It’s the most ingenious marketing plan ever devised.  Get really sweet go-getter little girls to sell the most addictive cookies ever made and prepare to take over the world.  Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Girl Scout cookie time and that means everyone who was really trying to keep that New Year’s resolution can now chuck it out the window.

My personal cookie supplier hits me up weeks in advance.  “Hey Mrs. Bush, do you want to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” she asks in that sweet, high pitched little voice.  All smiles, knowing full well she’s the first person to ask me, she’s got me around her little finger.  I always tell the kids that the first person to approach me about buying something is the only person I will buy a product from.  After all, I can’t afford to buy from every Girl Scout at school as much as I would probably like to.

I text my husband to ask him what kind he wants and of course, he wants two types that I really don’t care for and I want two types he really doesn’t care for, so $16.00 later, I have ordered four boxes of cookies.  I very seldom buy any cookies during the year – if I did, I would be eating a row of Oreos every day.  So instead, I wait until Girl Scout cookies  come out so I can eat half a sleeve every day instead.  Should I even admit that? My son likes my shortbread cookies, and he’s welcome to them if he gets to them before I do.  You snooze you lose I suppose.

Then, they hit you with the second barrage.  After buying from my usual supplier, now I run into more Girl Scouts at the local grocery store.  Yes I know, I already have four boxes, but they come running up to you, their eyes looking at you with such assuredness that you will buy a box or more from them,  knowing in their little hearts that they’ve got yet another addict standing in front of them.  On top of that, there’s something about being a teacher that makes me love watching young girls being assertive, taking an order, and figuring out how much it is and how much change they should give me.  They’re learning how to be outgoing and independent, something I was never good at and something I want so badly for the girls I teach.  It totally justifies me buying one or two more boxes, right?

As we walked through the grocery store last night stocking up for this week, we asked each other about getting something for a goodie.  Then we remembered, we have Girl Scout Cookies!  Before bed he’s dunking his Caramel Delites into his glass of milk and I’m eating some thin mints with my Diet Coke.   Yes, Diet Coke goes with everything.  Anyway, mint is my kryptonite, everything from peppermint and mint chocolate chip ice cream to mint candies and mint chocolate creme brûlée.  So obviously Thin Mints are a must on the Girl Scout cookie list.  If I weren’t such a mint junkie to begin with I would say there’s been something added to make them addictive.  Like sugar or something….

I’m telling you, it’s genius. And I suppose it’s not SO bad – after all it only happens once a year.  Until the Boy Scouts come around selling popcorn, which is totally healthy, right? Not like Thin Mints and Shortbread.