8:00 a.m.: I am running around the house like a madwoman trying to get all the supplies I need for the big sale. I remember snacks and sippy cups full of the requisite watered down juice; I forget to take out the trash and call into Ben’s work to tell them that he isn’t coming in because he is still sick.
8:10 a.m.: We are bumping down the sidewalk with the kids in the wagon, Madi holding on tightly to her purple Tupperware container of lemonade. Parker is finishing up his milk from breakfast and I am already sweating.
8:20 a.m.: Tiffany and I start to pull out our garage sale wares, lining the driveway to entice customers to stop by; Madi starts asking when we can set up the lemonade stand.
8:30 a.m.: Still setting up…Madi is still asking…I’m losing my ability to answer “Be patient” in a calm voice.
9:00 a.m.: The sale is in full swing, and we are finally getting the lemonade stand set up. Madi and Hannah negotiate who is going to hold the cups and who is going to hold the money cup. Parker tries to sit on the same side of the table but doesn’t quite fit, so he goes to play with Isaac on his blanket…play is probably a strong word, because all he does is take away Isaac’s toys.
9:30 a.m.: The girls are actually selling lemonade, which involves me pouring the glass of lemonade, Hannah taking the money and putting it in the cup, and Madi handing the customer their lemonade. It’s truly a team effort. The girls have to switch jobs after a while, of course.
10:00 a.m.: We are having a wide variety of customers, including some who pay a quarter and say “keep the change” and others who insist on 20 cents back in change. I muse that Madi would sit there all morning, but Hannah is getting antsy, so we “take a break”.
10:15 a.m.: The lemonade sign is still up, so people are still occasionally asking for lemonade. I get it for them, because the girls are now having their snack and playing. Parker is getting into the stack of cups, so I have to move them inside.
10:20 a.m.: The girls want to play inside.
10:40 a.m.: The girls want to ride tricycles.
10:50 a.m.: The girls want to play in the backyard.
11:00 a.m.: Stuff is selling…everyone is hungry…the girls want to go swimming…
Fast forward to 4:00 p.m.: We bump back home in the wagon. Most of the lemonade is gone, along with the majority of our stuff. Madi carries her little cup of change, destined for her piggy bank. I’m beat, but we had a good time, which means this little addition to our annual tradition will probably continue…Madi has a memory like a steel trap.
