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Our aunt, Pearl Hein has spent much of her life taking care of others. She took care of her parents, husband, children, and grandchildren. She was also worked full time…plus. It seemed that the IGA in Forsyth, Montana where she lives, couldn’t function if Pearl wasn’t there. Eventually though, came the time for her to retire. I’m sure that IGA was sorry to see her go, but she was ready. After that, she took care of her husband, Uncle Eddie Hein until his passing in 2019. A short time later, in early 2020, her son, Larry Hein also passed away. This left Pearl feeling alone, even though, she has a daughter, Kim Arani living in Texas. For the most part, the loneliness was short lived. Where Pearl hadn’t really traveled much, she now made some trips to visit Kim, and I think she has really enjoyed that, and that makes me very happy. They looked like they had a great time.
Pearl is a kind and caring woman, and she is loved by many. Her humble nature tends to make her think less of 
her own value though. I know that my family and my in-laws always loved Pearl and enjoyed spending time at her home. I only wish that she could have come to Casper more, but she always worked too hard, and didn’t often give herself the time off that she deserved. That always made me sad, because she really did deserve that time off. Pearl and Eddie always had a garden and she canned food from the garden to serve her family. Pearl was a great cook…I mean a really great cook. You never went away from her table hungry, and more likely you were too full, because you just couldn’t stop eating.
Pearl still lives in Forsyth, Montana, as do some of her grandchildren, and her siblings live nearby as well. I’m sure that is part of what keeps Pearl from moving to Texas to be nearer her daughter…that and maybe the
Texas heat. I’m not sure, but some people like that heat and others really don’t. Still, she cand go visit in the cold winter months and at least enjoy not being in the “frozen tundra” of Montana. Ok maybe it really isn’t the frozen tundra, but it often feels that way in the coldest parts of Winter. It is my firm belief, that Pearl deserves whatever she wants to make her happy. She has spent so much of her life making others happy, healthy, and blessed. Now it is time for her to do things that make her happy. Today is Pearl’s 75th birthday. Happy birthday Pearl!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Sean Mortensen is an extraordinary sportsman. He excels at everything from boating to snowmobiling, and he has taught his daughter, Jadyn Mortensen, and partner, Amanda Reed to do these things too. They are fearless people, and very capable in almost any sport. While he enjoys water sports in the summer, I think that he rather prefers winter sports. To Sean, there is little that compares to landing in a blanket of deep powder with the snowmobile he just raced up the hill. Of course, there is more to such activities than that, because if a racer doesn’t know what is under that powder, he could get hurt. Now don’t ask me how they stay safe, because I don’t know and maybe they don’t know either. Maybe it’s all just instinct. And maybe we will never know.
Sean and Amanda have been together since high school, and they are the parents of a beautiful daughter 
named Jadyn, who is in college now. Theirs was a made in Heaven romance, and they have never looked back. They have enjoyed their life and making friends together. They are very social people and have made a great many friends along the way. He and Amanda also love to hang out with a great group of friends on the weekend for some fun…and really goofy times. When they go to the lake, they often have an impromptu fishing contest to see who gets the biggest fish. You never know what fun they will have when these friends get together!!
While Sean and his family are fun loving people, they are not just fun loving. Sean is the owner of Triangle 
Heating and Air, LLC, and he has worked very hard to make his business a success. The company has had great reviews across several rating sites and is listed as A+ on the Better Business Bureau. That is as good as it gets, and a real credit to Sean as the owner. When he isn’t working, he can be found taking care of their home and their toys, because their toys are what they enjoy doing. Hard work and heavy labor are great, by all work and no play…well you know how it goes. Today is Sean’s birthday. Happy birthday Sean!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My daughter, Corrie Petersen has spent the last year working in the career she was born to be in…nursing. Since 2005, when Corrie began helping with the caregiving of her grandparents, she knew that she was destined to go to nursing school. The timing wasn’t right then, but when the time was right, she went to nursing school and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Nightingale College receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Corrie waited a long time for this degree. I’m thankful that she was there for me when I needed her help to care for her grandparents. I couldn’t have done it without her and the rest of my family. All those prior obligations are done…sadly, because the grandparents are in Heaven now. Nevertheless, when they needed her, she was there as a part of the village of caregivers we needed to care for them. They and we will be forever grateful. Now, it is Corrie’s time, and she is having the time of her life working in the career she loves. There is an old quote by Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” That is so true of Corrie, but don’t get the idea that you won’t be tired at the end of the shift, because in nursing…you will, but it’s a really good kind of tired. 
During Corrie’s school years and continuing into this first year as a nurse, she had a pretty busy personal life. In that time, she has gained two beautiful daughters-in-law, Karen and Athena. She has also gained five grandchildren (with one more on the way), Cambree, Caysen, Justin, Axel, and Cyler. She couldn’t be happier with her family. She and her husband, Kevin love being grandparents and in-laws, and they can wait for the new arrival. The last seven years of anticipation and pregnancies have been so special for Corrie and Kevin.
Corrie and Kevin have also been doing some renovations on their home, and while I haven’t seen it yet, because it isn’t finished, I have been seeing some of the things they have purchased for it, and I think it is going to be stunning. Everything is very cool, and their home is going to be perfect for them. Since nursing 
school is over, Corrie has been doing a lot of reading, and one of the things they purchased for the home is a bookcase to hold all the books Corrie has purchased. It’s funny…after all the reading Corrie did during nursing school, she still finds that she loves to read, although these days it more novels than medical books. I’m sure she always will love to read. Today is Corrie’s birthday. Happy birthday Corrie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My daughter, Amy Royce is a career insurance agent, but during her time off she doubles as a master gardener. I suppose there are those who are better, but my girl can grow the prettiest flowers. Her yard is filled with flowers every year, and every year, she adds a few more little beauties to her fantastic garden. She has worked at it each year, creating a masterpiece in flowers. Amy’s back yard is a sanctuary…very peaceful, pleasant, and with all the flowers, beautiful smelling too. You might be picturing so many flowers that there is nothing else, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Her yard is tastefully decorated in flowers. Amy is an artist, and she didn’t get it from her mom. She paints, creating very pretty pictures, and she “paints” her yard in flowers…placing them strategically around so as to make a beautiful oasis. Everybody loves her back yard!! This year her back yard yielded an even more spectacular view, a front row seat to the Aurora Borealis. It was stunning.
Amy tried growing the kind of flowers she wanted here, in Wyoming, but our climate wasn’t conducive to the kind of garden that she wanted. To top it off, Amy prefers a more mild climate. It’s not that they don’t get some cold weather in northwestern Washington, but they don’t get the amount of snow and the bitter cold that we get in Wyoming. The reality is that Amy is a “beach lover” and is much more in her element there. I get that. The rainforest and the beaches of the Pacific Northwest are very pleasant, and such a nice place to visit. Amy also loves the rain, which I can relate to, but probably not to the same degree that she loves it. A gray day is totally her cup of tea.
Amy and her family love to entertain, and they have a detached garage/recreation room that they have turned 
into the perfect entertainment place. They even named it T&Avern!! It is connected to their covered patio, and it is a wonderful place to gather with friends and family. When they aren’t entertaining, Amy and her husband, Travis, and their kids, Shai and Caalab like to go to the casinos sometimes to do a little gambling. They usually do very well in their gambling, often winning…and not just a pittance. I need to go and let them gamble for me, rather than me gambling for me. I would likely fare better if I did. Maybe anyway. When she wins, I always ask her if she was using my dollar. She always says no!! Go figure!! Oh well, I’m glad when they win!! Today is Amy’s birthday. Happy birthday Amy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece Kellie Hadlock’s boyfriend, Tim Thompson is having a great summer, and it’s just getting started. Now that school is out, Tim gets to have his daughter, Jolene Thompson for the whole summer. Tim and Kellie have so many plans for the summer. For starters, they went camping in the Green Mountains over the Memorial Day weekend. Then, they celebrated his birthday last night, because Tim and Jolene have to head back to Gillette in the morning. Tim is so excited about have his daughter for the summer. It’s been really hard being so far away from her. Tim and Kellie have already been fishing a ton and Tim is super excited that the camper is up and running! Tim is an outdoor fanatic. He loves hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking; and so, they have many plans for the camper and camping this summer!! They are always out doing fun things and being active and, the girls love that!! 
Kellie tells me that Tim is such an amazing person!! He is so selfless and is always wanting to take care of his daughter, Jolene and Kellie, and their dogs too, of course!! And speaking of dogs, Kellie’s neighbor is not able to get around easily, and when we had the three feet of snow this winter, she was worried about letting her little dog outside to potty, because if the dog got stuck, it might not be able to get free and she wouldn’t have been able to get it. She asked Tim, if he would mind watching to make sure the dog got back in, and Tim did one better. He went out and shoveled her walks so that not only could the dog get in and out safely but so could the neighbor. That kindness will never be forgotten. It’s a hard thing to be unable to take you pet outside, because 
you are afraid for the pet and for yourself. Tim saw that and made sure he gave both of them a safe passage.
Tim is such an amazing blessing to anyone he comes in contact with, but especially for his girls, Kellie and Jolene and their dogs, and Kellie tells me that she is “so thankful that God gave me him!!” Tim has brought Kellie out of her comfort zone on a few things, such as the outdoor things. She wasn’t really an outdoorsy girl, and now she is. She has even gone ice fishing and enjoyed it!! Life is always better when your partner is a gift from God!! Today is Tim’s birthday. Happy birthday Tim!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
This year has been one of so much change for my niece, Amanda Reed. The biggest change is that Jadyn Mortensen, the daughter that she shares with partner, Sean Mortensen went away to college. It wasn’t that she was so far away, but because she is their only child, her leaving brought not only their first college student, but also the empty nest syndrome. They are a very close family. They all share a love of all things outdoor sports. Jadyn is even attending the University of Wyoming on a full ride rodeo scholarship. From boating, to snowmobiling, to skiing, to motorcycling, to horse riding, this is a family of athletes, and they do it all together. So having Jadyn in college, leaves a big hole in the family dynamic, and they are all feeling it. The good news is that summer is coming, and Jadyn’s break from college. 
Amanda and Sean decided to buy his parents cabin at Ryan Park, and the area is just beautiful. Ryan Park is in the Snowy Range, and the area is surrounded by trees and nature. They spent last Christmas up there. Everyone who joined them had a wonderful time. The cabin will be a wonderful addition to their many outdoor activities, both for summer and winter use. A cabin in the mountains is always a beautiful spot to spend time. I know they will really enjoy their time there.
Amanda has been working in the banking industry for all of her adult life, and she has made great strides in her field. Amanda went to work at the Rawlins National Bank at a young age and worked her way up to the pretty 
prestigious position of BSA Agent, which is a part of the law enforcement area of the bank. Now, she has been promoted to Vice President over operations, which is a wonderful step up. She’s very happy about that! Amanda has worked so hard to advance her career, and she has been so successful in everything she does. This latest promotion is such a big one for her, and we are all so proud of this accomplishment. I know that the future will continue to be amazing for Amanda. It seems that every time she turns around, there is another great change waiting for her. She is such an engaging person, and always wears a smile. She has a great group of friends that, along with her family, round out her world very nicely. Today is Amanda’s birthday. Happy birthday Amanda!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My cousin, Darla Stanko passed away on February 26, 2023, at 63 just years old. As I think of Darla, I remember her laugh, which was just like her mother’s. It was sweet and a little shy, but when they laughed…you laughed, because their laugh was contagious. As kids, we would all go down in Grandma Byer’s basement to play, while the grownups visited upstairs. Grandma’s basement was a little creepy and worked well as a “haunted” house…if the kids liked that sort of thing. Some did and some didn’t. I preferred other games. I think Darla did too. She had asthma and scary stuff could trigger things.
As kids do, we all grew up…quicker than we would ever have dreamed possible. Before long, babies were coming along. I remember talking to Darla once. She told me that without a doubt, the best thing she ever did was JeanAnn, and of that I have no doubt. For a mom to look at the beautiful little baby they have just given birth to…there is no greater honor. Kids are a big part of our lives, and games are a part of kids. JeanAnn told me about the times she and her mom played cards. Their favorite game was Speed…which is a high drama card matching game for two players. It was perfect for them.
The other thing that JeanAnn and her mom loved to do was to spend time jumping on the trampoline in their yard. I can just picture it now, a summer evening in the back yard, just the two girls, jumping and giggling the hours away. Of course, there was also their dog, Nelly with them too. Now Nelly was a different sort of dog. She was very gentle with JeanAnn, but then she was JeanAnn’s guard dog. She was also gentle with Darla too…except for that one time. JeanAnn could make Nelly mad and then point at a new person, and Nelly would go get that person. That was all well and good…until JeanAnn did that to her mom. My guess is that JeanAnn had no idea what was about to take place. Darla saw it coming, and she jumped on the furniture to get away from the guard dog that was now hot on her trail. She almost knocked herself out jumping down. JeanAnn 
says, “It was great” and maybe it was…for her anyway. Darla…maybe not so much, but I’m sure she laughed about it later.
Now, for me, possibly the funniest story about Darla’s life was the “fateful” trip to Denver. Darla decided to take her daughter to Denver, and to take her mom, my Aunt Delores Johnson with them. She needed a “navigator” and while I can’t picture my Aunt Dee in that capacity, maybe Darla thought map reading was like breathing…anyone could do it. My thought is, “Have you met your mother?” Anyway, off they went, and to make a long story short, they ended up on a one street in rush hour traffic, going the wrong way!!” Oh yes, that’s the Aunt Dee I know, and I can totally picture that whole situation…once I can stop laughing!!
My daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Travis Royce, met while he was in high school, and she had just graduated. Nevertheless, once they met, they were inseparable. Looking back now on these 27 years of their marriage, it’s easy to see that they are perfect for each other…they always have been perfect for each other. They have always been headed in the same direction and had the same interests…some of which have been a bit of a surprise to me over the years.
I knew that Amy really loved the beach and really enjoyed the Pacific Northwest, and I knew that Travis had lived in Washington, but somehow it never occurred to me that they would actually move there. Of course, now I can’t 
imagine them living anywhere else. They love it there, and I love to visit them there, because I have grown to love the beauty of that area too. The rainforest, the beaches, and the islands all hold a great appeal. I don’t say I’d move there, but do I love to visit.
These days, things have changed some for Amy and Travis. They are both working from home now, and they really are enjoying that. Amy’s work as an insurance agent has continued, but since Covid, her company found that they could be just as efficient with agents who worked from home. Travis, on the other hand has decided to open a woodworking business, and I can tell you firsthand that Travis’ work, and that of their son, Caalab is very, very good. Caalab is just learning, but he is his dad’s son, and the talent is definitely in his hands too. The new dynamic of their lives is rather freeing. Their daughter, Shai was also working from home, but her 
company has asked her to come back to the office in an additional capacity. Shai is an agent too, at the same agency where Amy works, but they want Shai to assist her manager with interviews. So now she is assisting with interviews too, and that job, for now anyway, needs to have her in the office. For Amy and Travis this new lifestyle is very relaxing, but of course it is also a lot of work. While they are at home together, they both work full-time at their jobs. Nevertheless, it is a new dynamic, and it comes at a great point in their lives. Today is their 27th wedding anniversary. I am very proud of the people they have become. Happy anniversary Amy and Travis. Have a great day!! We 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!!
My grandniece, Katie Balcerzak has been a part of our family, since she married my grandnephew, Keifer Balcerzak in 2015. Together they have two beautiful children, Reece and Aysa Balcerzak. They have been so blessed with two happy, smiling children, who bring more joy to their lives than they could ever have imagined. Reece was born in 2017 and Asa was born in 2021. Now their family is complete. They love doing all the fun activities, like sports and such. Reece is trying different things like t-ball, and while that may not be the sort for her, Katie and Keifer encourage her to give it a shot. They are good parents…always encouraging their kids and each other.
I liked Katie from the first time I met her. We have a few things in common, mostly that we both have sisters, and no brothers. It can make us feel unsure about having boys. While I didn’t have boys, I had three grandsons and only one granddaughter. Katie had a daughter first, and then her son. Either way, for a girl with all sisters, 
even if she had nephews, having those boys is a bit of a culture shock. Nevertheless, you adapt, and Katie has adapted beautifully. In fact, the love she has for both of her children shows all over her face. It’s just beautiful.
Katie has always been very close to her sisters. The bond they have reminds me of my bond with my sisters. There is something about a family of sisters. Girls think alike. They like the same things, and they like to share their hopes and dreams. The bond between sisters is like a best friend, but much closer. That is the bond Katie has with her sisters, Kellee Schuerman, Martha Simkin, and Bernnie Steadham, have had since they were little girls. Whenever they are together, you can see 
their love for each other by the smiles on their faces. There is a closeness, comradery, and sisterhood, that is forever. Katie has had the privilege of being a part of a wonderful family, and parents, Vicki Jammerman and Thad Davidson, who taught her and her sisters to be loving, nurturing, and kind people. Their parents taught them good values and it shows in their lives.
When Katie met Keifer, it was love almost immediately. They were young, but they knew that they would become a couple, and grow a family…and that is exactly what they did. They two sweet people were meant to be together. Theirs is a match made in Heaven, and it grows more and more beautiful with each passing day. Today is Katie’s birthday. Happy birthday Katie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
