It's been a week...

After last week this week has been awful.  Honestly, I think I'm coming down with a cold or something that makes me really tired and makes me wake up with a swore throat wishing that I didn't have to get out of bed. 

Wednesday and Thursday are the house parents days off, and for me they are sometimes the hardest days.  One of the duties that we (as mentors) have to do when they are off is preparing and cooking the meals for the day... shocking that kids have to eat right?  This week on Wednesday morning I woke up feeling lick I just needed to roll over and go back to bed but I got up and made breakfast because I knew it had to be done.  The worst part was the meat.  I already felt like I was going to throw up that morning and then I found out how much worst it would me once I got to cooking raw meat.  This maybe a silly thing, but I HATE raw meat... with a passion!  Raw sausage for breakfast... is NOT good idea for an upset stomach.  But Thanks be to God, I made breakfast and the girls enjoyed it.  But it was not a fun task.  Then for dinner I made stir fry with chicken... that was pretty bad as well I'm not going to lie, but not nearly as bad as the sausage... it took me a while to get my appetite back after I cooked the sausage.  So really, if you have ANY suggestions on what kinds of food  I can make for breakfast or dinner... perhaps stuff with not a lot of meat would be even better :).  Not really though... I can make things with meat, I will do it for the girls!  But please send me recipes on facebook or to my email or here!

Other than me having an increased dislike for raw meat I must also say that this week really hasn't been the easiest.  Truly not an easy task being a new mentor to teenage girls who sometimes what to be friends and other times what to rebel against authority.  Specifically when they are asked to put their shoes up, apparently that is a sore subject.  I was told this week by one of the students that she didn't understand why she had to clean up the house because "we live in a house, not a museum".  Which although is true does not mean that we have to live in filth and make sure that our shoes are where they belong.  They also weren't to happy when the student that is pretty much a mentor (because she is the highest level you can get) was upset because of the laundry room being a mess.  I mean it was GROSS.  And we talked about it last week and one of the other girls was going to clean it and forgot or something.  A lot of this week was dealing with attitude, A LOT OF ATTITUDE!

Speaking of attitude, one of the girls has had an attitude with me since I got to the ranch.  Anytime that I ask her to do something she kind of rolls her eyes at me and gets upset.  However, being that I have been here for a month, it is about time that she stops with the back talk and stuff.  I know that this was a God thing that I am about to tell you.  On Wednesday night I was done with life, I was tired I didn't feel good and I was sick of the attitude with this girl along with other things.  I have been repeatedly told that she will not take correction well, and that it is never her fault.  Which is hard to handle for me because she is 13 she needs to get over herself!  Anyway - Well Miss Kelley was talking to the girls about attitudes and cleaning I asked her if she was listening because her head was down and like normal she had an attitude back.  I was at my breaking point and Kelly asked her not to talk back and then I asked her not to roll her eyes at me... Tenish minutes later she asked to talk to me.  We went outside and she ACTUALLY APOLOGIZED!  It was good!

Off to Mellow Mushroom now with JADA!

This week we...

Ate Watermelon

 

Made funny faces 

 

Celebrated achievements with the boy scouts

 

Watched the Sunset from the top of the mountain

 

Hung out with Mad Dog

 

Took/Picked up Shykea at work

 

Made Bread

 

Tried on Masks 

 

Had some fun :)

 

Well, this has been an epic fail of a day...

Not really, but I am entertained that I decided earlier that I didn't want starbucks because the internet was not free. However after going to McDonalds, Chick-fil-a, and wondering aimlessly around Pigeon Forge on Fourth of July weekend... I am sitting in a Starbucks, because that is the only way that I am EVER going to update this blog.

Unfortunately, the ranch has not stepped into the world of blogging because it would be horrors for the Ranch kids to be able to write and read blogs, and not just the kids, but the staff too. Just so you know, I can not enjoy other sites such as Hulu and youtube... and other random things. It is nice to have a day in town though. I found some nifty places - places I wouldn't find in Montreat or Charleston, or even Spartanburg. One of the best things about living in a touristy town is the fact that they have discount places all over the place. One of the best things that I found out about is that since I work in Sevier County at certain places I get a discount! Woohoo! I learned about that last night. I really wanted a big person that was teachery since I will be a "teacher" for the next year. I am glad to announce I have found a new bag... One that did not have sales tax because the store I bought it from did not have sales tax for July 4th weekend. And was 10% off of that because I work in Sevier County. Win. I got a Vera Bradley Bag for about $16 off. I very much enjoyed it. Also, just so you know just because I have one Vera Bradley bag does not mean that I want another. In fact I don't. I don't even what the knock off brands... I do enjoy my bag, but that is the ONLY one I want. And I was happy for the discount.

There are also a couple of places around that have hand bag for real cheap that look like designers.... Not that I will be buying one anytime soon, but it is a nice place to know is around. All in all I have started to embrace my new life in TN. Although it is a little far from some friends, I like it. A lot actually. I miss being closer to Spartanburg, especially since Aly is back at home, but I really like TN.

Ha ha... I just thought of the time when I was little and I wanted to live on a farm. I was always told that I wouldn't want to take care of the animals, now I live on a farm and I don't take care of the animals. Nice.

So you probably want to know what is going on at the Ranch. Well, the second week I was here we went to Atlanta for our house vacation.  The first stop (once I got there) was Six flag!  Not my favorite place in the world, but the girls loved it.  You really have to love roller-coasters to like six flags, and I'm not a fan, but it was good to see the girls happy.  In the picture is Victoria, Me, Shykea, Jesse, Madison, Kelly, and Mr. Jay (the House Dad).  That was taken when we were leaving... it was a very tiring day to say the least.

But the week got better!  Our second stop and my favorite - the World of Coke... I have to interupt this sentence to say that at Starbucks they are playing the acoustic version of Jump on it - seriously.  Any way - the world of Coke... as most of you know I would have loved to go to Texas instead and go to the World of Dr. Pepper... I don't think it is actually called that, but The World of coke is super awesome! From left to right is Me, Jesse, Kelly, Victoria and she is holding Caroline (the house parents child), Madison, and Shykea.  Also the other picture is one of my favs of Madison at Coke :).  She is beautiful!  They all are, but I really like Madison, don't tell her I said that though!  She is from Texas... and so is Dr. Pepper, maybe I belong in TX??  Ha ha... anyway!


We also had an epic fail that night... it was a cloudy day and we had tickets to the Braves game... we went and sat in our seats and watched the Yankees and the Philly's play instead of the Braves, and when we left the game started... but it was still cool to sit in Turner Stadium! 

The last place we went on vacay was Blue Rigid, GA to some lake... at a fancy shamacy lake house.  The person that grocery shops for the ranch has a lake house in GA and that is were we stayed... with them.  It was a good two days at the lake and then back to the ranch.  The picture on the right is of Jesse and Victoria on the tube... they are beasts and held on for a long time.  We got some sun burn and lots of time in and on the water... it was great for ALL THE GIRLS and us.

Since Vacation, we have been doing a lot of school.  We have two hours of school in the morning lunch, and an hour rest time and then free for the afternoon.  We have been taking a lot of trips to the National Park since the ranch backs up to it.  We have a pool on the ranch as well that we try to hit up when camp isn't using it and we have a lifeguard on duty... which is not me! 

That is really all that is going on at the Ranch right now.  Just summer things and trying to stay cool and hydrated!  Before I leave I just want to give you guy my mailing address in case I haven't... Just so you know I love getting mail... in fact I just bought something online because I want mail and because I needed it... but the mailing address is:

Kira Hader
3601 Lyon Springs Rd.

Sevierville, TN 37862

Care packages and welcomed and encouraged!  For real... send me stuff, even if it just a letter or perhaps a funny card... do it. Now.