About in Idahome: The Sawtooths & Redfish Lake

So I realize that I skipped a week of updates - but I am fine with that week staying dead to me. Second week of school - despairing over what the next 9 months of my life were going to be like because of "that one student" - lots of meetings and testing and I don't even know what I did - but it wasn't take pictures, because I have none from that week.

But thankfully - that week was followed by this great holiday weekend, so I'm just skipping straight to that part. 

Oh but real quick, I did make an August video, and added it to the end of my last August weekly update. 

Steve and Linda invited to spend a few days with them in the Sawtooth Mountains in a town called Stanley and spend time at Redfish Lake, so Saturday morning we headed up. It was sunny and mid 70s, perfect weather, but it overnight it froze and was in the 30s the next morning, that was kind of fun!

Once we stopped for lunch and to drop our things at our lodge we drove straight out to to Redfish Lake - we had heard so much about it for forever, but never been there! We dipped our toes in the water and wandered the area a bit before heading out to the dock - there were lots of options paddle boarding, pedal boating, canoes, kayaks, and motor boats. We had kind of thought we would do a canoe or pedal boat, but somehow that quickly changed to a motor boat - which was definitely the best choice! The lake is quite big and has a curve in it from where the beach is, and the best views are around the other side, so that's where we headed off to.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it was my kids first time on a boat like this... they LOVED it.

Todd looks very serious - but he loved it too - he calls this his "boat captain face."

Those outtakes though!!!

Both kids got to drive the boat for a minute or two...

Their faces say it all...

Just look at it - it was so peaceful out there - we were all in heaven.

Oh and also - it happened that it was their wedding anniversary too! Kind of nice of them to take us along for the celebration.

Pretty popular for a teeny tiny mountain town.

 Bathing beauty.

Handsome boy.

After the lake adventures we stopped in just about every shop or store they had in the whole town (maybe 5 of them) and drove around a bit, walked around a bit - there's a lot of nothing, and I'm sure that's how the good folks of Stanley would like it to stay. We had a nice dinner and headed to bed - it's nice to relax on vacation too (I read a whole book!). 

The next morning there was actual ice on the grass - it was chilly, but it felt good, especially knowing that the day would warm up quickly. We had a filling breakfast and got coffees with this view...

...and decided to go find Lake Stanley which we'd also heard about.

Ummm yeh. It's alright.

I tried to get a picture of the reflection when the lake was most still - so pretty.

I was there too - see!

 We tried hard but couldn't find a place to park and really spend much time here - it all seemed to be camping spots that were occupied, so we headed back to Redfish for more fun. Grandma and the kids decided to do pedal boating this time and enjoyed themselves while the rest of us lazy adults rotated between comfy chairs on a porch and sunny grassy spots to read and rest. 

 Since Todd had to work on Monday we headed home after lunch  - the drive is beautiful but it. is. wiiiindy. You have been forewarned. We decided if we went back we would try to stay at one of the cabins actually on Redfish Lake, or camp at Lake Stanley and maybe get there via the Sun Valley rourte. 

It was a great little getaway!