Our maple tree gets it's first colorful leaves!

My favorite Fall tree is the maple tree. They're so vibrant and beautiful.

For the dog owners out there

I bought something this week that has revolutionized my relationship with Bailey, which was speeding downhill at a breakneck speed. Come to find out, most labradoodles are known for their high energy levels. She is also hyper, spazzy, quick to bark for attention, and known to eat food off of the dinner table and counters. Lest I convey the wrong impression, I should list her attributes too. She's gentle and protective with the kids, very loving, house-broken, and incredibly smart. It's just that the negative things about her have been driving me so crazy, I couldn't really enjoy the good things about her.

Finally... I bought a "gentle leader". It's a painless harness that snaps behind her ears and loops up around her snout. The two loops connect underneath her throat, with a short strip that connects easily to a leash.

The result is amazing. She doesn't yank me down the block or pull me down the front stairs on her walks and she hardly barks anymore. It's like the difference between a horse with or without it's bridle. She's focused, calmed, and submissive, at least most of the time.

So I was standing at the mailbox today...

and I saw four cars in a row slow down to get a glimpse at our house. It was awesome and so encouraging.

Dave Ramsey

This month, we are trying something different, in the hopes that we will change the way we spend money. Matt borrowed THE TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER, by Dave Ramsey and he's going to take over the finances. He drew up a monthly and yearly budget and it was pretty scary. As a result, we're cutting our costs here and there and we're going to start saving as big a chunk of money as we can each month. Here's a list of other things we're doing to cut costs.

--less driving around with kids and more walking to the playground and/or playing in the backyard, which saves gas
--less meat at the table, which won't kill us... we barely bought any when Matt worked at CCS
--shopping at Aldi first, before Walmart
--no eating out
--not running water while we brush teeth, only to rinse the toothbrush
--homemade Christmas presents for the kids: I want to make them a doorway puppet theater and I'm going to make them each their own special gigantic hooded towel
--$5-$10 birthday gifts, bought or homemade
--we're selling our super Craigslist deal of a Bosch washer/dryer set and buying a large capacity top-loader instead (less loads, less work, less money spent on energy)
--yard sales! I went to a huge neighborhood one at Mission Glen and got lots of great stuff and some alone time with Dana
--driving the speed limit, especially on trips (saved us a wad of cash last time we went to Kentucky)

A song from the funeral

There were some beautiful old gospel songs sung at Rich's funeral. One of them has been in my head constantly. I keep singing the chorus over and over again. It's simple, but so incredibly true and so beautiful. Here it is. I think the Gaithers' sang it (wrote the lyrics?) and Wanda Jackson wrote it (the music?).

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!