100 posts, a Mormon Miracle, a hoard of Burgeners and some news

This is our 100th blog post! I wish I had some exciting news or SOMETHING to mark this momentous occasion, but...we're still just living life, and we love it!

Two weeks ago, we got the random itch to hit the road and see the Mormon Miracle Pageant at the Manti Temple. This may be our only chance, since our life in the next year is a bit up in the air with Landon finishing school and such. We invited the cousins to go with us and geared up for a Saturday of fun. When we woke up it was raining. Pretty hard. We started to get phone calls from people wondering if we were crazy for going with the horrible weather. We talked one of them back into it (Chelsea, I'm sorry, but you totally were lame and totally missed out), and a few into it at very last-minute notice. They were all troopers, and we had the best time! The storm did not let up the entire drive to Manti. We could barely see out the windshield and it was pretty scary. Kyle wrote an ode to Landon's amazing driving and I tried to distract everyone by having a political conversation with Jesse, which didn't work that well, but was so much fun it didn't matter. When we finally reached Ephriam, we stopped in at Fat Jack's for some pizza in honor of Kyle's memories. It was very good pizza, good choice Kyle!

Landon, Kyle, Jesse and Katherine at Fat Jack's

After dinner, we went to a fun candy store that sells penny candy, and Landon let me buy 100 Fruities (you know, those amazing fruit flavored tootsie rolls). I am in love with that candy, because my piano teacher gave them to us when we passed off pages. I really loved my piano teacher, and eating those tootsie rolls always brings back good memories. We then proceeded to the temple. It was just as beautiful as we remembered from our last trip. I was feeling really nostalgic about the whole thing, since the set and lighting come from the Palmyra Pageant. Sometimes I really miss the time that I spent there. Only I wouldn't trade being married and so happy for anything in the world! Anyhow, we met Landon's mission companion there. He was kind enough to save us seats the whole day. It was great to see Cory and catch up with him as well. Thanks so much for the awesome seats Cory!

Here we are all bundled up in front of the temple!

After we met up with Cory, we walked around to look at all the booths and things they had set up, and I of course dragged everyone to the red door that I am obsessed with.

Here's Kyle looking all GQ

Here's the whole gang by the door

Ending scene

The rain cleared up about an hour before the Pageant and the weather was absolutely perfect. As the man on the phone that I called twice earlier in the day to confirm the Pageant was still happening said (quite indignantly), "It never rains on the Pageant." The Pageant was fabulous - if a little old fashioned - and we had so much fun together. It was great to see Kyle and Jesse again, and so fun to meet Katherine! She's a fun girl, we had a blast together. It was totally worth getting home at 2 a.m. Here's to impromptu road trips and good friends.Jesse, Katherine, Kyle, Kylie, Landon and Cory - thanks everyone!

This week, we had the opportunity to have Landon's family up for some fun and an extended family reunion. His older siblings came up a day early, and we had a good time hanging out together. It's so fun to have Dallin home. We also celebrated Miles' 18th birthday.

This cake is my masterpiece brain-child

Happy Birthday, Miles!

The rest of the Burgeners came up the next morning and we had fun hanging out, seeing the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, swimming at the reunion (even with the sunburn), having treats, watching movies, and just being together. I am always amazed that the Burgeners can all fit into our small living room to sleep! It was a lot of fun having them here.

The boys in the pool

One last piece of news to commemorate the 100th post:
For those of you who aren't aware, I lost my job at ThomasArts in May. The economy is so rough right now, and the company has lost a lot of business. This is the third time they've laid people off since I started there in 2007, so it didn't realy come as a huge shock. I am having a hard time finding employment, but we're really happy. It's weird, but it's actually been a good thing for us. It's as if a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. We have been so blessed with savings, a job for Landon, and the opportunity to be together and with family a lot more this summer. We're learning a lot about our family and where we want to eventually be in life.
We're planning to move to Provo in the Fall to be closer to BYU for Landon, so if any of you have leads or ideas for employment down in Happy Valley, we'd love to hear about it! Thanks to everyone who has already heard and have been such a support to us through it all. And please don't worry about us, we're already planning a million more adventures. Stay tuned!!

The Great Hamster Incident of 2009

Sunday night was a day that will live in infamy in the Burgener Family...a story that we will pass on to our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc.
We've been trying to establish a bit more of a routine around here since Landon finally finished field camp last Friday (yay). We were getting ready for bed, it was around 11 p.m., and Landon went out to get something. He flipped on the light and walked out into the kitchen. A few seconds later, I followed. This is what greeted my tender, drowsy eyes:
(I wish I had a real picture of him - but really, would you have kept your head enough to snap a picture in this situation?) He was sitting on top of a fan we keep out in the hallway, and he was just staring at me. Not moving or anything. I was half-asleep, so at first what I was seeing didn't register. Then, I thought it must be some kind of joke. Then, I screamed. Loudly. Landon came running, yelling "What, what?" as he went.
"There's a mouse!" (Kylie)
"What?!" (Landon)
"A Mouse. A big one. A really, freakishly big one."
"In the house?"
"It's moving!" (more screaming)
"I'm coming...keep watching it."
"Landon, I don't think it's a mouse."
(Around the corner by this time) "You're right, it's too big to be a mouse."
"There's a rat in our house?!?!" (eeeww...the thought made my skin crawl. I swear our house is clean)
"Maybe. It's definitely not a mouse....wait, it doesn't have a tail..."
"Oh my gosh, it's a hamster! There's a hamster in our house!"
"It can't be a hamster."
"It is! It's a hamster!"
It was, indeed a hamster. We got independent confirmation on this later. How the hamster arrived in our hallway, we still have no idea.
"Where'd it come from, why is it in our house?" (Kylie)
"How should I know? Get me something to hit it with."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, we need to break it's back or something."
"Eeeww...don't hurt it, it's someone's pet!" (yes, me, the hater of animals, did not want to hurt the hamster that was inexplicably and unacceptably in our house.)
"Well, what else are we going to do?"
"I don't know, catch it."
"Right. How are we supposed to do that?"
"I don't know! There's a hamster in our house!"
(Deep sigh from Landon...) "Ok, keep watching it, make sure it doesn't move."
"Don't leave me all alone with it!"
"I have to get something to catch it in!"
"Oh. Right. Ok. Hurry."
Landon came back from the kitchen a few minutes later with a tupperware...that now has to be thrown away...and I handed him a yardstick to poke it with because we had to get it down off the fan.
"Where'd it go?" (Kylie)
"It ran in the bathroom. Go get me some cheese."
"Do hamsters eat cheese?"
"I guess we'll find out."
It turns out that hamsters DO eat cheese. Even stranger's cheese, if they're hungry enough. He inched his way out from behind the toilet, hissed and Landon once we he prodded him with the stick, but eventually came out and stared at us some more. This was for sure a domesticated animal. He wasn't afraid of us at all. Landon trapped him in the tupperware with the ease of a practiced hamster-tamer.
"Now what?" (Landon)
"We'll have to take him outside I guess."
"I wonder if he belongs to anyone?"
"I don't care, I'm not keeping him in the house and making 'Lost Hamster' signs." (my animal hatred comes and goes easily, apparently)
"Should I kill it?"
"No!" (See what I mean?)
"Poor little Sammy."
"You named it??"
"Well, you aren't going to let me kill it..."
By this time, I had my mom on the phone, who sagely suggested that we take Sam out to the dumpster. On our way out, our neighbors were standing outside talking.
"How's it going?" (male neighbor, I can't remember his name)
"Well..." (Landon)
"We just found a rat in our apartment." (Kylie)
(Landon, holding up the tupperware so they could see inside) "We actually think it's a hamster."
"A hamster? How could a hamster get in your house?" (Laura, female neighbor)
(Landon lifts lid, just a bit) "Oh my gosh, that IS a hamster!" (Male neighbor) "How'd it get there?"
"No idea. Do you want him?" (Landon)
"No!" (Laura, female neighbor)
"Yeah, me either." (Kylie)
So we set off for the dumpster, but when we got there, it seemed uncomfortably close to our house. So...we actually crossed the street over to the Albertson's parking lot, and set Sammy (who had become Sammy Sosa by then) free. At first, he wouldn't go. He was terrifed to leave the saftey of the tupperware for the big, wide world. But Landon nudged him off the edge of a small, hamster-sized cliff, and we left Sammy to his fate. And ran, really fast back across the street so he couldn't follow us. Strangely, we both slept REALLY well that night. I guess Sammy had tired us out. But I did make Landon get up first and check for hamster cousins the next morning.
How a hamster got into our house -- the world may never know. We're really sorry if you're missing your pet hamster.

My Best Friend's Wedding

The 3 Musketeers - together again!

Once upon a time, there were two best friends. These two friends were as different as could be, and the world let them know it! Luckily for them, the world was wrong, and friendships can last through anything if you're willing to work at it.

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend my best friend's wedding last weekend (Luckily, the event had none of the drama of the movie with the same title). It was such a sweet and humbling experience to sit in the temple and watch as Preston gained a new best friend - his amazing wife. They are so happy! I was honored to be part of that moment in Preston's life. It was definitely worth the drive. I hope and pray that our friendship, as it has done through so many other changes in our lives, will endure forever. I can't wait, because now that we are all married, we can finally go on that huge road trip that we always wanted to in high school! Our other close friend, Jason Christman, was also there, and it was great to reconnect after a long hiatus. I was pleased to find that all of our old jokes and the bond that made us friends are still there. And apparently, I am still on the friends and family discount list. :) Luckily, I am pretty much in love with both of their wives, and the guys get along with Landon well. I have a feeling this could be the beginning of a beautiful new "couples" friendship!
I had to laugh at one part of the day: When I entered the temple, I told the worker that I was there for my best friend's wedding and I wasn't sure where to go. She looked very excited and congratulated me - then took me to the waiting room. A few minutes later, the temple worker came back with Cami's mom in tow, excitedly telling her, "yes, her best friend has just arrived," and pointing at me! Cami's mom looked bewildered; and I hurriedly said, "No, no! I'm the GROOM'S best friend...but it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Labosky!" It brought a smile to my face though - the old paradox of having a guy as my best friend hasn't manifested itself like that since Pres left on his mission. :) I also smiled when, upon entering his luncheon, Preston stopped by the table I was sitting at, leaned down and said, "Your hair is all crazy in the back." I just thought - yep, we're still best friends! Even my husband doesn't tell me things like that in public - it's one of those BFF connections, I suppose.

A few days before the wedding - another wonderful thing happened. Landon and I celebrated our 2-year anniversary. Landon had to be gone, because of school, but he had arranged ahead of time for some beautiful flowers to be delivered to me! It was so thoughtful, and just like him to do that. He also wrote me an amazing card that made me cry. I'll just share part of it:
"I love you 720 times more than I did two years ago, and I already loved you so much then that I could barely hold it in. I'm thinking of you all day. Love, Landon"

I can't belive it has been two years! So strange to think that we have now married for the same amount of time that we were apart during Landon's mission (The married two years went by so much faster). We have been through so many growing experiences since then, and there hasn't been a day that we haven't loved, and that hasn't brought us closer together. I am so blessed with a righteous, kind, generous, loving, intelligent, wonderful husband. I'm the lucky one, for sure.

So Pres, it looks like we'll be sharing yet another thing in our lives - an anniversary. Here's wishing you the best, and hoping that two years from now, you and Cami are as happy and blessed as we, and that you love each other 720 times more than you did last Friday when you were sealed in the temple. I know that Landon and I will love each other at least 720 times more then than we do now.

Pomp and Circumstance

Madison High School class of 2009

Last week I was able to go up to Idaho to spend some time with my Mom and to see Landon's brother Miles graduate from high school. It was crazy watching the Madison High School graduation five years after mine and Landon's graduation. So many of the kids graduating had siblings that I graduated with. It was fun to see the orchestra and choir perform, fun to see old teachers and friends, fun to reminisce about the "glory days" of high school. What a great time in my life, and how glad I am to have it behind me!

Miles getting his diploma - I had to take tons of pictures, because Landon wasn't able to be there due to field camp. He was so sorry to have missed it.

My parents and me and Landon got Miles a book and Milkyway Dark candy bars for graduation. Who doesn't deserve a present for surviving adolescence??

I wasn't brave enough to go into the crowded fieldhouse to find Miles after the ceremony, so I made him put his hat back on and reenact it. Aren't I a great sister-in-law?

Yeah. He's definitely getting mature.

Congratulations Miles!! We're very proud of you and your accomplishments. Drink it in, because in five years you'll be sitting in our shoes wondering where the time has gone!

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

Last week we had a few blissful days off together, and one gorgeous afternoon we decided to go for a drive. There are all kinds of fascinating things in Utah; the one that we stumbled upon this time was the Salt Lake Temple Quarry. We had no idea it was still there, or that you could visit. We packed a picnic and went on our little adventure together. It was a nice reminder that no matter what successes or uncertainties come our way (and we are certain there will be an abundance of both), no matter how winding and bumpy the road, no matter where we go or what we end up with in the end - we always have each other, and we can always enjoy a picnic.

April Showers Bring...

Well, we are hoping that they will bring us good luck with our "garden" this year. Living in an apartment, we have to get a little creative with everything we do. Last year we planted flowers, but this year we wanted to be a little more adventurous, and feel self-sufficient. So we decided to plant a garden of sorts.

From left to right we have: Cilantro, Mint, Cherry Tomatoes, Radishes (and one bean plant that sprouted from last year), and lettuce (Love the salad theme? We were going for things that could be used together). We're crossing our fingers that at least one of the things we planted is successful. We used Miracle Grow potting soil, good quality seeds (at least according to a book we got from the library), A tomato start from a local nursery who assured us it would grow just fine in a pot, well-drained containers and liquid Miracle Grow to top it off. We will post pictures of the garden's progress, unless it's a dud. Then we will deny that we ever tried. Any tips for the novice gardeners?

Our personal stimulus package

After a grueling semester, Landon left last Monday morning for his seven week field camp seminar. This week he was in Wendover, Nevada. He'll be going to various locations and coming home for visits in between for the rest of Spring semester.

In light of this, we decided that we deserved what we have dubbed a "superdate." We didn't have a lot of time or $$, but we wanted to get out of everyday life - which for us means neither of the adjoining counties to our home count. The winning attraction? Manti, UT!

Neither of us had ever been there before. It's just one gorgeous 2-hour drive away. I took a day off work and we left on Thursday night for our adventure. We checked into a quaint and very historical bed and breakfast, spent the night enjoying cable TV, relaxing and laughing, and enjoying this remarkable view from our window:

The next morning, we slept in for a good long time (well deserved, I have to say). We checked out at 11 a.m. and started wandering the town.

We loved the temple so much and were sad that it was closed (We knew this beforehand, but we decided to go anyway, and we're really glad we did). We'll definitely be going back to do a session there. If the inside is anything like the outside, it must be breath-taking.

We found a very cool old cemetery with plenty of pioneers, including those from the Willie Handcart company, Isaac Morely - who founded Manti, lots of casualties from the Indian wars, and two of Butch Cassidy's sidekicks. It was beautiful.

We also found this fabulous old door - and now have plans to reconstruct it in our backyard someday for photo shoots. I wish I would have had my tripod, so I could have gotten a proper photo of us - but the camera perched on an old crate balanced at the right angle by my purse was passable.

After wandering Manti for several hours, touring old homes, looking in fun little shops, and buying some delicious ice cream, we began our trek back home. But we couldn't leave without taking a peak at...

(Molly, this picture is dedicated to you)

We had packed a picnic lunch and stopped in a little park on the way home for a really late lunch/dinner. We made it back home by seven, in time to catch a movie to round off our "superdate." We weren't sure how the one-day trip was going to work out, but it was enough to recharge out batteries and give us some fun time and memories together before Landon headed out. We're thinking of making this an annual tradition. And we may even head back to catch the pageant (although I don't know that it will measure up to Palmyra, despite what the lady at City Hall told us)!