Daffodils, spring dresses, and dinners in the park. It's all about the little things.

Here are some little things from the past week that made me smile...

Budding and blooming flowers popping up around the city. 
New York City is so beautiful when the trees are blooming against the city skyline.

A new spring dress. 
I cannot wait to wear this bright lace dress from Madewell all spring and summer.

A dinner date with a friend at Shake Shack. 
I met up with Kate on Tuesday night for dinner at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. It was the perfect place to enjoy eighty degree weather, sunshine, and concrete mixers (my concrete jungle was delicious!). Luckily, we arrived early and only had about thirty people in front of us in line. By the time we left the line wrapped all the way around the park!

Daffodils. 
Ever since I read about the Daffodil Project on Sharon's blog last week, I have been spotting daffodils everywhere. They seem to be blooming on every sidewalk, street corner, and park garden. They look beautiful!

A favorite view. 
I love looking up Fifth Avenue at sunset and seeing the light bounce off of the Empire State Building.

Candy Crush Saga, my new favorite way to kill time on my commutes. 
Have you played this yet? I love it. After months of Tetris on the train, I downloaded Candy Crush and haven't stopped playing since.

Clog wedges and fresh pedicures. 
My feet are so much happier in open-toed shoes. Dutch Tulips by OPI was my choice for my first pedicure of the season.

What little things made you smile this week? 

Ice cream, a hammock, and sweet corn. It's all about the little things (in Maine).

Our summer vacations in Maine allow us to slow down, relax, and truly enjoy the little things that make life so wonderful. And for this I will always be grateful. Here are some little things that bring us joy in Maine...

Ice cream. No trip to Maine is complete without at least one trip to the Crabby Bear Restaurant for ice cream.

Lazy afternoons in the hammock. There is no better place to lay down, read, and sneak in an afternoon nap. Emily mastered the art of getting in and out of the hammock this year.

Water skiing. Brian skis at least once every time we are in Maine- he loves doing it, and I love watching him. My man looks good on that ski. 

Games of cornhole. The game of cornhole became a favorite past time at the Maine camp the first year I went there, and is always fun to play with both family and friends.

Sweet corn, grilling, and dinners outside. There is nothing better than home cooked grilled meals enjoyed outside. Brian does not take the title of grill sergeant lightly, and always does an amazing job cooking our chicken, steak, hot dogs, and burgers on the grill. On our last night, we had the most wonderful meal out on the deck: sweet corn, steak, barbecue chicken, and a fresh quinoa salad. It was the perfect way to conclude a perfect week.

What little things are bringing you joy so far this summer? 

Coffee, quilts, and unexpected mail. It's all about the little things.

Here are some little things from the past few weeks that made me smile...

A new mug and a comforting cup of coffee. Ever since my detox/cleanse a few weeks ago, I have looked at coffee differently. It is still just as delicious and comforting, but it is no longer something that I need to have every day (yet...). But I have decided that there is still nothing better than slowly sipping cups of coffee on lazy weekend mornings. Especially when the coffee is in my new cute mug (thanks Jill for the adorable bridal party gift!).

A fresh manicure and pedicure. I love getting my nails done. Love. Thanks a Windmillion has definitely been my favorite color this spring. I feel so lucky to have $15 mani/pedis a few blocks from my house!

An unexpected package. Real mail makes me so happy. I love the act of sending it- picking out the perfect stationary, sealing the envelope with a sticker, and dropping it in the mailbox knowing that its final destination will be in the hands of a loved one. It makes me just as happy to receive it. Last week I got a special "just because" package from my dad, and it made my day. I used the cookie press last weekend, the new book series is on my shelf ready to be read, and the picture of my dad posing next to D-A-I-N-A at the Grand Canyon is now framed on my fridge.

Mud. A few weekends ago Emily and I wanted to make a treat. It was too hot to bake, so we decided to make mud together for the first time. When I suggested making mud, Emily initially looked terrified. But once she realized it called for chocolate pudding, chocolate cookies, and gummy worms she was all smiles.

The results were delicious!

A new quilt. The gift shop at my Grandma A.'s retirement community in Northern Minnesota is always full of handmade treasures crafted by the residents. Last fall I purchased the softest, warmest, hand-knit scarf at the bargain price of $9. And last weekend I found this amazing small quilt for only $15! I love the bright colors and cute patterns. Even though my grandma didn't make it, it will always remind me of her and our visit.

Bloom. After months of anticipation, I finally read Bloom this week. Kelle Hampton is an amazing woman with an amazing story, and I enjoyed every page of her memoir. I didn't want it to end!

What little things are making you smile this week? 

Wellies, roses, and spring shoes. It's all about the little things.

Here are a few little things from my week that made me happy...

New wellies. I am thoroughly convinced that you can never have too many pairs of Hunter boots. Especially if you live in New York City and have to walk long distances in the rain. I could not resist these short lavender wellies when I was shopping with my mom last weekend. They are a welcomed bright addition to my otherwise dark Hunter collection, and I can't wait to wear them all spring and summer!

Yellow roses. I am starting to believe that fresh flowers are a must in my apartment. I am sometimes hesitant to spend the money on them, but am always grateful when I do. These yellow roses brightened up my desk all week.

Spring shoes. And spring clothes. And spring weather. Apparently, winter did not decide to grace us with her presence this year. Snow only fell three times all season here in New York City, and temperatures were well into the seventies by mid-March. Although I am alarmed by the extreme changes in weather, I will happily take the warmer temperatures and sunny skies. My pink Sperry's, cropped pants, and light jackets returned to my wardrobe this week. Hello spring!

A new dishtowel. It is official- I am a crazy cat lady. When I see dishtowels like this, I can't resist. And neither can my mom. We both got this towel from Fishs Eddy last weekend, and it made me smile all week (I love the illustrations for chase and fetch). 

I hope your week was full of little things that made you happy! Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Tulips, Snickerdoodles, and cat love. It's all about the little things.

Last weekend, I cherished every relaxing minute spent at home. My week off of school was coming to an end, and I knew that once March hit my life would spiral out of control with reports, parent teacher conferences, my class' transportation study culmination, and our school's first staff-led fundraiser. As predicted, I am now buried up to my ears in work, but these pictures from my quiet weekend make me smile and remember to breathe. 

Cheers to the little things in life... 

Tulips. I can't wait for spring to officially arrive. Until then, tulips might be my new flower of choice for my desk. 

Snickerdoodles. There is nothing more comforting than a plate of fresh baked Snickerdoodles and a glass of ice cold milk. 

Cat love. Boo may not be much of a cuddler, but she is always right by my side. Or on top of my laptop. I love her. 

Afternoon naps. There is really nothing better.

Love. This mug will forever make me smile and think of my beautiful nieces who helped me make it. Who knew so much love could be put into one little mug.

Hope your week was full of little things that made you smile. Happy Friday!

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Joys of a Saturday

Slowly waking up with no alarms set...

Phone calls with family...

Bottomless cups of coffee throughout the morning and afternoon...

Matthew and the Atlas, Guster, Beirut, and Ben Harper...


Lounging in the sun...

Tidying up a week's worth of clutter...

Slippers, pajamas, and 500 Days of Summer...

Updating calendars and starting a new countdown for my next trip to Florida...


Wearing sweatpants instead of jeans...


Iced skinny peppermint mochas... 


Planning my next baking endeavors...

Freshly painted nails... 


Thai food ordered in and a much needed movie date... 


Thankful for feeling refreshed, relaxed, and happy. 

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!

Chocolate, puffy clouds, and new mugs. It's all about the little things.

Here are some little things that brought joy to my week...

Chocolate. I seriously indulged this week. Multiple chocolate bars were inhaled enjoyed, usually paired with a glass of red wine and Friends episodes. 

Puffy clouds. These clouds made my morning walk to work so much better. 

Fresh, organic, home-cooked food. Brian made the most delicious chicken soup this week, along with a big batch of homemade almond milk. Check out his website for the recipes! Also, if you are in the New York area, check out his upcoming health workshops! 

New mugs. Over the holidays, I received a few new mugs from family and friends. Not only are they all adorable (I mean, look at that little owl!), but they will always remind me of the wonderful people who gave them to me. My morning cups of coffee made me smile this week. 

Russian Navy nails. I am loving this new color that I received in my stocking from Santa. And we all know that my weekly manicures always make me happy! 

New slow cooker recipes. Real Simple, oh how I love you. It's like you knew that I had been searching for the perfect new recipes for my Crock Pot. Every recipe in the February issue looks amazing! I can't wait to try the spaghetti bolognese, bean and spinach enchiladas, and creamy chicken pot pie. 

I hope your week was full of little things that made you smile!