December 2021 Newsletter
A Note From the Founder – You Are Never Too Old…
While it is true that interests change as kids get older, there will always be a bit of the child in all of us. Sometimes kids stop doing the things they enjoy because it isn’t “cool” or they are afraid of being made fun of. Encourage your kids to embrace the things that bring them joy regardless of what others think.
One of the new badges recently submitted is the Indoor Forts badges. It is a great badge to indulge in a little child-like behavior. I am 52 years old and I still love making forts just for the fun of it. There is something comforting about a homemade cave under the dining room table. My daughters used to love turning empty cupboards into their own private spaces. When I recently bought a new cupboard for my entryway, the first thing my adult daughter did was climb inside! She was thrilled that she could actually fit and the giggles it brought made me laugh.
When working on badges with your kids, don’t forget to take part yourself. Show them how much fun learning can be and embrace the simple things in life. You are never to old to climb in a cupboard!
New Badges Posted
Indoor Forts, Internet Memes, Teal Pumpkin
Badge Sale – January 2022
Start preplanning now for our annual badge sale. Each January we put all badges on sale 10% for the entire month of January. This is a great time to stock up on badges you plan to earn. Just keep in mind that we do not accept returns for badges as they are made on demand. If you pre-purchase badges during the sale that you plan to earn, make sure to earn them so they don’t go to waste.
Troop #159 Celebrates 10 Years!
The average age of a Frontier Girls troop or Quest Club is 3 years. As kids age, interests change, or families move, most leaders can serve for three or four years before life gets in the way. When a club leader steps down 90% of clubs will close as no other parent will step in to take charge. Because of this we are always incredibly grateful for leaders who continue to lead regardless of what life throws at them and are in it for the long haul.
I would like to formally congratulate Katie Lundquist, leader of Troop #159 for reaching the 10 year mark with her troop! Katie started her journey as a Frontier Girls leader in 2011, but quickly added a Quest Club, called Frontiersmen, alongside her troop for the boys. Over the last 10 years, Troop #159 has become one of the most active in the nation. As a homeschooling mother of 11 children, a business owner, and a cancer survivor, “life” is always getting in the way, but Katie never quits.
I have never met anyone who understood how to “think in badges” like Katie Lundquist. She lives and breathes badges in her day to day life and shows the children in her care that everything around them can be fun and educational. She has become a master at combining badges to show the kids how topics interconnect.
Katie’s troop has reached Super Troop status every year. Part of being a Super Troop is participating in community service. To date, her troop has put in more than 15,711 service hours. Not only does Katie provide plenty of opportunities for her kids to help within their community, but Katie also takes the time to help within ours. Over the last 10 years I have lost count of the number of parents and leaders that Katie has mentored within the Frontier Girls and Quest programs. She is a wealth of information and is always willing to add support when needed.
While Katie has kept her troop running smoothly the last 10 years, she has not done so alone. Two of her older daughters have stayed in the program even after graduation to help lead the troop alongside their mother. Troop #159 truly is a family affair and a great example of how families support one and other.
If you have not had the opportunity to get to know Katie via one of our forums, I encourage you to reach out and congratulate her. She is one of the most amazing women it has ever been my honor to meet.
Cookie Time!
Mmmm! The smell of fresh baked cookies is in the air. Is there anything better than Christmas cookie time? Over the last few weeks, friends have been making sugar cookies, rum balls, chocolate fudge, snicker doodles, persimmon spice cookies…the list goes on. There is something about Christmas that pulls all of the bakers of the country out of the woodwork.
But not everyone has time to bake. If you are looking for a quick, fun, last minute cookie project to do with your kids, try making polar bear cookies. No cooking required!
Polar Bear Cookies
You will need:
- 1 package of white fudge covered Oreo cookies
- 1 package white chocolate wafers
- 1 tube of white frosting
- 1 tube of black frosting
- Candy “eyes” (optional)
- blue M&Ms or Sixlets
- wax paper.
Lay out your cookies on the wax paper leaving enough room to add ears (white chocolate wafers) on top. Use the frosting to attach a wafers to the top of the cookie to create ears and to attach a mini cookie for the muzzle. Flip the wafers upside down for the ears so the flat side is up and right side up for the muzzle so the rounded side is up. Then attach your eyes (if using candy eyes) and nose (blue M&M or Sixlet). Use the black frosting to add eyes, mouth and any other details you desire. Let your kids get creative and create pirates or other characters if they wish. Yum!