This month's challenge

Ok I know it's late, again but all the election stuff and traveling pushed this post back. This month's challenge is to buy ALL of our stuff from small businesses. Everything from food to toiletries to clothes. There's been a little bit of a debate as to what qualifies a business as small and I think after I explain the motivation behind this challenge it might be clearer than if I tried to make concrete guidelines.

So, in the past few months I've been dragging people into conversations sitting and talking with friends and family about the issues that were important to me in the recent election. The economy dominated most of our conversation and it was almost certain that the issue of saving small businesses was important. After all the hair pulling and slapping political banter, I felt like most people thought I was not on the side of small businesses and I was frustrated because I felt like we hit a wall and there was no going over it. After a few months of walking away with the same frustrations, I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I think that the state of our economy sucks right now and I'll spare you guys my reasoning. It upsets me to think that some businesses are going to have to close their doors and it frustrates me to think that there isn't anything I can do to help. But wait.... when I felt this way about the lack of responsibility for the quality of toys coming into the States, I DID something. And even though, no one thought it would make a difference on a large scale, I stuck with it and spread the word. Things changed. Maybe I, along with the millions of moms across our nation, can pull together again and make a difference?? Putting my money where my mouth is and that's into small business.

So COME ON MOMS!!!! Join me in my challenge. I'll post the places I visit during the week and for all of my family and friends who live in Houston, join me and share your little hole in the walls and mom and pop shops. Lets let give our economy a little boost. So if you accept my challenge, add me to your list of blogs that you follow and your link will show up on the right under "I accepted the challenge" and then we can keep up with you.

So now to catch up.

Groceries - On the way home from the Valley we stopped at a roadside stand and bought some fruit, and veggies. I even bought a jar of jalapeno jelly. Yum. I also tried a local Sellers Bros for the rest of our groceries. To be honest, it was really hard and I was telling my self the whole time, "Local is better than organic." Eek. I don't think I'm going back. My plan for next week is to hit the Canino's farmer's market like I was planning on and then going to Belden's for the odds and ends. Belden's is a little pricey so I'm hoping to just get most of my stuff at the market. Great article if you have time.

Eating out - Ok I slipped up once on a rainy day and went to Chickfila, but I'm back on track. Let me just say before I go on that Hubby HATES this challenge, because of this part. He wants to eat at the same restaurants he always does and he pitched a royal fit this week. blah. Anyways, we ate Chinese to celebrate election day at Happy Lamp. Don Carlos with my family for breakfast. They have GREAT pancakes. New York Pizza for our weekend dinner out.

That's really it for us this week. I think next week I'll hit the fabric store and I'm going to need some odds and ends that might be hard to find. Fun!! Really I'm loving learning about the history of business in my city. Don't forget to let me know of your small business finds!!