The end of Idaho and the start of Summer

Hey hey hey!  Welcome to our view of Lake Payette from the Shore Lodge in McCall.

We were supposed to have randomly terrible weather over the weekend, but then the storm shifted directions and we wound up getting clear skies until the moment we packed up to head back home.

Before I get to the time we spent at the resort in McCall, I have to mention Golden Fork hot springs in the town of Donnelly.  We stopped on the way and had a picnic lunch.  It was my first time in a natural hot spring and it was awesome!

Also awesome, are heated pools. 🙂  The resort had salt water pools.  All kinds of new things!

From the moment we arrived, we were pampered…wine upon check in, don’t mind if I do!

After we got cleaned up from our pool time we went to dinner at The Cutwater, which is the resort’s casual restaurant.

We sat RIGHT on the water (although the inside seating is cool too because it has an aquarium).

Family photo!

Here are some of the starters…creamy tomato soup with gorgonzola crostini and a kale and romaine Caesar with roasted chickpeas.

Scallops for Beverly (presentation on point!).

Filet above and salmon below for the kids (to split).

Kevin got beef tenderloin with bleu cheese whipped potatoes and sautéed kale.

And Kyle and I both got the slow braised short rib.

WHOAAAAAA.

It was (a) huge, and (b) delicious.  I loved the lean parts of the meat so much, but there was definitely a lot of fatty parts.  It was extremely tender and just fell apart at the touch of the fork, and the house made potato chips were exceptional.  I would order it again and again.

And then I got the mocha mousse to go because WHY NOT!?!

It was a flourless almond cake that was light and chocolatey and I ended up eating only half of it that night because I wanted regular chocolate bar(s) too.  This vacation really put my sweet tooth back in the danger zone, but that’s what vacations are for right?  LIVE A LITTLE ELISE.  🙂

This is how I felt after the day too.

ZZZZZ.

Kyle and I both got to the gym early that morning while his parents watched the kids so we could exercise and watch the World Cup without a care.

Then I got a coffee to bring to the waterfront and lazed about while the kids played in the frigid lake water.

Kyle had a massage after his work out, but then met us on the shore with a strawberry almond milk smoothie to share.  Yum!

The rest of the morning we split time between the pool, hot tub, and shore, until the kids finally hit a wall.

I got them chicken nuggets and fries for lunch so they were in heaven…and then they passed out while Kyle and I dug into our lunches.

I went with the healthy sesame tahini buddha bowl with baby butter lettuce, oranges, quinoa, radicchio, butternut squash, carrot threads, hazelnuts, pita croutons, and a tahini dressing.  DOESN’T THIS SALAD SOUND LIKE I INVENTED IT????

I added chicken too, and then half an avo that I brought with me.  If you don’t travel with avocados, are you even a foodie??

Tahini sauce FOR. EH. VER.

Also.  LEGOs FOR. EH. VER.

She woke up in a super great mood.  Not.

But a snack and soccer turned that frown right around.

More time at the pool.

And then down time in the room until dinner.  Kyle’s parents offered to watch the kids while Kyle and I went on a date so we went downstairs to The Cutwater again.

This time I got the salmon, which is marked as GF despite the obvious presence of couscous.

Kyle got the skirt steak with butternut squash puree.

We wanted to try both so we shared them, but I think his steak was the better between the two.

For dessert I finished off the mousse from the previous night and then felt terrible all night long.  I think I was being a little fast and loose over the weekend with my diet and then it all caught up to me because it was definitely one of the worst reactions I’ve had in a while.

I didn’t even have coffee or breakfast the next morning…

Happy Father’s Day my love!

Then it was time to pack up and go.  Despite the rain, we made decent time and got home in time for lunch and naps (and the second half of the Brazil game).

I don’t have many pictures from the last of our in Idaho, but it was spent with Kyle’s brother and his fam so the cousins all got to play together.

These two little rascals, up to no good.

We enjoyed every second of our time together.  I love my nieces so much!

And then bright and early the next day we were off to the Boise airport and bound for SAC.

My super flyers hit the ground running, too, because I changed them into their swim suits in the baggage claim while Kyle got the car and then we sped off straight to swimming without a second to spare.

Hellooooo Summer!