Welcome to Laura's Place

Hello and welcome to my little spot on the net.

Having settled in a new area about three years ago, I decided to take up a new hobby--web pages!! I don't feel like I update often enough, but I am slowly learning as I go. I just recieved a digital camera as a birthday gift, so expect lots of changes soon!! My interests include learning more about teaching (especially middle school), crochet (I belong to a web list), cross-stitch (WIP a surprise for my husband), hiking, exploring my new home area, and reading.

My husband Greg and I got married on June 12, 1999! We just celebrated our one year anniversary. See some photos from our honeymoon trip to Montreal and Quebec. Please excuse the time it takes for the photos to load, but the gardens are definitely worth the wait.

ARIZONA--We just got back from a trip to Arizona. I hope to set up a great section of my web site about our experiences there to assist those considering a trip to the Valley of the Sun. Please take a look at what I have so far.

Visit my husband's site! He has much more to look at than I do. He has been at this longer than me. He is interested in aquariums, computers, military, and has an interesting section about how we met on his site.

TEACHING--I taught for four years in Front Royal, Virginia. I was lucky enough to get a job working with three wonderful teachers and sixth graders. I loved all of the parts that involved the kids, but not some of the administrative problems and political ones. I still keep in touch with my former teammates, as well as the teacher who replaced me!

Public Versus Private Schools---my developing views on the subject

I spent a year of teaching at Christ Episcopal School in Rockville, Maryland. I worked with fifth and sixth graders, teaching English and reading. I also taught my fifth graders how to crochet after school twice a month. They were very enthusiastic and fun to work with outside of class time.

On Monday, August 30, 1999, I was fortunate enough to be hired on the spot for a job teaching seventh grade mathematics at Sligo Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland. This year was quite a challenge for me, but I found a few rewards as I saw improvement in my students as well as a few good colleagues.

My next teaching experience will bring me back to Christ Episcopal School in a part time capacity. I am looking forward to being able to teach and have time to focus on other parts of my life.

CROCHET--When I was very young my grandmother lived with my family; she knew how to crochet. She once tried to teach me how, but she is definitely not where I got the teaching genes. I let the whole idea fall by the wayside until I graduated from college. I then decided I would like to learn to crochet so that I could remember my grandmother. I knew I wanted to make a granny square.

I found a book to teach myself that had directions for lefties. I worked away on it and made a sampler afghan for myself. I was very proud. Now I make afghans for wedding gifts and for family. I have also made many dishcloths, scrunchies, rugs, bags, and a few sweaters. For more information about crochet.... (I even have two original patterns, one with a photo, as well as some photos of other projects I have recently completed.)

I have found a great crochet list that I suggest anyone interested in finding others who crochet to ask questions or share information with to sign up for a while. It is truly like a community.

WANT TO READ A GOOD BOOK?--I adore reading and simply cannot own enough books to suit me. Fortunately, my husband loves books too. Our office has two walls full of books and there are books piled everywhere else in the house where there is some space. I hope to fill in other readers on my finds on my book page.

Interested in buying or selling crafts on the internet? Check out these sites:

CraftMall-Web----offers free short ads for thirty days to sell crafts

CraftFinder----also offers free ads for thirty days

Email me: lpepalis@geocities.com

Updated June 3, 2004 Trying to be compatible with Linux viewers now that we use Linux at home

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