Need to improve my positional game

Just finished a game where I created (IMO) a strong positional advantage, but I couldn't formulate a plan for what to do with it.  The first 10 moves went like this:

I had difficulty formulating a plan at this point.  I feel like my position was very strong, but I often have a tough time converting positional strengths into tactical opportunities.  I'd love some help analyzing how I should played from here.

My thinking was that I really like my knight on c3 because it was putting pressure on d5 and b5 and also defends my e4 pawn, while I'm not too fond of my f3 knight since it's blocking the g2 bishop.  Of course, the c3 knight isn't doing right now because it's pinned.  If I push a3, though, I end up trading a potentially good piece for his bishop that's kind of crappy.  I also don't have many options for supporting my c4 pawn after ...Bxc3 bxc3.  I suppose I should have been content to knock his knight off the f6 square, playing something like Ng5 h6 e5.  Any thoughts on where else I could have played?

Incidentally, my opponent ended up hanging his queen like two moves later, so I won easily, but not in a manner that allowed me to learn anything.

On 8. I would have played e4 immediately. And Bf4, imho, is pointless. I really don't what it means to "put a pressure on a hole on d6". I mean indeed your position is better because he lost several tempos. You could have tried Bd2 or even Bg5 h6 Bh4 g5 N:g5 hg B:g5 Be7 Qf3...

For a plan, it looks like you might consider playing for a kingside attack. Most of his pieces are dicking around on the queenside after all. So my move 9 would have been a Bg5 pin, but that's me willing to sacrifice a knight after h6 (Bh4...g5, Nxg5...hxg5, Bxg5). I think on the whole the pin would get you more, since if you play e5, c5 or a3 now the knight can retreat to e8. It's also your only chance to possibly not lose your c3 knight (if after Bg5 he plays ...Be7). After ...Ne8, it looks like you have to play either c5 or e5 to prevent a ...d5 break from working. c5 invites b6; e5 leaves your bishop with a definite drop in mobility.

I have to disagree with your assessment that his dark-squared bishop is "kind of crappy"; to me it's his best minor piece on the board! Well, maybe the f6 knight might come closer once he stops being an f6 knight. I would not be afraid of a trade; after all it will get you the only open file on the board.

I can't make a precise vote on the best move in the position above, really. Bg5 looks nice to me still, even if it proves your Bf4 from the move before wrong. c5 looks to me like a worthwhile alternative, but I think ...Ne8 will let black free himself somewhat in all variations.

Thanks for the responses-the knight sac is not something that I would have come up with.  I really like the way that plays out-it's something I'll keep in mind if I see a similar position in the future.

i think thats a juicy position for white. I would defintely think about 11. Bg5 followed by e5.

the point is to break up the kingside pawns, not to win the knight, then mabye like h4 and stuff and a king side initiative.

You looked to have good central space, but Black had the opportunity for a lot of pawn breaks, most notably at b5 and d5. In fact, I'm willing to bet he did just that and destroyed that big pawn center.