Thornton Mom

 Samantha loves Hope Reins!!  It has been so good for her to work with the counselors and the horses.  She has really felt a connection with the horses.  She loves Abby and talks about her all the time.  My father in law made the observation that Samantha is happier and more engaged as she works with the horses and I have to agree. Maddison has been asking me for several months now if she could do a lemonaid stand.  Finally a few Saturday's ago we granted her request.  She set the stand up in our driveway and I was worried that she would not get any business.  It brought tears to my eyes to see my neighbors surrounding her little table filling up her money jar and buying cups full of lemonaid.  It truly was an answer to prayer.

Last night we had Family Home Evening.  John Derek taught a lesson on Fire Safety.  We talked about what to do if there is a fire.  Where to go.  How to call the firefighters.  Etc.  We then went through a fire drill.  Dad sounded the alarm and we all made our way laughing down the stairs and out the door to the mail box.  When we got back inside Michael turned to us and said, "Wew awe du fiw twuk, and the pois man, and the amboolans?"  (Where are the fire truck the poliece mand and the ambulance?) Poor Guy!!  He got so excited as we talked about fire safety that he though he would get to see his favorite rescue vehicles.  Needless to say he was very disappointed. Ether 11:12  "12  And it came to pass that in the days of Ethem there came many prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did prophesy that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities." There was so much wickedne

My husband is the best!!  When he gets home from work or church all the kids come running.  They love to be near him.  He is fun, exciting, and full of love. I am grateful for the love that we share.  During all the trials that we face our love is constantly growing.  It is a delight and a privalege to be his wife. Your Next Step Randall K. Bennett, October 2015 General Conference "I promise that each faith-filled step will be met with help from heaven. Guidance will come as we pray to our Heavenly Father, rely on our Savior and follow Him, and listen to the Holy Spirit. Strength will come because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 19 Healing and forgiveness will come because of God’s grace. 20 Wisdom and patience will come by trusting in the Lord’s timing

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 of that dream.  But then I was reminded of the

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 to run.  He was constantly in a stroller or on my l

When we were planning our vacation to Disney we planned it around the idea of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  The plan was to leave early Monday morning after General Confrence and then come home the following Monday so that we would not travel on Sunday.  The weekend before we were to leave brought a huge storm with lots of rain.  Most of the storm hovered over South Carolina for several days.  We felt an urge to get packed in case we needed to leave Friday night.  By Saturday we were almost ready to go and felt good going into conference.  We went back and forth hourly about when we should leave.  We didn't want to travel on Sunday but were worried about the roads in South Carolina. Conference was just like it is every year with children.  They are excited about the candy (this entices them to listen to the speakers) and then there was a bonus candy if they listened to a member of the 12 and wrote what they had learned on a sticky note.  It was good to see them so involved

I was able to go to Samantha's school the other day and see some of the work she has done.  It was so cute to see that she wrote a letter to BYU Admissions telling them why she wants to go there.  Samantha is a good girl.  She tries so hard to please others.  She is having a very difficult time right now.  I finally uncovered that her teacher is yelling at the class and she is taking it personally.  She is also does not have the best self estem right now.  We have talked with her and feel that it is time to find a new therapist.  This was a hard thing for me to deal with.  Thinking that I should be doing more, that if I was a better mom she wouldn't need therapy.  But my sweet Heavenly Father let me know that I am a good mom and that this is beyond me and I need help.  Just as I would seek help for JD's reading I can't do this by myself.  I have faith that she will become the Young Woman the Lord wants her to be. Highlights from the General Women's Meetin

 For our marble jar our kids earned an evening at the pool.  They love playing with daddy.  I went and got Klondike bars and we had some fun family together time.    Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 15:9 "9  Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." This gives me hope. When it is hard to push on when things are difficult I have hope and faith that in the end I will receive eternal life.

  Last night was John Derek's first Pinewood Derby.  Daddy and him made a car called "The Mobster."  I was so impressed with John Derek, his car did not perform very fast but he won the award for the most original.  He went around telling me and everyone else the rest of the night that he won the award for the most realistic car.  He was quite proud.   Book of Mormon, Alma 34:4 "4  Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness." I am amazed at how little God requires to start the process of faith and gaining a testimony. All you need is hope a desire.   Book of Mormon, Alma 34:16 "16  And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in

Last night I was able to go to the Temple with my husband.  All week I had been trying to get an appointment but several things kept preventing me from making it.  Saturday morning I tried again unsuccessfuly, and wondered if Satan was trying to prevent us from going.  What a blessing it was when my husband told me that he had made an appointment and we got the last two seats!  I am so grateful for his dedication to this gospel.   The Temple was wonderful.  I had had some very special experiences earlier in the day and was looking forward to sharing them with Derek in the Celestial room.  As we were in the temple I felt the Lord's peace so strongly.  My depression is very heavy right now and I don't view myself in the best light.  But as negative thoughts would enter my head they were immediately rebuffed by my Heavenly Father, comforting me and telling me it was "okay," or "that is not the case," or "don't worry about

These are a few examples of what my kids do with my phone when they get their hands on it.  Got to love them!! Today I feel the need to be grateful . . . I really do have the best husband in the world, others may say theirs is the best but I will rebuttle with:  He is perfect for me!! Elizabeth is beautiful and has a good spirit.  Yesterday she played outside for a long time then came in and started doing Family History without me saying anything. Samantha is supper helpful getting the children to play together and not whine. John Derek loves candy.  It is amazing what he will do for a jolly rancher. Maddie loves to love.  If I am frustrated she will immediatly come over to me and in her sweet girly voice tell me how much she loves me. Michael loves to laugh.  He is always doing something funny and he makes the whole family stop arguing and start to laugh. My mom is amazing and so willing to listen to what is going on.  She feels so helpless being so far away b

Samantha is a good little helper.  She is so good at getting people to follow her.  Through out her life, especially at her baptism, I have been told my others and the Lord that she will be a leader some day.  I can see this in her already.  The younger children love to follow her directions, she makes it fun and enjoyable.  Everything becomes a game.  We were at a basketball game for Elizabeth and the little ones got tired of sitting in the stands.  Samantha and I took turn walking with them in the hallway for a while.  Finally the game was over and I asked Samantha to stay with them while I grabbed Daddy and Elizabeth.  When I came back she had organized them into a game of Simon Says.  They were all sitting against the wall in the hall waiting on her every word.  She is truly amazing. Chapter 6: Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer

 The kids have really been enjoying their snow days.  In the last 2 weeks our kids have only had one and a half days of school.  One of their favorite past times is playing Legos.  They keep coming up with new and better creations.  It is fun to see them. Chapter 5: Principles of True Repentance Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, (2014), 76–88 "“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ

 It is a family tradition to go to the State Fair.  We had a blast!!  All the kids sitting in a giant lawn chair.  We decided we should take this chair and pull it out to Utah and then there would be enough room for everyone on the drive. Mom and Maddie being "licked" by giant neon ant eaters John Derek got a candy apple.  He loved the red "blood" all over his face. Our familie's favorite ride is the swings.  Maddie got to go on with all of us for the first time.  She was so happy, so excited and loved it so much.  Saturday I had some visitors come to my door asking if I had ever wondered "Why so many bad things are happening on this earth?"  My children were intrigued with these "missionaries" and we agreed to watch their short message.  In the message there was a statement made that "the Bible says Satan controlles the earth."  Afterward she asked me what I thought and I told her that I didn't agree with t

This morning on the way to drop the kids off to school we listened to the song Angels Among Us by Alabama.  We talked about how angles can be from heaven or they can be people around us.  Samantha said, "Angles have helped me."  She reminded me of a story: When Michael was born Derek and I arrived home from the hospital on Saturday.  Everyone was so excited and were ready to get out and move around.  We were encouraging them to ride bikes and be outside.  Samantha asked if she could ride her bike and take a watch up to her friend's home.  It would have been further than we had ever let her ride alone before but we thought that would be fine.  A little while later Samantha came into the house with her helmet still on crying and holding up her arm.  It was obvious that she had broken it.  She told us that she had fallen on her bike about half way to the friends house.  Then these two girls came up to her and helped her up and walked her and her bike home.  They did not c