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!

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!!!!