TV Fast-The Outcome

It has been 3 months since we had our TV Fast. Here is what I learned:

I am dependent on electronics for babysitting and entertaining my children. The fast was not only hard for the kids but hard for me. I also missed sitting together as a family and watching something on a low key night.

My kids are more creative without electronics. Elizabeth wrote more songs, Samantha and Maddie did more crafts, John Derek even worked on a few projects.

My kids are nicer without electronics. There were not so many fights. They were more willing to be around each other and got along. We still had fights and so forth but overall things were more harmonious.

My kids interacted more. Elizabeth especially spent more time with us. She was not always up in her room or somewhere watching her phone but was playing with the kids and asking how she could help. Samantha also was more interactive and not so sedentary.

We played a lot more games together as a family. We interacted more because we had to.

I was not able to do all that I wanted to do. I was having to entertain a lot more and had a hard time getting my "stuff" done.

Michael is addicted to electronics. He was hard to entertain and keep busy.

Evenings could get crazy especially around dinner time. And sometimes the kids would get so loud.

Now the true question is: Why do we have electronics back in our lives?

It is immediately easier. We don't get the begging and the pleading and the frustration as much immediately. Instead we get it after. It is entertainment. It is hard to not have.

How I wish we could be:

We would only have a small amount of time allowed on electronics. Maybe 1/2 to 1 hour a day if at all. We would have family movie nights occasionally but it would be when the whole family could watch and we would not be allowed to be on other devices during the movie. I would have the strength to "entertain" my children and keep them busy and occupied. We would go on more family walks and do more family activities.

It is a continual battle. Electronics are part of the world we live in. The kids are always doing homework on them, they are used for communication, gathering knowledge, and entertainment. There is a lot of fun out there. But I worry about the waste of time. The talents we are loosing because we are on electronics.

Since going back on electronics I have noticed Elizabeth is not around as much, Samantha is sitting in a chair playing Mindcraft, John Derek is hooked on You Tube, Maddie and Michael are fighting about what to watch and I have a hard time turning it off.

I do have faith in my Father in Heaven. I know He will guide me and direct me to know what to do that our family may be saved in the Celestial Kingdom. I will keep working with Him to find the best thing for our family. And I WILL NOT EXPECT PERFECTION!! (That is a reminder to me, that there is not perfect way, there is no complete way, it will and must change with life.)

WE ARE EXPECTING BABY #5

Yes, you read it correctly. The Thornton Family is expecting a new baby in Dec. 2012. We are very excited. Today we made the announcement to our 4 children and I am sure that each of you heard their screams of excitement. Maddison immediately told us that it was going to be a boy but then after a few minutes decided that we need one boy and one girl. John Derek would like the baby to be a boy so that he can have a brother. Samantha would like the baby to sleep in her room. Elizabeth would like the baby to have brown hair so that more kids in the family would look like her. Then the conversation turned to names. Here are some of their favorites: Elizabeth wants: Sarah, Eva, Evelyn, or Eve, and if it is a boy Phineas or Ferb Samantha wants: Sam or Ammon John Derek wants: Johnny Maddison wants: Cinderella and Johnny So here we go. Taking on a new adventure of 5 children with faith that we are following our Father in Heaven's desires for our family. In this last conference Pres. P...

Lessons from Friends/Faith

I had a fun visit with some of our friends yesterday. We talked a lot and I learned a lot. At one point she said that she has to rely on the Savior and the Atonement to make up for the love that she cannot give her children. She loves them but her weaknesses do not always show that and she prays that they will feel loved through the Atonement. I loved that idea. In my life right now I am functioning good but not perfect. I need the Atonement to make up for what I cannot give my children right now. She also talked about how important siblings are. That in China one of the problems with only having one child is that there are no aunts, uncles, or cousins. The family network is gone. How as parents we may not be able to give our children all the love that we would like but they are still getting loved from their siblings. That as children we fought with our siblings but now as adults we are closest to our siblings. ...

Anniversary Day 3/Weaknesses can Become Strengths

We slept in again, oh so nice. We didn't leave the hotel until 11:00. We went to a local pancake place and had a scruptious breakfast. We then went in search of apple orchards as this area is known as Apple Country. We ended up at a place called Grandad's Apples. I was in 7th heaven. We bought a full bushel of apples and then more for making apple sauce. I loved it. We then went to down town Ashville and bought chocolates at the Chocolate Feddish. Mmmmm . . . Then we headed home. It was a wonderful time to be together with my best friend. I am so grateful to my loving Heavenly Father for helping us have such an enjoyable anniversary. We felt truly loved and blessed by Him. We enjoyed our 15th Anniversary and are looking forward to an eternity more. . . Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27 "27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weak...

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