Kids
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!!
My nephew, Jason Sawdon is a great guy…just ask anyone who knows him. His sister-in-law, Chelsea Hadlock tells me that Jason is kind, helpful, and sister-in-law, Lindsay Moore says that he has a generous heart, which she believes to be straight from the Lord. Jason is always willing to help others with a variety of things. He helps out his church in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with their computer things, like streaming their services online, which is such an important part of church services these days. If people are sick, or just can’t get out of their home easily, they don’t have to miss out on the church service. Jason serves others gladly and with compassion. He is so handy and can truly figure anything out!!
Jason is dependable. If Jason says he will be there to help…he will. This past week, he helped his father-in-law, Chris Hadlock with the electrical work in Chris’ new garage. Jason did a great job on the wiring for the garage. It will be inspected next week, and they are confident it will get the green light. He has a lot of talent when it comes to electricity and engineering…a great plus, in the “saving money” arena. If you can save money, it’s a good thing. Having that help within the family is awesome.
Everyone tells me that Jason is also funny, but not in an obvious way!! You really can’t tell he’s joking unless you know him well!! Those are the best tricksters, because they will get you every time. Not everyone can tell a good joke or pull a really great prank with a straight face, and if you can’t, the prank with never go over. You have to have a “poker face” so to speak. Jason is quite a character, he and brings lots of fun and adventure to their lives!! Everyone feels blessed to have him as a brother-in-law, they love him very much. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t agree with them on that.
In a “Wild Hogs” kind of time, Jason went on a motorcycle trip with his friends this summer. They went on some backroads trails across the state of Wyoming. They had a great time. Now, I don’t know if they got into as much mischief as the original “Wild Hogs,” but I’d say probably not. Jason, being a Wyoming 
Highway Patrol Lieutenant, would be very unlikely to get into any trouble, and my guess is that at least some of his friends are also law enforcement, so…getting in trouble is not an option, Haha!!
My sister, Allyn Hadlock, Jason’s mother-in-law, like every mom, takes a different view about what traits are most important in her son-in-law, and Jason has gained her approval in every area. He is a great dad and husband. He is always happy to indulge, his wife, Jessi’s whims!! He’s a great guide to their daughter, Adelaide and loves her so much!! They have a lot of fun as a family, camping, traveling, or just time at home hanging out together. Allyn says, “We are very blessed to have Jason in our family!!” Today is Jason’s birthday!! Happy birthday Jason!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandson, Axel Petersen, turns one today. He is a typical little boy. He loves the maneuver from crawling to sitting and regularly shows his parents, Josh and Athena Petersen just how smart he is in all he does. Axel is a smiley happy baby and displays such sweet little smiles. Axel recently moved with his family from Casper, Wyoming to Lawton, Oklahoma, and while we are all very sad that they have moved so far away, we are glad that they are adjusting well. We all miss him very much, especially his grandma and papa, Corrie and Kevin Petersen, who liked to have the boys over to visit. For now, they live with his mommy’s brother Jacob Salazar, his wife Idalia, and their children. Axel and his brother, Justin are having a great time playing with their cousins and getting to know their aunt and uncle better. Axel really likes spending time with his Aunt Dali.
Axel has several new teeth coming in and had 8 in total. That means he gets to eat a whole new variety of 
foods, which makes him very happy. He often says dad, and when he and his brother were finishing a bath the other day, Josh dried Justing off while Athena finished up with Axel. When she started to dry him off, and Axel saw that his daddy dried his brother off, when Axel saw that his mommy was drying him off, he cried and said “No…Dad!! Dadddd!!” Athena says she was “offended!” I guess Axel was too. Apparently, mommy didn’t dry him off right or else it was a matter of what his big brother got…Axel should get too!! I know Athena was hoping Axel would be her “momma’s boy” for a little bit longer. I guess she will just have to settle for Axel’s new little brother, Cristian (coming around February 1st) to be her “momma’s boy” now.
Axel has been having a great time touring the Lawton area with his parents. He loves going to the park and playing on the toys there, especially the swings. He loves watching what his daddy is doing, especially when Josh is being funny. Axel loves to smile and laugh. He is very ticklish, and actually likes being tickled. Of course, anyone who knows kids, knows that they really do like being tickled. There is just something about getting tickled that makes kids happy. Axel is just an all-around happy boy, who makes his parents and family very happy. He may 
not know it yet, but he is getting ready to become a big brother too. This will be a different experience for our little Axel, but I know that he will be a great big brother, just like his big brother, Justin is. Today is Axel’s first birthday. Happy birthday Axel!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My younger daughter, Amy Royce met her future husband, Travis Royce, when they were both still in high school. They knew that what they had was something special…something forever, and now, 29 years later, they are still going strong. They are so good together. They like doing the same things…except for the football teams they support. Travis likes the Chicago Bears and Amy likes the Green Bay Packers. For non-football fans, the two teams are bitter rivals. That said, they watch the games minus their spouse…it keeps the peace.
I love how these two are together. Their house is always filled with laughter, because they both have a great sense of humor. Their jokes might be a little different, but both are very funny. They love entertaining their friends, and their house is truly the place everyone wants to hang out. Travis and their son, Caalab, along with several friends have a little band. They don’t usually go anywhere to play or charge admission for their concerts, but rather “jam” right there at the house. When they bought the house, it had a garage and recreation room, and now it is the local “T&Avern” and has everything from a pool table to bar tables. It’s a great place for them, their kids (Shai and Caalab Royce), and their friends to hang out.
Amy and Travis have a couple of places they like to go to celebrate their anniversaries. One is a quaint little 
place called Ilwaco, in southwest Washington. The town (although I have not been there) reminds me a little bit of a place Bob and I like to go for our anniversaries…Thermopolis, Wyoming. Ilwaco is a little town of about 1,087 people, so there isn’t a whole lot to do but relax and walk around the area. That is what makes it so charming. They also took an Alaskan cruise last year, which they very much enjoyed. Since they live so close to Canada these days, they have also taken anniversary trips to Canada, as well.
Amy and Travis are above all, best friends. They have been from the very start. They have an easy-going style and get along very well. They love the area they love in, being near the beaches, and being near enough to the big cities to go there sometimes, and far enough away so that they aren’t feeling like they are always in the big cities. Amy is a rain-lover!! I don’t know if Travis loves it as much as Amy does, but I think he likes it too. They 
have a beautiful back yard, that Amy and Travis keep in tip top shape. He takes care the lawn, and she takes care of the flower gardens. They have ponds that are inhabited by “voluntary” frogs and snails. It’s nice when they don’t have to spend money of the inhabitants of the pond, because they just show up and move right in. Amy and Travis are quite happy with their life together, and that makes us very happy too. Today is Am and Travis’ 29th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary Amy and Travis!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Every kid gets excited about their birthday and being another year older. Most start saying they are their age and a half pretty early on, but for my grandniece, Mackenzie Moore, the excitement maybe went to the extreme. In fact, she’s been talking about turning seven since she turned six!! Hahaha!! So, to think the day has finally arrived is…well, the best birthday gift ever!! Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she is excited about birthday gifts and such, but being seven is just the coolest most important part of her birthday.
Mackenzie is kind, and she has such a sweetheart. Like her mom, Lindsay Moore, Mackenzie is a social butterfly…she is a friend to everyone she meets. Mackenzie is truly a such a delightful person. She is easy going and fun. She loves her family and loves to be with them. Her grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, and most of all…her cousins are a huge part of her life!! The summer, she got to spend time with her cousin Khloe from South Dakota; and lots of time with Adelaide Sawdon, who lives in Cheyenne, so not too far away. She and Addie play together often, and we try to get the girls together a lot. They build forts, make up games, and love to jump on the trampoline. Then, Mackenzie and Adelaide got to go camping with cousins, Ethan and Aurora Hadlock, and Jolene Thompson . The Hadlock family has had a long-standing tradition of camping together, and that has built a close comradery among the cousins. 
Chelsea tells me that, Mackenzie is very funny, kind, and determined…and she is never interested in Uncle Ryan Hadlock’s teasing and nonsense. Hahahaha!!
She spent a lot of time practicing her gymnastics this summer and started officially this fall. So far, she loves it. and her hard work has paid off. She is very proud of her gymnastics skills and loves to show those skills as often as possible. She’s practiced the perfect cartwheel and executes it flawlessly each time she does it. Her aunt, Chelsea Hadlock, tells me that she is super good at them!! When Chelsea asked what she wanted for her birthday she said, “makeups and lotions, lip ‘skincare,’ soft scrunchies…Simone Biles things.” Chelsea really laughed about that. For those who don’t know, Simone Biles is an Olympic gymnast.
Mackenzie loves her daddy, Shannon Moore, very much!! They are two peas in a pod, and they love doing the same things. She also loves being in 1st grade!! Mackenzie has the sweetest heart. She is always considerate of everyone around her to make sure they are included and comfortable in all situations. She is a helper and always does what is right. She is also such a sweet friend. One place where Mackenzie shows maybe just a “hint” of stubbornness, is in the area of fashion. She has her own style, and it may not be like everyone else. 
That doesn’t matter, because it is her style. She’s always been this way and knows exactly what she wants her outfits and hair to look like and will not be swayed, haha!! Her Aunt Jessi Sawdon and family love that they live so close and get to see her often! God has made her uniquely her…instilling her perfect gifts and talents. He has called her according to a purpose!! She is loved by God, loved by her family and her sweet little doggy Brinkley Bear. Today is Mackenzie’s 7th birthday!! You made it Mackenzie…six is gone and seven has arrived. Happy birthday Mackenzie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
