this is what happens when you leave town and don't take your husband and oldest child with you and then they hang out at our house

Feeding a "helpless" neighbor while his wife is out of town: $15

Michael's chiropractic table with bag: $150 (retail $400(?)---booyah!)

 The look on Chandler's face as we tell him he's going to be carried to a friend's house like this: PRICELESS.

better out than in i always say

Scarlett has now been on land longer than in the womb. She's a whopping 9 months old. Crazy. (I was pregnant for that long!? Blech...) I've traded in my baby that smelled like milk, powder, and sometimes spit up for a baby that reaks of Cheerio's, graham crackers, and "ew is that you!" And I love her all the more for it.

Here's some pictures for your enjoyment.

And, of course, I save the best for last. Don't mind the dirty laundry hamper...or the neked bum.

*Scarlett loves shoes, cell phones, paper, and our stairs. She can climb the whole staircase.

*She loves attention. She's probably the most smiley baby you'll ever meet--and she'll ham it up as much as possible. Usually before we leave any restaurant she has caught the attention of at least 3 other tables.

*Scarlett hates getting dressed.

*Last month her thing was trying to scream as high pitched as she could go until her voice broke out. This month it is saying "dadadadadadada" in a pitch only dogs can register.

*Usually only takes one nap. She decided this at 8 months old. What the heck?! In one way it's pretty nice...but in others not so much...

*She eats SOOO many Cheerio's with those 2 tiny teeth she has.

*Loves playing peek-a-boo with the baby on the Gerber food jar. She got a little confused when I fed her out of a Beechnut jar (there's no baby on that one).

*Oh man, Little adores Elmo. She sits through most of Sesame Street and definitely sits through Elmo's world.  What? I am a horrible mom for letting my 9 month old watch TV? Judge me all you want.

I am horrible at keeping up with monthly updates. Here's Scarlett at 8 months.

Yup. All growed up and everything.

don't bother me. i'm busy.

we went on vacation.

There were promises of warm weather and sunshine--whatever that is. It only rains here at home.

No such luck on the paradise Christmas. It rained most of the time at both Grandmas and Grandpas' houses. I guess I'll have to store away my sweet shades for some other time.

We did hit the town a couple of nights though. This is my going-out outfit.

I helped Grandpa N peel the plastic off the TV he gave Grandma for Christmas.

What? He didn't want the plastic off? Oops. Too late.

I think Santa is pretty cool, but I definitely did not have my two front teeth on my wish list. Hardy-har-har, fat man.

All I really wanted for Christmas was some paper...and man! EVERYTHING was wrapped in it! I totally scored.

I made some new friends over Christmas too. This is Jacob, Megan, and Kevin. I like them.

 Here's all of us with our Great Grandma.

I really enjoyed the nursing home. Everyone there was real nice. Including the man with the walker that chased me and Mama down the hall just to say hi to me, and the lady that kept asking every 4.56 minutes what my name was, and the other lady that kept trying to get out of her wheelchair while saying, "Get me outta here! Take me with you!" It really wasn't that bad of a place...she'd just lost all her marbles.

I met my Mommy's Great Aunt. I like her too.

Eleanor was an awesome playmate. I would poke her in the eye (and Mama and Dada always just say, "Ouch!" or "No no no!").  Not Eleanor...she would just poke me back. Someone that actually gets this game!

Ahhh good times, good times. I like vacations.

last christmas break

We'll have Christmas in later years, of course, but this is our last year we'll actually have a 2 week break. Since we've been married we've been students and have always had time off for the holidays. 2011 will bring lots of change.

I left on December 15 to visit my family in Las Vegas. Michael inched his way there by car a couple days later through some pretty bad weather.

Scarlett had fun visiting Great Grandma Nishimoto in the nursing home. The first thing Grandma said was, "That's my baby!" Since she has Alzheimer's, everyday she got to meet Scarlett again.

And everyday Scarlett loved it.

One day Grandma got to come home for a special dinner!

Clockwise starting top right: Scarlett and 1st cousin once removed, Eleanor. 4 generations of Nishimotos. Scarlett with my Auntie Erin and Great Auntie Elaine. I don't know where Mom was for the other picture--but all 4 generations of Nishimoto women.

The whole gang visited Grandma on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning we opened presents in Las Vegas with my parents and Jello & Sarah. Jared & Kim (on the right in above photo) came a little later.

Scarlett didn't know what the heck was going on. She bounced from one toy to the next, and I was never quick enough to get a good picture of her.

 So we stuck her in a box. She was surprisingly quite content with it.

I got some pretty sweet gifts, but the funniest was this...

Count'em: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 singa-ma-jigs! We had some fun before returning a few. Santa (aka my sister Robbyn and Michael) sure came through this year!

Later Christmas day we headed to St. George to visit with Michael's parents. (Sorry Deanne, we never got a picture of you! I didn't even realize until I got home.)

Scarlett figured she'd rather visit with the sliding glass door.

We wanted to be in Portland for New Year's, but the weather kept us in St. George (good thing, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten those sweet jeans).  When we did eventually leave it was only 12 degrees! Brrr. 

We spent New Year's in Logan with Michael's Sister's family. Headed to Boise the next day, and made it back to Portland on Sunday--just in time for Michael to start school on Monday.

lookie lookie what i can do.

best deal ever

Before I bombard you with 3 weeks worth of updates, I have to show you one of my UH.MAY.ZING. deals I got while doing some after Christmas shopping. I found two pairs of pants on clearance. It was only going to be $8.50 {score!}. But wait for it....

I spent $4.52 on TWO NEW pairs of pants. Clearance items were an additional 50% off! My favorite is the "Your Saving" part.

Thank you DownEast Outfitters. I love you.

Now I need to get to hemming. I think in The History of Julie's Pants I've had to hem them all, except for 3. None of them, however, have been as drastic as the pants on the right. 

Maybe that's why they were on sale...what kind of walking stick would fit into those?