CherylLaVon

I'm married to Frank, mother of 4... Stephen (deceased 11/14/86-7/15/05), Kathryn 19 is taking a year off before going to college to obtain her Masters in Library Science so she can become either a Librarian or a Museum Curator... Frankie 11, and Andrew 10.

I have 5 step-kids all grown adults, and 4 grand babies by two of the kids.

We have a male dog, Captain Jack Sparrow who will be a year old in November and is a Jack Russell Terrier/Doxie mix, we also have an albino rat named Q.T. Pie and a dozen or so fish.

We live in Northeastern, PA about an hour south of Erie and an hour north of Pittsburgh.

My favorite saying as of late is Love Much and Laugh Often which I've even found charms for to add to some of my dotee dolls I make!

My FAVORITE group is Nickelback, but I love Fleetwood Mac, Bread, Santana, The Doors, Smashmouth, Savage Garden, Blondie, Aqua, C & C Music Factory, Papa Roach, Nirvana, Godsmack, Staind, Aerosmith, Ace of Base, 3 Doors Down, B-52s, Devo, Bad Company, Barenaked Ladies, Matchbox 20, Blink 182, Poison, David Bowie, Brad Paisley, Weird Al Yankovic, Carrie Underwood, Johnny Cash, Roseanne Cash, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Creed, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, The Go Gos, The Bengals, Weezer, The White Stripes, The Judds, Shania Twain, Reba MacEntire, Daughtry, The Dead Presidents, Disturbed, Vanilla Ice, Eminem, The Eagles, Eiffel 65, Eric Clapton, Faith Hill, Foo Fighters, Nelly Furtado, Third Eye Blind, TLC, Trace Adkins, Tricia Yearwood, Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, S Club 7, Sarah McLachlan, Seal, Shakira, Shiny Toy Guns, Madonna, Simon & Garfunkel, Ashlee Simpson, , Solja Boy, SoundGarden, Stevie Nicks, Stone Temple Pilots, System of a Down, Hoobastank, Hootie & the Blowfish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roxette, Incubus, Tesla, The Pussycat Dolls, Kid Rock, Kiss, O-Town, Avril Lavigne, Leeann Rimes, Lifehouse, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Natalie Merchant, Madonna, Marcy Playground, Meredeth Brooks, Melanie, Van Morrison, Patsy Cline, & Loretta Lynn to name a few :D

I used to play concert violin so I even still have a place in my heart for classical music although it's by far not my favorite.

My true love is alternative rock but there are many songs that I will attach a deeper meaning to.

I LOVED Shawshank Redemption, The Lake House, The Notebook, Gorillas In the Mist, Man Without a Face, What Women Want, American Pie, As Good as it Gets, To Kill a Mockingbird, Sixth Sense, Pay it Forward, Twister, Tombstone, American History X, Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes, Michael, Phenomenon, Grease, Shrek, Mean Girls, Canary Row, Of Mice and Men, A League of Their Own, Sister Act, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Rainman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Green Mile, oh boy this list can go on for miles!

My favorite genres though are comedy and drama.

Growing up my daddy was a theater manager and one of my first 'adult' jobs was to manage a video store if that tells you anything about how much I LOVE movies!

CSI Las Vegas, anything 'reality' TV, documentaries, comedies etc.

I don't watch hardly anything on TV though because I have way more fun on the computer which is how I won my...

on swap-bot games forum! YAY!

I like to crochet even though I only know one stitch :) (The shell stitch) and don't get into the swing of things until midway through the blanket I'm making with it.

I like to mess around with fuse beads and would like to get into doing bead work.

My first Dotee Doll Miranda the little Mermaid Trick-or-Treater was born 9/6/8.

Chyou (Chinese for Fall/Autum) is a doll I made for the Autumn Leaf Dotee Swap that I'm hosting. She was born on 9-30-08.

Risque Roxie is a doll I made for the Red Hot Dotee doll swap. She's got bleach blonde hair, a matching sequined bra and g-string panty set, boobage, junk in the trunk and a butterfly tramp stamp.

Faith was born on 10/11/08.

Sunny was born on 11/10/08

I LOVE Dark Rich colors of all kinds especially Burgundy, Midnight Blue, Brick Red (They don't make that crayon anymore can you believe THAT!?!?!?) Plum, Amethyst, and I love all things shiny. I prefer silver to gold and black to white.

If I were a teenager I'd probably be one of those little Gothic creatures that roam the earth. I'm not dark in spirit, but I think Gothic things are interesting to say the least. I love cemeteries and headstones the older and creepier the better.

On the other end of the scale I love fairies and angels, sprites and gnomes.

I love pansies and birds of paradise and hummingbirds.

I love arctic animals like Polar Bears, Penguins, Eagles, Seals, Foxes, Whales and Dolphins.

I love Native American things and all things to do with nature.

I'm really disappointed when I receive things that are dirty, torn, or smell of heavy cigarette smoke. I'm terminally ill with lung cancer so the cigarette smoke is a pretty big issue with me. A bounce sheet thrown in with paper items, a dryer sheet or a shot of Febreeze with cloth items goes a long way towards masking that heavy cigarette smoke smell.

I'm allergic to incense too but love sachets and potpourri.

I also don't use skin softeners, lip balms or the like so gifts of those things just go to waste on me.

Isn't she the bomb!?! I even have her butt! :::giggles:::

I joined the neatest swap this morning, Birth Goddess Dolls coordinated by LadyT and have been finding out about my Birth Goddess.

First off, LadyT comes up with the neatest swap ideas EVER!

Second, this has already been bunches of fun and the swap hasn't even started yet!

About Hestia... my Birth Goddess...

Aug 24 - Sep 23 ...HESTIA...Goddess of household abundance and well-being, Hestia energizes the home with a welcoming energy, healthy food and comfort. As such, she is a creature of habit and organization, purity, sincerity, sanctity and safety. But just as the ancient goddess Hestia is depicted in a pose of immobility, so too are her women immobilized by their own habits and need for organization - simply, they may feel like they are "stuck in a rut." Their convictions keep them so absorbed in their work, they can't imagine living any other way. They need to ask themselves, "What's the self-sacrifice for?" and break from their obsessive patterns.

Hestia represents purity, sincerity, sanctity and safety. Hestia-inspired women get the greatest blessing of all - an uncomplicated, enriching and contented life.

SUGGESTED MANTRA: SIMPLICITY

GEMSTONES: Fire Agate, Ruby, Sulfur, Tiger Eye

MORE ABOUT HESTIA

Hestia was the oldest daughter of Greek Cronus and Rhea. As one of the twelve Olympian gods, her name means the heart, and relates to the place in the house where the fire is maintained. As such, she was the keeper of the sacred fire on Mt Olympus. Although her Roman counterpart, Vesta, symbolized celibacy, Hestia's energy resonates more with a desire to place spirituality above sensuality.

Unlike all the other goddesses, she was not depicted in traditional female form. She was a 'presence', a feeling; an essential energy of warmth and protection. In Greek art, she was depicted on red figured vases wearing a veil and holding a scepter or flower, sometimes seated, sometimes standing, but always in a pose of immobility.

Immediately after their birth, Cronus swallowed Hestia and her siblings except for the last and youngest, Zeus, who later rescued them and led them in a war against Cronus and the other Titans. Hestia, the eldest daughter "became their youngest child, since she was the first to be devoured by their father and the last to be yielded up again"

Hestia, not wanting to be involved in the gods' quarrels, decided to leave Olympus to tend to her sacred hearth. She became a lesser goddess in the same ranks of Pan and Dionysus. But the latter rose to the place of Olympian for Zeus had chosen him to take Hestia's place.

Unlike the other Greek goddesses, Hestia does not have a "story" . . . there were few adventures to record about her. She simply "is".

Few images of the goddess Hestia exist. A very "private person", her symbols, the sacred flame and the circle, are usually used to represent Hestia in works of art.

Her parents were the Titans, Cronus & Rhea.

She was their first child.

Cronus, made fearful by a prophecy that one of his children would grow up to usurp his throne, quickly swallowed the infant Hestia (as he did the brothers and sisters that followed) in order to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Later, following the birth of Zeus, the grieving goddess Rhea tricked her husband into swallowing a rock wrapped in swaddling instead of the infant, causing him to vomit up all the babies he had swallowed.

First in, Hestia was the last to be disgorged.

Hence, the goddess was often called "Hestia, First and Last".

The goddess Hestia grew in grace and beauty and soon caught the attention of the gods Apollo and Poseidon who both sought her hand in marriage.

Hestia wasn't having any of it . . . saying that Aphrodite's ways (romance and marriage) were not her ways, she placed her hand on Zeus' brow and swore an oath that she would not marry.

More than anything else, she wanted to follow a path that was true to her nature and was of her own choosing.

She didn't require the trappings of power or adventure (like Athena and Artemis, the other virgin, i.e. unmarried, goddesses). She was perfectly content and fulfilled, being "Aunt Hestia", and enjoyed being of service to her family and community.

Zeus, grateful that Hestia’s announcement had averted the possibility of war between the rival suitors, not only supported Hestia’s wish to remain single but decreed that Hestia’s name should be mentioned first in any prayer and that she should receive the first portion of any sacrifice and be honored in the temples of each of the Olympian deities.

So delighted was he with Hestia's decision, that Zeus handed her the keys to the family home (Mount Olympus) and offered her the position of manager, and with it the responsibility of running this vast estate while the rest of the gods and goddesses wandered about in the larger world having all sorts of adventures.

True to her nature, Hestia stayed at home, never leaving Mount Olympus, always there to welcome the others and enjoy their “homecomings”.

The goddess Hestia never involved herself in the fights and machinations of the other gods and goddesses, somehow managing to stay above the fray.

Non-judgmental and forgiving, her “unconditional love” and calm acceptance inspired the love and trust of others in return. Dependable and caring, Hestia was always there for them and helped them to manage their lives which were certainly more exciting than her own.

One of Hestia’s most important responsibilities as the estate-manager was as “Keeper of the Reserves”, seeing to it that all their clothing and equipment was in good repair and the the pantry always full so there would be ample food and wine on hand when any of the gods and goddesses returned from their adventures.

As keeper of the key to all the supplies, Hestia efficiently managed the large household, pleasing all with her practical dependability.

One of the few myths of Hestia tells how the lustful Priapus attempted to rape her as she slept.

As he approached her bed, a donkey (long since a symbol of lust) began to bray loudly, awakening the slumbering Hestia.

Her screams awoke all the other gods and goddesses and sent the embarrassed Priapus falling all over himself as he tried to flee.

Hestia is also known as the originator of the concept of “sanctuary”.

It was an offense to Hestia to refuse hospitality to a stranger.

That those in need were to be sheltered and protected from ill-treatment was recognized by Hestia’s followers as a sacred obligation.

Special emphasis was placed on the requirement to not “take advantage” of a female guest, presumably as a result of Hestia’s experience with Priapus.

Hestia is often spoken of in conjunction with her friend and neighbor Hermes, the god of communication and travel.

They were polar opposites in terms of personality—Hestia spoke little and stayed at home, while the outgoing Hermes had the “gift of gab” and traveled to the far ends of the world.

Though a marriage of such disparate characters clearly could not have succeeded, they shared strong bonds of friendship.

They are remembered together in the Homeric Hymns (edited by H.G. Evelyn-White): ”…be favorable and help us you [Hermes] and Hestia, worshipful and dear. Come and dwell in this glorious house of friendship together, for you two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid their wisdom and strength.”

The circle symbolized Hestia (and her counterpart, the Roman Goddess Vesta) as the "complete" goddess, the goddess who was whole, "one complete within herself".

Hestia was seen as, not only psychologically "centered", but also as representing the center, the center of the home and family, the city, and even the world itself.

The source of Hestia’s sacred fire was believed to be the molten lava that burns at the center of the earth, connected by an “umbilical cord” called the Oomphalos to the city of Delphi, a place of great wisdom and spiritual energy.

The town hall, a meeting place for citizens to discuss the community's affairs (a forerunner of western democracy), was built around a hearth that honored Hestia.

The living flame of Hestia was tended constantly and never allowed to die out, for it represented the energy of all life and to let the flame extinguish was to invite a cold and barren existence.

When new “subdivisions” were developed, fire was carried from the town’s hearth to light the fire of the new community, assuring its prosperity.

The Olympic Torch is just one example of the living flame that has survived to modern times, though it is seldom recalled that it originally honored the Greek goddess Hestia.

The ritual of a bride and groom lighting a candle together from the flames of two candelabra to symbolize the creation of the “new” family from their two “old” families derived from the ancient practice of bringing Hestia’s flame from the bride’s mother’s home in order to assure Hestia’s blessing on the union.

Every home had a hearth that was dedicated to the goddess, and each day began and ended with a ritual requesting that she protect and nurture the family within.

As the Goddess of Architecture, Hestia intended that homes should be built from the center out, with the center being a hearth that contained her sacred flame.

As part of the naming ritual, all infants were carried in a circle around the altar of Hestia to secure her blessings.

There was an altar to Hestia in the center of every home . . . it was the fireplace, the hearth, where the family gathered.

Hestia's vision of a house was that it should truly be a home, a place where one's body, spirit, and relationships would be nurtured and replenished. . . a place to "come home to" after exposure to the cold and chaos of the external world.

Hestia is associated with the warmth and comfort of the welcoming fireplace.

Just as the flames glowing from the hearth soothe us with their warmth and glowing light, the goddess Hestia gives us security, peace, and comfort and helps us accept the truth of our lives with inner grace.

I pledge to other swap-bot members to:

Rate for every swap i take part in.

Rate as soon as i am able to get on-line after swap is received.

Rate Fairly, I will only give a 1 rating if a swap hasn't been received and that no contact has been made from the sender. I promise to pm member first to give them the chance to resolve the situation first.

I will only give a 3 if i feel that the swap didn't meet the requirements and that the partner chooses not to correct the swap.

I will try and leave a message on all ratings to state what i received and what i was happy with, even if its just a thank you.

I will not use slander or badmouth anyone when given a rating, facts is all that is needed when rating a 1.

If I've done a swap with you, I've sent you the very best I could send and then some. I expect the same from my swapping partners.

I would never send you junk, I expect you to hold up to your end of the deal.

I always will mark if I've sent a swap as soon as I send it. If I've marked it sent and you haven't gotten it, PLEASE let me know so I can either give you the Delivery Confirmation Number, or can resend the swap if it was something as small as a letter that wouldn't have gotten Delivery Confirmation or a Customs ID number added to it.

If for some reason you got the swap and wasn't happy with it PLEASE let me know so I can fix whatever the problem is. This should never happen as I will ALWAYS check your profile and try and send something especially FOR YOU, but my interpretation of your likes and dislikes could be different than you intended them on your page. I'm all about making my swap partner happy so don't ever go away mad!

If you've gotten something that wasn't really you, please ask me before you waste the postage to send it to me if it is our swap because chances are that if you thought it was trash it probably was. On the other hand, if you've read my profile and it's pink and I like pink and you don't, well there's a good chance I'll say "Yeah! Go ahead and pass it on!"

I'm really easy to please, I just don't want taken advantage of.

I've never had anyone have to angel a swap for me (I've been swapping since November on yahoo groups), and other than the case of my untimely demise, it will never happen. However, I will usually angel a swap if I have the means to do so. So, if you're looking for an Angel for a swap, send an email my way and I'll help if I can :D

Some people know, and some people don't, that on top of having Multiple Sclerosis, I am terminally ill with Stage 4 Neuroendocrine Cancer recurrent (sp?) on my left lung.

I'm in the process of going through chemotherapy for the second time this year and even though it makes me really sick, I refuse to let it take the fun out of my life.

I've been asked why I still swap, why I don't just focus all of my time and energy I have left on my family.

Facts are, my kids are in school all day and my husband who is my caregiver has his own things he does during the day and I refuse to just lay in bed and roll over and die just because I have this stupid cancer in my lung.

As long as I'm able to do so, I fully intend to keep enjoying life, in the most normal way possible, which keeping true to form for me since I started swapping last November (before the cancer) means that I'm going to continue to enjoy blogging on myspace, playing in the forums, swapping and communicating with my online friends.

As long as I'm still signing up for swaps, I'm doing so because I'm feeling well enough to complete the swap, most of which I probably have made up before the swap partners are ever handed out, so PLEASE don't worry about getting flaked on just because I'm sick.

If I DO end up in the hospital with complications from my cancer, please feel free to email my husband at cartoonists@yahoo.com and put something like "I need an update on CHERYL'S SWAPS" in the subject line.

Frank, my husband is the go-to guy when I get sick.

He's on my top friends list #3 after my momma and my daughter on my myspace friends list and he blogs daily about how I am doing.

He accepts ALL friends requests, especially if you add a note that you're one of my online friends.

If for some reason I were to get so sick that I couldn't tell him myself what I needed to send and to where, (which has never happened but I suppose it could), he does know EXACTLY where all of my swapping things are, and if you told him what I owed you and where to send it, he would gladly mail it out to you for me.

We've discussed this already and he was more than happy to agree to do this for me.