Showing posts with label Girl Scouts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Girl Scouts. Show all posts

Family Photo Friday

Posted by My Heart Song

9/28/2012

Another Friday is here. And it's the last Friday of September. The months just fly by. 

Here are a few photos I wanted to share.

My daughter has been done with Girl Scouts for over a month now. The troops' last big hooray was a weekend of tent camping at the end of August. My daughter loved it, especially since the camp had horses to ride too! 

I took pictures of my daughter's vest after just 1 year of being in Girl Scouts, to see her progress with patches and badges. Here's the front. The badges on the front are earned, through specific steps (usually involving some educational component and a fun, practical component). She's earned badges for Sign Language, Theatre, Bugs, Horses, and a few others.

And here's the back. These are "fun patches" which means they are related to some kind of fun activity she participated in - camping, canoeing, selling cookies, a luau party, a build-a-bear party, serving at the soup kitchen, donating items to Goodwill. There are a few patches that we bought just for nothing - one that said "homeschooling" and one that said "August Birthday." You can see that the back is filled up after just 1 year of scouting... I can now understand better why Girl Scouts has the girls buying a new vest (in a new color, with a new "level" of scouting) every 2 years. 


My daughter and I had some playdough fun one evening. Almost every night this last week she and I played Uno, which we both enjoy. We taught little brother to play too, so that added a fun new element. 


Here's my little guy saying good-bye to Dad one morning as he headed off to work. That's a tradition at our house - the "good byes" each morning as Dad leaves.


Our neighbor Sarah was over one day to play with the kids. They enjoyed making crazy creations with Fuzzoodles. My daughter had a belt with 3 eyes on it, a ring with 1 eye on it and a headband with scary teeth on it. I made some kind of a little buddy standing on the table by the globe. Sarah had earmuffs and a scarf made entirely out of Fuzzoodles. My son had a yellow sword. Fun times with a fun toy!
My daughter has been excited lately to work in the kitchen, baking and cooking. One evening she made us banana bread... ALL BY HERSELF! In this picture, she was making something called Twisters, which were like a biscuit that is rolled thin and twisted up to bake. She added green food coloring just for the fun of it. I'm encouraged to see her budding into a little chef who is getting more comfortable in the kitchen.

 Happy Friday to you!

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Girl Scout Cookies and Loot

Posted by My Heart Song

6/21/2012 

During Girl Scout cookie time, both my daughter and I worked hard selling cookies. From January to March, we worked at numerous grocery store booths to sell cookies to customers on their way in/out of the store. My daughter also tried her hand at selling cookies to friends and family, though she didn't like that part so well. She found the store booths were easier somehow. 

In the end, she had sold around 480 boxes of cookies. She "earned" some rewards for selling that many boxes. All girls who sold cookies earned a cookie patch for their vest. For passing the 400 mark, she earned a free day at camp this summer (in August). She also earned a $85 gift card to the local Girl Scout store (where they sell patches, vests, and other Girl Scout gear). 

Last week we ventured to the Girl Scout store to spend her reward. Here's what she purchased: 
*a red GS t-shirt 
*a purple "Brownies can do anything" t-shirt
*a bucket hat
*2 outfits for her American Girl
*a necklace
*a mess kit (a mesh bag with a plate, bowl, cup, silverware to use when camping)
*an additional mesh bag (for a mess kit we'll put together on our own)

Until this year, I didn't realize how the cookie sales translated to money for the troop or rewards for the girls. Having gone through a scouting year (and volunteered as the troop treasurer), we saw how the troop makes money from the cookie sales. And that money is what they use the rest of the year for troop supplies, parties, field trips, etc. But in addition to that, the girls are rewarded based on their participation with cookie sales. Girls who didn't want to sell cookies didn't have to. Those who did want to sell worked hard and put in more time at booths. All of the boxes of cookies the troop sells are counted as a sale for one of the girls. For example, if we sold 100 boxes at a store booth, the 2 girls who worked at that booth each are credited for selling 50 boxes. In the end, the troop benefits from the sales but the girls also are rewarded through the gift cards, free camp days and other incentives. I think it's a good program that encourages participation but doesn't demand it. 

My daughter is very pleased with her Girl Scout loot and continues to say that it was worth all of the hours and effort we put into selling cookies earlier this year.

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Girl Scouts: End of Year Ceremony

Posted by My Heart Song

 6/18/2012 

Last week our Girl Scout troop had a year-end picnic at a local park.  

You can see from the brown grass in the pictures how hot and dry it's been lately! My son laid down on the picnic table under the pavilion, for a break from the sun and 90-degree heat.

The girls led a brief ceremony, reminding the audience of the different things they did this year, month-by-month. 

They read a poem together.

Each girl received a special star pin, in recognition of another year of scouting that they've completed. 


We enjoyed a picnic lunch, provided by the troop. Potato chips, fried chicken, watermelon, Girl Scout cookies for dessert. A true summer feast! 

Year-end is when everyone starts talking about next year and whether they will continue with the troop. We will not be continuing with Girl Scouts. And the troop leader is stepping down, so the troop will face some changes. But changes can be good, as new people step up to take the lead and bring new ideas and skills to the group.

Thank you, Girl Scouts, for a good scouting year. My daughter has made many new friends and learned a lot through new experiences this year.

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Girl Scouts: Bridging Ceremony

Posted by My Heart Song

6/6/2012

Last Sunday my daughter's Girl Scout troop, along with many other troops that are part of the bigger regional group, held a Bridging Ceremony.  

 
 
Ceremonies are fairly common in Girl Scouts, being held often for various reasons such as new girls joining the troop or awarding badges the girls have earned through study and work. 

This Bridging Ceremony marks the end of another scouting year and is symbolic for the girls who are moving to a new level in scouting. There are daisies (for K and 1st Grade), Brownies (for 2nd and 3rd Grade), Juniors (for 4th and 5th Grade), and so on. Therefore, every other year the scouts "bridge" to the next level. This is when they would get a new vest (of a new color) and work with new curriculum geared to the new age level. 

It was HOT at this ceremony and it was outdoors at a local park. We all got a bit too much sun! The scouts had popsicles to enjoy - none for the siblings or parents, though. You can see that little brother wasn't pleased with how that worked out!

 
 
During the ceremony, flags are presented and the pledge of allegiance is recited. Then the girls are called one at a time to receive their bridging certificate and to walk across "the bridge." 

Since my daughter isn't continuing with Girl Scouts next year, this will be the last ceremony she'll participate in. The troop has one or two more get-togethers planned for this summer, as they continue to spend the cookie profits they earned.  

She very much enjoyed her first full year of scouting and has made a handful of good friends. We're thankful for the experiences of the past year. 

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Girl Scouts Field Trip: Conner Prairie

Posted by My Heart Song

6/4/2012
 
One day last week our Girl Scout troop took a field trip to Conner Prairie near Indianapolis. Conner Prairie is an interactive living history museum. 

Bright and early, the troop gathered at 7 am to head out for the big day. 


 After the nearly 3-hour car ride (one way), the girls were ready to release some energy! 

Conner Prairie is known for a tethered hot-air balloon ride. However, it was too cold, rainy and windy on the day of this visit for the balloon to go up. Bummer! The girls gathered inside the basket anyway.

Part of the museum is in pioneer-days style, so they visited a potter's shop to watch the potter make mugs. 

 
They saw a covered wagon... uncovered.  

They learned about making candles, blacksmithing, and animal trapping. Here they were able to feel numerous animals furs.
 They played with toys that kids in the 1800s would've played with.

They visited an old-fashioned outhouse. Thumbs up - as in, aren't we thankful someone invented indoor plumbing! 


They dressed up in clothes from that era.


There were some petting-farm animals around, including numerous rambunctious goats.

This field trip is one of the things the troop had decided to do with the cookie money profits. I am so proud of the girls for making a great choice that everyone enjoyed (and maybe they didn't know it, but it was educational too). 

I asked my daughter if this trip made all of the hard work she did in January and February with the cookie sales worth it. "Oh yeah! It sure did!" was her reply. 

Two thumbs up for Conner Prairie! 

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Girl Scout Camporee 2012

Posted by My Heart Song

    5/15/2012

Last weekend was Girl Scout Camporee. This is an annual event for the service unit (the bigger group that includes dozens of local troops). Over 130 girls took part in the weekend. Our troop had 13 girls take part in staying 1 night, 2 nights or just for the day on Saturday. I chaperoned the event along with our troop leader and co-leader. Camporee was held at a local camp where I worked for 4 years so I was well acquainted with the facilities. 


 Some troops learned archery. 


Other troops - like ours - learned canoeing. 
This was a highlight for my daughter. 
The girls spent 45 minutes on the lake in the canoes. 
I stayed on the shore and took pictures. 
I bet their arms were sore!  Mine weren't :-)

Our troop made a flag banner together. This is the only group shot I got and it doesn't include everybody, unfortunately.

Tire swings are fun.

Hiking on the trails, each girl hauled her own backpack and gear for the day.


One of our younger girls ready to set out for the day.


 We went for a few short hikes in the woods. 

 

  The girls enjoyed playing tetherball on the beach. 

There was a carnival theme for Camporee 2012. Each troop came up with a carnival type of game (ring toss, pin the tail on the donkey, tight rope walking on something like a balance beam, etc) for all the girls to play. We enjoyed a campfire, complete with smores. And of course the girls wanted to stay up late, telling jokes and talking. 

It was an exhausting weekend for me, as an adult. Yet, it is a joy to introduce a new generation to the camping experience. 

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Girl Scouts: Party Time

Posted by My Heart Song

5/7/2012

Last week my daughter's Girl Scout troop enjoyed a Build-a-Bear party. Isn't that 100-year Anniversary Girl Scout bear adorable?! With the matching vest... too cute!

After a crazy busy season of selling Girl Scout cookies, the troop makes plans for how to spend the profits. At least 10% will be donated - the girls are responsible for brainstorming ideas of places to help, researching what specific needs those ministries have and then vote on which one or two places they want to help. 

Last year, the troop purchased a patio set for a local soup kitchen that had an outside area for residents to eat or relax, but no patio furniture. The troop bought the furniture, delivered and assembled it on site, and served a meal or two at that soup kitchen. 

Another percentage of the profits will be set aside as savings, to carry the troop through general expenses this fall and winter... until next year's cookie selling time rolls around and provides funds again.

With the rest of the money, the girls make plans for a few fun events. They plan a party (such as one at Build-a-Bear) in which the cookie profits pay for everything. The girls also want to go tent camping this summer, so the troop will pay for that.

I have appreciated the fact that the girls are getting a real-life lesson in money management through the cookie sales program. Selling Girl Scout cookies is like a little business and each girl is to be involved with her own sales and inventory, turning in money, and keeping track of her total sales. And now that the cookie sales are done, the girls move to another level as they consider what to do with their profits. So they are learning how to save a little, give a little, spend a little. 

Although we won't be continuing on with Girl Scouts after this year, I am thankful for these lessons my daughter has learned. She's enjoyed the money-side of cookie sales so much that she has decided she may want to become a banker or accountant. 

Thanks, Girl Scouts, for the opportunity for her to learn valuable lessons through her own mini-business! 

PS: just for fun, here is my blog post from last year's Girl Scout party.  When we joined last year, we came in right after cookie sales ended. But we were in time for the party (enjoyed the perks without any of the work, really). I think my daughter appreciated the party much more this year, after all of the hard work she put in with the cookie sales. She was our troop's 3rd highest seller, out of 16 girls!

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Girl Scouts: Powder Puff Derby

Posted by My Heart Song


4/17/2012

Last Saturday my daughter and I attended our first ever Girl Scout's Powder Puff Derby. This is the equivalent of the Boy Scout's Pinewood Derby, where the kids race cars they made (from a kit).
My daughter did not make a car to race. Anything that involves competition, she wants nothing to do with. She would like to make a car, but not to race, just to enjoy and play with at home.

So we attended the event to see what it's all about, to help out behind the scenes and to cheer on the girls from our troop who were racing. There were crafts and face painting to help pass the time, as all 65 cars were raced at least 10 times each.
I was encouraged to see so many moms AND DADS there with their daughters. At most Girl Scout events, girls are accompanied by their mothers (or dropped off and accompanied by nobody). This type of event brought out the dads as well and that is a positive thing.

Win or lose, I think this was a good experience for everyone involved!

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Girl Scouts: World Thinking Day

Posted by My Heart Song

3/6/2012

A few weeks ago the Girl Scouts celebrated World Thinking Day. For the troops in our council, it meant being assigned one country to learn about and prepare a presentation/skit to share in front of the entire council (about 300 other Girl Scouts plus their leaders).
Since our troop is made up of homeschooled girls, this opportunity is especially unique and welcome. Our girls aren't familiar with "all school" programs, like a Christmas program, that involve an entire gymnasium-full of people. World Thinking Day gave them a chance to see their troop as part of a bigger group of Girl Scouts, all enjoying similar things and learning new things from one another.

Our troop was assigned the country of India. Since December, the girls have been studying about the country and spending part of their meeting time creating an India poster presentation, gathering facts about India, creating small cards to share with visitors to the booth, even visiting a local Indian store to learn more about Indian culture. The store owner lent the troop clothes to wear for Thinking Day. The troop's presentation for the big group was an Indian fashion show, highlighting the different ways that Indian women wear their "saris" which is often based on the part of India they come from. After the numerous presentations, the girls walk around, visiting each other country's booth to learn new things about that country and sometimes even sample foods from that country (like Swiss chocolate and Swedish meatballs).

If World Thinking Day is meant to bring about a greater awareness of the world, then I think it was a success. If World Thinking Day was to encourage our girls to try new things (like performing a skit in front of a lot of people or eating new foods), then I think it was a success.

This has nothing to do with World Thinking Day, but it's too cute not to share. My girl decided to make a matching Brownie vest for her doll. I love her creativity.

For numerous reasons, we will not be continuing with Girl Scouts after this school year. However, the year or so that we've participated in Girl Scouts has been a positive experience. Both my daughter and I have made new friends with the fellow Scouts (and moms) and those relationships can certainly continue outside of Girl Scouts. My daughter has also been stretched out of her comfort zone and given opportunities that she wouldn't have otherwise (especially big group things, like World Thinking Day).

So, thank you, Girl Scouts!

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Girl Scout Cookie Sales

Posted by My Heart Song


2/14/2012

This is my daughter's first year selling Girl Scout cookies. It's been quite an experience!

It's been good in a number of ways. First, there are the cookies themselves! They are delicious and our family has sampled almost all of the kinds offered in our area. Second, my daughter has been pushed out of her comfort zone (and her shyness) to talk with family, friends and even some strangers about cookies they want to order. She has really struggled in this area, but I have seen some improvement.

Also, there have been ample opportunities for math skills as we've dealt with money and cookie inventory.

We have also spent more time with other Girl Scouts from our troop, as we've worked together at cookie booths at local stores. My daughter and I have worked 10+ hours at such booths with quite a few other mom/daughter teams. My daughter has actually enjoyed working at the booths and talking with strangers more than she has talking with people we actually know.

Another benefit of the cookie sales: the scouts are encouraged to set goals and then work to reach them. My daughter set a very realistic goal of selling 100 boxes of cookies and reached that goal fairly quickly. The girls have certain incentives they can earn as they reach certain levels of cookie sales.

There are about 2 more weeks left before this year's cookie sales are done. In some ways, it will be disappointing to see it come to an end. But for me, I'll be thankful that we will have fewer boxes of tempting cookies around the house!

Yes, it's cookie time!

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Girl Scouts: Christmas Party

Posted by My Heart Song

12/20/2011

Last week my daughter's homeschool Girl Scout troop had their Christmas party. The troop leader planned a very fun event for the girls (and siblings and parents).

 Here's my daughter with her friend Kat, just prior to caroling.

My son did some coloring while waiting for the rest of the troop to show up.

We toured some neat local sites and the kids did a craft.

Even the siblings had a craft to do - my son is showing off the beaded candy-cane ornaments he helped make.

Here's my daughter with her craft - a stained-glass type bottle with yummy smelling bath salts.
The Scouts had a gift exchange. Here's my daughter opening her gift.
Lastly we enjoyed a potluck lunch, provided by all the moms. Fun times!
I'm thankful for the many friends we've made this year through Girl Scouts.

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