In case you don’t know it, we’re in the midst of celebrating our 30th year of business this year. I can’t believe it, but’s it’s true! I’ve been helping people improve their eating habits and overall health since 1985 (and long before that in many other capacities).

As part of the 30th anniversary celebration, we’ve compiled a list of ’30 things about Seattle’ that you may not know. We’ve been sharing these fun facts throughout the year on social media and I thought it would be great to share with our blog readers too! I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed compiling them for you. Even diehard SSHE fans may not know some of these interesting, fun facts!

1. Born and raised until late childhood on a farm near Gackle, North Dakota during the Great Depression.
2. At 83 years young, I work every day for the company bearing my name that I started in 1985.
3. My favorite vegetable is radish and every Valentine’s Day my late husband, Dr. HK Sutton, would present me with a bouquet of red radishes instead of roses, my preference!
4. My favorite song (and my late mother’s favorite song) is, “You are my Sunshine.”
5. I have small feet and wear a size 5 shoe!
6. My favorite color is red.
7. I have 5 children, 14 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.
8. I prefer to eat Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating to going out to dinner.
9. I love snow, having grown up in North Dakota where snow is plentiful.
10. Peppermint makes me sneeze anytime I eat anything with it in it.
11. My alma mater is Jamestown College class of 1950 (now called Jamestown University), where I graduated with a BS in nursing and RN.
12. Shocking to most people, but my favorite drink is Jack Daniels on the rocks.
13. I was a cheerleader in high school.
14. The house I have lived in for more than 60 years was built in 1936 and it’s a Spanish style house.
15. I once rode a real elephant through Main Street in Marseilles, IL.
16. I love to play craps and have taught my children and grandchildren how to play the conservative approach to the game.
17. I love surprises and surprising others.
18. At age 70 years old, I rode on the biggest roller coaster at Cedar Park Amusement Park, just because my 14 grandchildren begged me to go with them.
19. I rode on a zamboni and cheered and excited Chicago Blackhawks crowd in between periods at the United Center in Chicago in 2010.
20. The late Ron Santo (former Chicago Cubs great) and I were good friends. As a type I diabetic, Ron often at SSHE meals to help control his condition. He spoke about it during his coverage of the Chicago Cubs.
21. I lived in Peoria, IL right after graduating college and getting married in 1954, and there I taught nursing at Bradley University. The students I had taught more than 60 years ago and I have stayed in touch over the years.
22. I save every article, picture, ad and document pertaining to SSHE and I hope to one day have a SSHE museum.
23. I’m a breast cancer survivor of 15 years.
24. I wrote a book titled, “The Seattle Sutton Solution.”
25. My favorite motto is: “No one ever died from lack of sleep!”
26. I threw out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs game in 2012.
27. I often joke that I want to run for President of the United States (and my family and friends wonder if I am serious).
28. I am a believer in helping and supporting local organizations.
29. Farm animals were brought in on cold winter nights to help keep my sister and I warm during cold North Dakota winters on the farm.
30. My own father weighed over 300 pounds and died from congestive heart failure, which was my inspiration to help others.