Paris Hilton's House and Living Well in Minnesota

A detail that emerged today made me appreciate how well-off my family and I are, here in central Minnesota. Paris Hilton's "pocket-mansion" is a 2,707-square-feet residence. What struck me most was that Paris Hilton's hideaway is about the same size as the house my family and I live in.

And we seem to have a bigger yard.

I'll grant that Ms. Hilton got her two million dollars worth, with three baths, four bedrooms, a seriously large outdoor deck, and Mediterranean styling. And, the neighborhood's much more posh there in West Hollywood.

I wouldn't trade places, though. Our house is a good size for a family with four kids and miscellaneous cousins who come to visit, we've got a lived-in yard that's large enough for the kids to play in, and the housing code allows our neighbors to set out garden gnomes and flags.

And we didn't pay anywhere close to a million dollars.