STL

I took a little trip to St. Louis this week to attend the Scholastic Reading Summit. It was a one-day workshop about reading. Of course, we had some fun too!

This was out our hotel room door. It was a chalet style hotel, which I think is a fancy way to say motel, since there were exterior doors? There were also interior doors. The conference center was nice, but the rooms could use some updating!

Me & my book at the top of the Arch! Huckleberry Finn & me both on the Mississippi River!

The Gateway Arch! It looks much taller when you get up close....

The views from both sides. The river was flooded because of all the rain.

Us at the top! And the guy in the back might be the guy we met from Holland on the way up. He was biking along Route 66. Crazy!

This is me and author Cynthia Lord. She has written many children's books & won a Newbury Honor Medal for her book called Rules. It was awesome listening to her speak!

Mr. Schu is an amazing librarian near Chicago. He is also very influential in the library world and knows far more about books than me!

Donalyn Miller has written two of the most influential books on reading that I've ever read. It was great to hear from her!

This is called a Jackhammer. It is a custard blizzard, with hot fudge through the center. It was amazing!

Speaking of amazing, this is the best pizza I've had in a long time. 

The pizza place was called Deweys! Perfect for a couple of librarians...even if we don't use Dewey.

We also went to a sculpture park. This eyeball was by far the coolest sculpture we saw. The park was huge and had lots of trails, so we just stayed on the main lawn. This was our first stop! It's so cool!

And my favorite summer thing: late nights with a book and a cup of tea. 

Travels, Food, Cat

The clouds tonight after the storm.

One of my new mugs!

My purchases in Chicago. Not too much damage here.

Pacino. Luckily for him, I bought a new planter for the aloe plant anyway.

Both of my breakfasts at Nosh. In the same morning. The orange glaze french toast is too good not to have, but I feel better about it if I eat some eggs with it!

I did eat a salad!

It's a good thing he's so cute.

My new hat that I might not take off all summer long. 

My friend stopped in to water Pacino while I was gone. She got the bite marks to prove it!

Lake Michigan!

Becky & I with the worlds second largest four-faced clock. 

Custard sundae. 

Calhoun Road! It seems like a major road near Milwaukee.

Can't go to Chicago without a Portillo's Chicago Dog.

Or without a trip to the Chocolate House. The Super Chocolate sorbetto was one of the best things I've ever eaten. But I wanted the mint gelato too, so I just got both.

My work crew at our paint party! Super fun night!

One of my favorite burgers in Cedar Rapids.

And my all-time favorite CR place--Coffeesmith's. Cookie dough & iced coffee are summertime musts. 

Daytrip to Ames!

Mission accomplished: we found the world's biggest gnome. He was a little tricky to get in a picture, but thankfully we had the selfie stick! :)

Hickory Park is a must for people who had never been!

In the butterfly garden.

First stop: lunch at Olde Main.

Last stop: Colo bar, which I'd never been in.

I showed them the Campanile on campus, since the gardens had several small campaniles. 

Me and Cy!

Reiman Gardens this year has "treehouses" of all different shapes and sizes. This one is a castle theme, though it's hard to see.

These are at the top of a jack-o-lantern shaped treehouse.

This one is a cake!

This is a little bird's nest area.

This one is like a little school with a chalkboard.

I love this little walkway. It was so pretty!

Giant dandelions...or something...

This one is a little metal house that has words carved into it. It was so cool!

This was an egg type structure.

And a Chinese themed treehouse.

We had such a fun day!