Days With the Duerksens

We're excited to share that in August we will welcome our 3rd child into this family! Everything's looking good at this point, although it's still pretty early -- about 10 1/2weeks. Caiden and Cambry are both hoping for a brother. We'll see if that changes any along the way!

Yesterday, Caiden, Cambry, and I went to Kauffman Museum in Newton to celebrate Kansas Day! It was great quality time with them, and before we knew it, we had spent 2 hours at all the various activities! They enjoyed making platic bag art (who knew plastic bags could be so pretty when ironed together?), making their own paper with seeds inside, tying together their own rag dolls, making bird feeders out of toilet paper rolls, and creating their own instruments out of plastic tubs. It was a fun afternoon and a good reminder about how we can reuse so many things over again! Proud of their rag dolls. Caiden only consented to making one after he found out he could make a "boy" doll! Their cute paper hearts -- the end result Musy paper pieces and water -- the beginning of making paper Getting ready to iron the plastic bags together Cambry's journal with a plastic bag cover

Cambry, Caiden, and I bundled up to go chore the chickens and the cats this afternoon. We must have had at least 6-8" of snow last night and today. It went up to Cambry's knees! After a 1/2 hour, Cambry and I were getting pretty cold. I told Caiden my feet were freezing, so we were going in. He proclaimed, "Mine are, too, Mom, but I can take it!" He proceeded to clear off our sidewalk in front of the house for over 30 minutes. It was so fun to watch him from the dining room windows -- red cheeks and all! I have no doubt he will take good care of his family someday! Sorry, no pictures -- my camera batteries were dead!

Well, I sure don't get surprised very often, but Saturday night was a huge surprise to me! I thought I was heading to Hesston for an AGCO Christmas Dinner with Chelan. He told me we needed to drop something off at Ben and Tina's house (my cousin), first. Okay, no big deal! While we were there, Ben said they were about ready to go out for dinner, did we want to come along? Surprisingly, Chelan thought about it and wanted to do it (clue #1 that something was up). I kept saying that we couldn't skip out on his dinner, but Chelan insisted that going to Wichita for dinner would be much more fun. I even said, "This seems like something you had planned!" However, I'm always up for dinner in Wichita, so I agreed, reluctantly!! We enjoyed a meal at Hangar 1 Steakhouse and I thought that was the end of it. But, on the way home, Chelan asked if we could go by the new arena since the inaugural concert was there that night -- Brad Paisley! I thought it would be f...

Caiden and Cambry finally got to meet their newest cousin, Finn, on New Year's Eve! Treg, Candace, Chayce and Finn arrived from CA that evening, and we enjoyed celebrating Christmas on New Year's Day. Finn is already 6 months old -- it's hard to believe we hadn't seen him in person before this! We had a good time while they were here and already we can't wait to see them again! Chayce (2 1/2) plays with his new Bush Hog Waiting to open presents with Uncle Treg Cambry got a new cheerleading outfit from the McCabe's. She didn't want to take it off for about 2 days! Cambry and Caiden enjoy time with Finn While we were celebrating, Mace suggested we do a play. So, Grandma told the Christmas story while the children acted it out. Unfortunately the video I took of this did not work on here, so a picture will have to do! Mace is Joseph, Cambry is Mary, Finn is Baby Jesus, and Caiden is the wise man. Cale and Chayce were shepherds, but not pictured here! It...