Cookie MONSTERS

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly discuss my love/hate relationship with the Girl Scouts and their cookies.

Yes, it's a good program and a positive thing for our young women and I have nothing against it. Actually, I'm most frustrated with myself because somehow over the past two weeks I have a) bought cookies which I am usually pretty good about avoiding at the grocery store, b) spent an outrageous amount of money for them, and c) eaten cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (not an exaggeration...).

Are they really that delicious? Well, the answer to that question is yes, of course...but maybe it's the fact they're EVERYWHERE staring me in the face. Boxes and boxes at work, display tables at grocery stores, and everyone is eating them and offering them! Maybe it's the fact that they only come around once a year that I feel I need to "stock up" and stuff my face like they're going out of style. The ridiculous thing is we all know you can get comparable ones at the grocery store!

And may I just say, what a clever marketing scheme these people have going on. How can you say no to a small girl scout and her cookies? Or a parent who is going through all this trouble? I have purposely gone out of my way to take a different entrance at the grocery store to avoid the cookie sales. But alas, they inevitably find me and I have no power to resist those sweet tiny calorie bombs.

I won't go into all the nutrition facts - we've all seen them and they're bad, really bad. It's downright depressing to think about how I've dramatically increased my caloric intake by mindlessly eating cookies. But it's almost something more than mindless - I go crazy for these things and can't stop. I eat one and I eat a whole box (well, not really...but close).

Anyways, I've been laden with guilt all week. I've been taking more stairs than ever to try to "un-do" the effects of the girl scout cookie storm, but I don't think it will help that much. What I'll probably do is keep eating the cookies until there are no more left and I can start living a normal life again...at least until next spring...

Now, this is all coming from a girl whose very first word was "cookie" (not even kidding :)) But please tell me I'm not alone in this!!