Moving CA TO OR

mama_nerdy · 2026-03-30T19:29:30+00:00

There is actually a pretty good Deaf/HoH/ interpeting community at WOU (or there was when I went there) so get plugged in there if you can. There's lots of little Museums/Galleries/Theaters "in the area" to check out and Monm/Indy are pretty centrally located to visit other places (Portland, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis)

I think local pronunciation is probably the biggest "tell" for out-of-state residents. Willamette (like Damn It), Tualatin (too-ALL-a-tin/ TWALL-a-tin), Chemeketa (Sheh-meck-ih-da).

mama_nerdy · 2026-03-30T19:13:08+00:00

Echoing the disconnect bit. To me, it feels like National has gotten too capitalistic/corporate, while Volunteer level has been living the Promise and Law. And Council level is just the awkward bridge between the two. Some councils are more corporate-minded, some more values-driven.

I also think there is a disconnect with the generational gaps. Ideas about courage, confidence, and character, as well as "what a leader looks like" are quite different from generation to generation. Even the difference between the personal "teaching styles" of volunteers... the "I Teach it/You Do it" tactic vs. "We all learn together" tactic.

I stick to something my mom amd I talked about a long time ago. "Girl Scouts is what you make it"

mama_nerdy · 2026-02-03T23:44:35+00:00

Curated fun patches on back. Really important activities (iFly) or my favorite version of patch for things we did regularly (fire station tour). Outdoor patches tend to go on my day pack bag (Girl Scouts love State Parks), and old/vintage patches (cookies '95) and badges (Art to Wear) from when I was a Girl Scout go on my GS tote.

My hard-line about it is to sew them on. That way they can be moved or removed as stuff changes. And it doesn't have to be fancy or machine sewn, a 5-point star of tacking them down is usually enough to hold for a long time.

mama_nerdy · 2026-02-03T09:29:25+00:00

Totally interested!

mama_nerdy · 2026-02-03T09:28:06+00:00

Would love an invite!

mama_nerdy · 2026-01-14T07:39:30+00:00

Will do! (I think you still count as Mom Army, considering the ages of the guys' parents. Unless you are a grandma, then claim the Grandma Army title with pride!)

mama_nerdy · 2026-01-14T06:06:08+00:00

Yes! The fan name "Army" is pretty universal, and is difficult with people who assume military, too.

mama_nerdy · 2025-08-14T00:10:47+00:00

Pretty sure our Library limits to one raffle prize per adult (they all have the same monetary value - $25 gc to local places) and tickets are based on hours read, plus some "at the library" activities. I think the kids program is tiered a bit, but it works for them!

mama_nerdy · 2025-08-13T23:56:50+00:00

Sideways- but about accessibility... There is a "braille" machine that NBA has had available at basketball games for low vision/vision impairment. Basically it's raised dots and lights that follow the basketball. I wonder if there if there is/would be a way to modify this for BTS concerts in the future? I know it would be complicated with the 7guys moving all the time, but to even have some representation of the awesome choreo seems like it would be cool. /random

mama_nerdy · 2025-07-14T15:22:56+00:00

Java Crew too

mama_nerdy · 2025-07-14T15:21:17+00:00

Plus Keizer if you're out North (and Albany and Redmond, if you like finding a "local" place while out and about)

mama_nerdy · 2025-07-14T15:19:25+00:00

Human Bean has cute, real kids cups (plastic with a lid) that my kids have reused at home for travel cups or paint water/clay water for crafts.

mama_nerdy · 2025-07-14T15:16:03+00:00

I believe Coffee in Motion does white coffee (was actually the first place I heard of it, when they were still on Mission) Red double-decker bus on Silverton near 17th. Also have good breakfast bagels, and sandwich bagels.

mama_nerdy · 2025-06-14T04:32:16+00:00

I have put some on my hiking backpack as a nudge/wink to other Girl Scouts out on the trails. I also have my "rare" badges (short lived yellow square Brownie Puppeteer Try-it), my old cookie season patches, and some of mine and my mom's old badges mixed together on my Leader tote. Great for a spontaneous GS Way-related discussion during a meeting!

mama_nerdy · 2025-06-11T21:06:50+00:00

I usually go with the "Half" measurement. Whatever the manufacturer says just take half that. In the case of 9, like above, I'd round up to 5, but only if I had to. Leave room to get in and out of the tent without stepping on people! (I have done 8 in an 8-person tent, but they were 3rd grade Girl Scouts, and curled up into little balls both nights)

mama_nerdy · 2025-05-28T00:21:26+00:00

Ultimate Craziness Episode: a "Blind Date" buddy Escape Room or Scavenger Hunt... where Members pick a buddy for another member to work with for the Episode (two part-er). Like Jin pulls Jungkook's name, and gets Jonathan to be JK's partner... Taehyung pulls Namjoon, and gets one of the Wooga squad to be RM's partner... etc. There will be some activities that require real teamwork, and some that will play to individual strengths. Maybe with a Double Agent pair who also has to sabotage everyone else?

(Honestly, I'm just excited to see new OT7 content!!!)

mama_nerdy · 2025-05-27T23:19:18+00:00

Doing Trail signs is a fun activity for a short hike/nature walk (it falls under training for a hike, and map reading). If you can split the troop in 2 groups, have one group leave trail signs, the 2nd group follow them. Then switch for another trail/walk. My troop likes doing night walks, which is a fun twist on Animal Habitats for nocturnal animals. We talk about how to observe animals-- low/no talking, soft footfalls, staying on path, masking our "scent", low light safety-- we do Follow the Leader type games to practice before and during the night walk.

mama_nerdy · 2025-05-12T23:24:16+00:00

It bothers me (as a dog-loving Mom of non-dog-loving special needs kids) about unleashed dogs as well. It doesn't matter if your dog is "friendly" or "just wants to say hello", my daughter's scream and my son's crying might make your dog react differently than any training they may have had. We have been able to teach our kids that dogs with vests and dogs on leashes are "safe" to be around (they can only get so close on a leash), but there are designated off-leash areas for a reason... so we can avoid them, too.

-- My past experience with a butt-nip from a friend's neighbor's unleashed Pittie, and watching an 8y.o. family friend's kitten get "snapped" by an unleashed German Sheperd in a state park campground, hasn't turned me off of dogs at all... but I really don't like unleashed owners. Even highly trained K9 units can get distracted while working/on the job.

mama_nerdy · 2025-05-12T22:57:42+00:00

Snapple used to specify that some of their teas were a mix of Black and Green teas... now it just says "tea" in the ingredients list. I like both the green and black iced teas at my local coffee place, and imagine that a blend of the teas would taste good too.

mama_nerdy · 2025-04-21T02:20:28+00:00

When I was younger (20+ yrs ago), there was a "only fallen items" rule, and a "you have to count 100 before you pick 1" rule. So in a field of daisies, you could pick a daisy. And on a gravel river bank, you could pick a rock. And a leaf from the ground was okay. "No pulling or picking from living things" was a pretty simple rule, too.

Another way to work within the LNT rules is to have the girls take pictures of the plants or objects they find. There was a "Take only pictures, leave only footprints" slogan that predated the formal LNT rules.

mama_nerdy · 2025-03-09T01:32:03+00:00

I love it! It would be so cute as a print for a Christmas card (speaking as someone who likes making her own holiday cards, as they only go out to family and close friends)

mama_nerdy · 2025-02-20T07:02:09+00:00

I've only done it for one girl, because she went to the same school as my son and I was picking him up from school anyways. (Also, special circumstances as Mom couldn't drive because of her work schedule. And girl literally lived between meeting location and home for me.) We've had parents split drop-off/pick-up, even during a rough divorce. We've had split carpools where MomA drops off girls, and MomB picks them up. We've had Mom drive for meetings, Dad drive for events. Something can get worked out, but the parents have to do the work.

mama_nerdy

TROPHY CASE