Days With the Duerksens

This girl is T--E--N!! Her celebrations with family had been strung out over a couple of weeks, so there was not a lot planned on her actual birthday.  It turned into quite an eventful day anyway!  Cambry discovered a snake in our basement -not a good surprise.  And, we had about 5.5" of rain during the day - water everywhere!! See the snake?  She refused to handle the container! The lake in our yard! Since we had already celebrated with family, we invited Pat and Amy and their kids over for cake (red velvet, per Cambry's request).  They braved the torrential rains and high water and made their way over.  And, they did make it home okay afterwards, although the last half mile or so was in a tractor!   I think it was fun for Cambry to have some special guests over! Cambry took this with her new camera! Apparently, it was "Red Nose Day!" (an actual thing) We gave Cambry a new camera and a hammock - both of which she has enjo...

Caiden's favorite song from the band concert

I got to go along with Delaney on her class field trip this week - to the Sedgwick Co. Zoo and to Botanica.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day for the trip, and we had such a good time!   Delaney was happy to walk around with her friends, Quinli and Elaina, for most of the day.   Delaney has come a long way from the beginning of the year.  I so vividly remember the tears she left home with for the first couple of weeks of school.  I'm so thankful that she got through that, and now wishes school would last longer! Thank you, Mrs. Janzen and Mrs. Booton, for a great year!   The whole class - all 13 of them! Quinli, Athena, Delaney, Jo, Elaina The gorilla got curious about something inside - I died laughing when he stood up to peer in! This orangutan was quite busy! This chimp went back and forth from standing to squatting - I could watch them all day! Our own monkeys - Elaina wasn't quite sure about those other two! ...

Caiden's 6th grade year is almost over, but before it ends, he had a couple of events to get through - the Band & Choir Concert and the league track meet.  Caiden has loved band this year, and I think he's even on track to keep up with it all through high school - which I'm very happy about! Alyssa Boden, Caiden, Jacob Schrag - trumpets 6th grade choir - not Caiden's favorite! Track ended on a high note for him - he was the league champion in 6th/7th grade boys triple jump!  But even more importantly, he reached a goal he had set for himself - to break 31 feet.  In fact, he had a jump of 31'4"!  He also got to compete in two relays that day with 2nd and 3rd place finishes - the 4x200 m relay and the medley relay.  He hadn't done any relays the whole season, so they spent quite a bit of time working on hand-offs! waiting for the hand-off with Skyler Timothy hands off to Caiden - they finished 2nd in the 4x200.  (all 6th...

Delaney's ballet recital, "Promises," is on Saturday night.  Yesterday, she had her dress rehearsal.  Oh, it brings back memories.  Dress rehearsal was my absolute favorite, and I think Delaney would agree after yesterday! Curtain Call Caught her way in back during the curtain call! Figuring out where to stand Pretty Girl!