Category Archives: London

Travel & Seasons: Q&A

My ~~so-called~~ ex-pat life has been filled with nostalgia recently. I was wondering where all these memories were flooding from and then realised it was because of the weather. Two years ago my family was experiencing our first autumn in England. Autumn has not usually been my favourite time of the year. Some how there are all these things I am experiencing again make me feel comforted in memories. The colder weather that requires coats, hats, and scarves. Finding interesting leaves, conkers, and colourful ivy covered walls. The rainy days in England where umbrellas pop up all over town. Rushing inside to warm ourselves up with a cup of tea. There are all these elements of autumn which bring back cherished memories. It has made me look back at old photographs from 2011 and I found this series I took of my family in London. On our way to our intended destination we found a huge amount of fallen leaves which resulted in a spontaneous play session. We had so much fun playing in the leaves and I really enjoy the photos we captured of the event. It has made me realise when thinking of travel and seasons that I really do love London in the Autumn and Winter time. Here are some of my favourites from that cold but memorable day:

TRAVEL & SEASONS: Q&A
ASKED MY SPONSORS A QUESTION THIS MONTH ABOUT TRAVEL“What season is your favourite to travel in and where would you go based on your answer?”

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Q: “What season is your favourite to travel in and where would you go based on your answer?”

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Platform 9 and 3/4 in London, England

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Welcome to Travel Tuesday! We are a family of three generations that love Harry Potter. It began with my younger sister who started after the second book came out and my parents got hooked as they read them too. Feeling left out of dinner conversations I got roped into reading them and then wondered why I was the last to join the family book club. I married my husband and got him into it and my kids as they were born. In fact Ronan was ‘baby Harry’ for one book release party and a howler for the one Maddox went as a baby Mandrake plant. So being able to take my mum, sister, husband, and boys to get our photo taken at platform 9 and 3/4 this summer was mandatory while we were in London. This was my second time here (see picture left) and they have since updated the wall and have added a gift shop. My thoughts on that near the end of this post.

Like Harry Potter too? I wrote about What I Have Learned from Harry Potter.

My Review of Platform 9 and 3/4:

When we we came before it was just the cart in the wall. In fact there was no partial suitcase or owl cage. We were able to just walk right up and take as many photos as we wanted. So we took sweet and silly ones. Of course with having kids (as cute as they are) they may not always be in the mood to join in and my oldest was having one of those moments. So returning to do family photos for the Christmas card was on our todo list this summer. Boy was I surprised to see how much it had changed! I am taking a note that this could be different if we come again when it is not summer time but then again who knows. There is a gift store right it and the portable queue markers likes you would find at Disneyland. There was quite a group of people waiting and I will say that everyone who was there was very nice. In fact they did not mind that almost everyone in my party wanted to get their photo taken twice and then do a huge group shot. I love the new editions to the the cart and I actually kinda like that they had scarves you could wear and helped flick it for movement for you.

If I was not a photographer this next bit would not have bothered me so much. I am sure many people come every day and never have this view point…or I just love Harry Potter way too much and my expectations got shattered. I usually always have my 50mm on my DSLR because it is a great portrait lens and I was getting nice portraits of my mum and sister with my family while they were visiting. However due to the close proximity of the queue of other HP fans and where the staff members were located there was no way to get a ‘perfect’ shot. I had to shoot off from the side and I could not get back as far as I needed too. For the portraits I took it ended up being okay but for my portraits the family member that took my photo cropped out important parts of Platform 9 and 3/4. Not to mention the lens did not work for our family shot when we had to all look sideways.

The answer for that would be okay I will rely on the photographers they have to take our portraits. They are armed with nice DSLRs and flashes and look all professional with their HP staff badges. Everyone gets their photo taken in time with the guy who fluffs the scarf in the air. You can view your photo at the gift shop and purchase it to take home. So I thought…sure maybe we can get the family one from the store. The gift shop was not the place to be if you do not like small cramped spaces as it does not do well with crowds of people. Then when I finally saw our photo my heart sank. I maybe would have taken it if it was free but I certainly was not going to pay money for that shot. It was horrible.

Here is my thought on purchasing the photos. Right above where platform 9 and 3/4 is located they have huge wonderful skylights. So unless it is nighttime or extremely stormy out you are going to have wonderful natural lighting coming down like you were in a fabulous photo studio. Yet the staff taking photo use their flash for every one. I cannot comment whether they change their settings during their shift but after seeing our photo I would have definitely changed the exposure and better yet taken it without the flash. It was the one time I got really frustrated. It really is hard when you know so much about a something that it kinda ruins the experience when it is out of your control. So we did not buy that photograph and we walked away with photos that despite the weird angle are far better exposed.

My husband reminded me that they also say to you in the queue something to the tune of ‘You can take your own photos but they will not be as good as ours.’

I love Harry Potter and I hope to go again and maybe beat the crowd control during a quieter time. Also cannot wait to go to the Harry Potter tour in London too! Have you been?

———-

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Revisiting the Peter Pan Statue 23 Years Later

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It is Tuesday and you know what that means…Travel Tuesday! Make sure to link up with us all below and then have fun hopping around to visit the other travel and wanderlust posts for the week. Next week I will announce our theme for the first Tuesday in November. I was feeling a little nostalgic today and wanted to show you how traveling back to places we went to before can be so much fun! The Peter Pan Statue in London is one of those places for me. It is great to compare not just how much I have changed but the trees around the statue as well. Time keeps moving and and still so many people come every day and take their photo next to this landmark in London. We visited this summer while my family was in town for our Vow Renewal and took photographs to remember it by:

My sister and I lived in England when we were really little. It was my second time to living here after being born in Oxford. I cherish this photograph of us when we were little and since moving back have been longing to recreate the photo. I attempted in 2012 but since Zoe was not with me it was just not the same. This year we made it a mission to both be in London together to make it happen. We also got a photograph of the boys on the statue with their Zia Zoe too. It will be great to see how tall they become as adults to recreate this image again!

Share your Travel stories and wanderlust addictions.

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS:

2. Grab the lovely button. If you run into trouble, just make sure to mention Bonnie in a link! 😉

3. Linkup goes live every Tuesday at 8 am GMT.

4. Hop around and meet new travel loving bloggers! Link up will be open for a few days, make sure to check back to visit some of the newer travel posts!

5. Please only one linked up post per blogger. Save other posts for future linkups!

6. The First Tuesday of every month will be a themed prompt if you want to join in!

Back from Europe Trip

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Military brat. Born in England to American parents and grew up moving around Europe, from military base to military base, until I was about to graduate high school. Quite a lot has happened in my life since I moved ‘home’ to the United States. A decade later and I am returning ‘home’ to Napoli, Italia a place I lived twice for a total of six years. With the grandparents watching our kids, this time I bring my husband for an adventure on our 9th anniversary.

My husband I in Paris on our 9th Wedding Anniversary 2.8.12

An Adventure it was. No luxury cruises or hotel resorts for this free spirit pair. Off the train in Napoli we met our predicament of finding no place to get a sim card, to a broken pay phone, and no wifi to contact our host upon our arrival. When our taxi driver dropped us off at the address we requested to get to my friends’ home, he dropped us off in the wrong location. Standing in a darkened alley way with all our luggage and absolutely no sense of direction to where we are and where we need to be, our outlook was quite foreboding. Our options were to go further up the winding road, or down the cobblestone street to hopefully a busier area of town. We chose the later and finally found a working pay phone where with our last 50 euro on hand called my friend for a rescue. Bottle of wine later and we are outside on my friend’s veranda overlooking the city of naples, the beautiful bay lit up in lights, and Mt. Vesuvio looking magnificently in the backdrop.

Despite the less than romantic arrival, the majority of our time was seeking out the hidden beauty of the city, savoring every bite of the delicious southern Italian cruising, and capturing the beauty we saw in photographs. An early evening after viewing collections of antiquities excavated from Pompeii at the National Archaeological museum, we were walking through the narrow streets of the city. I was on a high of being surrounded by the sights and sounds of my childhood. With my DSLR safely guarded in my arms, I captured street photography with the ease of my android phone. In the process of taking a photo of a pizza being made at a pizzeria, my phone was grabbed out of my hands. I turned in shock to see an obnoxious grin and then the back of a man as he ran away with my phone down another alleyway. While my head and my feet questioned each other with whether I should run or just scream, the man jumped on a back of a moped with a driver. In less than a minute my phone was stolen and gone out of sight. It was not even the phone that I was upset about but the number of photos I had taken on our journey. So many of them documenting my husband’s first time in Napoli: his first taste of pizza from the birthplace of its creation, his first time on the funicular, an incline railway, and his first time shopping the street markets in Vomero. However our adventurous night did not end there. I had my first time in the back of a police car, as we were whisked away to the nearest police station to make a report on the incident. I regret feeling too comfortable being home in Napoli that I had my phone out at all. Still shaking, I answered the questions using the best of knowledge of the Italian language. I was asked to look at photographs to see if anyone looked like the man who had stolen my phone. Afterwards I can now draw from their questions that they were hoping I would say it was this man in one of the photographs who was wearing a white shirt. However he was the opposite of my initial description. I soon found myself in a small room for a ‘line up’, however the actuality of the situation scared me more than having my phone taken from me in the first place. I stood facing a man, and although a wall with a glass window was in-between us, he was literally inches away from me. He was not the man I had seen. Bloody, amped up on adrenaline, and looking like he could have come out of a Guy Richie film, I looked at the man in the white shirt and instantly the fear kicked me to my core. I wanted to run, to move, to close my eyes. At that moment I was more afraid of him punching through the glass, especially when it was apparent he could hear my words as I spoke ‘Its not him”.

I will be honest I cried when we got back to the room for more questions and information about the scene. I wish now I had checked the photographs on my DSLR. When we had gotten home all the feelings from that night came right back in a spiraling anxiety attack as I found a photo taken minutes before the crime. The man in the white shirt, whom I had been asked to identify, was up ahead of where I was taking photos, talking to a man who very much fit my description of the man who had taken my phone. Bone chilling. Perhaps the other man was just a man, innocent in his own right. However there was no mistaking the man I had to view at the police station, for I cannot get him out of my mind. Whatever he did from when that photo was taken to when I saw him at the police station, I will never know.

I may have been without the ease and connivence of taking photos with my phone, I did however have my camera to document the rest of our trip by and I did not let the incident ruin our time. Perhaps if I had not grown up in Napoli, it would not be the case but I still love my beautiful city. The old buildings, the cobblestoned streets, the laundry hung out all the windows, and the women who lower baskets from tall apartment windows to retrieve recently purchased goods. Inside a cave we visited Fontanelle cemetery, a final resting place for thousands of anonymous corpses. These were victims of the great plague in the 1600s. We took the train to see Pompeii where we too a scenic tour and I did an imprint self portrait session in the ruins. Another day we took the ferry out to Capri and walked around the beautiful island to the Blue Grotto. We spent an evening in Sorrento, eating the best seafood and speggeti of our trip right on the water with an equally refreshing white wine. The best was being able to start every morning and end every day with the beautiful view from where we were staying. It may have taken me many years to return, but no one can take away from me the love I have for the city of Napoli. Ci Vediamo bella Napoli! “

Boys getting older and moving up.

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My boys left recently with my in-laws to go back to the USA for seven weeks this summer. I will be joining them after I get back from my trip with my partner to mainland Europe. It will be 11 years since I have been back to my home in Napoli, Italia where I grew up twice for a total of 6 years. As much as I cannot wait to go back home and that I hope it does not go by too fast, I am really looking forward to seeing my boys again in three weeks. We have had to be apart in different countries or continents four times over the last seven years, and it does not get easier. Things can be quite loud at home when you are raising two boys, but after about 4 hours of silence it has been too quiet. I miss them so much. Going to look back over their last week here in England and highlight the best parts of our time together.

As you might remember we went bowling in May for my 5 year old’s birthday party. We had a great time and the boys have been wanting to go back ever since. They got that chance while Bob and Sue were here and the boys got to show off their bowling skills. Ronan brought his a game and his competitiveness and really showed us up. Its been crazy to see how much they have been growing up over this year so far. Both boys have really pushed forward in their reading for one thing. Maddox went from not reading at all in August to now he can read from chapter books. After finishing our latest Harry Potter book, both boys were in need for summer reading. We used their gift certificates from school to get them some great choice reading about dragons and samurai. The boys are also moving on up in their groups at bible class over at our church. This past sunday was their last day until they get in September. Maddox will be moving into Ronan’s class and Ronan will be moving up to the next class. They are both excited about the move up. I signed us up for a church retreat for when we get back and I hope they will have fun on the weekend trip. We saw the baby ducklings on our walk home and the boys were telling me how big they think they will be when we get back. It has been fun watching them get bigger since our first time finding the babies.

The last day the boys were here we went to the store so I could get them proper hats for the hot summer awaiting them in the USA where temperatures have been in the 100’s (F). They look really cute in them, but they look so much older when they wear them. It does not help that I gave them hair cuts before they left for the summer. Ronan maintained his style, but Maddox wanted a big change. He wanted batman shaved into the back of his head. We might try that this summer. When I asked Maddox what he wanted he said he wanted hair ‘like Ronan’ and when I use my ‘hot thing that makes it straight’. So we went shorter to help keep his curly hair maintained. The boy has a lot of hair so I basically took it short on sides and back and on the top I did not really take off any length, just took out a lot of weight. So hes got a lighter and more trendy look. Which makes him look older.

I let the boys sleep in our room on their last night and it was hard to sleep with listening to them sleep so sweetly next to me. I even woke up before my alarm set for 0430. It was hard to get up, but I wanted to make sure I made them a proper breakfast. The boys were dressed in the outfits I laid out and finished with their breakfast before their Papa even woke up. I definitely take from my dad with getting ready in the morning. With the extra time I took the boys outside to take some last photos before I see them again. They were so cute for it being so early in the morning. I think Ronan took it hardest when they drove away, and I basically almost threw up outside for all my neighbours to see after they left. I think the anxiety just really drove the nausea. Luckily I ended up feeling better in a few hours. But my heart still hurts. I miss my boys so much. With having them apart before, I really do not like nor want to have to be apart from them ever again. 3 weeks. I can do this. Ronan and Maddox, mummy loves you so way much!

Bowling with my boys.
#bowling
http://instagr.am/p/NEZMwRIkyU/

Bowling Bros

#bowling

http://instagr.am/p/NEozXqIk9n/

My boys just finished reading The Prisoner of Azkaban. Their reward?
Getting to see the film for the first time and Ive promised butterbeer.
#butterbeer #harrypotter #book #read
http://instagr.am/p/M_ZCVLokyd/

My partner and I at dinner tonight.
http://instagr.am/p/NCRzbsokzW/

My boys with their chapter books for Summer reading.
#book #read #summer #dragon #samuraihttp://instagr.am/p/NGpmxmIk1U/

Fresh flowers decorate the arch of the church this morning.
#church #lindfield #door #flowers #arch #allsaints http://instagr.am/p/NGZuLhok_V

Secret! Today I noticed a filled in stairway in church.
#history #church #lindfield #allsaints #stairs #hidden #secret #arch #old http://instagr.am/p/NGkixsokzA/

Peach rose bush in Lindfield

#rose #peach #roses #lindfield #cloud

http://instagr.am/p/NGjg27okyh/

Watching the ducklings after church
#ducks #church #allsaints #lindfield http://instagr.am/p/NHvMTcIk3e/

My OCD has paid off. In the process of organizing one giant box of legos
into several easy to categories, we located the missing Sonic Screwdriver.
#sonicscrewdriver #doctorwho #tardis #lego #OCDhttp://instagr.am/p/NIyod_ok4l/

Classy. My sons drinking milk from the ‘fancy’ glasses.http://instagr.am/p/NI-Misok7k/

Taught my boys how to wear their new hats from River Island.
#riverisland #hiphop #hat #summer #boyshttp://instagr.am/p/NJQjBsokx-/

Ronan. Your smile melts my heart.
#ronan #hat #hiphop #batman #smilehttp://instagr.am/p/NJgMJook5I/

Maddox. He looks older with that chocolate mustache.
#hat #maddox #max #hiphop #mustache #costa #son http://instagr.am/p/NJgZmfok5P/

Maddox and I painted our nails. He chose rockstar grey
and I chose a matte orange-y pink.
#nails #colour #pink #orange #grey #hands http://instagr.am/p/NJ0Q2Bok0L/

Loop plaits
#hair #hairstyle #plaits #braidhttp://instagr.am/p/NEsrUqIkwM/

My son twirls his hair when he reads.
#socute #hair #read #book #boy #twirl http://instagr.am/p/NJ-_ohIk61/

Last night with my boys at the pub before their flight back to the USA.
#raisingboys #pub #food #dinner #family @ryana_official http://instagr.am/p/NMTuJuokwW

My son making sure no one eats his mushrooms.

Dont worry, Papa doesnt like them.

#food #mushrooms #pub #son

http://instagr.am/p/NMYvz_okzp/

Desserts are stressed spelled backwards.
#pub #dessert #food #etonmess http://instagr.am/p/NMcgJ0ok12/

Gave Maddox a haircut at midnight. Now we are whispering
stories before we fall asleep. Early flight tomorrow.
#hairstyle #haircut #maddox #max #shorthttp://instagr.am/p/NM2XdLIk2C/

The boys found one of my necklaces, and since its a rarity
that I wear gold I let Max have it.He looks so grown up.
#chain #gold #maddox #max #hat #hiphop #boy #sonhttp://instagr.am/p/NNxPo_Ik2K/

Amazing how awake my boys were at 0500 for a photo op.
Took these right before they left for the airport.
#raisingboys #son #hat #hiphop #shaka #hilife #peace #smile #boy http://instagr.am/p/NN0M1QIk2w/

I have never seen so much of my dad (RIP) in Maddox than today.
I wish had photos of him at Maddox age to compare.
#dad #son #grandson #expression #photobooth #genes #maddox #max http://instagr.am/p/NOCtTjIk5z/

BONNIE ROSE TWEETS

@the_bonnierose on Twitte · via Twitter

Just awoken from a dream about Dad. He had sent me a care package and it had just arrived in the post. I wish there was mail services between here and Heaven.
Second time seeing this film. First time I bawled like a baby in the theatre because De Niro’s character reminds me … http://t.co/6k0fIXm7
After beating ME3, going back through the games starting with the first one. http://t.co/Mm0mU3nC @GetGlue #MassEffect
Living vicariously through @SethGreen this week while his Instagram feed shows photos from @Comic_Con #SDCC #SDCC2012
Finally watched the big episode about Sam Ax’s fate. Michael & Fiona are my favourite tv couple.
Boys and I read this last year and found the movie on lovefilm today. We are discussing how cool it would be to live in a tree house. The film makes us miss island life on Hawaii.
I love that the Hill’s Whitney Port is a judge this season.
Wearing my Deanna Troi shirt to dinner with Magners and @ryanA_official #nextgeneration #startrek #nerd #cidre http://t.co/pAhm88rJ
Gearing up for London 2012 by introducing my boys to a film from my childhood. Belly laughs galore!
Jessica Biel to play Viper in yhe next Wolverine film…awesome! #wolverine #comics
“That’s right, Kenny. The babysitter is dead.” Im pretty sure my sister, Zoë, and I could quote the whole film.
Woah it is the Doctor in Lego form at #SDCC #doctorwho #SDCC2012 #cosplay http://t.co/ZKfMiG2n
Madonna may be 53, but she does not look a day over 35 @MadonnaWorld #Madonna #MDNAParis #MDNATourhttp://t.co/bHF2KdJZ http://t.co/umJP3QA3
‎4 Reasons I wish I could have gone to ComicCon: @Bourdain @GroovyBruce @sethgreen @mattsmith_dw TY to those who posted pics #SDCC #SDCC2012
I have some down time and wanted to shoot. But out of apples and oranges and the store closed 30min ago. #selfportraitchallenge2012
TKMaxx has a lot of surf wear…a lot of Billabong. Makes me forget Im living in the UK and its raining. #beach #surf #tkmaxx #billabong
Found a pink Hello Kitty espresso maker. #hellokitty #espresso #coffee #pink #purple #tkmaxxhttp://t.co/LKtJcoZD
It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.
Photo: Preview of my latest self portrait entitled ‘Orange Crate’. #selfportrait #self #orange #oranges…http://t.co/o2n2hH0J
The back of my FIL’s shirt. I miss Haleiwa. #hawaii #haleiwa #shirt #turtle #honu #alohahttp://t.co/pNU3urrn
Their suitcase packed, their outfit laid out, & carryon ready. Let my boys sleep in my room. Want to stay up & listen to them sleep. Peace.
Just said goodbye to my boys. They left with inlaws for 7 wks in the USA. Safe drive & safe flight. Mummy misses u.http://t.co/nAUl6AmJ

The InLaws Visit

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My boys have been counting down the days for weeks until their Papa and Mimi come over to England. The day finally arrived last week and there have been smiles all around. The first full day the boys got to show them around their school as we went in for the award ceremony. The boys met me at work on Friday and we went out for smoothies afterwards. We spent the afternoon painting and played games together. On Saturday we took the boys to Crawley to see the new Spiderman film and it really exceeded my expectations. We had our first mexican meal in over a year at a nearby restaurant in the town. What was really interesting inside were the chandaliers. A few were made from old spoons and one from old bottles. I posted photos from the below. Sunday the boys and I walked into Lindfield for church. We got to see the little ducklings and they are just as cute as ever. Unfortunately the English summer rain caught us in the downpour. Monday we decided to go see Bodiam castle and there we were greeted by hoards of ducks. They were quite cute and we had fun feeding them. Another creature I found was a fuzzy little bat sleeping on the castle wall inside. It was quite cute. On the way back we decided to take a detour to the beach in Hastings. The weather was so cold and it made me miss the warm Hawaiian sun. We caught up with the rain again on Tuesday, this time in London. We went to the British museum for most of the day and I think the highlight for me was the Picasso exhibit. The boys really enjoyed seeing the mummies. While on the subway we were right next to the actress from Doctor Who (and ER), Alex Kingston, who plays River Song. No photo unfortunately to share but it was another highlight of the day. The boys enjoyed playing on the pirate ship at Hyde park while it was not raining. It has been a good first week. Just one more week left with the boys before they head over to the US. I am sure it will go by way too fast.

The inlaws surprise the boys at school.

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Ronan reads his story to his Papa and Mimi at school.

http://instagr.am/p/Ms_WkBok-D/

My boys receiving their awards at the end of the year award ceremony at their school.

http://instagr.am/p/MvO6f8ok-C/

2 for 1 smoothies today at

#gerzoocoffee

http://instagr.am/p/MvmNITIk4A/

Painting with watercolours with my sons.

#painting #watercolour #watercolor #drawing #art

http://instagr.am/p/MvuWBWIk8J/

Afternoon art

#art #artwork #painting #watercolor #watercolour #girl

http://instagr.am/p/Mv0scEIk_u/

Lost a game of Monopoly to my father-in-law. I traded Mayfair to complete the pink properties…and then landed on both blue properties!

#monopoly #pink #Mayfair #gamenight

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Strawberry love.

http://instagr.am/p/MwPBkmIk_Z/

Bottle chandelier

#chandelier #light #bottle #decor

http://instagr.am/p/MyWH72ok2F/

I love hugs from my little man.

http://instagr.am/p/MyalE-Ik5y/

Spoon chandelier

#spoon #chandelier #decor

http://instagr.am/p/MyUDrPok0Q/

Waiting for the rain to stop and the pub to open for lunch.

#selfportrait #rain #England

http://instagr.am/p/M0TuAcok02/

The baby ducklings in Lindfield are getting bigger and are still so very cute.

#ducks #lindfield #pond

http://instagr.am/p/M0dRv-ok4C/

For ‘blood sucking’ creatures of the night they are quite fuzzy and cute.

#bat #castle

http://instagr.am/p/M3eCPDIk8s/

I caught this duck drinking from the dog bowl.

#duck

http://instagr.am/p/M3eD56ok8u/

I had him eating out of my hand.

#duck

http://instagr.am/p/M3eDQXok8t/

He is a silly knight named Maxalot.

#knight #sillyface

http://instagr.am/p/M3eEpjIk8v/

At the seaside in Hastings

#beach

http://instagr.am/p/M3eGDYok8y/

Fish faces with my son Maddox

#sillyface

http://instagr.am/p/M5R5cbok6M/

Checking out the mummies at the British Museum

#museum #london #skull

http://instagr.am/p/M5a_15ok7w/

With my sons at the British museum

#museum #london

http://instagr.am/p/M5lThZok-5/

Princess Diana Memorial Playground in

#london #memorial #princess #Diana

http://instagr.am/p/M6LgxlIk_K/

BONNIE ROSE TWEETS

@the_bonnierose on Twitte · via Twitter

‎9 and half hours till their arrival. #inlawshttp://t.co/q2e4eVef
Best part of my morning? Finding a 2 pence coin in the hose of my hoover. No wonder it lost suction. Glad its not broken. #firstworldproblem
My american father in law is playing chicken with on coming traffic when deciding what lane to drive in here in the UK. :/
Clean house and just finished the dishes from supper. Whats a girl to do but kick up her feet with a cup of tea.http://t.co/ZYj1Wcw2
Photo: Painting with watercolours with my sons. #painting #watercolour #watercolor #drawing #art (Taken with…http://t.co/uj3g70Xl
Photo: Lost a game of Monopoly to my father-in-law. I traded Mayfair to complete the pink properties…and…http://t.co/tsEFelGF
Watching Karl in Mexico with the hubs and my father-in-law. Yay for hearty belly laughs.
“What Naples is, is a damn beautiful.” – Anthony Bourdain So excited about going back home to bella Napoli this summer!
Have focused on pushups lately. Sleeping with my hands behind my head, cant tell if its painful in my chest muscles or feels great #exercise
Hoping it is better than the last three, than again Im not a fan of Tobey as Spidey. http://t.co/NfG09PFT @GetGlue #AmazingSpiderMan
IDK whats more exciting, the next Bond film, another Batman film with Christian Bale or the newest film in the Bourne Series.
I ♥ High tops for guys. Can you suggest brands that make affordable ones in boys sizes? My kids outgrow shoes fast. pic.twitter.com/ZDZhIkIV
Going back through the series starting with season I of NCIS
Slept on my neck wrong and today my neck progressively keeps getting worse. Hurts to hold my head up. #painful
My 5 yo went from not reading at all in Aug to tonight where he read from Harry Potter to me. So proud. I ♥ reading HP with my sons. #read
What do you call a Frenchman wearing sandals? >>>>>>>>>>Philippe Phillop. #joke
Bachelor is Spencer Mathews from Made in Chelsea. Game on.
Making faces on the train commute to Londonhttp://t.co/3NDT2lAb
Photo: Self portrait in castle by candlelight #selfportrait #castle @thebonnierose http://t.co/U776ROvx…http://t.co/BX8V1Mrx
Just rode on the subway two seats away from Alex Kingston aka River Song #doctorwho
Today I sat next to Alex Kingston on the subway, saw a Japanese artifact that looked like a dalek, and spotted this doctor who bank note at the #BritishMuseum #doctorwho #dalek #tardis
Woke up from an extended afternoon nap just in time for dinner and a thunderstorm. The rain and thunder sound so beautiful. #rain
Just shy of 0430 and watching the sun come up.

Eurocup 2012

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Before I touch on football, a big Congratulations to my Lil’ Roro for winning first place in the art competition for Purple Pinky. We are so proud of your accomplishment and seeing that sweet smile when you found out you won just melted my heart. I love you, my little man. xx

http://www.purplepinkie.com/ ♥ £1 saves the lives of 2 children ♥

Sometimes this is how I feel.

http://instagr.am/p/MipNShokxa/

Maddox showed up with a bowtie for dinner. He requested I call him ‘the Doctor’. Should I have checked to see if he had a Sonic Screwdriver on him?

#doctorwho #bowtie #kid #dressup

http://instagr.am/p/Mq8p_-okxN/

‘Fun': Palaeontology fun with my son

#day4 #photoadayjuly #fun #bones #dinosaur

http://instagr.am/p/Mqi9g9Ik_q/

‘Something Soft': My son’s hair

#day29 #photoadayjune #soft #bw

http://instagr.am/p/Md82QpIkzn/

Happy 4th of July!

@welovemarilyn @alwaysmarilynmonroe @bonnierose

http://instagr.am/p/Mpws7nok-T/

My son won first place for the Purple Pinky Children’s Art Competition

#charity #art #school #rotaryinternational #purplepinky

http://instagr.am/p/MlVY12ok7j/

Dip dyed, cut off, and distressed my jeans for new summer shorts.

#shorts #jeans #dipdye #summer #diy

http://instagr.am/p/MnslnZok3z/

Mirror crashed and broke into way too many pieces than I have patience for today. http://instagr.am/p/MpvvaZIk-J/

‘Favourite part of your day': Receiving messages from friends & family all over the world.

#day3 #photoadayjuly #phone #text #message

http://instagr.am/p/MohnPCoky8/

My dinner before the game.

#pizza #eurocup2012 #italia

http://instagr.am/p/Mi9qnSIk9f/

A new book for my summer reading.

#summer #read #book #ontheroad #kerovac

http://instagr.am/p/Mgkh6Eok24/

Its Game Day.

#eurocup2012 #italy #italia

http://instagr.am/p/MiZ5FUIk7n/

Attending the Summer Concert at my boys’ school.

#school #concert #music #singing #songs

http://instagr.am/p/Md8FiIIkzE/

BONNIE ROSE TWEETS

@the_bonnierose on Twitte · via Twitter

The sun has been up since 0400 and its now 0920 and it is currently 22°C. Is it too early for frozen yoghurt?
My current dream car is the 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. She is beautiful. #car #vintage #rollsroyce #silverhttp://t.co/UwYd9qPR
You know what night is…its Italy vs Germany. Forza Italia! xx
First goal goes to Italy! #eurocup2012 #italy
SUPER MARIO!!!!!!! And a yellow card for taking off his shirt! HA #eurocup2012 #italy
Photo: Italy vs Germany! #eurocup #italy #shadesofblue #maggio #christian #parody #football #forzaazzurri…http://t.co/bBkgVlMU
Buffon ti amo! #eurocup2012
Going to not comment in recent game events and instead point out that keeper Buffon looks a lot like actor John Turturro. #eurocup2012
I love Di Natale! xx #eurocup2012
Italia did it! They go on to play Spain in the finals! #EUROCUP2012
Up to episode five of season two. I think Richard, the war vet missing half his face, might be one of my favourite characters because I think the actor does such a great job bringing him to life.
Last day of work at salon until September. Just one last unsold appt for cut&style available xx
Last appt sold. See you in September. xx
Seeing Michael’s heart break as tears rushed to his eyes when he saw Fiona in jail made my own heart ache. When Fiona started crying, I did too. Do I really have to wait two weeks till the next episode?
Hulk vs Loki was hilarous.
From my boys’room I hear Optimus Prime singing Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. >>
You know you’re a TCK from multi cultural background when your brain instantly blurts out appropriately…http://t.co/7IR52Caz
‎25 super-easy everyday hairstyles for long hairhttp://t.co/NYxIb07h
Wising I was at the beach and not cleaning, so my tunes this morning are @jackjohnson & @jasjason_mraz
To my Canadian friends, Happy (country I tell English people I’m from) Day.
Watching the Eurocup 2012 Finals Italy vs Spain #eurocup2012 #Italy http://t.co/6DOJo9gZ
Wish I could watch the game at the pub with @ryanA_official & his friends bc not only am I watching alone but just missed 5min bc of my net.
Great. Apparently I missed the goal. Italy catch up! #notamused #eurocup2012
Italy it was not our year. #eurocup2012
“Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.” Gillian Darmody – Season II, Episode VIII
Photo: My son won first place for the Purple Pinky Children’s Art Competition #charity #art #school…http://t.co/R42pxjo0
Photo: Third Culture Kids. Artwork by my own little TCK, Ronan (age 7) http://t.co/McS6Uokk
My hair seems to be more wavy & less curly the longer it gets. I love the natural waves with a centre part as of late.http://t.co/bkwtb0fy
Polio has been the theme today. So blessed to have two healthy kids after watching that heartache.
Sometimes Im terrified of my heart; of its constant hunger for whatever it is it wants. The way it stops and starts. #edgarallanpoe #quote
Emily and Jef are still my favourite couple.
Photo: Self Portrait Challenge 2012 #selfportrait #hairflip #birds #movement #longhair #feathers (Taken with…http://t.co/zCFVWkq3
I am eating one bite of my kids’ cookies for every 15 min that they havent finished cleaning their room. It just got real. #parenting #ftw
Rocking out to Bon Jovi for my non holiday here in England.
Can Nucky Thompson be my Uncle? 😉