Family Camping Trip

Ryan's firm is closed the entire week of Fourth of July, so we decided to plan a big camping trip! We wanted to go up to the Lincoln National Forest near Cloudcroft, NM where we could camp at a cool 9,000 feet. However, so extenuating circumstances arose, and instead, we camped at Enchanted Rock and Colorado Bend State Park. There is a reason why I don't go camping between May-September in Texas. IT IS HOT!!! So our week long camping trip turned into, "let's be back for the fourth" and that turned into "it's hot, lets go home" after three days! Seriously though. Our tent was stifling, as it didn't cool off till after midnight. Cassie and my dad had the right idea in their hammocks, but we had Rylee, and I was terrified she would run off in the middle of the night if we slept out on the ground, or have some *insert nocturnal creature* slithering/crawling over her, so we stayed in the tent.

Dead to the world after a restless hot night!

Running around camp eating pebbles.

Camped at the foot of the smaller dome.

View of Enchanted Rock from Moss Lake

Rylee's first time up at the top of Enchanted Rock! Unless you
count the time I hiked up there at 27 weeks pregnant.

Gorman falls at Colorado Bend.

She kept tossing her hat off, so I tied my bandanna on her

Eating dinner in her new chair from Grammy.

Shortly after this picture, she tried to shove mac n cheese into her belly button.

It was a fun trip. Exhausting from the heat and chasing after our cute little explorer all day every day, but fun.  We came back Wednesday evening after a day of hiking and swimming. Thursday we checked out the new playground at San Gabriel Park and took Rylee to the Brushy Creek Splash Pad.

 Rylee loved fireworks again this year, and wasn't at all bothered by the loud noise.

Hope everyone had a fun Independence Day and took some time to think about the sacrifices that have been made to protect and defend this country.