Slice of Life - Our Weekend Adventure

It is a running joke in our family that I plan every family trip to include good food and a visit to at least one of three places -- an IKEA, a zoo, and/or an independent bookstore.  Sadly, I must confess that this is a pretty accurate assessment.  Our most recent family trip was this past weekend.  Rather than a Christmas "something to play with," we gifted Big B a one-night trip to Iowa City (home of our alma mater, The University of Iowa) with no little sister.

Iowa City doesn't have an IKEA.  Iowa City doesn't have a zoo.  But, fear not, Iowa City has a phenomenal independent bookstore, Prairie Lights.  Big B had asked on the ride over if we could each go find a book there like we did last time.  Twist my arm.  When making his request, he explained that ordering a book online just wasn't the same as wondering around the bookstore and finding one.  (To which my husband replied, "That sounds like something your mom would say."  True story.)  We spent a long time wandering through the shelves and around tables, finding numerous gems that we wanted to take home with us.  After resigning to the fact that we hadn't won the lottery and a decision by Big B to spend some of his Christmas savings, we purchased our finds, including a joke book.  I must say that joke book kept Big B (and us) laughing for the rest of the trip.  

Our adventure in Iowa City included mac & cheese pizza, yummy cupcakes, cinnamon roll french toast, and Whitey's ice cream.  See above: good food is a must.  We watched the Hawkeye wrestlers dominate the Michigan State team 41-0.  (Go Hawks!)  Since Big B thinks hotels are heaven, we spent sometime just hanging out in our hotel room on Sunday morning.  In a melt-my-momma-heart moment, Big B reached over and hugged me.  "Thank you for my trip, Mom.  It was my favorite present."  Me too, buddy.             

Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Two Writing Teachers.