Mill Hollow, Utah ~ Camping 2009

We have been trying to find time all summer long to go on our annual family camping trip. This weekend was perfect. We took off Friday morning, Sept. 11 and stayed 2 nights returning home today, Sept 13. We drove up Provo Canyon, through Heber City and into the Uinta National Forest to a small reservoir called Mill Hallow, which is a beautiful place.

Our first night at Mill Hallow

We probably got the biggest camp spot in the area. It was nice to be set back off the dirt road where we didn't have to worry about the kids getting run over. The bath rooms were just up the trail from our site, so Emma could go to the bathroom and be in out site so we didn't have to go with her. There was plenty of space to roam.
Our campsite

Paige spent most of the time in the dirt. She LOVED being down and crawling all over. She liked to explore new textures and spent plenty of time just picking up dirt and dropping it in her lap. Shawn and I wondered if she would have problems because of how much dirt she seem to be eating, but we haven't noticed anything yet. She really loved camping. She did very well sleeping in the tent, and even kept to her schedule of 2 naps a day while we were there. Paige learned how much she likes camping, cause she can get real dirty

Our first night after dinner we decided to go for a walk around the reservoir, but it was really a hike. We didn't go very far, or for very long as Mason kept trying to go off the trail and I didn't really want him to fall off the drop off. It was really beautiful and fun while it lasted.

We went on a little hike the first night we were there to explore our surroundings

We put the kids to bed and then enjoyed so time at the campfire roasting marshmallows and making s'mores. We watched a little mouse run down the benches of the picnic table and try to clime up to the top, but the table cover was plastic and it slid to the ground. It was cute to watch. We got ready for bed and noticed that the mouse was now in our tent!

It took up chasing it from one side to the other, scaring out from under Paige's pack-n-play, and after about 20-30 minutes, it decided to leave on it's own. We woke Paige up in to process, and was so interested in this little rodent. She went right back to sleep after the light went out and all was quiet again.

Saturday morning, after breakfast was over and all was cleaned up, we headed down to the water to try out our luck fishing. This was probably our most kid unfriendly fish spot we have fished at yet. We tried to fish with bobbers, but never got a nibble. It wasn't until I caught my fish with out the bobber that we decided to let the hook sink to the bottom.

On our way to go fishing
Emma and Mason just couldn't wait to use their fishing poles. We aren't sure Mason even knows what the pole was for, but he loved it nonetheless.

When it was Paige's afternoon nap time, Mason and I had quite time also. Shawn took Emma in the raft to try out their luck in the middle of the reservoir. Forgetting that we were 8800 feet we didn't put on any sunscreen and Shawn got burned pretty bad, Emma was slightly burned from this adventure.

Emma and Dad using the raft to get to the center of the reservoir

Mill Hallow, Utah


After quite time was over and Paige was awake, we headed back to the water for some more fishing. Mason spent his time pick up rocks and throwing them into the water. Anytime he tried to pick up something stuck in the ground he would say "too heavy", smile and try to find another. He really liked the big rocks and had fun carrying them to the shore. We were sure that when we set Paige down, she would be right at the waters edge. We were dead wrong. She crawled up the trail and wanted to take on her own adventure. She even found a way to climb over to log step. She is always on the move.

Mason carries a rock to throw into the water, while Paige decides to hit the trail.

I caught the first fish of the day! It was the first trout I have ever caught. It measured 12.5 inches long! I was so happy to have out fished my fishing husband! After taking off the bobber, Shawn caught his fish, it was smaller, but we were grateful for the catch as it was our dinner.

Heather's catch of the Day. Measured 12.5 inches long!

After dinner Shawn was chopping some fire wood and broke the blade of his axe in the wood. He still chopped what he could with the axe, but he now has something to add to his want list. :)

So strong that the axe broke off in the wood....time for a new axe!

Playing in the dirt, day #2

At the end of both days, Paige was the only one who got a warm bath. I am sure she slept better because she was clean and didn't have dirt in all her little baby wrinkles.

Bath time, Camping style

Sunday morning while Paige slept, Emma and Mason tried to catch a fish again. Mason caught his first fish just as I got back to the waters edge with Paige. I don't think he knew he had caught a fish until it was on the end of his line. He was so funny to watch.

Mason's 1st time fishing!

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting! When will the fish bite?

Mason's first fish, A Rainbow trout!

Oohh, it jumps!

Just as we got all the fishing stuff put away it started to rain. We quickly packed up the van the rest of the way and got ready to leave camp. When Shawn turned the key to start the van, it told us we had a dead battery. Lucky for us, there were some people around so we got jumped and head on our way. We need to teach Emma how to shut the door now that she knows how to open it. :)

We had a great time, and the kids had a lot of fun. We were all very tired and ready to be home.