Category Archives: Maddox

Revisiting the Peter Pan Statue 23 Years Later

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! 

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*photography belongs to Bonnie Rose of Bonnie Rose Photography © 2007 – 2013 | All Rights reserved – www.bonnie-rose.co.uk

Summer Fete in Batheaston

Yesterday we attended our second fete for the Summer season and it will not be our last.  Though we almost feared the weather would have ruined this gem of summers in Great Britain. It was set to begin at noon but we did arrive until three because of the pouring rain.  Miraculously the rain stopped and we were able to spend the last hour of it partaking in all our favourite fete activities.  There was drinking of Pims, letting the boys spend pocket money on activities, checking out the goods for sale, and the eating of cakes and ice cream. The only thing we missed out was on a delicious bowl of strawberries and cream.  However in its place we got to watch a Maypole dance with local school children.  If that was not enough dancing for my boys, they also got to partake in dancing to Gangnam Style.  I left with a happy family, a full belly, and a camera filled with documented memories and a nearly dead battery.  All in all it was a lovely village fete and I look forward to our next one in two weeks time. If the photos below are not enough to get you to a summer fete this year, I took two videos posted to Instagram as well.  To which I have to say is a new feature I highly love. However since they do not allow embedding of videos yet, insert shameless plug to follow me on Instagram here.
** Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All Rights Reserved – www.bonnie-rose.co.uk

Browns Folly & Monkton Farleigh

This weekend we were blessed with a break in the rain and a lovely sunny Saturday.  We took the opportunity to explore a new area near our home in Bath, England.  As active participants of country walks through the English countryside, we love finding new paths to enjoy.  We begun our walk through the town of Bathford up to the woods in the area known as Browns Folly.  My eldest had come here on a school trip this year and we had heard much about the mines and the ground flora we could find in the area.  We indeed did find some of the King Alfred’s cakes and the wild garlic. We also found a lovely horse that was very friendly, got stung by nettle, and covered in pollen as our path took us through a massive yellow field of blooming rapeseed plants. It was yet another day out in England where every ten minutes one of us would exclaim either how beautiful it was or how much we never want to move.  It is hard to feel sad or stressed out when you are outside scenes that look ripped out from a storybook.  Not to mention the tower that was so Rapunzel-esque and the beautiful view of our town below.  Here are a just a few of the many photographs I took on our country walk journey through Browns Folly and Monkton Farleigh. 

 

*photographs belong to Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All Rights Reserved | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk 

Gems of Happiness in Motherhood

Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy for the Blog Every Day in May challenge. 

Today is my youngest son’s 6th Birthday and after abruptly waking him up with ‘Wake up birthday boy its your birthday!’ I guided him downstairs for his surprise.  We had decorated the couch with bunting and balloons with his first present waiting for him with a ‘6’ badge to wear to school.  After singing Happy Birthday we shot of confetti guns and Maddox opened his present of new Horrid Henry books. It was great morning and I look forward to the rest of our celebrations after school.  We are taking Maddox to get his first Build-A-Bear at the workshop in town and eating out for a special dinner.  My mum got him a proper sized tent thats waiting in my closet so I look forward to future camping trips with my family.  I know he is going to be really surprised. Thank you Nonna! 

My sister is five and half years younger (to the day, so we share half birthdays with actual birthdays) and I always thought that was a huge age gap. Now that Maddox, my youngest, is six years old my baby fever is worse as ever. Having two sons I still have high hopes for adding a baby girl to our family one day. It is new ground to plan a baby because we did not plan the other pregnancies. Due to the military my husband missed out on a lot of the early months of Ronan’s life and almost the entire pregnancy with Maddox. Having a more stable life as expats in England I look forward to experiencing having a child abroad. I do not know at this time when we will start trying but I am constantly reflecting on what I love about motherhood.
Enjoying country walks in England, a pastime I enjoyed with my own father, is a gem of motherhood. 

Gems of Happiness in Motherhood

  1. When they giggle in their sleep.  The sound melts my heart. I have yet to it capture on camera, but they still do it.
  2. The Lessons of Life. It can be some of the most insightful, challenging and sometimes hardest part of life growing up. Sometimes the most rewarding.  I make sure my sons realize that life is not easy. So when they accomplish something like mastering the diving board at the deep end of the pool they realize their accomplishments. I love sharing those moments with them. 
  3. When they notice things about life. Things that you would not have seen because you are a grown up.  I love viewing the world through my children’s eyes.
  4. Holidays and Birthdays.  Each one is special and count down the days till the next one.  Children  get so excited about them and they are more fun as a parent than I remember from being little.
  5. Reliving my childhood through my children.  Raising Third Culture Kids (TCKs) in a similar nomadic life as my own. Taking them to places I went to like Disneyland, having them go to school in England like I did, watching shows and films I loved as a child, etc.  Its an interesting take on the past while living in the present. 
  6. The Spontaneity. Things I dont look forward to or plan can be some of my favourite memories.  I took my boys out on an impromptu hike after school one day and we had such a great time.  Life is too short not to be lived in the moment. 
  7. The things they say. Sometimes its heartfelt and sometimes its hilarious. I honestly never know what to expect from the mouths of my sons.  I enjoy especially my one on one conversations with my sons when they come home from school.
  8. Their Growth. Watching them get older. Looking back through photos and videos. Comparing them through out the years as they grow.  Its an amazing thing about life.
  9. When the hug, kiss, or say ‘I love you’. Especially when you are least expecting it.  Especially when you really need it.  

#BlogEveryDayInMay

*photographs found here either belong to Bonnie Rose of Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All Rights Reserved | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk 

I Miss My Daddy

Day 12, Sunday of  the Challenge: What do you miss?

 I miss my Daddy. In August 2008 he was hit on his bicycle by a young driver, Faith Quick, under the influence of drugs with a prior record. She was never official charged for his death and spent just a few days in jail for the drug use. My father served 30+ years in the USAF, was a Veteran of Foreign Wars, and until his death was a teacher at Accelerated Learning Laboratory in Tucson, AZ.  He rode his bicycle to and from work to be eco friendly.  He is one of many who have been killed on bicycles by cars or buses.  I miss him a lot, and I really wish I could get the time back that was stolen from us, and from my sons. 

This is the last photo I had the opportunity of taking of him (July 4th, 2007) and fortunately it was with both of his grandsons. He had come to Oahu for a few weeks to visit after the birth of my son Maddox. 

At our home in Ewa Beach my dad read to my son Ronan with their long hair and in their Aloha Shirts. 

Dinner at Duke’s in Waikiki my son Maddox Charles with his namesake, Grandpa Charles aka ‘Grandpa Chuckles’. 

Two years after his funeral we returned to the USAF Academy in Colorado to visit my Dad in 2010.

It was the last time I have been able to visit his final resting place at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs. 
Diary entry from my nine year old self back on the 6th of March, 1991 about how 
much I missed my daddy who was fighting in the Gulf War with the USAF. 

“March 6, 1991: It’s been over three months since Daddy has been in the Gulf. I really miss him. I’m not sure what I’m going to do first when Daddy comes home. Right now the time is 7:51 pm. I can’t wait! Wait! Until Daddy comes home!” 

(spelling corrected so you can read to understand)
#BlogEveryDayInMay
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*photographs found here either belong to Bonnie Rose of Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All Rights Reserved | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk 

Baaaaa-ank Holiday Monday

Today was a bank holiday here in England and so Ryan had the day off of work.  
Since the boys were already off of school for Easter break, 
we were able to get two days of country walking in this weekend.  
Yesterday we walked for four hours and today for nearly five 
as we went on a seven mile walk through the English countryside.  
We saw deer both days.  Today we also saw the following animals: 
cows, horses, pigs, llamas, chickens, goats, birds, chickens, and fields of sheep.  
I love sheep. Especially the way the dot the rolling hills behind our house. 
But they are even cuter when  you have to walk through 
a field of them and have them ‘bah’ ing in chorus around you.  
I hope you like photographs of sheep 
because I took quite a lot to share with you on the blog. 
Pink Wellies by Hunter, black leggings & scarf from my closet, and I raided my husband’s closet for the jumper. 
The deer that we saw today running through the meadow. 
Trying to get my boys to not shout, as to scare the wildlife,  was proving challenging today.
Then we came across the sheep.  
There were so many little lambs running about the field. 
Here was one feeding from their mummy. 
My babies obliged me with having their photo taken with the sheep.
There was a whole field full of sheep. 
The lamb were definitely my favourite.  So cute.
Maddox said he was very glad to see the sheep because it was his first time being so close to them. 
We eventually found our path through the field and what could be cuter than watching your family among the sheep. 
My husband with our our sons and the sheep in the background. 

*photographs belong to Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All rights reserved. | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk
**Please contact if you want to use any photographs or for more information regarding photographic services. 

Dick Willows Farm Shop

This past week I had the opportunity to go to my first farm shop, since relocating back to England.
Dick Willows is forty minute walk from our house making it quite convenient.
Sadly Dick Willows is leaving its location just as I find this gem.  
The silver lining being that while they are here everything is currently 30% off.
On Friday I was taken here by my friend Libby and we browsed around, 
enjoyed a chai latte with scone, and then picked up a few food items. 
She also introduced me to how amazing the combination of 
chutney, cheese, and bread/crackers and how delicious it can be.
So the following day, despite the heavy cold rain, I dragged my family back with me.
It ended up being lovely despite the weather conditions.
The boys had a lot of fun browsing the antique section
as they hunted for treasures to purchase.
Ronan finally settled on a cool dark red dragon figure.
I found some vintage fabric for which I plan to make couch pillows.
Maddox picked up vanilla fudge and Ryan found his cider.
You can actually come to Dick Willows and do cider tasting.  
I should add that if you are in the Bath area you can still purchase the cider
from the weekend market in town. 
All in all it was a great two days out and I am still
quite gutted that its closing down.
Yes. The cider is really that bright orange.
It tastes quite yummy too.