We're Girl scOUTING!

Ha. Get it? Putting the OUTING in Scouting.

This is the full day that we'll be up in them thar hills. If things are going according to plan (and my obsessive personality almost always assures that they do, ) then depending on the time of day you're reading this, we're doing at least one of the following:

Eating a breakfast of pancakes, fruit and juice.

Tie Dyeing shirts, pillowcases, socks, etc.

Going on a trail hunt. We're starting the hunt by assembling a small (63 piece) puzzle that I painted the first clue (in code) on.

They'll have to go to the Peace Pole that's located outside the lodge to find the compass directions needed to locate the first packet. From there, we're locating the packets I hid next to the trails around the property yesterday afternoon.

The packets contain pieces of a puzzle to be assembled back at the lodge at the end of the hike, a stamp for each packet (the girls stamp their logbooks with the packet stamp, and the packet with their own individual stamp) a balloon that has to be inflated (I used a balloon pump to inflate the balloons, wrote on them in teeny letters with a Sharpie, then deflated them).

To read each one, the girls will have to use the balloon pump they're going to get in their big trail pack. to read the next clue, (those clues are also written in code) and an activity.

In the first packet are a bunch of Sharpies with wood cookies. They're making and decorating name tags, which is a Girl Scout tradition and always fun.

In another packet are the materials to make a dream catcher in the traditional fashion... no pre-made rings here! Got into my supplies and found some feathers. I discovered that feather dust makes me sneeze. Don't you dare suggest it's just regular dust.

Another packet contains beads and stretchy string to make a bracelet or two. One to keep, one to share. As I write this, I am trying to think of a way for them to share bracelets so that no one gets more than one (and no one has hurt feelings) from someone else. Maybe pass them around the circle at campfire?

One packet contains rocks and acrylic paints to make a garden rock... for a houseplant or for outside plants... or just for your bookcase at home.

The last packet (which will not be 'planted' until the morning of the hunt due to animals) will contain granola bars and raisins, cups and a jug of water.

Now depending on what time you're reading this, we may also be sitting down to a lunch of tacos/burritos. It's a smorgasbord of sorts, all the ingredients are there to choose from. We have vegetarian options as well as some hamburger for the meat eaters among us. Chocolate cake for dessert.

If you're reading in the evening, we're having a spaghetti dinner complete with garlic bread and salad. And of course a meat-free sauce for those who don't eat meat. We'll add a bit of hamburger to mine, though.

Around 8, we're going to be sitting outside around the campfire. We'll be singing Girl Scout songs, toasting marshmallows and making S'mores.
We'll hang out there awhile before going in to sleep. Really as long as the girls want to. This is our last campfire, after all.

::sniff::

Let's hope everyone is able to fall asleep after our busy day, huh?

And wish me luck.

"See" you tomorrow. Or Monday. Or Tuesday. Maybe even Wednesday.