Like being in a winter wonderland

Spending two days up north last weekend was like being in a winter wonderland. I've never been much into winter vacations, even short ones, mainly because I despise cold weather but this was one mini-trip in winter I thought was just great. Even the cold weather didn't stop Mark and I from thoroughly enjoying our time in Iowa. Actually, staying at the NauView House may have been the nicest Christmas gift I've ever had. There was a feeling of solitude, serenity, and even spiritualness of where we were. Montrose, IA and Nauvoo, IL have a rich history I previously knew nothing of and found very interesting. And the house itself? Perfect. I'd recommend staying at the NauView House to anyone. It's a house with a panoramic view from every room and even with all the windows (and there are many!) it was warm and cozy and not at all drafty like one might expect. I loved the area (in spite of the temps) and I loved the house. And the view at night across the river of the illuminated Mormon Temple and tiny town of Nauvoo against a brightly backlit sky? Priceless. :)

Heading further into winter:

It's still Christmas to us

ahhh, beautiful panoramic views, free flying majestic eagles, wood burning stove, glass(es) of wine…oh wait! We're not there yet. heehee

But we soon will be! Montrose, Iowa that is. Mark and I will soon be traveling north to this little river town (population 957). It may be January to most but its still Christmas in December to us! In lieu of gifts on December 25th we chose a little weekend getaway as our gift to each other. Our getaway will take us to Montrose where we'll be holed up in a house called NauView (named aptly for being located across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo, Illinois). Get it? The house in Montrose is called NauView because as you look across the river you have a view of Nauvoo. Pretty clever, eh? Ok, read it one more time. Being that Mark and I are heading north it’s likely to be brrrrrrr very very cold but nothing sounds better to me right now than kicking back, taking it easy, and staying warm next to a wood burning stove enjoying a nice glass of wine with my boyfriend. Depending on how cold it is we may be sitting next to that wood burning stove for a very long time. :)  As an added bonus I'm looking forward to seeing an abundance of eagles. The owner of the house assured me the eagles are stunning this time of year. Hopefully she’s right and I come home with some magnificent pics to share. I can’t wait!!

Pics copied from the NauView House website:
(I'm sure mine will be much better, haha)

"Get Down River" by the  Bottle Rockets please stop playing thru my head

view from the NauView House deck...I think I see Nauvoo

looking forward to using that wood burning stove

the kitchen where Mark will cook all my meals...hahaha

bedroom 1

bedroom 2

bedroom 3...too bad my twins aren't going too. ha, right.
(somebody has to take care of the animals)

a mini game room (made for a munchkin) but hey it's a game room!

something tells me this picture wasn't taken in january

A little history:
Founded in 1832, Montrose, Iowa, has a long and interesting history. When the first Mormon settlers began arriving in Commerce, Illinois (later known as Nauvoo) the settlement across the Mississippi River that became know as Montrose, was more than 5 years old.

As Nauvoo grew and flourished in the early 1840’s, Montrose also grew. Many Latter-day saints settled on the west side of the river. When the Saint were driven from Nauvoo, they congregated in the area around Montrose, before heading west to Council Bluffs, and later the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

Sounds like we may run into some Mormons or Saints...or both, oh my.