The Goff Course

Let it Snow...

2010-02-13T11:09:00.020-05:00

It's amazing how 3 inches of snow can bring such joy and excitement to a Friday afternoon...

Little Michael Jordan

2010-02-13T11:01:00.009-05:00

Brandon lives and breathes basketball. He has been playing ball in a local recreation league here in Canton this winter. We had the joy of explaining the legacy of #23 when he received his team t-shirt. Richard says that Brandon definitely has some cool moves on the court so we'll see...

California Cousins

2010-02-13T10:30:00.023-05:00

My sister, Natalie, and her kids flew out from California to come see us in January. It's always a special treat to watch our kids play together. We can't wait for our new nephew, William, (due in April) to join in on all the fun!

Good Times...

2010-01-09T14:19:00.111-05:00

Thought I would post some of our favorite pictures from the last few months. We were blessed to spend a lot of time with our extended families in south Georgia, Texas, and here in Canton. Blessings to all in 2010!

Smoky Mountains

2009-10-03T15:41:00.081-04:00

We just returned from a Fall Break trip to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We rented a cabin with my brother and his family and had a great time hanging out together. Grammy joined us for the fun too. The kids loved hiking in the national park, racing go carts, going to Dollywood, horseback riding, and skipping rocks in the river. Neat memories with the Bowden family!

Fall Baseball

2009-10-03T14:14:00.009-04:00

Brandon is having a great time playing baseball this fall. I think he looks so cute in his little uniform! Richard is helping coach the team so it's been a fun father/son activity for the boys. Go Sand Gnats!

Lake Oconee

2009-07-04T14:41:00.059-04:00

We just returned from spending a few days at a beautiful resort on Lake Oconee about two hours from our house. Gran and Pepa flew in from Texas to join us for the fun getaway. Emily and Brandon had a hard time staying dry with the lake and pool at their doorstep. Both kids discovered a new love of fishing and drinking Shirley Temples. We enjoyed canoeing, kayaking, and tubing on the lake. Great location, amazing food, and lots of special family memories...

Father's Day with Grandpa

2009-07-04T14:19:00.016-04:00

We drove down to south Georgia to spend Father's Day weekend with Grandpa. It was rather warm so Richard made a trip to Wal-Mart and bought a slip 'n slide to keep the kids cool in the backyard. Grandma supervised all the activity from the shade and as always, prepared some wonderful southern favorites in the kitchen. We also enjoyed spending some time with Grandpa's new wife, Louise. We look forward seeing them again soon!

Sailing

2009-07-04T13:41:00.013-04:00

Richard and I enjoyed a fun date night recently on Lake Allatona. Our friends, Ed and Sherry, treated us to a relaxing evening on their sailboat. It was a lot of fun having dinner together, telling stories, and watching the beautiful sunset.

League Champions

2009-05-16T21:00:00.012-04:00

Emily's softball team won the league championship tournament today! All those long practices and hard work paid off in an exciting end to a great season of softball. And to top it all off...at the end of the tournament today, our coach announced that Emily was named the All-Around League Champion for the 12U Division in a recent Hit, Pitch, and Run competition. She is headed to the Regional Competition in a few weeks. WAY TO GO, GIRL!

Our New Niece

2009-04-12T14:26:00.003-04:00

My brother and his wife welcomed a sweet baby girl into their family recently...Lily Grace Bowden. Congrats Brett, Theresa, and Joshua!

California Cousins

2009-03-22T07:45:00.000-04:00

My sister and her kids flew out to Georgia recently to spend some time with us. Its always a special treat for Emily and Brandon to play with their cousins. The kids had fun playing dress up, decorating cookies, having tea parties, playing basketball, and enjoying the backyard. We miss them already and look forward to seeing them again this summer!

15 Years Together

2009-01-10T09:30:00.002-05:00

God has been so incredibly good to me. Richard and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on Thursday. I can honestly say that I love him more today than ever before and life continues to be all the more sweeter with him by my side. Its hard to put into words how thankful I am for Richard. He loves God and is committed to His Word. He encourages me to passionately pursue my Heavenly Father. He is my best friend, a strong leader, an amazing father, my partner in parenting, my provider, an incredible source of wisdom, a patient listener, and a gentle encourager. He makes me laugh and loves me like no other. I hope and pray the Lord allows us to grow old together...

Christmas & New Year's

2008-12-29T13:20:00.019-05:00

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas at home with my mom this year. Its been wonderful to have some down time together. There has been some serious board game competitions and Wii challenges around here, lots of great food, a few days spent in our pajamas, and several trips to the movie theatre. My brother and his family arrived a few days after Christmas and spent New Year's with us. Its been a fun but relaxing Christmas break. Richard and I have been thankful for the time to reflect on God's goodness to us.

A Visit to Stone Mountain

2008-12-29T12:30:00.018-05:00

Grandpa came to see us a few days before Christmas. Its always a special treat to have him and his sweet dog, Mandy, come for a visit. We made a trip to Stone Mountain and had a good time seeing all the pretty lights, watching the Christmas parade, and talking to Santa. Grammy had never been to Stone Mountain so she joined us for the fun day. It was very cold at the top of the mountain!!! Brandon happily served as Grandpa's official navigator/driver on the little electric scooter.

Upward Basketball

2008-12-29T12:01:00.005-05:00

Emily and Brandon are enjoying another season of Upward Basketball. Richard is coaching Brandon's team with our good friend, Bruce Hembree. His son, Ben, is one of Brandon's buddies from church. Emily's team is undefeated so far this season!

New York City

2008-12-10T20:41:00.010-05:00

Richard took me to New York City this past weekend for a fun romantic getaway. We had the best time seeing the city...Times Square, Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue, top of the Empire State Building, Ground Zero, etc. We enjoyed the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular Show and saw our first Broadway show, Wicked. We ate at some of the neatest little restaurants and cafes. We took a carriage ride and stroll through Central Park and it actually started snowing during our walk through the park...it was quite romantic!

Thank you, Grammy, for taking care of the kids so we could enjoy some special time together!

Thanksgiving at the Farm

2008-12-10T18:59:00.015-05:00

We enjoyed hanging out at the farm in south Georgia for Thanksgiving. Emily and Brandon love being able to walk the trails, run through the cotton fields, build a fire, collect sticks and pecans, play football, fly high in the old tire swing, etc.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for feeding us so well for Thanksgiving. We get spoiled everytime we visit! Ladies, take a long hard look at the 23 layer cake..made from scratch...with homemade chocolate icing! Absolutely amazing!!!

Family and Fall Colors

2008-11-08T22:13:00.020-05:00

Gran, Pepa, and Aunt Pat came for a visit this weekend. We drove up to Amicalola Falls and Dahlonega on Saturday to enjoy the beautiful fall colors. We managed to run into one of Richard's cousins and her family at Amicalola Falls so that was an unexpected treat. She has two children who are about the same age as Emily and Brandon so they had a great time going down the mountain together. Dahlonega is the neatest little town...we enjoyed a delightful lunch at a small outdoor cafe, did some shopping, ate some ice cream, and played in a pile of leaves at the downtown square. It was a special day with special people...

Happy Birthday, Richard!

2008-11-04T19:32:00.001-05:00

Halloween

2008-11-01T13:45:00.006-04:00

We had a great time trick or treating in our neighborbood with NASCAR Champion, Tony Stewart, and Lucy, Queen of Narnia. Fun times with the kids...

Fun Weekend

2008-11-01T12:45:00.001-04:00

We drove up north recently for a fun weekend in the mountains. We attended the Gold Rush Festival in Dahlonega and took the kids to a mine to pan for gold and gemstones. It was a rather rustic activity that actually required some patience and hard work! We ended the day going through a huge corn maze with some couples from our Bible study. Brandon and Emily thought it was pretty cool to use flashlights as we worked our way through the maze in the dark.

Fall Break in Myrtle Beach

2008-09-28T14:27:00.005-04:00

Spirit Week

2008-09-07T20:18:00.015-04:00

We enjoyed Spirit Week at Cherokee Christian this past week. Everyday the students dressed up... American Pride Day, Country/Western Day, Look Alike Day, and Wacky Tacky Day. Emily, Brandon, and I all wore tie dye shirts for Look Alike Day. For now, they think it is cool to dress like Mom! :)

Happy Kids

2008-09-07T20:03:00.011-04:00

Emily and Brandon love to sing and dance...they invited us upstairs recently for quite an entertaining concert. They used flashlights for microphones, jumped off the bed in unison, and rocked the house! Life is good for these two...

Family Night

2008-08-16T20:54:00.012-04:00

We took the kids bowling tonight for a fun family outing. Our time together turned into a boys vs. girls competition...just couldn't resist taking a picture of the scoreboard. :) Though in fairness to Richard, I must report that he got 5 or 6 strikes in the first game. I suppose there will be a rematch sometime soon...

First Day of School

2008-08-12T18:35:00.006-04:00

A new school year started for the Goff family on Monday...even though it was hard to say goodbye to our summer schedule, Emily and Brandon were excited to see all their friends again. Emily is in 5th grade and Brandon is in 1st grade...and Alicia is in 3rd grade this year! Yes, I am jumping into full-time teaching again...thrilled to have the opportunity to teach in a Christian school. The kids and I enjoy being in the same place...its pretty neat getting hugs, high fives, and winks during the day when I see the kids in the hallways. It will be rather busy in the coming weeks as we adjust to our new routine but we are looking forward to a great year together at CCS!

World of Coca-Cola and The Varsity

2008-08-02T08:49:00.016-04:00

We enjoyed a fun family day in downtown Atlanta yesterday. We went to the new World of Coca-Cola...a cool place to learn about the history of Coke, see a lot of fun memorabilia, watch a 4D movie, and taste Coke products from all over the world. Emily and Brandon loved the open soda fountain...it was a serious sugar rush for the entire family! We ended the day at The Varsity...an iconic/historical burger joint in Atlanta. Another day to be thankful...

"My tooth is gone!"

2008-08-01T20:22:00.004-04:00

Some cute little guy at our house lost his first tooth this week! It was very exciting...he's been wiggling and working that tooth for a while...Grammy finally came to the rescue and pulled it out! Richard and I are thankful we live in Georgia...the tooth fairy rate here is about $1/tooth...that would be about $5/tooth in California! :)

Our Visit to OKC

2008-07-17T21:38:00.013-04:00

We just returned from spending a long weekend with my brother and his family in Oklahoma City. We had a great time hanging out with them...lots of good memories...diving contests, Marco Polo, sharks and minnows, bike ride to the lake, sleepovers in Joshua's bunk beds, eating great Mexican food, and late night talks. And we were definitely spoiled by Brett and Theresa's hospitality...pecan pie muffins, pancakes, homemade salsa, strawberry shortcake, and smores in the backyard. Thank you for taking such good care of us!

And some special friends from college drove up from Dallas to surprise us on Saturday...thank you Mickey and Lisa for coming to see us. It was great catching up with you and seeing our kids finally get a chance to play together. We miss you!

Work and Play

2008-07-05T17:15:00.010-04:00

While the boys went to Home Depot and worked in the yard this afternoon, the girls went to see the movie Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. Emily has a Kit doll so she was really excited about seeing the movie. Grammy joined us for some good girl time!

4th of July

2008-07-04T10:42:00.005-04:00

We had a 4th of July bicycle/pet parade in our neighborhood this morning. Brandon rode his bike and Emily walked Belle in the parade. A firetruck led the way for all of the kids... it was a fun start to our holiday weekend.

Meeting Kevin & Taylor from 104.7 The Fish

2008-06-28T13:05:00.004-04:00

Our favorite Christian radio station in the Atlanta area is 104.7 The Fish. "Kevin and Taylor" are the morning broadcast team...we listen to them every morning on our way to school. Emily and Brandon love them. We went to see Kevin and Taylor today at a local bike shop and the kids were so excited! We won a really nice cycling jersery...its too big for Brandon and too small for Richard so we have a present for Uncle Brett...who loves to ride mountain bikes and road bikes. It was a fun time!

Upward Basketball Camp

2008-06-28T12:51:00.004-04:00

Emily has been participating in the Upward Basketball Camp at FBC Woodstock this week. Our girl LOVES to play basketball so it was a great opportunity to practice and learn a few new skills while having fun with friends!

Enjoying Gran and Pepa

2008-06-26T08:34:00.005-04:00

After returning from D.C., Gran and Pepa stayed with us for a few days. We enjoyed hanging out at the pool, driving up to the mountains in north Georgia to see Amicalola Falls, walking the nature trail, and playing in the backyard. So thankful for the time together...

Emily visits Washington, D.C. with Gran and Pepa

2008-06-25T21:04:00.007-04:00

Emily returned a few days ago from a great trip to D.C. with Richard's mom and stepdad. They have committed to taking each of their grandkids to D.C. for a week when they are 10-12 years old...isn't that an amazing and generous gift? Emily had a wonderful time learning about our nation's history and seeing so many spectacular places...the Capitol, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, Air and Space Museum, Library of Congress, U.S. Supreme Court Building, Museum of Natural History, Ford's Theatre, American Indian Museum, the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, WWII Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial. She really enjoyed a guided tour through the White House...the Red Room was her favorite! She was very impressed with the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She also loved riding on the Metro subway system. Thank you, Gran and Pepa, for treating our girl to such a special trip. Emily will treasure these memories for a lifetime. Brandon will wait patiently for his turn in a few years!

Braves Game

2008-06-06T23:15:00.003-04:00

While Emily was away at church camp, Richard and I took Brandon to a Braves game. He enjoyed the one-on-one time with Mom and Dad. We got to see Chipper Jones hit his 4ooth home run!

Brandon's 6th Birthday

2008-06-05T19:05:00.003-04:00

Brandon followed in his sister's footsteps and waited until June to celebrate his 6th birthday at the pool. He had a great time racing his buddies down the waterslides!

Emily's 10th Birthday

2008-06-03T17:30:00.006-04:00

Emily turned 10 yrs. old back in April, but she waited until this week to have her birthday party. She wanted to invite all her friends to our neighborhood pool. The girls had a great time swimming and eating pink lemonade cupcakes!

Miniature Goff

2008-06-01T16:19:00.003-04:00

It has been an exciting weekend for Richard and Brandon. The boys made a trip to the PGA Superstore to purchase Brandon's first set of real golf clubs. The neat thing is Brandon saved up enough money to pay for half of the golf clubs! Richard can't wait to get him out on the golf course.

Yellow River Game Ranch

2008-05-30T15:45:00.004-04:00

The kids and I took my mom to a neat place where you can walk through a zoo type environment and feed different animals. It was pretty cool being so close to the deer.

Kindergarten Graduation

2008-05-22T21:20:00.003-04:00

Our little boy is officially growing up...Brandon graduated from kindergarten at Cherokee Christian tonight. My parents, Pop and Grammy, were able to be there with us to celebrate the special occasion. Thank you, Mrs. Hultstrom and Mrs. D, for a wonderful year! Way to go, Brandon!

Visit to the State Capitol

2008-05-19T20:05:00.004-04:00

The fourth grade classes from Cherokee Christian had the opportunity to go on a field trip to the State Capitol today. During their visit, they were able to meet our governor, Sonny Perdue. The governor's official photographer placed Emily right beside Governor Perdue for the picture. Pretty neat experience for our girl...

New Bikes for the Kids

2008-04-24T21:35:00.003-04:00

Emily and Brandon received new bikes for their birthdays this year. Their bikes are now equipped with gears so they can climb the hills in north Georgia and ride the bike trails with Dad!

Girls' Weekend Away

2008-04-20T19:40:00.007-04:00

Emily and I went away for the weekend to spend some girl time together. We enjoyed a nice dinner, indoor swimming at the hotel, breakfast in bed, manicures/pedicures, and lunch at a neat tea room in Woodstock. We ended the weekend at the Pure Fashion Show in Atlanta...a program for girls that promotes modesty in young women's clothing. I was so thankful for the special time with my best girl!

Easter

2008-03-23T20:04:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrated the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ! We continue to pray that Emily and Brandon will grow in their understanding of the magnitude of this amazing truth.

Spring Break in California

2008-03-20T21:35:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time seeing family and friends on our Spring Break trip to California. We were able to meet our new nephew, Ethan Spencer Green, and little Baby Reese, the daughter of our good friends, Todd and Ashley Kostjuk. We enjoyed spending time with the Swales family, visiting SCCS, and having dinner with friends from our old Bible study. We spent several days at Disneyland with Alicia's entire family...lots of great memories!

Spring Break Photos

2008-03-20T21:09:00.001-04:00

Snow in Georgia

2008-01-16T21:30:00.001-05:00

It snowed in Canton tonight! We had a serious snowball fight in the backyard. Good times with the kids!

Favorite Recent Pics

2008-01-05T21:43:00.004-05:00

In an effort to catch up with several friends, I wanted to post some of our favorite pictures taken since we moved to Georgia. I still can't believe we've been here two years. God continues to bless us in our new home. We are so very thankful...