Our little vaca to McKinney Falls State Park

Two days after Christmas, Chris, the kids and I
packed up and headed west on 290 with our camper in tow
to McKinney Falls State Park which is
in South Austin.  I so look forward to our trips in the
camper and couldn't wait to sit back and relax
in the great outdoors with my 3 favorite people!

Ella and Parker got to use their new sleeping bags on our camping trip and
it's a good thing they had these because the first night in our camper,
the heater didn't work and the temperature was in the low 30's!
I was so cold that it hurt and I wanted to cry but then finally fell asleep only waking
up a couple times because my nose was cold!  Chris so graciously threw his jacket and mine
over me to keep me warm.

We got there maybe an hour or two before dark and after setting up camp
didn't really have time or energyto go out and get fire wood to make our fire.
So, our neighbors (Dell, Kelly and Sasha) invited us over to enjoy their
fire, pop pop corn, roast marshmellows and hang out with them.  Ella and Sasha quickly
become buddies! It was nice!

The next morning was beautiful!  The kiddos played in the hammock
while I got breakfast ready and tried to figure out how our bread got underneath
the camper and was half eaten.  I thought for sure it was Chris who just got hungry
late into the night and ripped through the cooler and got into the bread.
(he has been known to rummage through our food late at night...lol)
So, even though he told me he didn't do that, I continued to think he did all day long.
Until the next morning, I went out into the forest to help Parker go peepee
and noticed a little further back a cardboard wrapper in which our breakfast sausage
comes in.  I know a lot of people probably bring breakfast sausage but probably
not the kind we bring...Applegate.  So, that was when I put two and two together
and realized Chris was right when he said it was probably racoons!
Indeed it was!  Those critters opened up our huge cooler and got our
bread, carrot cake that Chris couldn't wait to devour and sausage and
really their was no telling what else they got and I just forgot that we brought it!
So, the following night we put our cases of water on top of the cooler
to deter them from getting into it.  Sure enough, that night we could hear them trying
to move the cases of water ad Chris hit on the side of the camper and they scurried off!
Pretty funny!

We visited the upper falls first and enjoyed walking around looking at the beautiful
falls and rock formations.

I bet this would be fun in the summer!

It was really beautiful especially with the sun going down!

Ella found some cool rocks!

It was almost like laying on the moon!  

Daddy and Parker got our fire started just before sunset that night while I
started cooking dinner!

It was really good!
shrimp, potato and corn chowder!

The next day we woke, had breakfast and then went to the lower falls.
We took the little helicopter flyer things that granny and poppa gave us for Christmas.

Looked pretty cool!

The lower falls were beautiful too!

We took a walk further back along Onion Creek and found a fishing spot.
There was a cave up above...

The kids got to use their new fishing poles that Granny and Poppa gave them
for their birthdays but nothing was biting!

I never got to sit back and relax in the hammock so next time
I am bound and determined to do so!

We roasted some sausage! and just hung out by the fire the last night.

On our way home, we stopped in Bastrop at Roadhouse for the
best burgers in town! It was packed and we waited for about
20 mins. to sit down but boy it was worth the wait!

We had a really great time and look forward to our next trip in the camper!