Dreamin' of Summer

What to do with Daddy haulin' campers downtown for the show? Find something that reminds us of all the awesome times we had last summer, answer = swimming at the Monticello Community Ctr. We haven't been there for quite sometime so it was a real treat returning, we all forgot how much fun that place was! Conner of course said next time we need to tackle the massive climbing walls, that will require Daddy's presence for sure!

Only Brie would come down the slide looking bored, geez, maybe we need to find more challenging slides for these two!

One, two, three, four, five and JUMP!!!! These two minds created some spectacular new ways to enter the water, this Mommy was real impressed.

Brienna showing Conner how great this huge water stream felt on her back! Conner's turn, only done in true Conner fashion! Believe it or not, he did this over and over again and gave me thumbs up each instance, that's my little man!
Peeking out for the camera, actually I just got lucky, they were playing peekaboo with the cutest little 2 year old making her giggle, like on those funniest home videos kind of giggle fests. So proud that they both love to be around little tykes, helping them up the steps, down the slide etc.... AWWWW!
Great shot just moments before Brie had Conner singularly spinning wildly out of control and almost taking out all the cute little kids I just mentioned above! A bit premature on my praises I guess, parents beware! Oh well, still very proud!!!!!

Shrek The Musical

We were blessed with two free tickets to the production Shrek The Musical through work and naturally we surprised Conner with his first theatrical experience. The seats were phenomenal and Conner just kept looking at me as we walked down, down and further down the main isle to our seats just 5 rows back center stage. This trek took a while because he was walking while staring up at the ceiling, hence a shot at the beautiful architecture of the Orpheum. We arrived about 30 minutes early and Conner was all over the place with constant chatter for me to "look at this Mommy or you've GOT to look at that!" He was just in awe, one of his favorites was the orchestra pit, but the look on his face when the lights started to dim and the curtains opened was just heart pounding, his eyes were popping out of his head and he spent the whole show on the edge of his seat.

At intermission he couldn't quite understand why they skipped so many scenes (he knows the first Shrek movie by heart and knew there was much more to come) so we explained what intermission was and that the actors needed a break and drink of water. We hit the restrooms and found winding lines out of each women's bathroom in the place. Luckily a very nice grandpa came by and Conner followed him in to the men's room, they came out just minutes later and he assured me Conner washed his hands very well!

The play started late and ran over 2.5 hours with the final curtain call being 10:45pm! The last number had the whole house on their feet dancin' to "I Believe!" with a thunderous cannon shot of confetti into the air above us! Conner said very loudly "Mommy we've GOT to get this movie" as if you could rent this production and take it home with you. After picking up some of the confetti to share with Brienna we made the long journey home. His eyes gave up the fight before we even left downtown and didn't even peek until morning. The vocals were just incredible, the 7 year old Fiona was so amazing she brought tears to your eyes! Donkey was a reincarnation of Eddie Murphy, incredible and Lord Farquad (sp?) stole the show, truly spectacular production and we feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to take our little man!

Yep, had to put a shot of the ceiling that had Conner so mesmerized!

He was so excited he could hardly sit still!

Just moments before Shrek opens the show!

Conner wanted a "cool" shot as he called it so he could show his friends, what????? I happily obliged him.....

On our way to check out the balcony before heading down to our seats, he just couldn't leave without a birds eye view from that balcony!

Conner looses his first teeth!!!

Yep, not just one, but TWO! He has had one supremely loose tooth since before Christmas and with a new one coming in behind it, we were all working hard to encourage him to pull it out. Lots of time passed & sure enough the one next to it became equally loose. We were getting to the point they either had to be pulled by him or a dentist. We made the appointment and hoped for the best. These parents didn't enjoy the thought of having to pay the dentist $146 per tooth, especially considering they were hanging on by a thread. Yet we wanted this experience to be good for Conner.

Monday before the dentist appointment came, it also happened to be Mommy's birthday, so as we walked him in to brush I hinted that it would be the best birthday gift ever if he would pull them out. His little heart just struggled with this, he was so scared it would hurt and bleed. Daddy suggested he help him brush just this once and Conner hesitantly let him, his little body knew something was up. Steve did a fantastic job, with just a little pressure, the first one was out!!!! Celebrations ensued, he was just beaming. What came next was pure brilliance, Steve took a napkin and asked Conner to sit on his lap so he could "dab" at the little bit of blood and stealthy took care of tooth # 2 without Conner even noticing! We are so proud of you Conner and thank you very much for doing it on my birthday, I will never forget how happy you were and excited for that tooth fairy to come!!!!!

The impossible task of getting him to open up and show off his missing teeth ended badly and thus this is the best shot we got. Bottom row, front two!

Noah's Birthday Party!

Noah's birthday celebration was held a the YMCA this year, what a fun place that is to have a birthday party! They set up a room and allow access to the jungle gym area, serve pizza and let you swim! A great time was had by all and everyone needed a nap after all this fun!

Noah, his cousin Brie and about 4 of his friends making a big splash!

All smiles for the b-day boy!

Carter is such a joy to photograph, he stayed until I got the perfect shot, Liv you're so lucky!!!!

Conner & his buddy Kyla!

The whole gang, what a troop we were!

Thole Family Christmas

What happens when you take 2 parents, 6 children, 5 spouses, and 9 grandchildren and throw them all together under one roof in the middle of winter? The Thole Family Christmas and what a blast it is! There's always an abundance of amazing dishes to feast on, and we say each year we'll cut back next year, not so much. Presents piled high under the tree, well what do expect with that many grandchildren! Lastly, the time spent with my brothers and sisters, parents, nieces and nephews celebrating Jesus' birthday, well, it's totally beyond priceless. Like we posted earlier, there is just something about going home for the holiday's.

Well here's the day as it unfolded, we snacked while waiting for the typical late comers, and we all know who you are. Then we actually share a meal, clean up, open presents in one big rip and screams of delight fest and finally ended the evening playing Phase 10. Mind you, the game in and of itself with 10+ players was enough to blow your mind, now add in the background some little snipers who were delighted to receive nerf machine guns from Grandpa & Grandma for Christmas. While you're trying to concentrate on attaining a phase a little dart would veer past your heads. The outcome, well poor uncle Jason, what a sport he was, didn't even hit a single phase and his shinning moment was to get below 75 points once when the hand went out. Many many moments of laughing so hard you couldn't breathe or had tears in our eyes. Family, what a glorious blessing and we couldn't have ended the season on a better note! Love you all dearly......

Side splitting fun!

Best buds caught playing dolls so nicely, they share extremely well! Lily & Evie you are so darn pretty!!!!

Evie having some downtime cuddles with Brienna while Conner masters his Star Wars game on his Leapster - yep still waiting for the late party goers!

Someone got herself a kitchen set!

Keegan is so methodical, he will sit and study things so intently, you can just see his mind working! I think he could look a little more like his Dad though, holy cows he's a total mini me of Andrew!

Never ending gourmet masterpieces, no one goes hungry!

Pre-celebration ramp up!

Brie hardly let this little gal's feet hit the floor!

Christmas with the Reese's

Papa going for a ride!

Ayden all bundled up

Making a snow fort

Are they tunnels or holes? Brie, Aubrey, & Jenna!

Surprise! Nana & Papa are taking them all on an adventure to the Minnesota Zoo!!!!

Nana & Papa's turn to open presents

Seth received this super cool huge magnifying glass, can't wait to use it on those bugs this summer, just don't start any fires!

Conner is all decked out for that cool season opener game - Go Twins!!!!!

Uncle Mitch, Bill, & Aunt Sarah holding down the couch....

Nana & Papa made fantastic photo books of the "cousin's adventure" they had this past summer! What great memories, awesome gift!!!

Pretty gals waiting patiently!

The whole gang!!!!

There is just something great about going home for the holiday's and none more so than to a parents house. We both feel great nostalgia when we go home to celebrate with our two families each year. Sunday morning we awoke to frosted trees already over loaded with the many inches of snow Minnesota has been treated to this year, what a beautiful sight to see on our way to Steve's childhood church, First Covenant. Familiar faces greeted us and it's always such an amazing pleasure to see Uncle Mitch sing with the praise and worship team.

An amazing brunch was enjoyed with egg bakes, french toast bakes, fruit and mimosa's, then the kids were allowed to open their stockings. I'm not sure where Nana shops, but she finds the craziest fun things for the kids each year, it's always exciting to watch what they pull out next. Nap times for some and further present opening ensued, snowmobiling, another spectacular meal of soups and in true Reese (the Stephen Reese family that is) tradition, an ER visit. Some have said we need to be more careful on Holidays and it appears they are right. Daddy took on a incline with his snowmobile and came down injuring his right knee. If you recall a recent Labor Day weekend, a similar altercation with a dirt bike yielded damage to his left knee. We'll be sure to watch ourselves (mainly Daddy) over the upcoming Easter and 4th of July celebrations.....

Over all it was still a great and magical time, spent with family celebrating the most wonderful gift of all, a little baby boy named Jesus!

Good Question.....

I gathered up the courage to volunteer at Church this year as one of the snack ladies in the Preschool & Kindergarten Sunday Pathfinders rooms, a much more intense job than I could ever imagine. You have no idea how serious these little tykes take their snacks, what they didn't tell me was that it's also our jobs to entertain the children until the teacher arrives, no small task when you're dealing with 3 year-olds that have to be pryed from their parents legs. Puzzles, crayons, and play dough help me accomplish this with ease.

The last class before Christmas was a huge birthday party for Jesus. A big hit, cupcakes, and not one, but two projects! Double the mess too, but it will forever be ingrained in my heart as the one time my little peanut broke out of his shy state of being. As the teacher asks the class who's birthday they're celebrating, a resounding cheer of "baby Jesus" erupted. What did my son say when everyone quieted down? Little Conner asked "When is God's birthday?" Silence........