Kid Stories

Two stories from Abigail.

1) Abigail and I were dancing to some fast 80's music before bedtime and when we were done I told her we needed to unwind by laying down on the carpet and listen to some slow music. We ended up listening to Michael Jackson's Human Nature. In the song Michael Jackson repeatedly sings the word "why...why" so Abby asked me, "Dad, why does the lady keep asking why?" I said, "Actually, Abby, it's a guy, a man, who is singing." Abby said, "No, that's a girl." So I suggested we go watch the song on youtube. We went back to the computer and as soon as the video popped up, Abigail said, "He looks like a girl too!" ...From the mouth of babes.

2) I was putting Abigail to sleep and we were talking about the scriptures and we got onto the subject of the Holy Ghost and baptism and Abigail said, "I don't want to be baptized because mom said ghosts aren't real." I found out later Emily was telling Abigail that the ghosts she saw in a Scooby-Doo book weren't real. Well, I asked Abigail if she wanted to pray about it and she said okay and this was her prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Is the Holy Ghost real? ...Yes? Okay. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

If only all problems were solved so easily.

Update

Here is a strange picture of Abigail and her friend Liam watching biscuits cook. Good clean fun and a good facial expression to boot!

We bought some pink curlers for Abigail's hair. It looks so cute! I need to take a picture of it when they get pulled out in the morning.

We had a really fun Valentines. The flowers that Benjamin gave me have been a beautiful thing all week long. Abby has enjoyed them a lot. She enjoyed feeding them and watching them grow. Benjamin gave both his girls a cup, candy and card. It was fun.
Here are some quotes from Abigail.

Abigail left the dinner table and Benjamin told here to come back to finish her rice and she replied,"No, Daddy. I am SO not even hungry."

Benjamin took her to the bathroom and Abby told him to go away. He closed the door and heard her say, "I have got to figure out a way that I can be alone."

Last Sunday I played a solo during sacrament meeting. I was pretty nervous, but I calmed down when I heard Abigail start singing along, quite loudly, to my music. At dinnertime I told Benjamin how hearing Abigail had helped me. He said he had been trying to get Abigail to be quiet. So he said to Abigail, "Did you hear that Abigail? You know how I was telling you to be quiet while Mommy was playing? I guess it helped her. It just goes to show..." And Abigail replied with a serious look on her face, "Yep Dad. It just goes to show."

She is a lot of fun. She brings us much joy and laughter.

Emily's 25 Random Facts

1. When I was little I used to say I didn't like any fruits and only one vegatable, potatoes. I now eat most fruits and vegetables. Except I don't like any kinds of melons, cucumbers or grapefruit.
2. I love plain yogurt, but don't like milk.
3. I was in a Jazz Band, 2 choral choirs and Bell Choir in high school.
4. At one point I had a job as a piano accompianst for a singing teacher...one of my favorite jobs EVER!
5. I was a nursing assistant during college, the job was hard but I love the people I worked with. I got a minor in gerontology, because I love old people.
6. My husband was the first boy I kissed.
7. I ran cross country, 800m, 1600m and hurdles when I was 12-16 years old.
8. At age 15 I had surgery on both my knees. No fun.
9. I love walking and when the weather is warm I take my little girl on daily stroller rides.
10. I played the piano at a convention for the guy that wrote the Color Code books.
11. I totally love being a mom, but I am constantly surprised at how challenging and humbling it is.
12. I have been an Enrichment counselor, enrichment babysitting cordinator, enrichment leader, enrichment board member and enrichment teacher. Yeah, I don't know why. I am always the one who says, "Okay, how can we simplify this activity."
13. I love swimming but I am not good at it.
14. I really love bread... I love eating it and making it, but especially eating it. If you offer me any kind of dessert or candy I will turn it down to a homeade roll any day.
15. I like Birkenstock sandals.
16. I like drawing and painting with watercolors. But I really get nervous whenever I am doing a project. I am afraid I am going to mess it up.
17. My favorite book is Jane Erye. I really enjoy reading.
18. I love to organize and de-junk.
19. I am a good thrift store shopping. But generallly I don't like shopping of anykind.
20. My favorite foods- enchiladas, pizza, hummus, my mom's pumpkin pie and enchiladas.
21. When I was pregnant with Abigail, I went through 3 bottles of Sambal Indonesian Red Pepper Sauce.
22. My family did a lot of camping when I was growing up. While some families would go to Disneyland for a trip. We would go to Tooele to do some shooting.
23. I have survived a roasted chestnut exploding in my face.
24. As a young adolescent I would regularly eat an entire batch of chocolate no-bake cookies. My friend and I would double the batch and just get it bowl-fulls at a time.
25. When I get tired my eyes blink independently of each other.

Benjamin's Random Survey

I (Benjamin) was filling out one of these "Random Survey's" on facebook and figured I would put it on the blog as well. So, for your reading pleasure, here are 25 random things about me. Emily's 25 random things will be coming soon...

1-I'm not eating any candy or dessert for a year. So far so good, but my cereal consumption has since gone through the roof.
2-I love cookies.
3-I grow a red beard but I (used to) have sandy blonde hair
4-I love smoked oysters, green olives, feta cheese, brussel sprouts and many other foods that aren't typically liked. I don't think I have a lot of taste buds.
5-I speak Dutch fluently.
6-I love maps. I can stare at them for literally hours.
7-I am allergic to garlic.
8-I watched Pollyanna a year ago and loved it.
9-There is a song that is called "The Most Unwanted Song" that was designed to be annoying to nearly the entire population of the world. I happen to like it especially when I am studying.
10-I had to wear braces on my legs as a baby because my leg bones were not developed enough.
11-I squatted over 500 pounds in college regularly before my mission.
12-I love teaching and learning so much!
12 1/2-As a kid I was afraid a triceratops would attack me in my sleep. For this reason I chose the bottom bunk since a triceratops would be so big that its horns would skewer whoever was on top.
13-I regularly rock out to Dutch, Norwegian and Gaelic music.
14-I play the violin and I used to be pretty good, but it terrifies me to play in public. Ironically, I love singing and speaking in public.
15-Growing up I followed my sisters example in almost all things. She has never led me astray except once and that is that I only took 3 years of science in high school rather than 4.
16-I love to cook. Soups and Dutch food are my favorite things to make.
17-I have a favorite green t-shirt that I have had since I was a sophomore in high school. It is slowly dying and it makes me sad to think one day I will have to cut it up into dust rags.
18-I don't generally like wearing shirts with any writing or pictures on them. Monochromatic is what I prefer. One exception to this is Napoleon Dynamite shirts.
19-I go nuts when I play volleyball. Football generally has a calming effect on me especially in high school. These are my two favorite sports.
20-I took a ballet class in college. I know what a dance belt is.
21-My first official date with my wife happened one Sunday in October. My sister Jill invited me to have dinner at her place and I asked if I could bring a girl. Jill said yes, so I stepped out of my apartment and said to myself, "First girl I see gets to eat with me." Emily was the first and I'm a better man because of it.
22-I think I do a pretty good turkey impression.
23-I couldn't tie my shoes until I was eight.
24-I spent a whole day at universal studios and neglected to go to any of the rides. I didn't realize there was a lower level!
25-I have a goal to see all 50 states. I've been to 38 so far!

Winter time

My sister-in-law Carrie sent me this cute apron. Abbie took a picture of it for me.

Abby is my big helper. She is really good at helping with chores and daily work. The other day she did a lot of the labor for the enchiladas. I am very proud of her and appreciative.





I love organizing things. This closet was my project one morning. Abigail took the before, during and after photos.



Playing in the snow.




Some more pictures that Abbie has taken...



Abigail loves to dress up and dance.

Abigail has been taking pictures by herself a lot lately. This one is of Daddy when he came home from work. That is always a really exciting time of the day for Abbie. We love her Daddy! The one below that is mom and dad picking up blueberries that had spilled. We asked Abigail to help and she said she would take a picture instead. It was funny.


We went to Michigan's Historical Museum in Lansing one morning when it was in the single digits one day. They said it felt like -7 degrees outside. So we were very grateful for a fun indoor activity. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out we went on Michigan's birthday. Because of this they had all sorts of crafts and volunteers there to talk with about Michigan. They even had a birthday cake. Michigan is now 172 years old. Abbie had a great time.


Benjamin is ABD!!!! A.B.D. stands for All But Dissertation in the Academic world. Today he passed his Oral Comprehensive Exams. He went from being a doctoral student to a doctoral candidate. It is all very exciting. Benjamin has worked really hard to get to this point. Abigail and
I made a sign, got balloons and did a scavenger hunt to honor him and to celebrate.




CONGRATULATIONS Benjamin! We love you and are proud of you!

Christmas Break

Here are some pictures from our Christmas break. We had a great time in Utah with the Grows. All the kids were there and it was a blast. Mary came home from her mission and that made it extra special.

Merry Christmas from the Forsyths!


Mary made us some tasty German food.


This is a jaw breaker that met a firecracker.


Me and my sisters grew our hair out while Mary was on her mission. We all went and got 11-12 inches cut off our hair to give to Locks of Love.


We got lots of beautiful snow while we were there. The kids had a lot of fun playing in it.



We went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to see the lights.


Aunt Laura made a fort as large as the living room for the kids. It had a hobbit door and a peek hole. The kids played under it and decorated every inch of it.


Abigail, Josh and Esther really enjoyed having story time every night with Grandma Grow.

Christmas morning was a lot of fun. Daniel got an iron man shirt. David was told the only thing he needed was a hairy chest. I got a pink "LAMB-BORG-INI". And of course there were at least a handful of Chuck Norris Folders that were bestowed and appreciated. Awesome.

Our Nativity was a hit. Way to go on the costumes mom! Love the donkey ears Laura!

My family makes killer good pizza. YUMMY!

Grandpa helped Abigail put "bandages" on all the sick dollies and animals.



Mom made costumes for our Nativity play. Abigail loved her pink angel dress. We put ribbons up all through the neighborhood and made a signs in preparation for Mary's homecoming.


We got to go see Grandma and Grandpa Stenquist and Granpa Grow. We sure love them!

Abigail spent a lot of time rearranging the nativity.


We had lots fun with our friends!

One of Abigail's favorite things to do is throw balls down the stairs to Grandpa. He is a good sport. It can be scary to have balls flying down at you at high speeds. We also had fun using the stairs as a slide.