Millcreek Canyon Legacy

Last summer, while involved in my beloved hobby of family history,
I perused the website of Millcreek Inn in Millcreek Canyon.
Imagine my surprise when I read the history of the Inn and discovered that it was all wrong!

So ... I sent an email off informing them that I had the "true" story if they were interested.
I immediately received a response from the owner, Sasan Moatamud,
telling me that he was definitely interested in meeting with me and hearing my story.

It was a busy season for both of us and we lost connection until last month.
Clive and I were finally able to meet with Sason for a delightful morning
that took me on an exciting walk down memory lane.

The TRUE story:

In 1953 my grandparents, Faunce & Verda Hudson, purchased land in Millcreek Canyon and began work on building a store & coffee shop that they called the Millcreek Inn. It catered to the hikers, picknickers, and hunters that visited the canyon.

The real beauty is that I just happen to have my grandmother's diaries from that period. So ... I transcribed every single entry that she made making any reference to the Inn or the canyon from 1953 when they purchased the land until they sold the Inn in 1959.

I compiled the information into a book, including a few photos that I was able to locate.

In February Clive and I finally met Sasan.

He took us on a tour of the Inn and I shared my memories, then presented him with the book I had compiled. We were both emotional because history means a great deal to each of us.

He has done his best to maintain the integrity of the original building, while updating it for today's needs.

The Inn has quite a history as it transformed from a coffee shop to a restaurant to an events center.

The pot belly stove that was an original part of the store when my grandpa owned it. Sasan offered it to me any time I wanted it, but as far as I'm concerned, it belongs with the Inn.

In a gesture of magnanimity, Sasan has offered to host a reunion this July for all the descendents of Faunce and Verda. I just can't express how elated I am to be a part of the Millcreek Inn legacy.

October & November Happenings

I'm going to make an effort to do a quick "catch-up" on the events of my life during the past three months.
It will be brief, but definitely better than nothing!


In November Clive & I had a wonderful weekend of grandkids.
Mayci was ours alone on Friday night, so she and I enjoyed an evening in the kitchen making pumpkin muffins and snapping photos of one another. Saturday morning Clive picked up Jayden & Tegan and brought them back for the rest of the weekend. We played games, watched movies, and popped popcorn. On Sunday morning we loaded the car with kids and drove to Logan for the Primary program. Avery sang a solo of If the Savior Stood Beside Me with a Primary chorus back-up and Gracyn joined the Primary for a beautiful rendition of I Am A Child of God. We went back to visit with Mars & Mel and allowed the cousins to spend time together. It was a special weekend for a grandma and grandpa!

On October 31st a group of sisters-in-law met at the Layton Applebee's to celebrate Colleen's birthday. I don't often get to join in the fun, so having a day off of work was a bonus for me.
November 8th was Jayden's baptismal day. A massive crowd of family gathered to witness the sacred ordinance, shower him with gifts, and meet together for a luncheon. Clive and I had celebrated with him a week earlier by taking him to a Halloween play at the Sugar Factory Playhouse.
Later that day I spent a delightful afternoon at Lorie Jo's visiting with my Mom, sisters, and nieces. Jolene, Tara, and Amy were all in town for the weekend and I wasn't going to miss spending time with them!

As always, Halloween is a time for celebration in the Witbeck family.
This year we celebrated Mom's 84th birthday at the Deseret Star Playhouse
watching Scary Poppins. It was a laugh a minute and even more fun being in costume with family members.


The autumn season began with a bang watching Sheryl and Jayden perform with finesse at their Ward Talent Show.
October was welcomed as we witnessed Kevin and Kristen become endowed in the Jordan River Temple on the 9th and their marriage in the Salt Lake Temple on the 11th.
I woke Sheryl up on her 31st birthday by playing the piano, then celebrated that evening at Hale Center Theatre.
The Halloween season isn't the same without joining sister witches Mel, Avery, and Gracyn for an afternoon at Gardner Village!

Marisa & Jonathan's Housewarming

After boxing, packing, loading, unloading, unpacking, and cleaning,

Jonathan and Marisa finally got settled in their newly rented home.

To thank their family and friends,

and as a housewarming,

they hosted a BBQ.

At least 30 guests enjoyed a wonderful summer evening.

These are a few family shots:

Darren & Sheryl - married nearly 10 years!

Spencer & Kirsti - a new love interest?

Jonathan - grill chef

Sheryl, Kevin, & Kristen - havin' a good time



Kevin & Kristen - soon to be married
Jonathan & some strange, spastic woman
Marisa & Jonathan - newlyweds & our hosts
Wendy & Clive - happy to be with their children

Mr. & Mrs. Preston Weekes

On 06/07/08 our nephew, Preston Weekes, was married to Brooke Dove.
We enjoyed a wedding dinner & had fun gathering with family members at the reception.



Preston & Brooke --- the newlyweds



Clive ... unprepared for a camera flash

Jolene, Mom & I enjoy time to chat.

Mom with her four little darlings ...
Jolene, Wendy, Roger & Nancy.

Just imagine what it will be like when Dad, Sheryl, & Kim can join us for a first ever grouping of the ENTIRE family.
(The thought gives me goose bumps!)

Marisa's Married!

Friday was a beautiful day! The snow abated, the sun shone, the temperatures rose, and it was a perfect day for a winter wedding.

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated friends, the Activity Barn at Wheeler Farm was transformed with thousands of brilliant lights, tables and chairs were set in place, and a delicious dinner was served.

Two yet unacquainted families merged and became immediate friends.

Close family and friends witnessed the union of Marisa Jean Killpack and Jonathan Denny Larsen. Everyone enjoyed dinner, chuckled at Marisa's presentation of the final chapter of her Relationships Book, and dancing ensued.

Families and friends gather and greet one another.

Family anxiously awaits the entrance of the bride & Clive signs the computerized guest book.

Nieces & nephews serve as ring bearers and flower girls;

the preparation of the bride;

the wedding guests from a birds-eye view;

Marisa and Jonathan receive counsel & are married by President Jesse Baer ...

Jonathan says "I do" while Marisa shouts, "Heck, yes!"

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--- For the professional photos of the wedding, wait to see them on Marisa's BLOG! ---

Super Bowl or Super Snow Sunday?

Sunday was quite an eventful day in West Jordan. We awoke to more than a foot of snow and it continued throughout the morning. It was so heavy that church was dismissed following Sacrament Meeting and all able-bodied members were invited to don their snow gear and spend the day helping their neighbors shovel. Our Ward consists of a great deal of elderly people, so more than 20 families and individuals were shoveled out in the trailer court. Clive came home exhausted!

In the meantime, Mars shoveled our walks, then proceded to build a "giant" snowman. He took the girls out to add a carrot nose, some button eyes, an ill-fitting hat, and a scarf.

In the evening the family (all 15 of us) gathered at Jonathan's for a pre-wedding dinner. The kids had fun exploring, while Jayden finished the 15th chapter of his latest book.

The guys gathered to watch the Superbowl ... Clive rooting for the Patriots, while the others cheered the Giants on to victory.

Mars joined Melanie, Sheryl, and me in cropping photos, drilling holes, cleaning glass, and finishing up the photo cube centerpieces for the wedding.

Jonathan and Marisa hosted our yummy meal.

Kevin looks asleep, but was really into the game. He gave up a Superbowl party to join the family for the evening.

Girls' Day

With a new year came a new resolve to return to our monthly Girls' Days.
In January we met to build the centerpieces for Marisa's wedding dinner.

Mel is the mastermind and director in showing us how to assemble the photo cubes.
She and Mars designed and cut them out.

Sheryl glues the cubes together.

Marisa helps to paint and crackle.

Wendy takes a break to enjoy the grandchildren.

New Year's Day

It seems that Clive took a couple of photos of Darren & Mars at the shooting range after all!

The annual family New Year's Day tradition consists of Clive, the guys, and Marisa traipsing off with as many people as they can recruit to go shotgun shooting west of Utah Lake. I counted on Clive taking lots of photos, but naturally this was the one year that he neglected to shoot the camera instead of the gun! So ... I snapped a couple of pictures of him cleaning his guns and one of them was erased. My grand ideas of starting the year out with nice Blog photos have been sabotaged big time!

I spent my New Year's Day tromping through the snow with Marisa and Jonathan for their "Wedding" photo shoot. Being the individual that she is, Marisa decided that having "Bridals" with the snow as a background would be ideal. Of course, it was the coldest day of the season so far and the temperatures hovered between 19 & 23 degrees. It was a challenge dressing her in her gown outdoors, and then keeping the dress protected from the wet and mud. After five hours of creative photography, we were able to return to the warmth of home and hearth. Of course, I was unable to shoot any photos of our adventures or I'd ruin the whole "seeing the bride in her gown before the big event" scenario. So, I'll tell the tale, but without photographic proof for the time being.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Avery performed a dance to Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

for the family ... then Jayden, Tegan, Gracyn, and Avery jumped

in and danced the night away.

Happily Engaged

Marisa & Jonathan counting down the days until their February 8th wedding!

Fun Events at Christmas

There's nothing like family togetherness at Christmastime!

Family at Christmastime

Our annual Christmas Eve photo shoot precedes

our traditional dinner, program, and sibling/cousin gift exchange.