Kids
It’s National Corey Day!! For me that would have been spelled, Corrie, which is how I spelled my daughter’s name, but now, I would have to add Corey, since my great grandson (Corrie’s grandson) now carries that name as a middle name too. Either way, National Corey/Corrie Day has become a special day for me and my family. My Corrie was named after the famous Christian woman who, along with her family, hid Jewish people during World War II. Of course, this was to their own detriment in the end, as they were imprisoned by the Nazis for going against Hitler’s murderous regime. Still, their Christian values caused them to do the right thing, even if it cost them their lives. Corrie Ten Boom made it out of Ravensbrück Concentration Camp and lived to be exactly 91 years old, dying on her 91st birthday, April 15, 1983. It was a noble name to give my daughter.
National Corey Day is a day dedicated to celebrating individuals with the name Corey or in my daughter’s case Corrie, which has its origins in the Old Norse word “kori,” meaning “a hollow or a ravine.” The name’s Greek or Old Norse meaning is “maiden” and is a variation of Cora. In addition, the name Corey means “helpful” and comes from the Gaelic surname O Comhraidhe. This day provides an opportunity for people named Corey to come together, share their experiences, and be appreciated by friends and family. The name Corey has been popular in various English-speaking countries and is often associated with positive traits such as kindness, loyalty, and creativity.
Even singer, Harry Chapin was taken with the name, Corey, when he sang the song, “Corey’s Coming” about an old man who knew a woman named Corey. She was a sweet as she could be, but since no one in the town had ever known of or even heard of a woman named Corey, they all thought he had imagined her…until the day of 
his funeral, when she showed up to pay her respects. The song doesn’t list her as a girlfriend, but rather just a friend. Nevertheless, he loved her and she loved him too. I always liked that song, even though it had a sad note to it. The only other thing wrong with the song was that they spelled the name wrong. Of course, now it is spelled right, but Corey wasn’t a boy. Oh well. The song had the correct sound for the name anyway. So today is National Corrie/Corey Day. If that is your name, be sure to celebrate it today. It’s a good and honorable name. Happy National Corrie/Corey Day to all the Corrie/Coreys of any spelling out there.
My niece, Jessi Sawdon is, according to her sister, Lindsay Moore, “an author of fun! She always has a fun, adventurous spirit that is God given. She loves an adventure and loves to include everyone in that adventure. I love that we live so close and get to raise our girls together. They are little besties. She is a consistent presence and can be counted on to be there in the good and the hard. We love Jessi and love her birthday. Not as much as she does, but we love it nonetheless!” Jessi has always been a happy, and fun-loving person. There is nothing shy or reserved about her. That’s a big part of her charm. Where others of us might be shy, Jessi can draw us out of our shell and into the fun. When her husband, Jason’s job took them from Casper to Cheyenne, a little bit of fun went with them. Thankfully, Cheyenne is only a couple of hours away, and they get home often, so we get to see them too.
Jessi is a great organizer, and she will definitely “cut to the chase” if her mom, Allyn Hadlock is going too deeply into the details! Allyn tells me, “She is a great mom, and she has a very special relationship with Adelaide who 
is actually Jessi’s mini me. As I look at the two of them, they are so much alike, and I see Jessi in Adelaide on a regular basis!” This year, they took a few camping trips which the whole family enjoys, and their tradition is that each year, Jessi and her husband, Jason take turns on where to spend holidays. This year was Jason’s family’s turn, so Jessi, Jason, and Addi spent Thanksgiving in Michigan. The whole Hadlock family has adopted that plan, so this was an “in law” Thanksgiving, meaning all the Hadlock kids spend that holiday with their in-laws and the next holiday, Christmas, they spend with Allyn and Chris. It works out very well.
Allyn says, “Jessi is very involved in her church and regularly attends the Bible studies as well as hosting them. She is always busy with work and is very successful in her job. She has a great understanding of all the tech stuff. When it comes to social events she is very socially connected not only with her friends but also networking at work. She tells me what is going on socially in Casper, before I know what is going on in Casper. 
She knows all the events and she’s our source of info for those things! She is very fun and funny and keeps us all laughing! She’s a great blessing to all of us!” Lindsay chimed in to say, “And we had fun at Cheyenne Frontier Days this year! We even got mom on some rides!” Yikes, they wouldn’t have been able to get me on the rides!! No way!! Today is Jessi’s birthday!! Happy birthday Jessi!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
With the passage of time, the holidays begin to take on a different look. When I was a kid, the Thanksgiving was a day of wonderful smells and delicious food. That is one Thanksgiving tradition that hasn’t changed, but probably the only one. Those childhood Thanksgivings included my parents, Al and Collene Spencer, as well as my four sisters, one of whom, Alena Stevens, lives in Heaven now with Mom and Dad and others who have gone home. Of course, with Mom and Dad in Heaven, Thanksgiving is normally spent with our own families, because my sisters and I have families that have become too big to put in one house. Nevertheless, we connect via text messages, and we are all thankful for those who are still with us, while always missing those who are in Heaven. While things have changed over the years, we will always have much to be thankful for, because with each new year come new blessings. As new family members join us, either through marriage or birth, we realize that we are growing and we are so very blessed by each and every new member. Some have moved away, and we miss them very much too, and pray that their day is blessed as well. As our family grows, it also changes, with each new member being different than the others, but nevertheless, just as precious. It makes me think of how Thanksgiving got started in the first place. 
Thanksgiving started, of course, when the pilgrims, who had suffered a hard time in the new land, gathered with the Wampanoag Indians, who had become their friends. Most of us would have imagined a big party where the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Tribe came together to celebrate new friendships, but that’s not quite how it happened. Many in the Wampanoag, along with the entire Patuxet Tribe, had died from smallpox. To make matters worse, the Pilgrims were on the brink of starvation. They didn’t know much about farming, and between the smallpox, harsh winter, and lack of food, they were in serious trouble. With the help of the Wampanoag, however, they found they had many reasons to be truly thankful. The Wampanoag people were vital to the Pilgrims’ survival, forging a peace treaty that set the stage for a complicated relationship between the two communities.
The Wampanoag Confederacy, led by Chief Massasoit, lived in what is now southeastern Massachusetts. When the Pilgrims landed on the Mayflower in November 1620, they faced a brutal winter and had trouble setting up their settlement in Plymouth Colony. The Wampanoag had already been severely reduced by diseases brought by earlier European explorers, wiping out up to 90% of their population between 1615 and 1619. This situation 
paved the way for the Pilgrims to depend on the Wampanoag for survival. No wonder the two very different peoples came together to celebrate their friendship and their survival. It serves as a reminder that even though we have survived hardship and loss, we are strong and with God’s help, we will persevere and yes, even succeed in our lives. It is something to be very thankful for.
My niece, Kelli Schulenberg has always loved to travel and hike. She and her husband, my nephew, Barry have traveled many places, but this summer they decided to take a trip to the northeast part of the state of Wyoming. They live in Casper, so this was a shorter trip overall, but don’t let that fool you, because while they may not have driven a lot of miles, they walked a lot of miles. I don’t know how many exactly, but they found a lot of great trails, and the call of the trail was so inviting to Kelli and Barry that they couldn’t resist it. They have never been able to resist the call of the trail, whether it is on Casper Mountain right near home, the Platte River Trail, also near home, or trails in various parts of he country. They just love hiking and are always ready to get back out there and enjoy the great outdoors. Summer is their favorite, but in the Winter, they can be found snowshoeing the trails too. Kelli isn’t a fan of snow, but she manages to work her way through it.
Kelli and Barry’s trip to northeastern Wyoming took them to the Devil’s Tower area. There are five scenic trails near Devil’s Tower, some easy and some strenuous. Kelli and Barry are accomplished hikers, so I’m sure they hike all or most of them. The various views at and around the tower were amazing. I think there are probably lots of trails all around northeastern Wyoming, and while they were on vacation, Kelli and Barry hiked a lot of them. The area around Sundance was especially pretty. I loved the pictures they took up there. There is just something about being out in the woods on a rail, where it’s peaceful and quiet, to put things into perspective. Our lives are so hectic these days, and sometimes we just need to get back to nature, and that is where Kelli and Barry love to be.
One of the coolest parts of their hiking took Kellie and Barry to the furthest northeastern corner of Wyoming. At 
that corner, three states actually come together. Of course, for this one, you can actually drive pretty close, but it’s still worth the trip. There is something about being at the exact spot where three state borders come together, that is very cool. Kelli tried to figure out a way to be in all three states at once, and I’d say she did it, even if it was only in the air space above the actual marker. I am always fascinated at the different places Kelli and Barry have found to go hiking. It just goes to show you what can be accomplished when the trail calls your name. Today is Kelli’s birthday. Happy birthday Kelli!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
As another birthday rolls around, I find it hard to believe that my great grandnephew, Asa Balcerzak is four years old. Asa is a sweet, happy little boy, who wants to be a motorcycle rider. He loves any and every sport and wants to play them all. Being the son on my grandnephew, Keifer Balcerzak, I expect that he will be good at a number of sports. He comes from a sports loving family, so it’s only natural. At this age, Asa still likes to do pretty much anything his parents and big sis, Reece are doing, but as time goes on, I know that he will develop his own ideas, career paths, and leisure activities.
This year, Asa got to follow in another of his sister’s paths…school. At the tender age of three, going on four, Asa started pre-school in September. He was so happy about going to school. He likes his teacher, and the things he is learning. For a little boy, getting to do some other the same things, like school, that his big sister gets to do, is the ultimate indication that he is a big boy now. For now, following in his sister’s footsteps might be enough for Asa, but because he is his daddy’s boy, and loves all sports, I see a long future of playing sports with his dad and of course, watching sports with his dad. Asa likes pretty much all sports, but like his dad, I’m sure softball and football will be on the top of his list.
Asa and his family love to take family trips to places like Denver and of course, Disneyland. Anyplace his family is going makes for a great trip for Asa. He loves his family and loves being with them, no matter where they go. He also loves his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. He might be a little shy around strangers, but once he knows people, he is very social. I’m sure he is having a great time at his new school, and everyone he plays with. Today is Asa’s 4th birthday. Happy birthday Asa!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Halloween is a beloved part of American culture, offering people a chance to kick back and have a little fun. It’s a time for all ages to embrace creativity, fantasy, and maybe even a little goofiness. The holiday encourages people to dress up in costumes, often depicting the heroes or villains of the day, as well as celebrating a love for the spooky. Some people prefer to be as scary or gruesome as they can, but I prefer the cute costumes, the superheroes, angels, kitties, puppies, and even the inanimate costumes, like the little girl I once saw dressed up as Lego blocks. You know, the ones that make me smile. It isn’t just the kids that dress up either. Many adults dress up. They might be things like gangsters, pirates, Indians, or maybe the girls of the “Roaring Twenties.”
In the US, Halloween’s roots can be traced to European immigrants, especially those from Ireland and Scotland. 
The term “Halloween” comes from “All Hallow’s Eve,” the night before the Christian observances of All Hallow’s Day on November 1st and All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. Like other Christian holidays, it included vigils starting the previous evening. Together, these days form Allhallowtide, a time for honoring all saints and praying for souls of the recently deceased. People pray for the dead for reasons such as hope for salvation (believing prayers might free souls from sin and prepare them for heaven), coping with loss (helping Christians handle grief), and charity (doing good deeds for the departed to atone for their sins). While I don’t personally believe these prayers achieve such things. But this was the tradition from that era and maybe still is.
Of course, Halloween has evolved to include other customs. Some lean into its darker side, while others keep it 
secular, focusing on kids’ costumes and free candy. For children, costumes are fun, but having a huge stash of candy is the ultimate thrill…especially when they think they can have some whenever they want to. Naturally, most parents won’t let them have full control of all that candy, but hey, a kid can dream! Either way, they get to go out trolling for free candy, and coming home with a bag full of “loot” is the best part of it all. Happy Halloween everyone. Have fun and stay safe out there.
My nephew, Matt Miller joined our family when he married my niece, Michelle Stevens on August 14, 2021. They were this perfect couple, and they had known it since they were kids in 8th grade. Of course, at first, they were just friends, but that is really how the best marriages start. If the couple aren’t friends, it’s hard to make a marriage last. These two have that part covered. They are both there for each other, no matter what life brings them. This past year may qualify as the worst life can bring, when Michelle’s mom, my sister, Alena Stevens passed away on April 23, 2025, following a battle with Cancer. Matt was a rock for Michelle. Losing your mom is one of the worst things a person can go through, and the person needs someone who can hold them and comfort them. That is what Matt did for Michelle.
This year has also been busy in a good way for Matt and Michelle. The bought a house a while back. The house was a “fixer-upper” and thankfully, this wasn’t the first house Matt’s parents had renovated, because they were a great help to Matt and Michelle. Matt had helped his parents in other “fixer-uppers,” so they knew what to expect, but for Michelle, this was new territory. Nevertheless, they have made it all look easy, and it is shaping up to be an amazing house. So far, the entire upstairs level has been remodeled. All thanks to Matt and his parents, for the most part. They have bought and remodeled/built many houses throughout Matt’s life so 
having their knowledge and skills have been incredible. And that saved Matt and Michelle A LOT of money. For Matt and Michelle, living in a “construction zone” has been stressful, to be sure, but it has also been very rewarding for them to build the house of their dreams. Matt has been working tirelessly to make it all possible. He works overtime days and even when he’s off he works all day long to make this possible. Michelle is still shocked at the amount of work that goes into a renovation. So much so, that she can’t even describe how much work it’s been. She feels beyond blessed.
Matt has been able to take a little bit of time off to “play” once in a while. This year Matt and his dad both cored on opening day of archery hunting with elk. And they both got antelope this year as well. Their skill at hunting 
has been such a blessing, because it has filled their freezer with lots of meat for the year! Matt has always loved hunting and fishing, and so he is very good at both. He has hunted and fished in a variety of places, including when the family took a trip to Alaska to visit his brother there. Matt feels blessed to have had such a fulfilling year. Today is Matt’s birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
When my niece, Siara Kirk hit on her future husband, Chris Kirk, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. My niece is a bold, outgoing girl, and when she saw Chris, she thought he was cute. That was really all she was thinking at the time. Little did either of them know where that first date would take them. The year 2021 ended on a high note starting in early September when Siara confidently approached Chris at the local Loaf and Jug convenience store in Casper, complimenting his freckles. This marked the beginning of a wonderful relationship. They discovered they shared many interests, including a passion for exercise and travel, with a special love for couple’s workouts that are truly impressive when performed by these two. Their love grew, and on March 20, 2022, Chris proposed, and Siara accepted.
For Chris and Siara, “supposedly” life hasn’t changed much over the past year, but I would beg to differ. With 
the addition of their sweet boy, Nathan, on January 15, 2024, everything changed. They now have a sweet, goofy little boy that keeps them hopping all the time. There is really never a dull moment. I could go into so many of Nathan’s antics, but I’ll save that for his story in January. Chris and Siara are busily keeping up with all the antics of a soon to be two-year-old boy!!
Chris loves being a dad and working from 8:00am to 8:00pm means that he has some weekdays off. Chris loves that because it gives him tome to be with his boy. They are best buddies and do everything together. 
When Chris is at work, Nathan spends the day calling for his daddy and fully expecting him to come home immediately. When Siara does something to make Nathan mad, he yells for his “Dada” to tell on his mom. Of course, that won’t work for very long, but Chris is such a patient and calming man that he can defuse any situation quickly…including the rantings of an almost two-year-old boy about a mommy who is “doing him wrong!!” Chris is not only Nathan’s best friend, but he is Siara’s best friend too. These days Chris is looking into becoming an electrician. The apprenticeship program is a difficult one to get into, but I have no doubt that with hard work and perseverance, Chris will make that dream come true. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
There’s nothing greater for a mother to hear than a teenager or young twenties child saying, “Mom is amazing!!” So often kids, especially teenagers wish their parents would become invisible for a few years. You know, just until the child gets over the embarrassment of their parents. My niece, Dustie Masterson has kids that not only loved her through their awkward teenage years, but on into those early twenties too. Her daughter, Raelynn, who is the oldest child at 22 years old, says, “Mom is always encouraging us to do what we think is best, and she doesn’t influence us one way or the other. People always talk about how hard Mom works on day-to-day tasks, and that’s great, but I think she puts way more effort into emotional matters. When I’m really upset, of tired, or even on the occasion that I’m scared enough, I always think ‘I want my mom’. It’s a bit childish, no matter how old I am, I think I’ll always need her in some capacity. Just talking about my bad days to her always makes me feel better and sleep a bit easier, and we sort of have a routine of talking together at the end of the night before bed. She’s also very quick to tell me when I need to eat or sleep because I’m too emotional and taking it out on others. It’s helped a lot, by helping me realize where my emotions are coming from, and coping mechanisms that’ll help me unwind from that state.”
The family is taking Dustie to the Halloween Circus that’s in town today. She’s really looking forward to it. She 
loves the time she gets to spend with her family, because as anyone wo works a lot of hours knows, that time can be limited. In fact, Dustie missed out last year when it was in town, but her children, Raelynn, Matt, and Taylor are pulling for her to get to go, because one of the circus days is her birthday. Raelynn says, “I don’t say it enough, but Mom deserves much nicer than what we can usually afford on her birthday. I love my mom. I hope her birthday is blessed and wonderful.”
Dustie’s daughter, Taylor says. “Mom is one of the strongest people I have and will ever meet, she handles everything with a grace like none other. Mom has always been there when we really needed her and she takes all of our opinions into serious thought, like when she left Walgreen’s she asked us what we wanted. I aspire to handle things the way mom does with such calm and patience. Mom has been such a huge influence in how I live my day-to-day life. When I get stuck on something I ask ‘how would Mom handle this’ after that I can usually figure it out. Mom has shown me how I want to be treated in all aspects of life and that is something I will always be grateful for. I love my mom more than anything and I feel like that can never be shown, but I sure can try! Happy birthday Mama!! I love you!!”
Dustie has always been an inspiration to her children, Raelynn, Matt, and Taylor, as well as to her husband, my nephew Rob Masterson. When Dustie came along, I could see that Rob was beyond happy. His life prior to Dustie was less than happy, and then she came into his life. Everything changed. I watched Rob go from sad and broken to happy and fulfilled. Dustie is the glue that holds her family together, and it’s a sweet thing to watch. They all love her very much and she loves them. Today is Dustie’s 45th birthday. Happy birthday Dustie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
