Preparation for Halloween

Today, we carved our first pumpkin with Elizabeth. I did all the dirty work while Elizabeth slept (cut off the lid and scooped out the innards) and Daddy carved the pumpkin in about 5 minutes. I feel like it used to take me at least 2 hours to get a toothy grin (which we usually had to repair with a toothpick when I accidentally cut the tooth off!).
After the carving, we headed to Connor Prairie to go on the Headless Horseman Hay Ride. On Thursday night, we got there at about 7:30 and the hayride ticket was for 10:45 so we bagged it. Tonight, we got in line before the gates opened and when we went in, we got tickets for the 9:30. We were advised to try to get on earlier because we had a little one. The queue manager let us in the 7:30 boarding. Elizabeth was cozy in the wrap and the man rolled our stroller off to the parking to be picked up afterwards.
But wait... then they got the call that all hayrides were cancelled because it was too dangerous for the horses and riders. I really did think they were kidding because the people just in front of us( literally, we were the next to get on board) were pulling away in their tractor. But they were serious. Luckily, we could get a rain check, except that didn't matter because we are members and we get in for free and the rain check did not guarantee any hayride boarding time. As we left Connor Prairie, Mommy complained a lot and stated that it reminded her of the two times! that New Year's celebrations in Edinburgh have ever been cancelled and we were there both times. Daddy agreed. Mommy is bitter.

We're back!

We've been in Bordeaux, France for the past ten days. I am planning to post a slideshow of our travels, including the visit from Granny, Grandad and Auntie Rosie. We stayed in an aparthotel, which was somewhat like a Residence Inn. It was great to have the extra space and to be able to cook a few times and eat breakfast at "home." Even so, we still managed to eat plenty of French food, chocolate, cheese and wine. We travelled a bit into the wine country and while Daddy was working, I walked tons around the city and got a chance to run and swim while Granny and Grandad watched Elizabeth. The flights were not bad at all-we have relatively short layovers, which made the overall time tolerable. Elizabeth slept in the bassinet (actually a cardboard box lined with airplane pillows and a scratchy airplane blanket, set inside a cloth and steel bassinet and attached to the bulkhead) for quite a lot of the flights, despite the assertion from the flight attendant that infants hate them and never sleep in them. I thought she was like a baby chick in a box with holes, except she barely fit in the box and we have to push the ends out so she fit!! Not sure what will happen on the next overseas journey in a couple months... This picture is from Poloumy Vineyard in the Medoc Region, just north of Bordeaux. Elizabeth's first vineyard tour. More photos later!