THE EAST COAST
Our three-week East Coast trip spanned March and April. We were able to visit the Caldwells in Massachusetts on either end of the trip and see Alex at a very cute 9 months old (see proof below). Then we took off for points south, as far as Virginia, where Steve was able to relive his elementary-school experiences by visiting his old schools, church, and favorite spots, like the fountain in the mall. Washington, D.C., was a touristy dream as we took in multiple museums and monuments; Busch Gardens was an amusing stopover; and Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York offered us cultural, educational, and shopping opportunities. The highlights of our trip were seeing friends and family, including Rachel & Mike Maxson in Connecticut, Matt & Amanda Ponzar in Pennsylvania, Jon St. Andre in D.C., and Matt & Anju Caldwell in Baltimore. View photos and details of the whole experience (or of just the very few, selected parts that interest you).

MAINE
We had some sad experiences this year as both my great-aunt Idie Russell and Steve's great-aunt Emily Lansingh Muir passed away in the spring. Aunt Emily's town of Stonington, Maine, wanted to host a memorial service for her, so Steve's dad orchestrated an August celebration of her life that also turned into a Lansingh family reunion. It was good to meet or meet again all the relatives on the Lansingh side; spend time with Steve's parents, Greg, and Sharon; and stay in our honeymoon cottage on the beach one last time. We flew into Providence, R.I., so we were able to see the Caldwells on the way, including Alex at a very cute 13 months. Many pictures have been taken and processed, and it's just a matter of time before they're scanned in. (It was this trip, incidentally, that convinced us it's finally time to get a digital camera!) [Update: Here's the link.]

THE MIDWEST
Next is Steve's 10-year high-school reunion in Michigan; my 5-year college reunion and a reconnection for both of us with Wheaton Record newspaper pals in Wheaton, Illinois; visiting the Lansinghs again in Michigan; seeing the new Bible League office in Crete, Illinois; and revisiting our old church and friends from Northwest Indiana and across the border in Illinois. We'll update you on how everything goes! We expect good times.

HOME IN SEATTLE
Besides traveling, this has been a fun, if fast, summer. We audience-participated through TheatreSports improv comedy downtown. We picked up some free movie screenings and attended the musical Cabaret and a puppet show of The Goblin and the Poet, with my ballet teacher as one of the puppeteers. We attended Seattle International Film Festival screenings: two short-film medleys and the German comedy Im Juli. We volunteered at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, serving wine to nabobs at intermissions, then darting in to center seats for a free viewing of The Sleeping Beauty. We witnessed the Fourth of July fireworks downtown on the grass near Pike Place Market. We munched our way through the Bite of Seattle restaurant festival in Seattle Center on a hot summer day, sampling Ethiopian, Greek, and Mexican food, then hung out with the rest of the crowd to watch the children run through the International Fountain. We heard two mystery authors speak, Kathy Reichs & J.A. Jance. We watched a dynamic Henry V from lawn chairs at Shakespeare in the Park. We favored our jackets on the grass for Aimee Mann at ZooTunes, a very relaxing outdoor concert at the Woodland Park Zoo. Before I wrote this paragraph, I asked Steve what we did this summer, and he said nothing. Apparently I should brace myself for the fall.

P.S. Also, check out my April birthday fun, seeing Dave Barry, Amy Tan, & co. in concert!

P.P.S. Our hair has undergone drastic changes. Steve's is in locks after 6 hours of dreading by his personal stylist, Amanda. (All the great stylists have one name.) We watched all four Lethal Weapon movies to pass the time. My 20+-inch locks have been chopped down to a dare-I-say-sassy chin length. Pictures coming soon! Till then, let your imaginations frolic!