A new book, moccasins, and birthday presents. It's all about the little things.

Here are some little things that made a big difference in my week...

A new book. After weeks of sleeping on the subway and browsing gossip magazines, I have returned to a real book. And it feels so good. I am really enjoying Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Moccasin booties. I am obsessed. Minnetonka Mocassins have always had a place in my heart, and now Minnetonka booties do as well. 
Birthday presents. I am so thankful for all of the cards and birthday messages that I received last week for my 27th birthday. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. As always, my sister sent me the most amazing package of goodies that brightened my week. Isn't the wrapping paper so cute? I couldn't resist snapping some pictures before I unwrapped my gifts. I am eager to update my workout mix with my new Lady Gaga CD!

Homemade pasta. Brian and I discovered Barbarini last summer (you can read more about our summer visits here and here), and it quickly became one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. Every time we trek downtown to the South Street Seaport, I make sure to order one of the restaurant's homemade pastas. I was eager for my parents to try Barbarini when they were in town, and the cold weather made the Italian comfort foods even more appealing. I thoroughly enjoyed my handmade spaghetti with sausage ragu. And best of all, I loved dining with Brian and my parents on my day off of work!

Exploring a rural area. For the past three weeks, my second graders have been learning about different types of communities and their transportation needs. After learning about urban communities and interviewing people around school about the types of transportation they use, we took a trip to the Top of the Rock observation deck to see our city from above. Next, we learned about suburban areas and traveled to Cold Spring, New York on the Metro North to interview suburbanites and explore Main Street. This week, we took our third and final trip to a farm in Goshen, New York to interview farmers about their rural community and transportation needs. Despite the cold weather, rain, and mud, we had a wonderful time walking around the rural area, observing traffic (or lack there of), and interviewing farmer John and his crew. I can't say it enough- I love my job.

Hope your week was full of little things that made you happy! Cheers to a fun and relaxing weekend!