new website...

Hey blog friends... I wanted to let you all know that Chase and I created a new website to keep everyone up to date with our latest adventures, our everyday life and other random things. We created it to have an easier way to keep our friends, family and supports in the loop while we prepare to move & for when we actually move.

We picked the website through godaddy and then downloaded wordpress. And then from there I probably tried like 50 different 'themes' to try and get something practical, easy to use and fun. I didn't realize how difficult it was to set up a website (probably not for all... but I have had troubles!- luckily wordpress is pretty easy). But I think we have it down for now- its super simple and will evolve over time, but I think it will be fun to keep it up.

Check it out and keep in touch with us! We would love to hear what you think about it!

www.somcgough.com

Hope you all are having a great summer! Can't believe it is already mid-July!

to our dads!

Happy Father's Day!

We are blessed with three WONDERFUL dads!

Dad, thank you for showing me the greatest love of all- Jesus, thanks for always praying for me and for being a listening ear. Thanks for all that you do. I love you!

Andy, thanks for always making me laugh, for loving my mom, for working hard to provide for us and for loving us so well! I love you!

Cecil, thank you for raising such an amazing son that I got to marry! Thanks for your motivation, hard work, and advice! I love you!

summer busyness!

can't believe it is already the middle of June! Summer has already been super busy for us... here are some of the things we have been up to... (not in the exact order order)

swimming, going to the park & enjoying the sun with these sweet boys..

celebrating my 24th birthday with this handsome guy...

spay painting our new patio set (only $50 bucks at a garage sale!) so we can have BBQs outside..

enjoying a great meal on Memorial day with our parents...

celebrating this cute girl (Kead= 3) & drew's birthday with grilled pizza & Italian soda...

celebrating Colt's graduation in Dallas...

the decor for the party...

camping with my family in Cloudcroft, NM...
we had a GREAT trip!

enjoying time with Paige outside...

buying fresh flowers, fruit & picking fresh herbs from Jord's garden...

hanging out with great friends...

planting flowers on our front porch (mom & I did this for my birthday again this year!)...

and baking lots of sour dough bread... so tasty!...

(another post on this later...)

diapers & wipes

I have lots of baby showers to attend this summer... which is super fun, but can get expensive. So I decided to try to make a few home-made items. I have owned a sewing machine since I was a freshman in college, but have only used it like once until this project!! I hope to use it more and strengthen my sewing skills. (I can't tell you how many times I had to re-do the bobbin and re-tread the needle- ha ha.. practice makes perfect- right?)

Here are my projects:

a burp cloth using "tiny safari" flannel fabric

this is a little bag to keep diapers & wipes in!

I gave these to our friend Kristi Holman on Saturday

... so if you are having a baby in the near future-

one or both of these gifts might be yours - get excited! ha ha

the team!

a few weekends ago we had a retreat with some friends. We had such a great time catching up with Mark & Stacy who live in Dallas, eating great food & sharing our hearts/dreams for the future. Chase and I are so blessed with our team. God has truly been great in uniting our hearts for his glory. I am so thankful that we really care for and love each other. Here are some fun pics from the weekend!

Spoonfull... sooo good!

of course we had a bonfire with somemores included!

the boys & girls

(drew. mark. chase. traci. me. jord. stacy.)

waffles, green chile & eggs, orange julius, & fruit for breakfast!

we are blessed...

with our mommas! Happy late Mother's Day! We love you all and are super thankful for your love, friendship & support.

Until I started nannying I never realized how much work mom's do for little ones! It is a 24/7- full time job! Thanks moms for wiping our rears & tears, for teaching us to love Jesus while praying for us daily, for teaching us not to be brats (hopefully this is true :0) ) and for keeping up with us all those years and now... We really appreciate it. I can only hope and pray that I will be a momma like you all were to us one day!

too many...

SHOES!!

I have started my clean out process before we move... and discovered that I have over 60 pairs of shoes! Craziness! As I was going through which ones to get ride of I kept saying, "I just have to..." to convince myself to be ok with putting them in the give away pile. I still didn't get rid of a ton, but plan to do this once a month and get my shoes down to the least amount as possible. So if you are wanting to buy me shoes- don't and if I want to buy shoes- tell me not to! As sad as that makes me, because I love shoes, it has to be true!

This is my "get rid of" pile... I added about 10 more pairs when all was said and done... I am getting there!

Here is a list of other items I need to start sorting through to get rid of:

• work out clothes
• scarfs
• jackets (will I really need over 20 jackets in the desert??)
• regular clothes
• kitchen stuff
• bathroom stuff
• stuff in my guest room closet
• craft stuff
• my t-shirts
• stuff in our computer desk
• CD's
• pictures/frames

I need my little sister to come help me with this project- she is the queen at getting rid of stuff & having empty drawers in her dresser- who does that??

nanny momma

Chase has given me a new name: "Nanny Momma"... and I am actually quite fond of it! A few weeks ago we kept our friends, Drew & Jord's, girls (Kead & Sayla) for the weekend (Thursday afternoon- Sunday) and then this past week I had my regular two boys- Hays & Will plus Kead & Sayla on Monday & Wednesday while Jord was in Guatemala with our church & Drew was working... so I got to experience what is is like to have four kids under the age of 3!! Pure craziness I tell you... but super fun at the same time. Although I can't tell you Chase & I will be having 4 kids under the age of 3 anytime soon.

Here are a few pictures from our week...

popsicles for snack!

we also played "movie theater" and watched Aladdin - I actually got all of them to sit, watch and snack on cheerios and pretzels for about 5 minutes or so... at least long enough to get this picture. I also had about 20 minutes both days where all four kids were sleeping/resting- pretty amazing if I must say.

I had to take a picture of this book because I think I have it memorized. Hays loves this book. We read it almost everyday before nap time. He is even starting to quote it! I guess it is a good one because it is teaching him how to eat healthy food! But a new book would be nice every once and a while :) I guess not in a three-year-olds mind.

week with mom!

I just got back from a whole week hanging out in Albuquerque with my mom, sister & Andy. It was so great. I got to sleep in, learned how to quilt! (well sort of.. a post on this later), cooked lettuce wraps, went to tea, got pedicures, decorated head bands, watched about 8 episodes of the new series, "Parenthood"- have any of you watched that? For some reason I got really into it!- saw great friends & did a little support raising and great quality time with mom!

As much as I LOVE my new job, it was nice to be kid-less for a week! Here are a few pics!

sewing in mom's awesome craft room... wish I had half her craft space/supplies.

my head bands! why pay $25+ for these when you can make them for less than $1.50?

tea at the new St. James Tea Room!

lettuce wraps!

Oh Glorious Day!

Oh Glorious Day

"One day when heaven

Is filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to

Be born of a virgin

He dwelt among men, my example is He

Living He loved me

Dying He saved me

Buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified

Freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh, Glorious Day

Oh, Glorious Day

One day they led Him

Up calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him

To die on a tree

Suffering anguish

Despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose o'er

Death He had conquered

Now is ascended

My lord evermore

Oh, Glorious Day

Oh, Glorious Day"

Happy Easter! Thank you for living Jesus!

Brooke & I helped cook Easter dinner this year. Really yummy ham...

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham

(we used orange juice & clementines instead of the tangerines)

Asparagus bundles.. loved these! We also had pistachio salad, green bean casserole & homemade sourdough rolls!

for dessert we had a hot pink Mint chocolate chip ice cream cake from Baskin Robins... a fmaily favorite!

My sister & I Easter morning! We spent it in Knott, Texas this year with my dad & Linda.

Easter night we had a dinner at Drew & Jord's house with our Arab friends... so fun!