Zoe

Only one day after I posted my last blog we said goodbye to our sweet Zoe...not only our dog of nine years, but a beloved family member. Greg and I got Zoe only 2 months after we were married. She made us a family on that day. After a long three month battle with cancer, it was time. As a pet owner, you always know that the day may probably arrive when you are forced to make an impossible decision that is gut wrenching and brutal, yet yours to make nonetheless. No matter the circumstances, saying goodbye is painfully hard. I will spare you the sad and heartbreaking details of that moment, but instead take this time to reflect on the amazing dog that she was and how much she added to our life as the Thomases family....

Zoe, I will always remember....

• Daddy and I picked you even though you weren't the puppy that the breeders picked for us to have. The moment we saw you watching over Jett, the tiny black lab runt of the litter, we knew you were special....and what a delicious puppy face you had!
  
• I played Norah Jones on repeat for you at night in those beginning days of being home and sleeping in your crate. I thought it was soothing :)
• Like our three kids, even you had a "mimi"...except yours was a lamb!
• In your puppy days of living in NYC we would take you to Central Park every weekend where you would run free and explore the biggest park the city had to offer
• Coming home one day to a room full of feathers! We had recently let you out of your crate during the day and you just loved eating pillows and down comforters 
• How you slept at the foot of our bed on your special blanket
• How people were always drawn to you cause of your sweet, gentle disposition and friendly, loving face...who could resist those butter ears?
• Afternoons in the dog run across from our apartment on Riverside Drive and 73rd Street and long walks along the Hudson River...you loved being a city dog
• Meeting Morgan (your BFF)...because of you we were introduced to friends that we now consider family...and they loved you just as much as we did
• Your favorite foods were apples with peanut butter and parmesan cheese
• Being greeted at the door with a wagging tail...but you were always especially excited when daddy came home at the end of the day
• The connection you made between Emma and I the day we brought her home from the hospital was a moment I will never forget...you just got it...and eventually for the boys too
  
• Pulling into the driveway and seeing your little face in the window cause you were laying on the couch that you weren't supposed to be on...but all bets were off when we left the house :)
• How your head popped up in the car the minute we pulled onto the street of our lake house....your favorite place on earth
• You could spend all day launching off the dock after balls and sticks at the lake...it was your favorite place...those nights we had to work hard to wake you and bring you to bed cause you were so exhausted from a full day of swimming...you especially loved spending time with Uncle Danny while he pet you until all the hair you had to shed was on the floor...he gave you so much love
• Fire Island...you loved jumping after daddy in the pool when he dove in....you loved swimming in the ocean and was crazy for us to keep throwing in sticks for you to get...you loved riding the waves even thought it scared me...when you came out of the ocean you buried your face in the sand to get the water out of your ears and nose...how you howled like a coyote every time the sirens went off in town...how you loved the ferry ride and found your seat on the bench with your head hanging over the side in the breeze (this is one of my final memories of your sweet face)
• How you made me feel safe in our home...you were the ultimate protector
• When we put the kids to bed at night you made the rounds with us...moving from room to room while we read each one of them books and said goodnight
• How I bought lots of rugs because of you :)
• How you loved the snow!
• How you had many collars and leashes...daddy always thought I was crazy but what can I say, a girl needs new accessories....they definitely got to know us at Canine Ranch
• You never touched anything that belonged to the kids...ever.
• How you were there by my side in one of the worst/sad moments of my life...you knew something wasn't right and you were there to make sure I'd be okay
• How you loved our hikes in the reservation...you would run just far enough ahead to feel free but also be able to see all of us in the distance
• How I had to coax you up the stairs at night if daddy wasn't home cause you wanted to wait for him
• How you howled in your sleep!
• I loved kissing you right between your eyes and always thinking you smelled like popcorn
• Your presence...it was beautiful and strong and loving and true

Zo Zo...you were truly one of a kind. There could never be another like you. We miss you every day.

Sleeping with your "mimi"

The feather storm i came home to one day

Loving EJT

Watching over her in the bath

Reading Zoe stories

Lounging in Fire Island

Still hungry

Zoe & Morgan BFF

Swimming at the lake

Fire Island ferry ride

Greg and Zoe walking the beach

Loving life with E on the beach

Zoe love

Can you throw the stick already?

Off We Go!

On the ferry!

We are about to embark on our annual summer vacation beach week to Fire Island. My very sweet father-in-law is generous enough to hand over the house to Greg and I for five blissful days with our brood of five! If you've never been to Fire Island, let me just give you a glimpse of this special place. About an hour and a half drive from our home in NJ, we arrive to Bay Shore (Long Island) and hop on the ferry that brings us over to the island. The moment you step foot on that ferry and the breeze is in your face, you are on vacation! You arrive on the other side to an island that you navigate only by foot or by bike. For those who are residents of the island, you can purchase a wagon which transports your many bags from the ferry to your home (no need to lug a million things with your own two hands!) The basic attire there is bathing suits, flip flops, shorts and sweats. No need to ever dress up which I particularly love. We spend our days hanging by the pool, digging in the sand, riding the waves, bike rides to town for ice cream and ultimately grilling at home and hitting the hay! I have to give a shout out to the one and only Seaview Market, our "go to" spot for getting anything and everything you could possibly need! This intimate market is a family run business that provides not only amazing products but welcoming smiles every time you are there (which for us is several times a day!). My personal faves include fresh donuts in the morning, iced coffee, fresh fish, deli sandwiches and  their macaroni salad. Everything is always delicious and I am constantly in awe at the number of products they manage to keep in this one, tiny market.

Wagon post

The beach!

Yum! Treats from Seaview Market

Pics from Summer 2012...can't wait to make new memories!

Total bliss

Zoe in her element with E!

Happiness

Fire Island walks on daddy's shoulders

The ultimate scooter boy!

Ice cream love

Our annual wagon pic from 2012

What's better than a rainbow?

But the biggest challenge for summer getaways (which lucky for us is every week) is always packing. What do I really need? Did I forget something important? What's the weather gonna be like? How many pairs of shoes are really necessary? I recently stumbled upon a couple of products that make traveling a bit easier and stress-free....

• Anything that keeps me organized, I love! Stumbled across this amazing travel checklist in J. Crew (created for them by a company called Knock Knock). Got one for myself and plan to use it this trip!
• Came across these travel cases for kids....very tempted...might have to try one! 
• I am totally obsessed with my new water bottle by bkr! Definitely pricey, but worth it! Something about drinking out of a glass bottle....I also love that they invest a portion of their proceeds to initiatives that combat the global water crisis, empower tomorrow's leaders, and help in the fight against cancer. So you get a great product and are helping the world at the same time! :) 
• If you have kids then you definitely have to pack lots of snacks for any car ride longer than ten minutes! Lunch skins sandwich and snack bags are the thing for on-the-go snacking! Love, love, love them.   
  

Beauty Girl

EJT 6-26-06

I can't believe my baby girl is 7 years old! Daddy was the first to say, "It's a girl!" and from that moment on I was completely in love (and surprised...i was convinced you were a boy!) You were the sweetest, most delicious baby who molded me into the mom that I am today. Your sweet smile and gentle disposition were there from the start...It's been amazing to watch you grow into the girl you are today!

• I love your quiet confidence...it's one of the most amazing things about you
• You are an observer...always have been...it's so cool to watch you assess a new situation before you decide how you are going to tackle it
• You are an incredible artist who wows me with your work every single time
• I love how you suck on your top lip, holding your mimi when you are tired, just like you did when you were a baby
• You are the best friend...kind, helpful, caring, empathetic, sweet, sensitive and loving
• You have your favorite things to wear...and if you had it your way, you would wear the same faves over and over again
• J and Z are so incredibly lucky to have you as a big sister...you are the best role model, teacher and friend to both of them
• Daddy's chocolate chip pancakes are your favorite and I think they always will be! 
• I love listening to you read to me...your expression is the best! Ivy & Bean and Amelia Bedelia are your definite favorites
• Your black high top converse were your favorites and you wore them until they couldn't be worn anymore (decorated with your own duck tape design!)
• Wearing your hair in tiny braids in front was your thing this year
• Your face always says it all...you have the most incredible way of expressing how you feel with your eyes
• Your beauty sparkles on the inside and out...I am so lucky to be your mom
• You light up a room with your gentle spirit and beautiful smile 
  
  
  
  
  Happy Birthday EJT! Always remember you are kind. You are beautiful. You are smart. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different...you will always be our "Beauty Girl" and on your 7th birthday my wish for you is days filled with love, laughter and lots of kisses.
  
  

Anniversary "BMF"

Greg and I recently celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary with an amazing meal at Ninety Acres, a beautiful restaurant set in Somerset County, N.J. It is a restaurant that supports local agriculture with a menu that offers fresh, local ingredients. They have over 1,200 different wine selections, many of which are sustainably, organically and biodynamically produced. The restaurant is set in the rolling hills of their farm and is breathtakingly beautiful. Most people would call this "Farm to Table' dining...they like to say "we are a Table at the Farm"....and they are 100% right!

Let me start by saying that Greg and I, independent of one another, made surprise reservations at the exact same restaurant. The only difference was that he decided to try something new (we've been there a bunch) and try their tasting menu, where you are seated by the open kitchen with a linen covered bistro-style table.

It was the perfect summer night for a romantic dinner at Ninety Acres and we were pumped. You pull onto the property and almost feel like you could be in Napa Valley, CA! We decided to arrive an hour before our reservation so that we could have time to enjoy a drink and some apps at their outdoor bar area which is just gorgeous. I had a yummy glass of champagne and we enjoyed a delicious appetizer of fresh ricotta cheese and toast.  Really, what's better than fresh ricotta cheese? :) while enjoying this view?

We were seated for our reservation exactly on time and were looking forward to our "tasting menu" dining experience. The waitress walks over and hands us our menus, takes our drink order, and leaves us to ponder the meal that lay ahead for us. Greg and I took one look at this menu and were totally baffled....the menu was simply a list of ingredients! She must have seen the confusion on our faces because she immediately walked back over and asked if she could help clarify anything for us. We proceeded to explain that we had never done the tasting menu before and we weren't sure how to order. "You've never dined BMF with us?" she replies. BMF? "What is BMF?" was our response.

Basically, BMF stands for "Bring Me Food"-- clever, cute and to the point! As diners, you are privy to the ingredients that are local, seasonal and delicious at the moment, however you know nothing more! It is up to the chef to prepare a seven course meal, pairing these ingredients how he sees best, and surprising you each course with something brilliantly yummy! Let me also mention that there would be wine pairings with each course too! I wasn't so sure I was up for the culinary challenge. I'm not the most adventurous eater and wasn't sure I was going to fully enjoy everything on my big night out. However, with a little push from Greg, I decided to get crazy and go for it....let the eating begin!

Course #1- Cold Strawberry Gazpacho...sweet to savory!

Course #2- Sopressata with chili flakes and herbs

Course #3- Chicken Egg with asparagus and arugula and arugula puree

Course #4- Soft Shelled Crab

Don't you love the blue sequin top? 

Course #5- Pork 2 ways

Course #6- Cheese and Toast with something lemony on it

Course #7- Everything Strawberry Dessert- AMAZING!

And just cause I wasn't a huge fan of the cheese I got this too!

These pics speak for themselves...it was an outrageously delicious, special and romantic meal. Cant' wait for the next special occasion! Oh, and did I mention how much I'm loving my new royal blue sequin top? It's my new "go to" go out top! Gotta love Alice & Olivia :)

Happy Anniversary GST! To many, many, many more....XOXO