Discouraging days...and probably many more ahead.

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other peopledeem important.
Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
~ Nancye Sims ~

HOLY CRAP ITS BEEN A MONTH!

Well a month has gone past...holy crap...its Christmas already...I'm sure you are all thinking the same thing.

Anyhow...a lot has taken place in a month...we had a great thanksgiving...I've flown a lot, and ummm...Bella is getting huge, and the kids are ready for a little holiday break I think.

Here is a month in review...

Bella at 12 weeks...such a cutie!

Nine Inch Nails
Concert...AWESOME!

Snow was coming down today!

Kids loved it!

Twilight is upon us...

Just a quick note to let you know...I've lost my wife's neck to Edward...but I still have our new edition Bella the Dog....to keep me company. Channie saw the movie on Friday night, and is out again tonight to see it. So me and the kiddos are hanging here tonight.

New Addition to the Burgan Family

Well we definetly didn't have a kid, otherwise you all would have known 7+ months ago, that that was the case.

However due to Arianna and I missing our dog we talked and talked about getting something else...well craigslist had a little posting...and here is our new addition.That is Bella, she is a Siberian Husky and has the pretties baby blues...as you can see...she is 7 weeks old and smart as a whip already. Let the potty training commence....
Here are another few snapshots of her:









As you can see Arianna is as happy as a kid in a candy store...this is hers' and Chandras' project so far....as I'm gone a lot of the day...they are doing awesome...all I offer is love and a little helping hand when I'm home in the evenings.

Dallas, although he really has been begging for a hamster or a gerbil has taken to her quite well from the get go. I'm pretty happy..and in due time perhaps he can have a small pet, but only after he can display he can take care of it. Cuz the momma doesn't want to put up with cleaning the cage and all that stuff. Daddy isn't to keen on it either...so for now there is Bella.






...got a few more snapshots to throw in here...

Pumpkin Carving Night!!!

Alright tonight was loads of fun! It was the 1st annual Burgan Pumpkin Carving Night.

Well we went to town...and have 4 beautiful Jack-o-Lanterns to show off...and here they are below.

You will only see 3 of the 4 cuz the 4th was a smelly one and had to get taken outside! we were getting sick from the smell.

Oh and the last picture is our front walk/entrance to our house...ya its not finished yet...its gonna get better! We love halloween! More to come...we have a few days left!

CORN MAZE!!!!

Family day at the corn maze! We were lost for EVERRRR! We wandered till the kids were onry and hungry. And then we stumbled upon a checkpoint in the maze and I used my ledgendary map reading skills and got us to another checkpoint...and then out of the maze. Below are a few of the highlights of the maze and the day of fun.

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow!

Alright here it is proof that the snow has already arrived and we are still in FALL! But non the less us Burgans were out and about enjoying the early winter weather.

Recruiting and Retention Ball

Well the Recruiting and Retention Battalion had their Ball on Saturday night...and me and Channie got all spiffied up and went and painted the town. Here are some of the highlights of the night.

Mt Home Airshow

Well we went to the airshow today - the Air Force Thunderbirds were flying today...a long with a lot of other awesome pilots...including a few of my Apache and Blackhawk buddies. I thought I would share a few pictures with you all. Hope you enjoy.

Its an awesome sight to see some of the nations most powerful aircraft and also then to see the pilots of those aircraft, some young kids...22 - 25 years old...and they are trusted to do the work of flying these machines. Makes me happy to see that there is still some hope for the rising generation!

Dogs.....

K I've officially lost my patience with our pup named Scoobie Doo.
Actually her name is Daisy...and shes a Cha-Wiener dog. She growled at me today after I sent her to the kennel...so I was like bad Daisy...she then growled even worse...so again I gave her the bad dog but this time she came out the kennel after me...of course I have the I am bigger than you complex and I reach in the kennel and snatch her out as she cowered back in. And she bites my finger and I wrench her out of the kennel and place her on the ground and basically wanted to strangle her...but I didn't. At anyrate...between the episodes of bad potty spots and now this biting me...I think I'm officially at the last straw with her. So if anyone out there is a pet lover and would like to get their hands on a Cha-Wiener dog, with an attitude....well she is free for the taking. (Kennel, dog food, and all other accessories included)
Eric & Chandra

Joy of Exercise!

You ever just look at yourself and think I really need to do something with myself....

Well you are not alone that's for sure!

I have been in the military since I was 24, and during that time I have reached a peak of high physical fitness...that was when I first entered service...well here I am now 30 and thinking to myself...there is no reason I shouldn't be able to feel close to what I was in my senior year of high school..or my first years of college. I'm in the military access to a great gym...I've started running 3-5 miles every day...and you know something...I have been at this most of the summer...problem is like everyone else I suck at eating! So I keep hitting the streets and the gym...and hopefully the diet will fall into place as necessary...its mainly feeling good about yourself..remember that. Now I'm about to drip sweat on the keyboard...I should go shower. Flex..Flex...flex..

New Friends yet Old Friends

I just have come across some old friends/acquaintances from high school and you visiting this little blog of the Burgan clan, made me really grateful for out wonderful lives and and the goodness that we have. We truly are blessed with wonderful spouses, cute kids that make life so so special, and most importantly a Heavenly Father that loves each one us and wants our families to succeed and return to him. I appreciate the little walk through the past, present, and future for the past few minutes while looking at your blogs, and I hope that I continue to stay in contact with many of you for years to come.
The Burgan Family

PS - Going to go do family pics really soon...stay tuned for that.

Okay I'm officially a terrible blogger,

I've been gone 2 months since the last time I've blogged here. I've been pretty busy flying and getting things done at work and around the new home. I should spend some more quality time on our blog so people can see all the cool things this little family does. I will try to do better....but alas it will have to wait until after my annual training ends...then I'll do my best to make this a super duper blog, and link up with all my old friends.

Talk at you all soon...hope summer has been going well for you all...ours has been uneventful, but vacation is coming soon!

Holy moly! Its been a month...part of it was spend without internet....so you all can't yell to much. The other part was spent cuz I was bloody busy down in Tucson trying to become the best helicopter pilot I can.

Anyhow...I am home in Boise, back with my family...we are all excited that we are back together...it is such a blessing to have this new house, and to be together again.

I will be posting pics of the journey, and the past 3 months shortly...not today..but withing a few days...as I continue to get settled.

Hey y'all.

Had an awesome flight yesterday...and am currently waiting for my next flight tonight...no flying tomorrow...get a day of rest...almost got off with a 3 day weekend...but no go...as we have to attend a class tomorrow morning 9am...talk about throwing our schedule off. Blah. It had to come to an end some time. 2 weeks of sims...then off to the field.

Talk at you all later.

Checkride 3

Well tonight is the night...checkride number 3...aka...night evaluation.

I am excited cuz this is the last check prior to moving into the simulator to learn the real capabilities of this beast!

Anyhow...Things are good out here...getting anxious to get home...no so much going back to normal work...that just means juggling work, flying, and family...sheesh...out to be interesting trying to adapt after 3 months of mainly focusing on maintaining my lonesome out here in the desert.

Anyhow...I gotta jet..class starts shortly.

Talk at you all soon.

DARKNESS!

Okay picture a helicopter in the sky...flying along fat dumb and happy...well guess what...that pilot has full visual of all the scenery around him...his vision is unobstructed.
Now take me for the past 10 days....flying in a cockpit with everything dark...windows covered...total darkness...except one little image in front of my eye...yep thats what I have been doing for the past few days....flying the apache via the night vision system...it was rough for the 1st few days...it has got progressively better...but I still have a lot to learn, to become comfortable.

Anyway...I have been down here since the 12th of February...and I miss the family...wrestling with my kiddos, hugging on them and especially huggin and kissing my wife. It won't be long till I get on back home. Just seems for ever from here.

Just keep flying....just keep flying....LOL

FLYING!

Have I told you all that I love flying...something about being up there and just making that aircraft go through its maneuvers. Between me and my buddies we are some of the luckiest people in the world. If you take a step back and think about how many pilots are out there that fly the worlds greatest aircraft...namely the Apache and Blackhawk in my case...there are only a handful, that ever get the chance. It is freakn awesome to think that we are blessed enough to do something we really love and enjoy. Of course you always have your ups and downs...but shoot almost any day flying beats everyday with your feet on the ground...unless I am with my beautiful wife and great kids. What can I say I love what I do.

Well off to study engines, and other much needed info for the test today at 1.

Talk at you all laters.

Guitar Hero, Study...Guitar Hero...Study...SLEEP!

Ok the title of this blog sums up my life currently. While my wifey and kiddos are back getting ready to move to their new home...I am plunging myself into become a killer guitar hero, round slingin' Apachawk pilot. Currently I feel that I have a pretty good grip on the things necessary to do this...although Emergency Procedures and Limitations are always in need of refresher. I did however pass my first test on Friday, and have another on Monday...to see if I get to fly on Tuesday...then...another bloody test on Wednesday! Man I hate the beginnings of flying, a new aircraft anyhow.

Well I guess I ought to quit typing to you ghosts who never comment or read my blog...and go do something useful like Guitar Hero...or Madden 08...perhaps some Sonic or Zelda to break the monotony of it all. Laters!

Friday and Saturday

Hello you all...if any of you are reading this...which I highly doubt you are...

Hello again from Arizona...where its hot all day and you freeze your rasterfarian nanas off at night!

When the temp goes from 80 to say...60 or low 50s that spread puts the shock into the body.

Anyhow...friday was uneventful...after class we caught the movie Jumpers. It was a good movie...but there will definatly be a sequel. Had a bite to eat at Chili's and then played Madden 08 the rest of the night...really boring typical weekend for me.

Well Saturday...we didn't do much either...just bummed around...bought 2 more Wii Remotes and nunchuks...now its game time for 4. We also...went out to Hooters...where our waitress showed us toothpick tricks. It was entertaining. Then I being a nice guy took the other 4 dudes to the Fox and the Hound...a Steakhouse/Lounge/Bar place. Where we played pool and darts till like 1 am! Then to tap it all off we freakn talked until 4am...I think some of the guys are still in their rooms, sleeping off the alcohol and the long night. Me well you know me being the non drinking guy..well just slept a little late so that I could study the rest of the day. I had intended to attend church today...didn't happen as I've been in the books. I will go next week though.

Anyhow...back to the books. Its been a 15 min break while I've been typing this, and catching up on the news.
See ya!

Day 2 of Flight School Vol. 2

Well back to waking up at the butt crack of dawn. Thats all good...cuz I'm gonna be flying a bad freakn helicopter in another week...thats if I can memorize all these emergency procedures and limitations.

Its a 3 day weekend and its a vacant house around here...some going skiing others studying...others gone to see family. Me we'll it will be me the books and probably a bunch of Wii. Might go to Old Tombstone tomorrow, church on Sunday.

Anyhow...today was a good day...learned start up procedures for the Apache. Then had some boring academics...mainly cuz I've sat through almost the exact thing once upon a time at mother rucker!

Anyhow...I'm gonna go play some Madden 08....talk at you all laters!

Arizona!!!

Okay well the drive was uneventful, but the views were amazing, the mountains through southern Utah and northern Arizona were awesome. It was a fun trip and went really quick.

I would post photos but...the network admins here don't allow us to hook up anything to the computers that they issue us. However....if I get a laptop of my own...well I will go ahead and do that. But it will have to happen from a coffee shop internet cafe place...cuz we can't hook our own laptops to the network here...freakn ridiculous. Lazy network admins...or rookies one or the other. BLAH!

K Now I need to go over some homework...talk at you all again soon.

Eric

Dec 13th through Current!

Holy Crap its been for ages!

Me and the family are back in the West! It has been a definite change....altitude...climate...living conditions...the list goes on and on.

None the less....I came here and hit the streets till I found a job...working for the National Guard as an Officer Recruiter. It is a great experience and I'm enjoying it so far.

The family has settled into where we are living (an upstairs loft, currently) and Dallas is attending the local school, and really likes it. Arianna is just growing and being as cute as ever. And Chandra is doing the mom thing, chasing stuff down for the house we are trying to close on...and myself...well I'm leaving tomorrow for more schooling.

Anyhow, that catches you up to current...to bad I haven't been posting more frequently and you might have heard some funny stories or something. I will attempt to do better, while I'm at school. Talk at you all soon.

Love the Burgans