How is "Cali" used in a sentence (neither of my kids uses it, in fact I've never heard it used). Is it like "I live in Cali"? Sounds totally weird to me.

Kal - you forgot ahhmonds. It can be ammonds or allmonds.

Shang - thanks, sweetie...I tried.

lizzard - you're so right and too cool! ((H))

When my daughter was in Texas, she'd say "going out to Cali for the weekend". Or "Road trip to Cali". I don't think she'd say I'm from Cali. She's in Australia right, so I won't ask, LOL.

My family used to have an ammind ranch :) And yeah, as long as people buy them, it doesn't matter what they call them. But we still call them ammindz.

This Cali thing though - it is a black mark on an otherwise fairly successful carreer for LL.

it seems the folks who grow 'em call them amminds - - and them what eats them call them allmonds . . . . :)

Oh in Texas, we enjoyed the Pea-Cans.

tripping: I ued to lvoe the Texas-New Mexico Pee-can p-eyes. :)

haha well thank you everyone so far advice!!!
I'm sorry for the mishap in "cali" I was just at work and typing fast so the boss couldn't catch me ;)
But yes, I want to get my phD out in California (there we go :) )...and yes I love the ocean. I feel that Southern California would suit us better since we want to stray away from any type of cold weather for a few years! I've been to Irvine before, only for a week to visit a friend and I loved it.
As for the type of schools, I'm looking at UCSD, UC at Berkeley (they have a great phD program), and colleges near UCLA, nothing imparticular yet, still a couple years away. Thanks everyone so far!!!!