Category Archives: Ryan

Christmas Shopping Date in London

Kua ‘Aina Grill in London

I used to work on Tuesdays but things got a little too hectic at home and so I took to not taking those extra hours in the salon.  Ryan does not have class or work this semester on Tuesday so we found ourselves finally in years with one day to spend with just ourselves.  Well at least while the boys are in school.  With Christmas fast approaching, we decided to take to London for a little Christmas shopping.  As we got off the train we headed through the park where I really enjoyed watching the ducks.  I really enjoy all the parks in England. They are usually quite beautiful and quaint. After a yummy breakfast of warm food we headed to the toy store again for christmas shopping.  It was a really fun outing and makes me really look forward to more Tuesdays like this.  We even found a restaurant chain that we had in Hawaii!  Nothing like a bit of Aloha to make you feel warmer in the cold English weather.  Alas all the fun to be had today was finalized with a little bit of drama trying to get back home.  Unfortunately in the winter months it seems a lot of people decide to take their lives and jump in front of trains.  This happened and it delayed us getting back to the boys by a few hours. With not having any contacts we can rely on in situations like this it made it quite stressful.  My thoughts do go out to the family of the individual who ended their life.  Quite sad.

Ryan in Hyde Park 

Me bundled up in London 
Watching the Ducks 

Brunch of hot soup, warm bread, and a cup of hot chocolate.  

Candy Canes in London before headed back home on the train. 
Yesterday my partner and I took my boys to London for the day and I posted photos from when we played in the leaves.  Here are the rest of the photos from our adventure out in London to experience the Christmas atmosphere.  We started at the German Christmas market where we enjoyed hot cocoa that tasted like melted chocolate bars, ate yummy goulash soup from a bread bowl, and got to sample one of my favourites, German Rittersport chocolate. The boys were read for a lot of photo ops and so this blog post is quite picture heavy.  I ended with our time at Hamey’s, the toy store in London and some of the beautiful Christmas lights seen around town.  I hope you enjoy, as we had a lot of fun together in London. 

Merry Elfmas from Ronan & Maddox

Ronan and Maddox in the Winter Wonderland, the German Christmas market
The Moose that sings and talks!
My three men!
Love all the Christmas ornaments and crafts. Especially the Owls and Moose.
 Gluhwein anyone?
The Hot Cocoa tasted like melted chocolate bars. 
Maddox loved all the animal puppets. Here he is begging for one, “Puhlease!”
Walking down the street of the German Christmas market in London
Potato Pancakes? Yes please!
Ronan and Maddox with the Ringing Father Christmas
Ronan and Maddox with the skiing Father Christmas
Ronan and Maddox with the Nutcracker
Maddox with his German chocolate
Ronan and Maddox with the Snowman
Ronan and Maddox with the snowman familia
Maddox with Father Christmas
Ronan with Father Christmas

Mummy giving a Shaka with Father Christmas! Aloha! Mele Kalikimaka
Hard Rock Cafe has their tree up
The Ritz
The main shopping street where Hamey’s is located.
Boys playing with fake snow at the Hamey’s toy store
Ronan and Maddox really enjoyed all the Harry Potter items at Hamey’s Toy Store
These airbrush pens at Hamey’s Toy Store really won the boys over. They both love crafts and art. 

Ronan and Maddox each got a complimentary blow up ball.  They thought it was magic! 
My favourite store!
My favourite window of Tiffany’s
London at Night

Leaves in London

All week we have been talking about taking the boys to London.  Originally I was going to take them in the morning and go to the National History Museum to see the dinosaurs. Unfortunately I lost my debit card the night before and was not able to leave for London until my partner returned from work on Sunday.  Despite our late start, the four of us headed on the train into London ready for an adventure.  We started the day with some warm pastys, pizza, and sausage rolls and then headed over to the Buckingham Palace.  Last time we came here they had scaffolding all over the place, so it was really nice to be able to take photographs today.  It was quite cold out and so we were all bundled up in our coats, hats, and gloves. Our next stop was Hyde park where I had wanted to recreate a photograph from my childhood.  Though making plans are fun, today was definitely the day to learn flexibility and to be spontaneous instead.  Upon arriving into Hyde park we noticed a mass amount of fallen leaves and so I will be blogging out Autumn leaves again.  What can I say?  I am still quite excited about experiencing different seasons after so many years of just ‘Summer’.  The four of us made huge piles of leaves and Maddox was first to tunnel inside and be covered up.  Ronan joined in the fun and we started getting a lot of really cute photographs.  I think they had the most fun running and diving into the piles of leaves.  Then again any chance for a spontaneous leaf fight will bring smiles and giggles to young and old.  Afterwards we went to the German Christmas market and Hamley’s Toy Store.  I will blog about these tomorrow and leave you with some of the best photographs from the first part of our trip to London. 
Ronan & Maddox playing in the London leaves. 
Ronan having a meltdown moment in front of Buckingham Palace, because his dad took his pizza out of his hand to hide it from the camera.

Ronan and Maddox diving into the leaves!

Playing in the leaves with my two boys!

Ronan getting ready to aim and fire leaves at his dad while Maddox gets an armful. 

Ronan takes fire from leaves that were thrown by his dad.

Not even the photographer (myself) is free from the leaves. Maddox is ready to throw leaves at me as I point my camera at him. 

Christmas Tree

 Today was the first day that we started playing Christmas songs at work.  Luckily they are laced in with the regular songs, so I think they will be enjoyable through the Holidays without getting over played.  When I stepped outside of work tonight, I noticed all the Christmas lights were up down the street in Burgess Hill.  It was very beautiful and seeing Christmas lights are one of my favourite elements of the season.  Upon coming home I decided I was in need of some holiday cheer. So the boys and I put up our Christmas tree.  I found this one the other day at a charity shop, originally from Marks & Spencers, for only 5 quid.  The boys and Ryan had gotten decorations from IKEA on their shopping trip today and so we got to decorate the tree together after dinner.  We have a red and silver theme this year, and it looks very Christmas-y in the corner.  I do miss my Blue and Silver ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ tree from Hawai’i.  But I look forward to building up our Christmas decor while we are living here in England.

Burgess Hill is lit up with Christmas lights. 
Ronan and Maddox decorating our tree
Our Christmas Tree 2011

Parent-Teacher Conference

Ryan looking over Maddox’s school work for the term.
Maddox and Ronan playing with dominos while we were in the conference. 

It has been a rainy last few days…brrr.

After work today I took the train home to meet my partner at the boys’ school.  We were having a teacher-parent conference with my youngest son’s teacher after school.  It was really great getting to go through all of the work that he has done in the term thus far, and see what goals we together can help him achieve through the next term.  The boys had fun playing next door in aftercare where they put together a few puzzles and played games.  Ryan went off to University for a lecture and the boys and I got a much appreciated drive home since it was pouring rain and already dark outside.  I will need to get used to the rain here since it is not a warm rain like in Hawaii.  Better preparation for the elements is a must.

‘B’ is for Baking

Easily one of the favourite past times of the holiday season is indeed baking.  The kids have been doing it at school and we have been doing it here at home with cookies, scones, and cupcakes.  Maddox came home yesterday with his gingerbread cookies with raisins to share with the family.  Ryan has been making scones now at home for tea.  I look forward to getting a start on our holiday baking once December is here…just a few days away now!


My partner is the King of our kitchen. Where I can throw ingredients together and it ends up in ordering a take-a-way, he can put together all these ingredients and make something mouth watering delicisous. These handmade whole wheat scones (pronounced SK-AH-NS) with currants were topped with strawberry jam and english clotted cream.  Yummy.