Scenes from the weekend.

This weekend we celebrated Emily's 10th birthday. It is crazy how fast time flies! Saturday afternoon we opened presents and had cake and ice cream for lunch. That evening we saw The Light Princess on Broadway at the New Victory Theater. Parents, I highly recommend checking this theater out. We have seen several shows there and are always impressed. The tickets are affordable, the theater provides free lockers for all of your belongings, and the cast often comes out after performances to take photos and sign autographs. Emily got to meet the entire cast and asked them all to sign her playbill! After the show we had a special birthday dinner at the Redeye Grill, where Brian and I worked together several years ago. Our friend Gina took amazing care of us and orchestrated the most spectacular Happy Birthday song for Emily. The entire restaurant, along with the piano player and singer, sang to her as a sparkler-topped cake and gigantic mound of cotton candy were delivered to the table. It was amazing!

On Sunday we spent the morning inside watching movies and cleaning up the house. Sunday afternoon I ran some errands in the Flatiron District and admired Gazing Globes, an art installation by Paula Hayes in Madison Square Park. I will share more photos of the beautiful globes later on this week!

Birthday Girl

Look who turned six on Halloween! We celebrated Boo's birthday with extra wet food, some special kitty treats, and new toy mice.

Happy birthday to the best cat around. We love you Boo!

Life according to Instagram, Week 12.

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. Our Sunday afternoon was spent playing Sorry and watching Toy Story 3. It was a fun day!
2. Spring perfection in Astoria.

3. Oh. my. god. What a Cluster is my new favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor. Amazing.
4. I cooked! I never cook. I don't know how to cook. But Pinterest inspired me to attempt stuffed peppers, and they turned out pretty great!

5. The adventures of an urban squirrel.
6. I work with the most amazing kids. This little gift made my day.

7. & 8. Street art near Prospect Park.

9-11. We celebrated Brian's birthday on Tuesday night at Christos Steakhouse in Astoria. Our dinner was perfection, from the steaks to the pesto basil mashed potatoes.

12. I returned to Ralph's on Wednesday night after school with Brianne. I smartened up this time and just ordered a medium (instead of two back to back smalls like last week). The peanut butter cookie dough and graham crunch combo was delicious.
13. Easy come, easy go.

14. I kicked off my spring break on Friday in the village. Washington Square Park was where my New York story all began, and it will forever have a very special place in my heart. So many fond memories from 2003 in this park.
15. Haircuts with Motoki make me so happy.

16. & 17. I stopped into Sockerbit after my haircut for an afternoon candy fix.

18. Cheers! I enjoyed a mexican lunch and margarita sampler at Agave with Brianne Friday afternoon. Spring break is such a happy, carefree time for teachers!
19. I couldn't resist a second manicure in Thanks a Windmillion. Loving this color.

20. 9/11 tiles in the West Village.
21. I couldn't have said it better myself.

22. Ralph's cravings strike again! Peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter fluff combo.
23. Grateful Brianne is my Italian Ice partner in crime!

24. Brian, Emily, and I spent our Saturday afternoon at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. We went on an egg hunt all morning, and then enjoyed a picnic lunch outside in the sunshine.
25. We spent the afternoon hiking. Emily is an expert hiker!

26. Apparently hiking works up a crazy appetite. We chowed down at a diner before dropping Emily back off Saturday night- I thoroughly enjoyed breakfast for dinner, while Emily and Brian devoured sandwiches and fries.
27. By the end of our meal, we lost all control. Brian and I split a six-layer piece of carrot cake.

28. And Emily had an ice cream sundae.
29. Hello NYC. Driving over the Whitestone Bridge home from Connecticut.

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones.

Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A.

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!

Celebrating at Brooklyn Brewery

Yesterday, Brian and I trekked to Brooklyn to celebrate Brianne's birthday at Brooklyn Brewery. We sat at a wooden picnic table with friends and chat over pizza and rice balls (from the food truck outside), jelly beans, peanut m&m's, and cupcakes. It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

I am so happy that Brianne and I have become such great friends over the past few years and that I was able to celebrate her birthday with her.

Celebrating 82 beautiful years.

Last Saturday, my family came together from near and far to celebrate an amazing, kind, and caring woman- my Grandma A. We celebrated her smile, her warmth, and her sense of humor, all of which have been perfected over the past 82 years. It was a day full of love.

She looked beautiful and festive in her sweater set and feather boa, and truly was the Birthday Queen.

We enjoyed polka music from my uncle's accordion, and I couldn't help but think about the many polkas I saw my grandma and grandpa dance together throughout their years of marriage. When I saw my grandma's feet moving to the beat from her wheelchair, I scooted over to her and danced chair-style for the rest of the songs. We moved our arms to the music and laughed, enjoying her favorite tunes.

It warmed my heart to see my Grandma so happy.

And we were all happy to be together too, catching up and reminiscing about all of our times together as a family. Laughter was heard throughout the afternoon from all sides of the room.

My dad, uncle, and brother goofing around. 

My Grandma was so excited for lunch from KFC and a Dairy Queen birthday cake, and proudly posed next to her ice cream cake before the candles were lit. It took her several tries (and a little extra help) to blow them out, but when she did everyone cheered.

My dad played songs on the piano as we enjoyed our cake. Presents were opened and applauded as my Grandma held them up for us all to see.

For the first time, almost all of my Grandma's family was together in one place (we missed my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces!). I met family I had only known through pictures and stories, and caught up with family I had not seen in years. It was a truly special day that I think we will all remember for a long time.

It was a day of celebration and love. It was a beautiful day in honor of a beautiful woman.