Cashmere and Lake Chelan

When I had finished working on Saturday I was able to head home from the cabin a day earlier than the family. I decided to do some sightseeing on the way back so I took a couple of detours and visited Lake Chelan and a small cute little town called Cashmere.

A= cabin in Plain; B= Cashmere, WA; C= Lake Chelan (notice its unusual shape? it looks more like a river); D= gas station where I got gas in the middle of nowhere (read to the bottom and it will make sense)

This is my absolute favourite time of day to drive - early evening twilight!

Cashmere, WA

Nestled between large ranges of hills

Such a quaint little town!

Lake Chelan 

Visiting Lake Chelan has probably been my favourite driving trip thus far - it was my favourite time of the day (twilight!) and it was so sunny and warm and the highway was just surrounded by these huge hills that looked like they had been draped in green velvet, and also mountains with snowy peaks. Valleys and forests and rivers, such a great drive! 

After I had seen beautiful Lake Chelan I took the scenic route to get back to the main highway to Seattle. I was driving down this forest highway with just trees and my car the whole way - when suddenly the fuel light came on!! I was literally miles and miles and miles from a gas station and I didn't have any choice but to keep pressing onwards, so I prayed and prayed for the Lord to help me and to provide me with a gas station. I just kept on driving, trusting in Him, and He enabled me to go 20 miles down the road on the empty tank and provided me with a small little restaurant with a gas pump outside so I could fill up enough to get to the main gas station. I was so thankful to the Lord for keeping the car going for those 20 miles! It was a long time that I was driving with my stomach, wondering when the gas station would appear. Praise God! The rest of the drive home was very relaxing after that! And despite that little hiccup, that drive to Lake Chelan will remain one of my all time favourite drives ever because it was just so beautiful and interesting - and the weather was perfect!

Spring Break Week - Leavenworth, Plain, Lake Wenatchee

Last week was Spring Break week so the kids were all off school. We went to the cabin in Plain, WA. It was the same one we stayed at in the winter time, personally I think it is much nicer in the spring, but I am not really a snow person! At the cabin there were some adult and kid sized dirt bikes for us to ride! The boys were straight on the kid sized bike and once they had mastered the basics they were off for the rest of the night just racing round and round the fields on the bike!  I was able to learn how to ride too! It was fantastic, racing over the fields, chasing the boys, feeling the rush of the wind and the dirt flying up behind my wheels! Fantastic! I might be hooked!

Plain

 Look at me, I'm a biker chick!

The boys loved riding this dirt bike! they didn't even mind sharing!

And he's off!

Zooooom!

Leavenworth

During the day the older boys and my host parents went off skiing and I had the three little ones. On Friday I took them to Leavenworth to play on the big playground and have a picnic lunch down by the river

Kianna with a Leavenworth local in a German outfit!

Leavenworth in all its Bavarian splendour

Running to have our lunch!

Absolute bliss! What a vista!

Lunch on a log in the sun, so perfect!

Lake Wenatchee

On Saturday I took the three little ones to Lake Wenatchee, it was a beautiful sunny day and even though it was a bit windy we had an amazing time throwing rocks into the lake and building sand castles, playing at the playground and enjoying the surroundings! We practically had the entire lake to ourselves, it was just like a postcard!

"Look at the mountains!"

Back at the cabin, the little ones had a battery powered fire truck to drive around in!

On Saturday afternoon my host family were skiing when Troy, the host dad hit some sticky snow and broke his ankle! He came home in a cast and may have to have surgery. It was a bit of a surprise for all of us and such a shame for Troy, but he is ok. It was still a wonderful spring break!

My American Birthday!

On April the 23rd I turned 23 years old! It was very exciting to have my birthday here in the States, and my host family and my friends here made it so special for me! It was also very cool because I got so many happy birthday messages on the 22nd as it was the 23rd in NZ time, so really it felt like I had 2 days of birthdays!

In the morning I was able to open presents from my mum and my best friends in NZ since they had posted them to me earlier in the month, that was so cool, they sent me a whole range of special treats from NZ and Australia. Then I got a phonecall from my mum which was so unexpected since it was 1.30am their time! Later, my host family laid the table out specially and we all sat down and ate breakfast together (we don't normally sit down as a family for breakfast) and I sang the Lord's Prayer in Maori which was very special to me. Then my host family presented me with lots of little gifts and a massive cake shaped like a palace which the two older boys had created for me! It was so amazing!

In the middle of the day I had some time off so I went to a park called Volunteer park, and it was so beautiful and sunny, it was so enjoyable. I had my lunch there and had a lovely walk around. In the afternoon, I took the kids to the park, Vanessa my host mum made my favourite meal for dinner - rice, creamy brandy chicken and peas - so delish! After dinner I met up with some friends at a cafe and we ate cheesecake, which is always a "must" when it's my birthday - I love cheesecake!

Wow!

Wayne Anderson Tshirt complements of Nancy, Pounamu complements of Concord; thanks guys! (and baby Tristan)

Large historic homes beside the park

So big and established!