Beek Reunion

Girls exploring caves

Its time to fill the hills with Beeks once again. I am so glad that they have started back up these reunions, I have missed them. I remember as a child going to Mount Graham for a few years, then it was Big Lake. But mostly the kids will remember Baca Ranch. We had lots of good times in that beautiful spot behind Heber. Then several years ago, we had two wild fires merge together and it was awful for lots of the White Mountains. Baca Ranch burned down, and the Beecroft Reunions stopped. Last year, at the request of one of my cousins, we had a reunion, not far from Baca Ranch, same general area that we could all find easily, and congregate for a week, weekend, or even a day. Paige and I were the only ones that could go out over night, then Devon, Chase, Jordyn, Kylie and Ronnie Morris joined us for the day on Saturday. It was nice, and so when it was suggested that we do that again this year, I was all for it. Only this time, all of us would go out and camp. I had the time off work, LLoyd had the time off and the girls took the time off because Girls Camp was Monday through Thursday, and then we left for the reunion right after.

I came home from work on Thursday, tired and hot...wishing that we could leave that night but not even pursuing the issue. The girls got home from girls camp just that same morning, and so I knew they would be too tired. LLoyd didn't even get off work(I thought)till 6:45, so the thought of leaving that night was looking doomed. However, Jordyn and Kylie were persistent and so us girls packed up the truck to go camping. We were pretty much ready to go, but LLoyd didn't get home. We waited and waited and finally he showed up at 7:30. Still the girls were persistent, and we took off shortly after LLoyd got home. He was surprised and not to sure about leaving for camp that late. We still had to do some shopping at WalMart for food, and it was getting dark fast. There was also a thunder storm and lots of rain as we traveled, and it looked even worse where we were going. We estimated the time to be about 11:00pm would we arrive at the reunion, and it would be dark and very wet. The girls traveled in the Corolla, and Lloyd and I drove the truck. As we rode, we made a decision not to go that far and with Mom and Dad's hospitality, we went as far as Taylor and stayed the night.
We got up and left the next morning to arrive in Heber about 12:00 and then out to the reunion. We set up fairly quickly with the threat of rain, but really never got any. We were told that it had really rained hard the night before, so we were glad that we did not go all the way out that night.

Our girls like finding critters

A horney Toad and a Water Dog

We camped close to Amee Hensley and the rest of Uncle Bill's family, off by ourselves, but close enough to visit. We did not take out our big tent because we were only going to be out there for a short while, so we opted for the easy set up.

LLoyd and I slept in the back of the truck on a futon mattress,

Kylie and Jordyn slept in a small tent close to the truck,

and Paige slept in the back seat of the truck where she would be close to us. Our camping was simple, but I think we enjoyed ourselves. I love being able to visit with my family and getting to know the youngest generations. My Aunt June and her daughter, Bert both died this past year, and the threat of losing a few more Aunts and Uncles very soon made me realize that I need to visit them much more often than I do. Both my Dad and Aunt Betty, are getting pretty bad with their disease. But they were both there, not able to get around much, and the communicating getting harder to understand, but they were there. Uncle Jack has had quite a bout with Colon Cancer and so they were not able to stay out like they usually do. And then when they were out, Uncle Jack had to lie flat on his back. Aunt Lanette and Doc actually put the reunion on this year, and they looked dog tired. I think that she really over did, and it showed. Even Uncle Bill, somehow hurt his back and when Uncle Jack was not around to use the bed, Uncle Bill did, because it hurt to sit or stand.

From left to right: Tate(tater tot) Gavin, Faron, Miguel, Rylee, Kenedee

Amee and Paula and their families were out there the whole time we were. Johnny Whetten and Uncle Tone and Aunt Betty stayed out. Rhonda East and Murray,(Uncle Tone and Aunt Betty's daughter) and all their kids and grand kids were there. Uncle Bill and Aunt Jo lived just about a mile down the road, so they were there all day and then went home at night. Aunt Lanette and Doc also live in Heber, so they traveled home at night, and their son Jody Crandall and his wife came with them. On Saturday, my mom and dad, and Karla and Pearl came out, Uncle Jack and Aunt Marilyn, Randy and Renea, Steve and Becky Harrington and their son Boyd and his wife and child came out. Tina and Preston were out and leaving as we drove in, we talked to them out on the road for a minute. Kyle and his wife Jennifer and kids, and Brendee and Dallas and their kids came out on Saturday. We had to leave about 3:00pm on Saturday to get home and just as we were leaving, Gary Crandall and his wife came out.
We had lots of fun playing with Paula and Amee's kids, and Paige and Kelcee Hensley and one of Rhonda's granddaughters hit it off quite well. They had fun playing on the round swing and such.

Too many people at lake,

no fish were biting.

Kylie read her book instead.

We went fishing at Black Canyon Lake, we did some dutch oven cooking (yummy chicken) and we did lots of relaxing.
My favorite part was when LLoyd was teasing the little kids with the laser on Friday night. They didn't know what it was for a long time and so whenever they saw this little red light on their shoes, or shirts, or on the top of the canopy, or on the ground close to them, they would squeal with delight and try to hit it, or chase it. It was quite hilarious, but after awhile, some of the older kids started catching on and getting in on the teasing. That was cute, and I wish that I had gotten some pictures of it, but we didn't. My other favorite part was taking a shower in our own little makeshift shower. It felt great, and made me very happy.

we caught Paige in the shower.

you can barely see her face peeking above

tarp at center right

I thought that the reunion was fun meeting a girl named Halie, she was from New Mexico. I also went on the round swing it was scary. I got to hang out with my cousins Kelcee, Pearl and Halie who is int really my cousin, but it was fun anyway. Paige

Pearl and Paige at the lake

Okay it is I, Lloyd, Lisa (my wife!) wants me to write my favorite thing at the reunion, what can I say, there was good food, good friends, good weather. I must say sleeping in the back of the truck is not that great! Lisa kept winking at me and I was not sure but I think she got a bug in her eye. Okay so don't try fishing at the lake either because there are to many people there. So let me ask you, have you ever gotten bad gas and your around people and you can't release? Ya, that's me all the time I was there. why is it considered rude when it has to come out. Then Lisa rolls her eyes at me when I finally release, a guy can handle only so much gas pain and pressure. Alright, what about the food thing? I like cooking! We had some dutch oven terriaki chicken that was delicious! I can't believe Lisa dumped the left over Chicken on the ground!! Ok, not on purpose; it was still too hot and the baggy we put it in kind of weakened. We both wept, yes our eye's glazed over with emotion because we were so looking forward to eating it later. Very early that morning I heard a coyote yip with enjoyment as he dined on our chicken that we deposited in the woods. I had fun being with my wife and daughters.

Uhh ok, Jordyn here, my mom told me i have to write a little thing about what i liked about camping. The first thing i would like to say is that I am not a stuck up Round Valley girl like my cousins accused of me and i cant always be the one to start conversations with my Snowflake Lobo family. The second thing is that this part of my family I actually understand....weird considering were from different places and our schools are rivals. My favorite part was probably getting to know my family a little better cause we always seem awkward around each other and this camping trip we didn't.

uhm this is kylie :) hello! my mom says i have to write something that i liked about camping. well lets see.......one of my family members built a round swing over this stream type thing. and so i liked going on the round swing! the only problem was that it was built on this partially burnt tree or something so if you went around twice then you would smash into the tree! It was kind of scary but I did it anyways and you know what? all the burnt black stuff on the tree came off onto my arm and face when I smashed into the tree! So guess what looked like the ring leader of the hobo circus. I think that was alright except my little cousin, Tater Tot, who was around five or six, kept making fun of me! My other favorite thing was getting a laser at night and shining it around the children so they all freaked out! hahaha they would search for the little red dot and when they found it they would hit whatever it was on! So my dad.... haha good ol dad, he shined it on one of the kids forheads so they began smacking themselves on the forhead! hahahaha! that was my favorite part about camping. kylie