HORNSBY FAMILY

Fun in the Sun!

2011-05-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the girls' spring break with a quick but fun trip to Florida to see our good friends, the Morgan's. While Shawn was in class, the kids and I got to visit with the Morgan family and check out some of the sights and sounds of Tallahassee, including the beach on St. George's Island.

We had a fabulous time on the beach - it was very calm and quiet with not too many people on the beach. It was very peaceful and not too commercial. The kids had a great time playing in the surf and sand, collecting seashells and chasing seagulls.

Emily was a bit scared that day of seeing sharks and we assured her there were none to be seen. Toward the end of our day at the beach, we were standing in the surf when we saw a 3 ft sand shark! It was way too close for my comfort and Emily saw it and began to freak out! She immediately wanted to go home but as long as she stayed on the water's edge, she was fine. Cooper was a real champ - he loved the beach and was never fussy.

We had a great visit with the Morgan's and can't wait to see them again!

It's Springtime!

2011-03-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

The spring weather is a welcome addition to our house! We love the warmer

weather, flowers and staying light later, which means more play time outside!

We had have a busy first part of 2011 - we rescued a puppy - a shephard mix -

named Roscoe and also traveled to Mobile for dance competition, getting to visit

our good friends the Morgan Family. We just celebrated Emily Claire's 5th birthday

and Cooper's 1st birthday is just weeks away. We have a busy spring ahead

of us with birthdays, an overnight camping trip for Shawn and Peyton,

dance practice, Easter and crazy work schedules.

Doesn't look like things will slow down for a while -

maybe in the summer!!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the holidays are already upon us and we are at the end of December. We have enjoyed a great December with lots of fun family outings. We have been caroling, ice skating, looking at Christmas lights and most recently, went on The Polar Express in Texas with the Thomas Family. The kids had a great time but Emily was terrified to see Santa. Other than that, they all enjoyed the train ride, hot chocolate and singing Christmas carols- they loved their silver bell given to them by Santa.

We've also enjoyed the arrival of my brother's baby, John Paxton, earlier this month. Everyone is doing well and he is a sweet baby. It's great for Cooper to have a baby cousin. We still have more holiday adventures ahead of us including Christmas Eve church service, Christmas with the Boudreaux Family and in the middle of it all, Peyton's 7th Birthday!

The holidays have been a great time for all of us - it's fun to watch the kids get so excited and of course, this is Cooper's first Christmas. It is a special time of year for all of us!

It's Fall!

2010-11-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

The fall season is here and we are so busy and I think we're only going to get busier. October flew by with school, dance lessons, work, a little sickness and family outings. We survived Halloween celebrations that included school parties, field trip to a pumpkin patch, our church pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating, birthday parties and a church carnival. Whew!

Cooper is getting so big - already six months old. He can sit up for a few minutes by himself, is rolling over all the time and getting on his knees and rocking a bit. Still no teeth but he gnaws on everything and loves his baby food.

The girls are doing well also. Emily loves preschool and is really learning a lot - she's already been named Student of the Week. Peyton is doing well in school also - they learn so many new things in first grade at such a fast pace.

We're getting ready for another busy month. November promises to be just as hectic as October. We've already marched in our first parade for dance. The rest of the month holds Veteran's Day program at school, Thanksgiving dinner at school, friends' birthday parties, dress up like a storybook character, pre-K Pow Wow, turning on of Christmas lights in Natchitoches and of course, Thanksgiving. We may even see the arrival of Patrick's son, John Paxton in late November.

Back to School

2010-09-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

It's back to school/back to work time for the Hornsby family. After months of maternity leave, I returned to work in mid August and the girls started school.

Peyton started 1st grade and we're getting used to having homework every night and real tests. A lot different than kindergarten! Emily started Pre-K and she likes being a "real school girl."

Cooper is at home with a child care provider and they both seem to be hitting it off. It's nice knowing he's at home being taken care of while I have to commute to work.

Shawn is at West Monroe First United Methodist Church, getting really busy with the youth this fall with football games, Bible studies, conferences, retreats and more. He starts seminary again in just a couple of weeks, taking classes online this fall.

Besides school and work, the girls are taking dance lessons. Peyton is on her dance school's competition team, which means she takes 3 hours of dance a week. It's a lot of practicing and they have lots of performances scheduled this fall, but she really enjoys it and grows as a dancer every day.

Whew! Lots of activity at our house, which means the fall should fly by!!

Cooper is here!!

2010-06-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been extremely hectic as we welcomed the arrival of Henry Cooper Hornsby on April 18, one week early! It's hard to believe he is already six weeks old. He is a sweet baby and has already gotten bigger, from 7 lbs 12 oz to 10 lbs 9 oz!! We love having a little boy in the house, and his sisters love him, a little too much! They want to hold him all the time - Peyton is pretty good at holding and rocking him but we have to watch Emily. To her, Cooper is more like her baby doll and she's a little rough with her dolls! Lots of people have been so kind to us since he was born, especially the folks at Shawn's church. They threw us a shower and we had this beautiful cake made to welcome Cooper. We all feel very blessed to have him here.

End of School

2010-06-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

Both girls finished school at the end of May with programs. Peyton's Kindergarten class held a graduation ceremony where they wore caps and gowns, received diplomas and performed several songs they learned this past school year. The parents and students were then treated to cake and punch. Emily's class held a program where they also performed songs and showed off some of their artwork. Both girls are glad to be done with school for the summer but are already thinking about what school will be like in the fall. Peyton will be in the first grade, and Emily is excited to go to "big school" to attend Pre-K at Ball Elementary. She got her first uniform shirt the other day and was so proud of herself. She wanted to wear it all night long.

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a wonderful Easter weekend together as a family, with limited traveling! We enjoyed a picnic at a local park, soaking up the warm weather and spent the long holiday weekend doing all kinds of things including several church services, an Easter egg hunt, our first crawfish of the season and lots of other fun things.

The girls had a good time at the church's Easter egg hunt - Peyton only found 39 eggs! Emily isn't nearly as aggressive of a hunter as her big sister. Regardless, they got plenty of candy that will last us for weeks. We met the Easter Bunny at the mall and Emily did not flip out, which is a huge accomplishment for her. She actually waved and blew him a kiss, telling him "you better come to my house!" The Easter Bunny definitely did come to our house with "Princess and the Frog" DVD, gardening tools, bubbles, a few other toys and just a little bit of candy.

The girls greatly enjoyed their week of spring break - spending the night with some friends, a lunch date with Ms. Dana, a baby shower in Natchitoches and of course, Easter. Neither was excited to return to school but there are a few more weeks until school is out for the whole summer. They can make it!

Disney World

2010-03-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

Our family made a trip to Disney World this February with our friends, the Morgans. They moved from Louisiana to Tallahassee so we took advantage of a long holiday weekend and went to visit them. We then all drove together to Orlando. The first night, we took the kids to Downtown Disney to shop and eat, then got up early the next morning for the Magic Kingdom.

The weather was a little chilly but still sunny. The day flew by as we learned how to navigate the rides and take advantage of "Fast Pass." The girls liked the rides Buzz Light Year, Winnie the Pooh and really liked the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, although they DID NOT like waiting in line. We got to meet Daisy Duck and got to see several of the princesses. It was a really long day and everyone was really tired by the time we left, but we had a great time.

It was fun getting to visit with the Morgan family and the girls loved playing with Alex and John. It was a great trip to take as a family before Cooper makes his arrival.

Baby Shower for Cooper

2010-03-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

Friends and family helped host a baby shower a few weeks ago to help Shawn, the girls and I prepare for the upcoming arrival of Cooper. We had a great shower with lots of good food and decorations, including a really cute diaper cake and a "daddy tool belt" for Shawn. The girls got into the spirit by helping unwrap all the presents for Cooper and passing them around for everyone to see. He got a ton of clothes and diapers and much-needed items including a pack 'n play, bath tub and swing. It definitely put us on the right track to be ready for baby. Only about 5 weeks left to go ...

Big Sisters!

2010-02-25T19:26:00.000-08:00

Peyton and Emily got practice being big sisters this week at a sibling class at the hospital where we'll have Cooper.

They got to bring their baby dolls and practice diapering them, color a happy birthday card for the baby and eat a birthday cake. The best part was when they got to dress up in hospital gear - scrubs, masks, caps and booties and tour the delivery ward. They got to see the room where the baby will be born, where they measure him, even sneak a peek in the nursery where they saw two little babies.

The girls each got certificates and really enjoyed their time at the hospital and are excited for their little brother to get here - only a few more weeks!

Snow Day!

2010-02-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

Like everyone else in central Louisiana, we woke up to a blanket of about 4-6 inches of snow last Friday. It started snowing the night before and the girls went to bed so excited to see what would happen in the morning. They woke up at 6:45 a.m. screaming about how much snow was on the ground. They immediately got dressed and went outside to play, make snowballs and make a snow lady. Emily got cold and didn't like that her feet got dirty but Peyton was pumped to be outside. She even went to our neighbor's house to slide down a small hill with their son, Stevie.

We had to remove the snow from Shawn's truck so we could head to Florida for a weekend trip to Disney World with our friends the Morgans. Ironically, snow flakes followed us all the way down south, even to Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! The girls are preparing for Valentine's Day parties at school and have enjoyed making Valentine's, decorating boxes and getting candy! To celebrate Valentine's Day, President's Day, Mardi Gras, my birthday and anything else we can think of, we're heading to Florida for a getaway to see the Morgans. We'll all travel together for a day at the Magic Kingdom. The girls can't wait!! Pictures to be posted soon ...

Happy 6th Birthday Peyton!

2009-12-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Peyton celebrated her 6th birthday with tons of celebrations during the month of December.

Since her birthday is Dec. 29, we usually have her party early in the month so her friends can attend before they are busy with the holidays. We had her party at The Tree House Children's Museum and the kids were allowed to run around and play in all the different rooms. One of their favorites was the "medical office" where they took turns working on Shawn and Aunt Christy. Her Hello Kitty theme resulted in a lot of pink and purple and caused her cousin to say "this is the pinkest day of my life."

On her actual birthday, we took her, Emily and her good friend Emilee to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel." Everyone loved the movie and the girls loved The Chipettes, especially their songs and dance moves. Later that night, we had pizza and I made a cake for her. We had lots of friends and family come over and we ended having a bigger crowd than we first imagined, but it was a lot of fun.

Today, I took Peyton to get her very first pedicure (a good excuse for me to get one as well!). She absolutely loved it and quickly acclimated to the life of being spoiled and pampered. She got her pedicure and then had her fingernails painted. I think I've created a monster!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T15:40:00.000-08:00

Our family enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season, filled with visits with family and friends, food and lots of presents! We visited with Aunt Colleen earlier in the week and exchanged Christmas presents. The girls then spent several days in West Monroe with Shawn, playing with some of their new friends from church. Everyone came back home just so we could get ready to drive back to West Monroe together to attend two Christmas Eve services. We drove home that night to get ready for Santa. The girls were tired from the trip home but were excited to get back home into their PJs and leave cookies and milk for Santa.

The girls must have been really tired from the trip because they didn't wake up until 8:30 a.m. Christmas morning! Of course, neither Shawn nor I minded. Once they were up, they raced us to the living room to see what Santa had brought. The girls were excited to find all kinds of things under the tree including new PJs, a Barbie house, digital camera and Hannah Montana Movie for Peyton and a Winnie the Pooh laptop computer, baby doll stroller and other goodies for Emily.

We barely had time to open and play with everything before we headed to Franny's for Christmas breakfast with all the family. Peyton got a cool "Plasma car" and Emily got a fancy new Schwin tricycle that drives superfast! Our next Christmas stop was dinner at Grandma and PawPaw's with all our cousins - Jacob, Brandon, Allie & Zach. The kids had fun playing together and making a gingerbread house. The girls got glittery shoes and matching sleeping bags with a flashlight and water bottle. They are ready for Daddy, PawPaw or Uncle Patrick to pitch a tent in the back yard and go camping outside!!

We've spent the last couple of days throwing packages away, finding a place for all of these toys and clothes, visiting with other friends who have come into town and popping fireworks! We all need a holiday from the holiday - now, it's time to get ready for Peyton's 6th birthday this Tuesday.

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's a boy!

2009-11-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

We just learned last week that we're having a boy! Shawn and I had a doctor's appointment and ultrasound last week. They don't let the dads in during the first part of the ultrasound, so when the technician left to get him, I couldn't help but sneak a peek at the screen to see what we were having. It didn't say on the screen, but I was pretty sure I knew that what I was looking at was a boy! She and Shawn came in and when we both looked at the full screen, it was pretty obvious.

We are both really excited about having a boy, especially my husband, who has always wanted a boy. Now, we're starting to think about getting ready for baby - it really won't be that long before we welcome Henry Cooper Hornsby.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

As usual, we ended up with way too much candy during our week-long Halloween festivities. Peyton started off the week by having tubes put in her ears during day surgery. We had to get up early and being put under is a little nerve-wracking but by the middle of the day, she was doing great.

Peyton enjoyed a Halloween party at her Kindergarten class and got plenty of goodies - we made Frankenstein brownies for her friends at school. On Friday, Emily took the day to spend with Daddy and went to see Playhouse Disney Live to see all of her favorites - Winnie the Pooh, Darby, Handy Manny and Mickey and Minnie. Peyton and I went to a church Halloween party where we ate dinner, participated in games and crafts and trick or treated. She got waayyy too much candy and even won a real goldfish to take home. Unfortunately, "Goldie" didn't make it through the night. Not sure what happened but we'll have to try again one day soon.

On Saturday, the girls went to a birthday party of their good friend, Emilee Hall and then we quickly changed into costumes to head up to Witch Way to Main Street in Natchitoches. The girls were princesses this year - Peyton was Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Emily was Snow White. Tons of people showed up at Witch Way to Main Street and the girls enjoyed seeing all the different costumes and getting more candy. We are done with trick-or-treating!! We have enough candy to get us through the rest of the year!!!

Fall fun with the Morgans

2009-10-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a great, cool weather weekend at the zoo with our dear friends the Morgan family. Ms. Nancy and her two boys - Alex and John met us at the zoo for a fun day. The Morgans are getting ready to move to Florida so we wanted to enjoy one last outing with them before they make the big move to the Sunshine State. Alex and Peyton grew up together - when they were babies, they shared a nanny and have been best friends ever since. Peyton and Emily followed John around the entire time, trying to pick him up, hold his hand and take care of him. Many of the animals were out that day, which was great for the kids to see. The zoo had all of their fall decorations on display, so we were able to get some great pictures. We then enjoyed a great lunch. It was a great day and a great way to spend one of our last play dates for a few months. We are making plans to get together in early 2010. Best wishes to the Morgans on their big move - we'll miss you!

Fall Field Trip

2009-10-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

Peyton's Kindergarten Class had her first field trip this week. They went to the parish fair to look at the animals - she sat on top of several horses and donkeys and held different animals like a baby bunny and chick. We even ran into our cousin, Jacob! Her class then went to the park to play and enjoy an outdoor picnic. Their last stop on the field trip was a pumpkin patch where they played with the pumpkins, crawled through tunnels, heard a story, ate pumpkin seeds, ate cookies and "pumpkin juice" and did a craft. Our whole family went on the field trip and Emily just inserted herself into the mix the entire time. Anything the class did, she did also, like she was one of them. We all had a good time and enjoyed the nice sunny (and cooler weather), a much welcome change from the rain!!

It's pumpkin time!

2009-10-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

The girls and I finally had the chance to get to West Monroe so we could visit dad's pumpkin patch at church. They had great fun searching through the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin for inside our house, outside our house and of course, to carve. Emily and Peyton fell in love with every other pumpkin they came across, so we have plenty of pumpkins for the fall season. They also had a great time crawling through a wooden maze surrounded by straw. They thought that was so much fun.

Later that day, we went to the Ouachita Parish Fair. This was Emily's first experience at a fair and riding real rides. She surprised all of us and was more brave than her sister at first. She rode a few things without her big sister sitting by her. Peyton finally warmed up to the idea and had tons of fun on the rides, especially the fun house of mirrors. Peyton, Emily and Shawn spent the last ride on a "crazy airplane" that went up and all around. All three of them complained of a stomach ache after the ride was over.

Welcome to Kindergarten!

2009-08-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

Peyton started her first day of Kindergarten this week. She only goes to school two times this week and then starts on Monday with the entire class. She was really excited the night before - I baked a "back to school cake" for the family and we read a Kindergarten book before we went to bed. In the morning, she was excited to get dressed in her uniform and insisted that my mom do her hair. The entire family took her to school that morning, and her teacher was waiting for us at the front door. She came home that afternoon and reported that she liked her teacher and was excited for school, especially to learn how to read. On her "first day of Kindergarten" coloring sheet that she brought home, she was asked to give her teacher a sentence about she felt on the first day - Peyton reported that felt "a little shy." Of course, Emily wanted to be just like big sister, so she had to bring a backpack to school and she cried, wanting to wear a uniform to school, just like her sister.

Our two dancers

2009-08-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

With school about to start, it also means the start of another year of dance lessons. This year, both Peyton and Emily are taking ballet/tap. Peyton moved up to a "big girl" glass with girls 5-8 years old. She has her same teacher as last year, Ms. Stacy. Peyton looks very grown up in her leotard and tights.

Emily is in the Tippy Toes class for those 3-4 years old. Tonight was her first night of dance and she wasn't scared or nervous - she walked right in and let me walk out of the room. I think she is used to seeing Peyton do this so she knew what to expect. At the end of the class, we got to watch the last few minutes to see what they learned. Emily could plie, posse and a few other ballet moves. She looked too sweet in her leotard and was very excited to get a sticker at the end of class.

Both girls are excited about dance and to find out what song/costume they will be performing in the spring at their recital. Oh yeah, Peyton is also excited about getting a bigger trophy this year!

Taking Care of their Babies

2009-08-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Both girls love to play with their babies, and the other night, the girls lined up every stuffed animal they could find along the room of Peyton's room (in order from smallest to largest). Peyton proceeded to read stories to them while Emily grabbed as many kitchen supplies from my cabinets as she could get her hands on. She was in charge of feeding the babies. They had such a good time playing and kept themselves busy for so long, that I had to go in the room to see what they were doing. When I saw what they had done, I had to snap a few pictures.

Fourth of July

2009-07-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

We spent the Fourth of July in the pool at Patrick's house! Our friends, Ericca and Jack, came over with their girls Abi and Ashleigh and Peyton had her best friend, Emilee Hall, join the fun. All five girls swam all day long an got a lot of sun! Peyton has really turned into the mermaid this summer. Her swimming lessons at day camp really paid off - she swims under water, the backstroke, and can even swim in the deep with no floaties.

Emily was a little hesitant at first and was scared to death for anyone to let her go in the pool. Later in the day, she put on her "Froggy" suit and was good to swim in the pool by herself. She swam all the way to the deep end without any help. All the girls had a great time playing together but were exhausted by the time we went home. We had great food, great drinks and time with our friends - Happy Fourth of July!

Our first major accident

2009-06-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

We had our first major accident since having kids. The girls and I were in a hotel room getting ready to go swimming while Shawn was away doing mission work. They were dressed and ready to go, while I went into the bathroom to change. I heard a horrible scream from Emily and knew something bad had happened. I rush out to see blood EVERYWHERE running down her face and immediately panicked.

The wound was very deep, and I knew it would require stitches, though I've never had stitches and never really been around anyone who has. I ran downstairs with an icepack on Emily's head and all of us in our bathing suits. The front desk tried to give me directions to the hospital but I was so shaky, I couldn't concentrate. Luckily, another preacher's wife walked into the lobby at that very moment and offered to drive us to the ER. We went to a local hospital and the ER staff was pretty efficient and helpful. Shawn finally arrived to help, and Emily was fine until they put in the stitches! It took three of us to hold her down while they gave her 10 stitches (not the dissolvable kind but the old-fashioned black thread kind). She screamed, cried, kicked and fought the entire time. Once it was over, she was fine and literally running around trying to get into more mischief.

Stitches just came out last week - that was another battle at the pediatrician's office. She has a pretty nice scar on her head but we're treating it daily and it heals and looks better every day. What a way to start off the summer!

Summer Vacation

2009-06-23T18:50:00.001-07:00

The four of us went on summer vacation earlier this month. It started off in New Orleans with a conference for Shawn - we had a slight detour with an accident that required a trip to the ER (that's another blog). We took the girls to the aquarium and then rode the New Orleans street cars to City Park. From New Orleans, we went to Gulfport, MS to spend time on some of the beaches along the Mississippi gulf coast.

My sister joined us at the beach, and we took a one-hour ferry ride to Ship Island National Park where they have a beach and historic site. The girls got to see dolphins jumping in the water and had a great time playing in the sand and in the ocean. It was extremely hot and we all got sunburned, but we had a great time.

First Dance Recital

2009-05-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Peyton had her very first dance recital Memorial Day weekend. We all came out to see her perform - mama, daddy, Emily, Franny, Uncle Patrick, Aunt Colleen and Grandma. Her class did a great job on the big stage, especially since this was the first time they had ever performed without someone doing the routine with them. Afterwards, each student was presented with a trophy, which Peyton is very proud of! She got flowers after her performance and some dance prizes from Aunt Colleen including a necklace/bracelet, Angelina Ballerina books and a dance picture frame. Her baby sister knows the dance by heart, also. After a year of dance lessons, Emily watched enough to know exactly how to do the "Cuddly Duck" routine. Emily has informed us she wants to take dance lessons in the fall. This should be interesting!

Emily's End of the Year Program

2009-05-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Emily's WEE Care Class at nursery school had their end of the year program last week. The children performed by age group for the audience. Emily's class of two year olds sang two songs including "God is so Good." Apparently, that's one of Emily's favorite songs because she shouted it loudly over all the other children. You could only hear her yelling the song even with a microphone in front of the other children. The audience got a kick out of her enthusiasm. She had a great time showing off her class work and her friends. Her class was over last week, but this week, she moved up to the three-year-old class with some of her friends and seems to be enjoying it.

Pre-K Graduation

2009-05-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

Peyton and her classmates graduated Pre-K this week with a ceremony filled with singing and dancing of some of the Pre-K students' favorite songs. Peyton loved wearing a hat and dancing to the "Macarena Months." She got a certificate from her teacher, and we all got to watch a great slide show of pictures from throughout the school year. Me, my mom and Shawn's parents all got to attend. We are so proud of her and are excited about her starting Kindergarten.

Our Baby Duck's Broadway Debut

2009-05-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

Peyton's dance class made their first performance debut a couple of weekends ago at the Alexandria Mall. The baby ducks patiently waited their turn and did a great job taking the stage. We were proud of Peyton - she smiled the entire time and knew her routine. No stage fright! Her dance recital is coming up next weekend. Her friend, Emilee, was able to watch Peyton dance since she takes dance from the same studio.

Peyton's Tea Party

2009-04-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Peyton's Pre-K class had a tea party last week for "Week of the Young Child." All the kids had to dress up in their best clothes with hats, necklackes, earrings and suits for the boys. Both Shawn and I got to go and we dressed up, too. We were treated to lemonade, tea and cookies. Peyton had fun dressing up and showing off with her class, especially her friends Abby and Emilee.

More Easter pictures

2009-04-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of an Easter Egg Hunt we had at church in Lake Charles and some pictures with Shawn immediately following church. The girls really enjoyed their spring break this week. Peyton had a sleep over with her friend, the girls went to Lake Charles for a few days with their dad and then the girls had a weekend stay over with their grandma and pawpaw while mom and dad celebrated their ten year anniversary!

Happy Easter

2009-04-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend, filled with Easter egg hunts, lots of eggs, candy and other prizes. The girls were invited to an egg hunt at Peyton's friend from school. Emily actually found the golden egg and immediately turned it over to her big sister since she knew how much Peyton wanted it. There was some cash in it!

We went to church in Lake Charles and enjoyed another Easter egg hunt before the huge rains came in - we made it back to Pineville just as the rains hit. We then enjoyed an afternoon crawfish/shrimp boil with the family. Despite the rain and mud, we had a great time. Now, I just have to get rid of all this candy!

Emily's Field Trip

2009-04-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

Emily's nursery school took a field trip to a petting zoo in Woodworth. The homeowners had llamas, donkeys, pigs, cows, horses and a pony for the children to ride.

It had been raining for days before, so the ground was pretty muddy. Emily refused to walk in the mud - insisting that I carry her everywhere. She would only get down long enough to pet an animal and then want back on my hip again. The teachers called her "Miss Priss Pot."

Despite the mud and the looming rain that we just missed, Emily enjoyed looking at the animals and riding the pony. She also enjoyed a picnic on the grounds with her classmates.

Happy Spring!

2009-03-31T19:37:00.001-07:00

Just a few pictures from a recent spring day. The girls and I went to the campus of Louisiana College to check out the beautiful azaleas and the fountains on the campus. We then had a great time playing outside at Kees Park. In fact, the weather was so nice, we spent the entire day outside, even eating lunch and supper outdoors. We didn't come in until almost 7 p.m.

Happy Birthday Emily!

2009-03-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Emily's 3rd birthday today with a Winnie the Pooh Party in our backyard. We had great sunny, warm weather and spent the day grilling with nearly a dozen kids running around and having a great time.

Between grandparents, cousins, family friends and friends from school, we had quite a crowd. Emily had a wonderful time playing, eating cake, icecream and candy and of course, opening presents. She got tons of clothes for the spring/summer season, a bubble machine, Hello Kitty rubber boots, a doctor's kit, a scooter and lots of other goodies.

Both Peyton and Emily were wired all day. Emily didn't crash until 9 p.m. and immediately began to snore loudly. Peyton stayed up, having a camp out in the backyard with PawPaw Ken and cousin Gabe.

We can't believe Emily Claire is already 3! Her mommy and daddy think she is getting too big, too fast. Happy Birthday Emmie!

Chicago!

2009-03-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Go Cubs!

Shawn and I took a trip to Chicago this past week - I had a conference to attend for work so Shawn made the trip up for a few days so we could be tourists together and actually spend a few days together - in the same city - at the same time. It was pretty cold (16 degrees was the low) and it as snowing but it was a nice change to actually wear our winter gear. We had a great time together, ate some great food, shopped, saw some beautiful buildings and even watched a movie. The highlight of the trip, by far for my husband, was probably seeing Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. We walked around the exterior of the arena, bought some souvenirs and walked around the neighborhood "Wrigleyville." While it was nice to spend time together as a couple, we were anxious to get back to see our girls. They definitely missed us and were glad that we were all together again.

Happy Mardi Gras!

2009-02-21T21:53:00.000-08:00

We took the girls and cousin Brandon to Natchitoches on Saturday to be in the Krewe of Wag-uns children's and pet parade downtown. We brought masks, beads, a wagon and even our dog, Bingo to be in the parade. The girls' friend, Alex, and his dad joined us also. We made it up to Natchitoches, ate a good lunch and then it started to rain!

We went to the parade route and waited it out - the rain let up so the parade began. The kids were given lots of beads and cups to throw out and had fun chunking things at people. Halfway through the parade, it really started to rain and we all agreed it was time to cut out. We took a detour and made it back to the truck. Everyone was wet and a little chilly, but we turned up the heat in the truck and made it back to our house. Brandon spent the afternoon playing with the girls, including "house" and "restaurant" with Peyton.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of things happen to us these past few weeks. It's the season for birthdays. Shawn celebrated his 33rd birthday in late January and Franny celebrated her birthday Jan. 31. I celebrated my 32nd birthday this past Tuesday, and the girls were busy celebrating Valentine's Day.

Both had parties at their school, and Peyton's class go to see the stage version of Peter Pan. She had a great time watching everyone fly and especially loved the mermaids, including "Sundrop."

It's also been a sad month. My grandmother, my father's mother, passed away this week in the hospital. Shawn and I visited her on my birthday, just one day before she died. Peyton and Emily went to see her at Christmas and last week at the hospital. During both visits, the girls made her laugh and hopefully brought her joy. Both girls went with us to the funeral and were so brave.

Peyton's 5th Birthday

2008-12-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

Peyton turned five this month and we celebrated with a princess-themed birthday party earlier this month, so that it would in no way be celebrated near the Christmas holiday. Her party had a princess castle jumpie, princess cake, pinata and of course, crows and tiaras. She had a great time playing with some of her friends from pre-school, her cousins and long-time friends Alex and Bailey.

She got tons of stuff including five Barbie dolls, some glittery shoes and lots of clothes and accessories. She and her dad went on a special date to see Despereaux the movie and the whole family celebrated her actual birthday with a special lunch, joined by the Morgan family and a trip to Jump 'n Jive where we all jumped, bounced, chased each other and had a great time. Emily was the least enthused about jumping but even she had a great time running around and playing and making friends with one of the teen-age workers. Peyton agreed her birthday was "really fun."

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-27T19:39:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-27T18:45:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! We've spread out the holiday celebrations over several days and we still have more to go! Aunt Jessica came to spend the night on Dec. 23. Christmas Eve was spent at Shawn's church service and last minute holiday preparations. The girls were so anxious about Santa Claus and the reindeer coming, that they didn't fall asleep until almost midnight. They were so excited to wake up and see what presents Santa had left for them.

On Christmas morning, the girls found half eaten cookies and milk that Santa enjoyed and discovered that reindeer really like carrots and corn. They had a great time opening presents and absolutely love their big surprise - a princess jeep complete with a working radio! They wasted no time in cruising around the yard and over to Franny's house. For the most part, Emily lets her sister drive as long as she gets to work the radio.

Christmas morning was spent at Franny's house with a great breakfast that everyone helped make - Uncle Patrick, Franny and Ken, Aunt Kitty and Gary and even dad made something. Christmas afternoon was spent at Grandma and Pawpaw's house with dinner and presents and playing with cousins Brandon and Jacob. The next day, we had Christmas at Franny's house with Uncle Patrick and Aunt Colleen. More presents were had - needless to say, the girls got tons of stuff - way too much. The toys are spread out all over the living room. They've had a great holiday and we're glad for the time we've been able to spend together as a family.

Peyton's Field Trip

2008-12-18T14:17:00.000-08:00

Peyton's Pre-K class took a holiday field trip to the Dollar Tree so everyone could buy themselves a present and open them at their class Christmas party. The kids then went to Logan's to eat lunch and then onto Ball Town Hall where they ate cookies and milk and Santa Claus met them at the Santa House to give them a candy bag.

Peyton wasn't too thrilled to see Santa but she did sit in a small rocker on the side of him. She loved riding the yellow school bus, hanging out with Emilee and playing with all of her friends in the park.

Cookies with Santa

2008-12-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

Peyton and Emily had cookies with Santa this weekend in Natchitoches. They ate cookies and drank juice and made Christmas ornaments for their tree. Neither girl was excited to see Santa but Emily let me hold her and get close to Santa.

Peyton wouldn't go near him at all but she did watch me talk to Santa from about 3 feet away and remind Santa she wanted a Barbie Jeep. As Peyton told me, "Mom, I just want to do arts and crafts." Her and best buddy Alex went around and made crafts and had a great time playing together.

Emily spent most of the time with the Christmas Belles, particularly Cammie, and sat with Cammie in Santa's chair - only for Santa to sneak behind for another picture!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-11T19:39:00.001-08:00

Our Christmas Tree - the finished product. The girls had a great time decorating the tree in our living room - Peyton was especially excited. The end result served as the backdrop for our family Christmas photo, taken courtesy of my brother, Patrick.

It was interesting trying to get everyone to look at the camera at the same time, but we ended up with a great photo.

Finding the perfect Christmas Tree

2008-12-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

After an eventful Thanksgiving filled with good food and lots of playing with all the cousins, our family ventured out to a Christmas Tree farm to find the perfect tree. We found a beautiful 8 ft tall Cedar Tree, which Shawn cut down himself.

Emily was a little grouchy during the trip but Peyton had a great time running up and down the rows of trees. Peyton had the brilliant idea of getting a smaller tree for her and Emily to decorate. We found a 4 ft pine tree. The girls spent one rainy afternoon making ornaments for the tree. It sits in Emily's room in the window and looks great. Peyton was super excited to decorate the big tree in the living room. This is the first year that she has really gotten into decorating for the holidays. Every ornament she grabbed went on the bottom row of the tree.

We're very busy getting ready for the holidays. We have lots to do including the Christmas Festival, parades, a school program, school Christmas party, field trip to see Santa, Cookies with Santa and a fifth birthday party for Peyton. More pictures will come to highlight the happenings of our holiday season.

The Holidays

2008-12-01T19:49:00.001-08:00

Sugar Day with Grandma and PawPaw

2008-11-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

We had a great weekend, filled with fun. First, we made a fire in the backyard and roasted marshmallows to make smores. Then, dad had the great idea to build a "lean to" where he and Peyton would camp out overnight. Uncle Patrick came over and built up the fire really well. Peyton actually fell asleep outside and they made it until about midnight (mom persuaded them to come in for the night).

On Saturday, We went to the Kent House this weekend to visit Grandma and PawPaw at Sugar Day. While they sold gourds, we explored Kent House, learned how to churn butter, make sugar and syrup and make sand art! Our favorite part of the day was the petting zoo. Peyton especially enjoyed the animals, particularly the bunny rabbits. No one else could pet them when Peyton was arrived. In her words, "they're so cute, can we take one home?" They are definitely cute and very soft, but not cute enough to take home! We had a great time exploring and visiting this weekend!

We're off to See the Wizard ...

2008-11-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

The whole family got into the spirit of Halloween with our version of the Wizard of Oz starring Shawn as the Tin Man, Courtney as Glenda the Good Witch, Peyton as Dorothy and Emily as the Scarecrow. Props to Shawn for making his own outfit, with no help from me.

Halloween Fun ...

2008-11-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

We've had a great time celebrating Halloween this year. The celebration was spread out over several days including trick-or-treating Friday night at several different places and a Halloween Carnival Saturday. The girls have been on a sugar high for days complete with energy surges, late nights, crashes, melt downs and "can we have more?!?"

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-28T20:30:00.001-07:00

Halloween Time!

2008-10-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Our family is getting ready for Halloween. We've started off the week by attending Peyton's school carnival where they had face painting, pizza, a book sale, cake walk and other activities.

Peyton and Emily wore costumes from The Wizard of Oz - Peyton went as Dorothy and Emily went as the Scarecrow. Our entire family will get into the spirit later this week when I go as Glenda the Good Witch and Shawn goes as The Tin Man. Stay tuned for more pictures!

hornsby family

2008-10-18T18:24:00.001-07:00

Our first blog!

2008-10-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

This is our first blog for the Hornsby Family! I have to thank one of my oldest and dearest friends, Candace Smith, for showing me this blogspot.

Our family is doing well considering how spread out we all are. Peyton, Emily and I live in Pineville and Shawn lives in Lake Charles while he serves as pastor of Oak Park United Methodist Church. He also attends seminary classes in Houston every other week, earning a master's degree in divinity.

This blogspot will feature pictures of our family, mainly our girls, so everyone can see how big they are getting. Peyton is 4, almost 5, and attends preschool. Emily is 2 1/2 years old and is in nursery school. Both girls are their own little characters and have their own unique personalities - let's just say they have personality plus!

We hope you enjoy our blog!