A new California memory.

When you grow up attached at the hip to your best friend/sister, and then your family moves away after high school, it feels like the world has come to an end. You do anything you can to see each other. When I moved from California to Colorado, I might as well have moved to the the moon. Since that first traumatic separation, Amanda and I have done our best to be together whenever possible. She’s ventured to the landlocked states of Colorado and Utah, and (of course) was by my side for my wedding this fall. And I’ve made plenty of trips to Cali since moving away in 1993. Let’s peek at the Cali trips from the last handful of years…

In 2007, Amanda had her first daughter, Isabella. I met her when she was 5 weeks old. (If I remember right, Ame and Erinn were also both pregnant then!)

In 2009, Amanda was ready to pop with daughter #2. We trekked around Disneyland with Erinn and a couple of strollers in an attempt to get her to go into labor while Aunt Amber was in town- no dice. We got the whole gang out to dinner (there are 5 of us girls from high school that hang tough!). I did get to be a part of Amanda’s baby shower. Elise was born 2 weeks later.

There was the time in 2010 when all five of us made it out sans kids for a ladies’ night- twice! We had a kid party at Amanda’s, too. Stacey had the teeniest baby then.

In 2011, two little munchkins were my alarm clock (I didn’t mind). I stole Amanda away for a spa day and wine lunch. We also had a fun afternoon at Ame’s- the kid line-up was impressive!

Last year, my trip to Cali was all about bachelorette fun- a night out with the ladies in the city followed by a road trip with my Maid of Honor to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Unforgettable!