I have also found hills go better for me if I put a little muscle behind them and mash it out in a higher gear. I've stopped using my granny gear completely and am thinking about going to a double as soon as I can talk my DH into upgrading my bike to Ultegra 10 speed On smaller hills and flats I'm trying hard to work on spinning but I've got some serious hills around my house and the only way to get up them without dying of respirtory failure is to stay in the middle ring.

Oh and I learned my hill mantra here a long time ago. I can't remember who said it first but I repeat it to myself every single ride:

"Hills are my friend and chocolate is good"

it gets me up there like nothing else