Anna-Marie Murphy: A Month of Pictures!

Wait, WHAT? I haven't posted in how long?!? Over a month? This cannot be! But alas, it has been that long, and I am soooo sorry. I know you probably think I've just been sitting on my lazy butt that whole time, but I promise that isn't so. And just to prove it to you, I have photographical evidence!

You see, the past month has been filled with...

Lots of diagnostic research...

Hard labor of chipping up trees...

Finding interesting ways to get those chips into a truck...

And then milling those chips to get them even smaller...

More feminine things, like baking...

And then incorporating that baking into crafty things... (this was a rush gift for Sarah Catherine!)

Of course, playing with Bella a little bit... (Actually, this isn't playing; this is me talking to her from the bathroom trying to get her out of bed one morning, which is coincidentally, where she also is now...)

More baking, before heading off to....

Jon and Allison's shower in Ozark...

I also bought and put up a new hummingbird feeder outside, and have been trying for weeks to get a good picture of one. Here are some failed attempts....

And of course, more research...

We also had a field trip the other day to some really nice nurseries in and around Auburn and Montgomery...

More fun times with Bella... (I know it's blurry, but it's not my fault!! As you can tell, everything else in the picture is just as clear as day, but the little rugrat just wouldn't stand still!)

FINALLY, after probably 50 takes, a halfway decent one of a hummingbird... (hint, hint: maybe a camera with a faster shutter speed is in order for Christmas....)

More research....(gah, what a pesky part of all this....)

I had to take over 100 research photos that day, and our student workers were really good sports about it! They helped so much! And didn't complain once when I kept saying, "no, a little to the left....no, I don't like that either.....well, I'm not sure if maybe it needs to go back to the right some..." THANKS GUYS!!!

What do you know?!? More baking!!! These pie pops turned out great as a bake sale item at...

HORT WELCOME DAY!!!!!

This is a picture of some of the people I went to Spain with, with Aubie!!!

Also, Bella got a haircut. She was a little embarrassed at first, but I made sure to just keep telling her she was a pretty girl...

Then, I started baking some more (are we detecting a theme here?). Mind you, I do actually work at least 8 hours a day. I know the proportions of work to fun pictures aren't exactly accurate, but what can I say....

This....

turned into this....

Chocolate-chip cookie dough brownies... (MMMMM)!!!! They were so easy, and soooo good, I'll just have to make some for everyone!

Caitlin came last weekend for the game (YAY AUBURN FOOTBALL), and we decided to have something for all of our friends this weekend. We both decided that we wanted chili (despite the 90 degree weather outside), so we had a "Chilly Night of Chili" party this past Friday night. We cranked the a.c. down to about 65^◦, made two big crock-pots full of amazing chili, ordered up wings (for those that don't enjoy the wonderfulness of chili), and sat around talking until after midnight!!! The social interaction was exactly what I needed! I mean, I love Bella, but it gets old just having one sided conversation after a while.

Wouldn't you know though, that the only picture I took that night was after I had everything cleaned up. What a loser...

OH!!! But look at this!!! These are some cake plates that I bought at Angel's Antiques on Labor Day. Aren't they so pretty?!?

This weekend was a whirlwind too. With the chili night on Friday, working Saturday morning, visiting with the fam for a little while, and networking at the Nursery Association building, I was tired out by the time we got to the game! But a good game it was! War Eagle!