The Polar Express

The morning after the wedding (what in the world were we thinking) we all prepared for our trip up north to the Grand Canyon. We got as far as Williams when the blizzard conditions were so bad we decided not to go any further. Williams was where we were to depart on the Polar Express, but that was still 4 hours away. What do you do in a little town with 11 grandchildren and 10 adults for 4 hours. By the way, Bill was so car sick that he walked into the train depot and could not keep it in any longer. It provided a little comic relief for everyone. We wandered in all the little shops and with each one we went into all the kids wanted to buy, so that wasn't such a wonderful idea. We decided to go eat in a little corner cafe. We weren't really hungry because we had eaten only 3 hours ago on the way up, but it gave us something to do. Might I say I felt sorry for those who were around us and waited on us with all the kaous of so many people. Travis decided that he needed to begin his meal with a mile high piece of oreo pie, which everyone attacked when they brought it to the table. After we destroyed the cafe we headed back over to the train depot for the Polar Express ride. Meanwhile, we lost Brandon in the crowd, found him and had to walk clear to the front of the train. It must have been a 26 car train which was a long cold walk for the little kids.

On a blizzard cold Wednesday night Nana & Papa boarded the Polar Express with all the grandkids. The original plan was to take all nine of them on the train ride by ourselves. We decided to rethink it and took 3 of the parents to help us. It was a good decision!

Cookies and Hot Chocolate made by Mrs. Santa were served by his helper on the train ride.

When we arrived at the North Pole, all were looking outside the window to see Santa's village. Shortly after, Santa boarded the train and gave each child a bell reminding them to "Believe". It was an enchanting evening for all who went.

Tyler & Sarah's Wedding Celebration

December 29th, 2009
Amidst all the Christmas Zone Conferences, Transfers with 12 missionaries going home and 16 coming in, and Christmas with all the grandkids in the mission home, we decided to tack a wedding to the end of December. It was only through the Lord's help that we were able to accomplish all that came to pass. The entire family came for Christmas and were here for the wedding the following Tuesday. I'm still not sure how everything came together but it was a beautiful celebration. Rain was in the forecast but We prayed for a beautiful day and it was just that. We had every sibbling on both sides and parents that came from Salt Lake to join the wedding party! Everything was perfect. The end result was a tired mission mom, nana, wife, and mother.

Our Baby Boy is Married!

Sarah & Tyler are officially married - December 29th, 2009

Carried away in the moment!

Break Time!

All the nieces and nephews love Uncle T......Jordan (missing in action, probably a potty break)
Gavin, Emma, Nicholas, Abby, Halle, Ethan, Brandon, Izzy, Katelyn, & Eli

More Wedding Pictures

Starring as the Bride & Groom: Tyler & Sarah Beck

Debbie's Family: David, Robyn, Mom & Dad Russell, Debbie & Brent

Paul's Family: Janet, Shauna, Valene, Reed, Lois & Paul

The Gattuso's: Isabelle & Katelyn, Michael & Tiffany

The Hensley's: Nicholas, Ethan, Tracy & Ryan

The Pitts: Tricia & Bill, Gavin, Brandon & Abigail
& Olivia who is sceduled to arrive soon.

The Beck's: Travis, Sharese, Jordan, Emma, Halle, & Eli

Nana & Papa & Grandkids

The Whole Family

Children & Spouses

All our temple guests after the temple marriage

Tyler was not very nice to his new Bride as he crammed cake in her face

Papa & His Youngest grandchild Baby Kate
(for a couple of weeks anyway)

The kids loved this part of the wedding. They all danced!

As Sarah & Tyler came to the Limo, out jumped all the nieces and nephews!

More Wedding Shots

Christmas Morn

Oh the simplicity of Christmas is wonderful. All Izzy wanted was "Belle". When she opened the tiny gift up she yelled Belle, Belle, oh it's Belle!

Abby and baby Kate's 1st Christmas!

Hail Hail, the gangs all here for Christmas!

Ready to go in the family room to see if Santa Came.....Christmas is so much more fun with children.

Tiffany gave her dad a T-shirt to wear underneath his suit so he can peel it off into instant relaxation. President Beck is known from wearing his suit every day from early morning till late night, and on his P-days too.

Feeding the munchkins every morning was a wonderful experience.

Our Newest Assistant

Elder Carver was just called to be our newest assistant with Elder Cox. Elder Rose went back out to the reservation to proselyte and we will miss him greatly. Both are incredible young men and have been a tremendous asset to President Beck . Thanks for all your great leadership and organizational skills you brought to the mission Elder Rose. We will miss you.

Our fearless foursome Assistants.

Bringing in the New - December Transfers

We turned in 14 missionaries for 16 this transfer. It was a month of back to back events. Our incoming missionaries are Elder Able, Whitlock, Kavatoe, Chipman, Petersen, Ochoa, Snook, Giles, Pope, Reed, Allred, Bouwheis, Sisters, Ochocinski, Ayala, Barker, & Lowrey

16 missionaries ready to eat real food, and get out of the cold in Provo.

A little afternoon sun and a sloppy joe lunch

I'll Be Home for Christmas - Departing Missionaries

Departing missionaries are Sister Crowley, Sister Del Rosario, Elder Sellers, Elder Van Orden, Elder Schlegel, Elder Welch, Elder Rigsby, Elder Bement, Elder Moser, Elder Miskimons, Sister Reyes, Elder Hatch

Each transfer I read a bedtime story to our departing missionaries called "Mommy, Do I have to Go on a Mission?". It is a story of a little boy who doesn't want to go on a mission because he will have to leave all the people he loves. He grows up and becomes a missionary. When it is time for him to go home he expresses those same feelings about leaving all those people he loves behind to go back home. It stirs some feelings within all of them as they get ready to depart in the morning.

Craziness in the garage as missionaries prepare to go home in the morning. Suitcases are weighed and things discarded to meet the weight requirements. We always end up with all sorts of personal things that don't make the cut.

Flagstaff Christmas Zone Conference

We assigned Zones a Christmas Carol and gave them some props and they went to town to create a way to sing it to everyone. This is the Spanish missionaries singing "Feliz Navidad"

"All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"

"Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer"

"We Three Kings"

Good Food, Good Times, Good company