Family Vacation
This past week I spent 7 days with my wife and children in a house on Lake Chelan. We were able to stay for free because our friends Aaron and Monica have super cool parents who, unlike many small children, have learned to share. The blueish-green waters of Chelan were unseasonably warm and the beach was positioned perfectly north of the sun for hours of uninterrupted refreshing rays. When it was time to return home we felt like the stay was just right, not too short and not too long. The following are a few thoughts I had while in Chelan.
1. Clean up after yourself. This is the third year we stayed at the Chelan House for free. The main reason we were able to make a return trip this year was because Christina (my wife) stayed up till three in the morning on the last night of the trip a year ago cleaning up. Sounds like overkill but after we left last year our friends got a call from their parents (the owners) that said “The Owen Family are welcome any time” based on how clean we, I mean Christina left the house.
2. Naps are not just for toddlers. Every day after a few hours at the beach in the morning, we would walk back to the house for lunch and a nap. Most people go on vacation and feel warn out when they return to the real world because they never took time to slow down and rest. We played hard every day and went swimming more times than I can count, but those naps helped me to feel fresh and rested when I got in the mini-van for the five hour drive, with potty stops and headed for home.
3. Celebrate little things. Last year Jordan, our middle child was not real interested in water above his knees. This year he wanted to see the bottom of the lake, at least in the shallows. He was so brave on the first day at the lake and we made a big deal of it. Why make a big deal of little things at the lake? Because Jordan is a big deal to us and we want him to know we are watching the little things and later he will know we are paying attention to the big things. I really love Jordan.
4. Rethink how you pack. When we left for Chelan the van was loaded inside and out. There was no leg-room in the van and the car-top-carrier slowed us down on the drive. When it was time to pack for the trip home I was able to make several adjustments inside the van I had never made before and our entire load fit with leg-room to spare. I even folded the car-top-carrier nicely and placed it in the van. How did that happen?
Chelan was a blast, it has turned into a great tradition for our family. Once again we have been blessed at the beach.