Responsible for What I Say and Do

Daisy Scouts had an important lesson today on being Responsible for What they Say and Do, their orange petal. We started with our story from the Daisy Guide about the flower character Mari. We talked about doing our chores and if we say we are going to do something we do it.

The girls all made a paper doll of themselves and brought that back to our circle where we had another story. This one was about the Paper Doll that I had. Her name was Ella and she was really looking forward to a great day but it didn't turn out so great. Kids said things to her that were not very nice and each time that happened in the story we crumpled part of the paper doll. The girls were shocked to see me scrunching my doll and tearing off her leg. But then Ella's day got better, people apologized and were nice to her. We began to tape her leg back on and straighten out her crinkles. We talked about how our words can hurt a person's spirit inside. Even though we apologize or maybe think what we say is not very hurtful, things we say can hurt a person and leave marks on them.

Remember the story, The Boy Who Cried Wolf? Perfect for teaching a lesson about being responsible for what you say! I even had a real life story of that happening in our house!

Erin was so excited to make the snack for today. She remembered it from a co-op class last session. She made the example butterfly from celery and then taught her friends how to put them together. She was very proud!

They are such a sweet little group of girls!

Perfect Ella, ready for a great day. But her friends made fun of her dress and her nails. 

 Even though they apologized, Ella still had marks on her from the unkind words.

Erin's celery butterfly.

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Lifeline of Ohio has a new home page picture and story. Check it out here!

What To Do With A Girl Scout Cookie

 Samoa Cupcake

I can't believe I have cookies still from last years sale but I do! When your the troop leader you tend to buy some extras that are left over, I'd hate for them to go to waste. Since the cookie sale is upon us again, I decided to make cupcakes for the Girl Scout sleepover last week.
I found so many recipes and had pinned these. They turned out great!
The Samoa one has coconut extract in the batter and is so good. The Tagalong had coffee in the batter and the best part of that one is the Tagalong cookie in the bottom of the cupcake liner. It's like a little surprise when you take a bite. The girls loved them and took the extras home.
Here are the links for the recipes. Remember to order extra cookies for your baking needs! We have plenty of cookie salesgirls here so feel free to contact us if you need to stock up!

Samoa Recipe found here

Tagalong Recipe found here

Tagalong Cupcake

Moments to Remember

My favorite parts of Glen Laurel...the front door. Love the door.

The stained glass and Scottish plaids throughout.

Being early arrivals we waited for our room by this cozy fireplace while sipping hot chocolate and reading a book. Love the tea box below.

The view from my reading spot. The dining room sits in the room behind where we had many wonderful meals. Loved the scones in the morning that we had with our breakfast. Loved the six course dinners by candlelight. Many people we talked to were staying in the cottages and crofts. We had a room in the manor house where these pictures are from. It was so nice with the weather to be right in the house and just walk down the hall to dinner.

The township is dry so you need to bring your own wine which is fine with me, I get to have my favorite! We enjoyed wine and cheese before dinner. Celtic music plays throughout the inn ( you can even turn it on in your room!) and it changes to bagpipers to call you to dinner.

Even though only 35 minutes from home, I felt like I really got away for two days. We loved hiking the gorge and spending the rainy afternoon reading in our room. The huge jet tub was the perfect place for a glass of wine and my book, ahhh. We definitely have many wonderful memories and will be going back again!

Icy Beauty

Today was hiking day and it was so beautiful. The icicles are huge and amazing! The woods are so bright from the snow and all of the leaves being gone. We walked all along the gorge and explored every area we could get to. I have many more pictures but its movie time so I have to stop uploading so we can start our entertainment!

My favorite picture of Bill from today. 

This mossy area has tons of tiny little icicles that are curved on the ground. It looks like a place little winter forest fairies live.

Weekend Rest

I tried to surprise Bill with this get away in November. He decided that getting pneumonia and having it spread to his heart and give him a heart attack was a better way to spend a romantic getaway! We spent 4 days at Mt. Carmel East "Inn". Not fun or romantic, unless you count that really cute hospital gown he had to wear!

So here we are again, rescheduled in January and it is SO cozy at Glen Laurel in Hocking Hills. We have cranked on the fireplace after our hike in the woods and it is so nice! Our dinner was huge and so good but I literally could not eat one more bite! We have all day tomorrow, just us! We are going to hike tomorrow, hopefully a couple of different trails and wander around somewhere quaint.

Somewhere in there I need to fit in my nap and a hot bath ....

Crochet Friend

Lindy and Paige have been taking Crochet at co-op over the last year. They have loved it and so have I since I have gotten new scarves from this! They really like one of their older friends, Mary Ann who is the Crochet teacher's teenage daughter and who they really look up to as an expert crocheter (not sure it that's a word!)

Last night at teen night, Mary Ann sent me home with 3 hats, 1 for each of the girls. Lindy and Paige had just gotten new winter coats so they were thrilled to have new winter accessories to match.

How cute do they look?! What a wonderful talent Mary Ann has and how very sweet to share it with the girls. They felt pretty special she had done that for them!

Home Alone

It was bound to happen. It's almost happened before but we've always caught ourselves and checked to be sure we had everyone. Today was an honest error. I left to take Ethan to get his picture taken for his passport. I told Bill to bring Erin and Kyle with him to meet us at the post office to get the paperwork completed. The boys were then going to a fellow scouts Eagle Project and Erin and I would head to dance to pick up Lindy and Paige.

Bill dropped Kyle off at the project on the way to the post office so when he got out of his car alone, I knew we were in trouble! He and Kyle got ready to leave the house and Erin was no where around. It's not a quiet production to leave either, since you have to call the puppies and get them treats to go in their crates. The whole house hears it going on! But apparently Erin didn't hear a thing. When she didn't show up by the door, Bill assumed she had decided to leave with me.

The entire way home I kept thinking if I get pulled over for speeding, do I tell them why? That my 6 year old has been left at home, alone! Or is that going to get me in more trouble?

I fly in the door and Erin is sitting at the kitchen table, holding the phone and talking to Emma with one hand, typing on the computer with the other! No clue she was left, totally oblivious to being along. She thought Kyle was somewhere in the house. (Obviously we need a smaller house for safety sake).

When she found out she was alone she didn't freak out it was, "cool! I could have had a party!".

She has always been laid back, go with the flow. I guess that was good today otherwise we could have had a panicky, traumatized child from now on. Kyle asked her at dinner tonight what she would have done if there had been a fire in the house? She said "go out the back door and tell someone to call 911". Probably Emma!

Picture of the Day

It has to be a record for January 13th to be the first real snow fall of the season. Finally! Still not enough but better than nothing!

A Small World

Kyle's Eagle Project is taking off! We had the pleasure of interviewing a Korean War Vet this morning. We had such a great time chatting we lost track of time and were there for almost 3 hours! But the stories were great and while Kyle was interviewing I was talking with this vets wife. Believe it or not their first house when they got married, was right down the street from where Bill and I bought our first house. Literally within about 10 houses from each other!

Every time we leave an interview we get in car and look at each other and can't believe the stories we have heard or the coincidences we find. The boy is amazing. He has such a passion for this and its quite an honor to take him around to these interviews and be a part of them. I'm hoping that since I'm the photographer I will still be able to accompany him when he is able to drive himself!











That's What Friends Are For

Erin was really sad last night that she didn't get the part in the Sound of Music. She had lots of encouragement and positive comments of what a perfect Gretl she would be. But this morning she got up and said she was better and ready to try for another role! That's the life of an actress! Keep moving on until you find the right role.
As soon as we were done with school, Erin's BFF Emma, brought her a card. She knew that Erin was sad and really wanted to cheer her up. They had auditioned together and Emma was rooting for her when Erin made call backs.  It was so sweet when Emma showed up all bundled in her hat and mittens and didn't even take her coat off before she hugged Erin and gave her a card. It was so sweet and read "I didn't get the part too. Have a good time." How sweet is that?
Off they ran to have a good time, giggling and playing just like best friends. It was so sweet that Emma was so concerned about Erin and worried about her being sad. They take good care of each other and try to spend every available second together. They are there for all the happy things parties, holidays, and playtime. And now they are there for each other when they feel down. That's what friends are for.

Doing Your Best

Erin had call backs tonight for the Sound of Music and did great! She did her best but didn't get the role. She was definitely disappointed, she was very excited about the possibility! But she is proud of how she did and said she did her best and that is what it is all about.

The director was so sweet and told all the call backs that they should be really proud of themselves because getting called back is quite an accomplishment especially when they had so many girls try out.

She wants to be in a play so the search continues! Hopefully I find something that meets her criteria!

Good Job Erin! We are so proud of you! You did a great job!