Erin Hunter isn’t one to live in the past, but that’s not to say she doesn’t make an occasional visit there.

“I grew up in Alabaster, back when it was just Alabaster and not the bustling metropolis of shopping, fun, activities, and things I’m so jealous of now that I’m not there any more.  I lived there when it was mostly farms.”

Now residing in Leeds with her husband Lance and their two daughters, she’s always happy to talk about the things that have and continue to inspire her.

Her work:  Hunter launched Impress the Guest, her event planning and design company, last year.  “If it’s a gathering of people, that’s what we specialize in – private parties, weddings, family reunions, and corporate events.  Our motto is ‘From Concept to Clean Up.’  My clients love the fact that I do their legwork.  I’m a people pleaser, and I love it.”  She is currently organizing the Mark Caperton Memorial Fallen Heroes Golf Tournament (www.facebook.com/welovecape) and directing the County Crossover basketball tournament, which began this spring in St. Clair County.

Something an acquaintance would be surprised to know about her:  “Between ages 14 and 20, all I ever wanted to do was be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.”  She was an ROTC cadet in high school and at Samford.  “Boot camps, fitness, training – I did all that and loved it.  I fell in love with protocol and determining what I could do serve the country and others.”

An inspiring figure from that time:  Col. George Allen, her high school ROTC instructor.  “He was a true citizen of the country, he treated people with respect, and he had a great work ethic.  He was kind, efficient, and a great role model.  The military was a vehicle through which he was able to help others.  He taught me how to plan, follow through, and leave things better than you found them.”

The best part of being a mom:  “Everything. The highlights are being loved unconditionally, hugs and kisses, laughing with them like you’re still a kid, watching them grow, and growing with them.  My girls are everything that makes me who I am today. I have trouble remembering what I was like before them. It just doesn’t even seem to compare. It’s amazing how things that seemed so important before they arrived are now barely a thought in my mind.”

What makes her laugh? “My husband. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and more importantly, he knows how to make me laugh at times when that is the last thing on my mind.”

What makes her angry? “Insincere people who do insincere things. It infuriates me. Life is too short, and spending your time judging people on the superficial is completely meaningless to me. I care more about what is good and positive in the world, and I always want to know, ‘How can I help you?’ I believe that’s what I’m here for. Why else are we here if not to help and love each other? I have no place in my life for insincerity. You never know what’s going on in someone’s life, and the best thing you can do is treat them as good, if not better, than you should.”

Her most valued possession: “Time. The time that I spend with the ones I love. It’s irreplaceable; it is worthy of all the money in the world to me. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be able to spend more and more time with them.”

If she could travel back in time:  “I would go back to 1960, when my grandparents were about my age. I would love to have known them better, viewed the world from their perspective, and even seen how my parents were when they were kids. I would love to have spent time with my mom’s mom, who I’m named after. I would love to have met my husband’s grandmother, who he adores. I feel as if there are all of these terrific people, with incredible influences on my life that I would love to spend time with.”