Joy to the world as seen from our car

These days, driving around is one of the only things we're doing outside of our house. It reminds me of how when the kids were babies and I was desperate to get them to take a nap, I'd cruise the streets of our neighborhood. In recent months, I've been going on joy rides alone. Now we're doing it to look at holiday lights. 

Every one of us is happy to go. Max loves adventures. Sabrina's thrilled to be out of the house. Ben is generally wowed by twinkly lights (he has no less than five nightlights in his room). We have a list of homes in the area known for their lights displays, and the plan is to hit them all in the next few weeks. 

This is something we more or less do every year, but this year it feels like an escape...because it is. It's not easy for me to relax at home—there's always something to clean or de-clutter—but in the car I can just take in the gorgeousness and not think about Covid. 

We celebrate Chanukah in our house and don't usually do a lot of decorating, but if ever there was a year to get some twinkly lights, this is it. So I ordered Chanukah string lights for our kitchen (these, by Uratot, with mini menorahs) and some Chanukah window gel clings (these) and I put them up last night. 

Ben's entire face lit up when he walked into the kitchen. Sabrina thought the lights were cool, proving (at least in my mind) that I am actually not the world's most inept mom. Max smiled and said, "I want to move to Los Angeles!" because that is what he says 24/7. 

Last night I was up late, as usual, and I walked into the kitchen and the lights were blinking in the dark. It looked so pretty and for a minute, life felt peaceful and OK.