1. The other night, my husband and I were getting ready to go out on a
date. This was our first date in a while and I decided to dress a bit
fancy- you know, a dress, makeup, earrings- and when I went to say
goodbye to the kids, my 5-year-old daughter said to me, "Wow, Mommy! You
look very foxy!"
2. Before Max was born all Clara wanted was a little brother. In fact, she is pretty certain that the only reason Max is a boy is because she prayed every night for him. There's something about having a baby brother that makes her smile.
Plus, there are so many girls in
the house so who can blame a 3-year-old for wanting some testosterone in
the house? Anyways, last night I overheard Emme playing with Max
and she said, "Max, you're so macho and cool. I'm so glad God answered my prayers. You love playing in the dirt
and your good at burping!" Okay, maybe I was wrong? Is she only looking
for someone to play in the dirt and burp with?
3. This
morning Eleanor asked if she could have chocolate pudding for breakfast.
After I said so because it wasn't healthy or nutritional for a morning
meal, she said, "But Mom! Chocolate every day keeps the doctor away!" I
just about burst out of my chair from laughing so hard.
4. Clara has a very close relationship to Ben and she is definitely a
daddy's girl. Yesterday I was brushing her hair for church and she said
to me, "Mommy, when I grow up i'm going to marry Daddy." I didn't take
her that seriously and responded with, "But then who will I be married
to?" She looked at me and said in a very persuasive and serious tone,
"No one. You can just be a grandma." I then said, "Aw, but I want to be
married to Daddy forever." And she looked at me, annoyed and dead
serious that she was going to marry her father, and said, "Fine, we can
trade. I'll give you my teddybear if you give me Daddy." Wow, looks like
I have a businesswoman in the making!
5. Alexandra has been helping
me cook dinner every night. She loves it and can't get enough of the
attention she gets from everyone telling her "thank you" and "oh, Alex,
this is very delicious." It's nothing too advanced, just things like adding salt to a meal or pouring milk into the mashed potatoes. A couple of nights ago, Ben's boss came over
for dinner with his wife and kids. Alexandra and I cooked a fancy dinner,
one that she was particularly proud of. Before we began eating, Alexandra
said, "Instead of saying our prayers, can we just have a moment of
silence for this delicious meal I made?" Everyone was silent and then
burst out laughing!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
About Our Family
At-a-Glance
In-Depth
Laura- My name is Laura. I was born in 1983 to Michael and Ella Porter as the second of five daughters (ironic now that I have five daughters!). My father was in the military and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. Because of my father's career we lived in many different states and a few countries: California, Utah, Connecticut, Maryland, Wyoming, London, and Japan. Living in many different places throughout my childhood definitely played a part in my dislike of moving so much , but it also contributed to my love of traveling and seeing the world. It was living in Utah when I was 4-years-old that my parents felt inspired to join the Mormon faith of which I am still a member. In 2003 I graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters Degree in education, a Bachelors Degree in English, a major in psychology, and minor in Spanish. I am now a stay-at-home mom.
Benjamin- I am Benjamin. I was born in 1980 to Edward and Carolyn Horvath in London, England. No i'm not an only child and, ironically, while Laura has four sisters I have four brothers. My father is an orthopedic surgeon and my mother spent my childhood days working in the home to care for the children before opening her own bakery back home. I remained settled during my childhood and did not move many times like Laura . In fact, my parents still own my one-and-only childhood home back in London. As a lifelong Mormon, when I was 18-years-old I was called upon to serve my mission in Belize. I returned two years later to London where I spent a year with my family before proceeding to America to receive an education from Brigham Young University. It was there that I received a Masters Degree in Marketing, Bachelors Degree in Economics, and a major in mathematics. My college education served me well and I am now a founding partner at a marketing firm.
Us- Benjamin and I may have received our educations from BYU but we received something much greater from our five years at the university: each other. It was there that we met and we were married four years after our first date and three months after graduation. For six months we traveled the world (to parts of India and South America) and then returned home where Benjamin received a dual British-American citizenship and we moved to California so he could begin his dream career. It was immediately after that we felt ready to begin our family. That brought us our five beautiful daughters and handsome son: Lydia (9), Alexandra (7), Eleanor (5), Clara (4), Katherine (2), and Max (b. 2013). We settled down after the birth of our first daughter to focus on our family and we still live in the same dream home we started our family in and will grow old together in.
Lydia- Lydia is the best big sister and eldest daughter anyone could ask for. In fact, I know God made her my first child because He knew my children and I would need someone like her to be a mini-mommy and big sister. She is incredibly helpful to me and loves to help with whatever is needed. Lydia also has a huge heart and the most caring soul. Lydia is definitely a spitting image of myself; we have so much in common and get along so well. Lydia is very academic and involved in extracurricular activities, with soccer, art, piano, and Sunday School apart of her weekly activities. One of my favorite things about Lydia is how loyal she is to her family. Even at 9-years-old, she is very protective and caring of us. I love my Lydia Grace beyond words!
Alexandra- Alexandra is only two years younger than Lydia and practically her twin. They spend a majority of their time together and are each so very close to one another. The two of them often spend most of their days together, drawing, putting on plays, and just being each other's best friends. Alexandra is a tad different, personality wise, from her sister though. She is definitely more of a girly-girl and loves dresses, everything pink, and her baby dolls. Alexandra is very active in extracurriculars, participating in ballet, art, piano, and Sunday School. One of the things I love most about Alexandra is how sweet she is and how she strives to make everyone around her happy, smile, and laugh. I love my Alexandra Carolyn to the moon and back!
Eleanor- Eleanor is definitely the girly-girl of the family. She never dares to wear pants or shorts, instead she prefers dresses and skirts; her favorite color and the only color she seems to wear is pink; and she loves everything that is girly- dolls, fairies, sparkles, etc. One of my favorite things about Eleanor is how friendly is; she has never met a stranger and will do anything to make someone happy if they're having a rough time. Eleanor is so very loving and generous. She loves sharing with her brothers and sisters and if she sees a child playing alone she will walk up to them and start playing with them. I love my Eleanor Maribel more than life itself!
Clara- Clara is a little firecracker, a spunk, and one wild girl. She is my most adventurous child (at four!) and has no fear, only bravery. She has so much energy and is rarely tired. Clara loves to explore her surroundings, try new things, and has an eye for life. She is also very creative and almost always has a piece of paper and crayons in her hand. Clara is one hilarious girl and makes me laugh on a daily basis. She does not like to see people upset and will whip out her funniness to make someone smile or laugh. In fact, I rely on her comedic charm on a daily basis to make my days easier. One of my favorite things about Clara is her strong-willed personality. She is so very persistent in life (which may or may not be a good thing!) and does not give up easily, which is a great characteristic to have in life. I love my Clara Amelia with every bone in my body!
Katherine- If I had to describe Katherine in one word it would be happy. She has the most bubbly and joyous personality I have ever seen, which in the end makes my days happier. Katherine loves to laugh and smile, even for no apparent reason. My little girl is rarely in a bad mood and lives live in a glass half full kind of way. She is also a very observant 2-year-old and loves nature, the outdoors, and exploring her surroundings. She points to anything that strikes her as fascinating: flowers, a shing building, even her favorite foods. One of my favorite things about Sophie is how she is a Mommy's girl... who doesn't love that? She is always by my side and can only go a few minutes without seeing me. As long as she is by my side everything is great for her. Her face lights up when she sees me, as does mine. I love my Katherine Adelaide with all my heart!
Max- Max is only a baby and developing his personality. Already though I can tell he is a very relaxed, go-with-the-flow type of boy. From the time he was a newborn to the present he rarely cries and lets me know when he needs something. Max has an infectious giggle and loves to smile. He already looks up to his big sisters, but I think he already knows what trouble he is in to have so many females in the house! My boy is also quite the mama's boy and loves to be in my arms, which I love. One of my favorite things about Max is his innocence; at only a couple months old his view of the world is that it is a trustworthy, safe place where no harm is done. I can see this through his big blue eyes and how he trusts everyone he meets with a smile and warm hug. I love my Max Edward beyond compare!
Well, that's us, the Kingstons'. Together we make Ben, Laura, Lydia, Alexandra, Eleanor, Clara, Katherine, and Max. We are truly lucky to have each other and thank the Lord every day for blessing us with each other. What an honor! Absolute joy, happiness, and bliss fill all of our hearts at the thought of our family. The eight of us cannot imagine our lives without not one of us. Each and every member of the Kingston family is a unique, special addition that is loved and cherished. Each and every one of us bring something remarkable and incredible to the family. We are all so lucky, blessed, and honored to not only have a life on earth, but also to be apart of the Kingston family.
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