C'est ma vie!

I am so thrilled, I found out yesterday that I am halfway done with my Master's Degree. WOO-HOO! I only have three more classes to go of the regular accounting classes then I have my CPA courses and so next year I will be graduating. I am soooo thrilled and excited. Hopefully Josh and I can be done at the same time, he's finishing his bachelor's. I am really glad that I pushed him to do it, and then one day we can tell our children that we both did it so they can do it too.

So if my plan goes right, here's what can happen. I graduate with my Master's in Accounting and Finance Management and then get my CPA. I would apply to work for the medium and large size business division of the IRS. There you automatically get promoted you don't have to compete. So I could be making double my salary now, if I were to go that path. I could also go to Criminal Investigations and train in Atlanta, GA for 6 months and get automatically promoted but at a higher level (and more money), with a shorter time to retire and I would get a government car as well as learn how to use a gun. The last part doesn't sound as good but it is Criminal Investigation. There are many routes I can go within the IRS and as long as I work hard I can get there.

In other news...

Josh and I are considering getting Disneyland annual passes and go there frequently for the kids. We love Disneyland as one of our first dates was there. We just haven't been to it in a while, the last time we were there Space Mountain was still closed and California Adventure hadn't opened. So we want to venture out and do more. We'll continue working in putting our house together the way we want to, but also want to do something fun.

I personally love it, since I want to start sharing great and wonderful places with my kids. I've been there, I've done that now it's time to pass it on.

Oh I decided, I will have the fourth kid. I will go for it next year when I am done with all the travel and training and school. So we'll see when it happens.

Having fun on my day off!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Today I had made plans with my new friend Hilary to go out and do something with the kids. I had told Hilary that in my last ward I never did anything with the young moms because I was always working. So they formed groups to take their kids out and do stuff and I always felt left out because of work. So Hilary suggested that we do something on one of my days off.

So today is a federal holiday and unlike popular belief I did NOT get last Thursday off, only President's Day. So we decided to do something. We thought about going to the park but with all the rain coming our way it looked more like a no. So Hilary mentioned the playground at the Westminster mall and so I said sure. I had only heard about it once and thought it would be fun for the kids and not be inside the house all day. So we went and all the kids had a blast!

I am really glad that Hilary convinced me to go and can't thank her enough for making me feel like I don't have to miss out because I work. So I'm looking forward to... oh man! The next holiday is Memorial Day! Oh well!

Elle a neuf mois!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

So my baby is growing and I found this great site Smilebox and have made a scrapbook to show just how much she has grown.

Ni hao!

This past week they have started giving Ni Hao Kai Lan on Noggin and the kids are loving it. It is kind of like Dora the Explorer but in Mandarin Chinese. So the kids love saying "Ni Hao" which means hello. I have been watching this show with them because it's cute and besides I can't watch my stuff with them, they control the TV. So I have been learning the chinese words as well. My supervisor is Chinese and so I have been practicing my Chinese with her. She's shocked and has not heard of the show. Every day I go into work I say a new word. I think it's funny!

Alan has started doing homework for preschool and so this is the beginning of a gruelsome journey 12 more years in the making. Just when I thought I was almost done with school and with my own homework and then it hits me that I also have to help them out. As long as they don't come here with like Advanced Calculus, I can help them.

Charlie is talking more and more. So now I keep telling him no and no. He'll be like watch me mommy or look at me mommy, listen mommy. It's so cute. Even his teachers are amazed at the fact that it's all coming out now. I told them, same thing happened to Alan. One minute they are barely talking the next they won't stop saying a lot.

Melody my precious baby is still saying mama. She's very quiet and keeps to herself but if she needs something it's mama. One thing I love about her is her smile and wanting to interact with people. I brought her to work last Tuesday and everyone loved her. One lady made a comment saying that she didn't know the IRS was hiring agents this young. Everyone started laughing. Melody was just so cute they want me to bring her more often.

All three of my babies are adorable. They have great hearts and are loved by all. Makes me wonder if I should keep with my plans on having the fourth?

A Melody Moment...

Every thing that kids do are always counted as special times. For a mother, it never gets old and it is always surprising when they do something that has been done before. Though all the kids in the world have done it, it is surprising when Melody does something unexpected.

Today, twice, she said "mama." Though she's not my first child, it is always shocking and with great gratitude I thank god for the beautiful life I am able to raise. She's growing up and it is somewhat of a bittersweet moment when your baby starts talking and you realize that your baby is not a baby anymore.

Charlie is talking a lot more now, and is so smart that he can read upper and lower case letters. He knows how to spell some words and I am truly amazed. Alan understands a lot now, and can tell us what he wants when he wants it. Today, he did not want to wear a polo shirt to church, he wanted his new nice clothes.

As my children get older, it pains me to know that they know more and become so independent that they forget about mom and dad. It happens though. Today my baby said mama and it's a great thing and soon she'll be like Charlie trying to figure out more words.

On another note, Josh and I have just celebrated our 9th year of being together. Not a wedding anniversary, which our eighth is coming up, but nine years of being us. I can't believe that it is getting near to a decade since he and I have been together. It makes me happy because though we have our ups and downs we have made it to nine years of not ever breaking up. It has been tough but we have worked through it and are moving forward. We look to a brighter future, though it's quite nice right now, we can't wait to see what is in store for us.

We have gone through many things and we are still together. We feel very blessed to have made it this far as we have seen some of our friends divorce and give up on the thing that they once used to cherish so. There is hope out there, all you have to do is to be willing to work at it. Things in life aren't supposed to be easy, they have to be challenging. How else can you really appreciate what you have if things have been handed to you? That is why Josh and I really are grateful for what we have and how far we have come. Three kids, a home, an eternal life together.

In Memoriam

Today, I remembered that three years ago I had gotten the greatest news of my life. Yes in fact, I was pregnant again. Except this time I was carrying twins. It was the most shocking experience in my whole life. I asked the doctor repeatedly if he was sure, and he kept saying yes. To know that there were two lives inside me being created at once was just magical.

The sad part about this is that it was short lived. By April of 2006, there was only one twin who was alive the other had died. I found out that Charlie was still with me since I went to do a 4-D Ultrasound. It was heartbreaking! This was the first person I loved that passed away. Though I never saw my baby face to face, I knew the baby. I always had a notion that the baby was a girl. I called her Hannah, as I have always liked that name.

I never could mourn the death of my baby as it could make me lose Charlie. It was painful and hard not to cry as much as I wanted to, to scream, to anything. I was put on bedrest for the duration of my pregnacy and in the end I had a beautiful baby boy. There were people at the hospital on alert in case I went berzerk! My twin, my beautiful baby, though it has been three years now, I will never forget the baby who shook my world the hardest.

Right now we are all finally feeling better, no more colds, no runny noses, coughing, medicine and my throat is finally feeling better. It still hurts a bit, but it's finally getting better.

I have been thinking lately about my would be fifth child and whether to have him/her next year. The problem is my uterus since it's not as strong anymore, so I run the risk of bedrest again. I could be at high risk once more and the question is do I go for it? In my life, I have always wanted four children with me, I do have that in a way since I have been pregnant with four. I cannot imagine my life without my lovelies and their hearts and minds. I love kids and I am glad I have had the opportunity of being a mommy to three cutie pies.

Bruised Trachea

So I am at my mother's house yesterday and we were talking. As I am getting ready to leave her place and go home, I pull Charlie closer to me and as he comes next to my body his head hit my throat. I did not feel good and it started hurting a lot!

I couldn't swallow, talk and it was hurting to breathe. I went to Urgent Care by myself, and had a piece of paper with me to tell my story. The doctor scolded me for coming alone and then sent me to the ER to make sure I was ok. So they called Josh, cause I couldn't, and he picked me up and we went to the ER.

While we were in the ER waiting there was an incident with another patient that had us laughing. There was a lady there wanting to know when she would be seen and the nurse told her it would take awhile since some people did have emergencies and the medics that helped her come in didn't think her pain was. She got so mad and started going off and made a huge scene in the hospital. They called my name before her and we were hoping she wouldn't say anything since we arrived three hours after she did.

The doctor said I had a bruised trachea and that it would take 2-3 weeks to heal. We spent about an hour in the ER which is a record for us. When we were leaving the lady that made that scene was still sitting in the same spot. Needless to say Josh and I got out of there quickly.

That's my baby!

One thing that Josh and I have noticed lately is how protective Alan and Charlie are of their little baby sister. They are always looking out for her and express their love to her. It's cute because when I go and pick up the boys from school they come to her and say hello. Now, if their classmates want to look at the baby, Alan is always fending them off by saying "that's my baby." Charlie doesn't fend them off but will go and touch her head and block anyone else from touching her. It's really amazing the connection that they have. The boys faces can go from sad to happy once they see her and she can be crying but once she sees her brothers she reaches out to touch them and starts laughing. Melody is one lucky girl and I envy her for it. I am the eldest of three and did not have any siblings to love me as much as Alan and Charlie love her. My siblings and I do get along and love each other but it's really hard when you're the first. Sorry Alan!



Today I noticed that my children are growing so fast that I better not miss it. Alan and I went to a Kindergarten festival for the Long Beach Unified School District. Now we don't live in the district anymore but our school district doesn't have a festival to let parents be aware of the process for enrolling in school. Alan and I saw how we could help him get ready for kindergarten and some of the amazing new things he will learn.

I couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness as this is my first baby and he'll be five this year. He'll be starting kindergarten in a new school with kids he doesn't know. His friends are all going to a Long Beach school and hopefully we can all keep in touch as Alan really does cherish the friendships that he does have at his preschool. In two years, I'll be doing the exact same thing with Charlie and in four with Melody. It's so hard to see Melody and think that Alan was just like that and now he's growing up, talking, walking, and playing.

On a side note, this is one of my favorite Alan pictures. We got him this great outfit and he absolutely loves it. He wants to wear it all the time. He looks like he's ready for a date. Boy, am I going to hate that.

Last day of the year!

So I thought I would post one last blog for the year. So here it goes...

2008 has been an amazing year for us. So many great things have happened. I graduated college in February, then the birth of our first daughter Melody in May, applying to work at the IRS a month after I gave birth, getting hired by the IRS in September then purchasing our first house in November. This year has been one of the greatest since Josh and I have been married.

We weren't thinking of having more kids at the time and the next thing we knew Melody was with us. It was so great to find out that we were having a girl, I just did not want to be disappointed if I found out it was another boy. Don't get me wrong, I love boys, I just wanted a girl to make the numbers more even. If you're outnumbered by the opposite sex than you know exactly what I am talking about.

Starting to work for the government has been a great blessing. I wasn't even looking to work at the IRS and it all just happened by chance. When I started working I didn't even want to leave my beautiful baby girl, it was hard to go back to work but I needed to, so that my Alan and Charlie could go to preschool and be able to enjoy their life a bit more. Alan and Charlie have learned so much. Alan is more than ready for kindergarten and Charlie already can spell and read. Ask him about the word cookie. He'll spell it and he's not even two and a half.

Melody loves to stand and doesn't want to crawl. She wants to walk. Who can blame her? Watching Alan and Charlie playing and running around makes her want to go too. Alan was like that, learned to walk before he learned to crawl.

It's hard to believe that my kids are getting older. Alan will be five this year, Charlie, 3, and Melody, 1. I will be hitting that dreadful 30 mark and Josh will be 31. We're not old, but sometimes it feels like it. I do love when people think I just got out of high school. I don't know what it is, but my family was blessed with youthful genes. Though they are great to have when you're getting older, they are not so great when you're young. I am sure that if I did things where you get carded, they would check mine first. It was hard to convince people that I was older and not younger.

We hope that 2008 has been great for you as it has been for us. 2009 will bring it's challenges and hopefully a lot of rewards. For those of you that read this blog, have a great new year, we are definitely looking forward to see what great new things are coming our way. So stay tuned.

Our first Christmas in our new home...

The boys opening their gifts...

Alan playing the new guitar Santa brought to him...

Melody enjoying her very first Christmas

The boys when they went downstairs to see their gifts

Our first Christmas in our new house was more than words can describe. I of course woke up at 6 a.m. Not because the baby was crying but because my body clock is set to wake up at 5:30 a.m. which I guess that means I overslept. So I tried going back to sleep and at 6:30 a.m. Melody woke up. Then by 7 a.m. the boys woke up, so I woke up Josh. So we did the what did Santa get us this year. The boys ran down the stairs to see what gifts they had gotten and it was all so cool. Santa got the boys a couple of guitars and some other things. It was pretty nice. Though the TV had a firelog thing going on, we lit our fireplace and enjoyed the morning together.

A few hours later, my parents along with my brother and sister showed up. They brought the gifts for the kids and even some money for Josh and I. My sister got us some pretty fancy knives and it's kind of perfect because we still haven't found all of ours. The mood was very good, the kids loved having their grandparents over and it was just something memorable. Maybe later this weekend we can have some of Josh's family come over so that we can enjoy it with them as well.

We hope all of you had a wonderful time with your families.

The Davis'

Christmas Fun!

So trying to get settled in our new house, we have already put up most christmas decorations. We have got all the stockings hung on our fireplace. It's everything I had always dreamed of. Now it's in my own house. I was taking a look at the mountains today, and they are so close and so full of snow. I love how the rain can just clean everything and make the proximity of the mountains look even closer.

We have been going to a lot christmas parties and we are enjoying every one of them. Some are with old friends and some with new. I am loving what the season is all about. I even had to talk last Sunday at church about the greatest blessing during the holiday season. It was funny because as I had started my talk, Charlie started crying and screaming "mommy" over and over. Josh brought him up to the podium with me and as soon as he got up there, Charlie said "daddy." People laughed and laughed. For those who haven't had the pleasure to hear the Davis' talk, I am assuming that you'll have to wait three years before it happens again.

Alan is understanding more about Santa and is behaving better. The lies we tell our children. Charlie is loving candy canes, so please don't show him any. Melody, my poor baby is experiencing the cold. It is soooo cold!!! Luckily it stopped raining. Luckily my new house is equipped with a fairly new heater. Fireplace, heater, the stories were all true, we just never had them at our apartment.

So if I don't write anything between now and christmas, have a great holiday!

We're in our new house!

Woo-hoo! After a gruesome seven weeks of escrow we finally moved into our new home. Though it took three weekends to move in all of our stuff, we are finally all moved in. Wish I could say the same for settled in, but soon. Being up in Oakland, CA for my IRS training did not help the move. I learned A LOT of new things but I was basically living the single life and it sucked! I was soooo homesick and I missed my babies.

I was able to make some new friends and we even went to San Francisco one day. We had a blast. Still, it didn't help to see a little boy who was about Alan's age wearing the same sweater, or another little boy who had curls just like my Charlie. Don't get me started with Melody. I have no idea what kind of life I led before my kids, but without them life truly seems empty.

Being in the new house is great! The kids rooms are big and spacious. My room is a true master. I love the closet space too. There's room for us all here. The only thing I can hear from people at church is that we are living in one of the greatest neighborhoods. It feels great to put in our new cars in the garage and know that we do not have to save a car spot (parking at our last place was horrible).

Finally a home of our own!

Unfortunately due to the many boxes in our dining room we were unable to have our first Thanksgiving at our new home. Though we feel a bit sad, we did spend Thanksgiving with my folks and my siblings. This only motivates us to have a lot done before x-mas is here. At least put up the decorations and fire up our new chimney. As soon as I can find my memory stick I will post some pictures. For now though, just picture somewhat of a mess.

Hope all of our friends are having a great holiday!

Happy Wizardy Halloween!

I barely made it back to Long Beach in time for Halloween. Flying from Oakland was no easy task. There were a whole bunch of teenagers that would make sounds when we hit turbulence. One even threw up. I know I don't like to fly, but at least I have never thrown up.

Josh had this great idea that we could all dress up in Wizard of Oz costumes. It turned out great, all I had to do was wear black. The make-up was done quickly and then we were off to a party. Now the remainder of the weekend will be dedicated to the move and me going back to Oakland. I'm glad I made it to Halloween, I was hoping to not miss it this year due to my training. We had a great time!

My mom always hated you!!!

Tonight we are watching Forgetting Sara Marshall. I always did like the promo's for this movie and because I had just had Melody we couldn't go see it. So tonight we watch this and tomorrow we watch Iron Man. Having kids makes it impossible for Josh and I to go to the movies. So we rather buy the flicks when they come out rather than watching them at the theater. So last week he got me Sex and the City the movie and this week he got me Forgetting Sara Marshall.

Yet two weeks ago with my new coworkers we went to go see a chick flick, I had no vote in the movie. We saw The Women. Total chick flick, there was never a guy or a guy in the background. I somewhat liked the movie but I would have rather watched Tropic Thunder.

Alan did the cutest thing this morning, he was feeding Melody her milk. He came to me and said "mommy, Melody is hungry. Get her milk now." I was like ok. So then I had Alan feed her and they were both so happy, I wished I had my camera to have taken a picture of them.

Charlie's new word of the day is happy. He is also saying mommy. He has called me daddy for the longest time. Not that I minded so much, but I love it that he calls me mommy. He'll be talking more soon, and I can't wait to hear what he says.

Getting it Started!

So here I am attempting to post daily. I mean it's kind of nice because this blog serves like a diary of the events that are happening. Today we went to see our house again. I can't wait to move into it. Josh requested to see it again today since his parents are here from Florida and to kill two birds with one stone we asked my parents to come and see it too. It felt good. I bet our kids were really happy since they had both sets of grandparents under one roof, our soon to be roof. Everyone really liked our new digs and we are excited.


The more we see the house the more we plan as to where things can go, how to position stuff and what can we do to fix it. But the house is practically move in ready so not much to fix except for some old tiles and a new paint job. So when I get back from my trip to Oakland, we'll definitely be setting it all up and hopefully we can make it to Christmas. Hey I am not making any promises for Thanksgiving after all I get back on the 19th. Oh yeah, I have a training seminar in Oakland for a month. Lucky for me I'll still be in California. Thanks to my boss and his boss, I won't be in Kansas City, MO.

My job took me to El Segundo today for a workshop and it was really nice to see the people that I met in San Jose, CA. Unfortunately, they are all going to Kansas City and I won't see any of them, so I have to make new friends with the Northern CA employees, since they'll be my new friends for a month. So when I asked around what I can do in Oakland people said, go to San Francisco. So I think I will. Well, I'm getting tired so I'll keep posting later.

New life

So, my family and I have been truly blessed this year. Earlier this year we had our lovely daughter Melody and we are very excited. Hey at least I'm not so outnumbered anymore. I happened to get the job of a lifetime and we are buying a house. We are SOOOO excited about all the changes that are happening to our family. We will be living in a nice home soon, with all the amenities we could want. My job with the government is secured and it feels great to be at such a wonderful place. We kind of wonder what next year will be like for us, I mean will I finish my Master's? I don't know. As long as we are okay that is all that matters.

My Alan's 3rd Birthday!

Well, this is an eventful week. Yesterday was Alan's third birthday. We are happy and excited that Alan is now 3 and can be one of the greatest joys in my life. The celebration got kicked off by his aunt Sally, taking him to the San Diego Zoo. There they saw many animals that Alan just loves. They saw Brown Bear, zebras, hippopotamus, giraffes, monkeys, lions, foosa's, everything that he loves about the movie Madagascar and his favorite book Brown Bear.

Then yesterday on his actual birthday, he had a normal day and went to school. His biggest surprise was when his dad picked him up from Preschool (He hasn't picked him up in a while), and got him birthday cake. He wanted the birthday cake so bad, that when he got home I just had to cut him a piece. At night, we put a candle on the birthday cake, sang to him (he made us sing to him again like 3 times, so that he could keep blowing out the birthday candle) and then had some cake. He got one birthday present from mom, and it was a TMX Elmo! He loved it. Now this Elmo is not like the previous Tickle-Me-Elmo, but laughs, rolls on the ground, shakes, moves him arm, you have to see it, it's the funniest thing. Charlie on the other hand did not think it was so funny, rather VERY scary. He loves Elmo too, but wasn't ready for this!

So the festivities will close this Saturday when we all go to the Park and have a Spider-man party. There will be a moonbounce, Mommy and Daddy have planned many games for him and his preschool and other friends to play with, lots of food, a special order Spider-man cake, and a big present from Daddy, it's a surprise!

So hopefully all goes well and it's hard to believe that Alan's 3, and next is our beautiful Charlie who turns 1 in 2 months and 8 days! My kids are growing and it hurts a little but we love them so!

Thomas shoes

Unlike other children Alan does not have a special blanket that he can't live without. Today we found out what Alan's special item is, his Thomas the Train tennis shoes. We went to Target and like always, Alan won't sit in the cart like he's supposed to. So he sits in the basket part of the cart and this time decides to take off his shoes. When we get to the car, I sit him down and he asks about his Thomas shoes. I told him that since he didn't have them on we would leave them. Actually, I told Josh to put them in the trunk and that we would give the shoes to him when we got home.

It was the worst ride home. He cried so hard for those shoes. He kept saying "Thomas shoes, I go find." So we now know what his most cherished thing is and boy are we going to be in trouble when he grows out of them, which will be not long from now.

I can't believe that Josh and I just celebrated our 6th Wedding Anniversary. We have been together for seven years and married for six and I wouldn't trade him in the world. He took me to this fancy restaurant in Long Beach and it was just stupendous! He rented a car, got me roses, got me a card, one of my favorite love movies, The Notebook, then dinner. We had a great time.

I am so glad that we are together. I swear if it wasn't for him I don't know where I would be. He pushes me to be better and our kids just love him. Maybe one day we'll move to the Czech Republic, that way he doesn't lose his Czech.

So you may ask, why did I get him for our anniversary, and I'll tell you nothing. Not that I'm the worst wife ever, I have just had finals and was considering changing jobs and can't find that Wii that I promised I would get for his birthday, which happens to be this Saturday. After Saturday you can call me a bad wife, but prior to that no. Besides, I gave birth to two of his children, have been pregnant with three of his children and I still want to have more of his kids.

Well, we'll see what happens. Until then.

My 15th month old

There are great things happening to our family. Alan is growing up and is now using some 24 month old clothes. The clothes fit him pretty good. It's just a shocker to see how big he is. Here's one of the latest photos that we took. My parents bought some horses at Sam's Club and Alan is getting used to them.

I have recently started a new job. Yeah, back in the workforce. I am working in the accounting department at the Veteran's Hospital. I never in my life imagined that I would be working at a hospital, or the fact that this is a government job. Me! It's cool and I get every holiday off. Meanwhile, Alan goes to daycare and he loves playing with the other kids.

Josh has started playing music with Leo. He loves music and it's good to know that he's doing something he loves. Well we're doing good and hopefully you are all doing great!