Category Archives: presents

Our first Christmas in Bath

We moved just a couple of days before Christmas to Bath, England and we able to celebrate the holidays with Nonna (my mum +Teresa Nystrom ) and Zia Zoë (my younger sister +Zoe Nystrom ) at our new place.  It had been a little stressful, but nothing could make our Christmas better than having our family here for the Holidays.  I have not spent a holiday back in Europe with my mum and sister yet, and it was an amazing sense of ‘home’ to break in our life in Bath.  Although my dad could not be here with us in person, he was definitely felt here with us in spirit.  What great memories +Ryan Aherin and I to share to end our 2012.

My family (from L to R): Bonnie, Ryan, Zoë
, Teresa, Ronan, and Maddox)
Making snowflakes on Christmas Eve with roasted chestnuts and mulled cider prepared by my husband. 
After getting their new Arsenal christmas pyjamas, the boys opened the stockings on Christmas morning that Nonna brought for us from the USA.
Maddox asked Father Christmas for a spy kit and looks like he listened!
Nonna brought the boys full Science kits including lab coats!
Ronan ‘trying’ to look sad because it was not a metal detector. But really he was and is still very excited about his Meccano kit.

My husband and I brought back these Roman gladiator sets from our trip to Italy for Father Christmas to bring on Christmas day.  Looks like they can both play ‘Rory’ now. 
We took my mum and sister, Zoë, to the Abbey in Bath on December 27th.
Zia Zoë and my sons lit a candle for my dad on his birthday, who would have been 59 on December 27th.
The view of Bath at night time is equally as beautiful and I loved seeing the water lit up by the lights and bridge under the moonlight.  There were a group of swans that you cannot see in the photo but that added to the ambience of the moment. 
Instagram: thebonnierose

Ronan is 7 years old!

 Happy Birthday Ronan!


Today my oldest turn seven years old! I cannot believe that so much time has gone by since I gave birth to my birthday boy.  We have moved so many times in those seven years.  He is becoming a really sweet young man and I look forward to seeing him grow up in the next seven years to come.  After school I went to the party shop to get balloons and a present for Ronan.  We got him a Doctor Who chess set for his gift.  We had pizza for his birthday dinner.

I stopped off at the party store to get a surprise for Ronan after school. 
I got Ronan a beanie bear attached to seven balloons with footballs on it
and a globe balloon for his Indiana Jones adventure bedroom.  
Ronan enjoying his Birthday dinner.

Maddox makes decorations!

When I dropped Maddox off at school I got to see all the ornaments they have been making for school.  He was very proud to show me the ones he made specifically.  He looks forward to bringing them home at break so we can put them on our own tree.  Afterwards I stopped through town to check out the charity shops.  I found a huge tub of assorted legos for less money than a new lego set costs in the store.  I could not pass this up and so I bought it for the boys for Christmas.  I will just need to figure out how to wrap it up.

Maddox showing off some of his homemade decorations at school. 
Maddox and his classmates decorated these to hang up on their class tree. 
I really like the rudolph ornaments they made too! 
My charity shop find: a huge tub of legos!  This will be perfect for under the tree at Christmas. 

St. Nikolaus & the Shoes

I have picked up many a customs and traditions along my life as a nomad.  One of these is St. Nikolaus, from my time living in Germany.  On the Eve of December 5th, children put out a boot or shoe outside of their front door.  In the morning the children find that St. Nikolaus has filled it up with gifts and sweets after checking to see if the children were ‘good, polite, and helpful the last  year’.  The boys woke me up as they were opening up their goodies from their shoes.  There were candy canes, lego figures, toy airplanes, and a helicopter.  It is a nice tradition I have enjoyed thus far with my kids.  ‘Morty the Moose’ left some moose paper for the boys to make paper chains with today. They enjoyed the craft and we will have fun growing the chain through out the month.  

Maddox holding the candy and toys left in his shoe.
St. Nicholas came and filled the boys shoes with candy and small toys. 
Crumpets with jam and clotted cream
Ronan and Maddox at school. 
Lamb with sweet potatoes and roasted veggies.
Step One: Folding the wrapping paper in strips.

Step 2: Cut along the fold to create long strips.
Step 3: Cutting into smaller strips

Step 4: Fold strips into loops and tape to secure.  Add another strip into the loop and repeat.
Step 5: Hang up on the wall

Our hanging decoration.

Our Polar Express Christmas bells from  Christmas 2008
Bows, cookie cutters, bells, ornaments, and lights.