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Mama Bloggers Valentine Exchange

Freckles — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:09:36 +0000

So I recently was part of a Valentines Day Blog Exchange via Domestic Dork’s Blog! We expressed our interest in exchanging homemade/handmade gifts with other mommy’s and then she paired us with Mothers in our regions. The great thing is that Domestic Dork or Holly is based in Canada and she had another reader from Oklahoma, Sarah Gray of Joyfully Gray.

Sarah and I contacted each other via email and decided we would like some Valentines Day House decoration. Since the gift had to be handmade or homemade I decided to try to make something myself. I read Sarah’s blog and her love for etsy so I knew she could appreciate homemade items!

I decided to use the bird on her blog banner as inspiration. I got a pre-made grapevine wreath that I wrapped in red paper, I painted three birds to symbolize her family and actually sent her an extra bird in case of more children! I added some green spanish moss and two hearts one with the letter g for her last name.

I also sent some extra hearts glued to clothespins for hanging Valentines Notes around the house, and four chocolate covered cookies.

I received a beautiful Papyrus card and then an awesome “Be Mine” Valentines Day Banner! It is so cute, with wonderful details and it fits lovely on my mantle! It came wrapped in cute hearty paper too!

It will be treasured for years to come, especially since Valentines Day is like second Christmas at my house!

I can’t wait for the next exchange and I loved being paired with Sarah! Maybe someday we can have a playdate she only lives an hour away! And her little girl is a few months older then Ainsley!

Valentines Day Love

Freckles — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:07:56 +0000

For those of you that know me, you know that I LOVE Valentines Day! It’s like second Christmas to me. Of course this time we aren’t celebrating God’s only son’s birth. But we are celebrating our love for one another! And I love me some celebrations!

Chris and I usually get each other chocolate, because we both love it, and then gifts we want. This year he wanted a helicopter from the mall. So he got it and it’s already on the roof!

I got chocolates, dinner, and spoiling all day. By spoiling I mean he helped me with Ainsley all day, did dishes, bought me presents and let me nap!

I love my true love and my daughter so much!

Here is a little smilebox I made for Chris below! Enjoy your lovey this Valentines Day and even if you can’t buy anything make them something!

Make a Smilebox greeting

2010 Andrea’s Resolutions

Freckles — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:25:03 +0000

I figured I better keep a list, this list can grow and expand as I seem to be adding new resolutions each week so far these are the goals for the year:

1. No shopping at Wal-Mart, I can use my Sam’s club card four more times before it expires but only if I have another person benefitting from the sales with me.

2. 5.75 rolls of paper towels will last me the year. No more paper waste; use reusable napkins, towels, cups and plates.

3. No disposable diapers or wipes. I have a package left, those can be backup for rare cases of bad rash or broken washing machine. I will only use disposable wipes if absolutely necessary otherwise I will bring my reusable ones.

4. Lose 40 lbs by Ainsley’s first birthday.

Start weight: 217 First Goal weight: 177 OVERALL GOAL: 140

5. Try to conceive baby #2 after the summer.

6. Meet my Twitter friend and comrade, Julie (JUJUBE, twitter.com/lmsdiapers) after we have lost our weight sometime this summer! So save money for this family vacation!

7. Start and maintain a compost pile (stop wasting veggies/fruit/coffee in plastic trash bags dump in pile)

8. Spread the word of Cloth Diapers and bring Eco-Friendly behavior to Oklahoma through, Little Squigglers store and blog

9. Continue spreading the word of the benefits of Breastfeeding & Natural Baby Products

10. Complete a mini triathelon in June with my brother Philip. (this is my most daunting, I really need to start training and I haven’t ahhrgghhh)

11. Use my ginormous yard and grow some food. I hate the heat, I literally melt but I will try to have a garden and grow some of our veggies and herbs this year.

If I forgot any let me know!

-Freckles (Andrea)

OTHER BLOGS:
www.frecklesandbones.com

www.meltingmamas.wordpress.com

Size 3 Already?

Freckles — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:52:28 +0000

It becomes apparent after you wake up from the “zombie phase” (aka: first two months of being a new parent) that your baby is growing at rapid speed! Ainsley Jane Maciula Peters has impressed us with her keen ability to wow us daily! She is almost reciting the Constitution of the United States but not quite yet! When we had to buy the “next” size of diapers last week I got weepy. How was it that this baby girl of ours was in a size three diaper already? Didn’t I just have that spinal tap a few weeks ago? My look back at the past 20 some-odd weeks brought me to the conclusion that the saying is true, they DO grow like weeds! Now, we as parents must keep nurturing, not round up our little ones!

Ainsley will be six months old via the calendar on November 7th and she is an angel baby for sure! She is such a sweetheart to both of us and anyone that gives her a few minutes to warm up to. She is very alert, loves to tell stories (in baby-talk), is sitting up, rolling over, teething and her red hair is starting to grow back in! Chris and I are starting to get used to being parents but we still worry constantly about the small things that I think every first time parent does. I am loving being a stay-at-home mommy, I try and work as hard as I would at a desk job and I think I accomplish quite alot! Taking care of my husband and baby is a dream job and I am very blessed to get to do this. There for awhile, after I closed the daycare, I was going to go back to work, instead I am trying to make some income from home.

Currently, we are so blessed to have families that donate hand-me-downs for Ainsley & housing. It truly takes a village to raise a little one. I know now why some people go crazy with children and it’s probably because they had no help! Our families and friends are great, but my husband is the real reason why all of this is finally working so well. Chris helped me stick with breastfeeding Ainsley, he helped me get out of a bad business decision, he helped me recover from a hard pregnancy and c-section, and is helping me to become a wonderful mother. I am so joyful that he is my husband and he works so hard for all of us. His business is really taking off and someday our goal is to open an Apple Accessories/Computer Services/Retailer Store in Stillwater, OK preferably downtown!

Overall, I am estatic to be a mother and wife to the two most wonderful people in the world. Through the poop, the internet being slow, and dog barfing on my carpet God still brings blessings into our family and I thank him for that!

-Andrea Maciula Peters

Parenthood & Poop

Freckles — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:35:03 +0000

Do you remember the Steve Martin movie Parenthood? It’s so very true, the hugs, the frustrations, the poop! Before I was a parent my conversations usually included movies, politics, and some recipe. Now that I have a baby it’s all about poop; how often she is pooping what the poop looks like, is this or that normal. Explosion poops are amazing, until you’ve seen one you wouldn’t understand.

Also, conversations now are alot about the type of parent and type of baby you are/have. Chris & I are pretty laid back but we have our moments. Ainsley is from what I’ve read, pretty textbook. She is developing right on schedule (if not ahead) and doing fabulous! Well I better go get dinner ready so this will be a short post. Just wanted all to know that the Peters family is pooping just fine and we are truly blessed!

Love,

Freckles

Updated Photo Gallery

Bones — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:19:42 +0000

We added some more photos of Ainsley and of our dogs to our Photo Gallery. I love our Nikon D40 camera. Worth the money for sure. I can’t wait to get Ainsley a rugged point n shoot so we can go on fun photo walk adventures together.

The Peters Family

Freckles — Fri, 15 May 2009 02:33:11 +0000

So, it’s no longer the two of us, we truly are blessed with the beginning of our own family. It’s true what your mother tells you about love, you’ll never know unconditional love until you hold your own child for the first time. I have no words to explain the joy that I feel now daily just when I see her little self. I also have fallen even more in love with my husband who has become the man that God purposed him to be, he is going to be the greatest dad in the world and he is the greatest husband for me.
We all have had a tough first week recovering from a hard pregnancy and c-section, it was a test of faith and determination for us all. Week two and so on will get better and better. Overall, we have had multiple hands help us out with dinners, lunches, flowers, words of encouragement, and visits. So thank you to all our family and friends. Make sure to check out Ainsley’s week one pics on our photo gallery.
Thank you again for the prayers & everything else!
Love,
The happiest mom in the world
Andrea (Freckles)

Happy Mothers Day to Freckles!

Bones — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:35:38 +0000

Some thing fun I whipped up with Animoto.com for Andrea for Mother’s Day. Enjoy.

Update on Peters’ Family

Freckles — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:34:36 +0000

So, it is about time for another update on our little growing family! I am not working anymore, I am on bed rest to keep my blood pressure down and keep growing our little A which is hard for Chris. He now is in charge of all grocery shopping and chores. (he is getting good at groceries!)

Most days I can usually cook us dinner or dinner and lunch, my mom helped with cleaning up our house and I rely on Chris to be my gopher. Ainsley’s room is ready except for a crib mattress, which we will get someday and we need to pack our hospital bags.

Other than that, Chris is working on networking with Stillwater’s Chamber of Commerce and he will be teaching some this summer for Meridian Vo Tech which will be great!

We get checkups on my health and the baby’s every Monday and Thursday so we will make sure everyone is updated. That is it for now!

keep my Granny Maciula in your prayers and our baby girl

Much love,
Andrea (Freckles)

Baby Shower Part II

Freckles — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 22:51:52 +0000

We had a second baby shower today in Tulsa, OK hosted by my Auntie Cheryl and her daughter, my cousin, Kaysi Risenhoover. It was so much fun! They had it at the Spaghetti Warehouse and the food, cake, decorations were all wonderful!

Many family members were able to make it to this one, and many friends too! We had my mom, my Grandma Pat, my Aunties Cheryl & Teresa, Uncle Gary, Aunt Barbara, Aunt Kae, Aunt Jeanette, Cousin Lyndee, Cousin Rachael, Cousin Tricia, Friend Sarah W, her son Jules, 2nd Mom Kay Vincent, Patrick’s girlfriend Kathryn, 2nd cousins: Presley, Grace, Lindsey, Triston & Shelby.

It was quite a turnout!

Ainsley Jane has been showered and I mean “SHOWERED” with beautiful and useful gifts galore. Chris’ mom Suzanne, and sister Mandy, also sent a care package with useful items and tons of clothes! Auntie Tara from Colorado also sent her a gift, Aunt Jackie & Uncle Stanley sent a gift, Aunt Grace sent a gift, and Cousin Terre sent her love and a gift too with her mom Kae.

It was awesome! We will put the pics up soon and we thank everyone who came or who sent their love and prayers, and Ainsley will be dressed to the nines for at least 6 months!!!!

So thank you again to everyone for a great Baby Shower, we love you! You can see more photos from the shower on our photo gallery.

Andrea, Chris, & Baby Ainsley Jane