Pets:  2 cats - Kiwi and Cassidy, and 2 dogs - Gracie, a Llasa-Poo and Hammer, a long-legged  blonde and white hound/greyhound mix

     (with all the cat posters I have in the classroom, you know I'd have cats!)    

Family:  I've been married to my husband, Don, for 8 wonderful years.  He's the one who brought me to Texas.

I have 3 grown children - Caleb, 27; Loyd, 26; and Erik, 23.  They have turned into 3 of the greatest young men.

Hobbies:  Website design; Drawing; Spending time with my husband; Traveling; Making improvements to our home; Collecting silverware, mugs, pens and refrigerator magnets.

Background:  I've had the good fortune to live in lots of different places.   I was born in the San Francisco Bay area and raised in Missouri.  I began my college career at Central Missouri State, continued my education in California at Cal State, Hayward, then moved up to Washington state where I graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Education in Art and certification to teach Art K-12.  I've been teaching for a total of 14 years - 2 years at the elementary level in Irrigon and Boardman, Oregon, 3 years at Columbia Middle School in Irrigon, Oregon, and 9 years at Sheffield Primary here in C-FB ISD.

The upcoming school year will be my first year at Carrollton Elementary.  I look forward to working with everyone!

Awards:  I had the honor of receiving the Very Important Professional Award in May of 2005 for which I am deeply honored.

I've always been interested in art and knew at a young age that it was how I wanted to spend my life.  My Mother tells of how the first thing I began drawing at age 4 was turtles.  My subject matter of interest has progressed beyond turtles to include portraits and still life.  This summer, I began creating stained glass windows.

My advice to young artists is to continue to practice and learn as much about different media as possible, so you will be able to develop your skills in the materials that are most enjoyable to you.