Yesterday was One Day Without Shoes, a global event, and I had a great time participating!
I ran all of my errands with NO shoes on, and it was an interesting experience.
I'm basically NOT a fan of shoes in the first place, so it's not like this was a hardship, per say, but it was...weird standing in line at the gas station, holding slurpees, and not wearing shoes.
Tuesday nights we have our Girl Scout meeting, and I thought I would use One Day Without Shoes as a learning experience. As each girl arrived, I asked her to remove her shoes and socks. Since I am militant about them keeping their shoes on, this created quite a stir.
After our quick welcome game, we had our circle time and talked about being barefoot. We talked about how there are children in the world who don't have shoes, and how hard their lives must be. That, and just exactly how lucky we are. One girl spoke about her mom- where she grew up, there were lots of kids without shoes in school.
The girls absolutely loved it, and NEXT year, we will definitely do something fun with this- maybe a shoe drive! We do a good bit of service projects, and this sounds like something right up our alley!
If you would like to learn more about One Day Without Shoes, go HERE.
So, tell me- did you go shoeless yesterday? Share your thoughts about this project here!
Until next time, my friends, stay lovely!
Hello my lovelies!
As this weekend was the penumtimate weekend for cookie sales, and Girl Scout Sunday was yesterday, I am sure you understand if today's post is more about Scouts than anything else. Sorry, my non-scouting fans, but it's my blog and I'll write what I want :)
Without further ado, here's this week's Monday Maddness: my random thoughts about my week/weekend, and all the things I've learned- the good, the bad, and the ugly.
If my cookie mom and I plan a booth, while watching the weather, and the day is predicted to be clear, the weather will still be horrible the day of the booth. Especially if we check out the weather the DAY BEFORE.
If we have a booth on a Friday, and don't plan one for Saturday (due to a different event), the weather will be terrible on Friday, and beautiful on Saturday. It's just the way it is.
Don't plan a cookie booth if you have to bake stuff for a bake sale the same day. Something will fail.
Sick husbands are no fun. When they are sick of being sick, they will find mess or clutter in the house (not really a hard job here, but still) and complain about it, until you stop what you are doing and fix the clutter. True story.
Winning contests online is AWESOME!! Stalking the tracking numbers will only lead to disappointment, until your package magically appears in the mailbox.
If you cookie booth in the cold, it can really go either way. Good booth: people feel SORRY for you that you and your kids are stuck out in the cold. Bad booth: it's so nasty out that no one wants to stand at the booth long enough to give you money for boxes.
Spaghetti dinner fundraisers are awesome! But, they are better if the people who are supposed to go with you actually show up.
It's not actually that hard to find 19 people who would eat a carry-out spaghetti dinner plate without any real notice. Sometimes cancellations (or no call no shows) can help make the difference to a family or two (or in our case, five!).
Girl Scout Sunday is the most fun you will ever have in church, without actively sinning. No, seriously, the girls will get it all together and it will turn out to be the best day ever.
If your Scouts are going to be saying anything remotely sentimental at GS Sunday, make sure there are tissues in sanctuary.
Just because you practice something several times, doesn't mean that it will work out the way you practice it on the event day. Go with the flow- it might turn into something even better!
Scouts is always more fun with more girls (and grown ups!!). Invite a friend who has a Scout in another troop. It will make the day even more special, and very meaningful to the other family.
Edible Arrangements are absolutely the BEST way to end a Scout Sunday event. So pretty, clean, and everyone LOVES them.
Be extra thankful for the "fellowship coordinator" at your church- she does more work than you know (just like a Scout leader!). THANK YOU MS. VIRGINIA!!!!
Be extra flexible- there will always be no shows, no matter what. It's a fact of Scouting life. Get used to it, and if you had to pay money for their spot, send them a bill. No sense in wasting the girl's troop money!
Be kind, bold and courageous. Be the person you want your kids to remember you as. They won't remember you yelling and screaming, but they WILL remember how you worked to make a difference and make things better for them.
Well, folks, that's all I have for today! My Ipsy bag and a contest prize arrived today, so look for those posts soon! Until them, Stay Average, and smile!!
*I wanted to include a photo of Scout Sunday here, but in the interest of keeping the anonymity of my girls in tact, decided not to. You're welcome, other parents :)
Happy Monday, everyone! It's Girl Scout cookie time, and this weekend was the first weekend of cookie booth sales, so I've been out pushing cookie crack at various locations. It's Monday, and that means that it's time for me to reflect on the craziness that I called a weekend :)
Husband's can't tell time. Ever.
Just because someone orders cookies, doesn't mean that they want to PAY for them when they come in. It's not the end of the world, though; because someone else will want them, and be willing to pay for them.
Girl Scout cookies are like crack to some people.
Girl Scout cookies are NOT made from real Girl Scouts. This is a good thing.
When you ask a parent who is working at a cookie booth if they are good on cookies, they will only answer with thoughts towards their own booth time slot; and not the ones following. Expect to have to call cookie mom to come and bring cookies at least once.
Be nice to the cookie mom. She controls what you have to sell at the booth, and is the one who has to drive an hour EACH WAY to pick up cookies.
Leaders and cookie mom/dads are volunteers. Treat them with respect. They are ALL overworked and grossly under paid. In fact, we not only are unpaid, we actually have to PAY to be these adults: registration, training, and so on are NOT free for us.
For every parent that is involved with their kids, in regards to Scouts, there are at least TWO that are not. This number should be reversed.
No one reads the newsletters. But if you are late putting one out, everyone will comment about it.
Not every parent will read your emails, newsletters, or permission slips; and won't attend parent meetings. They just won't.
Just because you are 18, does not make you an adult in the Girl Scout world. If you are still in High School, you are still a kid to me. I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings.
You will never make everyone happy at your booth. There is always someone who wants a cookie that your council doesn't carry, or isn't happy with how the girls are decorated. Thank these people for their input, and promptly forget about them.
It's awesome when a dad is involved with their daughter. I absolutely love to see this.
It is not easy to be at a cookie booth, even for 2 hours, when it is freezing cold and there are high winds. It's still necessary, because the Cookie Locator will tell someone that you are there, and they will want cookie crack, and if you aren't there, then they won't get their cookie crack, and will possibly call council. It all rolls down hill. So suck it up and go to the booth, just wear 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts and 2 coats.
If you tell the cookie mom that one of your kids is sick, and that's why she's not at the booth, DO NOT have that kid show up at the booth, looking happy, healthy, and bouncy. We know it's cold. Our kids are out there. We are out there. But most of all, DO NOT expect us to give that nice warm boothless kid credit for being at the booth. Sorry. Our kids earned those cookies. At least have the respect for us to tell us the truth.
Those who have the least will likely give the most. You will sell more cookies to the tired mom in a beat up car, than to the lady dress in finery driving a Mercedes. Truth.
People only want to buy cookies when you are on the phone, counting cookies or counting money. This is a guaranteed way to get people to notice your booth. Maybe we should count the cookies more often during our time slots. Just sayin'
Nobody follows all the rules, no matter what. It's just a fact of life. The trick is, not getting CAUGHT not following the rules.
Spend the extra $2 and get the cash box that has the money clips. Trust me, it's worth it. Wish we had.
Looking tired and cold will, contrary to popular belief, help you sell more cookies. Unless you are at a crap location.
I think that's about all I have for this week's Only Average Randomness. I know it's all cookie related, but, honestly, that's all I did this weekend. so what else did you expect? I AM Only Average, after all. I hope you have a great week, and that your Monday doesn't suck as bad as it could. Stay Average!
What's your favorite Girl Scout cookie? Leave a comment and let me know! Am I right in calling them "crack"?
Below is a transcript of a conversation between my husband and me, during a search for the supplies to make SWAPS* with my Girl Scout Troop.
Me: Where can I buy dime bags?
Hubby: What do you want pot for?
Me: I don't want POT, I want a dime bag.
Hubby: Ok, I'll bite. What do you want a dime bag for? I don't think you know what you are saying.
Me: Sure I do. I want a dime bag. I just don't want there to be anything in it. I mean, if they sell them with stuff already in them, I guess I'll TAKE it, but I just want the bag. I need them for Scouts.
Hubby: You mean you want tiny zip top bags.
Me: Yeah, dime bags.
Hubby: Please don't go into the 'Mart and ask for dime bags.
Me: Who, me? I wouldn't do that.
Hubby: Yes, you would.
Me: No, I wouldn't. I don't ask for help at 'Mart. They employees run when they see me.
Hubby: Yes, they do seem to do that. I think it's because they think you are going to ask them for dime bags.
Me: You aren't helping.
In case you were wondering, I DID find the little bags. Dollar Tree. Guess they really DO sell everything there.
*SWAPS: Small Watchamacalits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere- cute little do-dads that the girls make, to swap with other girls. We are always looking for new SWAPS-ers, and we all collect them like crazy. Even Hubby.
Want to swap SWAPS? Have something you want to see a blog about? Let me know, I would be happy to do a product review, or give an Only Average opinion on a subject!
