Nature Camping

 Since going to Jellystone, the kids have been itching to go "nature camping" as they call it.  We headed to a new spot this time around and really enjoyed the area.   Guadalupe River State Park is only about 1.5hrs away and was really pretty!  Plus, we got another patch up on our board!  Yippee!

I've noticed that since we camp as often as we do, it has become pretty normal - and I don't end up getting many pictures.  This time I was determined to do something a little different and found this photo challenge list on pinterest.  Seemed like fun motivation, so we gave it a shot!  The kids actually got really into it and kept pointing out things that could be counted toward my list.  I think we ended up getting most of the items!

We arrived right at dinner time on Thursday and got right down to business - tacos for dinner!

Photo Challenge:  #23  Cooking

There has been a yucky upper respiratory virus going around lately and (of course) we all seemed to worsen while camping.  Halle was having a tough time coughing and couldn't sleep.  So, she and I happen to be up at sunrise together and got some cool pictures.

Photo Challenge #15:  Sunrise

This park was full of letterboxes and geocache opportunities, so we set out early that day to go find some!  I love their cutie backpacks, which inspired this photo opp!

Photo challenge #18 Camping Gear

While we were walking, Brooklynn found this weird thing growing on this tree - sort of looks like a man's face with two eyes in the divets of the trunk with a weird nose and huge lips...  She decided this should count for #24 Something Creepy and #5 Tree Trunk.  I thought finding something creepy while camping would be difficult, so we agreed on the two-fer.  :)

Photo Challenge #5 Tree Trunk & #24 Something Creepy

Well, about 5 minutes later, the kids found this tree covered in weepy vines and decided to pose in a scary way to be creepy too...  haha - 

Photo Challenge #24 Something (else) Creepy

I seem to remember this covering #8 New Life because bees are so important to new life!

#28 DIRT!

Isn't this tree awesome??  #2 Trees

#30 Insect

#25 Something colorful (also managed to snag a little yellow ladybug in the shot too!)

#6 Wildflower

#1 Trekking

The kids did what they do best on this trip - made their own fun.  They cut out pictures from their coloring books to make paper dolls and had entire family histories and storylines going about each character.  They built them a little city - it was so awesome.  

I had bought this spray soap foam stuff - it was hilarious - Erin got totally nailed.

#16 Sunset

#20 Companions

#27 Something Fun!

#26 Rocks.  We thought this was so funny.  The campground must have cut this out of a larger piece of concrete where the raccoon walked across.  Fun that they made it into something educational.

The kids insisted leaves on Birdie's butt should count 100% for #4 Pile of Leaves

#3 Animal!

Todd's parents got him a new corn hole set for his birthday and so we busted it out!  It was super fun!

That evening we also set up an outdoor movie for the kids - Hocus Pocus #2!  The weather was perfect for this activity and they had a ball.

The next day we set out on another geocache hunt/hike.  Great views and really neat trails.

#7 A Good View

Love this picture!  #29 Friendship

Managed to snag one of the adults too!

Geocache find!!  #14 Smiles

Half the group was all done hiking and ready to go back to camp and relax.  Todd, Erin, Halle and Birdie trudged on.  They found some really cool things along the way.

Meanwhile, back at camp, Finley was making "medicine"   LOL

Erin, Russ and Emmy had to leave that day for home (boo) but Todd and Trevor took the girls down to swim in the river.

We saw quite a few armadillos on this trip!  Like, living ones!  I hadn't ever seen one actually alive before and they are so funny!  Sort of hop around and skedaddle on their feet rather than run in a streamlined way.  The kids were armadillo hunting on the last night and actually got really close to one.  Todd managed to snag this picture.

Full Moon!  #11 Night Sky

When it is all said and done, we got all but 8 of the photos!  Maybe we'll pick those up next trip!!  It was really motivational to get some more pictures, so I'll probably do something similar again.  

Feels so good to be back "nature camping" in great weather!!!