Oh, Happy Day!!!

It's far too early to call friends or family with the news (dang two hour difference), so naturally I came to my blog to geek out... I JUST PURCHASED MY TICKET TO CALIFORNIA!!! I decided to wait until after the holidays so I could A) be with Mike for the Holidays & B) save money on the ticket. I hear Illinois is quite miserable weather wise in January anyway, so I am more than happy to take my vacation then! Of course I will miss Mike and my kitties, but I cannot wait to be back in my home state after over half a year away. I know half a year doesn't seem like a long time, but it certainly feels that way to me!

(Image via Google)

Leaving this

(Image via Google)

Arriving to this!

"California, here I come. Right back where I started from"!

Morning Routine

Some may find daily rituals mundane, but find security in them. Something about slowly sipping my coffee from the same mug, sitting in the same chair every day makes me feel stable. Sometimes I wonder if I like coffee just for routine. The sun streams through my kitchen windows in a cheery way, as if to say “good morning, time to wake up”! So, I continue to indulge in my coffee as the gears in my head begin to turn. What does today have in store for me? What will I create today? The possibilities seem infinite.

Hello, old friend!

I had a good thing going with just my coffee and thoughts to begin my day, but I knew it could still be better. I added a little something to jump start my day. There was a large, blank space on the wall where the living room and kitchen meet. It’s amazing how something so bare could manage to be so distracting. I would find myself staring off into space (the big, blank space on the wall), lost in my thoughts when I was suddenly pulled back to reality. It’s.so.bare. What can I put there? After days of pondering, I came up with a solution!

It’s no secret that my heart aches for California. I think about it, talk about it, and dream about it every chance I get. I place little reminders of it everywhere. In fact, I started doing that even before I moved. It was around Christmas last year when I found out that Mike and I would definitely be moving from California. So, what was the first thing I did? The same thing any other practical and sane person would do: I went to my local Hallmark shop and bought a Santa figurine that was decorated with beach images. Of course that was much more important than figuring out the logistics of moving!

Alright, back to my solution. I had a set of frames that I had purchased long ago sitting around, waiting for a purpose. I had visions of California dancing in my head. Put the two together and what do you get? You get beautiful DIY framed art! I googled images from the towns Mike and I lived in and printed my favorites. With Walgreens’ lightning fast photo service, I had my images within an hour! I went to work framing them (separating them by city) and had works of art in minutes!

Please excuse the extreme angle. It was the only way I could eliminate the glare. I'm no professional photographer as you can see!

My morning routine just got better. I have a pep in my step due to the thought of what awaits me at the end of the hallway. No, it’s not the coffee (well, maybe a little), it’s my gorgeous reminder of home. Now my morning thoughts include visits to home and loved ones coming to visit. The possibilities still seem infinite.

Californiaaaaaaa

4 months after leaving California, I go back and forth between missing home and accepting that Illinois is my "home" for the next 3 years. Today is one of those missing home days.. like reeeaaallllllyyy missing home! Something tells me that listening to Phantom Planet's "California" while browsing through my favorite pictures from CA isn't helping any with my homesickness..

At my favorite place on Earth (DISNEYLAND)

View of the ocean on my wedding day

Beautiful San Diego sunrise viewed from my deck


One of the many gorgeous parks I used to take the girls I nannied (being away from CA also means I don't get to see the girls as they're growing up and that breaks my heart)


Our clothing for Fall in California.. much different than Illinois

Standard foot wear in Ca pretty much year-round

I promise I am trying to cope instead of letting nostalgia get the best of me. I can see the bright side of living in the mid-west during Fall. I actually get to see what seasons are all about! I get to see the leaves change.. then the trees go bare.. then comes the snow (but I'll worry about that when the time comes). It's about time this Cali Girl gets schooled in real seasons. It will be a pleasant change to visit a pumpkin patch in chilly weather (not 90+ degrees like in CA the past couple of years). I look forward to swaddling myself in sweaters and having my very first real winter coat. Bring it on, Illinois.. I can take it!

Fab Find Friday: Old Navy Hoodies

With the temperature starting to drop in Illinois, I decided to take a trip to Old Navy for some Winter gear. I didn't find any super warm jackets like I'd hoped, but I did come across some hoodies! I realize I'll need more than some flimsy hoodies to keep me toasty come Winter, but I can give you 3 good reasons as to why I HAD to have me some hoodies: 1) It was located in the sale section with a price tag of a whopping $10; 2) What can I say, I am a nut for hoodies. I would wear them every day of my life if it was an option; 3) Being a Cali girl far away from home sweet home, I was jonesing for a little piece of home & this little beaut came into my life at exactly the right time:
Since they they were $10, oh-so-comfy, and because I am crazy for hoodies.. I grabbed one in "marshmallow" and "bougainvillea" as well. I was tempted to get some in some ridiculous colors (bright orange & bright pink) that would have looked terrible on me, but I had to draw the line somewhere! Anyway, these will come in handy for the beginning of Fall & are perfect to throw on when going to or leaving the gym!

For some reason the sale price is not showing on the Old Navy webpage :/ Maybe they are no longer on sale or only on sale in stores? Old Navy always has sales, so I am sure they will be on sale again shortly if they are not still on sale.

You better believe I am rockin' my "Cali Love" hoodie with pride this very second. The only con? I've got the beginning of 2Pac's "California Love" on loop in my head..