Sixty-two Days

For two summers, now, Isabelle has been  asking to have a Lemonade stand. 

I remember,  as a child, wanting to do  the same thing.  I  grew up on a farm.  The driveway was a quarter mile long, the  nearest neighbor  was almost  a  mile away, and  the only traffic that ever  went by consisted  of milk trucks and tractors. 

Isabelle stands a little bit better chance getting  some  customers, but  not much.  We are on  a quiet cul desac.  But, on Sunday morning she came to me with a Tupperware pitcher that is just her size (and, quite possibly the only good thing to come of the blasted Tupperware party that I hosted…) and said she thought that  it would be a perfect day for a lemonade stand.

I madeher list the things she would  need.  Cups, lemonade, ice, table, sign…I added quarters for making change and she  was off and running.  Her sign was so  cute.  She did  it  in crayon first and I let her go over it with a Sharpie,  “Really, mom?  A PERMANENT marker?  I thought those were for grown ups!”  We  also practiced making change from a dollar.  I didn’t think she’d get this.  It’s pretty abstract for a five  year old.  But, when I asked her, “If someone buys one glass of lemonade and pays with a dollar, how many quarters do you give back to them.”  She thought, held up four fingers put one down and said, “That  finger is for the one they paid me, so I guess I give them three back.”  OK, she’ll do ok.

So, off we went.  I helped her set up shop, told her not to feel bad  if  she didn’t get any customers, and  came back inside to  do Emily’s PT.  Before I even loaded the nebulizer, I glanced out the window to see my little business woman serving her first customer.  A pick up truck was pulled over to the curb and  Isabelle was pouring a cup.

That customer was followed by two neighbors, a workman who was repairing a stove next door and Daddy, returning home from a trip to the store. 

Isabelle was joined by three neighbor girls who could not resist the allure of a curbside lemonade  stand.  At one point  one of them came in the house and said, “Isabelle sent me in.  I’m her assistant.  She said we will need more lemonade.  Can  you make some?” 

When I went out with a new pitcher, Isabelle was  beaming.  She said (and this just KILLS me, LOL) “Mom!  We’re taking care of business!  We’ve already had 5 customers!”

The girls did a pretty good  job marketing their business, too.  I heard them all  calling “Lemonade!  Cold Lemonade here!”  And, they went door to door (to their own houses) to sell to their parents, too.

It was just too cute, and I was glad that I let her do it.  She has plans to expand her business next weekend.

On a side note, one of the  neighbors who stopped by for a cup told me today that she asked Isabelle what she was gong to do with  the money she earned.  She was a little taked aback when Isabelle said “It’s all going to  the Cystic  Fibrosis Foundation to  find a cure for my sister.”  We had not discussed that, and she hasn’t yet told me that that’s what she plans to do.  It’s either automatic by now for  her to raise money for  CF (she’s seen plenty of that happening over the last 2 1/2 years).  Or, she’s figured out early how to tug at people’s heart strings.

Either way, this is one of those times that I am reallly glad  I tookten minutes to stir up some lemonade and drag a table to the curb.  She’ll probably  never forget her first business venture.

She  really was  more excited than she  looks  in this picture.  The  sun was  in  her eyes!  It just  doesn’t  get more “Summer” than this!!!