If you got the song reference above, you already know my big news.

I’ve been sitting on this news for months. I wanted to get everything into place and make sure all was settled before I made a formal announcement. After four years of waiting, since I had to leave the first time, I’M MOVING BACK TO CALIFORNIA!

If you’ve followed my blog, you’ve probably noticed I’ve moved quite a bit since I started this platform nearly 6 years ago. (Leaving CA; Leaving AZ) In that time, I’ve lived in four states. I know, it’s a lot. But I’ve been very fortunate to get really unique job opportunities. They have allowed me to explore new cities and I’ve gotten to travel all over the world.

But in the back of my mind, since I left Irvine in 2014, I’ve held onto the goal to get back to California. After a lot of strategizing, I found a way to keep my amazing job opportunities while also getting to be back in California.

Next weekend I’m officially leaving Boston and headed back to southern California. I went back and forth about whether to settle in the LA area or head back to Orange County. After a lot of exploring (you’ve probably noticed I’ve been in SoCal a lot the last year), I chose the LA area for a couple of reasons. First, its closer to my extended family, which will be so nice for my kids to get to know them better. Second, LA just felt more unique and diverse than Orange County. I still love the OC, and we will only be a 20-30 minute drive away, but I’m SO excited to get to start exploring all that LA has to offer.

There are a ton of things I’m excited about, but the top 5 things I’m most excited about are:

The 5 Things I’m Most Excited About Moving to California

1. Being Close to Friends and Family – I’m so excited for my kids to get to know their extended family and some of the most important people in my life live in SoCal 🙂
2. Living Less than 5 miles from the Beach – I’m such a sucker for beach walks and sunsets. It is the place I feel my absolute best, so I will make it a goal to get there at least once a week. It’s only 4 miles away, so I might even take up biking (we’ll see ;)).
3. Year-Round Fantastic Weather – I can’t wait for all the park dates and outdoor activities I can do with my kids. We’ve already located several parks near us and we’re so close to the beach I can’t even believe it.
4. Proximity to My AZ Friends – I miss my AZ friends a lot, but now I’ll be able to travel there a couple times a year. Plus, I know they’ll also make their way toward me.
5. CA Farmer’s Markets – Finally, I’ll find something other then good apples. The thing I missed most about moving from Irvine was the amazing farmer’s market. We are near a really nice one again in our new home, so I can’t wait to visit it weekly. There’s nothing like CA produce!

I’m super excited for to get settled in our new home. After so many moves, I feel so relieved to finally be where I’ve always wanted to be. California is my place. It is where I feel the most at peace, it is where I feel like my best self. I can’t wait to share my love of this place with my kids. And I really can’t wait to show all of you our new home. Here’s to the freshest start to 2019. I can’t wait. The best is yet to come.