Main St. Bethlehem

I can't tell you how excited Tyler and I were to have our own Christmas together this year. 
Truly, this is all we wanted. Just a quiet Christmas starting new traditions as a family. 
This is one for the record books! It's called Main St. Bethlehem. 
It's in a little town and every year they recreate the town of Bethlehem. 

We went with a big group from church! This was so much fun!

It was extremely crowded and I had my 80mm lens on... so the pictures are pretty bad. 
But I just had to post pictures anyway.
Rachel sifting wheat with a local...

It was very dark- only lit up by candlelight. 
They had everything--- stables, inns, marketplace, Roman soldiers, shops--- it was so amazing.

It was reverent and quiet. People only spoke in whispers. The girls were enthralled. 
In the distance they spotted the star... 

This was a wonderful moment for our family. Finally finding Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus. 
My two crazy girls were actually quiet and just gazed at them for a moment. I could tell that they caught the true meaning of Christmas in that moment.
This is one tradition that will live on every year for the Payne family!