Try-Its that Point Down

Sometimes it seems like all the try its have to be sewn in the same direction. Here's a list of all the current try-its that can be sewn (ironed-on) with the point down. Those with a star can be either direction.

Animals
Colors and Shapes (any direction)
Movers (Looks good on side)
Around the World
Art to Wear
Brownie Girl Scout Around the World
Brownie Girl Scouts through the Years
Careers
Creative Composing
Dancersize
Earth is Our Home
Eat Right, Stay Healthy
Eco Explorer
Friends Are Fun
Her Story
Hobbies
Making Music
Manners
Math
Me & My Shadow
Outdoor Adventurer
People of the World
Ready, Set, Go Camping
Safety Sense
Science in Action
Senses
Sounds of Music
Space Explorers*
Sports and Games*
Stitch it Together*
Water Everywhere

Mary Kay wasn't born cheap... but she got there pretty quickly.

Big K and Brownie Try Its

Like many little girls her age, Big K is in her first year of Brownies, having bridged up from Daisies last spring. She is a part of a really sweet troop of eight girls. They have two uber-fabulous leaders who work on lots of try-its with the girls.

Many of these I am not present for, so you won't find comments on those here... except of course my overflowing gratitude to these two tireless ladies!

To supplement what they do with their troop and help feed her interest in these activities, we've been working on some additional try-its at home. Some of these are from the try-it hand book, and some are Council's Own Try-its.

If you are not familiar with Council's own try-its, these are try-its designed by individual councils. ANY girls scout can earn them, however, and most councils are more than happy to share. Many of the topics are more in depth than those in the Try-it hand book, and there are many to chose from.

Some have on-line stores with the individual try-it requirements, as well as the try-its available for purchase on-line. Some, you have to call the store and order. Since most of these councils do charge a shipping/handling charge- it's helpful to purchase more than one at a time. Either for a group of girls, working on the same try-it, or wait until you have a few different try-its to order. That way, the cost per try-it is not as high.

Many times, we just choose a try-out that fits with what we are already foing that day. For example, the day we spent biking with the neighbors on the greenbelt, I pulled up the bicycling try-it requirements as well as the sports and games requirements. (Remember! No Double-Dipping!) The day we went skating, I googled Skating Try-it-- and found one. Several of the requirements could be met easily on that outing.

Future of Try-Its: You have probably heard by now that Girl Scouts are Rolling out their JOURNEYS in the fall of 2011. By 2012 all Girl Scouts should be in the new program. This means by the time she bridges to Juniors, we'll be in a whole new program! You can still earn and add try-its until then, as long as they are available. If there's one you really want to try, you might want to go ahead and buy it, set it aside. The council's own try-its, in particular, can't be reordered while they are making the switch. So get 'em while you can.

Mary Kay wasn't born cheap... but she got there pretty quickly.

Say it Ain't Sew.... Jim and Diane are Retiring!

Ask them a sewing question, go ahead. Ask them a computer question, please. Go ahead ask them about their grandchildren--- and watch their face light up.

A truly great adventure into sewing that SO SADLY is ending this month. Over the years, whenever someone has asked about where and what to buy regarding sewing machines.... I have always directed them to the same place.

For a decade and a half, there is no other person I would trust to work on my machines.

Now, they are taking some much needed time, to enjoy life. I'm so sad!! (Only selfishly formyself, not for them.)

Over the years, I have come to think of them as family. If you haven't ever had the pleasure-- stop by this week. They are having a huge sale. sewingroom.com Wish them congratulations and good luck, then quietly return to your car and sob. A Giant craft store could never take their place, the fact that they know your name when you walk in-- that they actually know how to sew and have years of experience on all things digitizing and sewing. There is no other pair like the Stutsmans. Jim and Diane-- you will be missed!

Mary Kay wasn't born cheap... but she got there pretty quickly.

What do you tell? And When?

It's pretty clear after 8 years, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I wonder if I'll ever figure it out....

One of the lessons we're working on at my house is "you don't have to say everything that is in your head" -- and primarily, how this is different than lying.

K2 has a lot of trouble with this issue, and hoenstly, so do most adults. We've gotten the little white lie down. But knowing when to say NOTHING is a whole other matter.

K2 told her friend that she liked her hair better before it was cut. Little friend cries. You don't have to say everything that's in your head...

The Sunday school teacher in me though, feels an obligation to make the very same mistake when it involves the well being of our children.
When do you tell? And What?
If you hear a teenager saying they smoke, do you talk to your friend, their mom? What about cutting class? or vandalism? And when, when do you say something?

Or is this a matter of NOT saying everything that's in your head?

When I was growing up, many a teenage boy called my Dad to be rescued from where they had their car stuck late at night. They didn't want to call their parents. Most of these were "parking" incidents. But what if the teen had been drinking? He would have driven them home, but probably wouldn't have told their parents.

I's pretty sure I lost a friend this week. It makes me sad in ways I can't even tell you. I miss you Dad. Always, but this week in particular.

It's pushed into our mind that as responsible adults we must tell certain things. Gotcha. But what about some of the "fringe" things...?

Mary Kay still hasn't figured out the Mom thing. Hopefully I'll get it before they are gone!

Jammie up

A Hobo, or at least very poor

My family is very rich in all the ways that count. We have lots of love, laughs, plenty to eat, strong faith... but material things are sometimes a little tight. We don't always have the newest toys, drive the newest cars--

This hasn't really been an issue. Until this week.

Big K came home from school to tell me that a boy (a really cute-y pie boy, of course..) told her he thought she must be a HOBO, or at least very, very poor. (Hobo? Does anyone use this word anymore?)

I'm not sure why this made my blood boil. My daughter is bright, funny and beautiful. She has a heart of gold. (Sure sweetie I get it. He has Bambi eyelashes and a toothpaste ad smile...) She would never think to taunt another child. (Go ahead, darling... I'll look the other way..)

As a mom, we frequently have to watch our "Momma bear claws". The Mom of this child would most likely be horrified he had said such a thing.

For now, I told her maybe he's not the boy for her. (Biting lip...) If he can't see her wonderful qualities, it's time to move on. (Please, please... stop chasing this boy. You are only headed for more heartache. He will continue to make you cry. Now he knows he can...) In my head, I don't worry. She's destined for great things. I explained to her that children are not actually rich or poor. Their parents might own a nice car or a big house, but the child himself OWNS NOTHING. (That's why you are going to school-- to learn things to help you become who you will be. Learn things besides the fact that some boys are jerks...)

Some lessons are harder than others. Sometimes, it would be easier if we could take the bite for them. But we can't. Life's lessons are out there, and we must stand on the sideline --biting our lip.

Mary Kay wasn't born cheap... but she got there pretty quickly.

Rewiring a Hunter LED fan

There is a really great post on this subject on http://buttrynet.dyndns.org/BNETWeb2/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=325 written by someone who obviously has a little more wiring experience. I was hoping for a few more photos. :)

So in case you too, have a Hunter LED fan with pitiful output-- Here's a couple of EXTRA steps, which might make it clearer for the less mechanically inclined. It would have saved me a little headache.

1. Remove the light globe, and then remove the led panel. This clicks into a red and black wire via a black connector. Do NOT try to attach the light bulb to these wires. (It won't work, the black here is a ground wire.)
2. Remove the silver "tray" under the LED lighting.
3. Remove the vented housing (this was not intutitive for me, it looked like something that didn't need to come off) This is the housing is located directly under the blades. Do not worry, the blades will not come off. It is held on by three screws. One you have to screw out, and the other two have keyholes, where you can twist to remove the housing.
4. Remove the "lid" to this housing. (It screws on.)
5. You should now see wires, and a small black box. Into the black box two wires (these are both 12 V) and out comes a red and black wire. Cut the two white wires as close to the box as possible, and remove the black box. (This is the AC/DC convertor.)
6. These two wires are the wires you need for your bulb (s). If you have one bulb only, just connect one wire to each side. If you need more bulbs (more light) you will need to connect them in parallel.
7. To connect bulbs in parallel- you need short pieces of coated wire, twist connectors, and bulb sockets. (Get the kind with screws, it will make your life easier.) Run a black wire from each bulb to the black wire (twist with connector) then repeat with white. Do not "chain" them together-- unless you are going for a disco strobe effect. :)

Just a note-- the original directions were wonderful, check them out. This is not intended in any way to take away from the hard work, photos or ingenuity of Dell. I just wanted to provide some more detail for those who might be new at this.

Mary Kay wasn't born cheap... but she got there pretty quickly.