California family makes Idaho home

Article published Aug 16, 2006
Hilary Costa @ The Idaho Statesman

California family makes Idaho home

Uwe and Karen Ruttke decided in 2004 to move from California to the Treasure Valley — but the rest of their family beat them to it.

Soon after purchasing their lot two years ago in Eagle's Castlebury subdivision, the Ruttkes announced their intentions to their family members, most of whom were living near them in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the time between then and the day their moving truck arrived on Aug. 7, Uwe's parents and brother, and Karen's grandparents and mother, all trickled in to Idaho.

"There's nobody in our family left there," Karen said.
Many Idahoans grumble about the influx of Californians like the Ruttkes into the Treasure Valley — and it's no secret to the newcomers. One of the first tasks Karen checked off was switching her license plates.

The way these transplants explain it, however, they picked Idaho for the exact same reasons long-time residents cherish it: safety, affordability and a slower pace of life. The Ruttkes also picked the Treasure Valley for its well-known status as a great place to raise a family.
The Ruttkes' 5,500-square-foot custom home set on an acre in the neighborhood off Chinden Boulevard was a frenzy of unpacking last week as Uwe (pronounced "Oova"), Karen and their daughters Kathryn, 7, and Kristin, 4, embarked on their new life in Eagle. Their four-bedroom, four-bathroom home, built by Boise's Tradewinds Building Co., boasts a wine room, a craft room and two offices — including one for the girls.

The best part of the move for Kristin and Kathryn was the swimming pool of packing paper that grew in the dining room as Karen unpacked. The girls gleefully submerged themselves in the piles of crumpled paper and burst out of it to surprise a visitor entering the front door.

Though the girls have their own bedrooms connected by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, they sleep in matching twin beds in the same room because, Karen believes, it will give them a stronger bond. Karen said their family is fortunate enough to be able to afford the extra space, but she doesn't want her daughters to take it for granted or isolate themselves from one another. She likes hearing Kathryn and Kristin chatter and giggle together after she puts them to bed at night.
But the Ruttkes are making sacrifices to give their daughters the kind of childhood they want them to have. Uwe's job as a financial planner and asset manager is still in California. For the foreseeable future he will commute to the Bay Area, spending as much time as possible with the rest of his family in Idaho.

"The challenge for me will be when Uwe is out here, I want him to feel like he's at home, not just visiting," Karen said.