Trip to Merced, Sonora, and Columbia!

The trip to Merced this last weekend was awesome. I took Friday and Monday off work so I got a solid 4 days to hang out and traffic was a BREEZE!!! Wow, what a difference! I am going to do that more often.

I woke up early Friday morning (5:30am) and rolled out at 6:15am. I was already in Santa Clarita by 7:45am picking up a Starbucks. I arrived around 11:00am in Merced, had a great nap, and met up with my pops for lunch. After, I surprised Jack and Paige at their bus stop. They were so surprised! Paige squealed when she saw me. I hung out with them for the rest of the evening. We went to their karate class and I got to see them kick some serious ass. They are already green belts and little ninjas I tell you. Paige made a boy run and scream like a girl when she went to kick him. Haha. Here are some pictures and videos:

 They got a new puppy "Nacho" that I seriously wanted to steal. He looks like my Daisy Mae.

 Minutes before Lucky almost bit my face off.

I cannot get over how much Nacho looks like my Daisy as a puppy. Unreal. 

Paige in the pink helmet knocking the boy over.

See look, they fight with sticks and junk! Total Ninjas! 

I swooped through Andrew’s real quick before getting ready to hit the town with some old school buddies of mine. You woulda thought I was a celebrity the way people bomb rushed me with hugs. They were all so excited to see me and excited to have an excuse to leave the kids at home and go out and party. Haha. We went to the Partisan which is supposed to be the new hot spot in Merced. Honestly, I was not impressed but for Merced it was alright? It was fun throwin some back with my old besties. Becka and I had a ridiculous night as usual which ended with us having a long talk in front of Raley’s of all places. Where it all started! Haha. One thing is for sure, I might move away and make new friends along the way, but nothing will ever come close to the bond of nearly a decade long friendship. Becka and I have definitely had our trying times but our history and roots together are deeper than I think I realized until that night. She’ll always be a part of my life and I am thankful for her.

 Girls! Becka, me and Shano

 Seriously, they are dancing on each other and texting!

 Yup, tongue is out, we are NOT on the dance floor, I'm pretty sure Shano is falling over...It only means one thing.

 Love this picture of me and Becka.

 Steve!!

Yup.

 We ended the night where it all started...Raley's.

Saturday morning we rolled out around 11am to head up to Covers Apple Ranch in Sonora. Andrew drove cause I might have still been intoxicated (lol) so that was a nice break for me. The countryside was soooo beautiful. The weather was just perfect. We ate a picnic, played on the playground, pet the farm animals, rode the train, and of course bought some treats including apple cider, apple butter, and mile high apple pie! Kaelyn was lovin it. Although, she wasn’t cool with the tunnels on the train ride, she was down with everything else. Here are some of my favorite pictures:

They don't call it Mile High Apple Pie for nothin.

After Cover’s we headed up to Columbia to roam around the Main Street Ghost Town and cowboy countryside. We walked up to the cemetery and old school house. Kaelyn said, “Follow me guys!” as we walked up the hill. So cute. I had a lot of fun taking some pictures at the cemetery and old schoolhouse.

 For Christa

"Life in Death"

 

One of my favorite moments was when Andrew and I were walking to the schoolhouse and he said, “This is the kind of place you would hear a little kid laughing and playing but no one is there. Wouldn’t that be creepy?” I agreed and thought I better take a lot of pictures to see if I could catch any orbs or ghosts cause that old town definitely feels haunted.

I continued up to the front of the school to take this picture.

I was happy with it so I continued around the side to look in the windows. Right as I was about to walk around the side, I hear this creepy little kid laugh, and jumped about a mile high and probably screamed and turned around and see my brother cracking up so hard he almost choked. I took this picture of him as he enjoyed his successful mission of scaring me.

Crazy brother. He got me good. It was so funny.

We ended the day eating some great food and drinks at Gus’s before we headed home.

It was so nice getting Sunday and some of Monday to do stuff. I didn’t feel rushed like I had to leave right away. Sunday, me, mom and Aunt Cindy went to get manicures at Rose Nails. I am glad my mom talked her into it because it was nice getting to spend some time with her. I really appreciate the moments spent hanging out, no real reason or holiday, just being together with family. It’s important to me to not only see family on holidays but make time for those days in between too.

The worst part was definitely leaving.

I had to swing by my brothers to drop something off on my way out of town and found Kaelyn and Andrew playing with a fishing pole in the garage. Kaelyn yelled, “Amy here!!” and hugged me like she didn’t just see me 30 minutes prior. As I went to leave Kaelyn followed me and said, “Where Amy going?!” I told her I had to go back to my house at the beach and she said, “Me go too” and turned to wave bye to Andrew. I told her to tell her daddy that she wants to go see Auntie Amy’s house at the beach and she did! So cute. I told her to wait in the garage because she was about to follow me to my car and she listened like a good girl and stopped. I waved bye to her and blew her kisses as I got into the car. I told myself I wouldn’t look back…but I did. She stood at the edge of the garage, doggy I gave her in one hand, and her eyes looking toward the ground all dejected and sad. I was so mad that I looked back because the lump in my throat ached as tears welled up in my eyes. I took a deep breath and made the U turn on my brother’s street. As I passed by the house again my brother had already got her focused back on the fishing pole. She had gone back to the game they were playing already forgetting about her sadness. I waved and honked but I couldn’t shake the sadness so quickly.

Time goes by too fast, and even though I love where I live, I am sad for all the moments I miss while I am away. I’m never homesick for Merced but I miss my brother and Kaelyn so much. I promised myself as I drove away that I would take days off every other month and make it back and spend as much time as I can with her. There is nothing I would rather use my paid vacation on than time with my little doll.

Family is love.