Kids
Every year, after having a carefree time of summer, the inevitable arrives…going back to school. Some kids love going back. Others hate going back, and some have mixed feelings about it. Still, there is a level of excitement for most kids, even if it’s just about new clothes and reconnecting with friends that they haven’t seen in three months. Some kids just like the routine of school, and feel bored in the summer, while others love being able to sleep in, and hate the idea of the routine of getting up, getting ready, and getting to school. At this point, most people are thinking about which of the above descriptions is them, because each of us fits in somewhere.
These days, even if kids don’t love going back to school, the 
latest tradition is to post pictures of the first day of school, along with what grade they are going to be in this year. Then, at the end of the year, they post last day of school pictures. The contrast between first and last day is often…amusing, as well as surprising. The first day, many are a little dressed up, or at least showing their new sense of style for the coming year, while the last day brings a very relaxed look showing that they can’t wait for summer’s arrival. Let’s face it while many kids love school, the human mind needs a break sometimes, and that is all there is to it. Anyone who doesn’t think kids need summer break, was simply never really a kid.
Some kids are heading off to college, or back to college. Some kids are continuing their elementary school 
careers, starting middle school, or starting high school. Some are taking their last, first day of school pictures and some people are taking their first, first day pictures. Whatever the case may be, each one is a unique and very special memory, and one that will be cherished forever. Each picture shows how much the child has grown and changed. It also shows a child who will never be the same again. By the end of the school year, that child will have grown and become someone entirely different. That’s what school does to kids. They spread their wings a fly, even if it’s just for a little while and for a little way. The child they were is quickly becoming the adult they will be, and the pictures simply show the journey each child has taken to reach their destination.
My grandniece, Adelaide “Addi” Sawdon is growing up so fact. Addi is the daughter of my niece, Jessi Sawdon and nephew, Jason Sawdon. This school year will find Addi in third grade. She loves school and particularly science. She is excited for third grade and got to see her class on Friday night. Now she is ready to get the school year started. She is quite the social butterfly and loves to make new friends. She also has a mind of her own and knows what she wants. She recently cut her own bangs, which was also super funny! She told her mom that she wanted a change. I guess that’s one way to get change.
Addie is fun loving and creative!! She and her cousin, Mackenzie Moore are best friends, and they spent a lot of time together this summer. They went to a soccer camp at the University of Wyoming, they learned to hula hoop, and they went to a Spanish camp at Laramie County 
Community College, and they went to Vacation Bible School!! The girls had so much fun at each event, and they loved having sleepovers, meeting new friends, and learning new things together. She loves Jesus and is never afraid to tell people that!! She is just getting into sports and loves basketball, volleyball, and soccer. And she also loves ninjas. Which is super funny! She loves ninjas so much that she asked for nunchucks for her birthday. Call me naive, but I had to look up exactly what nunchucks are. They are chain sticks used for fighting in Karate, so don’t mess with Adelaide Sawdon!!
She loves to snuggle and “chill” as she says. She is very funny and has a great sense of humor. She has such a sweet heart. She is developing her own style and loves dancing in her “dance outfit” in front of the mirror. Her mom says that it was so sweet. Addi comes by her dance moves naturally, because her mom and dad have great moves too. She also loves to sing just like her aunt, Kellie Hadlock. Addi is always busy, and yesterday, she was listing her favorite foods, hobbies, and the people she loves…basically a whole autobiography. Wolves are her favorite animal and so is any animal in the wolf family. She had her “friends” birthday yesterday, and about 10 friends were at her party. Her parents rented a giant bounce house water slide. The kids had a blast. Today is Addi’s 8th birthday, Happy birthday Addi!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Steve Spethman is a man of many talents. He is quite crafty. In addition to forging knives, he made reindeer this year. He also does metal art and made a dragon. Steve has always kept busy. He is an honorable man and has taken very good care of his family. He and my niece, Jenny Spethman have taught their children the importance of hard work and integrity. They have also taught them the importance of having God and the most important part of their lives. No matter what happens in life, you can get through it with God. Steve and Jenny know this firsthand, because their first daughter, Laila lives in Heaven, and they look forward to seeing her again when they go home.
Steve and Jenny have five children, Xander, Zack, Isaac, Laila, and Aleesia. They have always had a full house, because not only did they have their children there, but they also had their children’s friends. The Spethman house was the place to hang out…from friends, to girlfriends, everyone wanted to be at the Spethman house. Of course, in life, all things are subject to change, and this year 
has really been a year of change for Steve and Jenny. This summer Xander and his girlfriend, Alli Simpson moved to Colorado so she can go to college. That was really hard, because the kids were at Steve and Jenny’s every day. Their son, Zack graduated from high school and got his first full-time job. Their son, Isaac is buying a house and will moving out within the next couple of months. While Steve and Jenny aren’t officially “empty nesters” yet, they are feeling that status knocking at the door. Still, they have led very busy lives with all those kids, so they are seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel, bittersweet as it is, after having five kids.
These days, they are actually spreading their own wings a little bit. They decided to take a little getaway this 
year and took a trip to Las Vegas…just the two of them. I’m sure that felt strange. They have been doing a little gardening this year, and that has been a pleasant experience. They are both pretty artistic, so their gardens are beautiful. Things are different in a number of ways, but one of the biggest is that Steve is used to having his boys there to help him with things, but now the boys are having him help them. Oh, how the tables have turned. Today is Steve’s birthday. Happy birthday Steve!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Keifer Balcerzak is such a great family man. He and his wife Katie have been together since they were in school, and they work very well together. Keifer is a guy who brings the humor into life. His wife says that you shouldn’t be next to Keifer, if you need to be serious. Keifer has a smiling kind of face anyway, and when he smiles or laughs, his whole face smiles or laughs. That is the kind of person you need to be around if you’re feeling down at all. Nothing better than to be around someone who makes you laugh in spite of yourself.
Keifer has always loved sports…pretty much any sport. He has played softball for years, and his teams have won championships in the local tournaments. These days, he has 
also become an umpire for softball. That is right up his alley, and he really loves doing it. Of course, whenever he isn’t an umpire, or working, Keifer is with his family, because they are his top priority. Keifer and Katie have two beautiful children…a daughter, Reece, and a son, Aysa. Reece has tried some different sports too, and I’m sure she will find one that really suits her. I fully expect that in time, Aysa will be a lot like his dad and will play softball too…maybe even with his dad. That would be a generational thing, because Keifer and his dad, Dave Balcerzak played together too.
A while back, Keifer decided that he needed to get in shape. He didn’t like how he looked, so he says he “killed” 
the other him. I guess you could say that was true, or at least part of him, because he lost a bunch of weight, and now he works out regularly. That is always a good thing, because he has young kids, and a guy wants to be able to keep up with all the activities they are into, not to mention simply being able to play with his kids and not feel winded. It far too easy these days to let ourselves go, and before we know it, all we can do is sit around the house. Keifer didn’t want that to be him, so he got up off the couch and got busy. Now he is in great shape, and he feels great too…and his wife calls him a “hottie” again…or maybe she never stopped. No matter, he feels great. Today is Keifer’s birthday. Happy birthday Keifer!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Aleesia Spethman became a preteen this year, but while her mom thinks it seems early, I rather thought she was in her teens already. Of course, when I look at my birthday list, I knew she wasn’t a teenager yet, but she very much looks and acts like she is already a teenager. Her mom, my niece, Jenny Spethman tells me that Aleesia likes the edgy look, so they played around with hair dye. I that that is common with most kids these days. I’m my day it was bizarre to see someone decided to go blonde. Not that people didn’t do it, because they definitely did. Hair dye makes it possible to “fix” the hair color you were born with, into the color your heart desires. These days, the kids, boys and girls alike, like the wild colors, and anything goes. They wear bright red, green, blue, purple, yellow, and anything else that suits their fancy. People their grandparents age, like me, are often caught off guard when we first see someone with purple (or any other wild color) hair, but we are slowly becoming acclimated to this new trend, and Aleesia isn’t a troublemaker or wild child, so hey, go for it…right!!
Aleesia loves to swim and be in water during the summer. Her parents Jenny, and Aleesia’s dad, Steve 
Spethman bought a huge pool a few years back, and boy is that handy. The Spethman house is the go-to place to hang out and cool off, and they all love that. Aleesia’s brothers, Xander, Zack, and Isaac have spent countless hours entertaining their friends in that big pool. Aleesia and her best friend, Hannah spent countless hours in that pool. Aleesia and Hannah spend lots of time together, and it’s a wonderful friendship. This past year, Aleesia also used the pool for something else, when she gave her heart to the Lord and was baptized right there in that pool. Infact, there were a number of us who either gave our hearts to the Lord or rededicated our lives to the Lord that day, including me. We have always been a Christain family, and many of us were baptized as babies, so it was a good time to do an immersion baptism…so we used the opportunity to rededicate. It was awesome!!
Aleesia and her family are also into hiking, and love to hike on Casper Mountain, which is a favorite of Casper, Wyoming hikers. They hike on the mountain quite a bit, as well as other areas too. It’s a great way to stay in good shape and spend time with the family too. Aleesia has been so blessed by her older brothers. They help her do things and take her places too. There are some great advantages to being the little sister. While having her brothers as friends is awesome, Aleesia is also her mom’s best friend, and that has been a blessing for both of them. After all, in a family of mostly boys, those girls have to stick together!! Today is Aleesia’s 12th birthday. Happy birthday Aleesia!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Jaxon Killinger and his sister, Brooklyn, joined our family when his dad, Chris Killinger married my niece, Lacey (Stevens) Killinger, and we all feel very blessed to have these bonus children in our lives. It amazes me, just how fast these kids have grown in the relatively short time we have known them. They are both just as sweet as they can be, and they are really enjoying their new cousins, Elliott and Maya Stevens, who are Lacey’s brother, Garrett Stevens and his wife, Kayla’s children. It has been a win-win connection from the start.
Jaxon got a dirt bike for his birthday, so he has really been enjoying riding around the block on it. He got it early, and got to take it to the lake, so he got to do a lot of riding out there too. He has been having a blast!! 
He has really been enjoying the summer, but school is getting ready to start now. Jaxon will be in fourth grade this year, and he is really excited about that. However, it will be the first year that he isn’t in the same school as his sister, because Brooklyn is starting middle school this year. I don’t know if Jaxon has said that he is nervous, but even if he is, he will quickly adapt, and I think he will enjoy being in the “upper classes” of elementary school. Most kids find that they like being in the older group of kids. With the coming school year, also comes flag football, and this will be Jaxon’s first year playing flag football. In fact, this will be his first time playing football at all!! I’m sure he is really excited about that. Most boys like football, and Jaxon is no exception. Jaxon also loves to go to work with his dad, Chris Killinger. He likes to help out to earn money and of course, see all the cool planes!! What kid wouldn’t love to have that opportunity!! Jaxon feels very blessed to get to go.
Jaxon has been blessed with a bonus mom who loves him and his sister very much. Lacey has always had a soft 
heart and a sweet nature, and she truly loves both of the children. Lacey is a licensed cosmetologist, and that has been a nice advantage for both of the children when it comes to their own personal hair style desires. Recently Jaxon decided that he wasted to have wavey hair, so he told Lacey, and she gave him a perm. I think his new style looks great, and what a great way for him to start the new school year. He is very excited about it. I think Jaxon is going to have a great school year. Today is Jaxon’s 9th birthday. Happy birthday Jaxon!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Matt Masterson, is the only son in a family with three kids. Of course, you know that the brother is always going to pick on his sisters, and Matt is no exception. When they were younger, of course, Matt, like most boys could tease almost to the point of being mean, but now “Bubba” as the girls often call him, is more mature and more kind to them. His sisters, Raelynn “Rae” and Taylor like going places with him and he doesn’t mind running them around when they need to go somewhere. Matt’s working so, he often uses his money to do things for his parents and sisters. Also, when he isn’t working, he likes gaming. Matt has paid for the girls to go see “Inside Out 2” and has bought both of them things like plushies and drinks when they’re out and about. Taylor tells me that Matt is the epitome of the person she wants to be, “He’s kind and funny as well as strong and protective. He knows how to hold himself in a tough situation and he knows when to just listen.” She says, “I love my older brother with more than my whole heart and it’s hard to think he’s 19 now.”
Matt’s mom, Dustie Masterson tells me, “Matthew has some goals for this coming year. He is going to get his GED and then he’s decided he wants to become a pharmacy technician with the option of college later to become a certified pharmacist. I’m so proud of him for taking the time to think through and decide what he wants to do in life.” She says, “Matt is single these days and loving it. He isn’t one for casual dating. He is far more conservative about that than other guys his age. He is mature in that he wants to be happy and refuses to settle for anything less.”
Matt works at GNC at the Eastridge Mall, as a key holder. He can open and close the store by himself and has been scheduled to do an open to close shift. He is becoming quite the salesman too. He is very good at suggestive marketing, which is the mark of a good salesman. Dustie says, “It’s that charming character of his, I’m sure. I think he could sell snow cones to an Eskimo.” Hahahahaha!!! That is a funny idea.
Dustie tells me that, “last but definitely not least, he is a good man. He takes care of his sisters like no other (I feel for anyone who tries to hurt them), and he takes care of his mama. He comes and says good morning every day, he will randomly stop in my work and check to see how I am and make sure I’m ok. He is so much like his dad (Rob Masterson) in that respect. He is a sensitive man, and I don’t mean in a bad way, but he can tell what people need and does everything in his power to see that those he cares about have their needs met.” I don’t think that better things can be said about a man than to have his loved ones tell of his goodness. That says it all. Today is Matt’s 19th birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
This year has been a “pretty lazy and laid-back year” for my nephew, Dave Balcerzak. He and my niece, Chantel Balcerzak got another grandson this year, named Nathaniel Andrew Kirk. He was born on January 15, 2024, to their daughter, Siara Kirk and her husband, Chris. Siara and Chris had purchased the house next door to Dave and Chantel, and Chantel babysits while Siara works. When Dave gets home, he immediately latches on to that little baby, and they hang out on the couch. My guess is that Dave is teaching Nathaniel the “sports ropes” so they can watch together sometime in the near future. Nathaniel is quite taken with Dave, and the feeling is mutual. Dave loves his grandbabies!!
Dave has been interested in painting cars, and this year, he did first paint job on a car. He’s proud of that. Dave has had a project car for some time now. He has been fixing up his 1968 Pontiac Le Mans. Whenever he can, 
he’s out there working on the car getting it ready for driving, and especially painting. Then, in March, he was ready, so he took the dive and painted it himself. I think he did an amazing job on it.
For Dave, Summer is the best time of year. He loves to putter around the yard and has just about every yard tool imaginable. Chantel was quick to clarify that that while Dave loves to take care of their lawn, and it is gorgeous, and the envy of the neighborhood, Dave is not a gardener, and totally hates gardening. Yardwork is a totally different, and Chantel says, “My man can edge the lawn like nobody’s business!!” I guess that there is just a difference between a garden and a yard, and for many men, that is a line not to be crossed.
Dave has been a lifelong Steelers fan. He loves football and enjoys having the kids come over to watch games with him. Another “football thing” that Dave loves is collecting football cards. Dave will spend hours down in his 
“man cave” with those football cards…sorting them!! That is a practice that completely baffles Chantel, but it makes Dave happy, so she just laughs it off, and lets him do his thing. Chantel says that practice sounds “crazy boring,” but it keeps him entertained for hours!! Hey, if it keeps him entertained, I guess he isn’t bugging Chantel because he is bored, right??Chantel tells me that they have shifted into rest! That is really “marriage speak” for being content, and it’s a great place to be. Today is Dave’s birthday. Happy birthday Dave!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, JD Parmely is a mechanic extraordinaire!! He went to college in Arizona for that very thing. He has always been interested in mechanics, even as a little boy, when he would hand his uncle, Bob Schulenberg tool as he worked on a vehicle in the driveway of his grandpa, Walt Schulenberg’s house. My husband, Bob and his nephew, JD were a little team. They still work together sometimes today. It’s mostly when one or the other need some help on a vehicle, or they are a little stumped. JD is a really good resource, if Bob has a vehicle that is giving him trouble. JD has come a long way from the days when he was Bob’s little helper.
JD is a good hand to have around. He often helps his brothers, Barry Schulenberg and Eric Parmely. This year 
he was helping Eric build a new garage. It is going to be a fine garage, and quite big. The guys worked on it quite a while, but they made great progress. Eric and his wife Ashley will really like having that this winter. JD is proving to be quite handy in more areas than just mechanics. In reality, there are very few jobs JD won’t at least attempt to tackle. And if you are looking for an assistant on a job you are working on, JD is often your man. And he is a willing helper too.
JD did run into a little “excitement” earlier this summer, when a pickup he was driving suddenly sprung a gas leak and caught on fire. Now that is get your adrenaline going, won’t it? JD was hauling another pickup for a 
guy, and I’m sure you can imagine how quickly they got out of JD’s pickup. The fire department was called, but by the time they arrived, JD’s pickup was, well…toast!! JD decided that his liked the pickup, so he decided to rebuild it. It didn’t take him very long to find the necessary parts, and the pickup is back on the road. Most of us would have thought the truck just needed to go to the junk yard, but JD proved that it could still function as a truck. I guess that if the vehicle is a favorite, you do what you have to do. Today is JD’s birthday. Happy birthday JD!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
In thinking about the story for my niece, Katie Balcerzak, I decided to enlist the help of her sisters. In my experience, sisters often have great stories about their sisters, and great pictures too. Katie’s sister, Bernnie Steadman tells me that one of her favorite memories of their childhood is when they moved to a new house on Brentwood Street. Where the girls had shared a room before, they now got their own rooms. As exciting as that was, the girls were used to sleeping with each other, so every night Bernnie would hear the pitter patter of Katie’s little feet coming downstairs to Bernnie’s bedroom. Bernnie loved to read and would often stay up late, totally immersed in a novel, so Katie would always bring one of her storybooks with her, so they could lay in bed and read together. Bernnie, being an avid reader would read out loud to Katie sometimes or they would just read their individual books. Katie could never outlast Bernnie, and always fell asleep first and Bernnie 
would shut off the light and read by flashlight, so not to disturb her sweet little sister.
This memory of Katie as a little girl is very different than the Katie we know today, but there are things in the story that I can totally see in how Katie is today, especially with her sisters, and with her kids, Reece and Aysa. Katie is a great mom, and her kids, much like her are always laughing and smiling. Katie has been perfect for Keifer since the day she was born, and they have known theirs was the perfect match since they were kids in school. I’m sure that Keifer took one look at Katie, and he was hooked. She is a beautiful girl, inside and out.
Bernnie wanted me to know about Katie’s very endearing qualities. Katie was always a happy kid, and she has the best laugh. In fact, her laugh is contagious. When the girls were kids, Bernnie tried to be silly all the time, just to get Katie laughing. Once she got started, all the sisters would be giggling. They couldn’t stop, because every time they would stop, one or the other would start back up, especially Katie. Katie has such a kind heart and out of all the sisters, she’s always the first one to forgive. That is a very special quality indeed. We think 
sometimes that we can always go back and make up with our siblings, but some people can’t. That ability to forgive quickly keeps the lines of communication open, and the hearts softened. The person who can forgive and forgive quickly is a rare gem indeed. Bernnie says that Katie was always the peacemaker, if they were upset with each other. And today they are all the very best of friends. That is truly such great a blessing!! Today is Katie’s birthday. Happy birthday Katie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
