A Childhood Milestone: Moving Into the Playhouse

 
 (For those just joining us, you'll want to read the first part of this story: A Lemonade Stand-- Bringing a Bit of American Childhood to Bury St. Edmunds.) 

Well, we had a big milestone for a certain little girl this weekend!
Amelia had worked hard all summer long, with her lemonade stand, despite it being quite an anomaly here.  Bury St. Edmunds was a bit of a tough crowd, but that did not deter Amelia.  She was persistent and determined, and in the end, her net profit was about £70!  (Probably £90 if you don't count what she spent on supplies.)  Play houses are pretty expensive here, but I managed to find one that we could pick up on ebay, and I talked the seller down to a more manageable price-- we chipped in a little bit, but she really did pay for most of it!  The weekend before last, we took a surprise detour on our way home from the coast, and picked up the kit to put it together with.  Amelia was so excited, and the really sweet older couple that sold it to us were really impressed that she was buying it herself.


Jeff worked hard on putting it together after work for a couple of days, and then finished it up on Sunday.  Amelia had £10 she'd been saving from her birthday, and we took her shopping at Poundland ( it's like the Dollar Store.)  She had such a fun time picking out soft furnishings: a mirror, battery-operated votive candles, candle holders, a silver tray, tea towels, etc.  I am always amazed by how she knows what she wants (or doesn't want) almost immediately.  I hope she can hold onto that sureness through adolescence. 

Moving these items and anything else she could find into her little house was such a thrill for her.  She loves setting up her space. I know her little mouse tendencies will come into play, and she will probably pack this space full.  But it's her's!  She earned it!   She ate dinner in there by battery-operated candle light, and last night she and Jeff squeezed inside to do her homework.  Soon, I'll paint it for her.

The little boys next door bought a lot of lemonade from Amelia this summer, and eagerly watched through the hedges as Jeff put the playhouse together, running inside to update their parents on the progress he was making.   Once she had gotten it all set up, the first thing Amelia wanted to do was invite the boys over to see it.  They were really excited, and the whole family came over.  Once again, Amelia helped us make a nice connection-- it was the first time they had come over to our house, and the next day, she was invited over to theirs. We're proud of Amelia, that she wanted something, worked hard for it, got other people to buy into her vision, and achieved her goal. 
 
Plus, I like the way it looks in our yard!

What was the first big thing that you saved money for and bought for yourself, as a kid?

(This post was shared at Our Small Hours Mothering Monday.)

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