LEMONADE STAND

My kids are always trying to find ways to make money (and spend it). This year as a treat to them and to help them with their entrepreneurship, I bought them a lemonade stand. A really really nice one. A lemonade stand from Pottery Barn that was well over $200.00. Yes, that's how people Way Down In Mayberry like to spend their money.

The kids have been making a killing on the lemonade! I think I should have bought it for myself. I would be making more money then I do right now. I get paid NOTHING for all of my daily duties.....laundry(sometimes), cook, clean, take care of children, lounge at the pool.....etc.

The funny thing about Mayberry is it is fairly isolated, yet the kids are making quite a bit of cash and I finally have figured it out. And no, there is no meth lab behind the stand.

1. People think they are so cute and feel sorry for them being out in the heat (I'm sure CPS will contact me on that one too. Sending my kids out in the heat of the day could cause heat stroke you know). Instead of paying them 25 cents for a glass of ice cold lemonade, the customer gives them a dollar and says "keep the change." I've seen this happen over and over again.
2. We have a ton of construction workers and service people out in the hood. New school is being built, new houses going up, furniture delivery, carpet cleaners etc. It is much cheaper to buy a glass of lemonade for 25 cents then to buy a lemonade at the Mercantile for $1.50.
3. Mayberry has been getting a lot of NATIONAL attention for being a unique community. We get loads of visitors from around the U.S. (especially California), who are looking for a great place to retire or raise children. I'm sure the sweet little children selling lemonade in their designer stand is racking up tons of "cute and quaint" points.

Yesterday, the kids set up shop outside the pool at the clubhouse. They made good money and spent five hours in the heat. Tori likes to horde her money and rub it in the boys faces that she is the queen of cash. Tori is very generous though and will buy her brothers treats at the Mercantile. Christian and Leroy on the other hand.... can't save a dime to save their lives.

As we were sitting down to a FABULOUS dinner that Tori made from her new Junior Cookbook, Christian was missing. It appears he had gone down the street to another lemonade (cardboard I might add) stand and purchased drinks for everyone for dinner. He had to make two trips to carry back the glasses for the whole family in the heat of day. What a sweetheart! I really needed to praise Christian for his generous spirit....which I did. But in my mind the entire time I'm thinking....."You dope. You just spent all day in the hot sun selling lemonade that you could have drank for free, and now you are spending your hard earned money on lemonade from a shabby little stand down the street."

I bit my lip and kept silent.........two points for tallulah.