Taylor’s family holds a tradition of an overnight camping trip every July. In the past, these trips have ventured from Northern Utah to Southwestern Idaho. This year, with little babies and exhausted parents in tow, we camped at a pretty little site called Cinnamon Creek in Cache County, UT. (Isn’t that the cutest name ever?)

Auntie Maren kicked off the party with a scavenger hunt. All the kiddos went hunting for these stickers:

On the trees, leading them on a path:

All the way to a treasure at a creek bed!

(Maren had the foresight to collect the stickers as they went, so no garbage was left behind in our beloved nature 🙂 )

We finished the evening with dinner, campfire songs, and a little talent show. (I had a migraine kick in randomly and napped in the SUV through this part, and so didn’t get any pictures. I heard Arrow was especially impressed by her Uncle’s “mime” act, though!)

The next morning, while Opa went scouting for a place to park at the nearby reservoir, the kids and I worked on building a fairy house in a tree trunk. Absolutely 5/5 stars lodging qualities for any woodland fairy. We reserve the right to refuse service to gnomes!

We had hoped to go paddle boarding in Porcupine Reservoir (Ugh. The names. So cute!) Opa brought the bad news that today’s beach plans weren’t going to happen. See that line just above the lake where the vegetation isn’t growing? That’s how much water has dried up this year in our severe drought 😦 It wasn’t safe to even attempt approaching the water because of the steep drop. (Had there not been children around, I would’ve tried it for the heck of sheer and reckless danger.)

Aside from major environmental concerns, it was no problem for play. There was a creek back at the campsite to romp in!

Some nonchronically organized photos from the trip:

Maren brought a hammock and slept in it all night even though RACCOONS were SCREAMING at EACH OTHER over our THE GARBAGE CAN.

Taylor with his awesome grandparents. His grandmother made me laugh. When she was approached for a goodbye hug, she leaped away so fast that she actually invented time travel and prevented several world wars. Her leap away made sense though. She wasn’t going to risk getting germs / Covid from sentimental family members. Nothing but respect from me!

Someone stuck this in the women’s stall for me to find… (I have a rational and reasonable fear of gnomes, and so should the rest of you!)

Arrow, deigning upon us with her incredible fashion sense. I love this kid so much.

The Littles Crew:

I made a charcoal sketch of pine trees on a dead log. I call it: “Wood on Wood on Wood”

In the end, it was a great time to get away. So grateful for good family, capri suns, and nature!