"PRECIOUS MOMENTS" - Just some hight-lights of December, the best month of the year!

Jared's favorite place these days - games on the computer.  Mind you NOT the old one we have upstairs for the kids, he much prefers mine in the kitchen....go figure!

Fun in the kitchen making gingerbread men and ladies!

First snowman of the season only to be followed by a massive ice slide in the backyard coming from the rock wall - its really fun actually: )

Fun with Dad who actually spent more time being the hero and shoveling all the walks and driveway.

Jared's birthday with Ninja turtle decor on top of the cake.  The plastics stick-icons are his favorite toys.  We asked him if he wanted REAL ones for Christmas and he said, "no I already have some."  We love his simple pleasures - he is the light of our lives and giggles all the day long.

Riding the Polar Express train to the north pole (Heber Valley Railroad).  Santa came and gave everybody a Christmas bell, its amazing we ALL could hear its beautiful ring!

Sweet Rachel's Birthday - she waited very patiently for her birthday and LOVES being 5.  She loves to read already and loves even more being second Mom to Jared.  Its totally cute!

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful, happy 2008!

Rocky Mountain camping in Sept - It was truly beautiful, but we froze. We found a campsite right next to the river which was gorgeous and fell asleep to the sound of the rushing water. Had a cookout dinner with a new-found smore idea = take miniature nilla wafers, roast miniature marshmallows, and break half a section of Hershey's rectangles, and wa-la - the perfect sized smore with no mess. It came to be due to lack of real smore supplies and we won’t be able to go back. The truck tent made it all worth it, especially when there have been so many bear sightings and worries about other critters in these parts. I still can't believe that I'm the Mom - it seems my own mother or grandmother should pop out from the bushes and set up breakfast. Life rushes by sooooo quickly.
Oktoberfest - 2nd annual Oktoberfest for the Berrys and the second one to be snowed out too! Kids had a blast. Also had fun at Gardner’s village petting zoos, pumpkin patch, and homemade goodies to enjoy the fall season.

City by the bay...the city that rocks, the city that NEVER stops! (Anybody remember the great song from the 90's "Built this city on rock and roll?" ) And what a beautiful city it was. We met up with our dear friends Curtis & Nettie (and kids Annie & Spencer) from the good old NY days who now reside in San Francisco. We went to the Discovery Museum first thing taking Lomband Street - the "curviest" street in the US. Had to do it twice just for fun. Came back across the famous bridge and had lunch on the wharf at SF Boudin's - famous sourdough bread bakery. Went to the aquarium, watched the sea lion community while waiting to board a catamaran for a sail out to Alcatraz and under the bridge. One could get used to life on the sea, the salt, the wind, the moist air, it was great. We wondered if Rachel and Jared would get woozy on the waters, but ended up running up and down the length and width of the boat, then putting their faces through the netting to get just THAT much closer to the water. To church the next morning, then to an amazing French bakery, whose food we took to Baker's Beach before heading to the airport. It was a very quick 48 hours, but well worth it. Thanks Atkissons for being such great tour guides and friends. Makin' memories is what its all about.
Tarrytown, NY - Darren had a leadership conference in Tarrytown (20 miles north of Manhattan) for the week. It wouldn't have been that big of deal except that this exact week in October marks our 7th wedding anniversary and Darren's big 43rd birthday (I know, he looks 32 and dashing doesn't he?) So as a surprise I arranged to fly out and join him for his birthday. It was quite an ordeal actually to mastermind and keep it a surprise. But the kids were great about it, and Darren's reaction was worth it all. He was in shock for about 30 minutes, seriously. (Here he is in one of their training exercises. They worked together as a pit crew and he was the “jack”-man and hand-jacked up the car for every wheel replacement). Tarrytown is the home of Washington Irving and Sleepy Hollow (surrounding area) the location for his legend of the Headless Horseman. It looks JUST like you would expect and mostly unchanged from 150 years ago. I went for a run on the paths through the forests to arrive at several large manors and estates from the era. You know the kind with the iron gates and the family name in the high arch and at least another half mile to the door of the manor (…the Mor-ley Manor……Blake is probably the only one that will get that). It was kind of spooky actually. The air was so thick with moisture, the trails foggy, and you weren't sure if it was raining because you were just wet: ) The trees were large and hung down along the roadside with those long vine-y branches that in cartoons would have come to life and wrapped around you. My imagination was running wild with the history of the place and I would laugh at myself when I continually jumped at the squirrels, birds, and rabbits rustling around in the piles of leaves....sometimes I never even SAW what made the sound, so yeah, I got a little creeped out sometimes. I pictured what it would have been like in the early 1800's driving a horse and carriage down these overgrown dirt paths with smoky fog moving through the trees, gusts of wind that left as quickly as they came, and pumpkins on the pillar tops as you arrive at your cottage estate by the Hudson River.....ohhhhh spooooky! It was a slice out of time and fun to do. We had a great time together while there. Upon our return we had a great birthday party for Darren. It was a lot of fun even though he was so against the idea (precisely why I didn’t tell him until the morning of). It’s always good to see family and friends, thanks to all who came! The kids chose a superman cake for him since that’s what they think he is….and they are right!

Celia Thaxter believed that "there shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart." As I thought about that, I reflected on June and July for our family -the good and bad, our heartaches and triumphs, the pains and pleasures. Decidedly, it has truly been summer to us, despite what the actual calendar says. The sun has shone at the end of each day because we've been together - summer forever....

1. Grand Central Station: If you thought the train station in mid-town Manhattan was busy, try Sample Cove in the summertime! We can't clean the sheets fast enough to accommodate all the friends and family that have come through the Berry residence, and we are lovin' it. They call SLC city "the crossroads of the west," and we must concur. We seen loved ones from southern Utah, California, Arizona, Montana, New York, and London (more from Florida before summer's end). Trains come it, trains go out, and you don't even need a ticket.

2. Never a dull moment: Reuniting with friends from Darren's "Munich, Germany era" was fantastic - incriminating stories and all. Reunioning with the Berrys proved a rush as we explored Snowbird (local ski-resort) with its mechanical bull-riding, ziplines, alpines slides, bungy-trampolining, etc. And nothing beats a day at the lake just "hanging out" courtesy of boat malfunction, or dinner at the Mayan while men in loin clothes depicted tribal traditions. And what's summer without BBQ's? Too many to count, but lots of excellent food and the pounds to prove it:)

3. No schedules - no problem: One of the greatest things about summer is the laxity of "schedules." A little more freedom, a little less planning, a lot more slip n' sliding. Getting up too early, going to bed to late, naps just because, watching movies late even when you have to go to work the same time in the morning, and a lot more "what the he**, let's do it anyway!" Good times, good times...

4. Projects: Must be in the bloodline, but you can't go through a summer without "projects." Painting, fixing, tile-sealing, mildew-scraping, rust-removing, book-reading, swim-lessoning, trailend-finding, insect-magnifying, fruit-preserving, physically-feating, growth-promoting ....must......do.......must.....be.......PRODUCTIVE!!!!

5. Traditions: Those never-get-tired-of things like trips to the aquarium (pic 1), a good hike in the mountains (pic 2), making quilt like our grandmothers used to do (pic 3), putting your feet in the river water for your birthday (pic 4), bowling in style at the Y (pics 5 &6), reconnecting with old friends in the outdoors (pic 7), lunch at the gateway (pic 8), and all the stuff you just do.

Yes, the season of summer may end in a few weeks, but not really. So many great things ahead (like Becky's big wedding at Lake Tahoe in just a few weeks - yeah!) and the memory of summer nights in our grateful hearts.

The DKB's

Our trip last week to Jackson Hole, Yellowstone National Park, and Billings MT was amazing. That part of the country is so absolutely gorgeous. It literally takes your breath away. We saw some of the old west in Jackson Hole with a good ol’ cowboy shootout. Rachel was particularly interested in the exact definition of an “outlaw,” and could NOT understand why those guys kept taking everybody’s things. We rode a gondola to the mountain-top near Teton Village which had incredibly inspiring views, the kids rode horses at a nearby corral, and of course threw rocks in the stream. We headed onto Yellowstone National Park and saw wildlife galore. Many of the buffalo and elk herds had their new offspring and it was tender to watch the massive animals nurture and care for their young. We observed that the bull buffalo and elk were always off by themselves a few hundred yards from the herd, not really doing much, just off for a bit of peace and quiet we figured: ) My eyes started to blur as I scoured the landscape for bears which is what I REALLY wanted to see. And finally on the third day we were just 5 miles from the park exit and we saw both a brown bear with her cub, and about a mile away a HUGE grizzly. Both Darren and I had to shiver at the sight of one those guys in the wild. It was hundreds of yards away and you still had the urge to run to your car. Park rangers were following its path, and they made us “move along” as soon as we captured the moment on film. During those three days, the temperature would change 20-30 degrees in the blink of an eye. One day it was sunny and in the upper 60’s, the next day it was snowing with a high of 36 degrees. Rachel and Jared didn’t notice this of course, and wandered through hiking paths viewing hot springs, bubbling sulfur pots, and chasing myriads of birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. They loved exploring rock formations - climbing them when possible, and the cutest thing was their insistence on using binoculars and/or magnifying glasses for anything and everything. We continued north to Billings, MT to visit my sister Louise and her family. Montana was everything you hear it to be – Big Sky country, fly-fishing and all. Even the people at the grocery store had that “home-town” feel and it was so great. We spent some time exploring Indian caves, visiting Don’s scout day camps, chasing cottontail rabbits, riding Don’s bullet-bike, BBQ-ing, eating popsicles, visiting Little Bighorn (Custer’s last stand), and just relaxing. We determined the only thing that did not make it a perfect 10 vacation was the fact that our kids NEVER slept at night! We played musical beds nightly with no success. Then of course they catch up on their sleep in the car, while the rest of us put on game faces for the duration. But as a parent you figure its just part of the deal and crash when you get home from your vacation. It was all worth it...

Motherhood: The Bittersweet

Picture 1 - The Cheet-o trail Rachel set up for Jared to come find her. In the other room it continues and winds around a fabric princess castle where she waited. (And yes, many cheetos were crushed and embedded into the carpet and blown hither and thither across the wood floor. And yes, I consciously let it happen despite the orange I found all over the walls and doors for days:)

Picture 2 - Rachel doesn't like her little bike with the training wheels because she "can't go as fast as Daddy," so here is the latest addition to the Berry-family-outing arsenal. She actually has learned great balance on this "trail-a-bike" because although she can't fully crash, she has to lean and correct to stay upright. Jared is just fine in the wagon (where Rachel got bored). The only thing we have to watch is that he likes to take his seatbelt off and stand up with the wind blowing wildly in his face - much like a chariot racer! When we ride as a family Darren and I each trail a child behind us, but this is our mid-week configuration for around the neighborhood and short errand runs.

Story 1 - We had a great weekend (this last one). On Saturday we spent the day a few hours south in Fairview (where the Berrys purchased some investment land) with about 1/2 of the immediate Berrys that live in UT. It was a gorgeous day and so fun to be out in the wide open spaces. The kids chased and caught butterflies & grasshoppers, followed animal tracks, went on walks, shoo-ed away pests, flew airplanes, and tried to use the bushes when nature called. It was so funny, in many ways we are still New Yorkers, as Mike kindly pointed out when he noticed that we had a pop-up toilet seat in the back of the truck, but it DID come in handy with the little ones: ) We chatted for hours and hiked the terrain, built a fire pit and had lots of good food to eat. Sarah pulled out her guitar and strummed while we watched the sun set over Mt. Nebo, and the kids sang a few songs. It was truly "being at one with nature" and we loved it.

Story 2 -I woke up the next morning to the bounces of Rachel and Jared and found that they (and Darren) had brought me breakfast in bed at 7:30am! It was the works too with eggs, sausage, oj, toast, yogurt w/ strawberries, and a protein drink. Rachel pronouced that "Today is Mother's Day so since you always do everything for us, we are going to do everything for you. So eat your breakfast, then after that I am going to give you a bath and help you get dressed!" Was a nice offer, but I passed: ) Darren then hurriedly took the kids out of the room so that I could actually have one meal to eat in peace. The first minute or two was divine, but do you want to know the rub? As the clock ticked on I started missing everybody so decided to go downstairs! Crazy, I know. We have morning church so had to rush around to get ready. During sacrament meeting I look over at Darren who is looking kind of pale and light-headed. He leans over and said, "I don't think I had breakfast." Can you believe that? What a guy. We had a great rest of the day doing the bare minimum, and it was kind of nice to not care about the unmade beds or toys strewn far and wide. I just didn't care because of all the hugs and loves from the day. So mucho gracias to Darren, Rachel, and Jared for their kindness and thoughtfulness.

So cheers to all the great people in our lives!

Spring - ahhh its a good time! The weather FINALLY is above 60 degrees and we are loving it. Darren's been out of town this week in NY for business meetings and then to the Munich American High School reunion in DC. He's having a great time and said he got a sore throat last night from talking so much. Guess the vocal chords are a little rusty: ) The kids and I have been staying extra busy (to lessen the pain of missing him) with trips to the Bean museum, the Zoo, the Aviary, various parks, Jungle Jim's playland, visiting friends and neighbors, and of course a hike in the mountains (picture at left). They are avid climbers and very independent, we have them take turns being the trail leaders for containment purposes. They wanted to climb this huge rock (there is still a couple feet of rock at the bottom of the picture that was cut off) and if I reached up to stabilize their leg, I was met with protest. You know kids, I tried to explain to them that I am just helping "in case" they fall. A bewildered look follows, and then, "but we DIDN'T, so you don't need to do that!" Fearless and a little cause/effect-reasoning-challenged I am afraid. I love their adventuresome spirit however. A couple bullet points my means of update:

• Darren's bank is still doing well. They periodically have hurdles that come up due to accounting policies and procedures, but have been successful in resolving them. They are also very progressive in the things they are doing and have exceeded the standards of other banks in the area. So of course, I am very proud of my man, and he loves his work - long though the hours may be.
  
• Rachel sings her days through, is a second mom to Jared, & reads every waking moment. Even her teachers at school have commented on her love for books. She is a little negotiater though when it comes to the to-dos of home life - she'll be great on a debate team later on in life. We also purchased a "trail-a-bike" that goes on the back of Darren's. It hooks to his seat stem, yet has her own handle bars & pedals. Its great because no training wheels so she has to balance herself. So she loves it better than her little bike becuase she can go faster speeds and definitely gives Darren a work-out. Maybe a picture next time.
  
• Jared's new phrase is "just kidding" and says it when he knows he's said something he shouldn't, then beams a charismatic smile to soften the heart. He's pretty good at charming, that's for sure. He is, always has been, and always will be a kid with a zest for life. He's game for anything and his favorite day of the week is when he goes to his gym-class. He also loves to go biking as a family because he doesn't have to work a bit (sits in a wagon behind my bike) and loves the wind hitting his face. At times he takes off his seatbelt to stand even higher in the wind. He also takes his seatbelt off in the car, which drives me nuts because I am so worried about safety. Last week when this occurred, I decided "desparate times called for desparate measures," so when I asked him to put his seatbelt on and he declined, I said, "Jared, do you want me to spank your bum?" His response: "Yes!" So while driving 45 miles per hour on Highland drive he walks up to me in the driver's seat and turns around. I spanked his little diaper-padded bottom and told him to sit back in his seat. Do you want to know what happened? He and Rachel burst out into un-controllable laughter. Screeech! I pull over and decide we have to have a chat! So much for corporal punishment: )


• My life if pretty much enveloped in the lives of the above, and though there are many moments of frustration or fatigue, I feel so much happiness and validation from my daily lists, to do's, activities, and the people I do them for. When my mind wanders to things I think I would MUCH rather be doing, I look at Darren, Rachel, & Jared and remember that life is short, and where-else would my energies be better spent? (yes, its a mantra I repeat to myself regularly: )

Love to all - The Berrys

p.s. Last Sunday afternoon in the hammock.....

We haven't updated our blog since Halloween, so I thought I'd catch up with the mere highlights of our lives. The big event in November was Thanksgiving of course. The weather was beautiful and most of the extended Berrys made it over to our house in the course of two days. There was the main feast on Thursday and then the "left overs" party on Friday. The food was great, but the company superb! My nephew, Preston, was my HERO because Darren came down with a severe case of the flu. He injected the turkey the night before for full flavor marination (despite an injection explosion causing him and his babe Linsday to hit about 5 grocery stores to find a replacement), then carved the "roast beast" as the man of the house while Darren was down and out. It was a delicious pot luck feast with good family bonding: )

December came quickly with both Rachel and Jared's birthdays Dec 2nd and 4th respectively. Mom & Dad Voss and cousin Aspen were wonderful participants in both celebrations which tickled our kids pink. Singing, fun, cake, and presents - what more could a child want? Well, I'll tell you........SNOW! And we've had lots of it! Storm after storm of cold and beautiful snow. So we've had a great time playing in it -what else can you do? We've sledded many times in little Cottonwood Canyon, and Darren and I have skiied a few times at Alta in deep powder and gorgeous, sparkling views. Then our favorite feat is the snow fort (pictured below) that has a slide and a 2-person cave in back. It has snowed many times since the picture and it's just growing and growing: )

We spent Christmas day here at home watching Rachel and Jared experience the wonders of the day. We never tire of the pure excitement and magic of Christmas morning, and felt so very happy and blessed by all that sent us cards, letters, emails, and packages. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Then that evening was an amazing dinner at Steve & Michelle house in Orem, the frosting on the cake for a perfect day. For New Years we went to the Matthews Family cabin in Flagstaff which was a flood of memories for me. The place was packed to the hilt with kids and adults - I think we hit a record! Despite the stomach flu that plagued the masses, it was good times for sure. Mounds of delicious food and activities by day, and big screen movies by night in the middle of the forest. By some miracle it snowed JUST ENOUGH for a run of tobogganing - thanks Marshall for the special run you took my family on. We probably won't every have the opportunity again and it meant the world to me:) While in Flagstaff, my Mom and the DKB's took a side trip to the Grand Canyon. But the kids hardly looked at it - just ran around climbing on the slippery rocks till we yanked them away. So much for showing your kids the wonders of the world...so here is MY MAIN MAN to document the "E" for effort on that venture.



In February Mom Matthews came from AZ for a family missionary farewell in Kaysville and to work on a family history project. I was very impressed on how quickly she learned Powerpoint and we ALMOST got everything done, but we struggled to work when we would have rather played: ) See below when she tried to teach the kids how to pull taffy. Let's just say, it's a good thing they have machines to do that now. The latest cooking venture was when Rachel saw this teapot and saucer cupcake idea in a cookbook. She served it at my Primary Presidency meeting last week and wow'd the ladies. The final shot is just a cute picture of Rachel and Jared. Nothing makes us happier than to see the friendship and love (and sometimes competition) between these two. They learn in leaps and bounds and its fun to challenge them. They are our pride and joy and basically just make life worth living. Spring is in the air and we are looking forward to that!

Love - Darren, Nicole, Rachel & Jared Berry