Snow Jumping!!!

We were spoiled this first week of Willow's life to have my mom take a week off to watch Xander and Avery while Giles had the time off and we could get used to having an infant in our lives again! We weren't able to stay away from Xander and Avery for the whole time of course, so Wednesday we went out to visit the extended family a little bit and this is what the boys were up to in the backyard when we arrived! Thankfully we've had such a mild week that playing in the snow was given a new lease on life and these boys were certainly going to take full advantage of it!

After the fun of piling the snow (with the skid steer of course) the boys (Eli and Xander, that is) were launched over the pile in a big shovel! I don't know if these pictures are big enough to see everything, but you get the general idea!

Looks like Eli has a perfect feet first landing here! Getting ready for the Olympics perhaps?!?

Xander's doing the airplane move in the middle picture there...and then just letting himself flop around in the snow!

A HUGE thank you to Mom, Dad, Dustin, Julia, Eli and Jonah for caring for and entertaining Xander and Avery so well over the past week!

Willow Grace!!!!!

On January 18th at 12:20am our lives were once again turned upside-down with the arrival of our third child and second daughter Willow Grace! She is all of 8 pounds, 1 ounce and 21 1/4 inches long! Willow and I are both doing well and recovering with the spoiling efforts of friends and family! Her birth took place in the comfort of our own home...which was a really amazing experience in itself! I'm sure there is much more to say, but this is a start at least!

The kids both took to Willow immediately with much bouncing and laughing and baby kissing! Avery was especially fond of holding her and threw quite a tantrum the first time we separated her from her little sister before she was ready. Willow doesn't look quite as comfortable here, but she was a good sport!

Xander remains an attentive, caring and sensitive older brother! He held her until Willow started to make some diaper filling noises that started to make him uncomfortable...and that was it for him that day! He has yet to remember her name, but has stopped calling her Pete which we're seeing as an improvement at least since he's been set on the name Pete from the beginning!

Today, day two of Willow's life, she has seemed to be awake more than asleep already...we're hoping that means good things for the night to come! Already she seems to be taking in the world around her!

Willow spending her first night in her little bassinet! Although I don't think she's made it very long in there before we just have her join us in bed! We'll see where things end up for nights!

Get Ready Everyone!

Well...its been awhile, but I have now officially updated the blog! I think this was a part of my getting ready to have baby number three! He/She is coming any day now and I think I needed to be somewhat updated here so that when we take pictures of our new little one I won't do so thinking about all the other pictures that should go on the blog before baby pictures do!

With that said, I guess it will probably be baby pictures that are seen next...unless I find more files of pictures that I haven't sorted and end up having the time to blog with before you know what happens!

I've been ordered to stop now though (actually Giles called from work and caught me still doing this a little while ago and told me to just go to sleep, but I couldn't let it drop)...so good night everyone and we'll be back...possibly as a family of five!

Ringer Christmas!

We were quite honoured to have Giles' family come to our house this Christmas as I was unable to fly or drive anywhere too far away (being 8 months pregnant). We had a great time (except for a stomach flu that hit everyone on the day after we celebrated Christmas together). Xander is the only one who managed to withstand it and we are very thankful for that at least! It would seem we took shockingly few pictures but here are a few anyways.

It didn't seem to matter how many presents had been unwrapped, Xander was always asking for one more or if there was any more for him...next year maybe we'll wrap up a couple of empty boxes just to keep him going and keep him guessing a bit!

Xander got this awesome train table and a lot of tracks and bridges and stations to go along with it! Its pretty amazing! He spent a lot of time in this room over the next 48 hours!

A table full of food, a tree buried behind presents and you start to get a sense of what Christmas is like in the Ringer family! It's probably good that Christmas only comes around once a year!

Despite the lack of pictures to document the event we were really spoiled having Dave, Carol and Justin at our house this Christmas! The kids were well taken care of and entertained while Giles and I got to put our feet up (or take afternoon naps in my case)! Food always appeared on the table and got cleaned up mysteriously fast and so I can only say thank you so much for all you did and for all the meals that are stacked in our freezer waiting for this baby to come so we have quick, healthy meals to grab!

Bergman Christmas!

Well another Christmas season has come and gone with all its festivities, food and good times!

The boys all got these old school Blue Bombers shirts and proudly posed for a picture in them! I can't explain everything thats going on in this picture...I'll just let you all made your own judgment calls here! But boys will be boys!

It was with a large amount of shock that dad unwrapped this tv to replace an old beast of a tv upstairs....I think it was a hit!

We got a vacuum cleaner! Giles is getting really excited about all those soon to be clean floors!

The boys got Vikings jersey's from Uncle Todd and wore them proudly! Xander still puts his on occasionally!

Mom, reading a Christmas story to the grandkids before diving into the presents!

A special visit!

Kristin Bracewell and her two kids stopped by for a visit over the Christmas holidays! Malachi didn't so much make an appearance...I think he decided sleeping through the visit and the craziness was probably the safest thing to do!

These three did a lot of racing...here they are at their starting positions stopping (although reluctantly) for a quick photo!

Gotta love the hand holding....Jayda made quite an impression on Xander and the fun continued at the Christmas program that evening....the dancing and running was non-stop!

Avery with her phone....she loves saying "CHEESE" for the camera!

Taking a little break!

A THREE YEAR OLD!!!

Well it is official (and due to this late blogging of mine, its been official for awhile) that we now have a three year old running around our house! We made a day of it in the city since we were heading there anyways to pick up Grandpa Dave! The day began with some bowling (which Xander still claims is his favorite game although he was more moderately interested in the event on this particular occasion) and then did presents and pizza together before wrapping things up with the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." The theatre being a relatively new thing in Xander's life!

Both boys were VERY excited about all the Thomas related presents being opened!

This is where we were starting to lose Xander's interest in the bowling game. At this point I believe we were all still trying to take turns and play the normal way. Once we gave up on that and just let Xander and Eli run the show on the far lane and then chase their bowling balls (thrown illegally at the same time) down the side isle of the lane enthusiasm was regained and the birthday party was saved!

Avery got a couple throws in there...and dutifully cheered her ball on to the bitter end!

Sharing a high five with dad after a particularly great shot I'm sure!!!! I love this picture!

Eli, showing a diversity of throwing options for everyone to observe!!!

Xander looks like he's going to scowl at this ball until it does what he wants it to! If I were the ball...I would listen!

Crazy Girl!!!!

Avery has this amazing habit of having ALL food she eats somehow end up in her hair....I can't remember what this was exactly but with a minimal amount of help from Giles, this spike was easily attained!

She is LOVING it!!!!

Renovations!!!!

We have (and by we I think everyone understands that I had nothing to do with this process!!!) added a bathroom to the basement or our wonderful home! Of course, I always forget that pictures load backwards on blogs, so you will be getting the after pictures first! I didn't take another one before doing this but there is a sink and toilet in as well, but this will give you the general idea of whats going on down there!

Thank you to our wonderful band of workers who diligently made the drive out to our house and accepted our sincere thanks in exchange for all their hard work...the cheque's in the mail?!?

Having never layed tile before their conversations didn't always instill the most confidence, but a job very well done in the end! Thanks for stepping out guys....and for making sure dad used spacers Todd!

Here you can see the sink...a table taken from Giles' parents old winnipeg house before they moved and a couple adjustments made to it so it could accommodate the sink.

As you can see the room was a pretty raw work space to begin with and these guys really had to start from scratch!