Friday, February 26, 2010

I’m in Trouble Now!

 

Look what arrived today:

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This is our first year selling cookies…I’m not a big fan.  Of selling, that is.  Cookies, I like. 

We were sort of chastised for not making the individual quota (trouble #1).  I’m sorry, but I’m not a salesperson, and I’m not going to take my 7-yr-old daughter door-to-door.  We did the best we could with people we know, and actually, I didn’t think we did too bad.

We, of course, got several boxes for ourselves, and let me just say that the Lemon Chalet Cremes and the Dulce de Leche are really good (trouble #2). 

Here’s an informal poll for you:

  • Were you a Girl Scout?  (me: no)
  • As a scout, did you like/do well at cookie selling time?
  • What’s your favorite Girl Scout cookie?

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Girl Scout: Yes
Sold in the "olden times" - $.50 a box! I liked it, because we really understood that the proceeds would support the stuff our troop wanted to do! Not the pressure we see these days... No daughters; 2 sons all grown up, who are UNDER OATH to buy a box from any Girl Scout who asks!
What else? Thin mint!

maryann said...

First of all, good for you! You aren't a salesperson, and you don't want to take your daughter door-to-door, so whatever you sold should have been good enough! No one should have chastised you or made you feel bad!
Second, yes, I was a Girl Scout, I didn't mind selling cookies, but it was back in the 50 cents a box days and it was a different time then, and my favorite cookie is the peanut-butter sandwich cookie whose name I have lost track of. (It has changed several times over the years!)

trish said...

Good Morning.
Oh I just love Girl Scout cookies. My husband brought a box home from work, just for me. :o) They are the chocolate mint ones.
I never was a Girl Scout, I was a little Blue Bird. :o)
Have fun selling your cookies!
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

Deidre said...

Yes, I was a girl scout and my daughter is one right now. We just finished the cookie thing and I'm with you, I'm no saleswoman! But, we did okay and our favorite is thin mints (but Daddy loves the caramel delights!!). Oh, and anything peanut butter is a hit.

Lucy Marie said...

I was never a girl scout but I love me some girl scout cookies! My fav are the thin mints. Although, this year, I will have a chance to try some of the other varieties because I bought some from my niece who lives in the US. We don't have that many options in Canada. Just thin mints and the plain sandwich type vanilla and chocolate cookies.

Pam said...

I wasn't a girl scout the cookies are huge hits in this house. My guys love the Thin Mints. I like 'em, too. But, nothing beats a Samoa in my book! Mmmmm...

Wendy said...

Yep, I was a girl scout. A friend and I would go door to door and sell them. HATED IT!!!! My fav. cookie ~ samoas

Anonymous said...

Never was a Girl Scout. My brother was in Cub Scouts one year and didn't like it, and according to Mom's logic I wouldn't like GS. Go figure :)

One of my co-worker's daughters is a GS, and I buy from her every year. And from the girls set up outside Walmart and Sam's.

My favorites are thin mints and trefoils.

Carrie said...

Yes, I was a Girl Scout. I would do a little door to door (in my neighborhood that everyone knew everyone). My parents also took them to work. I never got any of the "cool" prizes, but always thought I did well. It's a shame how much pressure they put on you to sell, especially now with so many girls selling at the local stores.

My favorites are Samoas and Thin Mints. Oh, and Tagalongs! Honestly, I don't think I ever met a GS cookie I didn't like. lol! Thank goodness DS is a boy...It would be a scene if I had those in the house now!

alanna rose said...

I was a scout forever - all through HS and as an adult. I loved cookie time! One of my parents would take me door to door (in Jan in MI) around our block and the next block. It was fun to meet the neighbors, and I sold a lot of cookies. My parents never sold cookies for me (even in first grade), I called all of my relatives on the phone, and I helped with all of the delivering. I remember feeling really proud about all of the cookies I worked so hard to sell - and I loved the cheap prizes!

I love Samoas, and Thin Mints (frozen, of course).

Anonymous said...

Yes I was a Brownie as well as a Junior Girl Scout, do they even differeniate them like that anymore? I loved, loved, loved Cookie Time! Now with that being said it was 17-20 years ago that I sold cookies. It was much different then. We weren't at Lowe's and Home Depot sitting outside. It was strictly Mom & Dad's friends, church members and my neighbors. You can order online now! Takes all the fun out of dressing up in my sash, and visiting with Mrs. Jones next door. Wish it wasn't so competitive now a days... But they still are delicious :)

Michelle said...

Yes, I was a Girl Scout (as well as both of my daughters). No, selling cookies wasn't my favorite part! haha My all-time favorite is definitely Thin Mints (frozen)!

ABC said...

I was a Girl Scout for 10 years, and I always enjoyed cookie booths, and prizes...but not really selling in general. I always did pretty well though, based on my parents taking order forms to their offices and such. And my favorite cookie is a Tagalong. YUMMO!

Melissa said...

I wasn't a Girl Scout, but I was in Camp Fire Girls; we sold candies instead of cookies. It wasn't fun, but it was part of being in the group.

We like Girl Scout cookies, especially the coconut-caramel-chocolate ones. Yum. (LOL that the ad below this comment box is for a weight loss program.)

Pam @ bibbidi-bobbidi-beautiful said...

Hi, Holly! I was a girl scout all the way through High School and I have two little daughters, so I suspect I will not make it through their childhood without selling a few more cookies. I never loved selling cookies, always loved eating them! My favorites are samoas, thin mints are a close second. Unfortunately for me I gave up sweets for lent so I'll have to wait til Easter to eat some!

Barbara said...

Girl Scout: no
Camp Fire: yes
We sold mints...let's just say that it was not my favorite thing to do and I NEVER won a competition.

~Shelia said...

Right there with you. My little Daisy didn't break any records, but she did a little hustle of her own, and for anyone in Kindergarten, that is all I can ask. It was frigid here when we got our order forms and could go sell. She went door-to-door on our street when it was 30 degrees. THAT should get a badge!

Add to this that somehow I became "Cookie Mom" for our troop. What?!? When people ask how our troop did, I just say, "Well, especially since they are in K & 1st!"

Now we are heading into the season of the booth sale. Ugh! Maybe we will get lucky and there will be a heat wave next weekend? Possibly some sun (long missing)?

Chin up! I feel your pain!

Tricia said...

I as a girl scout when I was little but only for a couple of years. My girls have been for 4 years now. I led their troop for two years. Cookie time was my least favorite time. Ours is in October though. So on top of school starting and everything else, you have to sell cookies. Ugh! They are tasty though.
You know what's weird? Our cookies have different names. The lemon ones are lemonades here, your samoas are called caramel delights here, and we don't have the dulce de leche, but that's probably a good thing. I would be in trouble too. ;)
Our

Amber said...

I feel like such a Grinch because truth be told, I hate this time of year! I hate being accosted at every store I walk into (and out of) by five little girls all screaming, "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?!" and I swear they think the louder they are, the more I'll buy. Oh, and I especially love the mothers who like hurl insults at me for not buying since it's for a good cause.

I also can't stand the door-to-door sales. We live on base specifically because you AREN'T supposed to solicit door-to-door.

But before everyone boos me off the bolgosphere, I have my own little Scout rep (my mother's neighbor) and I buy religiously and faithfully from her every year. Plus we always send some overseas if they're still offering the option. And I end up buying about 3 boxes from her: thin mints, tagalongs (my fave), and the lemon ones.

MeenyMoe said...

I was a Girl Scout as a child for a short stint until my leader moved away/decided to quit. Then I was finished with Girl Scouts. Oddly enough, though, as an adult, I became involved again as a leader when my daughter was old enough to join. I spent the next 6 years leading a huge troop of 35 girls and later becoming a service unit manager for all the troops in our region. (can you say over-achiever?!) I held all kinds of hats during that time, including cookie mom. I never liked selling cookies - not as a child (shy) and not as a leader (disillusioned by the low amount of money that actually goes to the troop vs what goes to Council). My favorite cookie was back when they sold half a box of vanilla and half a box of lemon Chalet Creams. I never liked lemon! And when they switched to all lemon Chalet Creams, I quit buying them.

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

I was a Girl Scout. I HATED it. My mom made me join, and selling cookies was the WORST time of the year for me.

I was so painfully shy--it was torture for me. I made my little sister come with me and do the talking.

I still hate selling stuff. I am better at it now, but I hate it!

Anonymous said...

Good Afternoon....YES I was a GS til high school. I hated selling them door to door. I was shy. I loved then and still do the thin mints. I have never liked the peanut butter and wondered why they sold so many????? Mel

Be Colorful Coastal said...

No. I was a Blue Bird. Maybe that was some crazy local Iowa thing. My daughter, though was a Girl Scout. Both organizations sold cookies and there weren't any big sales awards for either of us. I kind of hate putting people on the spot - asking them for money. Any who, thanks for the memory flashback. This is my first time visiting and you have a lot of interesting categories over there in your sidebar so I think I will go exploring.

Erika said...

I am a GS Leader and NONE of my girls (daisy's) have 'quotas'! My daughter actually has sold the least so far. I like that they make money for our troop off the cookies, but it is not mandatory for my girls...nor will it even be no matter the age.

Unknown said...

I was not a GS but all three of my girls were. I was not a sales person either. We never did the best and didn't want to. Now when I see them selling I give a donation and usually don't buy the cookies. But my husband does buy them so they do get in the house.
Enjoy your cookies!

Anonymous said...

I've been reading your blog(which I love) for a while now, but never commented until tonight. I just got home an hour ago after six hours of standing out in 45 degree weather selling Girl Scout cookies with my daughter's troop. I sat down at the computer (my toes are still frozen) to read a few of my favorite blogs and when I got to yours I just had to laugh at the irony that you had posted about GS cookies!
Velvia

FrouFrouBritches said...

I'm with ya girl. When J sells popcorn for boyscouts, we ONLY sell to family members. We don't go door to door. I get so tired of my doorbell ringing with people selling stuff all the time - I don't want to do it.I can't afford to contribute to EVERY fundraiser that rings my doorbell. I do well to afford my 4 kids' fundraisers and my nieces and nephews.

I LOVE the Do-Si-Dos? (the peanut butter ones)YUMMY!

Sewing-Chick said...

Did you try selling to teachers? I always get students selling them to me! My fav? Samoas!!

LindyLou said...

Girl Scout cookies and I shared more than a dozen years of conflicted feelings. I sold cookies as a girl (Girl Scout, of course!) and when I was the leader of a Girl Scout troop for five years, I was supposed to encourage/guilt my girls to sell cookies and make the experience a valuable character building experience besides.
I never could cheerlead my girls into salesmanship quite as forcefully as the program center ladies expected a leader to. My scouts had a variety of home situations, some of them living on public assistance and having a single parent in the home, some of them having parents who truly did drudge work to be able to pay the bills, and some with two parents and an upper middle class home in a choice suburb. There was no way I would use guilt or cheap and useless rewards for meeting sales goals to put pressure on the girls and their parents. I'd encourage the girls to sell at least a box to be part of the effort and if a girl could sell dozens of boxes, I'd recognize that. In truth, going door to door isn't safe, even with an adult because the person at the door is a stranger and we do protect our children from people we do not know and this includes dangling them in front of someone we don't want to take notice of our daughters and sons.
Our troop never did get to take big trips paid for by cookie money and when choosing activities, I exerted my leadership to opt for activities that enlarged the girls' experiences. Instead of going to the glitzy mall in the big city a glam train ride away, we learned about nature and life in other countries. I believed that kids already got plenty of exposure to malls, shopping, and buying stuff.

I applaud you for admitting that you aren't cookie-crazy and for the suspicion that you already seem to have that our children shouldn't be used to get money out of extended family and co-workers.

I also agree with you that I love cookies. And I love my daughter, a former scout who remembers the nature center trips and museum days as being excellent fun. That's what I really wanted her to get from Girl Scouts.

Sugar Bear said...

Hi!

I was a girl scout for several years. I did pretty good selling the cookies because my Dad would take the sheet to his office (he worked at At&T) he sometimes would have extra sheets of paper attached to the order form because he'd run out of room.

I love the samoyas (sp?) Totally yum! And I freeze the Thin Mints...

I have SOMETHING for you over on my blog post today(Saturday)

;o) Have a GREAT weekend!

Wendy @ Ramblings from the Sunshine State said...

Yup, I was a girlscout. I HATED selling them outside the grocery stores. Going door to door was okay. My favorite is Thin Mints or Samoas!

Nank said...

I was a Brownie and then a Junior. I'm 53 so you now know how long ago that was. I'm pretty sure back then you couldn't even be in Brownies til you were in 3rd grade. Now they start Daisies in Kindergarten. I sold cookies. But back then we didn't take orders we pulled them around the neighborhood in our wagons and sold them right on the spot. It was more pressure because the troop owned them and didn't want to keep them. They were, as mentioned before, 50 cents a box. I did good to sell 10 boxes. Fast forward to 1991 when my daughter joined at age 5. My husband took the order form to work and sold, EASILY, (they really do sell themselves) 200 boxes. Add that to the neighbors, teachers, family, church friends, etc. and we sold upwards of 350 boxes a year until she graduated from high school. She won her Gold Award and now is a lifetime Girl Scout. Hopefully she will be a leader some day and I can help her with that. WE LOVE GIRL SCOUTS. The Arizona Republic did a half page story on her complete with color pictures because she has a huge Girl Scout memorabilia collection when she was a senior in high school. We buy our cookies from scouts in front of Lowe's! We like the immediate gratification. It's hard to wait when you have to order them in advance.

Kumbaya!

Xazmin said...

Not a girl scout. But I love Samoas!

Tina Schiefer said...

Was a brownie for a few months in grade school. Did a local parade in full "uniform", hair in ponies tied with those orange fuzzy-yarn ribbons, and handed out daisies. Never sold cookies. Love the cookies now!

Mom of three boys, 22, 19, 16. Youngest were in Cub Scouts and the fundraiser was popcorn. Over-priced and hard-to-sell!!! Cookies would have been a much easier sell!!! Yum!

Unknown said...

I was a brownie, and I hated the cookie sales bit. I live in fear of when I have kids and they have to do things like this for clubs and schools. I'd rather fork over a bit of extra cash and avoid it altogether.

Georgia Girl said...

Brownie and Girl Scout...love the cookies but my children never interesting in this program.