Kids
For my niece, Toni Chase and her husband, Dave, travel is always on the agenda. They always have several trips to various places, some of which are quite exotic. Toni tells me that this was “a very good year.” Over the Independence Day week, Toni and Dave took a trip to Glacier National Park with their son, James Renville and his wife Manuela…and of course, Toni and Dave’s puppies, Biscuit and Cricket. They all had an amazing time. They love doing a little hiking and exploring the lakes and rivers in the area. Later, Toni and Dave took a trip to New Mexico with his mom and sister. One of the highlights of the trip was the trip to White Rock overlooking the Rio Grande River. The view was majestic, and they absolutely loved the time together.
While the trips to Glacier and New Mexico were amazing, the trip that was the crème de la crème was the trip 
they took to Portugal. Dave had wanted them to take this trip for their tenth wedding anniversary, but Covid-19 rather got in the way, so they finally took the trip in September. The had a wonderful time, seeing all the sights and dining in all the best places. On the first night there, Toni had shrimp, and Dave took a picture of her plate to send as a joke to her son James. How the shrimp ended up with a face of sorts, I do not know. They took lots of pictures so that they will have great memories of this trip of a lifetime.
Toni and Dave also went to a couple of concerts this year. One was an outdoor concert, and the other was at Dropkick Murphy’s. The kids went to that one too. The concerts and trips were a welcome break from the renovations they have been working on in their rental house. The house has been sold now to James and Manuela, and James is especially excited about that, as it is the house he grew up in. Toni tells me that she 
spent just about every free second she had all winter and clear up to August working on that house getting it ready to sell to James and Manuela. The house didn’t have a lot of issues, but it was built in the 1950s, and as with any older home, things need to be repaired, updated, and modernized. All in all, it has been a busy year. Today is Toni’s birthday. Happy birthday Toni!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
This year has been one of great change and excitement for my grandniece, Siara Kirk. Just after her last birthday, her son Nathan was born, and while she still misses her first son, Alec Olsen, who passed away at three months old, in 2020, she has been so excited to have spent such a wonderful year with Nathan. Siara and her husband, Chris Kirk spent several months before Nathan’s arrival remodeling their newly purchased house so that everything would be perfect for their new little bundle of joy. And Nathan has not disappointed them. He has kept them laughing, hugging, and smothering him with kisses.
Siara works at Platte Valley Bank in Casper, and since they bought the house next door to her parents, Chantel and Dave Balcerzak, she has an easy childcare situation that is a blessing to her and Chris, as well as the 
grandparents. Siara and Chris are wonderful parents, and Nathan is such a goofy, happy little boy. These days he is keeping them on their toes, because he is everywhere all at once…typical of little one year old boys. Siara doesn’t mind that one bit, she is just enjoying the thrill of motherhood…and it keeps her in great shape…a win-win!!
Siara and Chris have always been active people. They love to be outdoors and go hiking. They have also been going snowboarding. This is a new sport for Siara, and she is enjoying it very much. They also love going to the lake and hanging out in the sun. I know that little Nathan will be an outdoor baby too, because he will want to be just like his parents. Siara and Chris love to attend concerts and football games too…often with her parents. 
They are avid Wyoming Cowboys fans, as is most of our family, and they try to get to as many games as they can. Siara has always been a football fan, or at least since her cheerleading days at Kelly Walsh High School and the University of Great Falls. Siara is a National Champion Cheerleader from her days at Kelly Walsh, and that is an honor that will always be with her. Being athletic is such an important thing. It keeps us healthy, and that is a great thing to pass on to our kids. Siara will leave a great legacy for her kids. Today is Siara’s birthday. Happy birthday Siara!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Ethan Hadlock has grown up so much that it seems like he went from being a little boy to a man overnight. This has been an important year for him, because he has been learning to drive, ad today is that all important 16th birthday. I can’t believe he is old enough to drive already. Still, when you look at him, you know it, because he is very tall. I’m not sure how tall he is exactly, but I figure it is over six feet.
Ethan is a loving young man, who always takes the time to come and hug his family at church and whenever we are together. There is a gentleness about him that you don’t always see in kids. He might well have a teasing side, because he wouldn’t be a Hadlock if he didn’t, but his gentle loving side always seems to outweigh his teasing side. He is good to his sister, Aurora, and of course to his parents, Chelsea and Ryan Hadlock. He is good to his younger cousins, Adelaide Sawdon, Mackensie Moore, and Jolene Thompson, and the little girls love hanging out with Ethan and Aurora. Ethan also loves to go with his family to Wyoming Cowboys games. It’s a family tradition.
Ethan has his own style. He loves to wear a hat. I’m sure the hat he wears has a name, but I just don’t know what it is. Nevertheless, his hat always makes him look distinguished. You don’t often think of a teenager as being distinguished, but Ethan pulls that off quite well. He is a tall and slender kid, and I’m sure that he has or 
will have a lot of girls taking interest in him. And now that he can drive, dating is the next likely step for this handsome young man. Ethan is also a good student in school and gets along well with fellow students and teachers alike. He has helped out with Vacation Bible School at his aunt, Lindsay Moore’s church, and has a great time. All the kids loved him. Ethan is just a wonderful young man who is a pleasure to be around. We are proud of you Ethan. Today is Ethan’s 16th birthday. Happy birthday Ethan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Allen Beach and his wife Gaby moved to Oregon in 2023, in search of better opportunities. Now, about two years later, they love Oregon and have settled in nicely. They love to hike, and so they have explored some of the trails in the area. They also took a trip up the coast this past year and had a wonderful time. They have always loved to travel, and they took several trips this year…some weekends, and some longer. I suspect this year included so special trips, because on September 24, they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. Theirs is an interesting story. They met in the Navy, while stationed in Japan. Later, Allen proposed to Gaby in Bali. Then, before coming back to 
the states, Allen and Gaby were married in Japan.
Since then, they have traveled to many places. They were stationed in Washington DC for a while, and they traveled to the Grand Canyon. They also traveled to Seattle, Washington to visit Allen’s dad, Warren Beach. They took a trip last year with Allen’s mom, Caryl Reed and Step-Dad, Mike Reed up the Oregon coast. They had a great time. The have taken several weekend trips to some beautiful spots, where Allen could use his love of photography to take 
some great shots. Even their dog, Ollie got into some of the pictures. Ollie loved these trips. It was great fun.
Allen is employed as a Care Management Associate for Aetna, collaborating with doctors to coordinate care plans that align with Aetna health insurance, which was acquired by CVS a few years ago. Allen works from home, which is a relatively new phenomenon that increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the newness of this arrangement, working from home is now considered a desirable job, and he thoroughly enjoys it. It is likely that his dog, Ollie, also loves the arrangement. Today is Allen’s birthday. Happy birthday Allen!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandniece, Izabella Harman is a sweet little girl, who is growing up way too fast. This year finds Belle in 3rd grade this year, and that is so shocking to me. She should still be a preschooler, but don’t tell her I said so, because I’m sure she would not be amused. She is little, yes, but that doesn’t make her a young girl. Being a third grader is in the upper half of elementary school. That makes her one of the big kids, not that she would be one of those kids make a big deal out of that.
Belle, as she is called, has been getting into art and is a good little painter. Seriously, how could she be anything but good at art. Her grandmother, Chantel Balcerzak is an amazing artist. Belle comes by it naturally. In fact, I would expect that in the future, Belle will continue to show a continuing talent and maybe even, a career in art. It seems to run in her family…from several of her family members, including her cousin, Michelle Miller, and grandma, Collene Spencer. I look forward to Belle’s contributions to the world of art.
Belle and her aunt, Siara Kirk are great friends. Siara says that Belle takes her side over her dad, Jake Harman, 
and calls Siara her favorite. Siara says, “Belle is the best cousin, big sister, and niece you could ask for.” Belle is quick to take her daddy on too. They and her brother Jaxx love to wrestle with their daddy to see if they can beat him. They beat him sometimes, but I think he goes easy on them. They probably wouldn’t agree.
Belle, Jaxx, and their big sister, Alice all have such a great time with their cousin Nathan Kirk. Nathan is eleven months old, and he thinks his cousins are the greatest. The kids love spending time with him, and eventually, I would expect that Belle will make a great little babysitter in the future too. Today is Belle’s 9th birthday. Happy birthday Belle!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Isaac Spethman, like many kids, couldn’t wait to grow up. The difference between Isaac and other kids is that he simply didn’t wait to grow up. He got his first job when he was just seven years old, when he walked across the street from his house to the Grant Street Grocery Store and asked for a job. Of course, the owner thinking that this cute little kid was playing a game of sorts, told him to bring in his resume and they would talk. Little did he know that while Isaac didn’t know what a resume was, he knew that his English teacher aunt, Liz Masterson did and that she could help. She helped him to make a great resume, listing all the chores he helped his parents with, and…well, he got the job. They couldn’t pay him in money, of course, but they let him take out the trash, sweep the floor, and straighten things. In return he got things like sandwiches, candy, pop, and a knowledge of the inner workings of a grocery store and butcher shop. Isaac has had some kind of job ever since. 
While Isaac loves working and getting paid, he is also quick to volunteer to help others, especially his little sister, Aleesia. He helps her with homework and showed her how to shoot and load a gun. He likes to go hiking with the family, working with his dad, and hanging out with his brothers. He also took his girlfriend, Aspen to prom, and well, they made a stunning couple. And…Isaac loves fireworks!! I mean he really loves fireworks!! This year, he spent hundreds of dollars on fireworks. I guess that having a job for all this time affords him the ability to buy the things he wants.
And speaking of buying, this past year…at 17 years old, Isaac had saved enough money to buy his first house. 
We were all stunned when we heard about that. He is just a very responsible guy, and his first house was the next logical step. Since then, he has been working on making it his own. One way he made it his own had nothing to do with the house. Seriously, what house is complete without a pet. So, Isaac got a cute little (for now) German Shepherd puppy that he named Atlas. Isaac has always wanted to be grown up, and I would say he definitely got the job done in style. Today Is Isaac’s 18th birthday. Happy birthday Isaac!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
When I asked my sister, Alena Stevens for information on her daughter, Michelle Miller’s year for her birthday story, Alena said, “New house, new job, gut house, rebuild it from the walls up.” I suppose to someone who doesn’t know my sister, or my niece, this would sound sarcastic, but what I saw was a whirlwind, and I think that is quite accurate. For Michelle and her husband, Matt, their lives, this past year, have been just that. In August Michelle and Matt bought their first house at 18th and Nottingham. The house was built in the 1970’s and had not been upgraded since then, except for a bar area downstairs. That made it pretty much a gut job. They moved into the downstairs and decided to tackle the upstairs first.
Matt and Michelle, with the help of Matt’s parents, they demolished the kitchen, took down a wall, and took up all flooring. Unfortunately, the lady who lived there was a smoker so the house reeked of smoke. She also had a cat so it smelled of that too. They worked tirelessly just to get the smell out for several days. Finally, they put 
Kilz down on the floor boards and that got rid of it. The wall had outdated wall paper everywhere that had to be taken down. Dawn, Matt’s mom, and Michelle tackled that while Matt and his dad worked on taking out carpet and fixing walls and other things.
They were able to add a powder room off the kitchen by taking away a little of the master bath and add a second pantry area, both very nice features. Then they put in new flooring and new cabinets and counter tops. Of course, during this time, they had no kitchen, adding to the difficulties. Cooking was done with an air fryer, microwave, and crockpot, and they were thankful that they had those things. They had no kitchen sink for dishes, so they had to make do worth the bathroom sink. They love being in their own home and making it their own. With a lot of work and dedication it is going to be a great house.
Michelle is an educated art teacher, and she has worked for the Nicolaysen Art Museum since her graduation. Unfortunately, while she loved the Nic and her job there, it is a nonprofit, so there isn’t any room for raises and 
promotions. So, in October, Michelle started looking for another job. She got an offer from Phoenix Capital Investments, an oil and gas investment company. She has been there since November and she likes her work very much. She got a substantial raise in pay and there is plenty of room for growth. I’m sure Michelle will do quite well in her new job. She is very capable and dedicated. Today is Michelle’s birthday!! Happy birthday Michelle!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Reece Balcerzak is a spunky, happy girl, with a bubbly personality. I love seeing Reece’s interactions with and views of the world around her. She views everything with a sense of wonderment and delight. You might think that because she got a super early start in life, her parents might feel the need to be overly protective, but they are level-headed people who realize that once she left Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, she was a strong, healthy baby. Reece was a fighter…at least in that sense of the word. Other than that, she is just a happy girl, who doesn’t really do a lot of fighting. Reece is big sister to her little brother Asa, and they sure do love each other. Reece is a born motherly type, and she loves to show her brother everything she knows, especially how to have fun. 
Both Reece is her own girl, and she follows her own path. Her parents, Keifer and Katie Balcerzak, are her biggest fans, and who can blame them. Reece is a sweet little treasure with an infectious giggle. She looks at life with a happy-go-lucky attitude, and she doesn’t let anything get her down. I’m not even sure I have ever seen her with a serious or scowling look on her face, but I suppose there must have been a time or two when she did. The fact is that Reece looks at life as a gift to be treasured and a challenge to be met. Maybe that comes from her uncertain beginnings, but the fact that she was a teeny tiny little preemie girl has never held her back.
Reece is a first grader this year, and she loves going to school, playing with her friends, and learning new things. She has a curious mind, and a playful spirit. I’m sure that like most first graders, her favorite class is 
recess, but I’m also sure she is a good little student. She makes friends easily, and she is very resourceful. She likes to be active and has tried a number of different sports. I don’t know if she has settled on any one thing as her absolute favorite, but she has lots of time to make up her mind. For now, she has her own ideas on things, and while her ideas may not be what the rest of the world thinks, Reece just doesn’t care. She only needs to be true to herself anyway, right. Today is Reece’s 7th birthday. Happy birthday Reece!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Barry Schulenberg has a year as a supervisor under his belt now, and he has decided that he really likes being the one in charge. It’s not about being power hungry, but rather about helping his workers to become the best team they can be. The job they do is important to people of this county. Barry is a supervisor for the Highway Department, and his area is Natrona County. He is dedicated to keeping our highways safe for the people who drive on them, and he does an excellent job.
Barry had never considered being the boss, until this position was offered to him. Since he was a little kid, hanging out with his grandpa, my father-in-law, Walt Schulenberg, all Barry wanted to do was to be a mechanic…just like his grandpa. In fact, Barry simply couldn’t see the need to go to school when his grandpa needed him to help out in the garage. Of course, that was Barry as a five-year-old, and he soon realized that school was important too…unfortunately. These days, as the supervisor, I’m sure he is thankful for his education, which allowed him to be promoted to the position he now holds.
Barry loves his job, but it is not his whole life. On his off-duty time, Barry likes to hang out with his wife Kelli and their dog, Scout. He loves camping, hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. He also loves to travel and go to concerts…a passion he and Kelli share. The have a place out in the country as well, that provides them the peace and quiet they enjoy. He can often be found in the summertime, mowing on is riding mower, or watering the trees, when he isn’t relaxing or playing with Scout. The Big Horn Mountains is one of their favorite places to go camping, and like many other Wyomingites, the summer fires up there have left them concerned for their favorite camping spots. Last summer’s fire was one that was almost unheard of in prior years. Much of the forest, including a lot of the campgrounds were damaged. I’m sure it will be with great anxiety that people will head back up there this summer.
All in all, it has been a great year for Barry. He and Kelli have done some traveling, and Barry has had to travel for meetings and such for his job, but it has been good. I don’t suppose most people like meetings, and I don’t know how Barry feels about them, but it has been a real learning experience for him, and while it isn’t the way he thought his life would turn out, I know that being a supervisor was the next logical step, and one he can be proud to have taken. Today is Barry’s birthday. Happy birthday Barry!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Kelli Schulenberg has always been a bit of a health nut, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. She has some food allergies, so meals have always been a challenge, but she handles it quite well. She simply knows what she can and cannot have, and she cooks accordingly. She accepts what is and works to find ways to make her meals tasty and healthy. I have to admire that. Many people, even with allergies, don’t eat the way they should, and of course, they pay the price for it with gastrointestinal issues and such. Kelli protects herself by following her own self-imposed protocol. It isn’t an easy way to live, but it is a smart way for her to live.
Kelli also loves staying physically fit. Her favorite summertime activity is bicycling, and of course she also loves hiking. I think most outdoor enthusiasts love hiking. It’s like it’s in our blood. In the winter, Kelli likes cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, but the reality is that Winter is definitely not Kelli’s favorite season. I think she is rather a 
“southern girl” at heart, and she will tell you that she much prefers Summer. She doesn’t really love the cold here, and especially the wind, and who can blame her for that. I don’t know of anyone who really loves or even likes the wind…unless it’s a sailor.
Kellie loves to travel, and especially to attend concerts. She and my nephew, Barry Schulenberg plan several trips a year to feed their travel appetite. That has taken them to many great places to hike and ride their bicycles as well. They have a place out in the country where the peacefully live their lives with their dog, Scout, who is quite spoiled from what I can see. They love to go to out and shoot their guns, and both are good marksmen. These days, that is an important part of safety. Kelli and Barry love to go camping, and you never 
know when you might come across a danger that requires you to protect yourself…and not just of the animal sort. One of their favorite places to go camping is the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. I hope that after the recent fires up their, their favorite camping spots are still in good shape. Time will tell. Today is Kelli’s birthday. Happy birthday Kelli!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
