Kids
My grandniece, Mackenzie Moore is a bundle of energy, and this summer has been no exception. Even without her beloved ballet, Mackenzie has been very busy. Her ballet class takes a break over the summer, and she has really missed it. She has been spending lots of time hanging out with her cousins, Ethan Hadlock, Aurora Hadlock, Adelaide Sawdon, and Khloe Briggs. Mackenzie and Adelaide get to see each other the most, because they only live an hour away from each other. That has been a special blessing for both of these girls. This summer in particular, they have been pulling all sorts of shenanigans. In particular, they have been perfecting their look with makeup. From what I hear, they get better at it every day.
Mackenzie started Pre-K2 this year, and she absolutely loves school. She has also been happy to be back in ballet, because she really loves her ballet. She is so excited about her birthday coming, that she has, in fact, been talking about it since December. She loves to tell her 
mom, my niece Lindsay Moore, that she is “growing up” and reminds her of it often by doing “big girl things.” Mackenzie loves to socialize with all her friends…kids and adults alike!! That is so much like her mom. I remember Lindsay going all around the church before services to greet everyone, and I found myself wondering how this little girl managed to know all these adults!! Mackenzie, like her mom, is in her element at church and football games alike!! Her daddy, Shannon Moore is a coach for the Wyoming Cowboys, so she has the chance to get to know all the players, cheerleaders, and other coaches. Mackenzie is friends with the Cowboys cheerleading coach, so she gets to stay with the cheerleaders all through the games. She is friends with so many people and is totally in her element talking football with 
them, and of course, being the Cowboys’ littlest cheerleader!!
Mackenzie is a good girl, and she loves her Jesus more than anything else. She is a blessing to all who know her. She knows she is a child of God and has many questions. This past weekend she felt led to lay hands on her grandma, Allyn Hadlock, over a splinter and it made her mom’s heart very happy!! It is such a sweet thing to have a heart of compassion for other people. I think God may have a special calling for this little girl. Her mom says, “I have no greater joy than to know she walks in the truth!!” That is the best place to be. Today in Mackenzie’s 5th birthday. Happy birthday Mackenzie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My youngest grandson, Josh Petersen is not a kid anymore. In fact, he and his fiancée, Athena Salazar are about to become parents…likely before the end of this month, or at the very latest, early next month. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that my “youngest” grandchild is so grown up and is about to become a daddy, but here we are. The years fly by so very fast. I remember when his mom dropped him and his brother, Chris Petersen at my house in the mornings. It was my job to take the kids to school each morning, since I went to work an hour later than my girls, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce. Josh always came in the door with the same words…”Treat Grandma!!” There was no “Hi Grandma” or “I’m here, Grandma.” Just “Treat Grandma!!” That boy was always hungry. In fact, as much as he ate, I have no idea how he stayed so skinny, but he was certainly a skinny little kid.
All through his pre-driving school years, I took Josh and his brother to school, and then picked them up after so 
they could go to the Boy’s and Girl’s Club. While it was really noisy, the kids always had a great time at the club. As they got a little bit older, I’m sure the pool tables and other “big kid” games were the big draw. Now finding those kids after the workday was over was a totally different story. There were so many kids there, that you really had to search hard to find your kids. It seems so long ago when those kids, Chris, Shai Royce, Caalab Royce, and Josh were all in school. In so many ways, I really miss those days, but then if we were still in those days, I wouldn’t have the two great grandchildren I have, and little Justin, who is on the way.
His school days are over now, and Josh has become a man. He has met the girl of his dreams, Athena Salazar. 
Strangely, these two first met in middle school, and then reconnected when they were working together at Sanford’s. They knew right away that this was it…the real thing!! They have been inseparable ever since, and now their little family is growing, as they add baby, Justin. We are all so excited to meet him. Today is Josh’s 24th birthday. Happy birthday Josh!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
It’s been a busy year for my son-in-law, Kevin Petersen. He has spent the majority of the summer working on his car. Kevin loves to restore old cars, and he is really good at it. In fact, Kevin has been restoring cars for as long as I have known him, which is 32 years now. Kevin was a young man of 19 years back then; and my daughter, Corrie Petersen, at just 15 years old, knew that he was a keeper. Now they have been married 29 years, so she was right.
His latest project car is a 1966 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT. While the body was in pretty good shape when he got it, the paint was…rough. I’m sure the engine needed work too, but mainly the body needed a refresh. Kevin has been working hard all summer to restore the beauty to this beauty, and I would say that the results are spectacular. Kevin particularly likes striping, and not just simple stripes. He likes to really add flare to the cars he restores, and Kevin knows how to add that flare. A while back, he rented a shop, so that he could do his projects year-round. It’s been a good investment, because it’s impossible to paint outside and hard to do striping outside. The shop has been a great blessing to him, and something he has enjoyed very much.
Kevin and Corrie have had a big summer in other ways too. Their son, Chris got married to his long-time girlfriend, Karen on July 23rd. It was a beautiful wedding, and now Chris and Karen’s little girl, Cambree is going to start pre-school on September 12th. They also have a son named Caysen, and Kevin and Corrie love to go visit their little family. Having grandchildren is the blessing that comes from having children. In fact, Kevin and Corrie are expecting another grandson, Justin toward the end of this month. Their other son, Josh and his fiancée, Athena are getting excited to be parents too. They are coming down to the wire on this pregnancy, and they could be parents any time now.
Kevin and Corrie are also “fur parents” to two dogs and a cat. Dottie, their Scottish Terrier; Bellarina, their Dachshund; and Zoe, their cat. The “fur babies” keep them busy and entertained at the same time. They would 
love to go everywhere with Kevin and Corrie, but that really doesn’t work so well, and of course, Zoe has no desire to go anywhere. I think she worries that she might be going to the vet, and…well, “no thank you!!” They love their “fur babies” and wouldn’t trade any of them for anything. Life is good for Kevin and Corrie, and they are very happy with all parts of it. Today is Kevin’s birthday. Happy birthday Kevin!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
For the first time in about a decade, my niece, Lindsay Moore and her sister, Jessi Sawdon live close enough to each other to get together often. Lindsay has lived in a number of different places over the years, Brookings, South Dakota; Miami Florida; Greenville, North Carolina; and now Laramie, Wyoming. Her husband, Shannon Moore is a football coach and is currently the Tight Ends / Fullbacks Coach University of Wyoming. Jessi’s husband, Jason Sawdon has had a long and successful career with the Wyoming Highway Patrol and was recently promotion to Sergeant of Equipment and Technology, as the next step in his decorated career. The promotion came with a move to Cheyenne, Wyoming. That was sad for all of us, but it put the girls about 45 minutes from each other and made frequent visits possible. In fact, the visits feel like popping over to a friend’s house. Their play dates are as much for Lindsay and Jessie as they are for their daughters, Adelaide Sawdon and Mackenzie Moore. Jessie tells me that she finds Lindsay to be very funny, and that it is so much fun to “mom” with her. Lindsay loves the kids, hers as well as her nieces and nephew. Sometimes she decides to take the kids for a day or even a week, and they all have a wonderful time.
Lindsay is such a faithful daughter of God, and she is developing into quite the inspirational speaker too. She has spoken at two Women’s Conferences at her church, and everyone has learned so much from her…especially her own family. They have come to really rely on her if they need encouragement. Lindsay has been really 
digging deeper in the The Word this year, and she is really starting to see the vision that the Lord has in her life. Jessi tells me that “it’s so exciting and fun as an outsider to see that relationship in action.” As a family of Christians (Lindsay and Jessi’s as well as our whole family) watching any of our members grow more and more in the Lord is something that we all rejoice over. In fact, we all strive to grow deeper and deeper in the Lord, so it is a real joy to see it happening. Lindsay has always been a joyful person, and each new step makes her more and more joyful, and what a blessing it is to watch that growth.
Lindsay has lived far away from her family for a long time, so she knew that daily phone conversations and texting were always going to be very important. She is so good about calling all of her family and taking time from her day to make sure she knows what’s happening in their lives and to support them when needed. Lindsay is more than just a daughter or sister. She is their good friend. In fact, we could all take a lesson from her caring nature, and her continued relationship with her family. I know that her family is so thankful that she doesn’t let her busy life keep her from keeping in touch with them every day. They are all really thankful for her friendship. She’s such a good sister and friend.
Lindsay has always been “Lindsay” and that means she is herself. She is very real, and she doesn’t worry about how she might look to others. Lindsay has a lot of funny and awkward stories about interactions during the 
week. It’s not that they happen all the time, but that she is a just a funny storyteller, so they always seem awkward and funny. She is never afraid to be herself, even if “herself” is silly. That is an endearing quality for sure. Most of us are afraid to look silly, and while Lindsay doesn’t always “look silly,” she doesn’t mind if she does. It’s all a part of her charm. Today is Lindsay’s birthday. Happy birthday Lindsay!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Aurora Hadlock is growing us so fast. It seems impossible that she could be going into middle school this year, but she is very excited about that. Aurora is a social girl, and she is really looking forward to the changing of classes, and the very real possibility of making lots of new friends. Middle school is such an exciting step for kids. They begin to take responsibility for getting themselves from class to class, and moving from teacher to teacher, and having different friends in each class. The newfound variety is new and lots of fun. It makes the student feel very grown up…and after all, they are getting very grown up.
While middle school is so much more grown up, there are still things that make school fun for the students. 
Aurora is signing up for Lego Robotics again this year. I am always amazed with the things the kids make with the Legos. We had Legos when I was a kid, but the things we made were pretty elementary. These days the Legos move like robots. They open up and show you how they are made. They just aren’t your grandma’s Legos. These Legos have been transformed by these kids to the next level…and Aurora is very good at Lego Robotics!!
Aurora is also joining the book club. She loves to read, and this girl loves books. I can understand that too, because reading takes you to places you could never go otherwise. If you have a good imagination, and I believe she does, books can change the way you think and the way you see things. They open up the world to you, if you take the time to read the pages. I think Aurora is much like her mom there too, in fact she is her mini-me.
This summer, Aurora and her family got to go to Florida with her Grandma and Grandpa Hadlock (my sister, 
Allyn and her husband Chris), and the whole family. They rented a beautiful house down there, and everyone had a wonderful time. They got to swim and play on the beach, and they even got to take a little harbor cruise. Everyone had such a wonderful time, and it was such a memorable trip and such a blessing. It was a wonderful way to round out the summer, and I’m so glad that they got to go. Now Aurora is all ready to head back to school. She has had a great summer and now she is ready to head back to school. I know that she is going to have a wonderful first year of middle school, and I am very excited for her. Today is Aurora’s 11th birthday. Happy birthday Aurora!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Josh Griffith, who is married to my niece, Susan Griffith, has had a busy summer, and that means that they haven’t been able to go camping as much as they would have liked. They only got to go a couple of times in June and July, and for a camping family, that just isn’t enough. So, before summer officially ends and the weather gets cold, they are trying to go every chance they get. Anyone who has made the preparations to go camping, knows that just getting there is a lot of work. Then, once you’re there, camping is also a lot of work. It’s not like getting in a car, driving to a hotel, eating meals out, and then going back to the room to relax. Camping is chopping the wood for the fire, preparing all your food, cleaning up the dishes, making your own beds, and then doing it all again the next day. I guess that’s why we don’t go camping. When we go on trips, we hike and then eat out and relax in our motel room. I figure the hiking makes up for the lack of work camping, haha!! Susan said that she sometimes wonders if it’s all worth it…and I get it, but the next time they are out in the mountains and totally unplugged, Susan knows it’s worth it after all.
Many times, the family goes to the Big Horn Mountains, but this year they have only been there once. The rest 
of the time they have been going to the Beartooth Mountains, that border Montana and Wyoming. Going to the Beartooth Mountains is a lot more work, because they have to keep their camp super clean, and make enough noise to ward off the bears in the area. Susan calls it being “bear aware” and that makes sense. She tells me they definitely don’t have any trouble making noise, and if that keeps the bears away, I wouldn’t either. What they are doing must be working, because out of the 19 years they have been camping in the Beartooth mountains, they have never had an encounter with a bear, and I’m praying they never will. After a couple more camping trips, they will go back up a couple more times for firewood.
Then, it will be time to start hunting season. This year’s hunting trip will be special, because Josh is taking their daughter, Kaytlyn on her first hunting trip on horses this year. They have been trying to get the horses in shape and ready for hunting. Josh and Kaytlyn are really looking forward to the trip. They got a young horse this last winter. Hes only about 4 or so, and not broken yet. Josh has been trying to break him and plans to ride him for hunting season. Susan says it’s pretty interesting watching that unfold and hoping no one gets hurt. Susan says, “You never know when there’s going to be a rodeo. Haha!!” When I said that I didn’t know Josh broke horses, she said that he really doesn’t, but they just don’t want to pay to have someone else do it. At which 
point, I said, “Josh does break horses then!!” The horse came to them with the name Dudly, but they just didn’t like the feel of that name. The horse is a Tennessee Walker, so they changed his name to Tennessee Whiskey. That’s much more distinguished, for sure. Tennessee Whiskey sure is a pretty horse. Today is Josh’s birthday. Happy birthday Josh!! Have a great day!!
Ever since my grandniece, Aleesia Spethman was little, she has loved owls…all kinds of owls. I don’t know if she still does or not, but her interest in owls sparked an interest in owls for me. It was almost surprising to think of a little girl loving owls, but Aleesia did. She loved all kinds of owls. Suddenly, I wanted to know more about owls too. I find that I really like owls too…all kinds of owls. They are just so different. Normally, owls are nocturnal birds, and so spotting them isn’t so easy. I’m always amazed that photographers manage to get pictures of them, but then I’m sure it’s only after hours of sitting and waiting.
One of my favorite owl pictures is of an owl that had its head sideways, looking at the photographer like it was wondering what they were doing. I found that to be even funnier when my grandniece, Mackenzie Moore did that exact same thing when she was little. The fact that I found that picture, really piqued my interest in the burrowing owls, and the things I have found out about them has really made them my favorite owl, I think.
The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), is a small, long-legged owl, which is also called the Shoco. It is mostly found in the open landscape areas of North and South America. Burrowing owls prefer grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, and deserts. They actually nest and roost in burrows, often using those that have been excavated by prairie dogs. While Burrowing Owls don’t like the midday heat, they are often found out during the day, unlike their fellow owls of the nocturnal type. Still, they do most of their hunting at dusk and dawn, like many other kinds of owls, when they can use their night vision and hearing to their advantage. On strange thing about the Burrowing Owl is its longer legs. These allow the Burrowing Owl to sprint, as well as fly, when hunting, something that is a great advantage, since it lives in open grasslands as opposed to forests.
I particularly like some of the antics of the burrowing owls. In addition to the funny head positioning, they like 
to stand on one leg, stretch to their full height, and even kiss and hold hands…er feet. They are so cute, and they seem like such a loving owl, at least toward their mate. I don’t suppose their prey would see them that way, but when they aren’t hunting, they really are just as cute as they can possibly be…and funny too.
My grandniece, Adelaide Sawdon has had a very busy summer. Since her family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, putting them about an hour away from her cousin, Mackenzie Moore in Laramie, Wyoming, Adelaide has had the opportunity to have many play dates with her cousin often. That has been really fun for both of them. Makenzie has always lived far away from the rest of the family, so this is a first for both of them. They are almost like sisters. Adelaide also got to spend time with her Casper cousins, and her Michigan cousins this summer. Her Casper, Wyoming family all spent a vacation in Florida, and her Michigan cousins met up in Custer, South Dakota, so Adelaide had some really great quality time with her cousins this year. Adelaide is so smart. She loves school and all things learning. She’s been learning to read and 
is reading all the books and things she can get her hands on, and she loves her cousins and grandparents so much.
Adelaide’s Daisy dog, who had been a part of the Sawdon family since before she was born, went home to Heaven unexpectedly in February, and that was a really sad time for her and her family. They miss her very much, and it has been very hard. Now, they decided it was time to let a new puppy into their hearts, and Riley arrived. Riley is a Boxer, like Daisy was. Boxers are so sweet, and Riley has been a lot of fun. She has helped their hearts heal. Riley is already growing like a weed. Adelaide just loves her. They were instant pals, and it is the beginning of a great new relationship. Adelaide has had a dog all her life, so when Daisy went home, it left a void. It took time to be ready for a new puppy, but when the time finally came, Riley came in and stole their hearts…and she continues to wiggle her way deeper into their hearts every day.
It’s been a big summer for Adelaide in another way. She lost her first tooth. Losing that first tooth is a big step 
toward becoming one of the big kids, and Adelaide was so excited. She started 1st grade yesterday, and she’s a grown up six years old today…two exciting days in a row!! Her mom, Jessi Sawdon tells me that it’s such a fun time to be the little Adelady…a nickname from her mom and her dad, Jason Sawdon. Adelaide is really her mom’s mini-me, but there are definitely “Sawdon” things about her too…and anyone who knows her can see that’s true. Today is Adelaide’s 6th birthday. Happy birthday Adelaide!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Steve Spethman is a great husband and dad. Steve joined our family when he married my niece, Jenny Spethman on September 21, 2002. Their marriage has been blessed with five children, Xander, Zack, Isaac, Laila (who lives in Heaven), and Aleesia. They have such a strong bond, and I think much of that is due to the fact that Steve is a romantic and a protector. He loves Jenny so much, and no matter what happens in life, he is there to show her how much he loves her. He recently took Jenny to a 311 concert just so he could listen to one song that he plays to her all the time, called “Love Song.”
Steve loves to cook and many of us in the family have had the wonderful opportunity to eat some of the great dishes he makes. He also has his own forge, and he has made lots of wonderful knives…all of which he has sold for a very nice profit. Steve also does metal art, but he rarely sells any of that, because he pretty much does that for Jenny, as a labor of love. He is such a hard worker. He works all day and the comes home to work in the forge, making knives and such for extra money. Really, it’s because he loves to make things and he’s very good at it.
Steve is an avid gun owner and loves to go out shooting. He has trained all their kids to shoot, and the boys have all passed their hunter safety classes and go hunting with Steve to help provide meat for the family. The children have also been taught the value of life and to respect life. A big part of gun safety is to teach the gun user that to use the gun in deadly force against another human being must be carefully thought out and used only to protect from attack. The children have been taught these important values.
Steve loves to take his family places and show them the many great things this country has to offer. They love to go to Rapid City and the Black Hills area, especially the water parks. They also love the things that the Casper area has to offer, often going to the summer “Rock the Block” programs and other things that are held at David Street Station. But they also love to go to the Alcova Lake and to Casper Mountain, where they enjoy hiking. Steve also loves to take everyone for rides on his motorcycle, but of course, his favorite riding partner is the love of his life, his wife, Jenny. Steve has made the lives of his family so blessed, and they all love him so much. Today is Steve’s birthday. Happy birthday Steve!! Have a great day!! We all love you!!
My grandnephew, Keifer Balcerzak is a busy guy these days. Keifer and his wife, Katie now have two kids, with the addition of Aysa on November 8, 2021, making their daughter, Reece a big sister. Keifer and Katie are wonderful parents, who are always encouraging their children to experience life to its fullest. Keifer love most sports, and these days plays softball, in addition to the sports he loves to watch. In fact, the teams he has played on have taken first place a number of times, including this year when the team he was on with his dad, were the All Around Safety USSSA Wyoming State Champions. I can see down the road, that Keifer will have lots of fun watching and participating in sports with his kids and probably even coaching as the years go by…maybe he already has with Reece. Keifer and Katie are definitely “hands-on” when it comes to raising their kids. They love to do things with them, encourage their personal growth, and show them all the possibilities in life. Keifer and Katie really are great parents.
Keifer and Katie are two of the happiest people I know. They are always smiling. They have been together for a long time now, and I can’t imagine it any other way. Some couples are just perfect for each other right from the start, and even though they are young, you can tell that it’s a forever kind of love. Keifer and Katie’s marriage has withstood the test of time, and now they have been married over 7 years. They are still very much in love, and they are still very happy. It’s a wonderful thing to see. Their family is very blessed, and now with their second child, complete. They have their daughter, and they have their son. It’s like what many people would consider the perfect family.
Keifer is his daughter’s superhero, and his son’s best buddy. Keifer loves being a dad. He is also a wonderful 
uncle to his nieces and nephews. Keifer really just loves kids in general, of all ages…and they love him. He’s so much like his dad, Dave Balcerzak. Both of them are like big teddy bears, and their smiling faces draw the kids to them both. Keifer and his dad love to watch football together, and unless something has changed, they both love the Pittsburgh Steelers. That does make for a more compatible game time. Keifer is just a guy who loves his family and loves life. Today is Keifer’s birthday. Happy birthday Keifer!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
