Sorry for my absence from tending bad mansard. I took my daughters' Girl Scout Troops to Camp Cedarledge for the weekend. I think it was a success, especially since it was our first troop camping trip. 4th grade seems so late to start camping but it took us that long to get someone certified to take us. You just can't tell the Girl Scouts, "oh hey- I'd like to go camping..." and get a camp site. Someone has to be Girl Scout camp certified which usually takes an entire weekend. Two of our dads did the "fast track" program and even that took an entire day plus prerequisite online coursework.
I kind of knew what I was getting myself into. I went to Cedarledge every summer and advanced through the WIT program to eventually work at Cedarledge as a wrangler for a summer. I also went to Bridgett's blog South City Musings and did a search on "Cedarledge" and looked at her experiences and tips for success.
We lucked out with the weather. Cold at night which kept girls in their sleeping bags and made the fires that much more enjoyable. Sunny during the day. No rain. 19 juniors, 1 Daisy, 1 Brownie, 6 cadettes (Friday night only). 5 men who slept in pop-up tents at the bottom of the hill. 5 moms. I thought that would be way too many adults but it was great having that many hands with us being at the corral at different times all morning.
Cadettes were a big hit. 4th graders idolized them. 6th grade girls are so blase about Girl Scouting but they had a great time, helped out with cooking and made it back to St. Louis for their soccer games in time. I let them cram in one tent which was a good idea. No one felt left out and they may have just bonded a little bit. And I didn't see anything in the rules that you couldn't put 6 girls in a tent.
Things I did right- kept the girls in their patrols for everything. Divided the cooking work amongst patrols and asked parents to send everything else like snacks, beef jerky, etc. We lucked out because our 8th grade troop is disbanding upon graduation and handed down all their camp gear including some really nice skillets and Dutch ovens.
Things I did wrong- letting the girls serve themselves at a taco bar (stupid- they wasted a ton of meat) and not giving parents better instructions for when to drop off/pick up (there was that one kid at the end, "who's picking you up?) and I should have sprayed girls more frequently for ticks (ticks were everywhere). I should have warned the girls how chilly it would get at night. Many of them would have benefited from another blanket or hat.
No more talky. Pictures are better.
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| You know what would have made this adult time better? A case of beer. Alas, against Girl Scout rules. |
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| Some dress up in the cadette tent |
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| cooking scrambled eggs in plastic bag |
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| cutest tagalongs ever |
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| The Milkshakes and Purple Pancakes patrols |
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| nice fire ring at Skyview. Bring your own guitar playing Jesuit school English teacher. |
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| South City bluebirds represent. |
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| we did a fun Mother's Day craft with leaves and photo reactive paper. The crazy lady is me; thanks to Kristin M for organizing! |
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| cadettes cook corn |
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| Awesomeness patrol |
