Thanksgiving & Service

This year we headed north to Mike & Colleen's in Brigham City for our Thanksgiving celebration.

The Killpack clan gathered not only to eat, but also to perform a service.

Each sibling donated the amount they would normally spend on Christmas gifts for one another to provide filled school bags for the Humanitarian Center. Colleen's Ward provided the bags and we purchased all the supplies to fill them. Our nephew, McKay, took over the leadership and coordination of the project as his Eagle Project. With a crew like ours, the bags were filled, checked for quality control, and packed for delivery in no time at all.

The family loaded up on a feast fit for a king, thankful for the blessings that bring us together as a family. Clive & I and Sheryl's and Marisa's families then traveled up Sardine canyon to Logan for dessert at Mars and Mel's. It was a beautiful fall day for family gatherings and traveling.

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!

GRATITUDE

During this week of Thanksgiving I've been thinking a lot about my abundant blessings.

These are just a few of them:

1. I'm grateful for a husband who works all day and still comes home and prepares dinner while I'm busy working on my projects.

2. I'm thankful for my sons-in-law, my daughters-in-law & for Kirsti who bring so much happiness to my children.

3. I'm grateful for technology which keeps me in touch with my children.

4. I'm blessed by the excitement of five precious grandchildren who like to spend time with their not-so-young grandma.

5. I'm thankful that my second mammogram proved that I was healthy after all.

6. I'm grateful for all the talents that my Mom passed on to me and the satisfaction that they bring.

7. I'm blessed to have a sister who dedicates so much of her time every day to taking care of our sweet mother.

8. I'm grateful for the peace that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to my life.

... and I'm truly thankful for all the blessings of life that are too lengthy to list here.

I'm Too Busy To Die!

Once again I find myself getting further and further behind in the World of Blog.

My days are full to overflowing, but with the holidays upon us I can't spare a moment.

The gifts must be completed on schedule.

One day soon I hope to make a huge update. Of course, all my news will be old and moldy by then, but it is really the best I can do. (Do you think I could take a paid leave of absence from my job and delegate my Relief Society calling to someone else for a couple of months?)

Refer to my post of September 11th. The story's the same!

September Showers!

Today family members gathered at Marisa's home to celebrate

the upcoming marriage of Kevin & Kristen.

We enjoyed one another's company, learned a little about how Kevin feels about his bride-to-be through music,

and used candy bars to give Kristen marriage advice.

And while we did so, we indulged in the sweet treat of a chocolate fountain and some fresh veggies and crackers.

Those attending included MacKenzie Love, Grandma Helen Jean Witbeck, Nancy Weekes, Cici Burrell, Marisa Jean Larsen, Jeneal Burrell, Gayle Barnes, Hannah & Kim Killpack, Sabra & Malinda Burrell, Grandma Edith Osborne, Sheryl Coe, Autumn Zarlengo, Wendy Killpack, Nell Howell, and Kristen & Virginia Reid.

Kristen was showered with wonderful gifts from kitchen appliances to sexy lingerie. Kevin arrived just in time to kiss all the bows out of her hair.

The wedding is just four weeks away!

ONE WORD TAG

I finished this tag on Wednesday, but it was lost in cyberspace when I changed the template on my blog, so these are today's answers. Amazing how some things never change, but others never remain the same.

1. Where is your cell phone? Charging
2. Your significant other? Sleeping
3. Your hair? Healthy
4. Your mother? Frail
5. Your father? Missed
6. Your favorite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? Water
9. Your dream/goal? Exaltation
10. The room you’re in? Office
11. Your hobby? Quilts
12. Your fear? Water
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy
14. What you’re not? Sleeping
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? Camera
17. Where you grew up? Hunter
18. The last thing you did? Blog
19. What are you wearing? Slacks
20. Favorite gadget? Sewing Machine
21. Your pets? Nope!
22. Your computer? Necessary
23. Your mood? Weary
24. Missing someone? Dad
25. Your car? Camry
26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
27. Favorite store? Kohl's
28. Like someone? Clive
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Wednesday

The Hurrier I Go ...

My beloved grandmother, Alverda Turner Hudson, always said

"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."

Well, I'm understanding more and more the truth of this statement.

For the past month I have done nothing but

run, run, run ...

and I feel like I will never catch up.

One day soon I'll stop long enough to post some new blogs.

But, in the meantime, be aware that I'm still

living, breathing, and running!