Looks like the snow is here to stay!  I just don't like cold.  And one of the things I really don't like is having to get out early in the morning to take the other 2 to school.  We don't live that far from the school (3/4 mile) and they ride bikes when it is warm.  But since I don't like cold, I have driven the boys.  However, we have struck a compromise.  They said if they had some hot chocolate to drink on the way to school they would walk.  So, this morning I set them off with cups in hand, looking so grown up!  They were actually excited.  A pretty good trade off I think.  I get to stay in the warm house and they get some hot chocolate.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine about the boys and some of our issues.  She asked me if we knew anyone that we could hire our sons out to.  No one really came to mind and she told me she knew a couple who had been very instrumental in hiring her sons and teaching them about work, discipline, etc.  So, Benjamin and I went and met Connie the other day and they hit it off.  He had his first day (2 hours) of work with her yesterday.  He hauled some wood into the house, winterized some rose bushes ~ he was pretty impressed with that little bit of knowledge learned ~ and took out the trash.  I think he was pretty nervous going into it, but we talked a lot about looking people in the eye, asking clarifying questions if needed, not grumbling, etc.  I told him that if he does a poor job, she will not pay him his full hourly rate, which is $5 an hour.  When I went to pick him up they both had a smile on their faces.  She said she was very impressed with him.  She said for his age, he was really good at filling in the gaps ~ if she told him step A, B and C, he was able to figure out D, E and F.  I think this is going to be a great thing for him!  He will probably work 2-3 hours once a week.  I am hoping when the summer gets here that both Benjamin and Jacob can spend more hours out there working.  They have a little bit of acreage and some farm animals, so definitely being exposed to a type of lifestyle we don't have.  One of the coolest things about Connie is that she does cake decorating on the side ~ one of Benjamin's hidden passions that I have been wanting to feed.  So, they have already talked about trading services, so to speak, so he can learn more cake decorating technique.  And that my friends, is one thing I love about homeschooling.  Getting them real world training that can't be taught in the classroom.

One of the things we did during our Denver trip was visit a trampoline park.  We had never been and not real sure what to expect, but the boys had a blast.  It was during a week day, so only one other boy there.  Would have been fun to have more kids, but they all got their exercise.

In my little experience of taking pictures, I have to say an indoor trampoline park is one of the worst places.  It is dark, there is lots of fast movement and lots of glass and glare.  They had a basketball court.

The main jumping area.

A huge foam pit

A dodge ball court

Look how deep the foam is in the pit.  I got into the foam pit and thought I was never going to get out!

They loved taking flying leaps into the foam pit....just bummed I couldn't slow down shutter speed for better pictures.

They had some really cool inflatables that I had never seen before for the little kids.

This guy loved tumbling.  Just looking at some of my other blurry pictures, he just moves and runs like a gymnast.  I remember all those years of watching Mary Lou Retton running down the mat and that form just comes natural for this boy.

They also had a mechanical bull that the older two were able to ride.  They were amazed at how hard it was to stay on.  Yes, I did try it, but for obvious reasons, I am not posting those pictures...it was not pretty.

A relatively quiet weekend.  Benjamin is in the middle of a Lion's Club basketball league, so he has practice and a game.  Other than that, I am hoping to bang out some projects!