Me at 18 months old

Four years old

With my sister Holly

Ten years old

Is the glass of water half full or half empty? Half full, of course. My mom always taught us to look at the bright side of life. Anything is possible. And here I am Miss August 2001, Centerfold for one of the most innovative and renowned magazines of our time.

I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, second child of four (I have an older sister and two younger brothers). A lot of people thought my sister and I were twins. I had to do everything she did and have everything she had. We even dressed alike. When I was three years old I put on a pair of her ballet slippers and I was hooked. For the next ten years I studied ballet, listened to classical music, studied the violin, and pictured myself as the lead ballerina in Swan Lake. I also fancied myself a poet. One of my poems took first place in my school poetry contest. That same poem then placed citywide and was submitted statewide for a Reader's Digest young poets contest, where it took first place again.

Growing up, our house was full of kids and animals. (I was responsible for bringing most of the animals home.) At one time we had two birds, two cats, eight dogs, a rabbit, countless gerbils and an aquarium full of fish. I always wanted to rescue a stray. Even today, my mom and I co-own five boxers for our breeding venture (they live with her, of course). I even thought about becoming a veterinarian. I have done volunteer work at several vet clinics.

In grade school I was a "brownie" and our Girl Scout troop volunteered every Christmas to brighten up the holidays at nursing homes for the elderly. We would sing Christmas carols and bring cookies. In high school I was a candy striper at local hospitals for two years. These experiences were valuable; just a little kindness to a child, dog, cat or older person is so greatly appreciated.

Modeling at the age of 15