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)
Happy Birthday!! I have also changed a lot of things in my life to become healthier since I started reading your blog. I absolutely LOVE your blog!! Thank you so much for all the time you put into it!
Happy Birthday!
I'm so glad you write this blog! Because of you, our family of 6 eats probably twice as many vegetables. We eat nuts, fish, very little sugar, healthy peanut butter, BROCCOLI (that's big)...all the good stuff now. I even started exercising again! (First time since college!) Even my 8 yr old has started reading food labels a little. :)
Thanks for helping our family!
Happy birthday! I look forward to every single post on this blog, and have learned so much! I found your blog right when I needed too! Thank you for all the time you put into this blog!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Skip!
I have to say that your Breakfast Compote has become a standard for our mornings. Thanks for all of your insight and research!
Happy Birthday! I thank you for helping me look at food, not just eat what is easy and fast. Thanks for the blog! :)
Happy Birthday--please know that what you are doing is making a difference! I appreciate the way you willing share your knowledge and you do it in such a way that helps me understand the WHY of eating important! Thanks--enjoy your day!
Happy Birthday Skip!
I just wanted to let you know, as tears for some reason fall down my face, how this blog was an answer to prayer in a way for me. I am LDS and realized a while ago I was not living The Word of Wisdom fully. I felt a resolve, and still do, to do better. BUT, it was hard! I even wrote a post about it on my neglected blog; http://jbhadfield.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-would-encourage-you-to-visit-these.html
I felt lost in knowing the right way to eat - there are so many opinions out there - so many cleanses. Then this blog happened, and I truly believe what you are doing is not only important on a level of health, but on a spiritual level as well.
Thanks. And have a wonderful birthday!
Happy Birthday! I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I am passionate about food as it relates to wellness and nutrition, so I get a lot out of your posts. I am also a member of the LDS church and appreciate hearing your balanced perspective. I read and digest a whole lot of information from various sources on a given day and am always grateful to come back here and be reminded of the basics of whole living, according to the Word of Wisdom. Thank you for your time and effort! I think you're just wonderful!
I also love the tone of the blog. It's very educational without being judgemental. I've learned a lot, and I've made several changes to help my family eat better and be healthier. Thanks for your passion and for taking the time to share it with us. Happy Birthday!
happy birthday! I feel inspired by your blog every time I read it and wish I could have a real-life conversation with you!
Skip Thanks so much for the blog. It really keeps me thinking about the word of wisdom, nutrition, and being healthy with my family. The research is what makes this blog really worthwhile, because you know it's not just somebody's opinion. And of course, the little anecdotes about your family, those are precious!
Happy Birthday! Thanks for writing this blog- I appreciate the variety of posts and ideas. It helps me in feeding my family and myself.
Happy Birthday, Skip. Your blog has inspired me and my neighbor to start a healthy food group to share ideas and recipes. Thanks for all you do to spread knowledge and information on eating healthy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you had a wonderful day. Thank you for writing such an informative and practical blog. It has increased my awareness of healthful living. Thanks for all of your hard work.
Happy Birthday, Skip! Thank you so much for this blog. It is really the only one I've found that has mirrored my journey with food and my family's health over the past year. I appreciate having access to your research and thoughtful insights, as well as the dialogue that they start. I look so forward to your posts every week. This blog is a light in the darkness of our country's health and relationship with food.
I don't comment on people's blogs, but I have to say I am so inspired by your words. I am drawn to healthy eating and exercising and all around good living - you capture the essence of what I'm trying to create for me and my family. Thank you so much for your time and effort. It's always interesting reading and so informative. You truly have a gift for expression and a caring spirit.
I have really loved reading this blog! It's easy to see that Skip is a really great guy and I'm glad he takes to time to share his knowledge with us.
Happy Birthday! This blog has helped me by being a resource when I have questions. It has also helped me to find motivation to make healthy choices.
Happy birthday, Skip! This blog has helped reinforce my firm beliefs that what you eat has a great effect on your quality of life. I appreciate your insights and research into healthy habits, and I will continue to read and share your blog with those I care about.