Miniature House

To those who got my email, I had promised that I would post pictures of the house that Reuben made out of construction paper and tooth picks. There is a picture with the flash on and it shows the detail of the house and then there is a picture with the flash off so that you can see it lit up. To make the house light up he made a hole in the back of the house and shoved a light from the tree it in through the hole. If you look at the picture of the house with the lights in the house, you will see a Christmas tree that I made in the bottom left window.

The true meaning of Christmas

We are so busy running around trying to find just the right present for our friends and family that we forget what this season is all about. It's not about giving and getting gifts, it's not about the decorations and the lights, it is about our Savior. It is a day to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all that he has done for us. Today I was thinking about ways to remember our Savior during this busy and hectic season and I remembered a poem that was given to me many years ago. Now, I will pass it on to you and hopefully it will help you remember what the season is all about.

It's Christmas time at our house
And we're putting up the tree.
I wished I could find one simple way
To remember Christ's gift to me.

Some little sign or symbol,
To show friends stopping by,
The little babe was born Christmas day,
But He really came to die.

Some symbol of His nail-pierced hands,
The blood He shed for you and me...
What if I hung a simple nail
On my shining Christmas tree?

A crimson bow tied 'round the nail,
To symbolize His blood that flowed so freely.
Saving each of us from our sins,
And redeeming us for all eternity.

I know it was His love for us
That held Him to the "tree,"
And when I see this simple nail,
I'll remember he died for me!

Author Unknown

So, if you want a simple way to remember Christ and what he has done for us, go find a nail and tie a red bow around the nail and hang it on your tree. That way when you look at your tree you will be reminded of what he has done for you and your family.

Caleb loves to play on the piano. I call him my little Beethoven. Since the day Caleb was born he has loved music. When music comes on his attention immediately goes to the music. If he is cranky and music comes on he goes quiet and listens to the music. He got his love of music from both of us.

After Picture

Before picture

I now have my own piano! A sister in my ward that I work with in Achievement Days had received a phone call telling her that there was a free piano. She told the man on the phone that she already had a piano and that she wasn’t interested in it. When she hung up the phone she immediately thought of me. I had mentioned to her that I really wanted a piano. She gave me a call and told me that there was a piano for free but she didn’t know anything more than that. Well, I didn’t know the individual who was giving up the piano and so she offered to take me over to look at the piano. It was in bad shape on the outside, but it played beautifully. I decided to take it since it was free and I figured that Reuben could work his magic on the finish. Well, to tell you how loving and generous our ward is, she ended up taking three and a half to four hours out of her day to help me get the piano over to the house. I am so grateful to her for that. Reuben did work his magic and it is a very gorgeous piano, in fact, it doesn‘t even look like the same piano. It is a mahogany wood and has very neat structure to it. That piano is my pride and joy and the main thing that I’m going to be looking for in the next place that we live is a place to put my piano. Hopefully soon I can start on teaching some piano lessons.

I thought that this picture fit Caleb's personality very well. This picture reminds me of my grandpa. My mom could never get a picture of him without him sticking his tongue out. Caleb is seven months old in this picture.