I grew up in Des Moines as the youngest-only child of a Hawkeye family. I spent eight years in Washington D.C., mainly sitting in traffic. I love baking and have the scars to prove it. I am an enthusiastic football fan with the mouth of a sailor. My family and friends mean the world to me. Sometimes, I just need to dance. “Why?” is my favorite question. Being near the water makes my heart happy. You can go ahead and keep your condiments; I don’t care for them. I cannot draw to save my life but I enjoy being creative. I have never met a set of stairs that I haven’t tripped up or fallen down but I continue to accept the challenge. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually like hats. But I can appreciate a good hat picture, especially if the wearer is one of my three children.