Girl Scout Camp Out

This year, Avery's Girl Scout troop chose to spend their cookie money on a camping trip.  They paid for the campsites and all of the food.  We were able to borrow the camping gear from the Girl Scouts, and the girls planned the trip...including all of the meal planning.  

(With some guidance from their troop leaders!)

We headed out to Birch Bay State Park on Friday afternoon.  (Nice and close to home!)

The girls were divided into "Teams" for the weekend.  They would be sleeping in a tent together and each team would be responsible for different "Kapers" throughout the weekend.  Including things like hostessing before and during a meal, preparing and cooking, then cleaning up.  I really like this Girl Scout way of camping!  Us three Moms on the trip got to watch the girls do most of the work...we were just there to lend a helping hand as needed!

The girls got to work getting camp set up.

Once the tents were up, the cooking teams got started with preparing dinner.  

Baked potato and salad bar.

After dinner, each girl did her own dishes....

And then there was a lesson in fire building.

We decided to head down to the beach for a nice sunset walk.  

The girls stopped to pose along the way! 

Then they had a great time playing on the beach.

We headed back to the campsites for campfire and s'mores.

Super Addie led the way!!!!

 It was a looooonnnnnnggggggg night.  Not because our girls were up talking, but it seemed as though the LOUDEST campsite in the campground was adjacent to ours.  Not to mention the several trips to the bathroom throughout the night.  Needless to say, we were all a little blurry-eyed in the morning.  BUT the AWESOME pie-iron breakfast (and coffee for the Moms) livened us right up!

After breakfast we packed a picnic lunch and headed to Pt. Whitehorn for the 

LOWEST tide of the year!!!  

It was a beautiful hike through the woods, then on down to the beach.

We spent a good portion of the day on the beach digging and exploring the tide pools for lots of cool critters.  It was a gorgeous day to do it!

When we got back to camp, the girls had some free time.  Most of them just wanted to hang out in the tent.  This was Avery's team.  They had a great time together!!!

The girls were lured out of the tents by the sound of the ice cream truck!!!

Yes....the Sugar Shack was making its way through the campground!

We couldn't pass up the opportunity for some ice cream!

After free time, Michelle had some team building games for the girls to play.  

We headed out to the open field.

When the games were finished, we needed to get back to camp to start the fire to make our foil packets for dinner!!! The girls chopped all the veggies and everyone built their own packet.  We stuck them in the coals and turned them a couple times over a period of about 45 minutes. 

(Seriously....the BEST campfire meal I've had!!!)

We had such a great time!!!!  The girls were troopers and were VERY tired when we were packing up the next morning!  BUT....there is a good chance when they get to vote about how to spend their cookie money next year....many of them will choose to do another camp out!!!

Way to go Girl Scouts!!!

Father's Day

Avery and Annalise love their Daddy very much.

Each of them took some time to answer a few questions about him.

They had the same questions....many had similar answers....some were a bit different.

This was Avery's version.....

And Annalise's.....

We had a nice day together...celebrating an amazing Daddy!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Auntie Lori and Cousin Mallory

We were so excited when Auntie Lori said she and Mallory were going to come to 

Ferndale for a visit!!!!!!  We had a great time hanging out.....

The girls and Mallory went on a "bear hunt"!

We went to the Farmer's Market in Bellingham, got to go out to lunch.....

it was super nice spending time together.

Wish we lived closer and could do it more often!!!

Preschool Graduate

Our sweet and sassy Annalise is a Preschool Graduate!!!

Her school had a nice graduation ceremony where they had their biggest "class" of graduating preschoolers!  The kids sang songs and were each recognized by their teacher.

Annalise was VERY excited!  She had been sick most of the week before, but rallied just in time to make it for graduation day!  Phew!!!

She picked her outfit....and the LOCATION of her photos....

Right before the kids started walking down the aisle, the teachers told them to fill their cheeks with air so that they wouldn't be so chatty.  Annalise took them literally.  Such a good rule follower!

The kids all got up to the risers and sang a couple of songs.  

Well...mostly Teacher Kelly sang the songs.  

You wouldn't know that they had been practicing for a month or so! :)  

The kids got stage fright.

Even Annalise who knew each of the words, seemed to just be mouthing them?!

Then it came time to announce the graduates.

Each student waited patiently for their turn to hear what their teacher had to say....

then ask if they were ready for Kindergarten.

Teacher Allison called Annalise to the front.....

(She had some great things to say, but apparently the video is too large?!  She spoke of Annalise's eagerness to be a "helper"...always jumping in to help clean up, or help anyone with anything!)

Annalise relaxed a whole bunch once she came back to sit with us and show us her new monkey!

After the ceremony, we all celebrated with cookies and cupcakes...

And one last picture with her school buddy Esaia...

(She's sure going to miss him next year!)

It was a great year of preschool at Monkey'n Around for Annalise.

Thanks to some wonderful and loving teachers!!! :)

Bridging to Juniors

Avery has just completed her fourth year as a Girl Scout!

She is no longer a "Brownie"...she has bridged to being a "Junior"!

The ceremony was in our backyard "common area" again....

The girls sang the penguin song....and asked for everyone to join in....

Then they each spoke about their favorite thing about being a Brownie.

Avery liked being able to plan and be in charge of the activities.  Other kids said things that ranged from being with friends, buying things for the Humane Society and selling cookies, to learning new skills and looking forward to our upcoming camp out!

(I didn't have my camera there for the symbolic "crossing of the bridge", so there aren't any pictures from that part of the ceremony!)

After that, the girls received their final awards as Brownies and their first as Juniors.

It's a bittersweet ending of the year....our fearless and EVER-so-enthusiastic troop leader Michelle has decided to step down for next year.  With ALL 10 girls wanting to continue, nobody wanted to see the troop dissolve into others.  Avery really wanted to continue...and I really do believe in the Girl Scout philosophy.  I think Avery has learned so much about helping others and the importance of community through Girl Scouts.  SO...I decided to step up and take on the role of troop leader (silent scream) with the help of two other moms who promise to be more "co" leaders!  We'll see.  I have some REALLY big shoes to fill.  I hope I can do it!

Well....regardless....we're moving on to Junior Girl Scouts!