ain't no party like a SF halloween party

^^ I said it about Halloween last year and I'll say it again, there's no place like San Fran for Halloween! (Okay, the one exception is probably Salem, MA which I WILL spend Halloween in one year.) Anyhoo, we started our day with a trick-or-treat parade for the kids along the shops of Chestnut Street. The fact that it was pouring rain didn't stop these kids, it actually gave them the advantage of scoring more candy from lack of the usual throngs.

And then there is the glorious nighttime trick-or-treating in the streets of Pac Heights. OH what a night! Every house is decked with spooky decor; the streets are buzzing with kids and adults all dressed up; and you're just as likely to be given regular-sized candy bars, alcoholic cider, stuffed animals, zoo passes, and even sushi and pizza at one house, as you are the typical Halloween candy. And the houses are all so close together our kids could run up and down the blocks faster than we could keep up or wait for friends. In the end, our kids came home with TEN POUNDS of candy that I don't know what to do with. Halloween night I went to bed with a fistful of candy in my bed and woke up with Halloween hangover. 

So with only one more Halloween in San Fran, please come stay with us for next year's celebrations!!! (Unless you're a stranger reading this, and then maybe you should get a hotel.) ^^

utah october in a whirl

I was so lucky to be able to leave my kids in Utah to come back to SF to work like a crazy lady. I also grocery shopped alone, worked out, woke up in the morning naturally--I know I was working, but it was the greatest vacation of my motherhood life! My mom and Johnny's mom are seriously THE best. Then I flew back out to pick them up and hang out in Utah for another week and enjoy that perfect fall season.

too much utah for one post

^^ I love this. Munchkin sneezed right as I took the photo and then ran away. This pretty much sums up how they feel about picture taking. And the BYU MOA was lovely, as usual. I used to eat lunch here with Brittany Bartholomew and Ashley McKell on a weekly basis. Curry pasta salad with focaccia, anyone? ^^

^^ Gardner Village with the gang ^^

^^ This witch was too scary. And now that I'm looking at this, it looks just like our Santa photos from last year. ^^

^^ My mom is a pretty spectacular grandma. She bought this bounce house for the living room. My girls are never coming home. ^^

gobble, gobble

Ohhhhhh, how I love Thanksgiving! I can't think of anything more American than eating until you're sick, and then eating some more. You might think I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not. I really do love that. (BTW, someone needs to invent a punctuation mark or font that implies sarcasm. It would save me from looking a fool many a time.) Anyway, we spent the weekend up in Yuba City with my extended family and had the greatest time. I don't know, guys, that city is looking pretty tempting to settle down in.

^^ Classic sourdough bread from Boudin was our contribution to the spread. I'm already a proud San Franciscan, if you can't tell. ^^

^^ What holiday is complete without a little mishap, right? I am happy to say this one surprisingly had nothing to do with my children. ^^

^^ Munchkin's Friday School friends ^^

#1 trick-or-treating in america

So Halloween in San Francisco is the bomb. It has been voted the No.1 place in America to trick-or-treat, and it's totally true. Not only did our kids get goodies like stuffed animals, princess wands, and kingsize candy bars, but we parents were offered wine, cheese, and adult apple cider. Are you kidding me?! Who are these amazing people?! 

^^ We started the day with a kids' parade along Chestnut where they trick-or-treated at all the shops. ^^

^^ Then we stopped by Johnny's school for lunch. His row dressed up as 80s prom. ^^

^^ This neighborhood on Arguello was amazing. I mean, come on, we look like we are leaving the capitol building. So jealous. ^^

^^ At our ward party ^^