Thornton Mom

JD near the pond with his "walking stick" that he carried all over the property.  Saturday we went to Hope Reins and volunteered.  We began by picking up sticks around the property.  It is so beautiful there.  Michael loved finding a big pile of previously gathered sticks and taking them to the fire pit.  He was a hard worker and didn't want to stop.  Then we began our pooper scooper job.   Doing this job really laid to rest any desires of my children to own their own horse.     All the kids worked really hard.  It was good to go out and get some service done. Maddie would bring me an empty rake.  I would hand her the one that I had loaded and she would haul it to the wheelbarrow and then return for the next one.  Michael would come to me and ask for "meatballs" to put in his shovel.   Learning from General Confer...

 The boys and Elizabeth went hunting so we had tea.  It was delightful.  So fun to be with Grandma and Aunt Annelise. Yesterday I had a sweet experience.  I had to get some new shoes and happened to be going by an old friend of mines home.  The thought came that I should go visit her.  I hadn't planned on it and had a lot of errands but felt this was direction from the Spirit so I went.  As I drove up to her house there was a car stuck in her grass.  A woman who had come to visit my friend missed the driveway and was now in the grass with her tires spinning.  She said that my friend was in the shower so the two of us tried to get her out with no luck.  A few minutes later my friend came out with wet hair and tried to help.  She mentioned that someone was coming over and it might cause a problem if this friend of hers was here when they arrived.  We prayed to get the car out but instead I felt that I should offer this...

Sometimes my kids get a hold of my phone.  It is always interesting to see what treasures I find in my gallery when I get it back.  Here are a few from this past week. I felt very humbled and blessed yesterday.  I had two people come visit and help me get the house back to normal.  I can get up and work I just can't spend a lot of time on my foot so keeping up with the house is hard.  I have been amazed at the outpouring of love people have shown me and my family.  We have cookies show up at our house, dinner almost every night, rides offered, play date invitations, people helping around the house, etc.  Just very very blessed.  I feel like maybe I do contribute to the ward.  It has been very reasuring to feel their love. Book of Mormon, Helaman 15:5 "5  And I would that ye should behold that the more part of them are in the path of their duty, and they do...

Saturday we had the privilege of putting bags of food together and taking them to people who needed them.  I was so delighted that my children could participate.  So many times service needs to be done but because of liability only youth or adults can help. We made an assembly line and bagged the food.  Even Michael helped lift the completed bag onto the cart.  We then loaded the bags into our cars and drove to a neighborhood.  We took the food door to door.  I was so impressed that my kids would knock on the doors by themselves.  Maddie even had a sweet conversation with a woman who was very grateful.  It was good to see them smile.   Book of Mormon, Alma 46:40 "because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate—" I do believe that ...

Elizabeth's Little Mermaid Move Hanging out with friends at swim team. Getting ready to swim fast Swim team still takes most of our time in the aftenoons but it is good for me and for the kids.  It allows them time to be with friends and to exercise.  I am grateful that we have this opportunity and that my kids have made some good friends. Monday night I decided that I really wanted to finish painting my entryway.  I had taped the walls a few months ago and had slowly trimed all the edges.  My sister in law had come one day and helped get all the trim done.  But still it sat.  I had friends offer to help but wouldn't take them up on it.  I had finally decided to do it Thursday and would ask my friends to help.  But things didn't work out and I found myself emailing friends Monday night for help on Tuesday.  A friend showed up early and we got the first coat on.  As soon as she left my visiting teacher showed up in her p...

Derek and I chaperone the Halloween Dance at Church Look at all those wrapers!! My princess of organization!! Sorting candy, building towers and enjoying candy! Book of Mormon, Alma 1:26-28 "26  And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength. 27  And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely. 28  And...

On the way to school I challenged my kids to be an angel to someone.  I prayed that I would also be an angel. Friday afternoon I wanted to do something fun with my kids.  Things were just not coming together.  I had to run an errand and then pick up Elizabeth.  I felt prompted to put a box of baby clothes in my car and headed off.  When I arrived at my friend's home I asked her if she wanted the box of clothes.  She responded that she did, her friend had just moved in with them and needed clothes for her son.  I felt that I had been an angel. Right after that my sister called to tell me that it was "National Talk Like A Pirate Day."  She told me Krispy Kreme was giving a box of doughnuts to everyone who came dressed as a pirate.  This was perfect.  I felt that she had been my angel, my answer to my prayer. We all dressed up and waited in line and got our doughnuts. I then offered a ride to the woman we had met who was standing...

Today as I made my way to the gym I listened to the song, Angels Among Us , sung by Alabama.  I thought about how there have been so many angels in my life.  People who have shown up at the right time and the right place.  As I pondered this I though, "How can I be an angel to someone?"  I decided to pray about that.  It is a blessing to be in the service of our Father in Heaven.  I hope that I can be the angel He wants me to be. Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith—History 1:29 "I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one." As I was working out this morning I was reading Joseph Smith--History. I was amazed to read that Joseph wanted to know his standing with the Lord so he praye...

We spend a lot of time at the pool.  Our kids are involved in a swim team so we practice every evening and then we still enjoy going to the pool with our friends.  This particular day we got to play with some dear friends before they moved to another city.  We will miss them. New Testament, 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 "12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14  For the body is not one member, but many. 15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body...

What a busy summer break we have had.  I will start today and blog the highlights for the next few days.  Most of the time we were out of town and I was without a computer so I could not blog. Everyone was excited to be with daddy.  He had been gone on a High Adventure Camping Trip with the Young Men in our church ages 16-18.  Needless to say he had quite the welcome home hug. Elizabeth was able to go to Girl's Camp this summer with our Young Woman Church group.  She loved the independence and the zip line.  We missed her smiling face and the joy that she brings to our family.  I am amazed at the love she has for her siblings and am so glad to see her growing and maturing into a beautiful young woman. After getting home she was having difficulty adjusting back to family rules and expectations.  Sunday we had a nice long talk.  After realizing that nothing was working I felt prompted to complement her and tell her why she is su...

Friday evening Derek and John Derek were at a camp out for the Father's and Son's.  I had been busily running people and things all over and was ready to settle down.  Michael had been in the car with me and needed to get out some energy.  I gave Maddie and Michael a ride in the wagon and then we went in the back yard to play.  We have an awesome play set that my husband built when we moved in.  It is right off the deck and has swings and a twisty slide and a rock wall and more.  I got distracted by the weeds growing in my garden and just allowed the two to play.  Then I heard a eery cry and then silence.  I turned around to find Michael and he was no where to be seen.   I ran and found him at the bottom of the 7 foot climbing wall face down in the dirt but crying.  He was okay.  A little scratch on his nose but miraculously fine.  After texting Derek we decided it would be best to take him to the ER just in case....

My beautiful daughter Elizabeth has done something that I knew would happen but I have a hard time admitting.  She has surpassed me in height.  She has been eager for this day for a long time.  She loves to be able to say that she can look "down" on me.  My amazing 11 year old daughter is 5'9 1/4" and I am 5'9".  I wonder how many of my children will be taller than me.  I do think that it is wonderful that she is tall.  Being tall has so many advantages.  I love shopping with my mom and my aunts, who range from about 5'9" to 6'2", and being able to just look up over the crowd and being able to easily spot them.  Being tall helps you hide your weight really well.  Being tall allows you to get the item from the top shelf of the grocery store without having to get anyone. Better yet is when someone recognizes your height and asks you to get something off the top shelf for them.  Today I read a talk by Carole M. Stephens , Firs...

My darling Elizabeth is so wonderful.  At Church I had the pleasure of talking to different people about the great girl she is.  I was in the mother's room, feeding Michael, and talked to two other moms.  We were discussing the joys and difficulties of raising children.  I talked about how I couldn't do it without my Elizabeth.  How she is my right hand.  She is so good and stepping in and making breakfast or lunch.  She loves to make pancakes with chocolate chips.  She is great with Michael.  I know that I can give him to her and he will be well taken care of.  As soon as we pull into the garage she exclaims, "I'll get Michael!" then leaps out of the car and takes him out.  I don't know what I would do without her.  When Michael was first born and I was constantly feeding, sleeping, and trying to hold the house together she did so much.  She was such a huge help.  She is going to be a great mother some day....