Thornton Mom

Samantha was in her 4th grade play yesterday.  It was awesome to see her so happy and enjoying it so much.  She did a great job.  She was not shy, she stood up and delivered her lines, she didn't even need a micraphone because she could project her voice so well, she smiled and was genuenly happy. Samantha had really wanted a lead part.  She worked really hard to memorize her lines.  She was the only kid in her class who go to be on stage for the whole play.  When the kids tried out the performed in front of their peers and then the peers voted.  Samantha won hands down.  Her teacher said she was by far the best and that no one came close to doing as well as she did.  She is such a joy and it is so fun to see her do something that she enjoys so much. Alma 43:14-15   14  Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly , judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these thi...

Out of town again . . . Here is the next part of our summer: I recently celebrated my birthday.  My sweet sister in law knew my husband would be busy so she invited us over for dinner.  Instead of a card we went around in a circle and everyone said something they liked about me.  Maddie said she liked that I let her watch TV when the kids are at school.  Derek said that I am the most compassionate person he knows. Amber said that she enjoyed babysitting for us especially when I would drive her home and she would get to talk to her aunt.  Angela said that she knows I am a woman of faith.  That she knows how difficult things can be with her husband's calling and she has 3 older children and I am doing it with 5 young children.  It was nice to see that my influence is for good.  It was a good reminder that all I do does not go unnoticed. Book of Mormon, Alma 58:10 ...

Gingerbread Houses Elizabeth loves to put furniture in her house. John Derek made a home for candy worms. Samantha made a 4 story house. Maddie just added more and more candy until the walls could not contain it all. Every Christmas we have a tradition of making gingerbread houses with all of the left over candy from Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year we did not get to it until April.  The kids had a blast adding frosting, eating candy, making tables and chairs or just dumping it in as Maddie did.  All have the philosphy more is better. Omni 1:25 "for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord:" I remind myself of this over and over. That the good I see in the world around me is a reflection of God. As I see my neighbors out helping each other, as I see people hold the door open for me as I push a stroller through, as I see children hand their mothers a dande...