Yeah, It's That Time Again

We interrupt your regularly scheduled diet of vegetables for . . . Girl Scout cookies!

Yikes!  Isn't it amazing that we will pay $4.00 for a small box of cookies?  But nothing tastes quite like these cookies.  Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Savannah Smiles, Do Si Dos, Samoas - ahhh.  

In our council this year is a little different.  Instead of taking orders in advance, we actually have the cookies on hand for cash and carry.  The trick is that we have to order them in advance and we're basically committed to whatever we order.  Good thing these cookies sell themselves.  Even so, we may be eating them (either the cost or the actual cookies).

I think it's funny to see how people react at Girl Scout cookie time.  I have a co-worker who claims these are like "crack".  She hides them from her kids so she can eat a box after they go to bed.  Another friend, looking for anyone selling cookies, bought a whole case of Thin Mints.  Closer to home, I keep finding $4.00 sitting next to the cases of cookies from my 12 year old son who is munching on Tagalongs.

So, the healthy vegetable thing is a little sidetracked, at least until we can get rid of the cookies.  (Sorry, healthy family members!)

cindy

Happy Earth Day!

It's Earth Day!  Get out and enjoy the day!  Check this post from Girl Scout Thinking Day for practical tips you can do with your kids to be more "green" and sustainable, especially with my favorite media - water!

cindy

Thinking Day

Girl Scout Thinking Day.  It's a day when girls around the world focus on an issue of global importance and think about ways they can make a difference.  This year was global sustainability, or environmental stewardship.

The girls in our troop made cards from recycled materials (paper, tin foil, fabrics, felt and yarn).  The purpose of the cards was to inform their parents of ways they could create better sustainability in their families and communities.

With "The Lorax" being such a popular movie for kids (and adults), it's likely your kids will be thinking about how to keep the world unpolluted (sustainable) for future generations.  As Girls Scouts, we thought of some very practical ways to help (reduce/reuse/recycle).  These also make adults very happy because they are money savers!

• Turn off water while you wash hands or brush teeth.
• Take showers, not baths (baths use a lot of water) and make those showers shorter.
• Don't wash your car in the driveway.  Car washes actually recycle the water so they use far less.
• Install low flow toliets, dishwashers, front loading washing machines and instant hot water devices.  Each saves a lot of water.  You may also be surprised to find your community or utility gives you a rebate for installing these items.
• Run washing machines and dishwaters only when they are full.  We also encouraged the girls to think about whether they need to wash every item of clothing they touch :)
• Drive less.  Plan trips so you can go several places at once.  Take the bus (I LOVE doing this for part of my commute).
• Don't use leaf blowers!  These things are horrible for air quality, especially when used on dirt, or hard surfaces (driveways, patios & sidewalks)
• Recycle - paper, glass plastic and anything else your community takes.  Please make sure materials are free from food or other debris or they get trashed.  
• Upcycling has been a trendy option for sustainability.  Reuse clothes by handing them down or donating.  Also, if you sew or craft, consider cutting clothing for fabric scraps and felting on wool items. (I'm dying to try this!)
• Turn off the lights! Unplug appliances (TV, DVR, DVD, computer & printer) when you leave for a day or more.
• Don't use plastic water bottles!  They are expensive and a huge burden on landfills (that much plastic doesn't get recycled)

After our Brownie meeting I heard back from several parents that their girls were full of great information.  They were also genuinely interested in sustaining our environment.  Let's hope they do.

cindy

Girl Scout Camp

Last weekend my daughter and I joined some other Brownies in a Fall Encampment at Willow Springs in Prescott, Arizona.  It's a beautiful camp with mountains, pines and gorgeous weather.  We had about 12 moms and daughters in our troop, and even though it was only 24 hours, we had the best time.

This was only our troop's second camping experience, the first being at the Phoenix Zoo where we slept on a concrete slab and listened to lions roaring all night :(  This time we had dorms with real bunk beds (a real hit with the girls) and mattresses (a real hit with the moms).  The theme was "Mind and Body" and the activities included making your own lip gloss, soap, lotion and glitter lotion.

The girls also enjoyed yoga!  Ladies, this ain't your old Girl Scouts!

All the girls had hats with "swaps" on them.  I'm going to write another blog on swaps, but the idea is like pin trading with different little items made by the girls.  This was definitely a new concept to me, and   the girls' first experience.  One of our girls proved to be a shrewd businesswoman!

Mostly it was a wonderful bonding experience for moms and daughters.

On Saturday night the moms had a glimpse into the future when the rumor around the dorm was that "somebody" was having a party. All the girls wanted to rush out to find the "party" without knowing where or who was having a party.  (Doesn't that remind you of some 15 year olds?)  One little girl and her mom were bunking next to me and I overheard this exchange:

Mom: Why are you wanting to go to a party when you don't even know if there is a party?  Would you jump off a bridge just because someone told you to?

Girl: But Mama, it's not a bridge, it's a party!

I thought I was going to fall off the bunk laughing!  When it was over we couldn't believe we were there just 24 hours.  We packed so much into one day and we were beat!

Too bad they won't be this age forever {sigh}

cindy