Girl Scouts

Tonight was the beginning of one the activities that keeps me the busiest. I have been co-leader of my daughter's Girl Scout troop for 7 years. Tonight was our first meeting of the year. We have a troop of 10 - 12 girls (not sure yet how many are returning & how many new ones we will have this year). All of the girls are now between the ages of 13 - 15.

I do enjoy spending time with the girls (especially my daughter), but this is an activity that takes up way more time than I ever thought it would. But since, Flicka loves it so much it is very worthwhile to me. Most of the girls in the troop have been together for at least 5 years and some of them for all of the 7 years I have been involved in the troop. Needless to say, I have formed a bond with many of them.

Since the girls are older now, we do more with them, it is fun. Also, since they are older, we are beginning to let them lead the troop and the other co-leader (who has become one of my best friends over the years) and I are just there as advisers now. It has been fun to watch them grow from little Brownie Girl Scouts up to the beautiful, smart, creative, talented, etc... Cadette Girl Scouts they are today.

Last summer (07) we took the biggest trip we have ever gone on with them. We used all of the cookie money raised, and money from several other fund raisers we held to go to Savannah, Georgia. Savannah was the home of the founder of Girl Scouts - Juliette Gordon Low. The trip consisted of 9 girls and 5 adults all packed into 3 vehicles going "road tripping." We stopped in Huntsville, AL and went to the Space Center, Atlanta, Georgia, for a day at Six Flags and a day at the most awesome Georgia Aquarium (everyone needs to go here)! Then we headed on to our final destinations. We actually stayed in Hilton Head, South Carolina by the beach - BEAUTIFUL!!! While in Hilton Head, we kayaked in the bay looking at the ocean wildlife - we didn't get to see any dolphins that day, but we saw other beautiful things. Then we went to Savannah, we did a trolley tour of the city ending at the Juliette Low home. It was such a treat to see her home, and meant so much to all of us to be their as Girl Scouts. For lunch, we ate at The Lady & Sons restaurant (this Paula Deen's restaurant - she is on food network), it was great; one of Paula's sons was there that day & we got pictures made with him and lots of autographs (he has a show w/his brother on the food network too). That night we did a ghost tour of Savannah - it is reported as the most haunted city in the US. The tour ended at the "pirate house" where we had wonderful buffet dinner w/Capt. Jack Sparrow. It was lots of fun! The rest of the trip was spent at Hilton Head on the beach - soaking up the sun. We were gone for 10 days, and it was AWESOME! Many people thought we were crazy for taking that many girls on a trip that long, but they were all wonderful! I would do it again, and hope we have the opportunity to do something that awesome with them again. (Savannah and Hilton Head are some of the most beautiful places, I highly recommend them as a vacation spots to anyone)

I hope I still have a few readers after such a long rambling post and hope you are not bored terribly. I just wanted to share with you a little about one of the things I love - my Girl Scout Troop! I am sure as we trek along through meetings and trips this year, I will have many stories and pictures to share!

Here is a picture of the girls from last fall - they hosted a "girls night out at the spa" for our sister brownie troop.

Even though they keep me busy, I love Girl Scouts! I was a Girl Scout when I was a child, and they say "Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout!"

What keeps you busy (besides school & housework, of course)?