Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

A simple appetizer that everyone will love. Alright, my friend Sandra who hates seafood won’t like it, but everyone else will. You can wrap the shrimp a few hours in advance, just be sure to keep them covered and in the coldest part of your fridge while waiting to bake.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Shrimp that is peeled and divined, tails still attached.
12 oz Bacon
1/3 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder

TOOLS:
Cooling rack
Cookie sheet

How crispy do you want your bacon to be? Using the oven, bake the bacon 3/4 of the way done to your preference, figure up to 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Shrimp cook very quickly so the bacon won’t have much time to finish. Depending on the size of your shrimp, cut the bacon strips into 3 or 4 pieces each. The pieces should wrap around each shrimp twice.

Combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pat the shrimp dry. Sprinkle the salt mixture over the shrimp as needed.

Seasoned Shrimp

Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon. If you make sue the ends are on the bottom when you lay them on the cooling rack there will be no need for toothpicks.

All Wrapped Up

Bake the shrimp for another 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Keep an eye on them, the shrimp are ready when they have an orangish pink to them and the bacon is crispy.

Are you drooling yet?

Serve hot from the oven on a platter as an appetizer. Or, place them onto a green salad for dinner.

DAISY PETAL CERTIFICATES

While I do not believe the older girls need a certificate for every badge, I do think that the Daisy girls really enjoy being able to place it on their fridge at home. Creating my own was not going to happen, but I found the ones below on a board. They come as is, I just work around the place that says (girls name). I don’t know who the original designer was, that information was not posted so I cannot give credit. I hope you find these helpful in your coming year with the Daisys. Remember, that the girls do not have a set number of requirements to earn a Petal. The most important thing is that they understand the concept and can put it into practice. That means that some Petals will be harder for them to earn than others.

The center is for knowing and understanding the Promise.
CENTER

Being friendly to each other at meetings just makes Girl Scouts more fun. Being helpful means that you are not doing all the work. This Petal can be implemented in every meeting as girls get to know each other and interact in games and craft time. They will use those skills when they sell cookies and do service projects for other people.

FRIENDLY YELLOW

Not only should they be a sister to every Girl Scout in their Troop, but those who are in the same service unit or Council. Getting together with other girls, or sending letters to Troops who live far away can also encourage this spirit. On yahoo there is even a postcard exchange every year leading up to Thinking Day.

VIOLET

The holidays are a great opportunity to show how considerate and caring the girls can be. Service shows caring and being thankful for what they receive shows consideration. Have a tea party and teach the girls proper manners. Girls love music and this CD is a great way for them to learn manners for your party.

RED Courage is being afraid and forging ahead anyways. What takes courage for 1 girl may be second hand to another. Find a variety of things the girls can do so that you tailor this Petal to each individual. If you have picky eaters, try a cheese platter at your next meeting. Shy girls can be challenged by saying thank you to a guest speaker. Being strong is about physical, emotional and metal strength. Learning how to keep your body healthy, knowing how to handle relationships and doing well in school are all important in an overall healthy lifestyle.

SPRING GREEN

How can a little girl make the world a better place? One step at a time. Doing all the other Petals teaches the girls they are not alone in the world and that others must be considered as well. Learning to give service, planting a garden, picking up litter and sometimes just giving love and friendship all make the world they live in a better place for everyone else.

ROSE

At this age the girls are really learning how to take better care of themselves. Not only in personal hygiene like brushing their teeth, but exercise and healthy food. They are also experiencing at school the concept that others have personal space and property. It is not uncommon for girls this age to forget that they need to treat others the same way they want to be treated. Respecting themselves and others is one Petal that may take a few months to really get down.

PURPLE

Give your girls tasks to do at the meeting, we call them KAPERS. Every Troop will have different jobs they need done, the important thing is that all girls are given a turn and expected to do them well. You can also send home a chore chart. Make it simple, ask the parents to come up with 3 things their daughter can/must do at home and sign when the jobs are done. Another option is to send home a Friend Bag. We use a Brownie Elf doll, but you can use whatever doll or stuffed animal you want. Place it in a reusable bag with a notebook. The girl spends the week with her new friend and writes or draws about what they did in the notebook. She must bring it back the next meeting so someone else has a turn. Girls can also volunteer to bring items to a meeting such as snacks or something needed for crafts. There are many opportunities for girls to be responsible for what they say and do.

ORANGE

Respecting authority comes pretty easy at this age, most have not yet learned to have an attitude with adults. Let them get to know those in authority beyond their family and school. Visits to the fire station and police department can be fun and the girls realize that those people are there to help them when they are in trouble.

MAGENTA

Adults have a difficult time agreeing on what is honest and fair, ao how can we expect 5 and 6 year olds to get it? We have to break it down into small parts of every day life. For example, hand out a snack and don’t give 1 girl any of it. (It is usually best if you warn her in advance but tell her to act surprised or hurt) Fair is not always giving everybody the same thing, but giving everyone the same chance, so be sure to talk about it when you play a game that has winners and losers.

LIGHT BLUE

Learn to recycle items into crafts is a great way to re resourceful. It is never too early for the girls to learn about money and how much what they need and want costs. Don’t get too bogged down with specifics, but they certainly need to know when their account is too low to pay for a game of bowling. What can they come up with that would be free, like a hike in the park, or flying kits.

GREEN

This form is the simplest for keeping track of which Petals a girl has earned. You can either have the girls color in the Petals as you go, or you can write the names in. With the new financial leaves I just drew 4 on

So what if you have a girl who already earned a Petal, or even all of them? You have 2 choices, let it go unrecognized when the other girls receive theirs, or reward her for her extra effort in living the Law. I use pony beads with my girls. I have a beads in the same colors as the Petals and will give one of those for the back of their uniform. If they earn all of them, mom can even sew them in the same of another flower. Or they can trip the bottom of her apron. Since they are unofficial they should not be placed on the front. I believe that while missing 1 Petal is not a big deal, if a girl goes the entire year without receiving an award, it can be disheartening on a little 5 or 6 year old. Ultimately you know your girls and need to decide what is best for them, and don’t let anyone else dissuade you from that course.

Making a hairband

My youngest is a perpetual princess and loves anything and everything girly, especially if it is pink. While hair accessories have come back into style, I find they can be quite expensive and often poorly made. Here is a neat way to make your own.

SUPPLIES NEEDED
Plastic hairband
Ribbon as wide as the hairband and as long plus 1 inch
An extra 1 inch of the Same Ribbon
12 inches of a Coordinating Ribbon
Clear Fingernail Polish
Craft glue
Hot glue (optional)
Needle and Thread
2 Black office clips
Sequins/Rhinestones (optional)

Use the fingernail polish to seal the cut ends of the ribbon that will be used to shape the bow. Set aside and allow to dry.

Begin by measuring the length of the headband. Add 1 inch and measure that onto the ribbon that will be covering the band. Boo came up with the idea of clipping the ribbon and measuring tape together to make sure she was accurate.

Tuck 1/2 an inch around the bottom and glue both sides. Using an office clip hold it in place until it dries.

Slowly work your way around the hairband using more craft glue to hold the ribbon in place. Be sure to smooth it as you go and when you get to the end, pull it tightly before placing a clip again. Allow this to completely dry before add the folded ribbon.

While the hairband is drying, practice folding the 12″ of ribbon. It takes a few tries before it will look the way you want it.

Measuring 4 1/2 inches from the tip, fold the ribbon over. Make sure the shiny side is up when you start.

Fold it at a slight angle as seen in the photo below. Place a finger in the middle and fold back again.

As you have this second fold it again should be at a slight angle.

When it is finally done, squeeze the middle with 2 fingers and sew together using a back-stitch.

It does not have to be pretty, just tight enough to keep it together.

Using the 1 inch of the other ribbon, cover the center of the ribbon and sew it together on the back. Again, it does not have to be pretty as it will be hidden.

To glue the ribbon to the hairband, use more of the craft glue or hot glue. This is the ONLY time you should use the hot glue. If using craft glue, use the clips to hold the bow down while it dries.

If you have sequins or rhinestones now is the time to add them.

Variations can be done according to how you would like your bow to look.

In this example decide how large you want the bow to be and double the length of the ribbon. Fold it in half and glue both ends to the middle spot. The second ribbon should be slightly smaller and again glue the end at the middle.

You could glue the 2 bows together but I think sewing is more secure. Once the 2 bows become one, wrap them with a small piece of ribbon. This time I wrapped it around the headband itself.

Because there was a word on it, I had to be careful how ti was folded.

And voila, you now have a happy daughter.

Scrap pieces of ribbon can be used to make this a really low-cost project. You can find ribbon at the Dollar Store as well in the craft department. This is a neat project to do so that you can have a matching hairpiece to your daughter’s favorite outfit. have fun and get creative! Let me know how it goes.

BASIC WHITE BREAD

Something about the smell of bread baking always makes me hungry. Many avoid making their own bread by hand because they believe it is too hard, but it really is easy if you follow the directions. Believe me, I do like a bread machine and plum wore my last one out. However, baking it the old way in the oven I think produces a different texture and the kneading itself can be very relaxing. There are lots of variations to making a simple loaf of bread, and once you have the basics down changing recipes is not that hard. This recipe has very simple ingredients and produces 2 loaves of bread.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pkg yeast
2 c Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
2 Tb Sugar
1 Tb Salt
2 c Bread Flour
4 to 5 c All Purpose Flour

time: kneading 10 + rising 1hr 45 min + baking 35 min

If you do not have bread flour all-purpose may be used. Bread flour provides a little extra gluten and will provide a slightly different texture in your loaves. I find using a combination of the 2 flours provides the best results.

Dissolve the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar in the cup of warm water. Allow it to rest for a couple of minutes to ensure it blooms. You should have a foam on top of the water. If there is no bloom either your yeast is old or the water was too hot and killed it. The sugar feeds the yeast and speeds up the process of blooming.

In a bowl combine the bread flour and 1 cup of the all- purpose flour, salt and the remaining sugar. Pour in the water and oil and beat until smooth. Slowly add up to 3 cups of the all-purpose flour until a soft ball forms that is easy to handle. You most likely will not have added 6 cups of flour to get tot his point, that is okay. You can add more as you work the dough on the counter.

Sprinkle the counter with some of the remaining flour and scoop the dough onto the counter. As you begin to knead you will know if more flour needs to be added. When there is high humidity you will need more than on the days it is try. If the bread is sticking to your hand or the counter keep sprinkling on more until it has a nice smooth texture that kneads easily. If you have never kneaded before, check out how to do it hereThis will take about 10 minutes.

Using the bowl you mixed in, pour about 1 tsp of oil. Place the ball of dough in the oil and roll it around, leaving it with the seam side down. Cover the bowl with cellophane or a towel and place in a warm place to rise.

The dough needs to double in size. Allowing it to rise too much can mean the bread won’t rise properly when it is baked so keep an eye on it. A good test is that you can push your finger in and it leaves a small dent. This will take about 45 minutes.

Sprinkle your counter with flour and punch down the dough. Literally, you get to make a fist and punch the dough! Talk about getting out some aggression. Divide the dough in half. Set one to the side and begin rolling the first half out. Form a rectangle (18×9 inches) that is slightly less wide than the pan is long.

Beginning at one end, roll the dough as if you are making a jelly roll. When you are finished, pinch the end shut and use your hands to seal the sides.

Place the log into a greased and floured pan. Dark pans work better than glass for baking bread. Once both pans are done, cover again and place in a warm place to rise. This time it will take about an hour. The dough will be about 2 inches over the edges of your loaf pans. To show you how important it is to follow the process, I only rolled out 1 of the loaves in this batch. The second loaf I simply shaped and plopped into the loaf pan. Can you take a wild guess which one I did that on?

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake 35 minutes. The racks should be low so that the tops of the pans are in the middle of the oven. Be sure that the pans are not touching each other. Check a few minutes early by tapping. Just like a watermelon, if it sounds hollow, it is ready. Place the pans on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before trying to remove the bread. Allow to finish cooling on the rack before slicing.

You can see the end result of not rolling the dough out is a flat loaf.

Here is the way you want it to look, ready for dinner and sandwiches the next day.

Enjoy!!!

TROOP FILES

I could not keep track of which girls had received which papers because they had missed a meeting. Or I would find one sitting on the table and had no clue who left it. I had no clue how to solve the problem then I read online how another leader used hanging files for all paperwork. I loved the idea and was willing to give it a try. 4 years later it still works.

What you need:
A file box. Get the size that works for you now, plus allows room for growth. I have a Sterelite but you can even use a milk crate. I like having a handle on top as it makes it easier to carry.

Hanging files. These are the green files with the metal prongs on the side.

Manilla folders. These are the yellow folders that have tabs.

Because I have a multi-level Troop, I have a hanging folder for each level. If you only have 1 level, you can do a hanging file for each Patrol. The Daisy files go in front and progressive get higher. I also put stickers on each one so they go back into the correct section. Each level has their own sticker.

Each girl has a folder with her name on it. All her papers go into that folder. I sort papers before the meeting and parents and girls can check out heir folder as they come or go. If a girl has missed a few meetings, everything will be in her folder when she comes back.

I also create a folder for my co-leader as well as the cookie mom. There is also a folder labeled COUNCIL and anything I need to mail to Council goes in there. I keep a few envelopes in there ready as well.

Each hanging file has a folder with forms the girls fill out if they complete a badge at home. While the new badges all have the same process now, some of my girls are still working on old ones. Girls or parents can grab forms as needed.

There are 2 hanging files that hold the following folders. New Adult and New Girl hold all the papers I need to hand to a new member such as registration and health forms. I have had girls show up that I never knew were coming and that is why I began keeping a couple with me at all times.

I keep all my old catalogs and new ones to show parents what the uniform pieces look like. In the same folder I have copies of where to put items on a vest, sash or apron. They can either have me order them but it is nice to hand something to a parent if they are going to do it themselves.

I always have extra forms if a parent wants to register for a Council event.

I try to make 1 or 2 extras of all papers I hand out, just in case, and keep those in a folder marked Meeting Papers.

In the front of everything I keep stickers, the Troop record boon where girls sign in and we take notes, recruitment fliers,and print outs for every level showing what girls can do/earn in Girl Scouts.

All those items that don’t fit into my hanging file case (such as my leader’s binder) I set in my milk crate on wheels. This means loading my van up before and after a meeting goes very quickly and the girls in the Troop can help.

BANANA BREAD

A part of me cringes every time I throw food in the trash. I use every last bit of the food that comes in the house to the best of my ability. I have no doubt that is how foods like carrot cake, zucchini bread and banana bread came to be. A cook looked at those black bananas and thought there must be something she could make with them. Oh there is my friend, there is!

INGREDIENTS

2 c Flour
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
3 – 4 (1 1/2 c) Very Ripe Bananas
6 Tb Melted Butter/Margarine
2 Eggs
1/4 c Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg

Quick breads differ from a yeast bread in the ingredient they use to rise the dough. A yeast bread requires kneading and takes a couple hours to prepare the dough to rise, compared to the short prep time of stirring a batter in the mixing bowl for a quick bread. Banana bread falls into the quick bread category.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and flour a 9×5 loaf pan. This is one of those times that a dark pan works better than the glass one.

Combine all the dry ingredients. I do it on a bendable cutting board as it makes t easier to pour into the mixing bowl.

The darker the banana’s peel, the softer and sweeter the fruit is going to be. These were almost there, another day and they would have been perfect I think.
If your bananas are not ripe enough, place on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes or the peel is nice and dark.

Whisk all the wet ingredients together. Be sure the butter has cooled but is not chilled. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, just as if you are making a mousse. Don’t worry if it looks lumpy, that is normal.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes. Insert a long skewer and make sure it come out clean. If there is batter sticking to the skewer, bake another 5 to 10 minutes as needed. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on a rack and then flip over the pan to remove the bread. If it does not want to plop out, tap the bottom of the pan and it should loosen it up.

Technically you should always let a quick bread cool for an hour before slicing. But we are talking, warm banana bread here. You know you want to……

You can smear a little butter or cream cheese on if you prefer.

Wrap any leftover bread up nice and tight and it will stay moist for you for several days. You can freeze a loaf for up to 2 months if it is tightly wrapped. I use cellophaneI and then tin foil as a bread can pick up flavors easily.

Optional: If you like nuts add 1 cup chopped walnuts, macadamia or even cashews to the batter. Don’t chop them too small or you won’t even notice they are in there. If you prefer chocolate, coarsely grate 1/8 cup and mix into the batter. Id you try to use chocolate chips you have a hard bit of chocolate instead of just a smooth flavor. Grating it allows it to melt in places throughout the bread.

I hope you give this quick bread a try, let me know if you like it!

Troop Handbook

I love being a leader but sometimes things happen that I wish could have been avoided. A Troop handbook is designed to do just that. By setting out all the details in advance, you can be sure there are no misunderstandings and that that things run smoother. Always look it over at the end of each year to see what you would like to change.

Troop handbook 2012

The Girl Scout Mission
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

The Girl S Scout Motto
Be prepared.

Girl Scout Slogan
Do a good turn daily.

The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be: Honest and fair Friendly and helpful, Considerate and caring, Courageous and
strong, and Responsible for what I say and do, And to: Respect myself and others, Respect authority,
Use resources wisely, Make the world a better place, and Be a sister to every Girl Scout.

During your years as a Girl Scout you should be given the
opportunity to…..
LEARN THE GIRL SCOUT WAY
Know and understand the Girl Scout Promise.
Be invested into Scouting and be rededicated each year.
Plan an investiture for new Scouts.
Know the Girl Scout insignia and what they mean.
Know and use the handshake, slogan, motto and quiet sign.
Understand the meaning of the WAGGGS Pin.

EXPLORE THE MEANING OF CITIZENSHIP
Learn about our flag – its history and symbolism.
Plan and Participate in a flag ceremony.
Share her heritage (religion, culture, traditions and ways of living).
Learn ways to respect the rights of others.

HELP MANAGE HER TROOP
Take part in discussing plans and activities.
Help make plans and decisions.

LEARN AND ACHIEVE
Participate in at least one activity from each aspect of Girl Scouting.
Take short trips to gain new experiences.
Receive recognition (badges, patches or pins) for accomplishments.

EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
Have several outdoor meetings/activities.
Take a hike.
Cook outdoors.
Have an overnight experience.

EXPRESS HER CREATIVITY
Make something for herself or others.
Act out stories, songs, and situations.

SHARE IN THE GIRL SCOUT COMMUNITY
Do activities with other Girl Scouts.
Participate in Service Unit and/or Council sponsored events.

Girl Scout terminology

The levels of Scouting: Girl Scouts is a global organization dedicated to enriching girls’ lives around
the world. Where does your daughter fit into this worldwide organization? As a member, she can
participate in scouting at a number of levels.

 WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts): The worldwide organization
that has members in over 100 countries around the world. Girl Scouts of the USA is one of the
members of the association.

 GSUSA (Girl Scouts of the USA): This is the national organization for Girl Scouts.

 Council The local organizing body which acts as a liaison between the national organization and
troops in our area. The Council also raises funds to support local programming and owns/operates
Camp 4 Echoes.

 Service Area/Unit: The Council is divided into service areas/units based on geographic
location. Each service area may serve multiple troops. Every month Service Unit meetings are
held and parents are encouraged to attend.

 Troop: The group of girls that meet once a week.

 Age level: There are six age levels in Girl Scouting: Daisy {K – 1st Grade) , Brownie (2nd – 3rd
Grade) Junior (4th – 5th Grade), Cadette (6th – 8th grade), Senior (9th – 10th grade) and Ambassador
(11th – 12th grade)

Important Events and Ceremonies

 Bridging: The process for girls leaving one level of Girl Scouting and moving on to the next.

 Court of Awards: A ceremony in which girls and/or adult volunteers receive awards. Awards
include proficiency awards (Try-its, etc), event patches, earned patches and other awards.

 Founder’s Day: October 31, the birthday of Juliette Low.

 Girl Scout Week: The week containing the Girl Scout Birthday. Girls are asked to wear their
uniforms to church and school throughout the week.

 Investiture: A special ceremony to welcome a Girl Scout where she receives her Girl Scout pin
and officially makes her Promise for the first time. This is usually done soon after a new troop
forms or when a girl joins an existing troop.

 Rededication: A ceremony where Girl Scouts reaffirm their dedication to the Promise and Law
done at investiture.

 Thinking Day: February 22. The birthday of both Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, designated as
a day to think about Girl Scouts and Guides worldwide.

Other

 Eight Basic Skills: Skills such as dressing for the weather, fire building and knots that a Girl
Scout should know before going camping.

 Flag Ceremony: Any ceremony including or honoring the flag.

 Friendship Circle: A symbolic gesture in which Girl Scouts form a circle by clasping each
other’s hands. It is often used as part of a closing ceremony.

 Girl Scout Sign: Three middle fingers of right hand raised shoulder-high with thumb over little
finger, given when saying the Promise or when doing a Girl Scout Handshake.

 Kaper Chart: A chart showing all jobs available and who is responsible for each job.

 Safety-Wise: The publication put out by GSUSA detailing safety practices that should be
adhered to. Has been replaced by Checkpoints.

Sit Upon: A waterproof cushion to sit on outside..

SWAPS: Small Whatchamacallit Affectionately Pinned on Somewhere. Also: Share With A Pal.
These are as a small, handmade crafts that usually symbolize the theme of an event. Girl Scouts
also exchange SWAPS through the mail. These are not intended to be worn on the uniform.
Some girls will pin them on a hat to wear, others pin on a wall hanging and other keep in a safe
box.

 Buddy System: A safety system where two or more girls stay together and watch out for each
other. Girls are expected to follow this at all times. Any girl who repeatedly goes off on her own
will have to call her parents to be picked up.

 Code of Conduct – the girls will help to create a code of conduct that will guide our Troop
through all meetings and activities. Each girl will get a say in what should be in the code as
well as be required to sign her agreement to follow the code.

 Allergies – PLEASE if you child has any allergies that could require medical care be sure it is
written on her health form. This would include any food allergies as well as chemical.

 Medications/Health is sues – If your daughter is taking any medication on
a regular basis include it on the health form and di s cus s it with our first aider. While they
may not need it to be administered at regular meeting s, plan ahead for extended trips out
of town or overnight events.

WELCOME TO TROOP

Welcome back to the 2012-2013 Girl Scout year. If you have not yet sent in your registration form
please do so asap as girls are not allowed to attend Service Unit and Council events until they are
registered If you no longer have your form please get one from Kristine. Troop dues for this year will
be $1 a week. The weeks when there is no meeting there will be no dues required. Girls may bring their
dues each week or pay in advance. If we do well enough with the Fall product sales there will be NO
dues required.

Donations are gladly accepted in any form. We can always use craft items such as paper, glues,
crayons, colored pencil s, marker s, paint s etc. Postage stamps, envelopes,
printer paper, Financial donations are accepted as well and are a good tax deductions for
businesses. Most importantly is your time.

Parent Sign up
A troop is successful if they have the support of parents. One way to support our girls is to serve as a
Parent Volunteer. This can be mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunts or uncles. Our current Volunteer
needs are:
Co-leader – You must be registered and have a background check (at no charge)
§ Money Earning Selling hot chocolate at the winter lighting ceremony – Car wash in the summer
months – Fall Product in October – Christmas wreaths
§ Cookies: Working a cookie booth – Paperwork – Cookie inventory – Money You must be
registered and have a background check (at no charge)
§ Camping: Chaperon camping trip – provide equipment – Drive You must be registered and have a
background check (at no charge)
§ Field Trips: Chaperones – Drive – Suggestions/contacts You must be registered and have a
background check (at no charge)
§ Fir st Aider First Aid & CPR training is required- will also be in charge of the first aid box. While
I am certified it would be nice to have a second first aider on out of town trips. You must be registered,
have a background check (at no charge) and be certified in first aid/CPR.

Form Check-list
Every year all forms must be completed again in order to be current. It is nice when as many parents as
possible fill out the transportation forms so that you can volunteer to drive at any time. There is no cost
for filling out the form. However you must be a registered adult with a background check to drive.

Opportunity Fund
This is a service provided by our Council so that no girl misses out on opportunities due to financial
hardships. It can be used to pay for registrations, uniforms, summer camp and Council sponsored
events.

Cookies
● Every year Girl Scouts sell a variety of cookies. This is done by approaching friends or family,
going door to door or working at a cookie booth. The Troop will set up places, dates and times
in conjunction with the other Troops in the area. If you have a place that you think would be a
great spot it needs to go through the Service Unit Cookie manager first. Just let Kristine know
your idea and she will try to get it approved.
●
● Cookie sales help the Troop in a variety of ways. Girls learn about business and are able to earn
badges, pins and patches. Girls also receive incentives. If a girl would prefer she can ask for more
Cookie Dough in lieu of those incentives being offered. The Troop receives a portion of each box sold
and that money is used for things such as buying awards, paying for camp outs and crafts.
●
● Cookie Dough is awarded based on the amount of boxes a girl sells. Each girl is given a
percentage of the cookie booth sales that she works. After cookie sales are completed a card is
printed in the girls name with the amount that she earned. It is very important you do not lose
these cards. They are only good for 2 years so while you can save the money for future events,
make sure you use it before it expires.

In order to use the cookie Dough write the date in the first column, the event or item you are
paying for in the second column, and the girls must sign the next column. This is to help them learn
how to budget their money and keep track of it. I do however suggest that parents hold onto the
cards in a safe place. If you are not using all the Cookie Dough then make a copy of the card and
send that in with your registration or order. A staff member will then send a receipt you attach to
the card. If you are spending the entire amount you can just send in the whole card.
Cookie Dough can be used to purchase any Council Sponsored event or item in the Girl
Scout store. All Council sponsored events will be marked in the Troop calendar with an asterisk like
this. *Lock In. This includes summer camp. If you have any questions please let me
know.

Camping and other Overnight Events
In the binders girls will develop lists of items they should try to own to take on overnight activities.
There will also be a list of items that they are asked to leave at home. These include items such as
ipods, cell phones and other electronic devices. I will always have a cell phones as will most chaperons
if parents need to call for any reason. This list is a good source for gift ideas for the girls. Do not feel
you have to get the most expensive item for camping. For example, each girl should have her own
dishes and utensils for meals. Goodwill is a good source for plastic dishes and silverware that you do
not care if they get lost or damaged. The Troop also doe shave some items the girls can borrow.

What does each girl need
● Each girl should have a vest or sash on which to place her awards. These can be purchased
online at girlscoutshop.com You can also purchase them at the Council store located in downtown
Spokane. To complete the uniform wear khaki shorts, pants or skirt and a plain white top.
When the girls officially represent Girl Scouts at an event the uniform is required. \
● For any girl who wishes to earn badges outside of our meetings I suggest purchasing a
guide book. Another option is to let me know which one they would like to work on and I can loan you
the inserts that I have.
● I ask that every girl brings a 2” binder to every meeting. In it we will have a calendar which will
be updated for the girl’s use. All papers will go home in the binder for parents to see. It will also
serve to keep track of any badge activities that a girl may have missed. Parents can also check the
hanging files for papers.
● Each girl must be registered for the new year. The cost has increased to $12. This provides
insurance for all Girl Scout activities. This registration is valid from October 1 through
September 30. Girls must be registered Girl Scouts in order to attend meetings, camps, and
special events unless otherwise noted.
● Occasionally we may serve a snack. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOUR CHILD HAS ANY
FOOD ALLERGIES

AWARDS

FUN PATCHES
Fun Patches are souvenirs and reminders of fun Girl Scout events. They are placed on the back of every
vest or sash. Some girls may fill up that area and suggestions I have heard for other places to put them
would be a blanket, bag or wall hanging.

BADGES
Badges all go on the front of sash or vest, starting at the bottom. Every girl will earn badges at Troop
meetings and activities. All girls are welcome and encouraged to earn them on their own as well. In the
hanging files I will always have a form for girls to fill out when they have completed a badge. Badges
come in 6 shapes for each level.
What girls do in other activities and school DO COUNT!!! As girls fill out the forms they will
connect what activity they did to the badge. Activities do not need to exactly what is stated in the
requirements. As long as the girls follow the intent of the badge and put forth the effort, other activities
can be counted.

What Bridging is All About
Bridging is an activity held to let girls be recognized and welcomed into another level of Girl
Scouting. A bridge crosses a gap and makes it easy to get from one side to another. So it is in Girl
Scouting. Through bridging, girls who move from one membership grade level to
another have something to help ease the jump. There are a number of differences between
the six levels of Girl Scouting. Bridging is designed to emphasize the continuity in the Girl
Scout program, to introduce girls within each grade level to what lies ahead, and to give older
girls a sense of personal responsibility for younger girls. Bridging from Brownies to Juniors is
also referred to as “Flying Up.” Bridging Ceremonies typically take place toward the end of
the school year.

These insignia are traditionally presented to girl s a s they bridge:
Brownies
● Bridge to Brownies Award
● Membership Star with green disc
● Brownie Girl Scout Wings
Juniors
● Bridge to Juniors Award
● Membership Star with yellow disc
● Bridge to Cadettes Award
Cadette
● Membership Star with white disc
● Bridge to Seniors Award
Seniors
● Membership Star with red disc
● Bridge to Ambassador Award
Ambassador
● Membership Star with navy disc
● Bridge to Adult Award
These insignia are moved from their current program level to the new level.
All others stay on
their current uniform.
Brownies and Juniors
● World Association Pin
● Membership Stars
● Brownie Wings
● Girl Scout Pin
● Bronze Award until Silver Award is earned (Bronze Award is then moved to right side of vest or
sash)
Cadette vest or sash Senior vest or sash
● The vest/sash is the same so you add to it; nothing is removed
● The Silver Award is moved to the right side of vest or sash when Gold Award is earned
● World Association Pin
● Girl Scout Pin
● Bronze Award until Silver Award is earned (Bronze Award is then moved to right side of vest or
sash)
● Gold Award Pin (Silver is then moved to the right side of vest or sash)
● Bridge to Adult Pin

Communication
As girls join our troop or information changes, the troop directory will be updated accordingly. Parents
may choose to limit the information provided by opting-out. However, all girls names will be listed in
the directory as members of our troop.

● I will sometimes use emails to send information home to parents. If you do not check your
emails on a regular basis let me know so that if it is time sensitive I will call you. If it is okay
for you to receive a text message on your cell phone let me know. Text messages will NOT be
sent without prior permission.

● A Troop calendar will be available for each girl in her binder, The calendar will list all Troop
events, as well as several Council events. For a complete list of Council events go to gsewni.org
and click on the Program tab and then choose Calendar.

● Newsletters will be sent home both via email and in the girls’ binder. It will include information
about upcoming activities and well as what badges they are currently working on.

● Each girl will have a binder/folder in which she will bring home any papers that parents need to see.
Please make sure they are showing them to you.

● Phone calls will be used as little as possible. When listing your home phone, cell phone and/or
work phone please mark which is the best to contact you at. If you can receive a text message
then please let me know.

JULIETTE GORDON LOW CELEBRATIONS

Juliet Low founded Girl Scouts 100 years ago when she decided that girls should have the same opportunities as boys in England who were in Boy Scouts. Every year we honor her memory on October 31st, which was her birthday. It has become a tradition for many Troops, Service Units and Councils to do something to celebrate. Not everyone throws a party, many use it as a day they give service to others. For example, have the girls collect items needed for a simple birthday party (cake mix, candles etc) and then donate several kits to a local food bank or shelter.

Girls can earn a badge created in Savannah Georgia just to honor this special day. It is called Daisy’s Neighborhood.

The Eaglett film was created to promote the young organization and you can see Juliet in a small bit. While youtube is great, many Councils have copies you can borrow to view.

Several years ago the girls in my Troop made a poster about Juliet. it was so well done that I had it laminated and every year a couple of girls use it to teach the newest Girl Scouts about our founder. If you enter items from your Troop into the local fair, a good information poster like this is great.

Front

Back

Last year we made daisy hair clips. I purchase daisy flowers at the Dollar Store and cut off the stems as close to the petals as I could. Next, cut out leaves from some soft green felt. Open the clip and hot glue the flower to your hair clip. Immediately while the glue is still hot, press the felt underneath and seal it tight. The felt keeps it comfortable on the head when worn. You may have to find a way to prop the clip open until the glue dries. You can do the same thing on LARGE bobby pins or plastic hairbands. I wrap the hair-bands with green ribbon and then glue on the flowers. If you want to get fancy, a rhinestone in the center of the flower will add pizzazz.

This year for our party the girls get to dress up as their favorite badge. I will post a couple of pictures next month.

Below are a few PDFs that you might find helpful in planning your own celebration this year. Your local Council shop shoudl have some patches you can purchase to commemorate the day.

A website is dedicated to her BIRTHPLACE.

National details the HISTORY of the Girl Scouts.

Many Troops make trips to Savannah Georgia to visit First HEADQUARTERS.

A simple crossword to see who knows their history. CROSSWORD

The idea behind a Flat Juliette (also called a Flat Stacy) is to create an easily portable doll. Each Troop decides who they want to send the doll home with. It can be the girls who made them, another local Troop or even mailed to Troops across the country. The girl reports back the things she did with the doll. When another Troop has her, they report as well and send pictures. You can ask for the doll back or not, it is up to the girls to decide. BODY and UNIFORM You can just color the doll or even use glitter. I suggest printing on card stock and if you want to seal it, use a laminator or clear contact paper.

JULIETTE LOW NECKLACE

This is more of a creative speech than a skit, but it gives great information about the Friendship Fund. FUND SKIT

I have heard some leaders wonder if Juliette would like Halloween parties mixed with her birthday celebrations. Her is her opinion. it. HALLOWEEN

I have used this puppet pattern several times. Fair warning, print off extra copies as usually at least 1 girl will color the chin as the mouth. PUPPET

DAISY SONG

JULIETE GORDON LOW SONG

JULIETTE GORDON LOW SONG 2

JULIETTE LOW TAPS

A little background is always nice when you are celebrating. HISTORY

This is a simple skit that even Daisy girls can master with very little rehearsal. SKIT

This skit is better suited for older girls as it requires lines, actions and props. THE FOUNDING OF GIRL SCOUTSt

Poetry dedicated to Juliette Gordon Low. POEMS

This quiz covers a bit more than just Juliette. QUIZ

KIMS GAME BROWNIES AND JUNIORS

KIM’S GAME – OLDER GIRLS

MAD LIB

GIFT GAME

Here are some fun quotes that give a good idea of what our founder was like. QUOTES

If you want to get formal there are a couple ceremonies to try. FOUNDERS DAY CEREMONY and OCTAVIA’S JOURNEY

SERVICE PROJECT IDEAS

What has your Troop done to celebrate?

Songs

Over the years I have found the lyrics to many songs I sang as a little girl. I also discovered many new ones that the girls just love. I keep them all in a 2 inch binder. Many songs are so simple that I don’t make copies for the girls. Others however it is much easier on everyone to have the words in your hands. for those, I use a 3 prong folder. I have 10 folders and they all have copies of the same pages. Girls can share them as needed, and sometimes at ceremonies we give them to parents. This has prevented unneeded copying and makes it simple to gather supplies when we are going to sing.

When the girls plan a ceremony, I let them look through my large binder and pick out the songs they want to do. If nobody knows the tune, I do a search on youtube and have found just about every one. Sometimes they have a different title, or the lyrics are slightly different, but I am merely looking for the tune at this point.

If you get courageous, perhaps you can even get your girls to make their own video!

I hope you find these songs helpful. I have tried to make mini books out of them by subject matter. I only have a couple done right now, but am working on the rest. I am having to ma

THE CLASSICS This song book is 16 pages

GIRL SCOUT SONGS This songbook is 14 pages.

REPEAT AND ANSWER This song book is 12 pages.

ANIMAL SONGS

GRACE SONGS This songbook is 5 pages

GREETINGS AND GOODBYES This songbook is 7 pages

BROWNIE HIKING SONG audio

CAMPFIRE PROGRAM SHEET – For use to aid in planning a program that includes cheers, skits and songs around a campfire.

You can PURCHASE sheet music online as well.

Coming soon
Tongue Twisters
People
Animals
Food
Holiday
Assorted

Grains 101

Grains 101

You are looking through your cookbook and see a recipe that sounds good. You go to the cupboard and realize you are missing an important ingredient. Can you substitute and still get the same result? Or do you run to the store to get just 1 item? Hopefully the list below will help you know when and when not to substitute those grains.

Short and Medium-Grain White Rice 10 to 15 min
Long-Grain White Rice 12 to 17 min
Converted White Rice 12 to 17 min
Short and Medium-Grain Brown Rice 22 to 27 min
Long-Grain Brown Rice 25 to 30 min
Converted Brown Rice 12 to 17 min
Wild Rice 35 to 40 min
Basmati, Jasmine and Texmati Rice 12 to 17 min

Things to keep in mind are that white rice has a longer shelf life than brown rice. Because B1 is removed in the processing of rice, white rice has now been enriched with the nutrient. Also for diabetics, white rice does transform into glucose much quicker so brown rice is a healthier option.

Amaranth – This grain should never be rinsed before using. It is best cooked in the microwave or as a pilaf. In the microwave use 1 c Amaranth and 2 c water and cook on high 7 minutes. Continue cooking on medium for an addition 15 to 20 minutes. As a pilaf it will take 20 to 25 minutes with 1 c of the grain and 1 ½ c of water.

Pearl Barley – Best cooked on the stove top, it will take 25 minutes using 1 c of barley to 4 quarts of water.

Buckwheat (often called Kasha today) – also uses 1 c with 4 quarts of water but only takes 5 minutes on the stove top.

Bulgar – Is more versatile as it prepares well in the microwave, on the stove top or as a pilaf.

Couscous – This is another grain (actually a pasta) that should never be rinsed. It does well in the microwave as well as the stove top. It is very versatile and a variety of herbs, broths and nuts can be used to change it up every time. Microwave on high 4 minutes than finish on medium for 5 minutes. (Be sure to check on its progress) On the stove top equal parts couscous and water and it is ready in less than 10 minutes

Millet – Makes a great pilaf and is often found in the mixes purchased at the grocery store. 1 cup of the grain with 2 ¼ c of water are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Browning the grain for your pilaf will tend to take longer then others, count on 10 to 15 minutes.

Quinoa – is something you have seen if you ever watch CHOPPED on Food Network. It requires 4 quarts of water when cooked on the stove but when microwaved or cooked pilaf style equal parts grain and water will get the job done. The best part is that is ready in about 10 minutes.

Wheat Berries – should be cooked on the stove top and require a full hour to be cooked.