My Weekend

I think I've recovered from my weekend. I spent it with about 20 little Girl Scouts, Daisies up through Cadettes, (actually, Cadette; Mary is the only one) at our troop's very first campout. "Campout" is a term used loosely here, as we actually camped in at a lodge at a local Girl Scout camp. As this was our first campout, we (myself, a coleader, and Heidi, the fearless leader of our troop) thought that camping in a lodge might be a good idea. It proved to be an excellent idea! With girls as young as 6, and as old as 14, everyone was happy. The littler ones would not have camped well in a single tent, or even a tent with a buddy. It helped that 5 adults were in the lodge with them.

We got to the camp late Saturday afternoon, and we made supper; Girl Scout stew, biscuits, and fruit salad. Afterward, we took a short hike.



We finished our hike at our campfire ring, where we made S'mores. What Girl Scout campout would be complete without S'Mores? Next time, though, I'm showing them how to make banana boats!




The incredibly adorable female JP4lings are members of our troop. While eating S'Mores, Jannah lost a tooth! See the hole there, on the right side of her mouth, left side of the picture?




Next morning, we learned that YES! The Tooth Fairy does come to Girl Scout camp! We could only celebrate that happy discovery with a hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausages and eggs. Eggs from Grandma's chickens, no less!

And then another hike. This time we returned to The Bridge.




We had seen this ginormous construction the night before, and some of the girls even crossed it. But Jannah and Joy, those wacky JP4lings, were afraid to cross. Something about a story they'd heard Grandma telling Heidi about the time she crossed such a bridge over the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, and being terrified by a friend of hers who decided to swing the bridge. 500 feet above the river. With Grandma right in the middle! Grandma shoulda watched who was listening when she told such a story! Because no way were those little girls crossing that bridge after they'd heard it.

But, emboldened by Tooth Fairy visits and fortified by pancakes, they were willing, the next morning, to give it a try. You can see Jannah there, to the right, with both a red bandanna and blue visor; can't have too much sun protection! (In case the backs don't look familiar, she's the one in the blue t-shirt.)




Joy was behind me when I took this picture. Yep, they made it across. Yep, they liked the swinging of the bridge. Nope, Grandma still didn't, 31 years later! (Did I just write that?!) But we all lived to tell the tale, and enjoyed the living of it!

The girls came home with me, for supper and time with Daddy. They went back to Mommy in the evening, and will return Wednesday night.

Mary is hoping for more Cadettes. Seems she likes being the oldest...but not that the little ones like climbing on her!