Thornton Mom

I grew up in Utah, there was snow every winter and I think one or maybe two times in my life school was canceled because of the snow.  Now enter North Carolina.  They are not as prepared for snow because frankly we just don't get much.  The past two years we have not had enough snow on the ground to do any kind of playing in.  The kids have been frustrated about this and have been desperate for snow.  Well this week their prayers were answered.  I dropped Maddie off at preschool Monday and was told that we could get 6-12" on Tuesday.  I couldn't believe it.  I checked the weather and they were calling for 2-5." But it would be snow.  In anticipation of the snow our school system canceled school Tuesday.  Me and the kids sat around with great anticipation waiting for the snow.  Finally at 7:30 that evening we started to see a fine dusting coming down.  We put out our bowls and hoped that we would get enough to have make sno...

I had gone to the store and Elizabeth was babysitting for me.  The kids love that Elizabeth can babysit because then they don't have to go run errands with me.  It is nice for all of us.  When I came home this is what I found on the living room floor.  Maddie and John Derek were so cute setting the floor and playing together.  They are fun kids.  I do think Maddie initiated the activity.  She is very interested in kitchens right now and setting the table.  She even hijacked my silverware because she couldn't find enough of her plastic ones.  Whenever I can't find a spatula or can opener or whisk I need only go into the playroom and look around the kitchen and I can usually find what I am looking for. The Infinite Atonement , by Tad R. Callister (Illustrated Edition) pg. 73--Why was it essential that the Atonement be performed by Jesus, who is "infinite and eternal"? So many times in our lives we are asked to do things we d...

Michael was at a friends house and watched Maddie play with the vanity.  When she finally left he went over and picked up each item and used it to brush his hair sometimes it was lipstick, a comb, a mirror, anything. 1 Nephi 22   4 And behold, there are many who are already lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of all the tribes have been led away ; and they are scattered to and fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away. I am so grateful that I have the freedoms I do.  So grateful that I have not been captured and taken away from my home, my family, my friends.  I think that sometimes I take too much for granted and forget how blessed I truly am.    16  For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall de...

I have to apologize for not blogging lately.  My kids have been out of school since before Christmas because we are year round.  They just went back yesterday so now I can refocus on my normal schedule. Tuesday evening we had snow.  This isn't Utah snow or even Virginia snow we got about 1/4" but to my kids it is Christmas.  They went out in the pitch black and played.  The next morning they pulled out our sleds and went down our neighbor's hill.  They had a blast.  It made Derek and I realize that we really need to visit my family in the winter so that my kids can truly experience good snow.   Samantha when the snow first started. John Derek has been able to collect enough snow to make a snowball. Elizabeth loved the look of snow in her hair.  She wants to be Elsa from Frozen. Maddie loved the look of snow in her hair.  She also wants to be Elsa from Frozen, it is a great debate in our house. Everyone out in t...

John Derek was hungry for dinner but I was feeding Michael yogurt.  He offered to take over if I would make dinner.  Here is the result.  If you can't tell there is yogurt all over his hands and most of the face below the bowl. For Christmas Samantha got rainbow looms.  These little rubber bands that you weave together to make bracelets.  She was so excited about them and made so many that she linked them together and draped them around her whole room.  You can see the rope starting at the door going over the window and onto the other wall.  They did drape all the way around to the door again but it finally fell down.  Now she is totally enthralled with melting beads.  What a cutie. The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister (Illustrated Edition) pg. 67--Clearly Christ "has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things" (Alma 26:35) . . . Just as there are no limits to the Savior's omniscience, there ar...

Derek was sitting in the recliner and I was laying on the couch.  We had just finished watching TV.  Derek has been overwhelmed with work and Church which of course causes me to worry about him.  I turned to him and tenderly asked, "Hey sweet heart what is on your mind?"  He replied, "I have a problem," expecting some sort of profound and burdened explanation I braced myself for his next words, "There is a plunger on the armoire and I just don't think it goes with the decor."  Sure enough I looked up and sitting on top the armoire was the bathroom plunger. Putting pieces together came up with a probable scenario.  I had asked Elizabeth to watch Michael while she watched a show on the computer and I took a nap.  Knowing Michael and his newly found fascination with the bathroom I bet he toddled over and found a new toy in a plunger and brought it to his sister to share.  Being the good girl she is she took the plunger from him and put it where...

We went to New Beginnings, a meeting where the girls that will be turning 12 in the coming year are introduced into the Young Women program.  Kind of an official step into young womanhood.  Elizabeth was being introduced as she will be turning 12 in April.  She is such a beautiful young woman.  I am so proud of her and the decisions she is making.  What a joy she is. Since Derek, Elizabeth, and I all had to attend and Samantha also had an activity at church we got a babysitter for John Derek, Maddie, and Michael.  When I returned home I found out that Michael had not gone to sleep as he should have.  He had cried and fussed.  The babysitter had texted me but I didn't get it.  Then she told me how good John Derek had been.  How he had rubbed Michael's back trying to get him to go to sleep.  How he really helped out.  After she left and I was putting Michael down John Derek came in and told me where to rub on his back to help...

The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister (Illustrated Edition) pg. 41 . "Melvin J. Ballard, who was privileged for a brief moment to dream of being in [God's physical] presence, recounts: 'If I shall live to be a million years old, I shall never forget that smile.  He [the Savior] took me into his arms and kissed me, pressed me to his bosom, and blessed me, until the narrow of my bones seemed to melt! . . . The feeling that I had in the presence of him who hath all things in his hands, to have his love, his affection, and his blessing was such that if I ever can receive that of which I had but a foretaste, I would give all that I am, all that I ever hope to be, to feel what I then felt!'" I desire to feel that joy.  To feel that Love.  After reading things like that my heart can catch a glimps of that Love and it yearns for it.  I think it is my spirit remembering and yearning.  I do look forward to the day that I can be in the presence of my Savior and act...

These past few days have been difficult emotionally.  Not nearly as bad as they could be but still very annoying.  I am tired and moody.  I have been trying to exercise daily and to keep busy but the week is just dragging on and I am grumpy.  One of the hardest things for me during this time is not being able to hear the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  It makes me anxious and I feel lost, that I don't know what to do, that I don't know what is important or where to step.  I know that this will soon pass but it is hard to deal with it sometimes.  I wish I could just curl up in bed and stay there until I felt better but I know this is not possible and it probably isn't the healthiest thing either. My friend shared this video with me about Depression.  I really liked how there were so many truths portrayed, so many examples of how I feel as well as good solutions and the truth that this can be overcome, not gone but controlled.  It is entitled:...

My mother sent me a talk the other day given by Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quarom of the Twelve Apostles, entitled Fear Not I Am With Thee .  I really enjoyed it. "One of the great lessons of my life came as I served as the president of BYU–Idaho and faced significant challenges and obstacles during the transition of Ricks College into a four-year university.   I recall listening to President Hinckley on several occasions counsel doubters, cynics, and critics that “everything will work out.”   And he was right.   Everything worked out—even though we did not know at the time all of the details and specifics."- -One of my favorite quotes comes from President Hinckley.  Over and over again he says, "It will all work out."  Derek and I say that to ourselves and each other almost daily.  When things aren't going as smoothly as we would like, when times are just a little tough or stressful we recite that quote, "it will all work out."  What is...

I was looking in a catalog yesterday and saw a game that I really wanted to play.  It was the game of pool played with golf balls and golf clubs.  I was so excited that I decided to make my own version with things I had around the house.  My son John Derek helped me.  We gathered as many small balls that were of simmilar size as we could find.  We were able to get 11.  We then put tape around half of them for the striped balls. Then we went and got yogurt containers that I had keep for just such a need and cut a U shape in them for the golf holes.  We made six of them. We then went in my sons room and set up the game. Away we played.  I hate to admit it but he did win.  We did have fun and it was good to spend some time together on a cold winter day. Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 5:2 "2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the...

We went to the YMCA so the kids and I could get out of the house and away from electronics.  As we entered the Y there was a red carpet down the hall.  As I was signing us in at the front desk Maddie started to walk down the carpet swinging her hips, batting her eyelashes, and removing her coat as if she were a model on the cat walk.  The staff started laughing as did I.  Then her siblings all decided to join her.  We all just laughed and enjoyed the moment.  As we were walking out after my work out I asked Maddie if she wanted to do it again.  No question there she ran to the end of the carpet and proceeded down as professional as ever.  I even noticed her making her "cute eyes" as she came near the end.  Whoa Nellie, I am in trouble in the future. While at the Y Elizabeth and I were both on elliptical machines.  They have several TV's up that everyone can see but have no sound unless you tune into their radio station.  But the...