Octoberfisch Camping trip

Texas Parks & Wildlife had a table at the annual Fredrickberg's Fly Fishing Festival in Junction, Texas.  It took Caleb a little longer than he expected to get off work so by the time we got there the sun was going down, but the girls loved exploring our campsite.  It was at a private park on the Llano River and the place was covered with huge pecan trees.  We set up camp, walked around and had ramon noodles (a new tradition) for dinner and watched the amazing stars.  Then the girls were so good and went straight to sleep, I am not sure if it was because unlike summer the sun already all the way down, or because they were both exhausted-Gloria from not feeling well and Lydia from school and running two miles at the jogathon that morning.  Caleb and I stayed up talking a bit but I was tired too and had an early bedtime.  Gloria woke up at 3:30 with her eyes gooped together and crying that she couldn't open them.  I was so afraid that no one would go back to sleep but miracle we all did!

Lydia and Caleb got up around 7 and walked down to the group area where they were cooking up breakfast tacos.  Gloria was still asleep so I supported her by laying in bed until she woke up around 8.  We got breakfast too and then Caleb had to go man his table.  We played around the campsite, including dunking Lovely Lamb in the river for a bath, eating fresh pecans and chasing each other around the beautiful green grass.  It was nice and cool but the sun came up around 10 and it turned warm to almost hot.

We walked to the group area and Caleb was taking a fly casting class.  We looked at bugs and the booths selling stuff, then went into 'town'.

Junction has a yearly Easter pageant and we explored the area and reenacted the story twice with us each playing different parts (mostly led by Lydia).  The scenes included-Palm Sunday, Lord's Supper, Garden, Pilate & crucify him, the cross (you can kinda see them behind the trees) and our favorite-the empty tomb and Mary, angel & Jesus in the garden.

We then went to the top of the scenic overlook.  We could see the cliff from our campsite and Lydia was freaking out about going up on the cliff (worrying for no reason) but then she enjoyed exploring it while Gloria who was a little grumpy after grass on her legs stayed in the car!  Lydia enjoyed being in a desert.

We had planned on getting Subway but in looking through a Junction brochure we saw they had a Country Store, so we got lunch there including Blue Bell and something to go for Caleb.

Back at the park and into our swimsuits.  A girl scout group was there kayaking and there was a roll demonstration we got to watch too.  Gloria started playing in the mud.  Me, being the cool laid back mom who tries not to say No unless necessary :) just let her explore and experience the nature.  Of course everyone thought she was crazy and we were planning on taking a shower after 'swimming' anyway; we really didn't get in over our knees because the water was still pretty cool.  But when it was time to wash the mud off before going into the bathrooms, Gloria started going crazy and crying because it was cold, so unfortunately letting her do what she wanted still ended in a fight, but we got cleaned up and...

had a short rest time in the shade while packing up our tent and car.  It was so beautiful, that I took one of those pictures showing my feet with green grass, water and trees in the background (I'll spare you but I sent it to Bill because he loves them, if you have any you should forward them to him so he can enjoy them!)

More playing including stick fights (see Gloria) and Lydia being a human made a tool out of a stone to crush pecans so she could continue eating them without our help.

The night ended with a steak and potato dinner (and mosquitoes dinning on us) under pretty lights with tiki torches and candles.  The girls were reasonably well behaved at the dinner-most people there was empty nesters with a few groups with older boys, but they were the only preschoolers and girls.  After dinner we loaded up and moved em out back to the city.