Getting Crafty

I read about a couple of bloggers who do a craft challenge called Project Project Runway.  They make outfits for dolls based on the tv show challenges.  I know Penguin Girl would love to do this.  Although I'm not quite sure she has the manual dexterity to pull it off.  She was really hoping for the version of a doll that looks the most like herself, which happens to be one that is discontinued.  I spent a ridiculous amount of time on the internet hunting it down.  Then I spent a crazy amount of money on this posable plastic doll to be her model.  If this isn't fun, I'm going to be so disappointed.

Stay tuned for her first design!

Cheer

This week Penguin Girl is attending cheer camp through the town's parks and rec program.  I don't view cheerleading as a sport.  I just thought Penguin Girl would have fun because I imagine the camp will have her dancing and jumping around and shouting silly things.  The combination of which is pretty annoying when it happens in the house and leads to conflict with Mr. Destructo.

Yesterday I asked Penguin Girl what she did at camp.  She demonstrated many, many moves and told me their names.  She has never gone to any activity and returned home retaining as much information.  I told Car Guy about this.  Tonight he asked Penguin Girl what she did at camp and received a similar demonstration.  Why is it that she absorbs this much of a completely inane activity over a mere 2 days yet after 2 seasons of soccer, she still seems like she hasn't really played?

Camp Ginger Cascades

Penguin Girl went to sleep-away Girl Scout camp for the first time.  It was only two nights away and she went with her troop and troop leaders.  Her troop leaders asked for a volunteer to drive because their vehicles could not hold all the stuff.  I said I would drive all the stuff.  I don't mind a leisurely drive with backpacks and sleeping bags--they are pretty quiet.  However, when I got to her leader's house, I was pretty surprised to learn that there had been a change of plans and I was in fact going to have five girls riding with me.  It was not a quiet ride up to the camp.  The camp was very much like the Girl Scout camp I remember from my youth.  Very, very rustic.  I was glad I'd be going home to sleep in air conditioned splendor in my clean, bug-free house.

Penguin Girl went swimming, paddled a canoe, made crafts, went on a scavenger hunt, played capture-the-flag, and ate brownies but no vegetables.  It rained so she did not get to sit around a campfire.  And there was some thundering going on so the troop did not get to go cascading.  The lack of cascading seemed to be her principal disappointment otherwise she had fun.  I sent along some money for the trading post and she selected a patch for her vest and a kit to construct a butterfly.

When she got back, her troop leader recommended unpacking outside in case of critters.  Luckily I listened to her advice.  There was a pretty big beetle stowed away at the bottom of her duffel.  Yick.  I asked Penguin Girl if she wants to go again next summer.  She said that she did not like the abundance of spiders so she'd have to think about it.  And she's not as keen on participating in the weeklong camps because she learned that girls are required to take a turn cleaning the bathroom.  Double yick.