Daisies

Alexa has wanted to join Girl Scouts for sometime now. Last year I spoke to the leader of the Daisy troop about her joining, gave her my name and number, and waited to hear back. And waited, and waited. No room at the inn. The troop was too full. This year I filled out the registration form online, and check the box that indicated she wanted to participate in a troop. I was told that they would find her a troop, so we waited to hear back. I waited, and waited, and around about November, we finally got the email. No troops available. Now, I know what you are thinking. I thought it too. I could just bite the bullet and volunteer to start a troop for her to join. I did look into it. The very excited representative sent me the link indicating the course work I would have to do to become a leader. Really? Course work? Now, I don't want this to come off as arrogant. But I thought really? Surely you mean that for other people. Not me. I mean I hold a K-6 teaching license and have been a classroom teacher for close to 16 years now. I hold a Master's Degree in Teaching. Can't you just hand me the book and let me wing this one? I think I got it. The Girl Scouts do not wing it. I look at my sad little Lexa face. I looked at her enviously eyeing Chloe's vest gaining badges. I looked at my already over scheduled self. I have maybe 30 minutes of down time a night. I know there is no way I can do this during the school year. Maybe this summer I can complete my Girl Scout Training course. But that still leaves a sad Lexa. So we did some research.

We found a Daisy by Mail program. We signed her up and paid the fee. For the next eight weeks she logs onto a blog and listens to a story, reads about an activity or watches a short video clip, and we do it. At home, when we have a minute. They mailed her a little packet of additional activities. We ordered her a little vest, and she is happily earning her petals. This week was making your own bubble soap and bubble wand. Here she is happily exploring her bubble.

Thank goodness. We didn't even have to sell cookies with this one.

Brownies to Juniors

Today was Chloe's bridging ceremony from Brownies to Juniors. Alexa was the photographer.

Here they are reading parts of the poem.

Chloe crossing the "bridge" into Juniors. I should also mention that it was crazy hair day which explais why Chloe has a stuffed snake braided into her hair. Well, it sort of explains why.

Getting her wings pinned on.

Getting her Girl Scout bag-o-stuff.

Showing off her perfect attendance award.

Brownie Popsicle

This is what your mom makes you wear when you are going to spend four hours outside selling cookies and the Girl Scout Cookie booth.

I am not sure she could move her arms enough to hand people the cookies.

Cookie Delivery

In order to clear out some of the cases of cookies that are now sitting in the office, Chloe is plugging away at her cookie delivery.

She is bagging up orders and writing out thank you notes.

Now if we can just keep them safe from the dog until they are all delivered.

Board Game Design

Chloe designed a board game. It was done to earn a badge for Girl Scouts. This is what she came up with. She ran out of time at the last meeting and had to finish it over the weekend.

She had the new babysitter play it several times to make sure it worked. It is called Puppy Hide and Seek. I think we can sell it to fund her college education.

Oh Family Members.....

Guess who is going to be calling soon?

It's Girl Scout Cookie time!

Gingerbread Girl Scouts

Here is my creation for Chloe's Holiday Party at Brownies tomorrow.

Gingerbread Girl Scouts.

Alexa wanted to know why they didn't have shirts.

Girl Scout Skit

Chloe's Girl Scout troop completed the final portion of their badge for Women's History tonight. We were invited to attend the production. This is Chloe and her friend in a skit about Juliette Low they wrote it themselves.

Sock Hop

Tonight Chloe is attending a sock hop. It is with her Girl Scout troop. Troops from around the city are getting together. Originally her troops leader was going to have the girls make poodle skirts to wear. However, after talking to the woman who runs it she decided that the girls would get too hot in them She opted to have the girls decorate t-shirts to wear instead. This was a great idea. Everyone thought so. Everyone except Chloe. Who still wanted a poodle skirt. Sigh... So last weekend I spent my Mother's day (after calling my own mom to ask how) making a poodle skirt. I had her try the whole outfit on today before her dad picked her up as he will be dropping her off. There is also to be a swap during the dance. Where the girls made small items to swap with other girls. Chloe made these.

There are 20 of them there.

Each has a safety pin stitched to it. Chloe also begged me to make her a sash to pin the things she got in the swap to. So here she is outfitted with her sash.

I can't wait to see what she comes back with this weekend.

You Can Answer Your Phones Again Soon...

Chloe has been working her way through the contacts list on my cell phone calling friends and family. What has driven her to reach out and chat with all these people? Simple... it's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Your kindness is much appreciated as you can see by her "great big brownie smile."

She hasn't gotten to you yet??? What??? Don't worry schools have already been cancelled for the big storm tomorrow. I am sure she will get to you! After all, she only has another week to sell.

Daisy to Brownie

Today was Chloe's last day of Girl Scouts. Next year she will be in second grade. This means she will move on from being a Daisy Scout to being a Brownie. Today her industrious leaders created a crossing over ceremony for the girls moving on. They chose a blue sheet to be the water and some foam lily pads for each girl to choose her route to the other side.

I should also mention that Chloe's school is having a spirit week this week and today's theme was mismatch day. A task which Chloe went about with much enthusiasm.

I was taking pictures for the leaders with their camera so these pictures were taken by Alexa.

Alexa was allowed to participate today in the art activity. As you can see she was pretty excited to be included!

So, now, who wants to put their order in for Girl Scout cookies? Apparently as Brownies it will be expected of us.

Uniforms R' Us

Chloe wanted to join Girl Scouts this year. She is an official Daisy now. Her troop leaders decided that the kids should each design their own uniform t-shirt. Chloe got hers today.

This is her own design. It shows her, a cat, and a dog on level one. A bird in the sky on level two. The moon and a planet on level three, and a lot of questions marks along the top. Not sure what they are all about but she sure is excited to wear it next week.

Doesn't she look all official?

I wish we had done this when I was a Girl Scout. Why did we have to suffer through such hideous shades of green?

The Things We Pass On

Never let it be said that I am not a worrier. I mean really. I know I appear all calm, cool, and collected (stop snickering) but I am not. I obsess and worry pretty much constantly. I would like to say I have gotten better as I have gotten older, but the truth is I think it has gotten worse. I do much better when I can talk about what I am worried about, but that doesn't happen too much as I am plagued with guilt over burdening others with things that are on my mind. So for the overwhelming majority of time I am trapped in my own head with a chain of events relaying themselves up to some kind of horrid illness or death. It takes a physical toll on a person I can tell you, and it is one of the many reasons that I run the distances that I do. It also might factor into why relationships never really seem to work out for me, but lets not dwell on that shall we? Where were we... ah yes, worrying and stress. So I worry and stress about things that usually end up being no big deal when all is said and done.

It would have been my greatest hope not to pass that trait onto my children. It appears that I perhaps might have. Alexa had her four year old check up today. She has been worried about this for days (trust me if I knew this was going to be an issue I never would have mentioned it). She has been complaining non-stop that she didn't want to go because she might have to get a shot. No amount of reasoning or bribing was going to change this either. I offer for her to pick a special desert for me to make if she had to get a shot... you name it brownies, cookies. She wouldn't have any of it. We arrived at the appointment and we got right in to see the nurse for the height, weight, blood pressure, ear check , etc. I thought we were settling in just fine. I was, however, mistaken we had to wait about 45 minutes in a very stuffy exam room for her doctor. She was crawling in my lap begging, "Mommy please save me. " It was pitiful. When her Doctor finally arrived she seemed to relax for the exam, but then we discussed her need for a mumps booster. Oh boy. Dr. Wing also wanted to do a throat culture since she was ill this weekend and her throat appeared sore. It was soon after this that Alexa threw up all over the exam room. I would say that she wasn't over her stomach bug from this weekend except that after coming home and resting for a bit, she was fine. I mean fine. Eating, playing, running. I think she stressed herself out to the point of being sick to her stomach. Poor thing. The upside is she is much better now and even built herself one heck of a train out of boxes.

She also managed to weasel her way out of the shot at least for another week or two.

On a happier note here is Chloe today headed out (in the rain) to take a field trip with her Girl Scout troop to visit the fire station.

The Girl Scouts that just brings back memories. See I passed that on too. It isn't all bad!