The Wonderful Thing About Burgeners Is...

They just keep comin'!

We had so much fun with our family this weekend! Shopping, high-culture, lots of laughs, and a few surprises greeted us with the arrival of Friday. Despite the Cougars' dismal performance on the football field, we had a fabulous few days. We ate at Mimi's and Diegos (yum!), spent a 3-hour marathon at Ross and got in a little early Christmas shopping, and checked out the Victorian art display at BYU. After the clan left, we got a surprise visit from Dallin and his friend Michael Berger, who decided to crash at our place for the night. We were thrilled! You guys are welcome anytime.

Tomorrow heralds the arrival of the last Burgener for a long-awaited event:

But more on that as it comes...

Sewing 101

I was lucky enough to inherit this awesome sewing machine from my Grandma Jackson. The only problem is, I have no idea how to sew! I took a 4H class when I was about 12 years old, and I have on occasion made flannel pajamas for my friends. But it's been years...
This weekend, Landon was called out on an impromptu field work assignment, so I was left alone in my apartment for a few days. I pulled out the sewing machine, put it all together, figured out how to thread it, and attempted my first project:


They don't look like much, but it took me three hours to sew these! In case you can't tell, they're little baby shoes to give as a gift. Anyhow, for my first time, I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. And I had a ton of fun doing it! I think I might have found myself a new hobby.

Millions of peaches, peaches for free!

My mom tells it like this:

"Abby called me up the other day and said 'Mom, I want to make jam, and I feel like that's something I should learn how to do from my mom. I want to come up conference weekend and make jam with you.' Kylie called 3 days later and said 'Mom, I thought the whole jam thing sounded like a good idea, so I fanagled myself some free peaches, looked up how to make jam on the internet, adapted it to a strawberry/peach combo, and man is it delicious!'"

Just a little insight into the way my personality differs from my sister's. Good thing we love each other!

It's true. My sister mentioned homemade freezer jam and my mouth watered. A woman that I work with was offering free peaches to anyone who would come and get them off her trees. So Landon and I went and filled two large boxes with amazing, fresh peaches. We then spent the next 4 days up to our elbows in peach juice as we peeled and sliced all of them (minus the several pounds that we just ate on the spot) and put them in our freezer. I would have loved to can them, but I lack the proper tools. Someday I am sure I'll get into that. Anyway, we also made several quarts of freezer jam. I was proud of myself because I found a recipe that didn't require sure-gel. I have to confess that stuff has always freaked me out. I mean, what IS it? No one seems to know... My recipe was all natural. Still full of sugar, but what are you gonna do, right? It's delicious. Our freezer is now so full of peaches that we have to slam it really hard to get it to close. We have already used one bag to make peach cobler for a FHE with Jesse and Catherine, and it turned out delicious! As an epilouge, I also went up to Idaho last weekend and made strawberry jam, so as not to miss out on the mother/daughter/sister bonding time. It's yummy too!

In addition to the jam-session, I was able to see one of my dearest friends this weekend. She brought her two kids up to my mom's house and we played and talked for hours. It was so fun! I don't keep in touch with that many of my high school friends. It felt great to have someone to talk things over with and just be goofy with. Friends are one of life's little gifts to us for making it through the daily grind, I think.

While I was in Idaho, Landon was in Laramie, WY, at the "Rocky Mt. Renezvous." It's a networking conference for Geologists. He had a blast and came home with a bag full of goodies, including T-shirts, a reading lamp, and a handfull of pens (you can never have too many). It was a great experience for him, and he made a lot of new friends. It's so crazy to think that he will be graduating in 7 and 1/2 months! It seems long and short simultaneously.

We are now looking forward to lots of family time in October: a visit from my parents next week, a possible trip to Yellowstone the week after, a Burgener business trip to Provo the next weekend, a visit from Miles a few days later, and then a trek up to Rexburg for Halloween! Woosh, I am tired and excited just reading that. Should be an eventful Fall!!