When is your birthday?
I was born on October 19, 1950, which makes me the oldest member of our "Kreative" team.

Hair color?
My hair is brown with a dusting of silver on the sides.

Where do you live?
I divide my time between homes in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Are you married?
My husband Jim and I have been married for 37 years. He is the president of Colbert Packaging in Lake Forest, Illinois, and a retired member of the Illinois Air National Guard.

Do you have children?
Jim and I have three daughters, a son, two sons-in-law, a daughter-in-law, three granddaughters and one grandson. We have also been lucky to have loved four foster sons.

Do you have pets?
We have a beagle named Norman, after the American painter Norman Rockwell. Beagles were featured in many of his pictures.

Where did you go to school?
From my various schools … I was a bus monitor at St. Simeon School, a cheerleader at St. Pius School, in the library club at St. Francis High School, and a volunteer for a service organization called Angel Flight at the College of St. Catherine.

What are your hobbies?
My sister taught me how to sew in high school, and I enjoy making quilts. I also love to read and can usually be found with a book in my hand.

Favorite color?
I love the bright green color of grass in the springtime.

Favorite breakfast food?
Just the thought of Belgium waffles with hot maple syrup is enough to make my mouth water.

Favorite meal?
Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me the recipe for a chicken casserole that my daughters now serve to their families and friends.

Favorite candy?
I would have a difficult time choosing between M&M's and cherry licorice.

Favorite books and authors?
I have too many favorite books to mention here, but maybe we have shared a laugh with Simple Pictures Are Best by Nancy Willard or Nathaniel Willy Scared Silly by Judith Mathews and Fay Robinson. During my pre-teen years, I enjoyed the Nancy Drew series, and lately I recommend Dan Brown and Jodi Picoult to my friends.

Favorite movie?
My life was changed in sixth grade by the movie The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, which is the story of a missionary who rescues hundreds of children in war-torn China. After watching that movie, I knew that I wanted to be an advocate for children in need.

Favorite TV shows growing up?
Keeping in mind that my first television was a black-and-white set with a small round tube, I always loved the adventure stories that are only remembered in trivia games. I could watch shows like Rin Tin Tin, Fury, Sky King and Wagon Train for hours.

Favorite toy growing up?
I had a pair of roller skates that needed a skate key and had metal wheels, but I could make them fly like the wind.

Favorite childhood sports and activities?
When I was a child, we didn't participate in group sports and activities. I learned to jog by pretending to be a runaway horse. In high school, I discovered volleyball and softball, and I later went on to coach several grade school teams.

Fondest childhood memory?
My father used to love piling the whole family into our pink Rambler station wagon after church on Sundays to go on an adventure. Those trips to the beach, the zoo, a museum or a relative's house didn't always seem exciting then, but they are some of my best memories.

Favorite vacation destination?
Friends of my parents lived on a farm, where we could help milk the cow and feed the chickens.