Thornton Mom

 While Michale was taking a bath he insisted that I take his picutre several times.  He loved looking at them and laughing.  We began the potty training process.  We were supposed to begin yesterday morning but had to run to the store, then go visiting teaching, we didn't get home until 11:00.  He had the beginnings of a cold and didn't feel good so I decided to put him down for a nap before we started.  I woke him up and began the training.  He did not like the idea of taking his diaper off at all.  He was tired and still sleepy.  I prayed for inspirtaion and had the idea to use a doll.  I grabbed a doll and had it sit on the potty and do funny things around the potty.  Michael loved it.  He thought it was do funny. This coupled with a TV bribe and candy got him to put on underwear and sit on the potty.  He spend the rest of the day in underwear.  The kids were very encouraging and happy to give him his pump...

Elizabeth tires on a cat costume.  What a cutie!! The Pleasing Word of God Francisco J. Viñas, October 2015 General Conference "He will give us strength so we will not have to suffer any manner of afflictions save they are swallowed up in His joy (see Alma 31:38 )." How does that work? We can have joy during our afflictions? I would love to know how to do that. "Having the companionship of the Spirit will make us better people. “It will whisper peace and joy to [our] souls, … it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from [our] hearts; and [our] whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of Go...

Last night, really this morning as I was not wanting to get up, I had a dream.  I dreamed I was coming out of an old building.  It was a church or school or something.  There were several steps and landings to go down.  I was peddling on a bike.  My whole family was on the back of the bike and I was trying to keep us balanced and upright.  I was anxious and a little fearful.  I started down the stairs.  They were crumbling beneath me, then I would come to a landing for a second or two only to go down 3 or 4 more steps.  This went on for a few moments until suddenly I lost control of the bike and we were about to fall.  Then I woke up. This morning as I have sat pondering trying to calm my soul from the late night, the crazy activity night at church, the late start this morning, the late kids to school, the anger and frustration of all that is not done around the house and all that is required of me tonight I was reminded...

Elizabeth loves to hang out with Michael.  She feel a lot of love for him.  I love to see my kids getting a long together. I don't know if this video will work but . . . The other day as we were sitting at dinner Michael was experiamenting with his water.  He would take a sip and then spit it back into the cup.  He would then say, "Look mom, bubbles, did you see it?"  When I said no he said, "Okay, I do it again."  We all got a good laugh out of this.  Cute kid!! What Lack I Yet? Larry R. Lawrence, October 2015 General Conference "President Harold B. Lee taught, “Every one of us, if we would reach perfection, must [at] one time ask ourselves this question, ‘What lack I yet?’” 5" October 2015 Perfection,Sacrament,Depression,Self-estee...

John Derek being a 9 year old.  He does not like to smile when I take his picture. Samantha and Maddie are usually best friends.  It is so nice to see them get a long so well. Michael with a frog "backpack." Elizabeth, "It's too cold to have early morning scripture study." Yielding Our Hearts to God Neill F. Marriott, October 2015 General Conference "Can we love Jesus Christ and His way more than we love ourselves and our own agenda?" October 2015 Love,God's Will,Natural Man This is a good question to ask when I don't feel ...

Elizabeth had her last home game for Middle School.  The Athletic Department gave all the 8th graders red roses to say goodbye to them.  Elizabeth is a great girl.  She has worked hard at volleyball and I am proud of her persistence even when things don't go the way she wants.  She was expecting to play a lot this year but new coaches were put in and they have different ideas and Elizabeth has spent most of the season on the bench.   She still presses forward and fulfills her commitments. Derek and I took Samantha to the Lego Store for her birthday.  She loved it.  We then went to the Cheesecake Factory and had Cheesecake.  It was delightful.  We are so happy for our sweet Samantha and so glad that she is part of our family. Recently I talked about wanting to find out what brings me joy.  I had read a book about motherhood and how to be happy in motherhood.  The author talks about how she loves being a pediatrician....

We spent Sunday visiting my Dad's cousins who live in Florida.  It was so fun that I forgot to take any pictures.  We went to their church with them and then to their house for lunch.  It was delightful to visit wit them and their two kids.  Ben and Lindsey spent the whole time entertaining our kids.  They all love it.  It was delightful a great Sunday activity. Monday we began our drive back home.  Because of the flooding in South Carolina we again had to go through Atlanta and so broke it up into a 2 day trip.  The last day Michael slept a lot and by the time we reached home he had a fever.  That night he was sick and threw up.  We were just so glad that it happened at home and not on the trip.  We felt very blessed. The Lord is good to us.  We love Him and honor Him.  What a blessing to have Him in our lives. Yielding Our Hearts to G...

Our last day in Disney World was spent at Animal Kingdom.  We got there late so that we could sleep in.  Our adventure began at Mount Everest a fabulous roller coaster that even goes backwards!  Maddie sat next to me, we always keep our hands in the air when we ride roller coasters and Maddie is no different.  As we began our hands were up but as we went backwards and upside down my hands came down.  After a few moments I felt Maddie's arms against my shoulder, they were sill up!  I was being bested by my 6 year old!!  My arms shot back into the air and my respect for Maddie and her love of roller coasters increased dramatically.  She really loves fast roller coasters and can keep up with the best of us. While we switched around with Mount Everest we let Michael play in the Bone Yard.  As I was coming back from the ride Derek informed me that Michael almost cut his eye open.  I started to panic.  I wheeled as fast as I could to...

This was by far my favorite day on our trip.  It was a tender mercy from our Father in Heaven and we really enjoyed it.  We started off on the Jungle Cruise and laughed at all the corny jokes. When we had been in Adventure Land the first time the kids saw Aladdin's Magic Carpets and really wanted to ride them.  My favorite part of the ride was wen we flew by a camel and got wet.  "Watch out, they spit!"  He spit at us.  It was awesome!!  We were told that the best place to get a treat was the Dole Pineapple Stand.  Wow!! Amazing!!  It was pineapple ice cream put in pineapple juice for a pineapple float.  Or you could just have the ice cream.  Derek and I were in seventh heaven.  The kids got slushies and we all loved it!! Aren't they just so cute?  We went on the new ride the Seven Dwarfs.  On our previous visit we had been blessed when an employee just handed us some fast passes which w...

Our next adventure was Epcot.  We were tired.  After the craziness the night before we didn't have much energy.  We had planned to sleep in and not visit the countries.  Oh we were so grateful for this plan. We began at Test Track where Michael really enjoyed designing his own car.  The kids loved going fast and then playing in real cars when we got done.  Derek and I were even able to sit in a Suburban with our children to see how we fit.  (That is one of the cars we are thinking about for next time we buy.) On to Mexico, the only country we visited.  Derek went on his mission to Mexico so he really wanted to visit it.  We went on a ride and then looked in the shops.  When we got done we were tired and hot and grumpy.  I then took all the little ones to a fountain park and they all got soaking wet.  They LOVED it!   Dad then got Mickey Mouse ice cream bars.  What is not to love? We then end...

 Our Second Day in Disney began at the Magic Kingdom.  We were tired from the day before but got up and pressed forward knowing that we would get to return to the hotel and rest.  After several rides we ended up at Be Our Guest Restraunt.  We were here for the ambiance and so just ordered cupcakes there was one that even boasted "try the gray stuff it's delicious, don't believe me ask the dishes."    We were in the Beast's Room and sat right next to the rose.  There was continaul thunder and lightning going on and it made Michael very uncomfortable.  He wouldn't eat his cup cake so we got out the ear protectors I had gotten.  As soon as we put them on he smiled a huge smile and began to sing "Under the Sea" as we had just gotten off that ride.  The ear protectors were a huge hit throughout the trip.  One of Elizabeth's favorite princesses is Bell.  She was in Seventh Heaven.  After Be Our Guest we retur...

Our first day in Disney started in Hollywood Studios.  We began on Rocking Roller coaster and then immediately went to Tower of Terror.  Maddie and Michael waited patiently for all of us to ride those rides and were quite delighted by the reward of Disney Jr. Live!  Everyone did great on Rocking Roller coaster but Samantha did not like the Tower of Terror and when I went on with Elizabeth I was terrified.  I kept grabbing her leg as we would go up and down.  I was really wondering why I even got on this ride.  I was grateful when it was over.  Elizabeth loved it, it was by far her favorite ride. Because my feet are not yet back to normal I ended up being in a wheel chair for the trip.  It defiantly had it's advantages.  One was that we got to sit right up front for many of the shows.  Here Maddie and Samantha wait for Beauty and the Beast to begin.  That was stunningly beautiful and fun. Michael wanted nothing more than t...