Christmas break felt long–almost too long–going into it. “13 days,” I thought! “How are we going to fill that time?” And to make it even more daunting, the very first day of my break I tripped on a curb and did a flying fall straight onto a concrete sidewalk. Ouch!

Much to my surprise, that time flew right by. It was filled with family, some friends, cookies, hiking, delicious meals, play time, Christmas movies and more.

Both boys had Christmas parties at school and daycare, plus we hosted a Christmas cookie exchange at home. For the second year, we hosted Christmas Eve, which makes it tradition now!

Another Christmas Eve tradition is lighting a luminary for Brian. I watched Nana, my mom and her siblings light a luminary each year for my grandpa, who died in 1976. Now they light that same luminary for Nana and my grandfather.

Similarly, last year we lit a luminary for Brian that burns in our front landscaping. Landon decorated the white bag with hearts and even a picture he drew of Brian. Both years, the luminary has burned all night—a very physical representation of Brian’s love continuing to burn and live on.

I love getting to read them a very special copy of The Night Before Christmas each year. It’s the same copy my dad read to my brother and me and reading it to my sons is a highlight of the year.

Santa visited our house. Landon got his biggest wish of a Hot Wheel race track. Bryce got a circus-style to tent to play in. (Just a couple of their many, many gifts this year!)