Conner "Scarie" - Oct 15

   There is a Smithsonian like museum-live action-interactive park in Fishers, Indiana called Conner Prairie. One of the partners at work sits on the Board of Directors and received 50 free tickets to the Halloween festivities called "Conner Scarie." He sent out an email to everyone asking if anyone wanted to use them. Due to the response, he decided to do a lottery and my name got pulled. I was excited as I knew it was something that the kids and I would enjoy. Eric would go along, but not find it very enjoyable.
   So, after a few hours at the pumpkin patch, we came home to nap or do a few things for a couple of hours before heading to Fishers. The gates opened at 6. We stood in line for about 15-20 minutes (I'm a little obnoxious about being early unless I am familiar with the routine and know that early is not needed).

Xela did a little swing dancing with Neta;
others were on their phones and the boys played with cracks
in the parking lot.

   Finally the gates opened and we got tickets for the Headless Horseman wagon ride for 6:30. I didn't think the little ones would appreciate a dark ride, and not having been there before, I (not a fan of haunted house like things) wasn't sure if I wanted to do it either. We had a few minutes before we needed to get into another line, so we went to a "preschool" tent to play with noise makers. Xela thought this tent was much more fun than "grown up" stuff. 

Nate and Neta banging and shaking

Now you can see Graigry getting in on the noise;
Neta always with a pose

Xela always with the camera.
One day I should get the pictures that she takes

Kids seemed to enjoy banging things while listening to
Halloween type songs like "Ghostbusters!"

After that few minute diversion, we got into another line to wait for the Headless Horseman ride. While waiting, we listened to more songs, Xela and Neta did some more dancing...

I think we were trying to dance to "Thriller"

...Nate decided he didn't want anyone to recognize him...

Minion Man

...and there was some "scary-okey" in a tent nearby that also had a hula-hoop contest. The girls jumped in to hula, which was fun to watch. Neta did much better than the big girls.

Neta was one of the last ones to drop the hoop

Finally, the Headless line started to move. We had a walk towards Prairie Town, which is where the ride was staged and then waited again for the wagons to arrive. Once they did, we loaded up and headed on down the trail.

Not at all intimidated by the possibility of meeting
a headless horseman wielding a sword.

I don't think the ride would have been very scary, even in the dark. It was pretty cool to actually be able to see things as we rode through. There were two sections where Mr Headless came riding out behind the wagon. We were asked not to use flash photography as it would spook the horses, so I didn't get a picture. The kids thought it was kind of cool, but agreed that it would have been a little cooler if it wasn't daylight (evening light).

After the wagon ride, we went back to where the preschool things were because the kids wanted to see flying monkeys, ie: stuffed animals that were put in a slingshot that the kids pulled to initiate lift off. While some waited in line to do that, others ran and rolled down the hills where the summer amphitheater is.

The volunteers are prepping the monkey
while Ro holds the string

Nate's turn
Neta and Graigry wait their opportunity

I think my kids are down there;
I can't tell (or remember) now.

   They also had a "slide" that the kids absolutely loved. Xela and Ro had just as much fun as the younger ones and kept trying new ways to slide. The volunteer in charge didn't seem to care that they didn't use the potato sack provided. Their shirts and jackets worked just as well. I have more video than pictures, so I'll have to try to put those up later (after I get them off my phone).

Ready to slide??!!!

Patiently waiting their turn.
Thankfully, it wasn't a long wait and
it was uncrowded so they could go down
again and again and again!

They had Disney's "The Tale of Ichabod Crane" playing every so often and because we missed the start of one, we decided to follow the "Scarecrow Trail." By now it was dark, but the variety of scarecrows were lit throughout the trail. There were even some elementary school kids dressed up as scarecrows that attempted to scare travelers (it was kind of cute). The scarecrow was the best one of the bunch:

Jack and the Scotts
(Jack is from "The Nightmare before Christmas")

We still had some time to pass, so we went in by the hot air balloon and played a few "educational" type games.

Kind of like air hockey, but
they were air balloons and you used air
to keep it from landing in your spot.
There were enough spaces that the whole
family could play.

On our way to the outdoor showing of the movie, we came across this dead body...

Who is that???

...she looked a little familiar, but no one wanted to carry the extra weight or become contaminated with whatever caused her demise. :)

It was an overall fun day with family! I love taking time off work and making memories with family. We left Conner Prairie around nine o'clock and headed home. Thankfully, the weather had been hoodie perfect - no rain, no real wind and just layers required. Kids enjoyed themselves, we at apples and sandwiches on our way home and then crashed in our beds upon arrival. :)