A weekend in Chelan

Today (Saturday) I went up pretty early for being a Saturday. I took a shower and then packed my bag for the camping trip to Chelan I was going on with the family. I wanted to just have my backpack and after some pushing and swearing, I could close it ;)
I was early done so I called back home to talk to my family and a lot of other people to cause my dad was having his big 50 year old birthday party and they were like 50 people at home. I was sad when I called cause I so badly wanted to be there! They had a BBQ and it sounded that they had a great time. Dad was happy for the gift me and my brothers gave him: A trip to Gothenburg where he can drive "Folkrace" (it's almost like rally) and he did that when he was younger so he was very happy. The good thing is that he got a gift card that's valid for one year, so he will wait until I get home so I also can come and watch. I love him!
We left at around 11 and we did a first stop in Leavenworth to have lunch. The weather was perfect and we sat outside on a terrace and just enjoyed the good food and the weather. There were also kind of a market with different kind of booths with a lot fun to look at. The kids jumped in one of these air castles and then climbed on a big climbing wall. We met some friends of the family there and it was kind of weird how we could meet there, no one knew that the others were going there. But then it's the Memorial day weekend and I guess everyone from Seattle is going away.
we continued our trip and now it was only like 1 hour until we would reach Chelan which is a little town located just by the lake Chelan and it's surrounded by mountains. Like a little tourist paradise with a lot of beaches and cozy restaurants and there were a lot of people, specially young people, who came to celebrate the beginning of summer.
We didn't stay in the town, we went to a even smaller village a bit up on the mountain called Manson. Here lived Kristina, who is an old friend of the family, with her husband Fred who is a apple farmer. We had been invited to stay at their farm and OMG it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! It's on a hill and U look out over big fields of apple trees, it's surrounded by mountains and in the valley the lake is shining with it's blue water. It was like a hallelujah moment when I got out of the car ;) The house is pretty small but so sweet! They also has a guest house and it's really Swedish inspired with a lot of wooden details and paintings.
They were not home when we arrived, so we just relaxed in the sun until Stendahl's came and we started to put up the tents. This time, I got a bigger tent so I didn't have to have the small "worm" I had last time ;) It was much better and I felt like a royalty compared to last time ;)
Kristina and Fred are so nice people. They are around 60 or sth and both are so sweet and thoughtful and really easy going people. Fred took over the farm after his dad and it felt like a really nice job, maybe that's sth for me ;) Their life seems so easy and relaxed and with that location, I would never say no!
Fred made a fire where we later grilled some hot dogs, and he also made hamburgers for us adults. We sat outside and ate and talked until it got really dark. It felt so nice and the easy spirit got to U pretty quick up there and together with sleeping in a tent, it was perfect.
I love all the smells and sounds when U sleep in a tent and since I'm pretty used to outdoor life, I put on tights, long sleeved t-shirt, sweater, a hat, gloves and double socks ;) I feel a sleep really fast cause after everything new to take in and all the excitement I was exhausted.

Miss U all!
Love Sandra