Are moms a safe choice?

Yesterday we held our usual Daisy Girl Scout troop meeting. The topic was "courageous and strong" and we used the time to talk about a variety of scary situations the girls could find themselves in and what is the right thing to do. We talked about getting lost in the woods. We talked about stranger danger. We talked about fire safety. My co-leader led the meeting, so she was the one deciding what advice to give the girls about all these situations.

Her advice about what to do if you get lost in a mall/grocery store is stuck in my head. She advised the girls to go to 1) a cashier or someone who works at the store or 2) a mom with kids and tell them you are lost. It was the "find a mom with kids" part that is keeping my brain cells occupied. Are we suggesting that moms with kids are less likely to be child abductors or pedophiles? I don't know...maybe that's true. There has to be stats on that somewhere. She didn't say "a dad with kids" so maybe we think that women are safer than men. But then I started to think about "finding a person that works there" and I guess they could be a child abductor/pedophile too. But we have to pick someone for the kids to go to. Isn't a mom with kids a good choice? Maybe we assume that a mom with kids has enough trouble...uh...children...of her own that she doesn't need to take anyone elses. No, I know what she means. She means that we all know how moms feel about their kids and any of us would be glad to help another mother/child out. We choose to trust each other.

But it still feels a little biased.

It was essentially the same topic that Dear Prudence dealt with in her post this morning. Should a Dad take a Daughter into the womens or mens restroom? Prudence felt like the dad shouldn't go into the women's restroom to help his daughter and that the daughter probably didn't need to see men standing at the urinals...so the best option is to find a family restroom or to have another mom watch his daughter in the restroom. Again, are mom's really more trustworthy than other women?

I don't know if it is biased...and when I really thought about it...I'm not sure that I care. I certainly didn't change the advice for my kids. I do want them to find a mom (or dad) with kids if they get lost and ask for help. Whaddya think?

This one's for the Girl Scouts...

Today was my first Daisy Girl Scout troop field trip. We had so much fun! We went to the Camp River Ranch, which is in Carnation by the Tolt River. It is a 425 acre property owned by the Girl Scouts. They host activities there (like the "help it grow" activity we joined today), as well as day camps, over-night camps, troop and family camping, hiking, and more. Today the weather was sunny and beautiful...just perfect.

Here we are, just after we arrived at the camp.

The camp staff started out the festivities with some story time. Our girls were great! They all sat quietly and listened. I must figure out the trick the staff used to capture their attention and hold it through 2 stories.

After story time, it was time for our troop to have "tea". Lemonade, cookies, carrots and cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches was hosted by a troop of Junior Girl Scouts. Most of our girls skipped the cucumber sandwiches, but at least they did it politely!

The Junior Girl Scouts then taught our girls a bunch of songs and played games with them.
The girls loved it and joined right in.

Next it was time for our girls to make their concrete stepping stones.
They collected pieces of nature and also used some colored glass to create a design in their pans.

After that, they were allowed to help mix the concrete and spread it into their pans.

It was a little messy, so some handwashing was next on the agenda.


Funny how even handwashing can be fun when you are allowed to do it outside and splash a little...

We had a few moments before our next activity started, so the camp director took the girls on a little hike. The girls loved the freedom to run around a bit and the Tolt River was beautiful!



The girls were given some time to explore the cabins used for overnight camping. A raccoon visited a nearby tree during their exploration, so the girls experienced some animal sightings too (they also saw dear in the meadow).

Now it was time for our gardening adventures. The girls planted cucumbers and beans.
They watered their seeds and also did some weeding in other areas. If the girls go back for any activities in the summer, they will get opportunities to see their stepping stones and eat some of their produce.

The last activity was playing games. The game leader found us a nice spot in the shade and led the girls in a bunch of running-around games. We chaperones were already getting tired, so it was time to tire the girls out!

One final Girl Scout circle with all the girls and it was time to go home!


If anyone has interest in seeing all the pictures, let me know and I'll post them on a share site for all to view.

Surrounded by Workers

Today I am feeling grateful for all the groups that surround me that participate in charitable activities. I know for a fact that our family wouldn't get involved in most of the fundraising or charitable activities that we do if it weren't for somebody else getting organized and providing us with the opportunity to help out.

This month our Daisy Girl Scout troop has several different opportunities because of work that other troops in the area participate in. Our Daisy's made rice sock/bed warmers for the resident's of Issaquah's Tent City because a nearby troop committed to every homeless person in tent city getting one. Next our Daisy's will be contributing items for Easter baskets for kids at Matthew's House. Matthew's House takes care of kids while their parents are incarcerated and is a charitable focus of our entire service unit (all the girl scouts in our area).

Through my kids' swimming program, they can contribute to Project Ethiopia. Our swim instructor encourages each of her students to make $8 - $14 themselves and donate it to Project Ethiopia so that a child there can get a set of clothes and be able to attend the local school. My husband's cousin recently traveled to Ethiopia for some mission work and that provided an opportunity to help out in Ethiopia as well (her blog can be found at http://hopeforethiopiasorphans.blogspot.com if you are interested in her work there).

My Father-in-law organized a fund-raising golf tournament for the SemperFi fund to help Marines and their families who need assistance. Our church group supports the missionary work & disaster relief in the Phillipines. Our preschool supports the local food bank. And the list goes on...

What's my point? All these efforts have been started by someone else...usually someone else that I know...and give us an opportunity to be a blessing to others. Some days it seems so overwhelming just taking care of my own family that I can't imagine putting the time and energy into a project like that, but then I wonder where would the world be without people like these who do dedicate themselves to organizing help for others.

I'm about to wander off into the political arena people, so some of you might want to start tuning me out now...

I think it would be awesome if all the world's ills could be fixed by generous people like this reaching out to help others. Ideally, I want us all to be aware of the needs of those around us and help out so the government doesn't need to step in with large scale, usually red tape filled programs to make up the difference. But that just doesn't seem realistic. I know many of those close to me (sorry dad) would just like the government to remove their hands from their wallet and let them choose whom to help and how much to give. I just don't think we are aware enough of the problems of society to do that. I don't think the "less pretty" illnesses would get very much assistance at all...and I think those groups need help too.

So, that's my $.02. I know I wandered off into a more serious topic than usual. Never fear, tomorrow I'll go back to wondering what color I should paint my girls' toenails. =)

Marymoor Park, Scootering, and Rice Socks

Well, here it is...barely 7 am on a Saturday. Hubby is gone to work and all three kids decided on a pre-7 am start time. Isn't that peachy?

In keeping with my New Year's Resolution, I want to take the kids hiking this morning. I failed to remember to line up some adult help (usually my dad or FIL) so it will just be me and the kids. I'm trying to decide what to do. Part of me wants to grab the girls' scooters and just head down to Marymoor for the nice paved trail. In some ways it seems easier...less whining if the kids are zipping around, less mud, almost no hills, no need to layer up like Eskimos. But in some ways I think it could be more difficult. For example, Sweetness has a razor-like scooter which is MUCH faster than Spunky Girl's scooter. THAT could be an issue. Also, we could get a mile out there and one of the girls could fall off their scooters and want to be carried back. And when I say "No Can Do" to that, because I'm already carrying the Big Guy or pushing him in a stroller, they will try to find a way for me to carry their scooter and they'll limp slowly back to the parking lot...which will seem like a VERY long way back. Hmmm. Perhaps it would be better if I didn't consider all the possible outcomes and just went and did it.

Today I also need to find the materials to make rice sock/bed warmers. My Girl Scout Daisy troop is making these on Monday for the residents of Issaquah's Tent City (a homeless camp for those of you who are out of state or otherwise have your heads in the sand). Buying the rice and the socks is easy, but I want to buy stuff to put in them to make them smell lovely.

Rosemary, Lavender, maybe Mint. Anybody have any suggestions on where I can get that stuff? I figure I can buy Rosemary and Mint from the grocery store, but I'm not sure if the stuff in the refrigerated section is really what I want. It seems like getting rosemary twigs right off a plant would be better (and more cost effective?). And what about the lavender. I know there is a lavender farm on San Juan Island, but that trip won't fit into my day. I need somewhere local. Any ideas????

Okay, I'm off to get everyone dressed and going today. Hmmm...I think I'll start with me today! That's what people mean by "putting yourself first", right?