You can take the girl out of Idaho, but you can't take Idaho out of the girl

One of my favorite things to do in the fall is to return to the place was I was raised. Rupert, Idaho. I can't adequately explain how it makes me feel to return Rupert to visit my sister and her husband. Out of the seven children in our family who were raised there, she is the only one who remains. Driving back into town is like going into a time machine. Not much changes in Rupert. Many of the same places we use to frequent are still there. Just driving around town conjurers up so many memories of people, events and places where we lived out our lives for more than 30 years. Rick and I took a long tour around town and saw so many of the places I use to go when I was young. He was such a good sport and seemed genuinely interested in listening to me chatter on about this and that. The smells, the sights, and the sounds (or lack of sound, just peace and quiet) reminded me of my childhood. Harvest was in full swing and we saw HUGE mounds of sugar beets, fields ready to be harvested and huge storage bins for grain and potatoes. The "Sugar Factory" where the sugar beets are processed was in full swing and the distinctive odor permeated the air. I haven't smelled that smell for quite awhile. If you've always wondered how they get sugar from sugar beets and sugar cane, read this summary. Sugar beets are tough and hardy and can be bounced around and even stored on the bare ground for a period of time until they go through the factory for refining. Potatoes are a different story. They are treated with the utmost care and are often harvested and put to bed during the winter months until the next spring them they are processed and many of them are turned into French Fries.
Check out this farmer's blog for a descriptive narrative and pictures of what a potato harvest is all about. Interesting stuff!
We came home with 100 pounds of those lovely Idaho spuds, compliments of Tim E. and his lovely wife Cari. They were so kind to visit with us and to take us out to their potato cellar and tell us more about how things are done on a potato farm.

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Our wonderful son V IV turns 27

On Saturday Dave celebrates his 27th birthday! He has had himself quite a year. Since his last B-day here are a few of things he accomplished or enjoyed:

• a year ago, he was just starting an MBA program and he was working hard in his classes...again he got some amazing grades and made all the other students hate him (not in a bad way)
• we enjoyed spending last Halloween and Thanksgiving with Dave and Courtney in the heat and sun and we even had a sleep over in their comfy apartment
• Dave and Courtney came for Christmas and we enjoyed having their company
• Dave LOVES BYU sports and he managed to watch Jimmer play a bunch of basketball games on TV
• He is a BYU football fan who has been carefully raised in the art of following the Cougars
  
• Dave landed an impressive internship in North Carolina and he and Courtney spent the summer there where he learned some of the finer points in finance and banking
• He got great reviews from his supervisor and was later offered an impressive job after completing his degree
• He worked hard all summer and spent some time fending for himself for a time and proved that he is self reliant and capable, even by himself in far off places
• He returned to school in the fall for his second year of MBA school and moved his family from one apartment to another, in the extreme heat of the summer
• He is a devoted husband and a great helper around the house (who knew??)
• He LOVES his nieces (and nephews) and he is a wonderful uncle to them on both sides of the family
• He served in the YM organization and was dutiful and helpful to the small group of boys in their area
• We got to see Dave and Courtney in CA at our family reunion in May and we enjoyed his great sense of humor and his helpful ways
• He and Courtney traveled through North and South Carolina during the summer and saw some great sights and learn more of the history of those states
  
• He is a dear son and we love to talk to him and to get his take on what is happening
• He and Courtney got some great news. They will be having a little V V in February to fill the BYU tee shirt and hat that Dave received for his birthday
• Dave will be a great father. He is such a great uncle and he is so sweet to the little people

Keep up the good work Dave. Your Dad and I are very proud of you and the good life that you live.

Little miss sunshine

This little sweetheart is having her 2nd birthday today. She is a girl with a 1,000 smiles and she has the sweetest most darling laugh to go along with it. She is a ball connoisseur and knows how to identify a football, a basketball, tennis, racket, baseball and a bouncy ball without any coaching. She is her mother's daughter, that's for sure. She loves to play with all her toys and she takes her nap like a champ with nary a whimper. She loves to play with her cousins and she has a particular fondness for her cousin Lauren. She is loved my her mommy and daddy and she is one lucky girl to have them as parents. Happy 2nd Birthday baby girl! Grandpa and Grandma love you so much.

Little miss manners

This little beauty is having her 2nd birthday party today. Happy Birthday baby girl! She is a darling little girl who loves to play with her older sisters and mimic what they do. She can also play by herself and have a good time. She doesn't like to take her nap or go to bed, but she loves bath time, story time, play time and just about any time that isn't bedtime. She is very articulate and can talk up a storm. When I was tending her a few weeks ago she would say "thank you Grandma" when I changed her diaper, "thank you Grandma" when I would get her out of her car seat and "thank you Grandma" when I would get her a drink or feed her dinner. What 2 year old does that? She is a little miss manners girl and I love her so much!

Beware of transfat

It will probably come as no surprise to you but...

Trans fat is dangerous

Trans fat can make food taste good, last longer on grocery-store shelves, and more hazardous for your heart.

"Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol just like saturated fats, but they also increase inflammation and lower the good cholesterol that protects us against heart disease," says Andrea Giancoli, RD, MPH, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

The good news? Many food manufacturers and fast-food chains have removed or reduced trans fat. But it still lurks in many foods—here are 23 to watch.

1. potato chips
2. french fries
3. anything battered or fried
4. pie and pie crust
   
5. margarine
6. shortening
7. cake mixes and ready made frosting
8. pancake & waffle mixes
9. fried chicken
10. breakfast sandwiches
11. frozen or creamy beverages
12. beef jerky
13. crackers
14. frozen dinners
15. Asian noodles
16. biscuits & sweet-rolls
    
17. packaged cookies
18. ground beef
19. microwave popcorn
20. ice cream
    
21. canned chili
22. packaged pudding
23. dairy creamers

Good grief! What do we eat now if we remove all these items from our shopping cart (or at least try and reduce the quantity we buy?)
I remember the advice I was given years ago by a Food Science and Nutrition instructor. SHOP AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE. That is where the "real" food is. Real fruits and vegetables, lean meat, dairy products, whole grains, and food items for preparing foods from fresh products or cooking by "scratch" at home. Try and fill your grocery card around the perimeter first and then stroll down the isles and add a few of the items listed above. This will save our hearts, our waistlines, and maybe even our lives! Check the nutrition facts on the labels and see how much trans fat is in each product. Choose "reduced fat" items when possible. I'm going to try a lot harder to do a better job at this.