Madonna & Fam Tour By Private Jet

Who needs a tour bus?
Saturday, July 11th, 2009

After playing a couple of shows in London, England and then one in Paris, France, Madonna packed up her newly expanded family and made her way out of Paris by private plane in order to make her way to Belgium for the next stop of her newly revived Sticky & Sweet Tour … here are pics of the Maddy Bunch gettin’ out of town yesterday afternoon:


Madonna will be on tour up until early September so she and the kiddies have plenty of private planing ahead of them. It looks like little Miss Mercy James is getting a crash course in luxurious living now that she’s officially part of Maddy’s family. Here’s hoping it’s a successful tour … in every respect.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Guy Ritchie Spends Quality Time With His Sons

Daddy Daycare
Friday, June 26th, 2009

Here are a couple of supercute pics of Guy Ritchie spending some quality bonding time with his two sons, Rocco John and David Banda, in the UK this week. Guy, his boys and some friends made their way to see a theatrical production of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens … behold:


Guy Ritchie enjoyed a boys’ day out with sons Rocco and David yesterday as he took the pair to see the Peter Pan play in Kensington Gardens. The casually dress trio arrived at the production with friends and three-year-old David clutched his film director father’s hand as they may their way inside. Ritchie, 40, was every inch the doting father and couldn’t stop smiling as he enjoyed some bonding time with his boys. The ex-husband of pop star Madonna has been looking after Rocco, eight, and David at his home in Wiltshire while she bonds with newly adopted daughter Mercy in London. Madonna’s oldest daughter Lourdes is also thought to be with them. The 50-year-old pop star is said to be determined not to ‘smother’ four-year-old Mercy.

It’s very obvious that divorce is never the best family option for families but many, many times it’s a circumstance that cannot be helped. It seems to me that Madonna and Guy are doing a very good job keeping the kids of paramount importance and ensuring that they are able to spend lots of quality time with both of their parents. It’s not like Guy has to be commended for spending time with his own children but it is a happy sight to see him so involved in their lives (well, as much as he can be considering that they now live with their mother an ocean away). Maddy will be bizzy with the resumption of her Sticky & Sweet Tour in just a couple of weeks … methinks that daddy Guy will be picking up some of the parental slack in the coming weeks and months.

[Source]

Mercy James Leaves Malawi, Reportedly Flies To London

Family Union
Saturday, June 20th, 2009

New reports today insist that Chifundo Mercy James, the precious little Malawian girl that Madonna has been allowed to adopt, boarded a private jet in Malawi that was bound for London, England … presumably to meet up with her new family. The only problem is, no one is completely sure where Madonna is at the moment. She flew in from NYC with her children in tow earlier this week but then left the UK late Friday on another private jet. If Mercy is flying in to London from Malawi, where did Madonna fly off to?


Mercy Chifundo James, the 3-year-old toddler adopted by Madonna, was secretly flown from her home country of Malawi into London early Saturday morning. “A private jet flew in from South Africa and collected her at five minutes to six last evening,” an airport source tells PEOPLE. “She connected to London from Johannesburg at 10:30 p.m.” Mercy, who will be joining big sister, Lourdes, brothers Rocco and David Banda, – also a 3-year-old from Malawi – was accompany by a nanny, a child nurse and another aide. Madonna has homes in England and in the United States … Madonna, who was seen leaving London by private jet Friday afternoon after earlier flying in from New York’s JFK airport, was still expected in Malawi, but no one could confirm when she would arrive. “There are still preparation for her coming,” said a source at Raising Malawi, the charity the singer set up in the African nation. “We still have a two-week booking at Kumbali Lodge.” The Lodge is an exclusive ranch Madonna has been staying during all three of her visits to Malawi. Owner Guy Pickering confirmed his place has been booked for two weeks but could not divulge more. “We don’t discuss our clients; that’s private information,” he said.

HMMM … all of this seems … wrong. My guess is that the report that Mercy left Malawi is a ruse to throw people off track. It seems more likely to me that the little girl was flown to the Kumbali Lodge to meet up with Madonna and co. to begin the bonding process. If the family is scheduled to be in Malawi for a couple of weeks then I’m sure that’s where everyone is meeting up. Whatever the case may be, I am happy to know that the adoption process is moving forward and things appear to be on track. Mercy will return home with her new family soon enough … but for now, bonding. Sounds like a good plan to me.

[Source, Source]

Madonna & Guy Ritchie Continue To Move Forward, Separately

Coupling
Monday, June 1st, 2009

It looks as if things continue to be moving ahead swimmingly for both Madonna and ex-husband Guy Ritchie as they appear to be settling into their new routines … with new partners. Madge has been reunited with her Brazilian model, the youthful toyboy Jesus Luz (who has returned from Brazil to grace Maddy and her kids with his presence in NYC). Guy has been united with a new mysterious lady in Malibu, CA this weekend … the latest in an string of beauties he’s been spending his newly single time with. Here are pics of everyone all hooked-up with their new mates:


Guy Ritchie certainly seems to be enjoying his status as an eligible bachelor. The Sherlock Holmes director, who has been linked to a number of high-profile women including Elle Mapherson and Jemima Khan, was spotted enjoyed a romantic beach stroll with a brunette in Los Angeles yesterday. The pair had dined together at Marmalade cafe before taking to the sand for a walk along the Malibu foreshore. Guy kept it casual in jeans, a T-shirt and knit vest, while his attractive companion looked a picture of Californian chic in a white maxi dress, cardigan and heels. It seems romance was on the agenda on the East Coast too, with Guy’s ex Madonna taking her toyboy Jesus Luz to a polo game in New York. The singer attended the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic in Manhattan with sons David Banda, 3, and Rocco, 7. They mingled with designer Marc Jacobs in the VIP section while watching Prince Harry compete in the charity match. Madonna, 50, did her best to look youthful in denim jeans, matching jacket and trilby hat while Jesus looked every inch a typical 22-year-old in trainers, tracksuit pants, a T shirt and Ed Hardy cap. Despite the model’s recent claims the two are ‘just friends’, they certainly looked more like lovers as they leaned into each other on their way home.

Just friends my ass … but, whatevs. I am very pleased to see that everyone is moving on and finding new happiness with new people. Life is too short to be bitter and lonely … I may give Madonna & Child grief sometimes (in a lovingly/joking manner) but I do wish them happiness. I wish the same for Guy, too! So glad to see new love blossom!

[Photo credit: INFdaily, Splash News; Source]

Jesus Luz Joins Madonna & Kids For Some Kabbalahness

Before the fall
Sunday, April 19th, 2009

Earlier today we learned that Madonna suffered an accident in the Hamptons, NY after she fell off a horse she was riding there last evening but earlier in the day, she and her family (including her newly returned toyboy Jesus Luz) were having a grand ol’ time together getting their church on at the Kabbalah Centre in NYC. Here are a few photos of Madonna and her entire brood — including original babydaddy Carlos Leon, daughter Lourdes Maria, eldest son Rocco John, youngest child David Banda and eldest child friend Jesus Luz — making their grand exit from the Centre yesterday morning:


Passers-by outside New York’s Kabbalah centre must have performed a double-take when Madonna and her entourage turned up yesterday. For the Material Girl not only brought her on/off toyboy Jesus Luz, but her ex Carlos Leon also came along. Fueling rumours that the 50-year-old is back with the Brazilian model, 22, the Queen of pop left the centre with Luz and her three children in tow. Leon, is of course, father to Madonna’s eldest child, Lourdes, 12. Also in attendance was her adopted son, David Banda, and Rocco – but his father, Guy Ritchie, was noticeably absent. It’s the second time Madonna has been spotted with Luz since she announced on Twitter that the pair had split. The singer split from the model, who 28 years her junior, days before flying to Malawi in a failed attempt to adopt the three-year-old child Mercy James. It was reported at the time that Madonna had been told there was disquiet in the country about her lifestyle. But since her request to take Mercy James back to New York was refused, it appears Madonna has rekindled her romance with her ex. She is currently appealing after her bid to adopt orphaned Mercy was rejected by the Malawian courts.

Talk about an entourage … that’s quite a happy family she’s got there. It’s a shame their happy togetherness had to be marred by her accident last evening but at least we know that her day started out much better than it ended. It appears that Jesus Luz is back in full swing as Maddy’s companion and, barring interference from Immigration, will likely be spending a lot of time together. I suspect Chuy is currently keeping vigil by Madonna’s bedside in the hospital like a good little toyboy should. Again, I do hope that Madonna suffered no serious injuries and that she will be back on her feet very soon.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

Madonna Finally Goes On The Record About Her Adoption Plans

Contends she is following "standard procedures" for the adoption of Mercy James
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

First we saw photos of Madonna with her daughter Lourdes Maria in Malawi, then we saw photos of Maddy with her adopted son David Banda. Today we get to see that Madge’s eldest son, Rocco John, is also in Malawi with his mother and siblings on the family trip to A.) adopt a new child into the family and B.) reunited David with his biological father for a quick visit. Madonna, thru her longtime publicist Liz Rosenberg, has finally gone on the record concerning her desire to adopt Mercy James as her daughter and contends that she is following all the standard procedures in place to adopt a Malawian child. Here are a few pics of Madonna and her sons (you will note that Rocco is now sporting a mohawk) in Malawi this week and the latest on her bid to adopt Mercy James:


Madonna said Tuesday that she was following standard procedures in her adoption of a Malawian girl, her first response to accusations that that she is using her fame to speed the process. The pop superstar also took her 3-year-old adopted son, David, to visit the orphanage in Mchinji, a village near the Zambian border, where he once lived. She brought him Monday to meet his biological father for the first time since he left Malawi in 2006.


“Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with David’s Malawian roots,” said Liz Rosenberg in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Madonna took David, her 12-year-old daughter Lourdes and 8-year-old son Rocco to the orphanage with a security detail including uniformed Malawian police officers and plain-clothed guards from a private security firm. The entourage used two Toyota Land Cruisers to block a horde of journalists and more than 200 curious children. There were scuffles with the journalists, including cameramen and TV crews, as they tried to enter the brick-walled orphanage. Inside, the orphanage’s director Lucy Chipeta brought Madonna and her children to see the room and crib used by David. “It was an emotional moment,” she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “I am happy she brought her other children to see his roots.” Madonna confirmed she is trying to adopt a girl named Chifundo “Mercy” James who is about 4 years old. A Malawian judge held a closed-door hearing Monday on Madonna’s application to adopt the girl but delayed ruling on the matter until Friday. The girl’s 18-year-old mother was unmarried and died soon after she gave birth, according to the child’s uncle, John Ngalande. Her father is believed to be alive but has little contact with his daughter, he said. A coalition of non-governmental organizations called the Human Rights Consultative Committee has criticized Madonna’s adoption attempts, saying that adoption should be the last resort and that children need to be taken care of by their own family. “Mercy James is a child who has her extended close family members alive and we urge Madonna to assist the child from right here,” a statement from the coalition said. But others have said that the adoption would give enormous opportunities to the child that she would be unable to achieve in the impoverished country, where 14 percent of adults are infected with the virus that causes AIDS. The U.N. estimates that half of the 1 million Malawian children who have lost one or both parents have been orphaned by AIDS. Malawian law is fuzzy on foreign adoptions. Regulations stipulate only that prospective parents undergo an 18- to 24-month assessment period in Malawi, a rule bent when Madonna was allowed to take David to London. Madonna may also face legal challenges as a single mother; she and Guy Ritchie recently divorced. Madonna first traveled to Malawi in 2006 while filming a documentary on the devastating poverty and AIDS crisis. Her Raising Malawi organization, founded in 2006, raises funds to provide food, shelter, education and health care for children.

It sounds like we really won’t get any new information until the postponed case goes before the court this Friday. In the meantime, it sounds like Madonna and her children are having a lovely time in Malawi. I imagine it was a very emotional moment for Madonna to return to the orphanage where David lived before she adopted him. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how some people can be so critical of her adoption of David and her proposed adoption of Mercy James. In an ideal world, these children would be able to grow up happy and healthy in the care of their mothers … but since that isn’t the case, I think being adopted into a family with the means to provide for an extremely advantageous life is a blessing. But, I shant get into the whole matter all over again. We will soon know what the court’s ruling is and that will settle the case once and for all. And so … we wait.

[Photo credit: INFdaily; Source]

Madonna Takes ALL Of Her Children To The Kabbalah Centre

Madonna escorts all of the kids in her life to get their collective Kabbalah on
Sunday, March 1st, 2009

New photos have surfaced of Madonna accompanying her children — Lourdes, Rocco and David Banda — along with her much, much younger paramour Jesus Luz to the Kabbalah Centre in NYC this weekend tryin’ to look the happy family. Clearly, Madonna’s youngest son, David Banda, does not approve:


After the jump, check out a few photos of Madonna and her gaggle of kiddies (Jesus included) as they made their way into Kabbalah Sabbath services yesterday in NYC …

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