6 whole years- SIX!

 it has been six years since mikey & i were married.

thursday, june 30th, 2005 seems like light years ago- really!

we've traveled to new places, cities, & countries.

we've graduated from college.

bought a home.

had a baby.

watched that baby become a kid.

we've become a family.

we have gone from a lot of sleep to a little.

we have cried & yelled & fought; laughed & played & loved for 2190+ days of marriage.

we have learned so much about each other.

mikey is my best friend-

no one knows me like he does,

nor would anyone tolerate me like he does.
really. we all know this is true.

each year i am so much more in love with this man of mine!

although we're away from each other & working today (romantic, huh?),

i'm so excited to get away this weekend for some sunshine & sleep.

here we go lucky number 7!

"Daa-deeeee!"

 "Elle, say 'Mommy!'"

"No."

"Elle, do you love mommy?"

"No. Daa-deeeee!!! Daa-deee, daa-deee, daa-deee!"

Clearly, these two are like, sympatico.

Is that the correct usage?

Sure.

For me? She apparently eats poo.

Dried dog poo.

We noticed that as Mike was taking this picture.

Delightful!

"wha-wha-wha, WAAS DAAAHHT???"

lately, elle gets so excited she stutters.

it's quite funny.

she yells, "wha-wha-wha, WAAS DAHHT?" a dozen times a day.

ha!

she gets particularly overjoyed when it comes to anything pool-related.

today we met mike on his first lunch break since, like, march,

& walked across the street to the gateway fountains.

i think this one will take a little getting used to- she was kind of taken back by the mass chaos of a beautiful, sunny summer day- meaning mass chaos made up of many many large(r than her) children!

and water that rudely shoots up her nostrils. 

nonetheless, i have high hopes for this place!

p.s.- don't i look like a victim of domestic abuse? why are my legs covered in bruises? i've taken up running (i loathe running. i'm trying to force myself to learn to run more than 12 feet)- but that doesn't explain the bruising. oh, and my arm. i managed to actually shut my forearm in my flat iron. it's pretty sick. bubbled & blistered, and shaped JUST like a flat iron smashed the top & bottom of my arm!

talent, i know.

this morning we went into her room and elle looked just like this. pretty proud that she can strip down.

yesterday after her nap i went in and she was like this.

she'd somehow gotten out a swim diaper and put it on.

hint, hint, maybe?

oh, yes, and this is elle before bed.

running mostly naked, wearing only a shirt & pool floatie.

her bestie, the blanket, always by her side.

to sell or not to sell...

i'm pretty sure (& pretty terrified) the terrible 2's are coming early in the petersen house.

every few days elle wakes up within hours of falling asleep & screams.

screams bloody murder.

she stops the instant we go in her room, and begins again the instant we attempt to leave. one would assume that she'd "cry it out" eventually- but she's learned she can scream for an hour & ten minutes, stop for fifteen, then start again. she repeats this cycle for 8 hours until the sun comes up.

it's super fun!

since we've never held her to fall asleep, nor have we ever put her in our bed... she has no idea how to sleep when we are near.

we have NO clue what to do!

i was highly considering selling her on ksl wednesday morning, but i didn't know what "category" to put her in.

so we kept her.

that night she had a sleepover w/ grandma & grandpa.

bless their hearts! they love her & she loves them (grandparents are the best, right?)! 

oh, & of course slept through the night for them.

sleeplessness aside,

i adore this little person.

she's hilarious.

she scaled the kitchen cabinets today trying to get onto the counter for a snack.

and, as you can see, she's a big fan of flossing.

she is just funny. a funny toddler person.

 

every few days or so.

it's like kind-of sort-of summer-ish like every few days.

elle begs to go to the pool every day.

each time we drive by: "POOOOOOOOO-OOL?"

yesterday was another no-go... it was cold & rainy.

we did fit in a run, two walks, bike ride, and errands!

i will say it's great weather for those spring-like activities!

alas, elle is still sitting on the doorstep.

pool-less.

it isn't summer without the pool!

especially when you're yard-less.

the sun is out today...

i'm hoping the temperature will start rising...

fingers crossed!!

we need a yard.

it's finally pretty outside!

summer is coming, i can feel it...

i wish so badly for a little green space!

a little garden.

a little place for elle to run free, somewhat unaccompanied (a fence would be in place, of course).

oh well.

above (and somewhat unrelated): we were on our way to church when elle ran to get her "jesus book!" um, how cute is that?

 back to the "we need a yard"-ness, elle sits on the doorstep and stares.

just stares.

i'm terrified she'll plumit down our cement stairs, but this is the closest thing we have to fresh air.

so i watch her as she watches the blue sky.

doesn't she just look so helpless?!

happy weekend!

elder j & family.

my family has been in town from california the last few days- my nephew, alec, is headed to chile where he'll be serving a 2 year mission! it's been far too long since we've seen these guys, so it was really fun to get together.

elle has loved playing with her cousins!

they all stopped by my work yesterday, and we snapped a few pictures while they were on temple square.

scott, suzann, mackenzie, chase & alec

oh, and of course this is elle.

she was chipper, huh?

sleep. she struggles sometimes.

hawaii: in motion (via photos & iPhone videos).

m&m: oahu & maui, 2011 from amanda petersen on Vimeo.

*p.s.- you have to mute the sidebar music >
that "duh" moment brought to you by me. i was totally confuised where "that" song came from- after all, it wasn't part of the video! sheesh.