You have heard the motto, “Go West, young man, go West”.  For the citizens of Idaho Falls, a treasure of milk and cream awaits you as you travel on Broadway to the western edge of the city.  Reed’s Dairy has a reputation for the best, fresh bottled milk, large scoops of ice cream, and even homemade waffle cones.  My family and I arrived there on Tuesday night.  Ten cars parked in the front parking lot.  Thirty plus people, licking and laughing, chomping and chattering, hovered around the front counter where Nick and Jessie scooped up all assortments of flavors from the series of ice cream tubs.  It was standing room only, bursting the occupancy codes at the seams.

I purchased ice cream for my family, except my youngest son.  He got a big ol’ waffle cone for free!  Lucky guy! At the beginning of the year, in a Reed’s Dairy contest, he guessed the closest number to the amount of candies in a large, glass container.  The happy boy received fifty-two certificates for weekly free ice cream through the entire year of 2015.  Mr. Reed is a clever marketer; it is all free for my boy, but I think that I have spent more money on Reed’s Dairy ice cream for myself and my other four family members this year than all the other years together.  And yet I must say its money well spent.  Eating ice cream puts a smile on your face.  Soon you will be skipping along with me and singing this song,

Reed’s is a dairy, making you merry.

Past the outside poo, enter for the sweet goo.

Whether young, or old, enter one, and all,

Cookie cream berry, such pleasure to carry.

There wasn’t any room inside, so we walked back outside as more people piled in.  We sat on the little wooden bench under a flickering fluorescent light.  It wasn’t long before my wife was getting the chills, so we all jumped back in the family minivan.  My daughter, Mariah, mischievously giggled and laughed.  Was it the ice cream?  Jokes about her brother?  Listening to her mother instruct me on how to drive? Or this new adventure of joining together with me on writing “Daddy Daughter Takes”?  I couldn’t help but laugh in harmony with her.

She audibly burped.  Silly girl.  Of course, in some countries that is the way to express gratitude.  I wonder if that is what Canadians do when they enjoy my sister Debbie Falconer’s famous business, The Old School Bus Ice Cream in the major tourist area of Canmore, Alberta.

Making a trip to Reed’s Dairy, you might sing, laugh, or burp, especially if you are with my family.  But whatever you do, sample all the flavors.  Say hi to the baby calves.  And look up into the big Idaho sky and thank God for family, friends, and ice cream.