Back to frugality

(Shore Lodge) 

Let's be honest. Nobody stays frugal ALL the time, right? Or is it just me? But I have excuses! I was going to be so good with money this past summer. Remember my whole budgeting plan? Well, that went totally out the window when I moved to Idaho! But I did get a few things done that were on my list. Like #8: go on a road trip. Definitely did that! 16 hours up and 16 hours back from Idaho! Also numbers 13 and 14: Eat something I've never had before and discover a great, new restaurant. I had never had quail before this summer. I ate it A LOT in McCall. It's on one of the banquet menus. I think I served it 6-8 times in the 11 weeks I was there. Don't like it. It's too gamey for my palette.  Also, I discovered multiple new restaurants while away from home, most notably the two housed within Shore Lodge; Lake Grill and The Narrows. Both wonderful and run by a fantastic executive chef, Steve Toppel. I highly recommend either of them if you ever get a chance to spend time in McCall. So, the summer wasn't a total bust!

 (my backyard) 

But now it's officially Fall. I'm back in Colorado Springs, back in school, back to my routines. My summer is fading from memory fast as the days go by. I've been asked multiple times by my boss, my boss's boss, my boss's boss's boss to return next summer. We'll see. By the end, I was ready to come home. 12-16 hours days on my feet is rough. My feet were very glad to come home! But maybe I'll be ready to go back by next year.

I was also SO ready to come back to my coupons! Being in a tiny town, 2 hours from any chain store, was hard on my shopping skills :) Although, working in events, there is always an abundance of leftovers that helps keep from breaking the bank in food costs! But I like to cook and so still wanted to keep a full frig. And I had a very cute, young, Chinese roommate who did not cook at all. So I HAD to keep her from starving too. Because all she ever made was ramen noodle soup and microwavable bacon. I still shudder at her eating habits! But I'm back now, to civilization, surrounding by my coupons! Let the frugalness commence!

Life in McCall

Wow, it's been a whirlwind 3 weeks! I think most of you know that I moved to Idaho last month to oversee a hotel's events department in McCall. It's a beautiful hotel amidst a stunning setting. I've really enjoyed these past few weeks, doing a job that I love. Even through the 12 hour days! It's been interesting though, working in a secular setting. I worked for 2 years at Focus on the Family as an event coordinator, which is a highly conservative, Christian nonprofit. I've also done numerous weddings for friends and acquaintances but all within a Christian setting. Honestly, the wastefulness of events has always gotten to me. When you throw $1000 worth of prime rib in the garbage, it's tough! (Though my roommates at the time would probably say the endless supply of leftovers was a treat!) Or you pour $6800 worth of champagne in under 20 minutes (I did that last night!), its sometimes hard to let go of what that money could do. But I just have to remember, it's not my job to judge. It's my job to be wise with the money God has given to me and use THAT for His glory, right? That's one of the main reasons I took this job! It was quite a bit of money in a short amount of time and I wanted to be more financially stable and be able to buy a car in cash, without a car payment, next year.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love hospitality and events. It's wonderful to get to see a bride on her wedding day looking radiant and know you had a part in making her dreams come true. I've always been service oriented. It's my primary love language. I've always struggled with the story of Martha and Mary because I know I'm just like Martha, going a mile a minute, serving others but not remembering to stop and just be in the presence of The Lord. And... Oh man, I got off on a tangent! :) I was supposed to be updating you on life in McCall!

If you've never been to Idaho, you're missing out! I really thought it would look a lot like Colorado, but I was wrong! The mountains aren't as tall (McCall is only at elevation 5,000ft) and they're more rounded and hill-like. The skies are just as blue and wide open but they seem closer. I don't know how to explain it. It's like you can reach out and touch it. The landscape is more diverse. In the two hour drive from Boise to McCall (I've done this drive 4 times already!), you pass from mountain pass to flat farmland to wide-open lakefronts. It's truly amazing!

The hotel is beautiful too! It's changed hands a couple of times in the last 10 years but seems to be steadying now. They're doing a complete renovation of the rooms come fall in hopes of going from a 4-star (that they just earned last year) to a 5-star hotel. I don't like the renovation ideas but whatever :) The hotel sits on the banks of the Payette Lake, which has just bursted into life in the last week. Kayaks, canoes, pontoon boats, jet skis, all commingle on this 25 acre lake. The town is a resort town. In the winter, only about 1800 people call McCall home. In the summer, it explodes to 10,000. Most of the houses are summer houses, people who vacation but don't reside here. Lots of families and older folks. It's not really a party town, like say, the Hamptons. Only one bar stays open till past 10pm :)

Well, I think that's good for now. Next time, maybe I'll share about my apartment (that's been an adventure in and of itself!). Hope your summers have been as adventuresome as mine!