Happy Birthday Skip!
This is Skip's daughter Brooke, hijacking Word of Wisdom Living for a minute to wish my dad a Happy Birthday! You might not be aware of the many hours he puts into this little site: researching questions, trying out recipes, exploring the aisles of the grocery store.. it's almost a full time job for him.
Why does he do it? Because he wants to share what he's learned about nutrition and living well, and because he likes to learn from all of you and your wonderful comments.
The photo above was taken for an article Martha Stewart ran this summer about our family reunion. I know when you see a photo in a magazine, you might assume things are just posed for the camera, but this photo rings true for me. My dad loves to share things. He loves to research and study and read, and make his own conclusions and then share his findings. (Okay, we might not do it with lanterns in the trees and coordinating quilts!)
All my life my dad has tried to teach me things. He's an engineer, so he's always trying to figure out how things work and how they can be done better. Growing up, he was the kind of dad who drew a lot of graphs, who asked a lot of questions, who would never just give me the "easy answer".
In college he would mail me articles he had read in the morning paper. Now he emails links he thinks I need to see and pulls me aside when I come over for dinner to tell me about the interesting story he heard that week.
For all these years it's just been his family who he shared with, and that's why I pushed him to start this blog, to share with a larger audience all the things I've been lucky enough to hear my whole life. I think he's doing a really great job, and I know my family is healthier because of his time and effort.
Happy Birthday Dad.
Leave a comment telling my dad one way this blog has helped you.. I think that would really put a smile on his face!
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 1:11PM
Reader Comments (85)
I may not comment much, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you sharing your wealth of knowledge! Your blog is inspiring me (and my family, in turn) to strive for long-term health. Thanks for the help.
And Happy Birthday wishes!
Happy birthday, Skip! Thank you for your inspired blog. It is such a blessing in our lives.
Happy Birthday! I can tell you put a lot of time into this blog, which is why I love it and trust it. Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom with the world! You are improving the lives of many people, including my family. Your family is very blessed to have your thoughtful guidance in their lives. May you have many more birthdays full of family and good health.
happy, happy birthday!
Your blog sums up so much confusing and often contradictory information into thoughtful stories and suggestions that I can wrap my mind around. Thank you for getting to the heart of living well and sharing it with us!
I love this blog because of its balanced, real-life approach to good nutrtion. I am learning so much by reading it. And, we make Skip's breakfast compote recipe several times a week now. :)
Happy birthday!
I've been saying it for months now, and I mean it, this is my favorite blog EVER. Even though you only post twice a week, I still check back at least once a day to see what is popping up in the comments section. I love talking about the things I'm learning from you with my husband, and I appreciate that everything is well-researched and has a balanced approach between tradition, science, and scripture.
I have my first cooking club night this week, where I'll be demonstrating a radish soup, spinach smoothie, and kale chips. It is because of you that I realized I could get outside of my home and demonstrate to those around me how small changes to our diet and lifestyle can make a difference in our lives.
I hope you have a wonderful birthday weekend! I don't know if I've ever mentioned that I worked at BYU Catering with your daughter (the one who just had another baby) and I always loved spending time with her. I'm guessing you will spend part of your birthday weekend loving on that sweet new baby of hers :)
Happy Birthday! Thanks for all your hard work! I learn so much from reading your blog.
I LOVE your blog. I only found it last week, but am SOOO impressed with how much research goes into it, and how well written it is. I am not a great writer myself, but my whole family loves to write, and I can tell a well written post or book very quickly, and am so happy to have found a healthy living blog specializing in the word of wisdom that I wouldn't mind at all sharing with my friends, LDS or not. I have shown many people your blog, and am so grateful for how you have blessed my life is such a short amount of time. Happy Birthday! And thank you for the time you put into your blog, it is a blessing in my life.
I love this blog. It's one of the blogs on my google reader I don't get tired of. It is a great reminder to me to be more healthy, and I found that it was one of the only blogs out there on the Word of Wisdom! Keep it up!!!
i've been reading this blog for a long time and i find myself talking to strangers at parties about how eating a handful of nuts every day will help you get essential minerals, and a whole host of other things.
thank you for the research, fun facts and recipes. happy birthday!
Happy birthday!! Thank you so much for this blog!
Happy Birthday!
I have so enjoyed the historical context you've set up for so many of the food issues you've written about this year. It's a fascinating way to study nutrition, especially for a history teacher (albeit one on hiatus!) Thanks for all your hard work!
Hi Skip,
So glad I came across your blog as I just recently became a health food nut and your insight has been a great addition to all of the nutrition blogs I'm reading. Thanks for sharing and Happy Birthday!
I've not commented on this blog before, but I should have because it has changed the way I eat and what I feed to my family. I tell everyone about it because I've been so impressed. Thanks for all your hard work!
Happy birthday! It's about time someone started gathering and presenting this kind of life-saving information in a way that's easy to understand and completely actionable. Personally, it's nice to have my personal ideas and inclinations supported by the evidence you've gathered. Thanks for being a voice of reason!
Happy Birthday, Skip!! Thank you for the work and thought you have put into this blog. The posts you've written have provided a really wonderful, moderate approach to how to take care of my health and my family. I've referred Young Women's leaders to your healthy changes as resources for their lessons on health and have printed them out to use in my own menu planning. Your blog is a clear way to cut through so many of the different (and often conflicting) messages I hear about health and nutrition. Again, thank you and have a wonderful day!
Happy birthday Skip! I enjoy learning more about why I should be eating healthier and the benefits. This site is a long term way to stay healthy - it's not a fad. I appreciate the time you put into it. I also love hearing the stories about your family!
Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for creating such a fantastic source for nutrition. I am sometimes asked by friends to help them lose weight and I use this blog as a resource for myself, and for them to go to. I appreciate your work and effort!
Skip has a mind like Emerson and a heart like Lincoln.
I'm a big fan.