Updates!

So I'm realizing how bad I am about writing on here. I really do aim to put more, I just haven't. I've been at Waunita for almost two weeks now, and I still really enjoy it. It is hard, and all of us house girls just about had a meltdown on Monday, but we are surviving. This is our first week with guests, and it makes everything so much different, and so much more work. We thought spring cleaning was hard, and it was, but this is just a different hard I guess. And the bad part about this week? There are only 11 guests here. Well, that's okay I suppose. The bad part is that next week there are 44. I'm the breakfast server next week (our daily jobs are separated into four main categories that we rotate through one week at a time) which means that I will get up uber early to set up for breakfast and then take everyone's orders. Oof. For someone who has never done any waitressing (and is rather accident proned) that's a bit intimidating. But I'll make it. All of our jobs are difficult, but we all help each other out. Today was my 'day off' which was a bit strange; it's weird knowing that everyone else is working while you're just sitting around. But I best get used to it, I'm going to need those days off. We had our first square dance tonight too, we'll have one every week. Okay, it's time for bed, tomorrow is a 7.30 start which means up at 6.30. I'll put up a couple pictures...

These are the house girls - from left to right Mallory, Me, Krystal, Kandace, and Hannah who is kind of a house girl but not really, she's a part time helper. Oh, and you can see Tomichi Dome in the background. I'm going to hike that before I leave (hopefully)!

Goofy picture!

These are us, the four house girls. We call ourselves the cinderellas because we're always doing all the house work and such.

Some of the guys wanted to take a picture since their matching shirts came in for the square dance tonight (the girls haven't made it yet). From left to right - Kolby, Eric (from Texas, we have three Eric's altogether), Jonas, and Casey.

I haven't taken as many pictures as I mean to, Kandace has a lot though (we have the same camera too). I'll put more up soon though!

And we're off!

Well folks, I've made it! After about four days of driving and living out of a backpack (okay, to be fair, it wasn't all driving, there was some stopping involved), I'm here. And where exactly is here? Well......look really close. I mean really close. Can you see the buildings? Right about in the middle there? Well that's where I'm at. Waunita Hot Springs Ranch. Woot! I thought I would write a lot tonight, but to tell the truth, I'm pretty pooped. Suffice it to say that I am excited. I've met all the workers who are here already (we're waiting for two more of the wranglers who are coming from Pennsylvania) and they are all really nice. I am excited to see what this summer has in store...because I honestly have no idea. Driving through the mountains today I couldn't believe what God had blessed me with. I had spent the last day and a half with some family - my aunt has been looking for a job for over a year now. How is it that I applied to a place halfway across the country that I haven't been to in years and got it? I'm ready to see what happens. But as for now, I think I'm going to be the one who gives up and goes to bed first.

Actual

Today was my first actual day home. And it was probably one of my favorite first day backs ever. To start things off, I was woken up around 7:30 by Dylan tip-toeing over to me with a picture that he had been coloring for the last who knows how long. He didn't intend to wake me up, but he did. So I grabbed him and pulled him into bed with me. He spent the next hour or so getting books, bringing them back, and reading them to me. Somewhere in the middle of all that I fell back asleep and then woke up around 10 to him bringing me the phone - I had to go to the eye doctor. Did that and when I came back I had the house to myself. I decided to tackle the unpacking process...ew. Got everything carried upstairs, couldn't handle the indoors anymore and threw on old clothes, boots, and a rain coat to trek the woods. It's so green already! Apparently it's been raining quite a bit here though. Everyone's pretty pessimistic about finding anymore mushrooms this year, but I'm holding out. At least one before I leave. And for those not from Indiana or other areas where mushroom hunting is commonplace, it's probably not what you're thinking. But yes, it's pretty country. Basically you go out into the woods for extended periods of time and look for a morels - a type of mushroom - that are really good to eat. Part of my childhood and just an excuse for me to spend copious amounts of time in the woods, not that I really need the excuse. So I spent a few hours traipsing through the rain with Barkley (our dog) and had a great time. The rest of the evening was spent unpacking, getting rid of stuff, spending time with my family, laughing at 'western' clothes, and avoiding sleep. Which I should probably stop doing.


This is a picture of the house on the way back up from the woods. Buildings from left to right: our house, the shed if you can make it out, and our barn.

First

Hi all! I decided to start this thing...again. This will be the third attempt, though this one is for different reasons. I am going to be gone from home this summer, away from everyone that I know so I thought that maybe beginning this and making it public would be an easier way to stay in touch and up to date. Who am I though? For those who don't know me that well, and for my own sake of having a sort of introduction, I'll write a little bit about myself. Hi, my name is Stephanie. No, far too unoriginal. I am just a girl, trying to live my life for the one who gave it to me. I am in college, going for a degree of...nothing. General studies - because I can't really make up my mind and because what I really want to do, I don't want the degree for. I'll graduate in a year and from there it'll just be playing it from ear. I think that'll do for a bit of an intro...and we're off!