Why We Moved and What We Love About Idaho

I think it’s about time I write a post about IDAHO! On social media I frequently get asked how we ended up here and what I like most about it. Today I’m going to share our journey. How and why we decided to move out of the city and raise our family in the mountains of Ketchum, Idaho.

Let me first start out by saying, I NEVER thought I would live in a small town. Like, 24,000 people in our surrounding valley. BUT that’s life, right?! I’ve learned to let go of my rigid “plan”, and do what feels good for my life, in the moment. After living in different places throughout the years, I’ve realized they’ve all served a wonderful purpose. So, for now, Idaho is a great place for us!

To take it wayyyyy back, my husband, Luke, is from Idaho. Boise to be exact. He grew up with a love for the outdoors and mountains. I on the other hand, was raised the majority of my childhood in Kansas City. Flat as a pancake, and no “outdoorsy” lifestyle. Fortunately by Dad ended up landing in Idaho when I was 8, so I spent most of my life going back and forth from the midwest to the mountains. This is why I have a strong connection to Idaho.

Flash forward to our 20’s, Luke and I had been living in LA, grinding at our careers and enjoying city life. At 28 we decided to get married in Ketchum, Idaho as we wanted to share our special place with loved ones. Idaho had become a getaway from the city and a place we would always look forward to coming.

Moving into our 30’s we were feeling like we wanted to get out of the city more and more. Both craving wide open spaces, fresh mountain air and more time for ourselves (not sitting in traffic). We got a wild idea to get a small getaway place, like a condo. WELL… that turned into finding an older house on a beautiful lot. Initially it was going to be a small remodel, BUT it soon became a full demo and new build. I’m not really sure how we got there, but we did! LOL

As the home was being finished Luke and I decided to take the BIG leap of faith and fully move to Idaho, leaving LA behind (for now). We truly loved our time in California and are so grateful for the wonderful experiences and relationship we cultivated there. However we were at the point where a family was in our near future and it just felt right. SO… we did it.

In 2018 we moved into our modern farmhouse. 2 houses and 2 babies later, it’s been 5 years! Since I now have lived in Idaho a good chunk of time, let’s talk about what I LOVE!

[1] Four Seasons – This may be my most favorite aspect about living in Idaho. I cherish the turning and newness of each season. It is very grounding to constantly see our beautiful Earth transition. It’s magic in my eyes. Nature is a gift and has taught me so much about myself and what I value. From respecting animals, preserving land, eating/cooking with the seasons and so much more. Winter is a bit longer as we live literally in the mountains, however we are very lucky to have a lot of SUN (hence: Sun Valley – the name of the resort where we live). I have learned to embrace each season.

[2] Outdoor Activities – I loved being outside as a child, but as I mentioned, I mostly grew up in Kansas. I had never actually experienced all the activities a mountain town has to offer until I was 30+. It has been unbelievable. The views alone from our home are spectacular. I always say, I feel like I live in a painting. 5 years in and I have discovered I LOVE so many outdoor activities: RV-ing, hiking, snowshoeing as well as the simple pleasures of putting my feet in the river or making a campfire. The mountains are literally our playground. It’s made me a stronger, more capable, version of myself. My hope is this environment will give that to my children. We are outside ALL THE TIME. If you have the gear, you’re go to go!

[3] Healthy Lifestyle – As I mentioned, we are outside doing activities 24/7, no matter the weather. I feel like this community has a work hard, play hard mentality. In my experience it’s a mountain town way of life. The outdoors builds a person’s resilience and overall respect for nature/universe. This is a common thread I see throughout the community.

I am surrounded with individuals that take care of their health: physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I love that I can wake up, go on a hike with my family, cold plunge in the river, work for a few hours, head to town and pick up groceries (5 min away), make a nutritious meal from local farms and enjoy a glass of wine with Luke. All in one day. Living in the mountains/small town has given me the gift of TIME. I am no longer sitting in the car for hours every single day. I get to have more time in the day to do the things I love and be present with my family.

[4] Small Town – To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive moving to a small town. Coming from a massive city like LA with SO much energy to a calm, little city in Idaho… that was a change! I mean, NO Target… life over LOL! However it’s turned out to be such a blessing. I prefer a slower pace of life for where I’m at and not having big box retailers/an over commercialized area is really nice. The beauty about Ketchum is that it hasn’t changed much over the years. It’s charming and something very special.

Once I had my kids, safety became a HUGE factor when considering where we were going to raise them. Luckily with a small town environment it allows for everyone to kinda know everyone. I feel like we are all looking out for each other.

[5] Community – As you can probably tell from my other points, I truly love living in Idaho. People are kind, look you in the eyes and say “hello”. I know it sounds simple, however this basic human connection was something I missed. The Ketchum community is filled with people that want to be here. To me this means, there is a common thread in the overall way we want to live our lives, what we value and the people we want to be: healthy, mindful, respectful of ourselves and the environment in which we live. I’m so blessed that I found my way to Idaho.

Please leave a comment with any Idaho questions – I will get back to you!