Lake Chelan (Round 1)

This is a very special camping trip that I have done every year of my life (with an exception of once), and my mother before me, and her mother before her. This is a tradition! We plan and prepare for weeks, we've accumulated every necessity, and the process of unpacking and setting up is automatic, we know our jobs and the only question that remains when we arrive is where to put the tent. We come to this State Park in Eastern Washington in the summer, when it's hot! This lake is a glacial lake, so the water is cold (hovering right around 70 in mid August), but extremely clean. We live in our swimsuits, eat out of a cooler, and sleep on the ground.

Because of the drastic temperatures this area is ideal for growing the apples Washington is so famous for. In every direction, there are apple, peach. apricot and pear orchards. And recently vineyards and blueberry farms have started taking off as well.

This year D had to stay home to get work done, so E and I made the 3 .5 hour drive with my folks and really had a nice time. It's harder being a single parent of an energetic (almost) 3 year old camping. Going to the potty is an ongoing annoyance, as she's obviously too young/small to go on her own as she does all day at home. I refuse to let her hoist herself up on the public toilets, and there's no stool or soap to aid her hand washing afterward! This, every hour or so and in the middle of the night! Ahhhh...

All in all a nice time away from the city, especially after it stopped raining.

Looking forward to Round 2 with our dear friends Jen, Trey, Tim & Tania and all their kiddos, in a few days!

setting up the tents

first boat ride with Gram in Papa's boat

campfires every night

her new pink life jacket

wedgie by the waves

with Mama

ice cream Massachusetts style

water wings

running through the blueberry bushes