WE had a really great Christmas! Our Christmas eve was spent with some of our good friends, eating fondue and playing cranium. The kids went to bed with suspense and visions of Santa. They all slept in, and we didn't get up and get moving until after 7:30!!! It was bliss! Then we opened up presents and ate mom's breakfast casserole and orange julius's. We had fun playing with toys and they we saw Alvin and the Chipmunk's in the afternoon. We had a really great holiday. We missed our family's, but when you surround yourselves with friends, it makes the absence of your family a little less pronounced! Hope you had a great Christmas too! Love, natalie

Ok all you mommys out there, I thought I would share the secret to my success as a nice, stress free mommy of two toddlers.... Periodically throughout the day I just cage them for about 30 minutes. This allows me to go and check my e-mail, catch a snippit of Oprah, or just go to the bathroom by myself. The only problem with this cage is that if they are really pesistent, they can just crawl over the top. Really it's only fit for a guinea pig, but you can't say I didn't try. And Jakers was looking especially cute in the tubby this morning, so I thought I would share. He is so close to walking. He will stand up from a squat all by hisself, and take a few steps unaided, but then he gets scared and sits down. He keeps knocking his head on stuff, and I am considering the baby helmet, especially outside. He might look like a dork, but I'll keep those brains intact! : ) Have a super day, and Christmas!

Ok, Grandpa Rainey said I had been slacking on putting new pictures up for all to see. So here are some new ones. I had a flat tire on my little neon, so Savanna was helping me pump it up, and she got all dirty. And then there is her wonderful sense of fashion. Don't you wish you could get away with wearing striped tights with polka dot shoes and a tutu on your bike with a crazy hat???? I don't know if ya'll ever made a choo choo train with the chairs while mom was sweeping and moping the floor? Well I used to, and Savi and Jake thought it was great fun! I kept making the chugga chugga choo choo noises for them, and they just kept laughing and having a great time.

Well, it's that time of the year for the infamous family portrait! I thought ours actually turned out pretty good this year! You can go ahead and rib us for the Rainey university shirts, yes, a tid bit dorky, but hey they made a cute picture. We didn't even goose Jake or anything. He does the "touchdown" pose all the time. Usually when he is eating. Then the food flies and he usually puts them on top of his head after this and gets food all over in his hair. Good thing he is cute, and I have a decent sprayer on the kitchen sink. He doesn't particularly like that part, but hey... Anyhow, we are just getting ready for this most excellent Christmas season and looking forward to all the celebrations! We have already been to two Christmas parties and have a few more lined up! Here's hoping that your holidays are wonderful! Love, us!