Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Lemonade Stand


In the eyes of a child, summers are full of fun, sun, water, bike rides, later bed times and.... LEMONADE STANDS!
Kaden participated in his very first business venture yesterday afternoon as he and our neighbor kids decided to have a lemonade stand. Everyday I am a little overwhelmed at the speed that he is growing up.
So here is how the scene played:
Kade comes running in asking me if we had any cups and lemonade because they were going to have a lemonade stand. I got him some cups and then started making the punch as he watched with excited anticipation. I couldn't get the water in the jug fast enough I guess because he told me he was going to run out and tell his friend that it was almost done!
I went out to help him get the punch on the stand and the other kids were bringing out some chairs. Kaden needed his own chair so he goes in his room and picks up his little chair. As we are going back to the sidewalk, he yells, "I'm almost there guys, don't start without me!" (Oh my gosh! How cute is he? I didn't have the heart to tell him he probably would be sitting there for the next hour or two with a full jug of punch and no takers)
So we got him and the other two kids situated and I went back in the house. Soon Kaden came running in the house to tell me they were waiting for "customers". WHAT??? Do you realize how cute it is to hear a 4 year old say customers? I decided to go out and give them some business. You can never get too much to drink on a summer day you know! As I went out, I realized that their little Lemonade Stand was on prime business property. We are right at the bottom of an area in our neighborhood that has a lot of construction. So many people came and stopped to buy a glass of punch or they just donated $1.00 to the cause. I was so overwhelmed by the generosity of others. It made their day to have people stop. They even had the garbage man stop in for a glass! I would normally just drive past without another glance, but to see the excitement on these little guys faces to sell their little glasses of punch is worth the 10 seconds of my time to make some other kids day when I happen to come across a lemonade stand.
Needless to say, they went through a whole gallon of punch in an hour or so. They made a good 5 bucks at least. And they had so much fun. So maybe this summer on a day where it's hot and you are out for a stroll... support your local small business beverage owners... the drinks may be a little watery, the quality not the best, the portion size smaller than you are used to and the prices pretty high.. but it's worth every penny to see the exictement of those little guys selling their product!