Costa Ricans have more fun

So, lots has been going on in the Songer family lately. Emily got married, I had a baby and now Jake and his family are moving to Costa Rica!! You know Jake, my super adventurous brother? Well he just took it to a whole new level. He doesn't speak Spanish, he doesn't have a job in CR or a place to live really and he's moving his wife and his three kids to this cool cloud forest area called Monteverde - just for adventure and to give his kids a cultural experience. They will all learn Spanish and he's got some ideas of what he's going to do and will most likely build a house there. Isn't he a fun one?
We're sad he's leaving but lucky us - we got Jake and Rebekah all to ourselves before they move. They came to Memphis once again and although there wasn't a repeat of the snake swim, there was still some pretty burly stuff going on - check this out...


yeah, i probably should have warned you about that video. operation: remove rock from finger. kitchen table surgery. jake had a rock in his finger. ??? he was working on sarah and shaun's house and .. oh i forget the details but something about a rock shooting into his finger. He said he could feel it and when he shone a flashlight - he could see it. So - Joey took it out for him.

After a Stanky Creek mt. bike ride. Even though they came back covered in mud and gashes - they were on a high from the amazing ride through wild flowers and fire flies - er wait, i mean the high was from all the sweet jumps they did.... and landed. that's right.


Jake installed some doors for us and we primed the bonus room


It should be noted that Rebekah is a fitness maniac. Here she is sporting her CrossFit shirt - and we hear she is the CrossFit champion. I took her to my gym with me and she outdanced the instructor at her first Zumba class and upon returning home rocked her Dance Dance Revolution game for a couple hours.


"I want Uncle Jake" - Luke, 2 years old, all day everyday since Jake left.



"Thanks Aunt Rebekah for being the best baby conversationalist I've yet to encounter on this earth" -Lucy Kate, age 3 months, what she would say if she could.


Fun trip. It's amazing how much these guys can cram into 2 days!! We love you - and good luck on your Costa Rica adventure!

awesome eighties

Joey's sister Sarah turned 40 in style. They threw a rockin' 80's party - I guess to commemorate her teenage years.

I won best hair
and the dude with the mullet won best overall costume.
But I got the rubiks cube - so it was totally worth cutting my bangs.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

You are totally radical!

burning the midnight oil

We stayed up until 3 am swimming in insulation and sawdust last night. It felt just like the good old days in Maryland. We have a knack for setting unrealistic deadlines and then killing ourselves to make them. Like the night before the Elders moved in our basement - we worked right through the night and barely - and I mean barely - got it done as they pulled in to move in the next morning. phew! Today the guys were coming to hang the sheetrock so we HAD to get it all wired and insulated before they came. But at 3 am ran out of insulation - so we went to bed. My coolio sister-in-law saved the day and brought her minivan full of insulation early this morning.


yeah, I taped my wrists with blue tape - i hate that itchy insulation - don't make fun of me.


look at that guy living on the edge all bare armed and such.

So, this is what is happening right this moment...

look at his cool stilts.

Joey's got big plans for this room. All I know is every time I walk by him on the computer - he's looking at speakers, projectors, screens, etc. He used to look at mt. bikes in his spare time but then he got one so now he's moved on to looking at gadgets for our home theater.

Luke's BFF Part 2

Lucy's Blessing Day

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

I loved this day. It was emotional for me to listen as Joey blessed Lucy with strengths and attributes for her life. To think of her growing up, what she will be like and the joy and disappointment she will experience. This dear, sweet girl. And I get to be her mom. I loved listening to conference this weekend - so many of the talks were about parenting and how precious these children are. It made me realize my responsibility and what an opportunity it is to be a parent and that I've got to hurry and get awesome so I can be a good example and have answers for these kiddos.

She wore the dress that I was blessed in and all my sisters and all the nieces born into the family. All the names and birthdays are sewn on the dress. Jenny, me, Sarah, Emily, Anika, Clarissa, Meredith, Rosalie, Gracie and Solenne. And now Lucy. She will be the first one without the last name Songer since I am the first girl in my family to have a baby girl.

Here is our 4 generation picture of girls - mom, me, grandma and Lucy Kate


she's giving me the - really mom? that is sooo not cool- look as I try to impress her with some high pitched goochie goos.

The last Songer weds

that's right - our dear Emzeez got married a week ago...

isn't she soooo pretty? And this is my new brother-in-law - Jacob. He's a charmer. Both of my children absolutely loved him from the minute they met him. In fact, I'm pretty sure everyone who meets him loves him right away. Lucy showered him with smiles and he played with Luke for hours. Luke loves his new uncle Jacob. Here they are singing karaoke


And remember how pretty Emily looked? Well guess who did her hair...

Don't you love him?
The reception was in my dad's art studio. I wish I had a before picture - because this was quite the transformation. I thought it ended up being really classy.


I can't believe that all 6 kids are married now. I couldn't be happier for Ems. She really picked a real winner. Welcome to the family Jacob! And congrats to the new
Jacob & Emily Hanks!