Peanut Butter, anyone?

I will start off by saying I am not good at shameless self-promotion.  I am getting there because I know I will need to be, but still, it's tough for me.  But I also wanted to share what's been happening in my life.  I (along with the hubby) have launched a new business.  I've mentioned Blind Spot Nut Butters on the facebook page, but really haven't explained what it is and what it means to my family. 

Finding out that the hubby's condition was going to continue to worsen with no hopes of regaining any sight that he's lost was a sobering day.  I think somewhere within us, we had hoped that someone was wrong, something could be done and that this was all a big mistake.  Well, a year later, we know it's not a mistake, this is our new reality.  He's been home from work now since July and it became pretty apparent that we'd need something else.  My daycare is great but it just can't replace the income lost when he went on disability and he needed something else to work on and think about.  Since we love peanut butter in all forms...this is well documented...that's the direction we headed in.  We thought and thought and thought and after a lot of discussion, Blind Spot Nut Butters was born.  We started testing out recipes on ourselves, our family, the daycare, our friends and anyone who would eat them.  And they liked them.  We liked them.  Hurray!  Now what?

Then, the flood of paperwork started...paperwork to the state setting up our business, setting up a home kitchen, getting a use certificate from our township...it seemed like all I was doing was filling out forms and writing checks!  But then, as of this Monday, we are officially a business with the ability to make nut butters.  It was so exciting!  We went out to dinner to celebrate and then celebrated more by buying supplies.  Buying supplies seems to be a never ending process already. 

We have designated a portion of our profits, not sure of the actual percentage yet, to be sent to Foundation Fighting Blindness.  When we were lost, trying to find a doctor who really understood Stargardt's disease, they were the one place who talked to us, talked about all of the intricacies of his condition and pointed us in the right direction.  The fact that they help to fund the doctor's research that he sees now means everything to me because it means that someone else might benefit from his experiences and our trials.  He's lucky that he's had his eyesight most of his life - so many children affected by this don't have that privilege.  We want to do something to help them too. 

In addition to all of that, we're learning to navigate through the craziness of food wholesalers!  So many choices and avenues to go down that it can make your head spin.  We are committed to quality ingredients, organic if possible, but are also committed to US based foods, as local to us as possible.  What a crazy position to be in sometimes!  So, I try and seek out ingredient suppliers who I feel as good about as I feel about our product.  I hope that commitment to our mission shows through, whether an organic sticker is on the package or not.  Always know that I am working hard at it!!!

So, here's hoping that Blind Spot Nut Butters will be a roaring success!  I'm so proud to be sharing my thoughts and our story with all of you.  Homemade Served Here has taken on a whole new meaning!!!