We had the first ever William John Thomas and Orinda Ann Karren Family Reunion (shortened to the Thomas/ Steele Family Reunion) yesterday, April 10, 2010. My mother, Maxine and my Uncle Jack were the only two children of William and Orinda who had children. So my family (Maxine & Kay's 7 children) and my uncles family (Ada & Jack had 10 children) all got together yesterday at my sister, Cheryl's home. (It's a little 5 acre ranch.) We plan to meet every other year now.
We had a great turn-out and it was so fun to reconnect with my cousins and their children and their childrens' children. From my family only my brother Bob was not able to be there. And from Uncle Jack's family only Helen and Steve weren't there. Steve passed away just recently but his wife, Mary and their daughters (Valerie and Sarah) and their kids were there.
Me, Tim, Kristie, Linda, Cheryl, and Patty
David, John, Mary, Carol, Margaret, Martha, and Richard (Chuck showed up after the picture) and Mary Thomas had already left when the picture was taken.
We had a fun program with my brother Tim as the emcee plus he sang and played the guitar also. Multi-talented!! He did a great job. And then we had some absolutely beautiful songs sung by my sister Linda Winter, my cousin, Martha's daughter, Michelle Moyer and Martha's son Justin Moyer. I'm not kidding they all were so outstanding. It was just so fun for us in the audience.
Tim
Michelle
The only bad part of the program was me, I can't sing! But I tried to teach or re-teach the song "Horsey Horsey" to everyone because Aunt Ada had taught it to us when we were kids and I had taught it to my little grandson, Atticus. And I always thought it was a fun little song and it made me think of when we were growing up (we lived just a few blocks away from my cousins). And I'm not even going to mention my "senior moment" when I announced that we were going to sing Happy Birthday to my great-nephew, Logan, and couldn't remember his last name. I have an explanation for that--but it's pretty lame (brain freeze). I DO know his name, believe me!!
So for the most part, besides the program and family meeting, we ate snacks and talked and laughed and caught up on things in each others lives. Anyone who wanted to was invited to ride on the hay wagon or ride horses. And the kids played some games.
Thanks Cheryl (and Ed) for hosting the reunion!!
We hope to get a family book done before the next reunion. We also hope to organize and coordinate our family history. I brought a couple of posters showing info and pictures of our grandparents
(William & Orinda) and also of their 5 children (Ralph, Nonie, Leland, Jack, and Maxine).
It was really fun and I'm so glad everyone took the time and made the effort to come (some traveled many, many hours to be there). I think we had about 150 people and maybe in 2012 we'll have even more!! PLAN ON IT EVERYONE!!
