ups and downs (or, so many stairs!)

finally, an update from the east. it's quick to post little movies but harder to find time to write words. we left bellingham almost four weeks ago now. crazy!
in that time:
~we visited grandma and grandpa wedell and aunts joan and karin in fond du lac, wisconson.
~we visited the oldenburgs and the scott-brandts in grand rapids, michigan.
~aaron met with a professor and a filmmaker about the great lakes fishing history project.
~we sat in an airplane on the chicago runway for a few hours in a windstorm.
~we were welcomed overwhelmingly to our cozy new third-floor room at the julian house, full of lovely art, a bulletin board, nice-smelling soaps and lotions, pretty file folders and note cards, and a beautiful little crib for noah.
~we spent a few lovely days in lexington celebrating alan and cara's wedding, including family contra-dancing in a beautiful barn.
~we spent another few lovely days in barnstable, on cape cod, with our friends sarah, matt and avry ross, and with matt's grandma, aunts and cousin. noah played on the beach with avry, aaron went boat-scoping, and sarah made us lots of yummy food. we had a nice birthday breakfast for aaron at their house, including bacon, pastries and the new modest mouse cd.
~we have been partying quite a bit--at jesse walsh's 30th birthday party, a harvest party with margie and ian and other friends, benny's 7th birthday party and rosemary's 30th birthday party.
~we went to see the new wes anderson movie, "the darjeeling limited," trading childcare with the wassells.
~aaron bought a little beetlecat boat from harold burnham and is fixing it up in the julian house garage. he's already had help on the project from peter, scott, andrew, benny, eli and jude.
~we dressed noah up in an old wassell dragon costume and trick-or-treated around the neighborhood with all the little boys. noah got lots of candy for me and aaron to eat.
~we've walked around town a lot, frequenting the atomic cafe for coffee and cassis bakery for treats.
~aaron attended a lecture at gordon about "public history" and documentary filmmaking, which has gotten his wheels turning. (ask him!)
~we've cooked a few meals for the house, and eaten lots of yummy food (including a few cannolis).
~noah and i met my old roommate tanya's new baby harrison, who is just three weeks old. he's tiny!
~noah has fallen down quite a few stairs in this three-story house, but i think he's figured out the height dynamics at this point.
~noah has chased and been chased by tons of little boys. they have taught him a few things, including how to build and knock down block towers and how to knead bread. he also loves stealing benny and eli's "lord of the rings" swords and asher and jude's pacifiers.

yet to come:
~a trip to western mass to visit caleb, kirsten and anise and go to the massachusetts museum of contemporary art.
~a trip to vermont to see my family, with a stop in putney to see sarah bates' parents.
~boston day, and lots of riding around on trains and subways.
~a trip to connecticut to see more of my family.
~a trip to new york city when jennye's baby is born.
~a trip to portsmouth, new hampshire, to visit heidi and check out the waterfront.
~a big crafting event involving quilting, freezer-paper stenciling, gocco-printing, needle-felting and more!
~aaron's stool-making class for new hope christian school kids.
~and lots of fun hang-out time with chris, scott, benny, eli, jude, asher, henry, andrew, sarah and other friends.

more pictures soon to come on flickr. keep sending pictures of yourselves and your families and all the west-coast, mid-west and southern fun we're missing. love to you all!