EZ Girl Scout Troop Camp – Summer 2014

This past weekend, I took my girls to a one night “EZ Girl Scout Troop Camp” in Anniston, Alabama at Camp Cottaquilla.

The girls chose to use their Girl Scout Cookie Sales money to attend a one night camp. We left on Friday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. and headed home Saturday afternoon around 4. To them it was the greatest trip EVER, and that is what mattered!

Entrance to the Camp

Out of my 4 girls, none of them had ever stayed away from home on a trip like this. So when we pulled in to the gate they were jumping up and down.

This is the lodge at the front of camp. It houses dining and offices.

This was our first view. The lake/pond, boat house, flag pole and pool.

After check in we dropped our bags off and headed to the lodge for dinner. They served pizza and drinks. The girls learned some songs and were given an assignment to create a skit that had to do with camp. Hilarious. After that we were given about 30 minutes to get our cabins settled and then we went to the campfire area where the girls sang songs and roasted marshmallows and made s’mores.

This is where all of the troops come together for the campfire, girl scout songs, and s’mores.

This is pretty much what all of the cabins looked like.

Inside of the cabins. We literally FROZE. Who knew it was going to get into the 40’s in May in Alabama!? They held about 6 cots and some walking space.

This was the bath house for “Four Winds” set of cabins and “Deep Woods” cabins.

Cabins

Saturday morning it rained. My girls went fishing, canoeing, and pedal boating. In the rain and never cared. Before lunch they also got to do archery. By then it had stopped raining and that was a lot of the girls’ favorite part.

My young cousin and a camp counselor at the archery range.

After lunch our troop went on a Fairy Hike and a Nature Hike. The fairy hike took them throughout the entire camp and they learned about the 3 fairies that live at Camp Cottaquilla. It is a really cute story and if you have the opportunity to take your girls, I definitely suggest taking them!! The EZ Camp was one night and was just enough for the age of the girls in my troop. Our Junior troop consists of ages 9-11. The other troops there were Daisies and Brownies (K-3rd grade.) I think it was perfect for the maturity levels and ages. They offer week long camps but I think that most appropriate for the older end of Juniors and above.

Have you ever been to a Girl Scout Camp with your troop? What was your experience like?

Advertisement

Spring Girl Scout Day 2014

So after over a week off from blogging, I am ready to jump back into things! I’ll use the excuse that after 7 hours at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center a few weekends ago, I was WORN OUT! Let me add the detail that it was with 4 Girl Scouts age 9, 10, and 11 plus my own three year old. This was me that night:

HA!!!

 

That Saturday was our Girl Scout Council’s Spring Girl Scout Day and it was held at the United States Space and Rocket Center located in Huntsville, AL. My girl’s had opted to use a portion of their Cookie Sale profit to attend. Admission included lunch, access to all of the rides and museum and “things to do”, plus an IMAX movie ticket. Unfortunately, the IMAX would break down when it came time for our movie reservation. ): We did get to see a 3-D movie on Tornado Storm Chasing. My 3 year old did get a little impatient, but over all it was good!

The girls rode the Space Shot and a gravity ride a million times. They rock climbed and were able to watch a “magic show” on the science in what most people think is magic. Then they toured and were able to see the Saturn V (which is GIGANTIC!) and see a lot of other NASA things. We stood in line for 45 minutes just to ride a 5 minute Mars Rover simulator. Now I know why parents hated field trips that included Six Flags. Ha!

Mars Rover Simulator

 

Astronauts in training

Girl Scouts waiting to ride the Space Shot

Future Astronaut (;

Even though they all had a great time, I made sure they learned and focused on some educational things. While we stood in line waiting to ride the simulator,  I made them all try out the kiosk that featured all of the female astronauts in history.

I never thought we would be there for 7 hours! I was thinking 4 hours, maybe 5 tops. I definitely did not wear the appropriate shoes for 7 hours. It was a really great time, though! My daughter now knows the older girls by name and thinks she is a Girl Scout too (; Which hopefully she will be in a few more years.

 

If you’ve never toured the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and live within driving distance of Huntsville, AL, I suggest planning a visit. It really is a great time. (I actually plan to go back one Saturday without children so that I can actually stop and read about everything.)

Juliette Gordon Low

The Girl Scout Birthday is coming up on March 12, 2014, and the Alabama Women Bloggers’ March Madness Blog Challenge is focusing Wednesday’s on National Women’s History Month; therefore, I am going to focus my first post about a woman from history on Juliette Gordon Low, also known as Daisy to family members.

Young Daisy Gordon developed what was to become a lifetime interest in the arts. She wrote poems; sketched, wrote and acted in plays; and later became a skilled painter and sculptor. She had many pets throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia mockingbirds, and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of humor.

Juliette Low was very athletic. From her childhood on, Daisy was a strong swimmer. She was Captain of a rowing team as a girl and learned to canoe as an adult. She was also an avid tennis player. One of her special skills was standing on her head. She stood on her head every year on her birthday to prove she still could do it, and also celebrated nieces’ and nephews’ birthdays by standing on her head. Once, she even stood on her head in the board room at National Headquarters to show off the new Girl Scout shoes.

Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912, when she gathered 18 other girls in Savannah, Georgia to register the first two patrols (troops). The next year, the name was officially changed to Girl Scouts. Juliette’s movement brought girls of all backgrounds the opportunity to become self-reliant and resourceful. She not only believed in girls taking on the traditional role as a homemaker, but also the possibilities of girls and women in future professional careers outside of the home. How correct was she with her hopes and plans?

There are more than 2.4 million Girl Scouts between the ages of 5-17. 80% of women business owners were Girl Scouts, 69% of female U.S. senators were Girl Scouts, and virtually every female astronaut who has flown into space was a Girl Scout.

She knew what she was doing! I am very grateful and proud to be a current troop leader for some girls in my area. Everything Juliette hoped to accomplish in teaching girls often comes true before my eyes! Help me as we celebrate National Women’s History Month and encourage a Girl Scout somewhere. Oh, and buy some cookies from her.

Thin Mints, Samoas, and more…

Surely when you read the title, you already knew what Thin Mint and Samoa meant.

If those words did not ring a bell, your life is not yet complete. (:

Girl Scout cookies are pretty well-known around the South, and I am certain that they are popular in other parts of the country and maybe world (considering that Girl Scouts is not only a very established organization in America, but is also now international as well.)

With that being said, I hope you really have had the chance to experience Girl Scout cookies before, whether it really be the Thin Mints, Samoas, or any of the many other options! They are amazing. And slightly addicting.

In November I made the decision to become a troop leader. Maybe I’m crazy. This year I have 5 girls age range 3-5th grade. Our first meetings is coming up, I’m actually excited!

The annual Girl Scout cookie sale is coming up for us in January. I usually always stick to what I like (I really love the Samoas), but learning ALL of the different types over the last week has gotten me intrigued. I plan to try many of the other types this year. I had never even heard of the dulce de leche. Let me tell you, THEY ARE GOOD.

Have you tried many types girl scout cookies? What is your favorite? What are the ones you think I should steer clear from?