Young entrepreneurs

The kids had this past Monday and Tuesday off from school. It was nice to sleep in and have lazy mornings. I always struggle with days off and wonder if

 the kids would rather it be packed with lots of activities or if they would rather just be home. Norah is always up for going places but the boys like staying home. And since it's their day off we didn't go anywhere and it ended up the best decision. 

On Monday while we were eating lunch the next door neighbors rang the doorbell and the kids quickly shoved food down and ran out the door. The weather was beautiful - 70s for the first of February and the kids started playing kickball. For three hours. Some of the other moms and I joined in which was a lot of fun. It was a lot of explaining the rules while we played to a lot of the girls and Joel who never played baseball. But from Norah up to the 8th grader - everyone joined in. Joel refused to get tagged out and after a while the kids just let him do his thing. "This game has too many rules!" He kept repeating.  I got Norah out once and she then spent hours giving me a side eye glance whenever she was up to kick. 

Tuesday the kids were out the door and ready to continue kickball. Joel was a totally different person and happily got tagged out and played by the rules. 

After awhile some of the younger kids got bored with kickball and went into our garage and set up an arts and crafts business.

The spent hours coloring and creating 

Joel loved it. Colin and the older kids kept playing kickball. 

They then turned a plastic storage box over, taped a box on top and used bungee cords to attach it to our stroller. They called it their truck and put all their creations inside the box on top. 

Then they went door to door selling their pictures. And came back with $10 cash! We couldn't believe it but these kids are all pretty convincing. They reluctantly stopped when it got dark with the promise that they could do it another day. 

Since then Norah and Joel have spent a lot of time coloring and making more pictures and at the bus stop the kids report the pictures they've drawn at night. Norah came down with an ear infection so we weren't out yesterday and it's been raining since so they haven't been able to take their truck around. But the first nice day they are all ready.  I'd better find more change in the house to buy more pictures from them. 

The problem will come when they try to figure out what to do with the money. 8 kids were apart from the beginning. 

I'm so thankful for this small community we've moved to. It makes ordinary days at home special playing outside in the culdesac.  We did find out one of our favorite neighbors are moving this summer with the navy which makes us really sad. So anyone want to come rent the house across from us for a few years?