Lemonade Stands

Growing up I never got to have a lemonade stand. I think I had entrepreneurial (?) characteristics, however, as I would try to sell anything that I could---my baseball cards, unwanted toys, mistletoe, etc. But a lemonade stand is something that I don't remember ever doing.... Well, this last week the kids I nanny for decided to sell lemonade two days in a row. Apparently, they "do it all the time" in the summer. They made their powdered lemonade, baked a batch of brownies, asked me to make a sign for them and then hauled it all out to the nearest "busy" street. I decided to sit out there with them, to observe how they would do it (besides, I get paid to hang out with them....so why stay at home?). They didn't have a table to bring, so they laid out a tablecloth on the grass and kept the lemonade in a cooler. Then, as cars drove past they would yell at the top of their lungs "Lemonade and Brownies!!". The first day they only had 5 customers (1 was their mom and 1 was their friend helping with the "stand"). They decided their lack of success was due to it being too late in the day (4-5 pm) and right before dinner (*they only sold 2 brownies). I was surprised to discover the next day when I arrived at work that they planned to have another stand. However, this time they were only going to sell lemonade and they aimed for having it from 1-3 pm. Their success was slightly better--with 7 customers (1 being a State Patrol Cop, which they were very worried when he stopped that he would tell them their needed a "license" to sell anything!! =)) I enjoyed sitting out there with them--laughing at their stunts to try and get people's attention, Michael's voice going hoarse from yelling so many times and when Marie would dive behind me to hide any time she saw someone she recognized. I wonder how many more times we'll be out there this summer...