I wrote a few months ago about doing less shopping this year and more celebrating this holiday season in Christmas in August. Last night was a perfect example of why I wanted to get the shopping out of the way and focus on the non-retail part of the holidays.

Peter and I had a date to have a glass of wine (or two), sit on the couch and stare at the Christmas tree. We were snuggled under a quilt (yes we had to open the door so it would be cool enough to do this) and it dawned on me that we were doing the same thing 11 years ago. He was dropping me off at my house after a date our senior year of high school. The house was dark and the tree was lit up so we sat on the couch in silence just staring at the tree. It was so beautiful and it felt like one of those great Christmasy things to do. We were both thinking of what the future would hold; high school graduation, college, grad school, etc. and dreaming of what might be. If we had only known then how good it would be.  How good it would feel to have such a beautiful little girl sleeping peacefully in the other room, to be happily married to each other and to have a cozy house to call home. Not to be worried about what gifts we are getting for our family and friends or if we had spent too much, but rather to sit and let the magic of this season and the memories of the past swirl around us while we enjoyed being in each other’s company.

Pictures from the last few Christmases:

Our first tree in DC:

Our last Christmas in DC:

Bear and Travis being tortured:

Our first Christmas as a family:

How fast they go from this….

To this!