Backyard Campout and Enchanted Rock Hike

We went on a "mock" camping trip this last weekend. We had it all planned out to do another one-night camping trip at a place called Enchanted Rock on Friday night, but when I called to get a reservation they were all full. We already had all the stuff for tin foil dinners, dutch oven breakfast, etc., so we just decided to do our campout at home and then drive out to do the Enchanted Rock hike in the morning.

We cooked our tin foil dinners in the oven, played Risk, and then made tin foil banana desserts and ate those with all the lights turned off and some candles lit (I wanted it to feel like we were camping, plus, I think the only way I like those banana desserts is when it's dark and you can't really see what you're eating. They were really good).

Then we set up the tent in the backyard and let the boys sleep out there. Rachel begged to be included in the group, so we started out with her in the tent, too, but around 10:00 Oliver came inside and said that Rachel wouldn't stop talking so he couldn't fall asleep. It was funny, because I thought she'd probably have to come inside, but I thought it would be because she was too scared or she started crying or something. But no, she was just having too much fun. At one point before that, I had snuck outside to see what they were talking about. Tristan was asking Oliver to tell them a story that was a funny story, and not too scary. Rachel, on the other hand, kept trying to tell "nakey" jokes. I don't know where she got the idea that that was funny. I guess she thought that was the appropriate kind of talk for a campout.

Saturday morning we woke up early and drove about 1 hour and 45 minutes out to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. It was a fun hike. There is just a huge rock/mountain in the middle of a bunch of trees and hills and there is a .6 mile hike up to the top of it. I carried Lizzy in a pack, Daniel carried Rachel, and the boys hiked it all by themselves. It was pretty steep and tiring, so I was proud of them for doing it. Oliver beat us all to the top. We played around and explored up at the top for awhile and then went back down. We got lunch in Fredericksburg and then drove back home.

Here are some pictures of our little "campout":



Daniel and the boys enjoying a friendly game of Risk



T, R, and O eating their banana desserts by candlelight



Tristan making a scary monster face


Oliver making a scary monster face


Rachel trying to make a scary monster face


Camping out in the backyard

Here are some pictures of the Enchanted Rock hike: