I guess it’s been awhile since I last blogged.  I’m not even sure what has happened in the meantime that’s even blog-worthy.  I’ll do my best at a quick recap, but I’m sure I’ll get off-track somewhere along the way.  Let’s see…Anna turned 4 months old…we put her in a pumpkin and took some pictures…that’s where we left off, right?

Since then I neglected to wish both my mom, Laura and Katie (even though hers was technically before my last post) Happy Birthdays.  So Happy very-Belated Birthdays to you all!  Laura, I’m having difficulty with your present, so you may not get it until Christmas!  LOL

Speaking of birthdays…mine is Saturday.  I’ll be 32.  I don’t feel 32.  I’m not sure exactly what age I feel, but surely I should’nt be 32 already.  Not that I particularly care.  My 30th birthday was hard, but pffft…32, whatever.  I have to say having Anna helps with that.  All I wanted was to be a mother for the longest time…now that I am, it relieves some of that pressure I think.  So, it’s just another birthday I guess.  Woohoo.  Mark is supposed to be taking me for sushi.  I’ve barely had any in over a year!  Just a few California rolls…that’s it!

What else?  The weekend before last Mark and I made a trip to Paducah and put a pretty good size dent in our Christmas shopping.  We bought our first Santa gift.  Not that Anna will care this year, but I will, still we won’t go crazy with that this year.  I just want her to have a few age-appropriate toys to tide her over until her birthday.  We got most of our niece and nephew gifts too.  We also took care of most of Anne’s.  I ordered 2 more the following week online.  So, I’m moving right along with that!  I LOVE to get it done pretty early.  Christmas shopping too close to Christmas ruins the Christmas-y mood for me.  It turns in to such a zoo!  I like to only have a couple things left to get between Thanksgiving and Christmas so I can be leisurely about it.

This past weekend we did NOTHING.  I didn’t feel like doing anything.  I was so blah all weekend.  Maybe I should have my iron levels checked.  I just could barely drag myself off the couch.  Sunday I did manage to wander around outside for long enough to pick up some pecans.  It was such a nice day, I would’ve felt bad if I’d stayed inside all day.  I didn’t actually get myself dressed until 3 or 4 though.  Mark mowed under the pecan trees so I could see the pecans that had already fallen.  I put Anna in her jogging stroller and wandered around collecting them.  Anna had a couple nice naps under the cedar tree.  It was such a pretty day.  Here’s what Mark and I ended up with after an afternoon of pecan picking…

It’s a pretty good start considering they haven’t even really started falling yet.  Mommy…Mark is aware that you only like him for his pecan trees, so we’re doing our best to get you LOTS this year.  In fact, the last time we had pecans (it’s been a couple years since the trees produced anything) we only picked them from one tree really.  That’s the tree we sit under near the pergola.  This year we mowed around and collected from at least 5 different trees.  Some of the pecans are smaller than others, but, hey, they’re all pecans.  The more the better.

Ok…let’s see.  Work has been.  Work.  Alot of work.  We lost our original nanny.  She had some health issues and taking care of an infant was just a little much for her.  So, I’ve been juggling getting some work done and taking care of Anna.  That hasn’t been real fun.  Not that Anna is bad or anything.  It’s just hard to get much done and take care of her at the same time.  Not to mention, working from home is a bit more difficult than one would think.  It’s hard to concentrate on work when my house is messy!  We interviewed a college student today to take care of Anna for a few afternoons a week.  She’s still going to be in the apartment over our office, and so far all of this girl’s references are excellent.  So, we’ll probably do a trial afternoon sometime later this week just to see how it goes for everyone.  On first impression I really liked this girl, so hopefully it’ll all work out.

I’ve got a few more pictures to share.  I put some on my Flickr page last week, but never got around to blogging, so those are there if you want to check them out…here are some from Sunday evening…

The fall colors…The leaves are just starting to really be pretty here…looking across the field behind the pergola…

And here is Anna flying…that’s a piece of Wisteria vine dangling in front of her…

She has a smirk like her Daddy…

Almost a smile…

And FINALLY a whole smile (but only in profile).  LOL

She’s such a stinker!  Don’t you just want to pinch those cheeks?