Samuel - Payne Family Traditions - 2008

Traditions were difficult for me to define. I tried to put in here things that happened with some intentional regularity. Big holidays or little repeated happenings, both are considered.

I remember moving into at least three houses. Each move incorporated a kind of family council as to how we could design/plant the yard. In each yard, there was a garden, but I also remember some more ambitious lans. In Emporia, I remember most vividly trying to plan out a mini-golf putt-putt course for the back yard. Then that fell off the list and the tree house went in. Similarly, my plan for a zip line from the second floor windows over the pool never really turned out. I remember planting fruit trees everywhere we went; Dad being a modern Johnny Appleseed. Yard work was always present, but I remember having fun as an amateur architect/landscaper planning out the yard.

I remember teaching swimming lessons as a family for the years in Kansas. Each year the enrollment seemed to increase, and I spent more and more time outside in the summer. I am grateful for the time we were able spend together as a family, almost breaking even for the
cost of owning a pool.

I remember the traditions surrounding eagle scouts. Dad working very hard with rather fickle pre-teens and mom working just as hard to get a beautiful quilt for each to memorialize the experiences.

Although small, I remember often getting dad to let me look through his memory box. It had a bunch of knives, scout memorabilia, the steel Eiffel Tower. I actually took the time to show that to my kids this past visit. They loved it too. I don't know if Harrison took the idea from Dad, or whether it's just in his blood, but he now has a similar treasure box full of his memories.

The summer family trip was a fun tradition. For a while it alternated between Florida and Utah. But we always drove somewhere far away. I remember the time Mom took to plan out time-consuming distractions for the ride, and also the seat covers for the big van that held books or toys.

By Samuel Payne