Days With the Duerksens

We have our next teacher, why not our next baker?  One night last week I had to go to a meeting at church, so I absentmindedly suggested that if anyone wanted to make muffins with the black bananas, they could go ahead and do it.  Cambry piped up, "I'll do it!" I figured the only way this was going to work was if I left the house completely.  I'm too tempted to help out, to clean up, to do it my way.  So, I let her!  And when I got home. . . there were muffins!!  I think it went well (at least after she figured out what 'margarine' was).  :)  I was so proud of her!

After a somewhat bumpy start to her Kindergarten year, Delaney has adjusted and is now ready to head up a classroom of her own!  Almost every afternoon, I can find her "teaching" her class of 5 students (it was picture day): Heartsy Clara Elsa She seems to have it all down:  the teacher voice, the teacher "looks."  They have had music class, center time, art class, recess, and regular class time.  She is happy when her students give a correct answer, but they do answer incorrectly at times.  Even when that happens, she is quite encouraging!   I wish everyone could hear her in teacher mode.  It is a pure joy to watch! music class classtime Her desk On their way for pictures  art class Passing out supplies

The newest member of the "Duerksen Harvest Crew" just happens to be 11 years old!  That's right, Caiden hauled the grain cart around the field for part of our corn harvest a few weeks ago.  The tractor seems like such a huge vehicle for Caiden to drive, but it's fun to see him growing up and being able to help out more around the farm.  For right now, we think he enjoys it, and Chelan said he did a great job! (Unfortunately, my camera battery died before I could get a good picture of him actually driving)!  

We headed up to K-State on Saturday to go see the first football game of the season (yay for football)!  And since we hadn't taken a family vacation this summer, we decided to spend the night and do some other fun things on Sunday. K-State played the University of S. Dakota on Saturday evening. The game was interesting:  a kickoff return for a touchdown on the very first play, quarterback going out on the 2nd offensive play of the game(out for a good while with a knee injury), lots of new names to learn since so many players graduated last year, watching Jordy Nelson, Darren Sproles, and Michael Bishop receive their "Ring of Honor" plaques (seeing them in person was pretty cool), a controversial halftime performance by the band (we had no idea about this controversy until the following evening - all ridiculous in my opinion), a shut-out win, and fireworks afterwards! Recognition of Bill Snyder's Hall of Fame Induction We thought we were getting a pictu...