My Man Darren!

Okay, so I just have to say a little about Darren. He is such a great man, husband, father. He started two years ago January taking classes at the U for his CPA designation, has studied 30-35 hours a week on accounting modules and for his exams, puts in 9-10 hour work days winding down Lehman's bankruptcy, looked at employment options for the future, all the while trying to spend quality time with his wife and children. He has given so much lately with almost super-human capacities. I literally don't know how he has done it. He has one final exam in January and then he is done! Hooray for Darren and for us all!

To lighten the load and give a release from stress, we started in August to get a sitter once a week to hike just the two of us. Mid-October, we hiked from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the South Rim (8800 feet elevation, all the way down to the Colorado, then back up to 7800 feet elevation). It was a whirlwind 48 hour trip, but well worth it. Hiked around 27 miles in total (including side trips to Waterfalls, etc) and completed it in 10.5 hours. It was such a rush to see the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but complete a physical feat like that together. So here is my man in all his glory the day after our hike as we prepared to drive home.

The group that hiked (his friend at work goes every year and coordinated the whole thing)

Crossing the Colorado together and just loving being "people" without kids!

One of several signs along the way that read:

"Warning: Do not attempt to hike from rim to rim in one day"

Halloween Fun!

Okay, so Halloween is such a fun holiday and kids make it even more grand (well kids make EVERY holiday more fun). But every year we get invited to a couples Halloween party and for some reason (Darren) we never seem to be able to go (Darren). But this year, we (Darren) agreed to go and have a good time with our great friends. The kids picked out his costume and I found a compliment to it in my old NYC stash (clothing from my "other life"). We (Darren) let me go to town on make-up (won a prize at the party acutally) and I just have to say, the whole evening was a streeeetching and reaaaaching event for Darren. On the way home, he actually admitted to having fun! So here are the picks. Darren of course "Dracula" and me - his victim. Yes the lady in all the vampire movies that hears a noise, and goes into the darkness to see just what it was....! Enjoy: )

P.S. Rachel and Jared took the pictures, didn't they do a good job?

A friend of mine got a group of ladies together to re-make Michael Jackson's Thriller for Enrichment night. Went all the way with costumes, black-lights, & fog machines. It went over so well, we were requested for two more performances before Halloween. Kind of fun actually to be out dancing again. Can you find me?

(Middle-ish with black wig)

The trick or treating pack, they just ran around together with a mob-mentality

Supergirl, Island Princess, Ironman, Power-ranger

Rachel chose to be Super-girl and she truly is that - a SUPER girl, we love all that Rachel is and what she brings to our family!

Justin was Tigger, and an adorable one I might add!

Jared was Ironman for Halloween - he is strong and brave just like Jared!

Hefty-man Jared who was an AWESOME worker while raking leaves and using the blower

If he could "arr-arr" like Tim-the-Toolman-Taylor because of power-tools he would....

he loves anything with power!

A snowstorm a couple of days before Halloween

Jared and Justin are sitting on a bench on the far left amid the flurries

Fall Fun - WE LOVE FALL IN UTAH!

This Fall has been beautiful weather wise with some fun activities. Some days, you just have to look around, take in the fresh mountain air, and say, "THIS is why we live in Utah!"

I coached Rachel's soccer team this year and had an absolute blast. The team was a great group of girls that we knew from school and the neighborhood. I loved being part of Rachel's life this way and she did too.

Rachel is quite the little soccer player - strong runner who smiles the whole game. This year she loved playing goalie and only let 2 balls get past her the WHOLE season!

Darren's all time favorite season is fall. We started a tradition back east to go apple-picking in Princeton, NJ, but have let it slide the past few years out here in the west. So we started it up again for Darren's birthday with Grandpa & Grandma Voss!

Ice-cream cake the kids chose for Darren's birthday - had to go to TWO places for it, because they had something particular in mind. Boy do they love their Daddy!

Hiking up Mill Creek Canyon - gorgeous fall colors

Cousins: Brady, Jared, Rachel, Rosina on a combined-family weekend hike