It’s a new year, and if I’m being honest, January in Connecticut isn’t exactly my favorite chapter. We’ve had a little snow here and there, some gray days, and today the rain rolled in with slightly warmer temperatures – just enough to wash away some of that stubborn snow on the ground. I’m still very much a summer girl. Give me sunshine, flip-flops, and late dinners outside. Spring can’t come soon enough.
But even in the coldest season, there are moments that warm everything right up.
Over the holidays, our entire family of five was here in Connecticut at the same time – and that doesn’t happen nearly enough anymore. Louie and Grace were up from Florida – they have both started new jobs and thankfully could get a way for a few days to spend time with family. Sofia was so happy to have her 2 partners in sibling crime in the house! Having all three of our kids under one roof again felt like such a gift. Loud, joyful, fleeting … and absolutely perfect.
Christmas Eve was especially meaningful this year. Lou and I hosted family for the Feast of the Seven Fishes – a tradition deeply rooted in his Italian family. His parents used to host every Christmas Eve, cooking up a storm and welcoming everyone in. Carrying that tradition forward in our own home felt both joyful and emotional. We were honored to host, happy to cook, and grateful to gather around the table with family, honoring the past while making new memories of our own.
There’s something about cooking for the people you love – especially during the holidays – that fills the house in a way nothing else can. The aromas, the noise, the pacing back and forth from kitchen to table. It’s exhausting and energizing all at once, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
We didn’t stop there. New Year’s Day brought another full table when we hosted family again – this time for Lou’s prime rib dinner. A completely different menu, same feeling. Laughter, good food, stories shared, glasses raised. There is truly nothing like sharing time with family, especially when life moves as fast as it does these days.
And yet … I always wish we could get everyone together. All sides. All branches. I miss so many people – too many, really. That’s the quiet part of the holidays we don’t talk about enough. The gratitude lives right alongside the longing. The joy exists right next to the ache.
In between all of that, there were the small moments that mattered just as much. Cooking for the kids. Big meals and favorite requests. Puzzles spread out on the table with Grace, pieces everywhere, time slowing down just enough to let us linger. Hearing the kids laughing together – grown now, but still so unmistakably them – was one of those moments I tried to mentally bookmark forever.
No drama. No rushing. Just time together.
We hugged them every chance we got. We soaked up their energy, their presence, their togetherness. And of course, the visits went by too fast. They always do. One minute the house is full, and the next it’s quieter again.
The holidays were busy. Life has been busy. Family, doctor appointments, the usual juggling act. But this season reminded me – again – of what matters most. Being present. Being grateful. Holding tight to the people who make even the coldest months feel warm.
Here’s to a new year.
More moments like these.
More full tables.
And yes … eventually, spring. 🌷
