Garner

This year marked the second year for us to go camping at Garner State Park with our friends. Some of them have been doing it for 4 years now, and it's easy to see why. This time, instead of leaving on Friday afternoon, we made a longer weekend by showing up Thursday evening. Thankfully, it was Fiesta weekend, so the kids were out of school Friday. This made it feel much more like a vacation.

While I call it camping, I'm not sure that it completely qualifies, since we stay in cabins that have a full bathroom and full kitchen. But I'm not complaining. ;) It's the only camping we tend to do all year, and really, I don't know that we'd even do that if it weren't for having such great company with us! This year we had 5 families, which meant 10 adults and 15 kids. The boys had a blast playing with their friends (as do we)! We really missed one family, the Thompsons, though. They had their newest additions -yes, plural, it's twins!- the day after we got back.

Just to warn you, this post will be a little picture heavy since both Chuck and I kept cameras nearby the whole time.

Here's that "friends are the best" thing I was talking about...


We swam/waded in the Frio river (brrr!)




And Charlie even got to do the rope swing.


One morning the dads and older kids took a hike up to Painted Rock and Crystal Cave.


Chuck took a panorama at the top:

If you're so inclined, check out the larger view. It's worth it...

Meanwhile the moms and little ones played on the playground.

{Chance with Linden and Brady. All of the kids thought it was so funny to have slide-pile-ups.}

Speaking of cute, Chandler enjoyed someone's butterfly net.


On another morning I got to do a small hike with Charlie and Chance, where we explored a little cave. Kudos to Jeff Henderson for taking this pic with my camera. This was in the back of the cave where only the kids could squeeze into a small area. It was also pitch black so I was amazed that my camera was able to get this. (We got a new category of camera that I'm excited about...more to come on that...)

{Charlie, Brooks, Chance}


Sarah Henderson had the great idea to bring pillow cases and have the kids draw on them, creating a tradition for years to come...


Chance and Max helped Chuck make his squirrel noise.


Here are all the kids (not counting babies) getting ready to attack a pinata.


Each night, after the kids went to bed, the adults would corral around the camp fire and chat. It was the perfect way to end each day.


And here is Stacia's picture of our whole group. :)


And the silly shot.


And our family. (Thanks, Sarah!)