Girl Scout Camp Out-Year 3

Madison and I returned from our annual girl scout campout.  This made the third year in a row to hike up to Lake Murray and spend a few days sleeping in cabins, thinking up skits, and having your basic girl bonding.  It's amazing how much the girls have changed from just Last year-let alone the first year we went.  This year they did almost everything for themselves.  They knew what kindling was, and where to find it.  They organized their own hikes.  They thought of their own activities (including massive rock collections).  The helped assemble meals, and did the clean-up almost entirely independently.  It was kind of amazing.  Sharyn, Janet and I were there truly as chaperones, and had time to sit and chat about girl stuff, life stuff, mom stuff, and just your basic stuff stuff.  It was actually a really relaxing weekend-surprisingly so. 

There was of course drama-we are talking about girls here.  Sharyn led us in our first troop snipe hunt, and there were a few nonbelievers.  It was hilarious watching the girls run through the campsite doing tarzan yells and looking for "blinking" eyes in the woods though-hilarious.  In the end, it was agreed that our tactic was less than perfect, and better luck would be had the next time.  We had a little girl-clique drama, too.  I hate that, but don't know how to prevent it.  I wish I could make them see how they treat eachother, but it's the same with all girls of all ages-and I guess they just have to push through it.  I made them all "hug it out" when I could though, thinking maybe that would stay with them more than the hate and discontent of a spat here and there. 

They left camp this morning exhausted from all the hiking, laughing, running, and campfiring we could squeeze in one weekend, and slept most of the drive home.  I hope it was as fun for them as it was for me...the sappy side of watching them grow and change, and of course the relaxing side of a weekend away from the chaos of everyday.