cali ain't so bad

Now that I've shared the things I'll be missing in Texas, I figured I need to share what I'm looking forward to in Cali. It's only fair.

10. Trader Joes - The Joe's was something I took for granted while living in Cali and learned to really miss when I didn't have it accessible to me right down the street. And now that I have spent the last few years being brainwashed that eating anything that you can't pick off a bush/tree, uproot from the ground, or collect seeds from has the capability of impacting your salvation, I think I'm now in a place to appreciate The Joes THAT much more!
**After writing this, it was brought to my knowledge that Trader Joe's will be coming to Austin. Of course it would.


9. H&M - Superficial? Yes. Dallas has the closest H&M to Austin...3 hours away. I heart me some H&M, but not enough to drive 3 hours. For In N Out and Del Taco, of course, but not for clothes. And you can't order online in the US. What's up with that???

8. Weather - Hands down, Southern California has the best weather anyone could ask for. I enjoy the sun on my skin, a warm breeze, and the occassional heat wave...but having survived a record breaking heat wave of triple digit temperatures for 90 days straight PLUS also tying the record for hottest day ever at 112 degrees, I think I have got my fill of toastie days. Granted, now in my mind a "toastie day" is any day with temps above 100. Cali does well in abiding by my rule that when the sun is not out then temperatures need to be below 80.

7. House vs. Apt - First off, let me state that living in an apartment with the BFF and other amazing roomies the last few years has been such a FUN adventure. It was a place of abundant laughter, crazy stories, and deep convo's. Loved it! But, living back in a house...for free...with a pool and jacuzzi...not gonna lie, I will thoroughly enjoy it. No upstairs neighbors throwing furniture or partaking in midnight luging. No downstairs neighbors complaining about the racket upstairs that time when we dedicated ourselves to Jillian's 6 Week Abs. What's a girl gotta do to get rock hard abs?? Which still have yet to show themselves.

6. Food - As you may recall, this is one of my favorite hobbies. So of course it would be my reason to move anywhere. In N Out, Del Taco, Todai...I plan on hitting all those up within the first 5 hours of my entry into the state.

5. Beach - This was also another one that I took advantage of my accessibility to. I didn't think I would really miss the beach when I moved to Texas. Until I visited a Texas beach. Double ew. I suddenly missed youth group bonfires cooking hot dogs and smores, Ruby's on the peer, and sunsets in the ocean. Newport, Huntington, Balboa, I'm comin' for ya.

4. Japanese Stores - In Austin there is one Japanese store that is about two-thirds the size of my cat's litterbox. It's a precious little thing and definitely held the essentials of Japanese living, but it just didn't comletely fulfill all of this half Asian's Japanese needs. Having Marukai, Mitsuwa, and several other smaller Japanese stores within a 20 mile radius back home is just every half Japanese-American's dream.

3. Mama's Cooking - I know everyone thinks their mom is the best cook, but my mom really is. :) Her Japanese dishes are mouth-watering and requested by many for different events. She cooks with precision, purpose, and doesn't waste ANY bit of food. I'll probably exceed the weight limit of the 747 heading to Japan come fall, but it's all good.

2. Friends - Most of my closest girl friends have decided to migrate across the nation and world, but there are still a couple in Cali that I am ecstatic to spend time with for a few months. These girls provide a sisterhood you just can't find anywhere else. And though we are each in several different locations across the globe, our bond is closer now than ever.

1. Family - It's been a LONG time since I lived at home with both my parents, but I'm pretty excited about it. I love my mom and pop. They exhibit the appropriate amount of quirky, nutty-ness, compassion, love, fun, and generosity. My dad's fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants and adventurous spirit is balanced by my mother's practicality and level-headedness. I can't be more grateful for it. I have a few cousins who are like siblings to me that I can't wait to spend time with as well. My family can be a circus sometimes, but never without love mixed in it!

i'll miss you, austin

I've compiled a Top 10 list of things I will miss the most in Austin...here it goes.

10. Downtown - The Frost bank tower, the Capital, South Congress, Alamo Drafthouse, 6th street,...there's just nothing like downtown Austin. Home to a countless number of live shows, unique shopping (and people. RIP, Leslie), amazing food and drinks, sing-a-long's, and numerous locations to get down with your bad self. Best downtown in my book.

9. Scenic Routes - Out here in the "South" when driving from one big town to another, you pass miles and miles of open land. You may drive through several SMALL towns that have a close resemblance to Mayberry and each one are never without their own "Main Street." You may drive pass an old, deserted barn in the middle of acres of green, luscious land with a broken wooden fence lining the property. You may even come across Winkleman, TX...and pee your pants. (Check out the link.) All this was just nothing I was used to in SoCal where land was sold and built upon like it was going out of style. (Does that even make sense?? Ah well...)

8. Music/Venues - I'm sure bands played in several places in SoCal, but it always seemed like a hassle to get to those places: sitting in hours of traffic in transit and then you end up paying your college tuition in parking and event tickets. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World and it lives up to that title fo' sho.' It also helps that it has some of the most fun and lively venues around...most with some awesome history too.

7. Town Lake - Austin is quite the health-conscious, outdoors/nature loving, active city. And why wouldn't you want to enjoy your freshly squeezed papaya-kumquat-lychee-spinach juice with organic grass chips and a sprouts sandwich on 36-grain bread while running 26.2 miles when you live in such a beautiful city? I didn't quite reach that point while living out here, but I did enjoy some fun times kayaking on the lake downtown and taking in the beautiful scenery.

6.  Dancing - Again, I'm sure there are plenty of clubs in SoCal, but there was just something "small town-esque" in going downtown to 6th street to tear up a rug. Never a bad idea to go dancing with these peeps.

5. Food - It's not a secret that my favorite past (present and future) time is eating. My name literally translated means "round child." Not joking here. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for that self-fulfilling prophecy. Austin is home to some award winning and world-renowned restaurants...lucky for Round Child. For your mouth-watering pleasure, check out Chuy's, Salt Lick, and Hopdoddy's. And then you'll want to check out property in the area.

Hopdoddy's Kobe beef burger

4. Road Trips - Texas is rather huge. So big that it has several states bordering it. Living in somewhat of the center of the US of A, it was pretty common to take trips to these bordering states to visit friends or just to travel with friends. Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Check, check, and check. Dallas was a common meet up spot with OKC's very own Jaci. Love that gal!

3. Job - I consider myself extremely blessed to have invested my time, energy, and heart in a job that I believe in. Being able to serve abused and neglected children has brought more joy and teachable moments than I could have ever imagined. I wish I could post every face that I had the privilege of loving over the last 4 years, but unfortunately I can't. For more information on the work I do, please check out Starry.

2. Austin Stone Community Church - The teaching at the Stone has convicted, challenged, and motivated me unlike anything before. A lot of what was preached was not the easiest to hear and I appreciated that. It brought me to my knees often and I gained an urgency to study scripture more. The Stone's purpose is to be for the city and not just in the city, and I have never seen a body of believers moved to action such as them.

1. Friends - No words will be able to express the love and appreciation I have for these people. They provided endless laughter, adequate inappropriateness, community, prayer, encouragement, adorable children, cute pet's, and, of course, Blingle Bells Ball 2010. If I ever doubted God's love for me, it was proven through these people in my life.

 I am overwhelmed with love for ALL of you and will miss you incredibly!

**Since I am not one for plagiarism I give credit where credit is due. Some of these photo's are from the gallery of none other than THE Jamie Lapeyrolerie. Check out her work! It's like an ice cream sundae for your eyes. Promise.

#macncheese

One of the many things I love about my friends out here is that we share a love of food. 98% of our time spent together revolves around food. So naturally we came upon the idea of a Mac N Cheese Cook Off. It was one of the most tasty times I've spent with these peeps.

Each of the "contestants" tasted so different yet they were equally scrumptious.

After going back for my 12th plate I realized the last 11 may have been a bad idea. It's hard to stop once you've started!!

And we finished it off with some fruit trifle. It ended up being a Weight Watchers recipe so obviously it canceled out all the calories from the mac n cheese extravaganza we just consumed.

I may not be able to eat mac n cheese for the next 8 years, but I'd have to say it was worth it.

it's gettin' real

The excitement of moving back to Cali and then to Japan continues to grow rapidly. Can't wait to spend time with family and friends on the West Coast that I love and then off to start another adventure with more friends and family across the Pacific. My heart is ecstatic!!

The last couple of weekends, this excitement has led to these fits of packing/cleaning that I dive into and then hours later I end up with empty shelves, packed bags and suitcases, and bags upon bags of items to be donated...and then it becomes real. This is REALLY happening. I'm REALLY leaving my Austin friends/life. I'm REALLY leaving my job of the last 4 years. I'm REALLY going to be living in Japan by the end of the year. I'm REALLY crazy. But I'm pretty sure it's the good kind of crazy...at least I hope.

here we go again

Some of you may remember my previous blog...and how superbly I kept it up. And by "superbly" I mean like I posted every 11 months. I promise you will see an improvement in this one, though. I didn't have a blog last time I was living in Japan and, OH MY, the fun it would've been if I did! So I vow to you, my mom and 2 friends who will be the only ones reading this consistently, to use this blog to report on my life...through words and pictures...from Austin to Cali, Cali to Japan, and then wherever God leads from there. (To get filled in more on this, check out the "me" tab.) :)

Good-byes are never easy no matter how many times you have to do it. God could not have brought more perfect people into my life here in Austin and leaving them will be so heart wrenching...thinking about it brings tears. But no matter where I end up I know they will ALWAYS be a part of my life. Cuz they legit like dat.

All in all I'm pretty stoked about this next adventure! Which I can't really say is the same for this one...

He will be my hardest good-bye.

You think I'm kidding.