A Beka DVDs

This afternoon, I went to an A Beka Display to go over our homeschool materials and options. I'm so thrilled about A Beka and the DVD program, but it is expensive. So I'm exercising some of my "creative genius" to make it more affordable! Basically this means that I'll be doing more of the teaching for the younger kids, but the bigger kids will work mostly with the DVDs. I'm planning to move Kathleen and Kylie up to grade level by January. They have both made tremendous strides over the course of this last year.

Kody is doing better since we've had him in the house. He has not messed one time inside -- a HUGE blessing! He can really get wild with the nipping, but then he has to go into the crate in the family room. If he barks, he gets put in the bathroom with the door closed. And it is so sweet to watch the dog with Keva. At first she was afraid of him, but now she's gotten braver and will sit and stare at him all day long, sticking her fingers in the crate and dangling her soppy well-loved doll in front of him. He does not bark at her and seems to be gentle (so far), as if he knows that she's special. This afternoon, when Keva came home from school, she plopped down on her tummy to see the dog and they were licking each other. Gross!

I had a time this morning, though. I'm usually the first one up at 6:30 to get Keva ready for the bus. I get dressed, then I get Keva dressed and then usually we camp out at the couch and wait for the bus to come. Kody was having none of that watching us watch for the bus. He wanted to be free of his crate and he wanted to play and get some attention. So he was barking and whining. I finally got him out and managed to get Keva, Kody and Keva's backpack out the door to the bus. Kody was trying to get Keva's scrumptious doll and then her backpack and I was trying to herd them all down the driveway -- It was all pretty insane. Nevertheless, I did manage to put Keva and stuff on the bus and keep Kody. Tomorrow morning, kids are going to be getting up earlier to help get Kody out and walked while I'm getting Keva ready. It wouldn't be such a big deal just to let him bark and eventually learn that he's going to have to wait his turn except that Keith desperately needs those last few minutes of sleep -- He wakes up at 8:00 AM after getting to bed after 2:00 AM. A barking dog does not help the tired husband sleep.

We were thrilled this Sunday to go to church and find out that our pastor search committee has at last found a senior pastor. He will be coming to "candidate" next week. Sunday school classes will get an opportunity to talk with him, and then he'll preach and then we vote. We've been told he's a great guy who's main emphasis is preaching God's word. You can't ask for more than that, I figure. It's been two years since our church has had a senior pastor. Change is in the air, and we pray daily for a godly man to take up that post.

Gas prices were as low as $2.24 at BJs yesterday. Who would have thunk that we'd be so excited about gas closing in on $2!