memories

I have been reading all the fun entries on our Riding blog and it brought back alot of great memories for me with the reunion. Our family always looks forward each year to the reunions. Especially since my dad (Lewis) is now gone, they are especially important to me and to my children. I want my children to realize how important their heritage is and what deep roots we have here in Washington County. I will always remember getting up at the crack of dawn to ride with my dad and Uncle Lester to Pine Valley to begin cooking breakfast for the crowd of people that would be coming by seven to the reunion. It was always so much fun and the smell of breakfast up in the mountains was unforgetable. I remember one particular year when dad and Uncle Lester hit a deer on the way up. Thankfully, they were okay. My dad loved the Riding reunions more than anything and I am grateful to him for instilling that love in me also. I remember going with Darrel and a whole bunch of others "dragging main" after the reunion. Those were some great times. Laura, I loved your memories of the fun games we would play as cousins when your family traveled to St. George. I love hearing the stories told about our heritage. Thank you to Alice and Mike Heaton for great memories last year at their cabin at Panguitch Lake. Beautiful!!
Nancy (granddaughter of Mary)

Family Vacation

With my husband between classes in school and no school for our daughter, our family took the opportunity for a family vacation. This is a significant event for us, as Jason has been in school since we were married, and because of our three young children. But we did it. And it was great! We went to Bryce Canyon last Saturday and "hiked" what our 4 and 6 year olds could handle. We also rode on the ski lift in Brian Head on Friday. It was a lot of fun. We managed the long hours on the road without too much trouble. The most important part is that, now, after the fact, the kids keep talking about how great it was. I was most particularly struck by the importance of spending such time all together when, on the morning we planned to leave, JoAnna (our early riser) ran to wake Hyrum up shouting, "Hyrum, Hyrum, get up! We need to pack and DADDY'S COMING!" I hope these are the experiences that stick.

Becca, granddaughter of Rose

Summer

My fondest memories of summer were of driving from Cache Valley to St. George to visit my Grandma Mary and my Aunt Jean, and Uncle Lewis and their families. I remember the feeling of stepping out of the car and being enveloped by warmth that went all the way through you. Then I remember playing "No bears are out tonight", "colored eggs", and hide and seek with my cousins while the adults would all sit in the living room laughing and talking. Our family always went to the Riding reunion and I could feel my Mom's (Maxine) excitement of coming home. She would tell of the boney horses they used to play with and of her sister and brother climbing up the red hill and making a fire and cooking breakfast. She would tell stories of her very much loved Aunts and Uncles.

I don't think my summer is ever complete without driving again to St. George and seeing family. I think that is why I love the Riding reunion so much. I feel a part of a big family that loves me and my kids start to love the tradition and begin to understand what a wonderful family we have as descendants of the Riding family.

New school year

Yesterday was my firstborn's last day of Kindergarten. It wasn't any big deal to me when she went to Kindergarten, but, for some reason, first grade seems huge! She's going to be at school all day five days a week! My own daughter will be a stranger!! I only hope that the things I've taught her thus far will stick some. I know I can't keeping her from learning a lot of things the hard way. I do hope, however that I'll be approachable for her to come to in the midst of such lessons. I guess we'll have a month of summer for me to practice being approachable (not my strong point). My poor guinea pig first child....
Becca G. Granddaughter of Rose

Family Letter

When Becca asked me to look at her project of a Josephus and Alice Riding family blog, I had to smile. Growing up, I remember Mom (Rose) waiting patiently (and sometimes impatiently) for the Riding family letter to come in the mail. In those days, the family circulated a family letter comprising of individual letters from those who wanted to participate. When the family letter would arrive, Mom would eagerly read the individual letters included in the envelope. She would remove the letter she had written previously and write a new letter in its place with our family's updated news. She would then send it along to the next person in the chain. Sometimes it would be many months before the family letter would come around again. When Lisa and I were first married, I even participated a few times in the Riding family letter. Sadly, that tradition died out some time ago (at least as far as I know).
This blog is the revival of that family tradition, updated and technologically savvy. I look forward to reading your news.
Lisa and I felt bad about missing the reunion again this year. Stake assignments, major trips, trial schedules, and hosting international piano competitors have conspired against our attendance. But enough of excuses.
Our family is growing and spreading out. Becca has three children (JoAnna, Hyrum and Lizzie) with her husband Jason G. They live in the Salt Lake valley and are looking for a new home. Cecily and her husband Tommy D have a little girl, Summer. They have recently moved to Washington, D.C for a summer job and will then move the North Carolina
for at least two years for Tommy's graduate schooling in statistics. Jay is working at BYU for a few more months and making plans for thereafter. Sam is almost a year into his service to the Arizona, Tempe Mission (Spanish speaking). He is serving in the Yuma area, close to the Mexican border. He says it is HOT! Lisa and I seem to move from project-to-project and from calling-to-calling without too much change (except for a few gray hairs and aches and pains that weren't there before). Such is life.
Remember our noble Riding family birthright and carry the tradition forward. It will be great to hear about you and your families.
Darrel B (Youngest son of Rose)

Reunion 2008

As always it was a pleasure to be present at the reunion, and to meet and greet other members of the family.
Watching the children grow and change along with their parents and grandparents is a wonder to me. I am constantly amazed by how good looking and smart they all are! Almost makes me feel like I'm somehow related to them.
I don't ever remember being as talented or as athletic as are the kids of today. Watching them zip around on bikes and scooters and skateboards makes my bones ache, but it thrills me to see how well they do.
Catching up on what's new and who's who is a testament to my poor memory. I always seem to get some one or something wrong. Maybe I need to see everyone a little more often to help keep my memory strong.
Ruth and Tom P, Daughter of Edwin

Starting things off with 109 years

We've just finished celebrating the 109th Wedding Anniversary of Josephus and Alice Riding. It was a fun and successful reunion. I hope the addition of this blog with become a widespread asset to our family. Please share the information of how to access this blog with whomever you can within our family. Hopefully this can turn into a wonderful and rich picture of where the Riding Family is now. Feel free to update on your own families every now and then. Add pictures when you have them. Tell stories you remember of our families past and present. Let us know your good news and bad. I hope this can be a way for us to keep connected whether it's from Ghana, California, Texas, or right at 'home' in Washington County, UT.

It would probably be helpful to sign who you are with a few specifics as entries are added. So, here's starting things off from Utah with Becca, granddaughter of Rose. I will post some pictures from this year's reunion soon.

Becca, Grandaughter of Rose, Daughter of Darrel