This post was created in partnership with Dagoba. All opinions are our own.

Last week we drove 1,006 miles in two days. We spent the holidays at the house where Ryan grew up, in the quiet neighborhood of Tigard just outside Portland, Oregon. The plan was to fly there, spend time with the family through Christmas, then help Ryan’s dad by driving his car to Los Angeles to sell it down here. Portland is perfectly picturesque this time of year, especially since it snowed on and off while we were there. It was just enough to dust the trees, make the ground sparkle, and provide a magical white Christmas—which has only happened a few times during the sixteen years we have been together. Every holiday season, Ryan’s mom Peggy makes a batch of fudge to pass out to the neighbors, and on Christmas Eve, we bundle up and walk around the snowy neighborhood, admiring the decorated houses and festive lights, while knocking on doors to deliver sweet treats to lucky recipients.