It is official…

I am American and proud of it!

The Oath ceremony took place yesterday, in Chula Vista. Everything went very smoothly. We even managed to arrive 30 min. early, at 8am, which is a great accomplishment knowing that I’m usually barely up at that time. Darlene and Jerry, the kids grandparents, (I introduce them this way because I do not like the word “in-laws” and if I call them "my parents" you’d get confused and think that they came all the way here from Switzerland!*) were there too. They left at 4am to come share this special day with me. Thank you!
The ceremony was short, about 20 min. They normally show a recorded message from the president but president Obama hasn’t done one yet. What was the most disappointing to me was that we did not sing during the National Anthem. I was ready for it! They just played the music and everyone listened. Even though I was really looking forward to sing it I did not feel confident enough to sing alone among a hundred people! After that we took the Oath, repeated the Pledge of Allegiance and were dismissed. I received a certificate of naturalization that I will need to obtain my American passport.

I did not think that being American would be different except for the fact that I can leave the country now, for more than six months out of a year, but I do notice a difference. I have a deep feeling of belonging here… I am not just a long time visitor anymore.

Sylviane

* My parents have been very supportive of my naturalization and I know I was in their thoughts yesterday.

Miserable week

We saw this pelican while kayaking last week… our last activity before the children got sick. Last Tuesday they both started with a fiver. Eva’s lasted only a couple days but Ben kept it until yesterday and had peaks reaching 105 F (40.5 C)...scary! Fortunately he is feeling much better today but is still weak. During that time Bill ended up with a bad cold and I got laryngitis. I was feeling fine but completely lost my voice. The children thought it was quite funny to hear the sounds I made trying to talk. Anyway, we, the children and I, still managed to learn the Star Spangled Banner song which we’ll be singing tomorrow at the Naturalization Oath Ceremony.
I’m thankful that everyone is feeling better now and that I have my voice back.

Hope that your week was better than ours!

"My favorite things": Moroccan mirror frame

Our new home is filled with items that I treasure for different reasons…for their beauty, memories or sentimental value. In this “My favorite things” series I’d like to share them with you.

This metal frame comes from Morocco. I bought it in Switzerland during a shopping trip to the mall with my Mom. When I saw it, I fell in love and had to bring it home with me (to Modesto at that time). There, I had a mirror made for it. Then I patiently waited one and a half years to see it hung on the wall behind the wood burning stove. It was the very first thing, though, that Bill hung in the bus. It’s so beautiful...it was worth the wait!

Sylviane

San Diego weather

This look like more of a picture taken in summer time. I took it today...people were swimming, sun bathing and playing on the sand. It was crowded too. Gotta love San Diego weather!
Eva and I went on a picnic at the beach, just us girls. It was very pleasant. Eva started a sea shell collection.
Hope that you are all staying warm where ever you are!

Sylviane

Science center in Balboa park

Yesterday, I took the children to the Reuben H. Fleet Science center for the afternoon. (as you can see, it was after I got a new camera!) What a great place for kids...well, I had fun too! Everything is hands-on. They could experiment, build, create, play and run around. Ben really enjoyed creating little movies by moving objects and taking their pictures, adding sound effects and playing the result. Movie making is one of his choices for what he wants to do when he grows up. Eva was attracted by a spinning wheel with sand on it. That was also my favorite. It is so relaxing to smooth the sand and make spirals as it turns. I think everybody should have one at home for stress relieve. That makes me want to work with clay....maybe I'll look into taking a class....my craft space on the bus is already full!

Well, we had a fun learning afternoon. Hope that you can make it there some time! It is free on the first Tuesday of every month.

Sylviane

Kayaking on Mission bay

Every Monday the campground offers free kayaking as part of their activity program. You can borrow their kayaks for an hour. It was the first time, yesterday, that we actually made it to the marina. It was a lot of fun and a lot of splashing. Good thing it was a warm day!
We, the children and I, paddled on the bay up the canal. We observed the wild life, mostly seagulls and two pelicans. Ben spotted a one legged seagull and we had the chance to see a pelican stretch after we disturbed his nap. Very entertaining! I can see this little outing being our Monday routine. Maybe next week we'll go to the other side of the marina onto the preserve. We'll have to bring our bird book so we can extend our knowledge on sea birds. Which, I have to admit, doesn't go much passed seagulls! If we paddle hard we could even cross the bay to Seaworld but we might have to hitch a ride on the way back.

Today is the day I go buy a new camera so today's post is the last one without a picture....unless I can't figure out how it works. (I'm quite electronically challenged, you know!)

Have a great day!
Sylviane

Happy New Year & Bonne Annee

We are back to California, actually back to San Diego. We just can't get away from it for too long. Well, let me back up a little....
The day after Christmas was Eva's 6th Birthday. Now she can go to the movies which was very exciting for her. She had been waiting for a long time listening to Ben telling her all about the pop corn and how you have to cover your ears because the sound is so loud! (In our family you have to be 6 to be able to go to the movie theater!) That day we all went to see "the tale of Despereaux". It was a little scary but Eva still enjoyed the movie sitting on my lap.

The day after, we left Phoenix, AZ around 7 in the morning and drove all day stopping just to fuel up and to look at a cotton field. We took a couple of the white fluffy balls. Bill spinned then braided some to make a little rope. Eva use it to stuff a small pillow she had made out off felt for her dolls. It was a great opportunity to teach them all the things that are made from cotton.
We arrived in Encinitas around 4pm which was the very first time we made it somewhere before dark. We parked the bus in Marie-Laure's drive way, a good friend of ours. Her son Ari, Ben and Eva played non-stop together either in the bus or at his house. They had a wonderful time!
After new year we moved camp back to mission bay where we had stayed last November. The children are just now getting over a cold so we haven't left the bus much lately. It's easier to do school work when we can't go out exploring!
Monday, Bill started to work from the company's office which he will do during our stay in San Diego....all of January! I really got used to having him around all day. I'm sure that a lot of people are wondering if we get tired of each other being together that much but actually, it's the opposite...we get closer, we have more time to share our thoughts and talk. Now he leaves before I wake up and comes back in the evening. It really makes me realise how fortunate we are with our situation.

Let see...what else is new?
Yes, I received the date for my Naturalization Oath Ceremony...it will be on January 28th. After that I will officially be American! I'll be travelling, for the first time, with the same passport as my kids when we go to Switzerland at the end of February.

Also, we still don't have a working camera. It is on my list to bring it to a repair shop, though!

We wish everyone a wonderful year 2009 filled with joy, laughter and new adventures...with us, I hope!

Sylviane