Spring Top 5

I had planned on writing this post last weekend. But there was nothing at all that screamed "SPRING!" happening last weekend. We watched for two days straight as the snow fell and the winds blew and we fought the urge to hide under the covers. When all was said and done, Maple Grove ended up with 22 inches of snow. In mid-April. Minnesota is so cranky sometimes.

But THIS weekend, we are watching it all melt, as it is currently sunny and 60 degrees, with more 60s in store for tomorrow. Bring it on! So now that spring looks as thought it just might be here to stay (please, Lord, please), here is some of what I'm into right now. :)

1) Flowers

Real flowers have been saving my sanity in this extra extended winter. (Thanks to Shauna Niequist's IG feed for the photo, as my current tulips are on their last leg). There's just something about something bright, fragrant, and living inside your house when it feels like just about everything outside is dead. Seriously, do it. Trader Joe's is the best for flowers because they're so darn reasonably priced. But Target has also had some lovely tulips lately. :)

2) The Greatest Showman

Our family was a little late to the game with this movie, but we decided to buy it a few weeks ago and we all LOVED it. Critics of the film have a problem with the fact that the story is not exactly true to Barnum's real life (I guess he was actually kind of a jerk). But the movie is SO incredibly enjoyable, that I just didn't care how true-to-life it was. The characters are so engaging, the music is out of this world, and it's just a feel-good story that I could watch over and over. (You should ask Leah how many times she's watched it since we bought it!) As soon as the movie ended, I hopped on iTunes and purchased the soundtrack, so we've all memorized every song now. ;)

3) Ulta nail polish

Since it's officially spring and my feet aren't constantly in socks (and slippers), I painted my toenails this morning and remembered my new favorite nail polish! I have been an OPI nail polish user for YEARS, but I got some of this from Ulta as a gift and have slowly added more colors to my stash. I love the wide brush, and I think it's a little faster-drying than OPI or Essie. Also, it runs a little cheaper than both of those brands. 

4) Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups

I accidentally happened upon these when I saw them and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if those are as good as Justin's dark chocolate peanut butter cups." (For the record, I'm not a Reese's peanut butter cup fan, but I tried Justin's brand about a year ago and realized that I just prefer DARK chocolate with my peanut butter). Well it turns out, these are even BETTER than Justin's, and they're also a way better deal. Go but some and tell me how long they last. ;)

5) Books, you guys. So many books. (And these are just the ones I liked enough to recommend). I blame winter....

For the younger set:

One Mixed-Up Night by Catherine Newman is a nod to E. L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. It's an adorable story about two friends spending the night in an Ikea store. Jack picked it up after I finished and he also loved it.

Dream Big Dreams by Pete Souza is a collection of photos and stories from Obama's presidency. Souza was the official white house photographer for Obama's eight years (he was also Reagan's white house photographer, coincidentally) and he captured some pretty outstanding shots. The book is so enjoyable to just page through. We got it from the library, but it sat on our coffee table for the entire time we had it.

Some fiction:

Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere was on so many people's "must read" lists, and I was on the library waiting list for a while, but I can see why. It's a very interesting story of how two family's lives intersect and how the past never actually stays in the past. Definitely a page-turner.

Setting Free the Kites by Alex George was my bookclub pick, and we really enjoyed it. It follows two tween-aged boys through stories of loss, adventure, and life in the late 1970s.

Katie Ganshert's Life After was an unexpectedly enjoyable read. The main character is the lone survivor of a train bombing that kills 22 other passengers. And through her journey of survivor's guilt, she ends up connecting with the families of all the victims.

The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon was an extremely fascinating story. It's actually based on a true story, the unsolved mystery of the disappearance of Joseph Crater in 1930. Crater was presumed dead after six years, but there are many ideas about the details of his disappearance, and Lawhon takes a fictional look at the story through the lens of the three women closest to him--his wife, their maid, and his mistress. 

And some non-fiction:

Barking to the Choir is Gregory Boyle's second book. If you haven't read his Tattoos on the Heart yet, start there. Boyle is a jesuit priest who heads up the country's largest gang rehabilitation organization in Los Angeles. His stories are incredible, and his heart is huge. If you're interested, there's also a documentary about him and his work at Homeboy Industries called G-Dog that was very worthwhile. :)

Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd is a difficult read, but a very important one. Lloyd, a former victim herself, helps girls and young women who are victims of sex trafficking. It's extremely eye-opening and educational.

Elisa Korenne's Hundred Miles to Nowhere was also an enjoyable bookclub pick. Korenne lives in New York City and does an artist residency in New York Mills, Minnesota. Despite the small town culture shock, she winds up moving to New York Mills and has the best stories about her tiny little world in rural Minnesota. :)

Okay, on with spring! Quick, enjoy it before it's suddenly decidedly summer and we're all sweltering. ;)