Thomas Reunion 2013

Pizza night at the "Busted Nut" cafe.

In mid-July I was lucky to able to attend the Thomas family reunion, the perfect chance to see dozens of relatives. It felt like the same wonderful atmosphere that I remember about family reunions, especially since it was at Cedar Shores in Chamberlain - a place that holds memories from reunions past. This reunion was filled with traditional activities - eating m&ms and chocolate-covered blueberries and anything sweet, bursting into song at any given moment, spending hours in the hotel pool, playing cards and staying up late, retelling famous family stories, riding unicycles, and just generally catching up with long-lost cousins. We also enjoyed river outings on the rented pontoon boats. And of course, one of the highlights was the ritual talent show. Ed and Ralph wrote 90% of the program themselves, penciling in participants and acts without consulting the performers until they were announced as up-next during the actual show. But they did such a good job of matching people with their talents that it didn't really matter! Thus we got Lindsay's lecture on Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars and other fun tidbits and memory-sharing. Some acts were actually planned, such as Mel and Dave's enthusiastic line-dance, Olivia and John's unicycling, and Isaac and Josh's great "Who's on First?" routine.

Onto the pictures:

Linda and Rob, Jaden, Kaylee, and Reina, plus Macy

Rebecca, Ralph, two Joshes, Jackie and Misha

Fabulous breakfasts by Pauline and Lester

This is one way to "play cards."

Rebecca's tower. Yeah. Wow.

The serious card players: Bill, Ralph, Paul, Lester, and Ed.

Chatting and laughing

Sebby and Trinity play Memory.

Doris, Isaac, Kent, Diane, Gloria, Sue, Trinity

Misha and Sebby check out the dock.

Relaxing on the Missouri

Gary and Sebby

Mel and the boys

Misha in the river!

John, Macy, and Olivia

Sue and Ed

Enjoying the pool

The river by night

and by day

Everybody swing!

Trinity and Misha

Right 'em, cowboy!

Lindsay and Evan

Sue, Lori and Nancy

Sue, Wanda, Gloria, and Rus

Photo sharing with Roland

Now grapevine: Mel, Dave and two Nancies.

Josh and Isaac: Who's on first? Yes, that's right.

John and Olivia on one wheel

Irene gets all the cousins up for "Thar's a bahr."

Fun in the trees.

Misha practicing on his new unicycle with my cousins.

Misha and Grandpa

Misha rides between Rebecca and me.