The Ranch

A couple weekends back, Mike and I were able to go down to 

Panguitch lake to go camping with some of the Riding clan. 

I guess Mike's great Uncle has land down there that we get to visit! It is absolutely beautiful!

This was a fun chance for me to meet the other side of Mike's family! Because of different circumstances, we just haven't had a chance to really sit down and visit with them. 

How grateful I was for the opportunity to really get to know this amazing family I am blessed to be a part of!

Sorry for the rough picture, but for the first time ever we 

were able to try out 

sleeping in the back of our Tribeca! 

Our friends let us borrow their SUV mattress and it worked out so well!

We slept like rocks!

Some of the boys went down by the river 

and found a place to build up a dam! 

They raised the water level from 1 foot to 4 feet!

It was a pretty impressive watering hole!

We were so happy to be able to spend a weekend out of cell

phone service, and with such an amazing family!

How lucky we are!

BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS!

My best friend is finally home!

After 2 weeks of sweating in 120 degree weather, 

Mike has returned!

Basically I love this man more than ever before.

They say that absence makes the heart grow stronger,

and this my friend is so true! 

Each day I thank my Heavenly Father for this amazing man!

Thanks for Reading!

The Ridings

'Merica

Happy   I N D E P E N D E N C E   Day! 

Normally this picture would be of me and my extremely handsome husband, 

but he was actually spending his 4th of July honoring his commitment to the

Marine Corps! 

Yes, this outfit is   E X T R E M E L Y   patriotic, but it seemed appropriate

to me that I should wear what Michael would wear had he 

been able to celebrate! 

God Bless America!

The day was spent with a lot of family thank goodness!

Every year, we go to the Lasson family picnic at Scera park.

Last year, we came up with a game that has really seemed to catch on!

You take a ball (one that is fairly light and is easy to hit ex. volleyball, soccer ball, etc...)

and hit it around trying to keep it off the ground. 

Basically it is the equivalent to "Keep it Up," normally played with a  balloon.

The hint to this game is the classic toe point.

This hint is accomplished by thrusting both arms out so your body forms a "T" like shape.

(This is to help better your balance.)

Then, flexing your leg, you lift it in a firm toe point in an attempt to make contact with the ball.

It is a skill that I don't think can ever be perfected! 

We love this game!

Our evening was spent without fireworks this year, which is just as well seeing how dry it has been! I hope you all were careful, and celebrated wisely!

We spent our evening in Park City swimming, eating, and playing games with our cousins.

Such a fun time! 

I am so grateful to have a family who is as ridiculous as I am!

They are even patient to put up with the weird games I think of,

and the awkward comments I make! 

Good thing Families are forever! 

#bedwetting

Thanks for reading!

The Ridings :)

Love the One You Choose

A phone call.

All it takes is one simple phone call to change

a bad day into T H  E  B E S T  D A Y!

Being away from Michael has taught me a couple of things:

1. I actually can get out of bed on my own really early when necessary.

Which is an A M A Z I N G accomplishment for me!

&

2. Going days without a communication with Michael makes motivation hard to find.

Mike left for Annual Training in California on Saturday the 29th of June. 

Since then, I was able to talk with him most of Saturday through text messages,

but once they arrived on base, it was silence. 

I had no idea how he was, where he was, what he was doing, what was going on,

if he was happy, or if he was healthy!

It doesn't sound like it would be T O O excruciating,

 but it was worse than I thought it would be.

Sunday, I got O N E text message saying he didn't have much service and wouldn't be able to talk with me until next friday. (Just to be clear, the friday he was referring too is July 12th!)

This put me into an instant panic. How the lick was I supposed to survive without any sort of communication???

I   W E N T   N U M B.

Much to my surprise, however, my amazing husband surprised me with a phone call on Monday evening! 

It had only been a couple days since we last communicated, 

but my mind was so focused on the long term ahead of not talking, 

that the phone call 

forced my emotions to do a complete 180 degrees!

A simple 29 minute phone call that could have fueled me for days.

It really made me realize how much I should appreciate the little things Michael does for me. He brings me flowers, calls me just to tell me he loves me, hugs me till I pop, even down to getting me a glass of water. 

What is that quote, 

"Chose the one you love, and love the one you choose?"

At no greater time in my life have I felt this to be true.

It is hard having him leave me so much. 

I can hear people talk, wondering where he is, if we are doing alright, why he isn't with me;

They wonder if we are fighting... Always is it hard to be without him, but I wouldn't trade it for a thing. I am so proud to say that my husband is willing to put his life on the line to defend this country. 

I am proud to be an A M E R I C A N.