If you are reading this, and your mom was ever your Girl Scout Troop Leader, or the "Cookie Mom" for your troop...STOP reading, GO to the phone, CALL her up and THANK HER PROFUSELY.
Seriously, when I signed up to be the Co-Leader of Chloe's troop, I had NO idea what went into it. Now, I know it's things that I didn't have a lot of to begin with.
Things like:
1- PATIENCE. Now, this may come as a complete shock to some of you (yes, that was sarcasm), but I was not at the front of the line when the good Lord was passing out patience. This has never been more evident than when I am faced with 16 K-3rd graders that are loud, lacking self-control of any sort and hyped up on sugar every other Tuesday for two hours.
2-TIME. When I was asked to co-lead, I thought, sure, no problem. Two hours a week every other week, how hard is that? Well...no one mentioned the hours that go into planning the meetings, the hours of driving here, there and everywhere to acquire things for the meetings, hours on the phone trying to coordinate field trips, hours at training sessions, and HOURS dealing with all things cookies.
Last Saturday, Rachel (the other leader) and I spent 3 hours at the cookie distribution center sorting out our cases of cookies and loading them onto a cart. Then, having them recounted by a "cookie person", then, loading all 180 cases into my truck.
Next, we unloaded all 180 cases into my garage, sorted the cases into a stackfor each of the 16 girls, then rechecked the leftovers for future booth sales. We spent the next 4 hours, distributing the cookies to the girls in our troop. That evening, I sorted Chloe's 382 boxes of cookies into piles...church, family, friends, school, etc.
Sunday, there was a line down the center aisle after church. It took an hour to hand out about half of the cookies that everyone ordered. Came home, and for two hours, distributed more cookies to troop girls. Back to church, another hour of distribution.
Monday was spent driving around delivering cookies, and then two hours after school of troop distribution.
Today, 3 hours of driving around delivering cookies.
Tomorrow, 2 hours of driving and distributing.
Tomorrow night, we have two hours of booths.
Saturday, 6 hours.
Monday, 6 hours.
And, now you see why I am turning into a Cookie Monster (translation- grumpy due to cookie exhaustion).
On a happier note...I am getting to spend a good bit of quality time with Chloe, she loves that her mom is the leader, and she is the Top Seller in our troop...which means that she gets a patch stating that fact and a stuffed poodle for all of our hard work. Yay for quality time and stuffed poodles.
4 comments:
ME! my mom was my brownie leader and while i have only a few distinct memories of that time in my life...my mom loading up all those cookies is one of them...at the elementary school drop off, covered walkway. Another memory is that we went to sell cookies in some town that did not have Girl Scouts...my memory says Dickson but I could be way wrong. I remember seeing a miniature pony in someone's yard while we were selling! I would buy a box of shortbreads and a box of thin mints and keep them in my closet and try to make them last a long time, but they never did. Not long enough.
My mom...is gone but I hope right now she is knowing I appreciate all the things she did during cookie sale time! You rock Destry. Chloe will always be proud of her Cookie Monster Mom. remind her to be. Tell her I said so. ( Linda)
You are a better woman than me sister!
Hey, if you want to sell cookies at the consignment sale, no one has hit me up yet and they always sell great. Just let me know and it doesn't cost you a dime!
Com'on....Let's get this blog updated....I check it everyday...surely the cookie monster is full.
sounds like anonymous has a little OCD too!
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