Central

Last weekend, we loaded our little nuclear family into our car and drove three hours west, into the dry scrub and the mountains and valleys of Central Otago. Wine and fruit country. Last year, before Max was even much of an idea, we went to Queenstown and, on the way we stumbled on the Clyde Wine and Food Festival. You get your own wine glass as you enter and you make your way around the stalls, tasting wine after wine until they all start to taste similar but you don't care because you're happy.

This year we thought we'd take Max along too. We stayed in a hotel for the first time with him ... I think he slept better than he does at home. We had a great time -- tasted a lot of wine and bought apples, pears, quinces, and dried fruit to bring home -- and we can't wait to get out there again.

Here are some photos from the trip. My favorite is the one of Max and Emeline by a statue in Lawrence, on the way. We really just stopped to use the public bathrooms and this statue was outside. We now know Max really likes statues.