I grew up in a southern suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul called Burnsville. I have an older sister and brother and two younger brothers. My mom and three of my siblings and their families live in the suburbs of Minneapolis while another sibling and his family live in the Des Moines area. I graduated in 1993 from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Many years ago I taught preschool (2 yrs.) in Minnesota and then substitute taught in the Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, and Davenport School Districts (3 yrs). This is my 21st year teaching third grade at Riverdale Heights. My husband Don works at Augustana College as the Campus Recreation Director. He also spends much of his time as a referee/umpire for high school football, basketball, and college baseball. We have two sons. Matt (18) is attending his first year at Scott Community College working toward a business degree to support his photography business. Jack (16) is a sophomore at PVHS. My favorite things to do are spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, and being outside.