My business is celebrating its first birthday this week!

The weird thing is, I wouldn’t have noticed if it hadn’t been for the Girls on the Run of Puget Sound auction I attended tonight.  It was just in time for last year’s Girls on the Run auction that I launched my Etsy site and printed my first La Vie en Orange business cards and donated a sewing lesson for four.

And I found myself in a similar place again this year.  I’m thisclose to having my own [dot]com…  And I made more business cards with the new url (still teasing because I’m planning on doing a big reveal with a giveaway in the next week or so…), and donated another sewing lesson package.  Such a funny moment of déjà vu.  And such a lovely opportunity to think of all I’ve done in the last year- growing a business, getting married, very nearly almost buying a house.  Wow!

And then there are the Banana Cheers.  A Girls on the Run energy award staple.  Girls on the Run is an after school program for 3rd-8th grade girls.  In a nutshell, it uses the power of movement (running, skipping, cartwheeling, you name it) to teach lessons on self-esteem, self-respect, healthy living…  An energy award is something the girls in the program give to one another for any reason- being supportive, helping one another out, you name it…

The Banana Cheer holds a special place in my heart.  It is my favorite energy award (and one of many).  One that I still do at the office from time to time, even though it’s been years since I worked for GOTR.  It’s also maybe the energy award that I brought from Kalamazoo to Seattle when I moved.  For reals- Girls on the Run of Puget Sound did not have the Banana Cheer before I moved here…  And I love that the girls in Seattle (check out their video here) love it as much as the girls in Kalamazoo.  And I have done at least four Banana Cheers today thinking about all the good and joy in the world and in the last year.  And for your support, I give you your very own Banana Cheer!

Thank you for the support you’ve shared in the past year.  For the joy and comments and creativity and business and awesome.  :)  And in addition to the Banana Cheer, use the discount code GoBananas to get free shipping in my Etsy shop until April 15!  :)

Where has the past year taken you?  I’d love to hear!  Please comment below :)

xoxo