HobcawChaos

Interesting how uniform this is...we tend to be up and kicking around 7, too.

OMG! LOL! ChE!

I have been in UMW circles in the past where we have donated money for specific items needed by the church-sponsored GS troops. There was not a formal process nor was the accounting checked. The troop leader made a specific request that the UMW circle membership elected to grant.

Menthos in coke 2-L Mud & dirt volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar.

JoeBob - we're camping this weekend to on the NC/SC border, but we're going to be in a cabin. [you may insert wimpy GS comment here or maybe just good planning in hindsight - hmmmm]. We're still going to make stamps and go letterboxing in the rain. I am debating our long hike pending the weather - it might turn into a shorter camp walkabout instead. I've put together some puzzle and game activities. One that might work for you: divide the pieces of a puzzle into 4 portions; put each portion into 4 eggs all the same color; do this for several teams each with a different puzzle and egg color; ha

JoeBob - we're camping this weekend to on the NC/SC border, but we're going to be in a cabin. [you may insert wimpy GS comment here or maybe just good planning in hindsight - hmmmm]. We're still going to make stamps and go letterboxing in the rain. I am debating our long hike pending the weather - it might turn into a shorter camp walkabout instead. I've put together some puzzle and game activities. One that might work for you: divide the pieces of a puzzle into 4 portions; put each portion into 4 eggs all the same color; do this for several teams each with a different puzzle and egg color; ha

Well, you're already making me feel slack. We have a 3 mile hike (it's steep) this weekend. Each girl has to prepare a personal hiking first aid kit. All we've planned for the hike itself is some photography since they just earned their Camera Shots badge and lunch at the top. I'll probably work in some tree and flower id. There's always singing on the trail, which is fun but rules out seeing any animals. I do like to get them to sit quietly for 2 whole minutes and just listen.

would NOT learn to make change...

Bliss would be a mobile debit card reader to use at booth sales. Debit money right into an account with a date and time stamp. But then the girls would learn to make change. Sometimes the cynic in me wonders if they will actually need such a skill in the future or will it go the way of the slide rule?

Quiet, they'll hear you coming...

Interesting thread. Our GS council program regularly includes workshops at various karate schools.

Joff - love that email to text! Much handier than the "add recepient" by hand method I use now!

This seems to be a constant struggle for me so enjoyed reading all the posts! For Junior GS, the responsibility has been moving more and more to the girls. A troop newsletter goes out monthly directly to them. It is also attached to each parent email before each bi-weekly meeting with highlights in the body of the email. A girl is now the "registrar" for each off-site event and takes permissions slips and any fees. This has really helped them take responsibility more than anything - being asked by a friend where your stuff is! One mother said she "doesn't do deadlines" so IMHO her daughter mus

My girls are a big fan of the Land's End trekker shoes for camp (http://www.landsend.com/pp/TrekkerShoes~193446_253.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::GUG&CM_MERCH=IDX_00009__0000000920&origin=index). They breath, are closed-toe, have good treads, and can take a dip in a creek on a hike. From a parent's POV, they are reasonably priced and hold up well over mulitple summer camps (zip lining, hiking, camping focused).

Still remember the view from the top of the elementary school gym rope....coach on the far side of the gym. Hard 2" wrestling mat left over from the high school below. Would never have let go.

My response would be to alert the parents to the content. I would certainly want to know if the roles were reversed. The Scouts should also be aware that many employers regularly google potential employees as well as search social networking sites for them. Bottom line, if your grandmother (or SM) wouldn't approve, don't post it!

Someone can surely do better but I gotta try.... Girl Scout Troop The troop has 2 cows. One is named Daisy. The other is Juliette. They are covered in paper mache, paint, lights, glue, and glitter. The milk is used to corner the cookie market each year.

Our church sponsors/charters both GSUSA and BSA troops. Troop members are invited to wear their uniforms on Scout Sunday. Troop members (usually those who are also church members - but not required - they are just more likely to be comfortable with it)serve as Greeters, Ushers, and Layleaders (scripture reading). Sometimes they will also present the children's moment. Basically, for us (United Methodist), it's like Lay Leader Sunday but Scouts. Members of the congretation who were/are Scouts are also invited to stand and be recognized.

Our troop of juniors is winter camping for the second time this March. Last year was a very cold unheated cabin when it was 28 F outside. This year we will sleep in a heated cabin but will cook and be outside most of the day. The biggest issue is that where we live it doesn't get cold enough for the girls to really have any cold weather gear. They all still growing so there's no way parents are going to purchase items for a two night camp out. The sleeping bags aren't the issue it's more the clothes, boots, and heavy socks.

Welcome - as a GS leader of mostly 5th graders, I'd love to hear your input on fun and/or meaningful trips, activities, and projects you have enjoyed.

It's too cold whenever your troop doesn't have the gear or the training. For us that would be about 40 F! But it's never too hot!

We're amongst the troops that elected to not "Journey" this year. The majority are last year Juniors and wanted to earn their Bronze Award before bridging to Cadettes. We will probably select a Journey next year, although I'll definitely need some training on how to best do that with a mixed Jun/Cad troop.

Hey Annie! I've never considered fried chicken in a dutch oven....just got scared about the oil. Guess we'll have to give it a go now! We usually cook in patrols, too, but with each patrol responsible for cooking a given meal - another on clean-up, another on fire-tending. Your chefs sound more advanced than mine. At the fall campout, one fifth grader cracked an egg for the first time?!?!?! But watching her patrol mates teach her and seeing the smile on her face....PRICELESS!

For our Webelos-aged GS troop, they design their menu for a camp-out with leader input where needed. I.e. wanting pancakes for breakfast will need a couple of camp stoves going and may take a few turns through the line but if you're okay with that then no problem. On the other hand, a request to make fried chicken (over a fire!!!) and macaroni and cheese was leader-modified to a souped-up boxed macaroni and cheese and pre-cooked chicken one-pot over the fire. Still not my personal first choice but after a long hike, they devoured it! Very good dutch oven cobbler for desert, too.

We have seen both "Palmetto Bugs" (giant SC roaches) and a lizard in our meeting space but I'm not sure that counts....Why don't we just work on our Your Outdoor Surroundings badge inside? It's not as hot/cold/wet and we'd get it done before the next camping trip? As a leader it is hard when requirements make you stretch but that's part of the fun. It's also a perfect opportunity to get to know that neighbor who worked in forestry better or to take advantage of a program at a nearby state park. I did the former to help with tree identification. My knowledge up to then had been big hardwoo