Catching up. Finally. Summer, Part 1.

I will return to my current living in the great city of NYC.  But I do have to touch on the awesome summer I have had, and never got around to blogging about.  First, my family reunion.

 You know I love my family.  Like, a lot.  There are no better people in the world.  And when we get together, it takes great effort and is a total party.  My mom planned this reunion for the Edwin and Kathleen Riding family this year, and it was held in Utah County and was a total success.  She, however, hurt her leg on the first day, so that was a bummer.  She had to take it easy, which of course she didn't really do.  Oh well.  Mom is Mom.  She was a champion. 

We did a weekend in Utah County, and then my immediate family went to The Ranch (yes, capitalized.  It is that cool) for a few days together.  I missed a lot of the first few days because I was doing Crazy For You, which is another catch up post.  I will get there.

 Laura, Becca, and little Lucy at the pool.  Every time I held Lucy, she started crying.  I swear I wasn't pinching her.  So sad.

 No reunion is complete with some late night chats.  Some of us girls and Uncle Paul, my dad's doppelganger.  Love these ladies! 

Below:  Just hangin' on a Sunday afternoon.

 Jon Jon is possibly the happiest little boy you have ever met.  Oh, I want to squeeze him every second. 

 And this one?  I can't.  I can't handle the cuteness.  Elissa, the lone Cannon girl-child.  I love my nieces and nephews so much, it is ridiculous. 


Below, just some awesome family playing Ten Crowns, a favorite card game.  An easy one for people who are not good at cards, like me.

 One of my favorite people in the world, Emily.  Man, I sure adore this one.  I miss the Vegas days when I got to see her all the time.  Ignore my hair.  I had just pulled it out of a pony tail.  It was bad news.  Don't judge.

And...nieces and nephews.  I am one lucky Aunt.  For sure.  I even got to sing with my niece Emily (below) at her baptism the weekend before.  It was an honor to be asked by her!

 Let's talk about driving down to The Ranch with some of my teen family, and how fun it was, and Cluff's Diner.  Amazing. 

I kind of like to think of myself as the cool Aunt.  If I am not, don't tell me.  Let me live in my illusion of greatness.

 Sure love my sisters and morning walks.

Below:  The progeny. 

 These two pictures I can't handle, for totally different reasons.  Grandpa, so content sharing some lunch with Elissa, who, again, is possibly one of the cutest things ever, and then, there is Ainsley.  I laugh out loud every time.  I just.  Can't. 

 These ones are the newly baptized in our family, and they are great friends.  So glad they have each other to play with.  Emily and Megan, partners in crime at Cedar Breaks.

Below:  A study in trampoline launching, by Nicole Riding.  Starring James, Rachel, Kate, and Megan.

 My beautiful niece Ally.  Sure love this one, and am so proud of her!





Jen and Chris.  Yes.

 

 After the reunion was over for most of us,  Carolynn stayed for a bit and the three of us got in some temple time.  I go to the temple so often by myself, which is totally fine.  But it is so nice to go with family on occasion.

 

I know some people don't understand this, but missing a reunion is not an option for me.  I will not.  They are so important.  They win. 

Di-sgusting.

Two nights ago, I was coming home late from a friend's house.  As I approached the intersection across from my apartment, I saw a man clearly urinating on the sidewalk.  He was angled into an inside corner of a building, all guilty-urinator-looking, and there was a stream coming down the sidewalk.  I continued to pass by, completely disgusted.  The worst part?  He was wearing a suit.  Meaning, HE WAS CLEARLY NOT HOMELESS.  It is not like he had no other place to go.  There were many establishments still open at that time of night that would have let him in to use the bathroom.  He may have been drunk, but not homeless.  Therefore, in my humble, yet correct opinion, there was no excuse for his behavior.  I was totally appalled, and just kept walking, trying to wrap my brain around what I had just seen. 

I really don't understand how that is considered OK in this city.  I totally assumed that every time I had smelled urine in the street or train station (which is often, at least once a day) that it was a homeless person who had no where else to go, or had been incapacitated in some way.  But maybe I am overestimating the refinement of the general population.  Is this common with people who are NOT homeless??  I can't even guess.

The most amazing moment came when I was in the middle of the street a minute later, waiting to cross traffic, when the same guy walked up behind me.  As he passed by, he said, "No disrespectin' Love.  I just really had to go."

?????!!!!!

I was so surprised/appalled/still processing what just happened that I didn't even get the chance to give him my best dirty look.