Hello! Yes, it's true! I'm sick. I forgot I had a post due yesterday, even though Heather kindly reminded me about sixty times. I've done absolutely nothing productive all weekend. Nothing. I slept and I ate, then threw up what i ate, then slept again. Do you see anything productive in that list? Me either. So that's why I'm creating the Becca's 10 Productive Things To Do When You're Sick list. 

1. EAT SOUP! It's acutally proven that eating chicken soup when you're sick can actually help you feel better! 

2. READ A BOOK! If you're one of those people that has so many books they want to read, but don't have enough time, this is for you. 

3. WRITE A STORY! If you're like me and you write stories for pleasure, go for it! I tend to have better ideas when I'm sick than not.

4. SLEEP! Not so productive, but it will help you feel better!

5. DO HOMEWORK! This is actually a good time to get caught up on things you've missed too! 

6. CLEAN THE HOUSE! I know it's not fun, but hey, it's something to do, and it's productive.

7. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS! When I'm sick, I tend to think a lot deeper and let my mind wander. It helps! 

8. EAT MORE SOUP! It really does help! 

9. GO ON THE INTERWEBZ! Memebase, tumblr, twitter and facebook are ALWAYS a good thing! 

10. BE A KID AGAIN! Do the things you used to do. Play with dolls, make a puzzle, role-play! All these are fun and make you feel better (and younger too!) 

So, yes, being sick isn't fun, but there's always something fun you can do to feel better. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

For
December’s Woman of the Month, I’d like to acknowledge our lovely blogging
mentor, Heather! Heather has been working behind the scenes on this blog for
the entire year with the six of us, reading and editing our posts, giving ideas
and suggestions, and organizing collaboration sessions. Fresh out of university
with a new job and a Pathfinder unit, this busy gal gave up even more of her
time to help make this blog awesome. She has been an invaluable resource, from
helping with brainstorming to reminding us that our turn to post was coming up.
I’ve had a lot of fun this year getting to work with Heather, teleconferencing,
and sharing my writing with her! She is an excellent example of all the
fantastic young women that bring fresh ideas and insight to Guiding, and we are
lucky to have her!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

What if you knew today was your last day? What if you knew you were going to experience it seven times? This is what happens to Samantha Kingston. For a week this popular high school girl who had it all, relives her last day to not only discover the circumstances surrounding her death also discover, appreciate and understand the people that surround her. She pushes the boundaries of what is right and wrong only to discover what she actually has strong positive values.

If there was ever a book that would represent all the different facets of high school life for a teenage girl – this book is one of them. It’s about the friendships, relationships, betrayals, sexualities, class systems, bullying, depression and suicide, resilience and epiphanies and how all these things can be experienced, understood and changed in just one high school day.  

This book is suitable for young adults, ages 12 and older, and may contain mild uses of violence and/or profanity, sexual content and/or mature themes within the context of the story.

1. While reliving her last day, Samantha Kingston pushes her social boundaries and makes an effort to really get to know and understand people she had ignored or bullied in the past. She discovers the rumours that she helped spread were lies (as rumours generally are) and she realizes that she might have more in common with them than she thought to realize or admit. Think about the people in your school and the rumours that you have heard. What were these rumours? How did it change how you perceived the person(s)? After reading this book, what did you learn about the impact of rumours? What will you do the next time you hear a rumour? What can you do to better get to know somebody before making a personal judgment?
2. Although this book is fictional, it does reflect situations and actions that do happen in high school. This includes bullying and depression. Have you or any of your friends felt depressed or bullied? What did you do? Who did you talk too? Who can you talk too? Who should you talk too? Create a list of people who can help you or your friends or classmates when they are feeling depressed or bullied. Ask an adult that you trust to help you make this list and share it with your friends and/or classmates. If you need more help with tools to deal with depression and/or bullying you can also call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-669-6868 or visit the website at http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/Home.aspx
3. During this journey of discovery, Samantha also realizes all the things that she truly cared about and uses a few of her repeat days to really show her appreciation. In reality, many people won’t get the chance to realize it’s their last day until is too late. After reading this book, how often are you going to think about the things you appreciate? What will you do to remind yourself of the good things in your life? Take today for example. What do you appreciate today? Who are the people in your life you care about? How are you going to show or tell them that you appreciate them?

Girl Guides have tons of activities that can help you build healthy relationship and compliment what you have learned from this book, such as Girl EMpower and Girls United. If your Units hasn’t participated in these already, ask your Guider more about these two program activities.

Looking for more GGC Book Club book choices for December? We select four great new books offered by Harper Collins Canada each month for each of the age categories below. If it’s on our book club list, then it has already received GGC’s approval based on specific criteria. Each book is also age-rated:

Sparks and Brownies (5-8 year olds)

Brownies and Guides (9-12 year olds), and

books for adults

Ah, Christmas. The time of year when you sit with your family and watch holiday specials, get overstuffed with mashed potatoes and turkey during family dinner, and when you are faced with many decisions. For example, how are you going to decorate this year? Are you going to get a great big real tree, or a tiny, colourful fake tree? Are you going to go subtle with your Christmas lights, or will you go so insane that you’ll end up competing with your neighbours? Are your parents going to spend a ridiculous amount of money buying a big “Merry Christmas” sign [that flashes every second to go over your house, or are you just going to put a small wreath on your door? And, most importantly, are you going to be the last minute kind of person, who, on the night before Christmas, goes and puts [his or her] parka on in the dead of winter and goes on top of the roof to put up your Christmas lights since you forgot this year? Well, I’m here to give my opinion on the best holiday decorating ideas.

Fake tree or real tree: If you’re the kind of person who absolutely loves the smell of Christmas running through your house, and loves the experience of going out with your family to a huge tree place and pick out the perfect tree, then I’d suggest getting a real tree. It really helps set the true image of Christmas. Plus it’s always great to be able to pick out your favourite tree and watch everyone struggle to carry it out to the car, drive it home and carry it into the house. But if you’re the kind of person who loves big, flashy things, loves to be different from anyone else and who just wants to not deal with the stress of going outside in the winter looking for a tree, then I suggest getting a fake tree. I know what you’re thinking; fake trees can’t truly set the feel for Christmas. But, hey, if you want to pick out a pink Christmas tree and decorate it all the same to make it look like no other tree, then it’s the right tree for you. My recommendation? Personally, I love getting a real tree. There’s something about the pine smell that runs through the house with a real Christmas tree that I prefer, and I love the whole experience of picking out a tree. But it’s your Christmas; so whatever you want to do, do it!

Subtle lights or flashy lights: Subtle lights send a calm mood out to your neighbours. Usually they’re the pretty blue and white lights that go around your house - ones that everyone seems to like because they’re not too much, but they’re not too little. They look beautiful in the glistening snow, which is perfect for the winter. But let’s say you want the look where it looks as if someone threw up Christmas lights all over your house (like my house!). This look is my personal favourite, because it’s very vibrant and usually it involves having a bunch of different colours instead of just one or two. There’s lights hanging from the trees in your front lawn, on your roof, on your door...and they’re rainbow coloured! What could be better [than] that? Plus, usually if you have it this way, nobody on the street can even compare. But, the other look is a calmer, pretty look. So, in the end, I guess it’s all up to you!

I hope you enjoyed my Christmas post. I wish you all a Happy Holidays!

Kalel Cullen isn't your typical woman of the month. First, she isn't in any way, shape or form, related to Edward the glittering fairy princess. (no offense to any Twihards out there.) Second, she hasn't done anything super out of the ordinary, for any ordinary person. She gets a lot of hate through the internet. Why? She is dating YouTube Star Anthony Padilla, and a LOT of girls are jealous of her. She is extremely pretty, funny, talented, and girly, but everyone calls her names and thinks she's an annoying diva. However, no matter what, she always seems to be happy, positive and confident in life. She is a role model to me, and I think more girls should look up to her, because she strives in life, even with all the negative around her. So that is why she is my Woman of the Month.