Who travels like the wind, lights the darkest corners of ideas, inspires dreams, tests all possibilities in visions, turns found objects into masterworks of home décor, explores dusty annals of Chinatown seeking magic tea, is a postcard diva and Heather’s loyal breaker-downer of thoughts and feelings into bity digestifs of wisdom. She is yogi, clown, actor, teacher, writer and seeker of beauty. She is Heather’s sister. This beauty has created novelty in the world since she met it and her three older siblings on the day she was born.  With her mother’s creativity and her father’s cunning, the world awaits to see Madeleine push all limits, break all walls and definitely make you laugh.  Heather and Brian cannot wait to see what is in store for them when Madeleine declares them a unit.  A child of the world, Madeleine still calls Denver home, but lives amongst the sundry artistic minds of Brooklyn. 

Auntie. Auntie Cyndy.  Cyndy is the queen goddess of the kingdom of Sac Chich.  She has guided, taught, and entertained Heather since day 1 as Holly’s sister.  Together the sisters led the kids over the river and through the woods in a GMC Safari Van every summer vacation to: beach houses in North Carolina, Graceland, the Badlands, spooky camping trips in the Smoky Mountains, lobster hunts aboard the Ragazze in Boston Harbor, the oddballs of colonial Williamsburg, Mt. Rushmore, Salem, the Liberty Bell, and Hardees when the siblings were well behaved. Through Mexico on adventures to cenotes, ancient ruins, beaches, through former traffickers’ hideouts, to Patzcuaro, and oh so many more in her unceasing drive for adventure and experience. World traveler, visionary of living in dreamworlds and turning wild ideas into a lifestyle, she also procured Heather’s first proper (age inappropriate) margarita. She is an honorary sister, a mother figure and a best friend to Heather (and all the Joyces).   She hails from the world, but most recently Mill Valley and Mexico. Along with hubby (mega uncle) Howie, the funk master flash of disco, and prize-winning ballet skier of Copper Mountain in the 80s, Heather looks forward to each holiday and adventure through the jungles with them.  Watch out for Cyndy’s margaritas.  

Jeni and Heather grew up down and around together.  Since the seventh grade at Graland they were called together by celestial bodies to explore the world – learning Spanish in Mexico over several years, teaching English to orphans in the Dominican Republic, coaching each other in creative storytelling to authority figures in Vail on New Years Eve, and sharing the everlasting chi that bonds best friends through time and space. In many ways Jeni is the fertile everbloom of Heather’s women friends.  Through Jeni, Heather grew lifetime friendships with two other ladies of the party Lauren and Nicole, and countless other fierce women and a few great men.  Jeni has two joy sprinkling children and a joy hose of a husband, Clark.  

Lauren and Heather met while in law/med school through Jeni.  They do not remember the precise occasion on which they met, but suffice it to say those days were filled with what one would expect from the future professionals - madness. Lauren and Heather lived together in LoHi for fundamental years in their late 20s.  Lauren taught Heather to ski bumps by dumping her on Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek and refusing to call ski patrol.  Heather taught Lauren the art of the Irish Exit which she was thrilled to see used against her a few months ago.  Lauren met Brian through a legend named Jeff (may he rest in peace), maybe at a Mile High Music Festival, or maybe in Boulder.  At that time Brian was the apparent ringleader, instigator, and enabler of charades at a place called the ‘Walnut House.’  Lauren kept in touch with Brian through the years as insurance for fun.  The day after Lauren introduced Brian to Heather, Lauren declared that this meeting would either promptly crash and burn or would lead to something wild like marriage.  Again, well done. Lauren is a Denverite, has one Oskar of a puppy dog and is aunt to 4 others. 

Tracy and Heather don’t know when it was that they clicked, but they both agree it was probably over an eye roll.  Both women have highly developed minds in logic and reason. And with their feet solidly on the ground with their heads other places, they have together walked the beaches in Oregon, ran out of gas in the Mexican jungle, hitchhiked with the Cruz Roja, skied the champagne powder, bumped into weird rocks in the dark at Strawberry, and danced nights away in Telluride. Tracy is also the other reason Heather met Brian. Corralling that group of guys to the Motet that evening was a feat of mythological proportions.  Convincing Brian to give Tracy’s mystery lady friend his last Motet ticket that fateful night in 2013 was superhuman and accomplished based on her keen sense of being right.  She was right.  Tracy is a true Coloradoan and now Denverite. 

Brianna is the itty bitty baby sister none of the Joyce siblings ever had.  Technically she is their first cousin, daughter of Cyndy and ruler of Howie.  When Heather was 11 years old this cheeky cherub sprang forth and the whole world paused. (She’s purple and looks like Howie!) (Used to look like Howie.) Brianna is the product of two unusually tall and creative individuals who like to dance, but Brianna never appreciated the dancing music video performances the juvenile Joyce siblings used put on for her.  Hearing Colin ‘sing’ the Lion Sleeps Tonight will stick with anyone, even a 3-month old. However, Brianna has grown in a zesty staple at all Schwenker/Joyce/Berger karaoke nights and now stars in a duo ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ with her dad. Brianna is about as well travelled as air but calls Brooklyn home where she lives amongst artistic intelligentsia and a dog named Misch. 

If Heather could choose to be any superhero, she would be Nicole. They met on atop a coffee table late one night in Lowry, promptly cast spells on each other and have not looked back (or away). Their bond took root by reading aloud to each other ‘my horizontal life’ and other books contemplating the feminine mystique while on their first road trip on the way to find the drag karaoke scene in Trinidad, CO (which does not exist), to see the Santa Fe Opera and meet Smokin’ Matt Piettown and consume copious prickly pear margaritas.  Currenlty in NYC, Nicole and self-designated trophy hubby Mark will soon return to the homeland in September where Brian and Heather have already planned a rafting/camping trip involving Casey Beer, sunsets, chain saws and brief burning. 

When Brian turned 21 the party was in Vegas, accompanied by his parents, Koa and Fred, and brother Brandon.  One of the highlights from the trip was building up Brandon’s liquid courage to the point where the Frontier Casino didn’t card him at the blackjack table while being only 18.  This, in part, came from the ‘Presidential’ Shotglass he got Brian for his 21st, but also from courage and following his brother through any obstacle. 

In 2012 the two attended a family wedding in Israel then continued to backpack to Turkey.  Brandon was on summer break and Brian was holding out for the right job in Solar Energy.  Weeks later in Istanbul, Brandon broke down with  severe food poisoning, each day was getting more difficult.  During that period Brandon payed for a private hostel room so Brian could take phone interviews late at night.  Sure enough a second phone interview around midnight warranted a prompt interview in Boulder, Brian needed to catch a flight immediately.  With Brandon tremendously ill the two got to bag check to find only 1 seat left on a flight back to the states.  After realizing the situation Brandon quickly told Brian to catch the flight and get to the interview, knowing he’d be stuck terribly ill in the airport by himself.  That’s the giving and loving character of Brandon.  Weather four wheelin’ in Telluride, exploring the Middle East, or October camping in Yellowstone, he’s incredibly dependable and selfless.

Jeff and Brian were very close friends and played music together.  They realized that they needed a bass player for their band but needed someone to learn with them, as the band was still ‘semi-pro.’  One evening while practicing Johnny Cash and Perpetual Groove, Chris ‘Patches’ O’Hoolihan arrived and added the funk the band desperately needed.  Brian never felt bass on the ‘one’ and there was no going back.  Along with John, ‘The Walnuts’ took shape and played live regularly on 42nd street, Muscle Porch, and local Triathalons.  The most cherished gigs were the mornings of Memorial Day at the Walnut House for friends to party for the BolderBoulder 10k.  This annual morning block party concert was where coffee and bagels with lox were replaced with kegs and bourbon shots!

After being mesmerized by countless P-Funk shows the two thought they had what the needed to get down in 3D and begin light-year grooving.  Brian endured a year-long bass tone quest and their friendship turned up to level 11 when they formed ‘Lo’down on the Mothership.’  After six months of rehearsals in Brian’s bedroom the band shined at many venues including the Dark Horse, Cervantes, Summit Music Hall, The Lazy Dog and culminated at a festival in a remote plateau in the Canyonlands.

Chris’s funk odyssey brought him to Louisiana but every holiday season the two reunite on the drums and bass as the duo ‘Power Bottom’, most recently playing from the man cave of the Mothership.

A unique trait Colin (Heather’s brother) and Brian share is their appeal to have XL tents for just themselves when camping.  This led to fun times planning weekends, then unforeseen geometric issues finding space for both their tents in places like Telluride Blues and Brews, limited flat land along the Colorado River, and July 4th at Rocky Mountain National Park.  Soon enough they bonded on these trips and had many other fun times.  Space was never an issue again, especially at Brian’s 30th in Breckenridge when nearly all the groomsmen were should to shoulder in the hot tub all night!

 Colin will always keep your head above froth and foam, a wonderfully energetic man, Brian is honored to have a new brother!

Dylan met Brian through Jeff Ipsen and quickly became a founding member of the Walnut house at CU Boulder.  Their friendship blossomed as Dylan and Brian soon went camping, mountain biking, and other more radical muscle porch activities.  This included casino construction, 40 consumption, and Pearl St domination.  While never completely supportive, Chief Sleeps on Couch was incredibly tolerant of the noise of Brian and Chris learning how to play music.  However, this ultimately this led to a bright future for Dylan      (initially to Chris’s chagrin) 

Believe it or not, these two met in grad school when Brian was Marco’s TA in Sustainable Energy in 2010.  Marco stopped by office hours here and there to go over projects and exams and the two got to know each other.  Marco had recently moved to Boulder, so being the atypical TA he was, Brian promptly invited Marco over to the Walnut house to watch the fish, drink the beer, and eventually introduce him the beauty of the Sundowner and the Catacombs on Pearl St.  For Halloween festivities in 2014, Brian organized the crew to all dress as Napoleon Dynamite characters and attend a concert at the Boulder Theater.  Uncle Rico, Kip, Lafawndah, Rex Quan Do, Summer Wheatley, and Don were represented.  Brian and Heather as Napoleon and Deb, but Pedro was desperately missing.  Marco had big shoes to fill and he crushed his breakout role as Pedro Sanchez, the class president.

It was 2007 and Brian and his friend Sam needed a third partner for a group project in circuits class to actually program the Integrated Circuit to run the beer pong game.  With machine shop experience Brian constructed the hoop and backboard, and Sam was having trouble programming the circuit.  Being a young savvy engineer, Brian found Nick to be working on his own project by himself.  With famous words from Napoleon “No more flying solo” Brian recruited Nick to join the team, redesign and program the circuit, and they successfully built the beer pong game with a shot clock and scoreboard!  The following year Nick moved into the Walnut house and had many more adventures with Brian including road trips to Vegas, urban bike jumping, and assisting in casino activities.

While in New Zealand Brian met Alex, a recent Duke alum living in Denver.  Once back in Boulder he introduced Brian to Tom who had much in common as mechanical engineers, drummers, and loving live music.  The major difference was Tom just started his career as a Mechanical Engineer and needed heavy persuasion to be the 4th roommate so Jeff, Dylan and Brian could fill the 4 bedroom Walnut house.  After many nights coaxing Tom into taking steps backward into a college lifestyle he accepted and their friendship was cemented.  Shortly thereafter tough, Tom couldn’t stand the sound of Brian’s beginner (and cheap) drums and donated his full set to Brian.  This was a life changing event as it led to continued growth in Brian’s drumming which soon formed ‘The Walnuts’ and later ‘Lo’down on the Mothership’.  Their bond grew even closer years later as Brian officiated Tom and Kathryn’s wedding in 2016.

Brian and Tyler (Heather’s brother) quickly discovered they were long lost brothers on Tyler’s pirate themed pedal hopper birthday party, pillaging downtown Denver all night with a fiery crew; or was it camping and seeing Jurassic 5 live at Mishawaka, or drooling over Escort for the first time, or Emily and Weatherly’s bachelorette party in Philly, or…

Tyler is an incredibly fun new brother and the best person to stay up all night with smoking bacon and telling jokes past sunrise.