Everyone came over to our house on Christmas morning. It was chaotic and lovely. Theo kept on yelling "I'm freaking out!" while opening his presents. After breakfast, Jack and I took Eric out to the Mayflower Pub for the first time. The place was packed with Brits (apparently that's what you do on Christmas morning?). Later we went for a hike up at Old St. Hillary's in Tiburon. We completely forgot to plan a Christmas dinner and ended up going out for some awesome Indian food in Mill Valley. I was really worried that this Christmas would be tough for us without my dad around, but it ended up being alright. My dad didn't really like giving or receiving presents, but he did like cooking Christmas dinner. He would have laughed at us about the Indian food.

October is the best month. Crisp mornings, warm San Francisco days, pumpkin patches, and Halloween. This year's been particularly memorable for me. I turned 31 and had an awesome party with my friends, Eric and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary, and the Giants won the world series.

We held my dad's memorial earlier this month. It was actually a wonderful service. There was a lot more laughing than crying, which I know he would have wanted. After the service, I had so many people come up to me and share crazy, hilarious, and beautiful stories about him that I had never heard. It was comforting to be surrounded by so many of my good friends and family. I miss him terribly. It's like there's a huge gaping hole now that he's gone and I don't know what to fill it with. Maybe it'll get easier one day...

Tonight we're taking the boys out trick or treating in Gerstle Park. I remember first year I was too old to go trick or treating... it was such a bummer. It was like the first time at Christmas that I had to stuff my cousin's stockings and eat part of the cookies that they left out for Santa... that's when you know your childhood is over. Anyway, it'll be nice to live vicariously through my children as they collect hordes of candy tonight :)