With nine kids to cope with, it amazes me to this day how my mom had the energy to go all out planning family celebrations. At Christmas, we had dozens of cookies and pies to choose from. She threw game-filled birthdays and made cakes from-scratch with flavors and decorations to rival a professional baker. I credit her with my own love of party planning. With the skills I learned at her knee, I've thrown full-scale charity events and operated as a one-woman event planning committee in college including carving a 25 lb. block of cheese into a Warrior head - Go Warriors!