Spring Break--Up North!

Like all sane people, we headed...north for spring break (wait, isn't warmer weather south?). Grandma and Grandpa Hiltbrand made the trek east to come see us again this spring break and we decided Minneapolis (and Mall of America) was the perfect destination.

Here are the highlights.

**Riding the rollercoasters in Mall of America

**Walking, walking, and walking the Mall of America (Quite overrated, in my opinion--but I guess everyone has to say they have done it at least once.)

**Swimming in the hotel pool (sorry no pic--I forgot)

**Breakfast at McDonalds (surprisingly, this usually is a highlight of our travels!)

**Trip to the St. Paul Science Center (seriously better than Des Moines'--the kids had a blast while Grandma and Grandpa patiently waited.)

A Word About Books

I love to read. It is what I do to keep my sanity--especially when I am stressed. It seems the more chaotic my life, the more I have to read. And I try to read good (my own standard, of course) books--sometimes returning to old favorites over and over again because I know I can trust them. And I admit it, I like to read happy endings. There are enough sad endings in reality that I don't need to escape to them. I don't enjoy realism all that much.

So recently I picked up a couple books that looked good. The first is a book I began reading with a couple friends who are tackling the AP English Literature list together, one book at a time. But I have to say that after the first 100 pages or so, I have lost interest and put it aside for good. The Blind Assassin is a little too gritty for my taste (at least what I have read so far). So I will go to our lunch discussion this week, but I will not have completed my assignment. I'm interested to see what they have to say.

The second, The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot, has a terrible ending!!! Remember, I like happy endings--it's a prerequisite. [Beware, I am going to play the spoiler here; so if you want to read the book, skip this paragraph because I am going to reveal the terrible ending.] After a long, sometimes tedious, narrative about a family full of misfortune, the heroine finally appears to have found love and happiness. But she gets tangled up in a couple of webs that I was anxious to see how the author would untangle with full moral value and all that. Not to be. On the second to last page (I knew I was in trouble as the pages dwindled without a foreseeable solution to the dilemmas) she dies in a flash flood. HONESTLY! Is that why I devoted my whole Saturday morning (when I should have been cleaning my house) to finishing her tale--to see her die in a flash flood? Seemed like a bit of a cop out to me. So now I have to find something, and quick, to take the sting out of the ending that is lingering like a bad taste in my mouth. Any tried and true suggestions?

On a happier note, I did just finish Middlemarch by George Elliot (That's what led me to The Mill on the Floss in the first place) and I quite liked it.

I also finished The Chosen by Chaim Potok and loved that one. I am going to read more of his work soon.

I have a feeling a little more Jane Austen is in the offing. I can always count on Jane to cheer me up when I am feeling down about the books I am reading. (Btw, did you see this great new BBC production of Emma that ran on PBS? One of my favorites that we have watched over and over in this house!)

Happy reading to all! Have a great day!

Birthday Fun!

This birthday has been awesome! Here are some of the highlights:

**Breakfast in Bed by my daughters

**Being woken up to singing and a video camera in my face for said breakfast

**Chocolate and a personal short story from my youngest son {see below for translation if you can't appreciate his 6-year-old story telling skills}

"Once upon a time there was a hungry troll. Then super mom saved the day."

**A garbage can from the family {trust me--if you have been in my kitchen recently, you will understand why this is such a GREAT gift!}

**A special video, directed by Emmie, of all the reasons my wonderful family loves me

**Coupons for various things, including one for 5 BIG favors (all I have to do is fill in the bubbles to redeem!)

**Dinner with my fabulous husband (who, I might add, ROCKS!! Love, Love, Love him!)

**Dancing with my friends in Body Jam, pumping iron with my friends in Y Pump, eating cookies with my friends after said Y classes! (Why were we exercising?)

**Lunch with awesome friends--the company was great, the service--not so much!

**Chocolate, jewelry, and shower stuff from friends (three of my favorite things!)

**Fresh flowers

**More chocolate, in the form of a cake (pretty sure Kris is going for death by chocolate), with my family

AND FINALLY:

**Promises of enjoying warmer weather in the coming months. It may be in a box right now, but soon I will be wasting away the summer days, book in hand, in the back yard in this little beauty--the very thoughtful gift from my fabulous husband {Did I mention that I Love, Love, Love him?}

What a Fabulous Birthday! Bring on a great Year!