"it's COOKIE TIME!"

It was great seeing everyone back from our holiday break. We began our meeting with snack and drink graciously provided by mom's Jessica R. and Lisa S. THANK YOU! for your "snack time" contribution.

After snack, we briefly recapped the challenge the girls were given at the end of our last troop meeting in December. The challenge?...

Try to "give away" the gifts of kindness and love at least once a day (to family, friends, and strangers) over the holiday season. These gifts could be a simple smile, happily helping with chores, a kind compliment, etc.

The girls shared different ways they accomplished this challenge over the Christmas break. The girls were reminded that gifts of kindness and love throughout the entire year are actually part of the Girl Scout Promise.

We all stood together and recited the Girl Scout Promise to officially open our troop meeting.

OUR TROOP MEETING~

Our meeting was about learning the 8 types of cookies we will be selling this cookie season (from ABC Smart Cookies). We discussed goal setting, being prepared for selling, *the order form, and the incentive program (which is "cumulative" this year- meaning if a Girl Scout sold 200 boxes of cookies, they would receive the Friendship Bracelet Kit in addition to all the incentives before it: Digital Calculator, Mini FM Radio, Set of 5 Appliques, & Theme Patch.) *Please review your order form for a detailed list and pictures of incentives, for the cookie information, and safety guidelines.

We learned a new cookie song "Yum, Yum, Yum" and the girls were given a song sheet with this song and two others on it and challenged to try to learn the songs by next troop meeting. The challenge is on!!! Let's see how the girls will do...

"Yum Yum Yum"
[Tune: Are you sleeping?]

Girl Scout Cookies,
Girl Scout Cookies,

Yum, Yum, Yum,
Yum, Yum, Yum

Eat 'em by the dozen,
Eat 'em by the dozen

They're all gone,

They're all gone.[Source: Unknown]

"Girl Scout Cookies"
[Tune: Macarena -- complete with dance motions! ]

Buy some Girl Scout cookies

They are sooooo yummy

You can eat 'em all day

Ooooohhhh, Girl Scout cookies!!

Girl Scout cookies

Three fifty a box

They're so yummy

Buuuuyyyy lots!!

[Source: Dreamt up by (literally!) Rachel in Troop 343 from Scottsdale, AZ]

"Cookie Sale Song"
[Tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic: 1861]

We're selling Girl Scout cookies,

Yes, it's Girl Scout Cookie time!

"Would you like to buy some?"

Is our cookie selling line.

We've got lots to choose from,

Don't you see your favorite kind?

We thank you very much!

Glory, glory we are Girl Scouts!

Smiling, cookie selling Girl Scouts!

Please buy cookies, you can help us.

We can't eat them all ourselves!

[Source: words: Pam Gibson, Citrus Council (FL); music: W. Steffe ]

As a simple craft to celebrate "Cookie Time", we made buttons the girls are encouraged to wear during cookie selling season:

Kit bought at Hobby Lobby for $4.99
(12 buttons in a kit)

Logos were printed off the ABC Smart Cookie website cut to fit the button and then snapped in place to complete the project.
Check out the website for MANY other neat clip art designs to make your own variety of buttons! (go to "Art Gallery" then click "Illustrations" - we got this one in "Logos")

This is Jessie's creation on her Brownie vest.

LAST~ We encourage all our Girl Scouts to explore the ABC Smart Cookie web site for fun games, motivation, ideas, and information. There area areas for each level and like mentioned earlier in this post, a great place to record and monitor their goals!

http://www.abcsmartcookies.com

REMINDER: Cookie selling begins Sunday, Jan. 16. (please do not start before this date) Booth sales begin Friday, Jan. 21. The last day of Cookie Sales is Sunday, Feb. 27.

Watch your email for upcoming information on troop cookie pick up and booth sale dates/times.

THANK YOU, parents, for supporting your Girl Scout in this wonderful opportunity and experience.

DAISY Girls Crafting It Up!

The Daisy Girls worked on several Halloween Crafts this troop meeting to earn a Halloween Fun Patch. Since UIL Practices are going on, the girls' room they use was occupied, they took advantage of the nice day and did their projects out doors. Among the crafts they worked on:

• Paper Ghosts
• Mummy Candy Cups
• Black Ghost SWAPS
  
  
  Thank you, Co-Leader, Tammy for your fun ideas and to Daisy Mom, Mandy for helping out!

DAISY Girls~ Honest and Fair

The girls worked toward their "Light Blue Petal" learning about the meaning of "Honest and fair". Co-leader, Tammy,

• read the book, Berenstain Bears and the Truth; they discussed situations where it was hard to tell the truth.


• A Game of musical squares was played with exercise squares to reinforce being fair. (Same rules for everyone ).


• The talking string was introduced to the girls. "Being fair" was reinforced by giving everyone their turn to talk while holding the talking string while the others were quiet and listened.


• The girls got a treat to learn a new song:

I'M A LITTLE DAISY (Tune- I'm a Little Teapot)

I'm a little Daisy, dressed in blue

I am a Girl Scout, you are too

When I go to meetings, I sing and shout

I love being a Daisy Girl Scout!

Motions-I'm a little... hands together, at side of face, head tilted.

dressed... hands pick up hem of uniform smock

I am a Girl Scout...make GS sign

you are too... point to neighbor

When I go...hands out, palms up

I sing and shout...hands cup around mouth

I love... point to heart

Daisy Girl Scout...clap once on each word

The girls discussed having a Kaper chart; and decided at the next meeting they will work on making one. To end the meeting, the girls worked on their "Holiday Card Design" for the contest... so many budding artists! (not all Daisy girls have their pictures below)

Allie G.

Kylee B.

Allyson B.

Kara H.

Sarah A.


Brooke B.

Second level Daisy Girls, two Allyson's, separated toward the end of our meeting time to work on their Garden Journey patch. We completed the Introduction and will be working on Chapter One for next troop meeting!

DAISY GIRLS

... having fun with a game to learn the Girls Scout Promise. GS Leaders typed up sections of the Promise in large print and randomly gave them to the girls all mixed up. Based on their memory the girls were to put the word segments in the correct order to spell out the Girl Scout Promise. The first time we did this game, the girls laid the words across the floor to make the Promise; the second time, they wanted to stand in a line holding their signs. (great photo op!)

We played the game a couple times and the girls worked very well as a team. As leaders we are so proud of these girls for all working hard at home to learn the GS Promise.

The GIRL SCOUT PROMISE and DAISY GIRLS

After we had snack and opening ceremony (Flag and Girl Scout Promise), the Daisy level broke off on their own to learn the Girl Scout Promise. For our two returning Daisy girls, they had a chance to brush up on the Girl Scout Promise and were given their Journey books to begin on their own if they choose. (more info below)

For our first time daisy girls (5 girls), memorizing the Promise will be their first patch earned- the center blue patch of the Daisy Emblem. To help the girls, we recited the Promise several times, we played a game with the Girl Scout Promise, and each girl scout made a pinwheel with the Promise on it.

For the first time Daisies, once the center patch is earned, projects and activities will be accomplished to earn each pedal themed around the Girl Scout Law.

Daisy Learning Petals --- girls are awarded petals when they demonstrate understanding through their words and deeds and the true meaning in the following areas of the Girl Scout Law.
Blue Center: Learn the Girl Scout Promise
Light Blue: Honest & Fair
Yellow: Friendly & Helpful
Spring Green: Considerate & Caring
Red: Courageous & Strong
Orange: Responsible for what I say and do
Purple: Respect Myself & Others
Magenta: Respect Authority
Green: Use Resources Wisely
Rose: Make the world a better place
Violet: Be a sister to every Girl Scout

Our two returning Daisy girls have earned every piece of their Daisy Emblem and will be challenged and encouraged to complete two Journey Awards this year along side the rest of their Daisy level earning their pedals. The first Journey Award, the DAISY FLOWER GARDEN JOURNEY AWARD, will be worked on September-January. The second Journey Award will the BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY DAISY AWARD which will be worked on January-May. Our second level Daisy's are natural leaders to our first level Daisy girls and will have opportunities to work on their Journey awards during troop meeting time as well as occasions to share their journey challenges with the rest of their Daisy peers.

This year will prove to be another special year!

CAMPING FUN!

For much of the year our Girl Scouts talked about wanting to have a "Camping" experience with all it's fun and Girl Scout traditions. With that in mind, the leaders got together and decided to make a special time for the girls with a Camping/Slumber Party at the school as an end of the year treat. We had a great time and will do our best to make this an annual troop event!

DAISY GIRLS

BROWNIE GIRLS

JUNIOR GIRLS

Our "Camping Fun" included:

(Click on separate links below for more details)-

• Setting up tents in the school gym for the girls to sleep in.
• Making "Sit Upons" (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Ordering pizza for dinner
• Making SWAPS (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Learning "Camp Fire Safety" (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Building a Campfire (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Singing and Sharing Campfire Songs & Stories (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Making S'Mores (a Girl Scout Tradition!)
• Lights Out at 10:30 PM... (Yeah, Right!)
• Rise and shine... Breakfast time!... Zipper Bag Omelets!
• Games
• A number of Girl Scout mom's and sisters helping out!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

BELOW~ 5 puffy eyed, exhausted, and beautiful leaders who would do it all over again for the sake of giving the girls a Girl Scouting Experience!

Sit Upons ~ A Girl Scout Tradition

What is a sit-upon? They are homemade, usually waterproof pads used to protect the user's backside from the cold and damp while "sitting upon" the ground! They are also great for sitting any where the sitting surface is hard... a Girl Scout tradition for camping.

We made our sit upons out of heavy duty table cloths bought at Wal mart (60x102 inches Oblong @ $5.00 each), yarn, old newspapers & plastic shopping bags. We decorated the sit upons with permanent markers and stickers. Each table cloth made 16 sit upons. ("How To" directions below). Here, the girls are decorating their sit upon covers.

"Sit upons" ready to be sat upon!

It had sprinkled rain earlier in the day and the ground was a little damp.

Thank goodness we had our "sit upons" for enjoying the camp fire fun!

HOW WE MADE OUR "SIT UPONS":

• Pre-cut the tablecloth into rectangle sections with pinking shears. We cut our pieces into 12" x 15" sections since we had large sized table cloths for our large group of 24 Girl Scouts. Discard the side edge pieces since the corners are not square and it's extra fabric anyway.
• Place two pieces together, insides facing each other.

• Hole punch around all sides of pre-cut pieces. If your hole punch has a hard time going through, you may hole punch each piece individually. OR, forget the hole punch and yarn idea, and simply use Duct Tape to secure the edges.

  
• Decorate the pre-cut pieces with permanent marker. We used a variety of colors as well as stickers. Have each Girl Scout put their name on their sit upon.
• Cut long pieces of thick colored yarn to be used to stitch the edges closed.
• Wrap scotch tape around each end to create a tight, hard end for the yarn to more easily go through the hole punches.
• Stitch the outside edges on 3 of the 4 sides. The girls can stitch with a straight stitch or a whip stitch- whichever they choose. We also used colored pony beads to embellish the yarn as the stitches were done.
• When 3 of the 4 sides are completed, stuff crunched newspaper and/or plastic shopping bags in the open end. DO NOT OVER STUFF.
• Finish stitching the 4th side and tie securely.

Your "Sit Upon" is now finished and ready to be sat upon!

S'MORES... A Girl Scout Tradition

Girl Scouts simply can't hang out by a camp fire with out making S'Mores! Troop #9691 had a great time making and eating this treat during our end of year Camping Fun.

What is a S'More? Short for "Some More", it's a dessert consisting of a roasted marshmallow, sandwiched between a Graham Cracker, with a chunk of milk chocolate bar in the middle (which end up getting soft from the gooey hot roasted marshmallow). MMM-MMM Good!

FYI~ While the origin of the dessert is unclear, the first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the publication "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts" of 1927. It is unknown whether the Girl Scouts were the first to make and enjoy s'mores, but there appears to be no earlier claim to this snack. Although it is unknown when the name was shortened, recipes for "Some Mores" are in various Girl Scout publications until at least 1971.

London Troop #9691

making S'MORES!

The girls had help putting their yummy creation together.

Several of the girls didn't like marshmallows or chocolate, so they made their own treat with the ingredients we had on hand they liked.


For a variety of "S'More" recipes, CLICK HERE.

Garden Project Complete!

The fruit of the girls labor from the past several months...

Junior Girl Scouts getting the bench moved from the back of leader Teri's van...

Brownie Girls take the next leg of getting the bench to it's location...

Daisy Girls make their move to set the bench in it's final resting place.


The stepping stones and bench were the girl's idea. They earned almost $1,000. profit on this year's Girl Scout Cookie Sales and wanted to use part of their proceeds to create a special garden in memory of our Superintendent, Mr. McMath, who changed addresses from earth to heaven in December 2009. This garden space is the girl's way to say "thank you" to Mr. McMath as well to honor all who are a part of the London family.


We sprinkled "forget-me-not" seeds around the bench in honor of Mr. McMath.

LONDON
GIRL SCOUTS ROCK!!!