Pumpkin Love

This is the pumpkin of my dreams Mom!

Hey, Tigger you look taller in person!

So many pumpkins, so little time!

This is what I left when I went to Philadelphia, and got trapped in the airport there! The conference went well. It was eye-opening and productive and I think I may have made some career decisions that, frankly, I have been putting off! I ran into people I had met before and had a very interesting conversation with someone from the west coast. I also think I got some very good ideas about a sub-topic for my dissertation. It's funny, when I am home in my real life the the thoughts of my academic life are so far away. Then I get in a room with some very smart people and I feel like I need to be up there with them. I also was privledged to listen to a most enlightened speaker Dr. John Hope Franklin a most inspiring speaker and person. I mean when you consider that he is only 2 generations from a runaway slave - and yet attended Harvard, it is amazing and makes me feel like truly if you want it bad enough, you will find a way. I believe I will read his new book. I probably should have bought it at the conference and waited to have it signed - but there were so many people and I don't like crowds, plus I understood that he was only going to sign a few books and I probably would not have gotten a signed book anyway.

Today as tired as I was - I dressed up the empress in her first halloween costume and we headed over to the farm. It was COLD and WINDY! SO we didn't last as long as I was hoping - but EFP had a great time as you can see. She was so impressed with the field of pumpkins, had no fear of the 6' tall Tigger, and got up on the stage and performed like the little star she is! She even attempted the chicken dance. What a little ham I have. (*big cheesy grin on my face*) She ate a knish and a cookie for lunch and was quite the little flirt with a friend's 6 yo. We had so much fun and left the park with a goodie bag! We enjoyed it tremendously!

Then we headed over to DH's library because somehow my house keys got separated from my car keys. DH's associates got peak at our darling in her halloween regalia. She really did look cute and liked seeing daddy as surprise - perhaps we will do that again and bring daddy some nicer lunch than what they have in the vending machine!!

EFP's sleep schedule is a little off thanks to her having to accompany DH when we retrieved me (sans bag I might add!) at the airport very very late. She slept for 2 hours between 4 and 6 - I wasn't going to let her but the poor baby was so sleepy. The airline did deliver my bag today and more or less when they said they would which was nice. I still don't really understand how an airline can just up and cancel a zillion flights! What exactly do they think people will do? Some people rented cars and drove home - the airlines actually sent some people home by bus. I almost had to do that - would have gotten home even later than I did. It's one of those infuriating things about life. So tonight she wanted to party until 10 pm - not tired really. Now she is happily sleeping and tomorrow I will wake her at a decent hour to nidge her back to her normal sleep time. I believe I am working tomorrow - so boo hoo for me!