Ellen In Amerika!"MY EMIGRATION TO AMERICA AND MY ADJUSTMENT TO LIFE IN CALIFORNIA SINCE SEPTEMBER 2008"

Again, how times flies! 2010 has been such a great year for us. The fun we had with watching the Olympics. At the right time, I got two jobs! For which I am so very grateful. I met my Dutch friends more and more and developed a warm friendship with them. A year with lots of hiking and biking and lots of wonderful things Dan and I did together. A year where I was tremendously proud of our Dutch National Soccer team but also ashamed of the finals they played. A year where we went visiting our family and friends in the Netherlands.  But also a year with very sad and scary news. We will pray that 2011 will be especially good for her.

We have had a nice Christmas at home. Christmas Eve I had a split shift in the hospital, but that was fine.  In between the two shifts, Dan and I did the Christmas groceries and we went for a nice walk at the beach. It was so nice to do that. Christmas morning / afternoon, Ryan came to our house and we unpacked our gifts. We all got big and small gifts. I must say, Santa Claus was again very generous this year I got two big surprises. A stereo system and a Nook with a nice cover.

Furthermore there was a very good pair of sunglasses, a pretty grey pea coat, a great brush/straightener, a tracking suit and checks from my in laws and more. Dan got a radio control airplane, a Nikon Coolpix camera, also checks from his parents and other small presents. Here the first picture taken with the new camera!

Ryan got a nice big chair for in his room and a comforter set and other small gifts. As I said, we’ve been spoiled by Santa Claus!

Because I had to work in the evening, we had a simple meal. Second Christmas Day we started with an all American breakfast and later that day I made a Christmas dinner with filet mignon in mushrooms-red wine sauce, green beans casserole, little grape tomatoes from the oven and fried potatoes. The filet mignons were on the edge of being rare instead of the medium rare meant to be. Anyway, it tasted pretty good.

After dinner, we all went into town to see how beautiful the people decorated their houses in  Historical Downtown Oxnard. Because of the bad weather the week before Christmas, it was not possible to go earlier. I think a lot of people had the same idea, because there were a lot of people outside.

Monday, Dan and I went to a big field, where he tried his new gadget, the airplane. It was much more difficult than he anticipated. And because of the strong wind, it was pretty challenging to keep the plane in the air. But, we had fun! It will take some practice to make it fly smoothly.

Today we went out shopping with the checks we got from Dan’s father and Ann. Ryan went to Fry’s and Dan and I went to Marchall’s. We bought for me a beautiful pan set and set of silver ware.  Thanks!

Dan got him self a nice side table, and he will use the rest of the check for some indirect lights for the kitchen ceiling.  After getting our stuff into the car, we went to Olive Garden and we had ourselves a very nice dinner there. Dan’s mom asked us to spend a part of her Christmas check on going out and having a nice meal So we did! We had a good laugh there with other guests. Their little girl was having her birthday, and at one point I heard her saying to her dad:  ”Daddy, my brain is telling me that I cannot eat anymore.” Her dad said: “What did you say?” The little girl repeated it, and the dad said immediately:  ”Tell your brain that there will be no dessert!”  I thought that was very quick of the dad!

It is getting late, we will go to bed soon. Thanks everybody for sending so many Christmas cards and E-cards. I know some are still to come

We wish you all a wonderful New Year’s Eve and complete happiness, health and luck for 2011!