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 The Growing Up Years: I grew up in northern California, having spent the majority of my years living in Loomis. I truly believe it was the best place to grow up. Small town, friendly people, everybody knew just about everybody. And even if you didn't, you nodded, smiled, or said hello as you passed. My family built our home in the early 70's and we thought we had moved to paradise! The best part for me was that since we were in the country, I could have a horse! Literacy has always been my passion! It was rare to see me without a book in my hand. Everyday on my way home from school, I would stop at the library. When I walked in Jesse Helms, the librarian, would say, "Ah, my little red-haired girl! I have just the book for you!" Those were some of my best memories. On those rare occasions when I wasn't reading, I was on the volleyball court or softball field. I lived to play ball! I started Bobby Sox Girls Softball when I was only six and then volleyball at Loomis Grammar School in 7th grade. (I would have started earlier, but had no place to play.) I continued playing softball when we moved to Loomis with Five Cities Girls Softball. When high school came, I gave up softball to focus on my true passion...volleyball. I played all four years and made it to varsity as a sophomore. We went to the State Tournament of Champions my junior year and went farther than anyone thought we would. After all...how could a little school from the sticks compete with the big city schools? My senior year I was voted Team Captain, Most Inspirational, and Most Valuable Player by my team mates. I was touched and honored, to say the least. I graduated from Del Oro High School and then went to "Rocklin Tech" (Sierra College). I played volleyball on Sierra's team and was reunited with some of the gals from Del Oro! We did okay. The coach I was looking forward to playing for (who had been trying to recruit me since my sophomore year) had to retire for medical reasons. Unfortunately we were stuck with first year coaches who had never coached volleyball and really didn't know all that much about it! We made the best of it and recruited outside help. It was a Sierra that I met a group of people who would be my closest and dearest friends for some time. Those friendships allowed me to continue playing ball after my college years. I play both volleyball and softball on numerous co-ed and women's city league teams and won too many championships to count! (Sorry, that's not bragging, just fact.) The women's team I played on was, in fact, so good that the league put us in the men's division, because we won so much! Guess what? We won that, too! Ahhhh, good times! I was also fortunate to be selected to play on a United States Volleyball Association Team and travel around northern California playing weekend tournaments. As I said, I lived to play ball! Oh, I did graduate from Sierra with an AA in Child Development. But truthfully, my main reason for going was not to get an education, but to play volleyball...shocking, I know! Then it was time to go to work and sports were not as all consuming!
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The Working Years: In the early 80's I began in a career that would continue until today...teaching. I was offered a position with the Rocklin Unified School District as a classroom aide. Since that job was part time, I also worked teaching preschool. I stayed with both jobs for years, until a full time position became available at another preschool. Just after my daughter was born I started working as the site director for the 4-H Afterschool Child Care Program in Loomis. A full time job, just down the street from my home...perfect... close to my folks, who were my child care...perfect. I spent 10 years as the site director and then the last two years as the program supervisor for Placer County, overseeing 10 afterschool sites and 20-40 staff. It was challenging and rewarding, but also all consuming. I was "on-call" 24-7, so somtimes that didn't leave enough time for my daughter and my own interests.
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The Second Time Around School Years I decided to go back to school and get my teaching credential in 1988. I took some lower division at Sierra and then transferred to National University in Sacramento to complete my bachelor's degree and credential. I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1994 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and cleared my elementary teaching credential in early 1995. The Mom Years: 1989 was one of the best years of my life! On May 25th, my beautiful baby girl was born. Bethany weighed in at 8 1/2 pounds and was everything I dreamed a daughter would be. Being a mom was my greatest joy! It was tough at times to be working full time, going to school full time, and trying to be a full time single parent. With the support of my family and friends, I was able to make it work. I did, however, deeply regret the time away from Bethany. Bethany is pictured on the lower right below with Dandy, our little quarter horse yearling we just adopted.
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The Now Years: I left 4-H ACCP in 2001 to take a position with the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Auburn. I started with a grant-funded, parent education program in early literacy development and school readiness. Essentially, I travel around Placer County teaching parents of 0-5 year olds how to teach their children in ways that promote optimum development. It's really all about spending time with your children engaged in meaningful activities. It's not about the TV, video games, or the computer for helping children learn. It's about parents being good parents! Little did I know that shortly after I began in my new position, I would meet my future husband!It took more than four decades for the man of my dreams to find me! I thank God that he was persistent in his pursuit! Ken and I married in the spring of 2007! It was the happiest day I never thought I would have. All my dreams came true on that beautiful day! With Ken came his wonderful Sophie! That's her pictured below on the left with our puppy, Cowboy. I've never had a dog before and she's the best first dog! Ken is like a dog whisperer with his skills in training. With Ken also came his blues band, Kenny and the Crew! I work as the band manager and booking agent. It's been a huge learning curve for me, but thankfully my honey has a great business sense and is showing me the ropes! The band is extremely talented, so it an easy product to package and market! In February of 2008, I took on another part time job as the library literacy specialist for Placer County. I coordinate the Placer Adult Literacy Service and help adults who want to improve their reading skills. It's very rewarding and I'm very blessed to work at both ends of literacy! And my office in a library...how much more perfect could that be? So now add to those three jobs, my voice over work! It's funny...I always wanted to do voice over work, but didn't know how to get into it. Thanks to a flyer posted at the studio we use for the band, my newest career has begun! In addition to the people in the Wild Westeren Family, we have three horses...Lady (pictured with below with Ken and me riding), Dakota (pictured in the middle below), and Dandy (with Bethany below)...two dogs...Sophie and Cowboy (below top left). We're just one, big, busy family! Our days are long, but filled with fun and love!
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