smile
Photography arrived in the United States in 1839, and looking at portraits from that era, you’ll notice the subjects rarely smiled. I always thought of that as being sad, but the truth is that there were reasons for that. Most monochrome prints from the 18th century feature people in regal poses with serious expressions, and the absence of color adds to the somber feel. One reason for the lack of smiles was the long exposure time in early photography, which could take around 20 minutes. It was much easier to hold a relaxed face than to maintain a steady smile, and subjects had to remain perfectly still to avoid any blur in the final image.
By the early 1840s, the exposure time for photographs had dropped to about 20 seconds, yet people still kept serious expressions in their portraits. There could have been a number of reasons…habit, etiquette, and even poor dental care. For whatever reason, people in those days were actually not told to say “cheese” but rather “prunes.” The point was to keep a more neutral look on their faces. I wondered about that, and so I tried saying prunes instead of cheese, but it doesn’t seem like that would produce a neutral face exactly. To me it almost produced a pucker or an “o” face. I could be wrong I suppose, but in choosing “cheese” the persons face almost has to form a smile to get the word “cheese” out. The word “prunes” just doesn’t seem 
to produce the opposite effect for me.
Smiling for photos didn’t really catch on until the 20th century, which is also when saying “cheese” became popular. Unlike “cheese,” which makes you grin. Saying “prunes” tightens the lips for a more modest, refined look that fit the beauty standards of the time. This trend was started by Britain’s first portrait photographer, Richard Beard, who used it to help his subjects create a sharp, composed image. For me, it seems rather sad that all those old photographs had a serious look to them, like life was mean and harsh, instead of being happy. Actually, the opposite was usually true. People were usually happy, but history will never record that fact, because the people were told to say “prunes.” Personally, I prefer the smiles…don’t you?
My niece, Melanie Harman is married to one of the most adoring husbands ever. What a wonderful blessing they are to each other. Melanie married into our family when she married my nephew, Jake Harman, and they truly never have a negative word to say about each other. Everything they tell me about their spouse is sweet, loving, and uplifting. Jake tells me that Melanie is “my best friend and my other half. She has the most beautiful smile in the world and the greatest laugh known to mankind. She is without a doubt the best wife ever and an even better mom. She works all day, then comes home to take care of everything here. She is super mom!! She does any and everything for the babies (12-year-old Alice, Green, 9-year-old Izabella Harman, and 8-year-old Jaxx Harman). They are her life!!”
Melanie has worked at the State of Wyoming for 3 years now, and she really loves it. Melanie’s coworkers are always telling her how much they love her. She brightens everyone’s day when she enters the room. She has this way about her that makes you feel like you can tell her everything, so she has to constantly tell people at work, “I have to work,” because people won’t stop talking to her. It’s a funny, but sweet problem. So many people go to work thinking only of when they will get off. And so few people ever consider that those around them might need to talk, or even to see a smile aimed at them. Especially these days, people have become so “closed in” and think only of themselves. In that kind of a global atmosphere, Melanie shines as a light in the dark to those she touches with her smile and caring ways.
For Jake and “the babies” her smile is a happy point of their day, every day. They have a game at the house to 
make sure they give Jake loves before her, because she is his, after all!! Of course, the kids always run to her first, and then Jake has to “beat them” for touching his wife!! It’s all in good fun, and the kids have no fear of their daddy, because he’s really a softy!! Jake hurt his shoulder at work back in October, and he had to have surgery. It was a bummer of a situation, but Melanie took care of Jake every step of the way. In true Melanie style, she never complained. She just took care of him. In his own words, Jake best states his feelings for his wife, when he says, “She is the most beautiful, loving woman ever and there is absolutely no one luckier than me to have this amazing family, and it’s all because of her!!” Today is Melanie’s birthday. Happy birthday Melanie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
This has been such an exciting year for my niece, Kellie Hadlock. On December 7, 2024, she became engaged to the love of her life, Tim Thompson, and they have been happily planning their summer wedding. Their lives are filled with excitement. Upon her marriage, Kellie will become bonus mom to Tim’s daughter, Jolene, and Jolene is beyond excited about that. They have become so close, and really best friends. It would be impossible not to love Kellie, because she has an infectious laugh, and she is always happy. Recently, Kellie; her mom, Allyn Hadlock; sisters, Jessi Sawdon and Lindsay Moore; and sister-in law, Chelsea Hadlock, went to Loveland, Colorado, to pick out her wedding dress. They had a wonderful time, and Kellie said, “Yes to the dress!!” Now the excitement really begins. Lindsay says, “It’s been really fun to get to witness Kellie and Tim plan for their future! It’s been a really special time, and we are all really happy for her!”
Jessi tells me that “Kellie is still a baby (these girls are always teasing each other). We went for a girls’ weekend recently and got.to play in the pool. We tried to throw Chelsea in, but she wouldn’t do it. So, Mom (Allyn) and Lindsay sat in the hot tub while Kellie and I played with all the pool toys. Then, Mom and Lindsay 
joined us. It felt like when we were kids on vacation. We don’t often play in the pool like that without our kids, so it was really fun.” Jessi says, “Kellie is also really funny, and she and I always have fun when we’re together. We’ll often have a conversation that is indecipherable to outsiders because we’ll just say a few words and start laughing. And can start laughing again with just a funny look at each other. Her laugh, as we all know, has always been contagious so it’s really easy to be in a good mood when she is around.” Allyn says, “Yes they all are so funny and fun! Never a dull moment! I’m so glad we all went to Loveland to shop for a wedding dress together because it was a very special time and exciting to get to see her trying them all on! The dress she said yes to is so gorgeous on her and we all were unanimous in that!”
Kellie has been working on an internet business that she has set up as a “side-hustle” and is called Kingdom Crochet. She makes lots of hats and blankets, and she had a very successful Christmas season. Crocheting is a relaxing hobby, but it is also time-consuming, and it takes skill. I am very proud of Kellie’s skills and her perseverance. Her work is really beautiful, and I encourage everyone to click the link and have a look.
Kellie is one of the song service worship leaders at our church, and she has a beautiful voice. I love to hear her sing. She also plays the piano and has filled in for the piano player when he has to be out of town. Kellie is really a gifted singer, and she is a huge blessing to our church. Kellie is a devoted Christian, and her entire life shows her love of the Lord. Kellie has always been a smiley girl, and her presence on the stage lights it up. She always seems to have a feeling of joy and delight in her heart. I am a backup singer, and I actually find myself smiling more, because of Kellie’s example. That is an accomplishment in and of itself, because smiling while singing is foreign to me. Kellie brings out the best in people. Today is Kellie’s birthday. Happy birthday Kellie! Have a great day! We love you!
My great grandnephew, Nathan Kirk is a sweet baby boy who is growing up so fast. His first year is already behind him and he has accomplished so much. He is walking now, and he has stolen the hearts of his parents, Siara and Chris Kirk…along with everyone else he comes across. When he smiles, his whole face lights up, and that makes everyone else happy. I’m told that his name means “gift from Heaven” and nothing could be truer. Nathan is the rainbow baby of my grandniece, Siara, who lost her first son when he was just three months old. Nathan has helped her heal. She will always miss Alec, but Nathan has truly been a healing gift.
Nathan makes the cutest little faces, and he is very photogenic. I just love seeing the latest pictures of him. Nathan loves his 
mommy and daddy, and his face lights up when they come into the room. Of course, there have been many firsts in his short life. He loves things like singing with his grandma, Chantel Balcerzak. He has also been very busy filling his mouth up with lots of teeth. His mommy and Daddy better get ready to start making his steaks…now that he has teeth.
Nathan has been initiated into the world of sports too. He has attended football games in Laramie with his parents, watching the Wyoming Cowboys. And I’m sure his grandpa, Dave Balcerzak has introduced him to the Pittsburgh Steelers too. I’m not sure who his daddy likes, but if it’s not the Steelers, I’m sure he is initiating Nathan into the other team too. No matter what, I know that Nathan will like lots of different kinds of sports, because he is his daddy’s boy, after all, not to mention his cheerleader mommy’s boy. It would be hard to be 
their kid without liking sports. Nevertheless, right now, he has other things on his mind. Things like learning to talk, run, and of course, eat. Boys always have big appetites.
Nathan’s real name is Nathaniel, but he has gone by both versions since he was born. Of course, there are other nicknames too, but I think most people call in Nathan. As with all kids, the nicknames he might use later on with be of his own choosing or something someone gives his that just sticks. Whatever nickname he uses later on, I know it will fit him perfectly. For now, he is too busy just getting to be a big boy. Today is Nathan’s 1st birthday. Happy birthday Nathan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Melanie Harman joined our family when she married my grandnephew, Jake Harman. Jake is so in love with Melanie, and he can never say enough nice things about his “perfect wife.” Jake knows that Melanie is just that…perfect for him. As a semi-truck driver, Jake looks forward to getting back home after a long day to the sweet home his wife has created for their little family. Melanie has worked for the State of Wyoming for two years now, and she is loved by everyone because of her bubbly personality and perfect smile.
Jake is so happy with his bride, calling her “the best mother in the whole world” and saying that he should know, because he had the best mom and so knows what a great mom is. Melanie has embraced that title because their kids love her so much. 
He is impressed at how she can work a full-time job and still manages to take care of her kids and husband (also a big kid) without missing a beat. Melanie makes sure that they never go with out in any way, because she goes above and beyond for them every second of every day.
For Jake, thoughts of Melanie bring up her smile…the most amazing in the world, a laugh that melts the hardest of hearts, the voice of an angel, and a face that he can only say is absolutely proof of God’s existence, because only someone who is perfect and complete and total love could make such a perfect wife as she is. Jake is a teaser, and every year he tries to steal her birthday and say it’s his. He does the same thing with their babies, Izabella “Belle” and Jax. While that part is a joke, Jake really does feel like every day is his birthday, because having Melanie as his wife, makes everyday seem like his birthday. Having Melanie as his wife has made him a better person…hands down. Jake tells me that he was an alcoholic thief, who would do anything to get booze 
and smoked 2 packs a day when I was drunk and 1 a day when not. Then, he met Melanie and fell completely and madly in love with her. He quit drinking, so he wouldn’t miss her or miss her smile. He never went back to drinking. He quit smoking, praying that it would let him live longer next to her. He says that she has given him the best children in the world. His wife and kids are his best friends, and his life is awesome, and it’s all because of this day 33 years ago that his perfect mate came into his life. Jake says that without Melanie Jo, he would still be nothing today, so he says, “Happy birthday Jake!! This is your day, because on this day your life began!! I love my beautiful and amazing turtle.” Today is actually Melanie’s birthday. Happy birthday Melanie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My aunt, Deloris “Dee” Johnson was always such a cheerful, fun-loving person. My sisters and I loved when she would come over to visit our mom, her sister, Collene Spencer. I especially loved her laugh. It was infectious and contagious. Aunt Dee left us far too soon, when she contracted Brain Cancer. She was just 65 years old. That was a very sad time, because we would not see her beautiful, smiling face for a long time…until we see her again in Heaven. Aunt Dee loved life, and always looked forward to the next day, and the next adventure. She had a way of inventing fun, and everyone around her benefitted.
When she was a kid, there were no video games, and while television was a thing, not everyone had one. Even if they did, kids did not spend hours watching television. Kids went and played outside. They played games like kick the can, hide and seek, blind man’s bluff, and many others, I’m sure. Basically, if it was daylight, and their chores were done, kids played outside. Aunt Dee one time got out a big trench coat and she and my mom, her sister, Collene Spencer, did a little “flying” in the wind. They had a blast. Aunt Dee once learned a new dance in school and upon her arrival home, immediately taught it to her siblings. I think she might have been a great schoolteacher. She loved kids and loved to teach things to others.
Aunt Dee was George and Hattie Byer’s, my grandparents, third child and third daughter. Later she would have 8 siblings, two brothers and six sisters. While Aunt Dee was very loving and kind, she did not take kindly to anyone picking on her family, and was known to tell a few people off, if they got on the wrong side of her. Nevertheless, for the most part, she was a quiet, sweet mannered person, and she was loved by all who knew her. She loved doing things for her family, like catching fish at the river, and putting them in a wading pool for the other kids 
in the family to enjoy. She bought a piano for the family for $35.00, and it was in her mom’s house until her passing. Grandma really enjoyed that piano. She could actually play is a little. Her grandkids “played” it too, but I’m sure Grandma didn’t enjoy that very much at all. In fact, I’m sure that was considered more like “pounding” on it than actually playing it. It was probably pure torture. Whether Grandma love the noise or not, she did love the gift from her daughter. Today would have been my Aunt Dee’s 93rd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Aunt Dee. We love and miss you very much.
My grandnephew, Bowen Parmely is a very energetic little boy. He has two older sisters, Reagan and Hattie; and a younger sister, Maeve. I can’t say that Bowen always gets along with his sisters, but he would protect them with his life. That doesn’t mean he won’t pick on them, however. He thinks he is the only one who is allowed…typical of brothers. Bowen is an energetic boy with a smile that lights up his face. He always seems to have a secret joke that he keeps inside himself. Something that he finds very funny. That way, he always has something to laugh about.
Bowen pretty much loves anything his daddy, my nephew, Eric Parmely is doing, but Bowen especially loves 
tractors, and of course, his favorite tractor is Gloria, the family tractor. Living on a farm makes that a good thing. I’m sure that as he gets older, Bowen will be his dad’s right-hand man on the farm. Bowen already loves to help his dad with whatever he is doing, and he truly loves the animals. He is learning to ride horses from his mom, Ashley Parmely, and he is quite good at it. He would gladly spend all day on the back of a horse. In fact, he would even eat his meals or snacks there if his mom would let him. Sometimes he gets to have a popsicle on his horse, but I doubt if his mom would agree to dinner.
Bowen is a very helpful boy. He loves to help his mom with the cooking. Not every boy likes to cook, although 
lots of men cook. Boys usually don’t have the patience for cooking. There is usually too much prep work, and boys get bored, but Bowen enjoys it. I think Bowen just enjoys spending time with his parents. He likes doing the same things they do and learning from them. That is something they should really enjoy while they can, because those kid years go by so fast. Before you know it, they are all grown up and out on their own. Of course, that is still a little way off, but time really flies, so you should never waste it. Today is Bowen’s 6th birthday. Happy birthday Bowen!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Jake Harman is quite likely one of the happiest people I know. He spreads happiness to everyone around him. Jake works for the City of Casper, as a bus driver for the Link public transportation system, and all his riders absolutely love him, and he loves them too. He’s got nicknames for a lot of them as well, because that is what Jake does. He loves people and often “adopts” them as a part of his “family.” No, he doesn’t take them home with him, but Jake really has never met a stranger. He is a people person and makes friends very easily. His upbeat personality puts a smile on everyone’s face. I know this to be a fact, because whenever I am around him, I can’t help but smile. He always makes me feel like I am his favorite person. I think that is how he makes everyone feel, even though, I like to think I’m his favorite great aunt. Doesn’t every aunt want that?
Jake is one of those guys who will always be young at heart…or as his wife, Melanie says a “big child” at heart. In reality, he probably is a big kid. Like many men, I don’t think he will ever really grow up, and maybe that isn’t a bad thing. Growing up…or growing old, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and I think those guys who stay a big kid have the most fun in life. Jake is dad to Alice (his bonus daughter), Izabella, and Jaxx. They have benefitted greatly from Jake’s “young at heart” ways, because he still gets down on the floor and plays with the kids all the time. They love to tackle him…when they can get the better of him. It’s just as fun when he wins 
too, because the whole goal is to have a big wrestling match with their daddy…and Jake never minds the noise.
Melanie tells he that he is “an amazing dad and husband. Don’t know what we would ever do without him in our lives! God put him and me together and I am so grateful for it every day! We have our scuffles, but we are perfect for each other.” Every marriage has its “scuffles.” It’s the rest of the marriage that really matters. She tells me that “his smile is for sure my weakness, lol!” I think anyone who knows Jake can say pretty much the same thing. Jake’s smile is his greatest asset, without a doubt. It shows how joyful he is. His smile always leaves you smiling too. Today is Jake’s birthday. Happy birthday Jake!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My great grandniece, Reece Balcerzak Had a harsh beginning to her life. She was born two months prematurely and spent a couple of months in Denver at Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Hospital. She had some growing to do and they had to get her to where she would have been if she had not been born early. Through it all this feisty little girl persevered and obediently grew. Soon (60 days to be exact) Reece was discharged, and since then, she has grinned, laughed, and smiled her way into the hearts of all who know her. For me, her biggest gift is the gift of a smile. In fact, she is almost never seen without one. She wears it like most people wear clothes…as a vital part of her apparel. What a cheerful blessing that is.
Reece is always busily participating in something. She has played T-Ball and played in the fall leaves with her little brother, Aysa Balcerzak, and most recently, she took on swimming. She loves swimming, and in fact she recently received a Certificate of Achievement in swimming…something she is very proud of. Learning to swim is no small feat, and we are very proud of her. While there is no Certificate of Achievement for being a great big sister, Reece has certainly mastered that skill. Reece was so excited to become a big sister, and her little brother loves his big sister very much. He is always happy to spend time with her, and she loves making him feel very happy.
These days, Reece has a new habit…thumbs up. It fits her to a tee. For Reece, it’s all a part the positivity that is Reece. Maybe it comes from the fight that started immediately after she was born, I don’t know, but nothing gets her down. She is always happy, energetic, and full of life. The gift of her smile is something that is truly a gift. It fills her face with joy and lights up the room for everyone around her. I just can’t say enough about what a sweet girl our little Reece is. She is in school these days and doing very well. I know she is well liked, because who can resist such a wonderful smile. And who can resist such a positive attitude. Little Reece makes those around her smile. It is her gift to others. Today is Reece’s 5th birthday. Happy birthday Reece!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandniece, Melanie Harman is a sweet girl, who has been so good for my grandnephew, Jake Harman. I would be very hard-pressed to come up with the wonderful things that Jake has to say about his wife. Kake says, “Mel is the most beautiful woman alive, and I mean that physically, mentally, and spiritually. She loves God and whenever anything is wrong her first reaction is pray about it. She wants to give it to God, knowing He is the only one who can fix it.”
Melanie is a hard worker. Currently, she is working for Door Dash, and she has become one of the best loved dashers. When she walks into a place to pick up an order, she will 
sometimes be on the phone with Jake, and he hears the conversation. He says that everyone yells, “Hi Mel!!” Then, Jake can hear them fighting over who’s best friend she is!! That’s definitely Melanie, and it makes Jake so proud that his wife is so loved. She is always so happy and kind, that people can’t help but love her and want to be her friend. When Melanie isn’t door dashing, she works with her mom to clean their church Mondays and Thursdays. After cleaning, she will go door dash. It makes for a long day, but even after that long day she comes home to her 4 babies…counting Jake, that is, who are all demanding her time. Still, she keeps that beautiful smile on her face and gives each of them the time they need to feel loved.
Jake tells me that he just has no clue how she does it, but she somehow seems to give all of them all of her time. He said that he goes to sleep every night, thanking God for 
such a beautiful woman and sometimes, he wakes up in a bit of a panic, thinking Melanie was just a dream. Then, Jake says, “I roll over to see her peacefully sleeping and the beauty of my life starts all over because her smile lights up a room and her voice is the closest to what I picture an angel would sound like. She always knows how to handle us whether it is tough mom, fun mom, rude mom, or whatever we need, that’s what she is. She is the best part of each of our lives and definitely proof that God is real. I know He is because without Him she would not be possible.” How can I possibly say it better? Today is Melanie’s birthday. Happy birthday Melanie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
