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!

Cheers to a great Thanksgiving!!!

crossing the Mississippi river for Thanksgiving!

Well we crossed the Mississippi river to go to Will and Amy's for Thanksgiving. We had a super good time. The little girls, Savanna and Olivia played together. Savanna called her "Widia" and Olivia called Savanna "Spanana". It was pretty cute. Amy and I made a fantastic Turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and the men napped (of course). We all had a really great time. Audrey and Amy and Natalie went Chritmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving and spent to much money, but had loads of fun! We got up around quarter to 6:00 am and braved Walmart, Target, and Old Navy. Got some great deals, but just plain had fun which is what its all about! We hope you had a great holiday too! Miss you all! Love, Natalie

Well, this weekend was Jakob's birthday. Alot changes in one year! From nine pounds nine ounces to just hitting the 20 pound mark. On Friday he turned 1 year old! It is hard to believe he has been here a year all ready. We have had so much fun with our sweet little boy. He is so active and loving and so adores his family, especially his sisters. He said Audrey's name for the first time on Saturday. We think he is so brilliant. We had a fun party for him with lots of our friends on Saturday. He got to destroy his birthday cake, and get really messy. He also had to fight Savanna for the right to play with any of his new toys. She is a bit pushy. Anyhow, we had a great time and this new entry is just a celebration of our sweet son.

So I hear Jakob crying in the kitchen and Savanna laughing. I go in to investigate and ask Savi

whats going on. She tells me she has been playing donkey with her brother. I of course

inquire as to what donkey might pertain too, and she says it's when she takes a toy

plastic microphone and whacks Jake on the head and says "donkeydonkeydonkey" as she is doing

it. Yah gotta love the minds of our sweet children.

Just some random pictures of our family! Savanna wanted to wear daddy's ties, Audrey in her Mardi Gras mask that we brought from Nawlins, baby Jake dressed for church, and sleeping in his high chair, and Mark and I on the beach this summer. Hope ya'll enjoy! Love, Natalie

So anyhow, these are the beginings of our rainey dayz! Hope to see yall soon!

We had a really great Halloween with lots of candy and fun! The kids had a great time and so did mom and dad!

Mark and I just returned from an awesome weekend trip to New Orleans. It was so amazing! We got to roam the Garden District and the French Quarter. We got to check out some really great cemetaries, and eat some excellent food! Bourbon street was just as every one described it, kinda stinky, and lots of bars, shops, and strip clubs. It was cool to experience it all though. (and by experience it, I mean see... we are still recomend holders: ) ANyhow, if you ever get the chance to go, do it...it was loads of fun. We didn't see much hurricane damage. Mark said they had cleaned it up a lot in the two years since Katrina.

HI all! Everyone else is doing it, so I thought we would try. Besides I have so much fun checking in on everyone once a week.