Letters from Fort Wayne: Christmas in Review

We planned to be gone over Christmas but we still Decked the Halls of our new place!

Traditions: We started a new one this year. The kids helped the wise men and camel follow the star the whole advent season! Every night while the kids slept the star would relocate so the next day they would have to find it and move their wisemen and camel to it! We were not home Christmas morning but if we had been the star would have been above the nativity on the mantle!

An old tradition for us is reading a Christmas book every night! Every year after Christmas I use leftover wrapping paper to wrap all the children Christmas books and store them away. December first when we pull them out they are ready for the kids to select one every night to open and read. The kids love to see what book they pick.

I think our house was the brightest on the block!

During Advent, Wednesday nights at our church, Trinity Lutheran, we would do a craft. One week we made crowns!

The Seminary had a big Christmas Dinner. The kids might have been a little silly.

Serenity participated in her school Christmas Service that took place at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The sanctuary is so beautiful! The final piece of the service the Staff and Students literally surrounded the sanctuary and sang a beautiful song to us all!

We have such amazing friends here. I do not know what we would do without them! We planned to leave Fort Wayne Saturday morning which meant Christmas at home Friday evening after work and school. I had not had any time to wrap gifts! One of our friends offered to wrap them for us and we were blessed with beautifully wrapped gifts for the kids to open that very evening! We read the Christmas story according to St. Luke.

The gifts for the kids this year where up-cycled gifts from friends! The kids are so happy with them! Thank you so much Robin and Dana!

The next morning we got in the car and started putting miles on her! 1200+ miles later we stop in Stuart, Florida where we resided for the next week! We got our vitamin sea in!

cousins

A night out! Thanks Austin!

One of the greatest restaurants! Has a pool in the center! The kids played while the adults chatted and enjoyed a drink!

Just happened to wear this little guy out.

but not this one.

Payne Family Christmas

We had such a great visit to Florida! We enjoyed spending time with our family.

Back in the car we drove 1400+ more miles to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

We took Roggow family pictures. After the family picture Mom gave us kiddos and our spouses our Christmas gifts. She had made us each a blue jean blanket! You have to understand how important this is to us. Dad made himself one when he was young. He found denim scraps behind a denim factory, he took the pieces home and sewed his own quilt (blue jean blanket)! Grandma says he broke so many of her sewing machine needles making it to. This past summer Aunt Kila stayed with Grandma to help her clean out the house. They found a box of the denim pieces left from when dad made his blue jean blanket! So using those as well as Grandpa Roggow's coverall pieces and more Mom made us each our own blue jean blanket! I have so many fond memories with the one we grew up with I hope my kids have just as many with this new one! In this picture I am holding my Dads and my new one! And yes, that is Dalton peaking out with his favorite blanket!

The original one is on the left, the others are the new ones.

Cousin time! And meeting the new baby cousin too!

We spent some time just relaxing.

I got my hair bleached and done. The lady straightened it for me. She said she always offers it for her curly haired clients. When I got back to the house and walked in Dalton sees me and says, "what is your name?" I didn't realize he was talking to me so he says it again louder, "what is your name" I look him in the face and give him that really? it is me look and still his face is blank... I have to say Dalton it is me, Mommy! Before he would realize it!

We left Oklahoma City that very day so the next morning at the hotel I wash my hair because I am curious how short it is now plus I want to see the new look curly. When I come out of the bathroom Dalton looks at me and says, NO, I want the other!

Haha! Oh that boy!