Kids
My niece, Kelli Schulenberg is a country girl, through and through. She loves living in the country and would love to raise donkeys. Unfortunately, right now, she and my nephew Barry Schulenberg don’t have any donkeys, but I think it would be cool if they got some. I know that every little kid in the family would love to ride a donkey or even just feed them. Donkeys can be so sweet. Of course, they can also be stubborn. They are a bit like kids that way, I guess. It’s just par for the course.
Kelli loves country music, and attends as many concerts as she can each year. That said, I guess you know that she has seen lots of country music stars in her lifetime. I’m not sure who her favorite star is and maybe that’s because she has so many favorites that no single singer exactly stands out…at least not to me anyway.
Kelli has two “men” in her life. My nephew Barry, who she married on January 31, 2004, and their dog, Scout…who she calls Sheriff Scout, because he is always on duty and ready to pounce. Of course, about the only thing Scout will ever need to “pounce” on would be a rabbit who is brave (of foolish) enough to get to close, or enter the yard, in general. Scout rules the roost, and Kelli will confirm that story for sure. Scout has tons of toys, and “needs” them all out at the same time…apparently. Scout is a source of joy and laughter to Kellie and Barry.
Kelli loves the outdoors and especially hiking and bicycling, which go hand in hand with the fact that she loves Summer the best. In fact, if it weren’t for cross country skiing and snowshoeing, Kelli would have absolutely no 
use for Winter at all…and as to the wonderful Wyoming wind…well, she’s definitely not a fan…but they, how many of us really are. Kelli loves the mountains and camping, which is no fun in the winter either, Spring, Summer, and Fall, with a heavy emphasis on Summer is right up her alley. Kelli and Barry go camping as much as they can in the Summer. They especially love camping in the Big Horns, but they also like Colorado for camping places. Kelli is an outdoor girl who loves lots of fun outdoor activities, and all things country. Today is Kelli’s birthday. Happy birthday Kelli!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Babies are always so much fun, and that is what my great grand-niece, Reece Balcerzak is about to find out, as she gets ready to meet her new little brother, Aysa Bruce Bowen Balcerzak, who made his appearance on November 8, 2021. Aysa weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces, and he was 19 inches long. Aysa was a little more cooperative than his big sister, in that he only arrived Just over two weeks early, while his big sister arrived just over two months early, after her mom and dad stayed at Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Hospital in Denver for two weeks trying to buy a little bit of time for baby Reece. Then she had to be in the hospital in Denver for the next 60 days before she was big enough and healthy enough to go home. With the problems his big sister had, Aysa’s parents were a little apprehensive when they found out they were pregnant again. They had just about decided that they would a “one and done,” as little Aysa’s daddy, Keifer Balcerzak said, when Aysa’s mom, Katie Balcerzak told his daddy that she was pregnant. They were excited, but also a little worried that they would have a repeat of their daughter’s birth. In the end, Aysa wasn’t in quite as big a hurry to get here as his sister was…thankfully.
Aysa is a sweet little boy who is a joy to his parents, but in the beginning the early tests said that he was going to be a girl. His parents began preparing for a second daughter, and then…when the ultrasound was done, Aysa had pulled off a surprise of his own. I guess, that his surprise was a little easier to deal with that Reece’s had been, because hers was downright dangerous, while his was a few little changes. I mean, you can’t go around putting your little boy in little girl clothes. Well, I guess you could, but he might not appreciate it down the road when the family albums come out, and here he is in a frilly pink dress. No, that would just never do. Aysa would need boy clothes, so the baby shower gifts would have to be exchanged. Boy clothes these days, are just as cute as girl clothes, so it will be fun for his parents to dress him up too. It used to be that boys got plain pants and a plain shirt, but now they get trucks, puppies, and tractors on their clothes, along with other animals and vehicles too, so the clothes are cool, and Aysa’s parents will have lots of fun with his outfits too.
Aysa and his parents are still in the hospital at this point, because Katie had a C-section delivery, and with 
Covid restrictions, Reece has only seen her baby brother via video chat. At this point, she thinks he is pretty cool and she can’t wait to hold him. Her mom is hoping that stays that way. As we all know, when a baby comes home the older sibling is usually excited, until the baby starts crying or needs a stinky diaper changed. After that, they sometimes want to send that baby back. Hahahaha!! Nevertheless, even though the older siblings sometimes have a little “buyer’s remorse” initially, they usually find that they really love their new baby and being the big sister or big rother is really a very cool thing. Reece is such a smiley girl anyway, that I think she will have no trouble helping her little brother smile too. I’m so excited for the whole family, and I can’t wait to meet baby Aysa Bruce Bowen Balcerzak in the near future. Congratulations to Katie, Keifer, Reece, and the whole family!!
We always loved having my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim Wolfe come to town for visits. They were funl-oving people who always kept things lively and kept us laughing. They usually came with their three kids, Shirley Cameron, Larry Wolfe (who passed away in 1976), and Terry Wolfe. Sometimes they came with friends of Larry and Terrys, or with Shirley’s husband Wayne “Shorty” Cameron, Tonnya Cameron, and Larry Cameron. When the kids were there, it was especially fun. The boys were rowdy and rambunctious. And while there war no way my sisters and I could have “taken” them, that didn’t stop us from trying, or them from pretending that we might win the battle. The boys “style” was exactly the same as Aunt Ruth’s. The whole family was a barrel of laughs, and I miss those who have gone home to Heaven very much.
Aunt Ruth was a talented musician, and could play any instrument she picked up. That was a favorite memory of her daughter Shirley’s. She loved that her mom was talented both in music and in art. I really never had any idea that Aunt Ruth was so talented until we visited Shirley and Shorty when her dad, Uncle Jim passed away. Shirley showed us some of the paintings she had done. Unfortunately, many of Aunt Ruth’s things were lost in a fire that claimed the home she had shared with Uncle Jim. Aunt Ruth had passed away by then, but Uncle Jim stilled lived there, next door to their daughter Shirley and her family. The fire was the point when it became clear that Uncle Jim, who had Alzheimer’s disease by this time, would have to move to a nursing home. It was a sad time for all, because of the lost pictures, paintings, instruments, and most of all, because Shirley could no longer see her dad ever day, because it was just too far to the nursing home where he now lived. Aunt Ruth was also a talented equestrienne, and raced her horses often.
Aunt Ruth passed away at the very early age of just 66 years. She had cancer, and it was a fast-growing type. She found out about it, and before we all could think twice, she was gone. That was such a sad time, and we all miss her very much. Aunt Ruth passed away on May 11, 1992. It is so hard to believe that it has been that long ago. Today would have been Aunt Ruth’s 96th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven Aunt Ruth. We love and miss you very much.
My nephew, Matt Miller actually joined our family…officially, on August 14, 2021, when he married my niece, Michelle Stevens. While that was the official date, Matt has really been part of our family much longer. Matt and Michelle actually met in middle school. At that point, they became friends, but neither of them knew the future God had planned for this friendship. God planned for their friendship to grow into something so much deeper. As time went on, they knew that theirs was to be love and friendship, not just friendship. Their wedding this summer was the culmination of their years of loveship.
These days, Matt and Michelle are working hard and saving their money, because it is their dream to buy a house on a piece of land. Matt wants a large shop where he can work on things and just tinker around. He loves working on things like vehicles, and if they have land, I’m sure a riding lawnmower will follow. Michelle is so proud of her husband, because he visualizes a plan, and works hard to bring it to pass. The long shifts at the coal mines are not easy, and have sometimes meant that he and Michelle don’t see each other for two or three days, because of their shift differences. I get that too, because my own husband worked in the uranium mines. It tough of them and it makes it kind of lonely for them too. Nevertheless, Matt wants the very best for his wife and future kids, and their dream is land, so that is what he is going to do. Matt has recently really gotten into snowmobiling this year too, so I’m sure his shop will include tinkering on the snowmobiles that they will most likely own soon.
Of course, no man can work all the time, and hunting allows Matt to have fun and provide meat for the family table. Matt and his dad, love to go hunting, fishing, and they share a love of guns. Matt and his dad went bow hunting for elk this year, and both got their elk. That is so uncommon. Usually one or both will have to go hunt 
with a rifle in order to get their elk too. Game animals are elusive, you know. It was really fun for them to succeed in getting their elk with a bow. I have no idea how to shoot an arrow with a bow…much less have enough skill to actually bag an elk with a bow. That is really something to be super proud of. It’s really been a great year for Matt. Now, he and Michelle are really looking forward to all the good things God has in store for them in the future. Today is Matt’s birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Siara Olsen had a really tough year two years ago, but God had a new plan for her life. Siara was unsure why God would send her a man who shared a birthday with her son Alec Olsen. Siara lost Alec just a little under two years ago, to RSV. Having a boyfriend who shared that birthday felt a little strange…at least until Siara got to know Chris Kirk’s heart. Today is Chris’ birthday, but he decided to give Siara and her mom, Chantel Balcerzak a spa day so that Siara wouldn’t spend the whole day thinking sad thoughts about Alec. What an incredibly kind thing to do for her…on his birthday. Siara can’t say enough about Chris’ kindness, and just how genuine guy he is.
Chris has three siblings, one brother and two sisters. He is an amazing uncle to all of his nephews and nieces, as well 
as to Siara’s nieces and nephew. He bought his one nephew brand new wrestling shoes and takes him to the gym with him. Chris is a wrestler and is competing in a wrestling tournament in Denver next weekend, so his nephew is “helping” him prepare. It’s an exciting event, and even Siara’s parents are going to watch. Chris and Siara also work out together, and I can tell that he is very athletic. They love to go hiking and have seen many cool places this summer. One of their favorites is the Bridle Trail, which happen to be one of my favorite trails too. Such a beautiful hike.
Chris and Siara have many things in common. One is football. Chris loves football, and Siara, who was a cheerleader loves it too. So, they have gone to some Wyoming games, and Chris knows that he doesn’t have to worry about his girl hating that he watches football. They are also two very fun people, who love goofing off and having a good time.
Not all of Chris’ life was just perfect. Chris spent much of his childhood in foster care, and as we all know, that 
is not always a recipe for a child turning out well, but Chris was determined to become a good person. He wanted to be proud of himself, and so he worked to become a good man. While he did come out of foster care, he turned into a beautiful person in spite of it. As far as we, Siara’s family, are concerned, the fact that Chris is such a loving person, who treats Siara the way she deserves to be treated. And Chris is just that man. He is loving and even doting when it comes to Siara. He makes her feel spoiled and very special, and that makes us like Chris a lot. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Susan Griffith is a health insurance agent for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and as such she does travel in the state of Wyoming. Recently, she got a chance to travel for pleasure with work, which is a new deal for Susan. Her company paid for the employees to attend a Wyoming Cowboys football game. Susan is not really a fan of football, but she went, because i she was going to support a team, it would be the Wyoming Cowboys, and while he had to leave early to make the long drive home, she said it was ok. Who knows, maybe she will become a football fan, and those free games will be fun for her.
This year has been bittersweet for Susan and her husband, Josh Griffith. Their oldest daughter, Jala Satterwhite graduated from high school this past year, and during the summer, took a job as a guide near Yellowstone National Park. Nevertheless, while she was away from home, it felt like she would be coming home after the season ended. That isn’t what happened, however. When Jala came back to Powell, she moved into an apartment with some friends. Of course, a parent like to see the adult their child has become, but most wish it hadn’t gone by so fast. Every parent who has adult children can certainly understand how Susan and Josh feel.
Susan has also re-taken up cross stitch, and has been turning our lots of cool stuff, so of which has been gifted to her friends. They all feel very blessed by the beautiful gifts she has made. Susan has also started making 
cakes and decorating them, so every party is amazing. The cake for Jala’s graduation was one of Susan’s cakes, and everyone said it was amazing.
With everything going on, somehow, Susan and Josh found more time to go camping…a bit surprising, but nevertheless, it did happen. They even found a new campsite with a fire ring that allowed him to have a fire, when some camp sites couldn’t have a fire due to bans and dry weather. Susan is very much an outdoor girl. Every year on free fishing day, which is the first Saturday in June, and also falls on Susan and Josh’s anniversary weekend, a group of family members and friend have gone out to the causeway between Lovell and the mountain to fish. This has been for probably the last 3 or 4 years and has become a fun way to celebrate their anniversary with friends.
As an unusual type of travel destination…for them anyway, in March Susan and Josh took their girls Jala Satterwhite and Kaytlyn Griffith to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a vacation. It’s possible that it might be the last family vacation they get to take as a whole family. They had such a great time relaxing on the beach and enjoying the nice weather. They also visiting the local shops and of course, collected sea shells. Like any 
vacation, they were excited to go, but happy to come home, because there is no place like home, and spring break in Fort Lauderdale was probably a zoo. The trip was a total shock really. They had won a free trip when they went to California, and had planned a trip last year, but then Covid happened and this was their last chance to catch this vacation. So now they can say that they have been to both oceans with the kids, and in addition, when they got married they went to Cabo San Lucas, so they have had some pretty great vacations soaking up the sun. Today is Susan’s birthday. Happy birthday Susan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Dustie Masterson works as a shift manager at Walgreen’s in Casper, Wyoming, and in the time she has been there, she has become an indispensable asset to the store. You never know were you will find her when you walk in, because she seems to be everywhere at once, and the places she isn’t will be calling for her help before you know it. It’s not that the store is out of control, but rather that under Dustie’s leadership, it is a well-oiled machine. She seems to be everywhere at once, because Dustie is a mover and a shaker. A mover and a shaker is defined as “a powerful person who initiates events and influences people” and that is much like what Dustie is. She stays busy, helps out where needed, and keeps things running smoothly, but she also inspires the people she works with to excel in their jobs too.
Dustie is just as much an inspiration in her home. She inspires her kids to do well in school and her husband, Rob Masterson to do well in his job too. Being managers is something they share, although at different places. I think that the leadership qualities that Dustie and Rob have are already showing up in their children. Some things are inherited too, and these kids will do well in life.
Dustie is a great leader, but that is not all that Dustie is about. Dustie has a great sense of humor, and she likes being very silly, especially with her kids. She shows them that they don’t have to spend their whole life working feverishly, or being serious as the contemplate their lives, or even hidden away with their noses in a book. Of course, those things are necessary at the proper times, but there is also a time to be…silly, and to laugh about their silliness. Life can sometimes get far too serious, and like the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And 
a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.” Dustie loves the Bible, and I love that she does, and that she knows there is a time to laugh. Today is Dustie’s birthday. Happy birthday Dustie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Tucker Schulenberg has had a rough year, due to the loss of his mother, Rachel Schulenberg on January 19, 2021. Still, Tucker is a good boy, who always made his parents proud. He has a good heart and a loving way about him. When the family gets together for our monthly dinners, Tucker is always willing to hang out and play with his girl cousins, and his boy cousin too. They are all much younger than he is, but that doesn’t make any difference. He never shuns them.
Tucker has his own ideas on most things, and he doesn’t mind telling what they are, but he is also ok with other people having other ideas, something that is somewhat rare in these days of everyone getting offended so easily. Tucker is a Conservative, and he doesn’t mind telling you so. He has a mind of his own, and he makes sure he is informed about the things going on around him. Now, I call that one wise kid.
Tucker came to our family at two years old, when his mom married my brother-in-law, Ron Schulenberg. Tucker had a. pretty much, absent dad, and he knew that Ron, who was his step-dad then, was going to be a better dad to him. It was Tucker who approached the adoption idea with Ron. Ron was so pleased, because he wanted nothing more than to truly be Tucker’s daddy. That couldn’t happen until Tucker’s real dad decided to allow his 
parental rights to be terminated. It took a while, but finally the day came, when he said ok. They all went straight to the court house, and signed the paperwork to get everything started. Soon after, on June 27, 2019, it was official, and Tucker was so happy, as were his parents. As it turned out, that adoption was so much more important than any one could have known. Tucker would really need his daddy just 19 months later. Tucker and his dad are doing better these days, but they went through some really hard times. There have been a few things that helped Tucker, mainly the grief camp he went to this past summer. The day camp involved horses, and Tucker, like most of the other campers, really thrived under the program. Tucker even thinks he might want to have a horse of his own. While they are pricey, I think his mom would love that idea. Time will tell if it can be done, but I think someday, he might just make that dream come true. No matter what, things will get better. Today is Tucker’s 14th birthday. Happy birthday Tucker!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grand-niece, Reagan Parmely is in the third grade, but she has a very different kind of school day from the kind when I was a kid in the third grade. Reagan and her sister, Hattie are homeschooled, so their day is structured quite differently from a public school. They spend pretty much the same amount of time in class and studies as the public school, but the recess and lunch breaks are very different. I don’t know of any public school where the students can go out for recess and jump on the trampoline, ride a horse, or play with the kittens and baby goats. Nevertheless, that is the kind of things that Reagan and Hattie can do. They also might spend part of their classroom breaks doing a few chores, like feeding the animals or mucking out the stalls and beds of the animals.
When Reagan’s mom, Ashley Parmely decided to homeschool her children, I thought it might be fun to have a play on words with the kids. I asked them, “How do you like your teacher this year?” After giving my an odd look, Reagan and Hattie (who is in 1st grade) have both said, “My mom is my teacher.” That opened up a conversation. I told them I knew that, so how did they like her. Well, they were still confused, because, of course, they “love” her. They said that she was good, and I said that I figured they liked her. They began to catch on, and then laughed a bit. As I said, their schooling is different from pubic school, and it is, in more ways than one. What public school allows the children to hug their teacher, much less tell their teacher they “love” her these days. It is just not done anymore, because everyone is afraid of a lawsuit. I find that really sad.
Life on a farm, being homeschooled has been really good for Reagan and her siblings, Hattie, Bowen, and Maeve. They love the freedom they have to relax in the schooling situation, and even to sleep in, because if they had to catch a bus for school, they would have to get up much earlier. The kids are also getting an 
education that is much more expanded than other children. Growing up around animals, watching them give birth, learning to milk a cow or a goat, and even learning about death, because that happens on the farm too. Some animals are raised for food, and that is just a part of life. Reagan is growing up so fast. In so many ways, she is wise beyond her years. She is a good big sister, a good farm girl, and we are all very proud of her. Today is Reagan’s 9th birthday. Happy birthday Reagan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Ashley Parmely joined our family when she married my nephew, Eric Parmely in 2011. Since that time, much has changed in Eric’s life, as well as the entire family. Eric and Ashley have three daughters, Reagan, Hattie, and Maeve; and a son, Bowen. Ashley is almost halfway through her second year of homeschooling her two oldest daughters, Reagan and Hattie. Bowen attends school in town for pre-school, where he will attend for one more year. Maeve will start there next year for two years. After that, Ashley plans to homeschool all four of their children. I think she is doing an amazing job as the teacher, and I think the whole family is very proud of her for sticking to it.
Hard work is not something that is new to Ashley. As a farm girl, she has many jobs. She not only takes care of her home and children and homeschools the children, she also feeds and cares for the farm animals, milks the cow and goats, collects the eggs, helps her husband and dad, Albert Eighmy unload and stack hay for their farm animals. I can’t imagine everything that goes into having farm animals, but I know that you have to clean up after them, and feed them, and those that have to be milked, must 
be milked twice a day. It means early mornings and sometimes late evenings. When babies arrive, they don’t always come at the perfect time, and sometimes they need help, so sometimes she is up all night with the animals. Don’t get me wrong, Eric helps too, but Ashley works very hard, nevertheless. It is really beyond what I can imagine doing every day, but for Ashley, it’s just another day in paradise.
There are fun times too. Ashley loves to take pictures, and so she plans events so that she can document the events. Her photography is excellent. She really has an eye for just how to set up a shot, and also for seeing the shot in a spontaneous situation. We have all enjoyed watching her family grow up in the pictures she posts on Facebook. We have all enjoyed spending time with them too, at the monthly family dinners that Ashley suggested to bring our family closer together. They have been such a blessing, and we have been able to get to know their kids better. Even little Maeve, who is rather bashful, is growing more comfortable around all of us. She was a baby of the Covid era, so she was not used to being around people. These dinners have been good for her…for all of us.
Ashley has been a wonderful part of our family. She has such a good imagination and we have all enjoyed her great ideas. Ashley’s personality is all about happiness and family. We all knew Ashley was a perfect fit in our family from the moment we met her, and we were not wrong. We look forward to many more years together. Today is Ashley’s birthday. Happy birthday Ashley!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
