Etsy Grand Opening!

This time last year I was sitting in Panera brainstorming with a friend of mine. We wanted to start a business. We knew what we liked, what we were good at, and what our goals were. Etsy seemed to be the perfect outlet for all of these things to align. We set to work laying the groundwork...planning our products, purchasing our supplies, meeting with other business owners.

And now...

The time has finally arrived and we have opened our virtual doors! Introducing: 

Sweet Tree Etsy!

This little shop has big dreams. My friend (now business partner!!) and her hubby have been desiring to adopt for the last few years, to bring home a little one and shower him/her with love. Everyone who knows them could pretty much say in unison, "They would make such great parents." They are a loving, sweet, kind, and gracious couple...and only one thing stands in their way. Finances.

That is why a portion of every purchase made from our little shop goes directly into a fund with the label, "adoption". With every purchase made they are one step closer!

We are so excited to see how God uses our endeavors to accomplish bigger things than we could ever plan or conjure up in our minds, and we are having so much fun dreaming up things to make!

So please take a look at this items in our shop. Each one has been lovingly handmade, with the exception of some vintage treasures that we've collected. This month we are offering a special for friends and family (that includes you!). Use the code FRIEND10 at checkout to save %10 on your purchases.

Here are just a few of my favorite things from our shop...

Party party.

Yesterday we celebrated Hunter's birthday with a party, and although it was his birthday, we really wanted it to be a celebration of the many of the wonderful friends and family members who accompanied Hunter in his first year of life. His birthday was the perfect time to commemorate the little boy our baby has become, and the loved ones who journeyed with us as he grew.

We decided to have a harvesty-construction themed shin-dig, which for those of you who know us well, comes as no surprise. Mike and I both grew up in the construction world...driving trucks, operating equipment, and building things. Hunter was in his first mini-excavator when he was only a few months old...so it just seemed like a good fit.

We had three bonfires going to warm up the yard, and lots of hot cocoa to go around. All in all, it was a wonderful night...

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from the night...

On Turning One.

Growing up our family had a birthday tradition that my mom began when we were young. The night before your birthday, you would go to bed with excitement and anticipation, knowing that in the morning there would be a little birthday package waiting by your bedroom door. I remember waking up in the early morning hours and straining my eyes in the dark to see if there was a little bundle in my doorway. They were usually small token gifts...books, cds, or trinkets...in and of themselves they were nothing special, but given their presentation, they were magical.

I knew when I had children one day, this tradition would continue. Last night Mike and I scoured the isles of the local walmart, looking for a little something special to wrap up. After choosing and replacing numerous toys, trucks, and trinkets, we settled on a new box of crayons. 64 perfectly chiseled Crayolas. It may sound anti-climatic, but we are really hoping to teach our children to delight in the little things... So we took them home and wrapped them up. I made a card and we both wrote a note inside. Then I forgot to put it by his door. haha. Good thing he is only one!

This morning when he woke up, he got in bed with me. I presented him with the package and he gingerly tore back the paper and the ribbon to reveal the gift inside...after a brief moment of staring at the contents of his gift, he grabbed the card I made and took off crawling to the other side of the bed. He clutched the little note in both his hands and squeezed it tightly. He couldn't read what we had written, but he clung to our words, and my heart beamed. My mama, who had been staying with us since the storm hit and took her power, read his little card aloud, 

"Happy Birthday Buddy. I'm so lucky to be your dad. I love you. Love, Daddy."

"Hunter Jacob, We have loved every minute of the last year with you...you have enriched our lives with your cheerfulness and smiles...We love you so much and are blessed to call you ours. Love, Momma".