"Americanized"

July 13, 2012 was a special day for me. After 5 years and 1.5 months of continuously living in the United States, I officially became an American citizen. Finally a huge break from doing all those immigration paper works and costly processing fees, not to mention the waiting game and emotions involved.

There were 95 naturalization candidates from 42 different countries (including me in my 5 months prego belly), joined by their families at the oath ceremony. The courthouse was packed but it felt good to be in the same room with people who were once in the same journey as I was, people who maybe complete strangers but shared the same joy and excitement I felt that day.

America's Largest Home, and IKEA

Off to Asheville, North Carolina! 

If you don't like wearing a seat belt (who does?), you'll even hate it when you have a prego belly...especially when you're driving 9 hours. But other than that, I was super excited to finally get out of town for a few days.

While in Asheville, we had the chance to visit and tour the beautiful and huge Biltmore Estate. According to the wikipedia, the estate covers about 8,000 acres. It has it's own winery, beautiful gardens, a five-diamond 213-room hotel which is called the Inn on Biltmore estate, and a mansion.

This is the mansion, called the Biltmore House. It is currently the largest (175,000 square feet) privately-owned home in America, and was originally owned by George Washington Vanderbilt II. It is run by his son and grandson now.The mansion has *gasp* 250 rooms in it (hide-and-seek would be really interesting here). We didn't get to check out the inside of the mansion but we were told that it takes 3 days to tour the entire interior.

Several movies were filmed at the Biltmore Estate including Richie Rich and The Last of the Mohicans.

                            Grapes were dangling everywhere.

They were so tempting, it was hard for me to just look at them. So I convinced the husband to pick me some. As soon as he did it, the alarm at the winery went off...just kidding! But seriously, I kept looking around to see if someone saw us, although I was ready with the defense that I didn't see a "no picking" sign. Ha!

We didn't have time to go around the whole estate. It was past 6:00 PM and drizzling. But here's a map to show you the rest of it. :D

We drove by the city of Atlanta! I wish it was closer to where I live, although a 5-hour drive isn't that bad.

Wait! Is that the blue store with a yellow logo I see:D

When we still lived in Salt Lake city, Brandon and I would always go to IKEA on weekends. It's one of the very few stores we both really really like. Since moving to Florida, I haven't been to an IKEA store in a year, and this is the closest one we have. What to do if I happen to pass by one? 

Find the entrance fast!

What originally was a plan to "just swing by and smell the store" turned into a furniture shopping spree! Lots of assembling to do soon.

Good thing we didn't drive a truck for the trip and these were all what we could fit in a Chrysler 200.

A quick baby bump pic while waiting for Brandon to start loading the car with the boxes. :P

21 weeks

Sheraton Hotel bathroom, Asheville, North Carolina

Lucky to be free!

The last photo is of me with my 18 weeks baby bump. It was taken weeks before July 4th, but my patriotic outfit tells me that the picture belongs on this post. :)