Beckynews

Butterflies in the Garden

2009-09-11T18:08:00.005+02:00

First Day of School

2009-09-11T18:02:00.001+02:00

Pembs August 2009 - Happy Kids!

2009-09-02T11:44:00.003+02:00

Pembs August 2009 - Barafundle

2009-09-02T11:32:00.003+02:00

Pembs August 2009 - Burial Chamber and Rocks

2009-09-02T11:09:00.004+02:00

Pembs August 2009 - Foel Cymcerwyn

2009-09-02T10:50:00.003+02:00

Pembs August 2009 - Stones Beach

2009-09-02T10:44:00.002+02:00

Kids

2009-08-21T18:26:00.003+02:00

Some recent shots

Flowers in my Garden

2009-08-21T18:23:00.002+02:00

I'm really enjoying having a garden of my own, and since my kind brother gave me hihs old camera, I thought I'd practice with it by taking some shots of the lovely flowers that are out in the garden right now.

Everton

2009-08-07T12:01:00.000+02:00

Boba got to enjoy his first ever live football match at Goodison Park.

Being Jane

2009-06-01T23:16:00.000+02:00

It was an overcast day. The view over the Yorkshire Moors was of a barren wilderness, but it was strangely beautiful. A family set off towards the historic hilltop of Black Hill. The ground was uneven, and boggy in places. It wasn’t long before the mother was far behind. Her pace was slower and more cautious than the rest.

She began to lose sight of the others and endeavoured to catch up. Alas, she was not fast enough and could no longer see the rest of her party. She paused near the bottom of the hill, hoping to see them descend. They did not. She waited for a while before deciding to head back the way they had come. But with no path and a terrible sense of direction, it wasn’t long before she realised she was lost.

Panic and fear set in as she called out loud the names of her family. Her only answer was the whirling wind. She hadn’t had visual sight of the others for over an hour. Luckily she was able to get a mobile phone signal, and get her husband to answer his phone. The relief was great at hearing his voice, but the fear spilled over into sobbing as she told him she had no idea where she was.

“Help was coming” she was told. The police had been called and were on their way. Calls and texts were made and received. The police told the woman she was in the only part of the moor where there were no landmarks and they had no idea where she was. She had to walk back towards the hill she had come from. She groaned. She’d spent the last two hours walking away from it!

She walked and walked. Slowly and carefully trying to avoid sinking in the muddy, wet terrain. At times she fell when the ground was uneven. At times she couldn’t tell that she was about to step in mud up to her knees. Her stomach rumbled, and she wished she eaten before they set out instead of ‘working up an appetite’ on the walk. She craved a drink of any kind. She thought about her favourite book, Jane Eyre, and imagined herself as her heroine wandering aimlessly on the bleak landscape. She wished St John Rivers would appear and rescue her!

Rescue eventually came. Five hours after the start of her walk, and four since she’d last seen her family. It wasn’t St John, but a police helicopter that pulled an exhausted women from the moors.

This is how I spent last Tuesday afternoon!

Lessons learnt: Stay together. Have a map and compass (and learn how to use it!)

Bagging Hills - Bedfordshire

2009-03-12T14:54:00.003+01:00

Dunstable Downs, 17th February 2009

Seem to have lost the picture, but since it was a National Trust visitors centre, it wasn't that exciting anyway!

Family Christening

2009-03-12T14:48:00.002+01:00

Following the new arrival to the family. N, our new niece was christened last weekend. Here are a couple of pics!

New Family Member

2009-02-23T11:34:00.001+01:00

This took far too long for me to upload onto the computer, but we welcomed a new neice into the family on our 10th wedding anniversary. Congrats to B&F!

Snow!

2009-02-06T11:30:00.000+01:00

As Britiain's been hit with the snow, we've had a couple of snow days and yesterday produced this snowman!

Bagging Hills - Anglesey

2009-02-02T18:37:00.001+01:00

This is us at the top of Holyhead Mountain in Anglesey, 5 January 2009.

Bagging Hills - Leicestershire

2009-02-02T18:34:00.002+01:00

A new family project is to 'bag' all the highest points in each of the historic counties of England and Wales. This is us at the top of Bardon Hill, Leicestershire on Jan 1 2009.

Anglesey

2009-02-02T18:31:00.005+01:00

We enjoyed a lovely holiday on January on the Welsh island of Anglesey with R's parents. R and I also celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary while we were there.

Siblings

2008-12-24T00:22:00.003+01:00

The three kids having some laughs together just before Christmas!

Face Painting and Fun at the Fair

2008-12-04T11:53:00.002+01:00

Here are some pics af Leah - all face-painted up for Children in Need and Leah and ObiWan at the local annual town fair.

Star Wars!

2008-11-04T13:02:00.000+01:00

A boy's dream come true! Star Wars as far as the eye can see!

Father and Son Camp

2008-11-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

R and the boys also enjoyed this summer a night camping in Wales with a hike the next day!

Air Show

2008-11-04T12:58:00.000+01:00

Daddy and the boys also got to go to a very special air show this summer. It was a 90 plane flyover in the presence of the Queen to celebrate 90 years of the Royal Air Force. They got wet, but LOVED seeing all those great planes!

Boys Trip

2008-11-04T12:54:00.000+01:00

These are a few of the photos from R's annual Austrian boys hiking trip.

Family Walk

2008-11-04T12:53:00.000+01:00

On our walk through the woods near Bosworth Field, we saw Thomas! All the kids were very excited!

Battle of Bosworth

2008-11-04T12:51:00.000+01:00

We took a family trip out recently to the site of the Battle of Bosworth. We enjoyed a lovely walk and some beautiful English countryside.

Family Gathering

2008-11-04T12:27:00.002+01:00

R's sister J visited in the summer and we had a family BBQ.

New Nursery

2008-11-04T12:24:00.007+01:00

The boys started a new school and here's Leia, all ready for her new nursery school!

New Schools

2008-11-04T12:14:00.003+01:00

I know it's been ages since I've posted. We moved (again!), this time to facilitate R's new job at Loughborough Grammar School. This has enabled the boys to attend the prep school that's attached, Fairfield Preparatory School. They're pictured at the Grammar School with R.

Poor Boba!

2008-06-06T13:23:00.003+02:00

Boba unfortunately broke his arm this week :(
This is his temporary cast from the emergency room. He now has a bright blue one that will stay on for the next 4 weeks!

Cute Kids!

2008-05-08T14:19:00.000+02:00

Walk in Bluebell Woods

2008-05-08T14:02:00.002+02:00

Not great quality I'm afraid - taken on a mobile phone!

French Day

2008-04-28T10:13:00.002+02:00

Boba and Obi Wan had French Day at school today. They got croissants and orange juice and really enjoyed dressing up!

Back in Vienna for a Visit - Scenery

2008-04-25T09:22:00.002+02:00

Back in Vienna for a Visit - Composers Graves

2008-04-25T09:19:00.003+02:00

Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms and (Johann) Strauss are pictured.

Acting Star Wars!

2008-04-20T20:22:00.002+02:00

Leia Singing!

2008-04-03T18:52:00.003+02:00

Leia singing "Magic" from the movie 'The Magic Roundabout'!!!

Family Picture

2008-03-29T14:02:00.002+01:00

Catch Up - Circus Day at School

2008-03-18T18:59:00.000+01:00

Boba Juggling and Obi Wan (mini) stilt walking!

Catch Up - Obi Wan's First Day of School

2008-03-18T18:54:00.002+01:00

Catch Up - Boba's Baptism

2008-03-18T18:53:00.002+01:00

Catch Up - Tenby in Winter

2008-03-18T18:51:00.002+01:00

Catch Up - Leia's 3rd Birthday

2008-03-18T18:49:00.002+01:00

In Memorium

2008-02-05T23:39:00.000+01:00

John Frederick McLaverty

2 November 1916 - 5 February 2008

My beloved grandfather

Obi Wan one year on

2007-12-22T23:33:00.001+01:00

One year ago, Obi wan spent 11 days in hospital, a very sick little boy with pneumonia. Here he is now!

Tudor Christmas Party

2007-12-19T15:49:00.000+01:00

Boba dressed as Henry VIII for his school Tudor party. Obi-wan is apparently his heir Edward!

Family Reunion

2007-12-19T15:47:00.000+01:00

This was taken at our family reunion in September

Catch Up

2007-12-19T15:43:00.000+01:00

Boba's first day at his new school, Leia having a rest and Boba's 8th birthday!

It does snow in England!

2007-11-29T12:54:00.001+01:00

A snowy day in November (courtesy of my dad!)

So Long, Farewell...

2007-06-28T10:28:00.001+02:00

Our time in Vienna has come to an end. We've loved it. It's a gorgeous country, a fantastic city and we will miss it. Hope you've enjoyed the scenery over the past 10 months! You can get one last view by viewing Ronan's photos from his boys weekend away!

Where did she get those eyes?

2007-06-28T10:26:00.001+02:00

Since pictures of Leia have been lacking, I thought I'd add this one, taken this week.

Pop! Goes My Heart

2007-06-23T11:26:00.000+02:00

This is from the movie "Music and Lyrics". It opens the film and I just laughed out loud at Hugh Grant!

Leia

2007-06-23T11:14:00.000+02:00

This is an enlargement of part of another photo. I loved it, and thought although you can't see Leia's face, it captures her quite beautifully!

Bad Gastein

2007-06-16T17:30:00.000+02:00

Camping with Daddy

2007-06-16T17:17:00.001+02:00

Daddy and Boba at Traunsee

2007-06-16T17:15:00.001+02:00

Duernstein

2007-06-16T17:11:00.000+02:00

Trip to the Zoo

2007-03-30T19:44:00.000+02:00

Just before we broke up for Easter break, some of my German class took a trip to the Zoo at Schonbrunn. Obi Wan came with me and had a great time seeing all the animals. The lioness seen here (and it was a complete fluke that I got her growling), was looking (and roaring) right at Obi Wan!

Trip to the Embassies

2007-03-27T17:59:00.000+02:00

At the weekend, Daddy and Boba celebrated the beginnings of the EU (Sunday was the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome). All the EU Embassies were open to the public. They got a passport (pictured holding) that was stamped at every embassy they went to. They also got flags, stickers, posters, maps etc. (loot also pictured!) Boba was also the 200th person into the British embassy, and given a really nice book on Britain and a pin with crossed Austrian/British flags. They had a great time, and now Boba is drawing flags and regularly looking at a map of the EU!

Day Trip to Tulln

2007-03-23T08:49:00.000+01:00

We recently took a little train trip out of the city to the town of Tulln.

Out and about in Vienna - March

2007-03-15T19:17:00.000+01:00

We recently went out and about and had a quick stop at the Military Museum. It used to be the Austrian Military Arsenal and barracks. Nice buildings huh!?

Out of the mouths of babes...

2007-03-15T19:02:00.000+01:00

The following is a recent conversation I had on a walk with Obi-Wan:

OW: You make baths nice Mummy.
Me: Do I?
OW: Yes, Daddy makes them too hot.

30 seconds later...

OW: Uncle Richard has lots of things
Me: Does he? What does he have?
OW: He has stairs in his house.

Another 30 seconds later...

OW: Mummy, why does Grandpa have gold teeth?.....

Dinner Time!

2007-02-18T19:06:00.000+01:00

Leia loves sitting on her new dolls bed and making 'dinner' for her favourite doll 'Sally'!!

Day Trip - 5 February 2007

2007-02-06T18:29:00.000+01:00

Since Boba has school holidays this week, we took the opportunity to get out of the city. You can see Ronan, with the kids at Semmering in front of the small training ski slope. It was extremely cold! Next you can see Mariazell - a pilgrimage place for Mary in Austria, where the waters are said to have healing properites. Next we went to the Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, which is alleged to house a relic - part of the cross of Christ, and is a working monastry. The kids also got to see and play in some snow - which we've only seen a couple of days worth in Vienna this winter! The scenery along the way was stunning, and was a great way to spend our day out!

Around the House

2007-02-02T13:32:00.000+01:00

Happy 2nd Birthday!

2007-01-20T14:17:00.000+01:00

Leia is 2! She very much enjoyed opening her presents and playing with her new toys. (So do her brothers!)

Birthday Video Night

2007-01-20T14:14:00.000+01:00

The sofa is out and all are ready to watch a movie for part of Leia's birthday celebration!

Some Random Pics

2007-01-07T21:17:00.000+01:00

Just because I think they're so cute!

New Years Day

2007-01-03T22:21:00.000+01:00

We went into the city centre to enjoy the annual Vienna New Years Day concert on the big screen outside the Rathaus.

We then enjoyed strolling through the streets of Vienna.

Christmas in Vienna

2006-12-21T12:00:00.000+01:00

The Christkindl Markt outside the Rathaus

Fun at Zoom Kinder Museum

2006-12-21T11:50:00.000+01:00

Obi Wan in Hospital

2006-12-21T11:36:00.000+01:00

Some pictures of Obi Wan during the 11 days he spent in hospital recently with pneumonia. Happily, he's all better now!

Boba's Birthday

2006-12-21T11:23:00.000+01:00

Cake and fun at Minopolis, with friend, D.

Like Mother Like Daughter!

2006-12-01T19:25:00.000+01:00

Me as a child, and Leia wearing the same top 30 years later!