E.M.A. Thursday

Hooray! We did get out today, but we stayed local. Our first stop opened at 7:00 am and turned out to be quite a hit for the kids. We got to the farmers market and I gave each of the kids five one-dollar bills to spend however they chose. It wasn't crowded, so I was able to relax as the kids wandered to the different tables and figured out what they wanted. Once the farmers figured out the kids were the ones spending a limited amount of money, they tried to help. Some of them offered to do smaller quantities than what they had marked -- especially when the kids were just wanting enough to see what what one eggplant tasted like or when they only had a dollar left, but really wanted a peach. I enjoyed watching the kids. Will and Jon were very independent; they confidently spoke with the vendors and counted out their money for their purchases, then walked over to show me what they got. Ben and Maddie preferred that I stay close, and that was okay with me, too.

 

The peaches smelled divine and seemed to be calling all our names. When the kids saw that they had to have $6, I suggested to do some problem solving to figure out what to do. Without me prompting more than that, they considered putting their money together or asking if they could buy less than a basket. In the end, Maddie and Will put part of their money together to get part of a basket. Later, Ben and Jon each purchased just a dollar's worth. Altogether, the four of them spent $4, but I'm pretty sure we ended up with more peaches than a $6 basket held. ...and they tasted SO amazing!!

Maddie carefully counted out the bills for a $4 watermelon -- not because she didn't want the $5 melon, but because she didn't think the bigger one would fit in the fridge -- smart kiddo! And the melon she got was REALLY heavy.

Before our second stop, we headed home to drop off all our goodies. The kids posed with their produce so we could remember who chose what, but, in the end, we all shared all of it.

1 watermelon - $4
3 peaches - $1

2 onions - $1
6 cucumbers - $3
1 eggplant - $1

Lots of okra - $4
2 big peaches - $1

4 big tomatoes - $3
5 peaches - $2

A lot of healthy, tasty, fresh fruits and veggies that the kids were excited to tray - $20
A successful early morning adventure that let us practice math skills, experiment with bargaining, and reinforce healthy eating habits - PRICELESS!

Our next stop was the dollar kids movie. We watched Alvin and the Chipmunks while munching on kid-priced popcorn, a small candy treat, and sipping sodas. So much for healthy ;)

We headed home for lunch and naps, and the kids played in the afternoon. I'm just thankful Ben seems to be better now. As for next week, the kids have already asked to go back for more produce. They talked all day about how much fun the farmer's market was.