s been a long, hard road but Tucker was determined to get his life back, and he certainly did.
Two months to the day, Tucker left the hospital…on his own steam. He was determined to come all the way back too, and so he has been working on running with those legs that no one was sure would walk again. He is back to school, and the Rocky Mountain High School and Middle School student council held a fund raiser called the T-shirt Game, and even made t-shirts that said Tucker Tuff. It was great to see everyone rallying around him like that, and I’m sure it inspired him to push forward in his healing process. Tucker is a strong guy, and I know he can do anything he sets his mind to. His future is bright, and I am so proud of him for sticking to it and making such an amazing come back for such a terrible accident. Today is Tucker’s 17th birthday. Happy birthday Tucker!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandson, Justin Petersen is a very happy little boy. He loves doing crazy things, like driving his toy cars off of the bench in my house, and then laughing as I go to pick it up. He tries to “help” his mom cook, by grabbing the potatoes before she peels them and taking them all over the house. He loves to make people laugh, and anything he can do to be silly…well, he is up for that. Justin is all about the laughs. His sense of humor is great big, and his pranks, tricks, and just his laugh, keep the whole household in stitches, when he gets going.
Justin loves being a big brother to his little brother, Axel, and while there are the normal tiffs, they are best buddies. For little kids, the best friends are their siblings and cousins, because they don’t have school friends 
yet. Justin was very excited to have a baby brother, even though he didn’t know quite what to do with him, but now that Axel can play, Justin really likes having him around. Justin and Axel are Irish Twins, which means that they were born less than a year apart. Justin and Axel will always be the same age from September 18th to October 14th…26 days. Their Grandma, Corrie Petersen and their aunt, Amy Royce are also Irish Twins and are the same age for 29 days each year. It’s a cool little tidbit of trivia that we love in our family. The boys also have an Irish Twin cousin (is there such a thing), named Cyler. Anyway for 5 days, they are all three the same age. It’s fun.
Justin is growing up so fast. His vocabulary is big these days, and he knows his ABCs and numbers to eight. It’s hard to believe that he is getting so big. Nevertheless, Justin is a very loving child, and just because he is 
growing up, doesn’t mean that he doesn’t like to feel close to those he loves. He likes to hold his mommy and daddy’s hand when they go places, and even likes to hold his baby brother’s hand too. He especially likes to hold hands when he goes to sleep. I think that is just precious. Those kinds of things are such a treasure, because as we all know, they grow out of this stage at some point, even though they never stop loving their parents and siblings…and of course, their grandparents. Justin loves his grandparents very much too. Today is Justin’s 2nd birthday!! Happy birthday sweet boy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Ryan Hadlock has been really busy this year…and with a wide variety of activities. Ryan is a family man, married to Chelsea for almost 16½ years. He is dad to Ethan and Aurora. Ryan works very hard to give his family the very best that life has to offer. Ryan is the Compression Foreman, at Contango Energy. It is a position he was promoted to when his uncle, Mike Stevens retired, but it was a position that the bosses felt Ryan was perfect for he had been a Compression Operator, but they saw more. Ryan proved them right. Ryan works hard at his job, and he is very respected there, but his real focus is always on his family.
Ryan’s parents, Chris and Allyn Hadlock have been building a new garage this year, and it has been a huge project. Ryan has spent a lot of time this summer working on it. They had to tear down the old garage, level the area and prepare it to allow drainage and a new retaining wall…and that was before they could even start on 
the garage. It was a group effort, with help from brothers-in-law, Mike Reed and Mike Stevens, Ryan and his son, Ethan as well. The project was a great success, and the guys had a great time. Allyn tells me that, “Ryan was such a huge help for us this summer building the garage! He was faithful to come out and sacrifice his own time to give of himself. We appreciate so much his strength and can-do attitude! Chris loved the dad/son time, and their close relationship has grown even more and gotten stronger. He really enjoys spending time with Ryan!”
The Hadlock family went camping some this year too. They went to the Big Horn Mountains a few times, and thankfully they were able to do that, because after the massive fire in the Big Horns that is going on right now, things may not be the same there for a while. Ryan and Ethan went to Top Golf for a father-son fun time. That was a lot a great time, and always an important thing for men and their boys. They also went camping in the Black Hills, and then, of course, there is the inevitable job of working on the camper.
They went to a concert last month, and another one is coming up next week! They’ve been to a few Wyoming Cowboys’ games this year too, which is a fun family time for the whole Hadlock clan. Ryan and Chris are going to a Broncos game in a couple of weeks, after attending another Cowboys’ game…an all sports weekend. Ryan and his family have been blessed to have a super good year, and they know that next year will be even better!! Today is Ryan’s birthday. Happy birthday Ryan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Riley Birky has had a rough year. Not like most people think of a rough year. He has had a really rough year. It started out good, but on July 4th, everything changed…everything. Riley; his little brother, Tucker Schulenberg; and a couple of friends, Landon and Dylan; had gone to pick up fireworks for the evening’s festivities. Little is known about wat happened from there, but it is suspected that someone lit a cigarette without thinking about the fireworks. Seconds later, the car was engulfed in flames. I read where they are crediting Riley with the saving of lives and preventing an accident, In the midst of driving a car that burst into flames, Riley had the presence of mind to pull over, even though he was being burned. He stopped safely and them assisted the other boys, so that all got out alive. Riley was a hero. 
The boys were taken to the hospital and quickly flown to Denver, where they remained for varying lengths of time, as each on had different burns. While the struggle to recover has really hard, Riley persevered and is now back home, as are the three other boys. Their story truly is a miracle. These young men were so close to death, but they had people who were praying for them. God is so good. These days all the boys are home, Tucker is back to school, and while Riley isn’t back to work yet, he is doing really well.
Riley is a great dad to his son Ryder and bonus son, Jace. He is a great fiancé to his fiancée, Sierah Martin, and he is a great brother to Tucker. His presence in their lives is not only important…it’s vital. They rely on him so much, and Riley has stepped up to be the man they need him to be. He didn’t have to be this kind of man, but 
Riley has proven himself to be just exactly that…a step up when needed kind of man!! I am so roud of the man Riley has become, and I know that he will continue to make his family proud.
Riley has a long way to go in his recovery, as do Tucker, Landon, and Dylan. The boys were all blessed in that their faces were not scarred. Nevertheless, their arms and legs will have a long road to recovery. Still, these boys are fighters, and they have many people praying for them behind the scenes. I know they will recover well and lead amazing lives. Today is Riley’s 24th birthday. Happy birthday Riley!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My granddaughter, Athena Petersen, who is married to my grandson, Josh Petersen, is a sweet mother of two boys, with a third son on the way. She loves kids has worked in daycare for some time. Since their move to Lawton, Oklahoma, Athena got a job at Stepping Stones Daycare, starting yesterday. So, her birthday will find her settling into her new workplace. Athena and Josh with be working different shifts, so they will share the duties of caring for their sons, Justin and Axel. That’s the way things often go when both parents work. The good news is that it gives each parent their own time with the boys. Kids will do different things with their mom than with their dad, so there is a little variety. I’m sure the boys will like the different activities with each parent too.
Athena is a really upbeat person, and her personality makes people really like her right away. For her most 
things have an exciting side to them. If things don’t have an exciting air about them, she puts excitement and joy into them. She is creative, and always has new little crafts for the kids to do. Right now, Athena, Josh, and the boys are staying with her brother, Jacob Salazar, his wife, Idalia, and their three little girls, so the kids all get in on things like finger paint projects, done in a big baggie so as not to be messy. It is a very cool idea, and one that doesn’t surprise me coming from Athena. She always comes up with cool things to make, and often chooses crafts that the little kids can easily participate in.
Athena is very family oriented. She and Josh like taking their boys to see things like museums, the Holy City of the Wichitas (a vision of Jerusalem and the Holy Land inspired by Reverend Anthony Mark Wallock), parks, and 
aquariums. That was one thing that drew them to the Lawton area…all the activities there were to do. Now, she is expecting their third son, who will be named Cristian. They are getting very excited about their growing family. Athena is a great “boy mom” but hopes to add a girl to the mix one of these days. For now though, they are working on getting settled in their new city, while trying to stay in touch with the family left behind in Casper, Wyoming. It’s very important to Athena and Josh that their boys stay in touch with their grandparents back in Casper. They have been making Facetime calls so the boys can talk to grandparents. Of course, we miss them terribly, but we want them to be happy, above all. Today is Athena’s birthday. Happy birthday Athena!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Jolene Thompson has long been a Daddy’s Girl, and as such, she liked to do all the things her daddy, Tim Thompson was doing. They would go hunting, fishing, camping, and in general, all the “guy things” Tim was doing. Being a tomboy was great while Jolene was a little girl, but these days, Jolene is growing up, and whether her daddy likes it or not, she is quickly becoming a “girly girl” too. I’m sure she will still love doing those things with her daddy, because…well, he’s her daddy, but right before his eyes, Tim’s little tomboy is becoming a complicated mix of tomboy and girly girl…but then, isn’t that what all girls do at a certain age. These days, her favorite color is…you guessed it, pink, and she loves wearing dresses. Her bonus mom, Kellie Hadlock is very much a “girly girl” too, and Jolene wants to emulate Kellie in most of the things she does. She and Kellie have so much fun together.
This past summer, Jolene spent a good bit of the summer with Kellie. They had a blast. They attended family 
parties and church, where Kellie is one of the lead singers. They shopped together, and really that is where Jolene expressed her girly interest to Kellie. Jolene has become such a big part of the Hadlock family. She loves having girl cousins to play with, and Kellie’s nieces, Aurora, Adelaide, and Mackenzie all truly love hanging out with Jolene whenever they can. Jolene and Kellie made several trips to Laramie and the three youngest girls even got matching t-shirts. Jolene is a sweet little girl, who loves other kids. She may be quiet around adults she doesn’t know well, but around kids, she is in her element, and she makes them feel special and happy. She has an 
infectious smile that makes everyone around her smile too.
While Jolene is quickly growing into a young lady, she has still kept parts of her daddy’s tomboy. She loves riding on the big equipment that her daddy knows how to run….and seriously, who wouldn’t. Jolene has also started wrestling, and she has a great talent for it. So much so, in fact, that she won first place in a competition. Jolene is a strong little girl, and she doesn’t let much get in her way. If she sets her mind to something, she does it. That is an amazing character trait, and one many people would be blessed to possess. Today is Jolene’s 9th birthday. Happy birthday Jolene!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
