*_____*-owned business

I came across an interesting article today here.  Here are a few snippets, where I’ve (in)conspicuously(?) changed some of the text:

So far, the Andersons have spent hundreds of dollars with Jewish businesses from grocery stores to dry cleaners. But the couple still hasn’t found a mortgage lender, home security system vendor or toy store. Nonetheless, they’re hoping to expand the endeavor beyond their Chicago home.

Plans are under way to track spending among supporters nationwide and build a national database of quality Jewish businesses. The first affiliate chapter has been launched in Atlanta, and the couple has established a foundation to raise funds for Jewish businesses and an annual convention.

“We have the real power to do something, to use the money we spend every day to solve our problems,” Maggie Anderson said recently at a meet-and-greet in Atlanta. “We have to believe that Jewish businesses are just as good as everybody else’s.”

Or:

The Andersons track their spending on their Web site and estimate about 55 percent of their monthly spending is with purple businesses for things like day care, groceries, car maintenance and home improvements.

One of the businesses highlighted by the Empowerment Experiment is Brenda Brown’s Atlanta wine boutique, a shop with a growing purple clientele. She said the project can help overcome the problems many purple consumers lament.

“When we were a community of purple folks who could not go to the red stores, our community of purple stores flourished,” Brown said. “When we were given the opportunity to go into the red store, it was like nothing else mattered anymore and we wanted to go to the red store, regardless of what the purple store provided. We could have the same or better products if we supported (purple businesses) in the same way.”

Lewis Peeples, 45, lives in a purple neighborhood in southwest Atlanta but didn’t think to spend his money with purple businesses until a friend told him about the project.

To each his own, for sure. But I sometimes wonder what happened to the idea of equality? I thought we didn’t care what the owner/proprietor/whatever looked like/acted like/believed? Or are only certain groups held to those standards? I would think that if a particular store had “the same or better products” then that would be enough for me to support it?

Spring Update

Always lots happening around here. We have a few blocks of time throughout the year where we get really busy with birthdays and such. Gwenyth turned 3:

make a wish

Gwen's 3

Gwen and Julie

The loot:

The loot

We all had a good time at Grandma and Grandpa’s place for some food. The mashed potatoes were extra fatty (and good!) thanks to yours truly.

Henry and Mikey playing

Lucy’s birthday is coming up soon. She’ll be 5, believe it or not. And we just got the invitation for her “Kindergarten Roundup” where we go and learn about how kindergarten will never be the same once “the hoo” walks through the door. She has been going over her list of friends to invite to a party that we’re not quite sure is really going to happen. She counts and orders and announces. She has also let me know the many things she’ll be expecting for her birthday. We got them a swingset for the backyard. I’m going to have to remind her of that many times I think.

We decided one day during spring break that it was time to take her training wheels off. It took her about 29 seconds to figure it out. After 3 minutes she was comfortable enough in the bedazzled shoes and hot bike that she would pose every time she passed by. It’s all about looking good to Lucy.

like a fish to water

Henry continues to grow (not enough according to his doctor) and continues to be loved and spoiled. He’s really enjoying the sweet potatoes, carrots, peaches, chocolate, etc., in addition to his adoring sisters.

first sweet potatoes

Gwen & Henry

Henry laying in the grass

He sure thinks he’s pretty big stuff.

learning to crawl

Click here for more pictures.