Things are getting 'busier' around here.  This week Jacob started a mini basketball league.  He practices one night a week and has 5 weeks worth of Saturday games.  It is sponsored by a local church and there are over 100 kids.  I think one reason the church does this every year is to obviously expose kids to basketball but I think they are also hoping to build skills for a homeschool team.  The grades offered are first through fourth.  They also do weekly devotionals like Benjamin did.  He really enjoyed it and was pumped that he was number 10, just like his brother was.

Benjamin also has been asked to be a part of a small basketball clinic of sorts.  His homeschool basketball coach is willing to work with several boys twice a week for six weeks to give them more skills so as to better prepare them for next homeschool season.  Benjamin was on the fence about participating but I am going to really encourage him.  One of the moms made a good point about basketball that I had never thought of.  As adults, so many men get together with others to play hoops, so it is great for the long haul in connecting them with others.

Benjamin got a trumpet for Christmas!  He begins lessons next week.  I have found a college student from church to teach him.  He gets to go to the campus for lessons.  I think he will really enjoy being up there and hanging with a cool young man.  I think I need to look into getting one of those 'silencer' things for a trumpet!  My kids first real exposure to structured music.  I hope that they inherited the 'music' gene that was in our family.

One of the things Jacob got for Christmas was a dissection kit.  He loves catching all kinds of critters and thought it would be fun for him to learn about their makeup.  I delegated the overseeing of this to JR.  Recently the kids pulled out the kit.  They dissected a frog and a crayfish.  I think they really enjoyed opening everything up.  They are even scheming about getting their tools on some of the small rodents dad gathers at work.  (He does pest control for some clients :-)  )