Into The Woods

Ah...I love Idaho :)

Coming to live in Rexburg nearly 2 years ago, I didn't know what to expect. And frankly the small, college town was a horribly deceptive image of the rest of the state. Here in town it is dusty, dirty, and boring. Having the opportunity to drive miles and miles past Rexburg's borders has been an eye-opening experience. Last week was my first time seeing the real Idaho landscape- and it is breathtaking. The towering hills, jagged mountain ranges, and abundance of fresh-water streams and rivers are nothing that can be described simply. And spending it with the only person that matters made it even more wonderful.
First off, I needed this vacation. There has been a lot on our plate lately as a newly married couple and the stresses of the independent life have been slowly crushing us inward. Regardless of what our life may seem like to others, we struggle to keep ourselves out of fearful waters. The good news is that we love one another madly and wholly- and so no matter what comes our way, we come out stronger.
As a recent developement, I have felt heavily the judgement of others regarding the kind of person that I am. I try to keep out of the drama crap, but sometimes it just can't be ignored. While we were away, I came to the conclusion that I can't let anyone else decide how good, how true, how pulled-together I am. My ambitions and accomplishments are great to me. My sincerity towards others is not a show. I have an immense love for my friends and family, whether they realize that or not. The decisions that I make with my husband are the very best for us every time. We aren't perfect, but we sort of know what we're doing.

And so here are some of the memories from last week. It was a glorious time, in every way.Uncle Gerald's little part of the Payette. It was low enough to splash in with the pups :)
Our teeny tiny cabin in Grandjean. It contained: one wood stove, one chair, and one cozy bed.
Jonathan in his element :) We went to several little lakes and water holes up in the mountains.Grandjean resort has horses for trail rides. They were very friendly! Especially with horse whisperer here...I sat on this raft while J fished...and the dragonflies couldn't get up out of my face, lol..
The dining area at The Lodge where we ate all our yummy meals :)Just a burnt forest that looked cool on the drive to Stanley- one of Jonathan's favorite places in Idaho.This view of the Sawtooth Range was definitely the best part of the trip. I could see why he likes Stanley so much, as its so close to the mountains. And they have rockin pizza :)

Overall it was a great time. The fresh air, beautiful landscape, and exercise did wonders for me. And I could tell that Jonathan was truly happy in the place where he belongs.