We are enjoying a nice Christmas holiday in Logan, UT. There is fresh snow on the ground and we are looking forward to a white Christmas. Yesterday we went running and it was only 21 degrees outside. I think we'll stick to the indoors and run in place or something! Thank you for letting us know how you are and we hope you all have a safe and fun holiday season.

November in Review! Due to popular demand we are finally updating our blog!

We had a marvelous Thanksgiving at Dan's parent's house. Lydia made the cutest little Turkey and here we are with our horse Pedro!

In Mid-November Cassie ran in her first half marathon.
It was exhausting and Exhilarating!

Dan and Lydia cheered her on at the finish line and greeted her with lots of love and beautiful roses!

The race was also fun because she ran it with Karen Parry a dear friend for 16 years!

Happy Halloween

Halloween was indeed a happy one for sweet little Lydia. We're afraid it also created a sweet tooth in her! Here are some pictures as we have promised and I'll try to caption along with them so you can enjoy the holiday replay as much as we did.

When we first arrived at our church Halloween party, Lydia refused to put on her costume. After eating dinner and starring at all the other kids in their costumes she finally consented to putting on her Giraffe in order to go outside and trunk-or-treat.

All we had to say was treat and she was ready to go!

While Cassie gave out treats at our car, Dan took Lydia around and taught her the ropes of trick-or-treating. He told her to say trick-or-treat, and in her cute little voice she'd say "Tri-treat" and then hold out her bag only to get super excited about the candy they'd drop in and then she'd pull it right back out of the bag and put it into her mouth (wrapper and all)! She quickly learned to leave the candy in the bag so that she could get more. By about the fifth car she had it all figured out and as they approached she already had her bag held out and said, "Treat-treat!" Luckily she was polite and also said, "Thank you" at each car!

Mama's darling little giraffe (forget the picture, let's open this sucker)!

Back inside for a picture . . .
. . . with out candy in your mouth, please . . .. . . whatever!

Trick-or-treating is great! Let's do it again!

A fun visit from Lydia's cute little cousins!
Carson, Garrett, and Jacie.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hawaii Review!

What can we say, Hawaii was Amazing, Relaxing, Fun and Beautiful! After many requests to share some photos from our trip to Hawaii in July here they are. We loved the island but most of all loved spending time with Cassie's sister Amy and her family!








Building Sand Castles!








Lydia & Cassie Playing
at Black Sands Beach!









Precious Father
Daughter Moment!








The Gorgeous Waipa Valley












The Girls on the Hike to Akaka Falls!








The Ridings at South Point
(this is the place we went
cliff jumping into the ocean)!

Lydia on the Big Island!









Snorkeling with Giant Sea Turtles!










Body Surfing in the Sunset!










Cutie Patootie!

It's Potty Time!

It's official, Lydia is a panty wearing, potty training girl!

We hadn't planned on starting so early but she kept asking to go potty and was successful. So after a week and a lot of patience she is doing Fantastic! We're so proud of her and happy to be done buying diapers!

Time for the Round Up!

After months of talking about it, the Ridings have finally jumped aboard the Blog Spot Bus and will attempt to keep family and friends updated on the excitement we call our lives!

Home sweet home is where you make it and although it was very difficult for us to leave our home and dear friends in Hershey, PA ("The Sweetest Place on Earth") we have finally settled into our new home in St. George Utah and are happy to be surround by family and friends, both new and old!

Some of you may be wondering why St. George, UT? After 8 years of schooling and training Dan accepted his first "real" job as a clinical pharmacist for the Veterans Administration in the St.George outpatient clinic. Now I say "real" job because last year during his residency Dan worked "unreal" hours, had "un-real" projects (all the time) and an "un-real" pay for all the work he was doing. We are so excited to reap the rewards of a hard earned education as his "real" job will include lovely hours (Monday-Friday 8-4:30), lovely benefits and a much more deserved salary. Most important Dan already LOVES his job and is so happy to be working here.

While Dan is at work Cassie is busy keeping up with Lydia. Little Lydia is growing so fast and is already 18 months old. She is such a happy little girl and loves to make friends. She's the one saying hello to strangers at the grocery store and blowing kisses good-bye to everyone, everywhere we go. It is sure fun to hear her talk and she really likes to mimic! She loves being outside and has been very patient with her limited outdoor hours due to the intense Southern Utah heat. Needless to say we can't wait for Fall! Besides caring for Lydia (which is the greatest job in the world) Cassie keeps busy organizing the Toddler Time class for the public library and doing a little interpreting around the community.

The greatest thing about the move to Utah is having more time together as a family and with extended family. We got ourselves a National Parks pass so we can enjoy all the surrounding beauty and already took a fun family hike at Zions National Park. Family is life's greatest blessings and we are feeling blessed!