Our new home

June 27th marks one month since the Shomair family moved to Palo Alto. We are finally settled - a big thanks to my Mom who came for 2 weeks to help us get organized). So far we LOVE it. It's perfect weather every day and smells like flowers everywhere. Our place is a good 1,000 square feet more than our place in NYC and in an incredible location next to all of the restaurants, stores, parks and library. Of course as a rental there are quirky things like being fully carpeted and neighbors that can hear every step at 6am (oops). The best part is that Benji and I are home every night by 6:30pm. Benji has a work shuttle that picks him up and drops him off just a few minute walk from our apartment and I can easily walk to the Caltrain to my office in the city for work - but only 1-2 times a week. No more weekly flights to San Francisco. 

Here is a glimpse at our first month out West:

you can see from the photo above, living on the 4-5th floors means you are above almost everything. This means we've got great views for fireworks. Bring on 4th of July!

Izzy found his new lookout. Not as many cars or people as NYC but a garbage or recycle truck comes a few times a week.  

One of my favorite things is a big balcony right off the main area where Izzy can play outside 

Every Saturday outside our door is the Palo Alto farmers market with amazing food and great music

An easy morning activity is going to the train station and watch the trains while Mommy has a coffee

We've been hitting up all the local playgrounds and they are all AMAZING!

Magical playground - handicap accessible

The Junior Museum and Zoo is an incredible place made for Izzy's age and its just down the street. Here are some photos of Izzy at the Turtle day at the zoo. I have a feeling we'll be here a lot throughout the years!

Every time we visit Izzy puts on the bee costume and likes to buzz around 

One of our first excursions on the West Coast was to Half Moon Bay and then to a nearby farm with the Palo Alto & Melo Park Mother's Group. Here are some photos from our first of many adventures.

At least once a week we visit Daddy at work for breakfast or dinner. Izzy LOVES visiting Daddy's office. Especially since they have an ice cream parlor!

One of the best parts of moving to Palo Alto is the friends and family that we have living here. We have several long time friends with kids Izzy's age! Here are a few of our playdates:

one of our first guests was Emmet - he's the son of an old roommate of mine from Atlanta. Lissa and I have always kept in touch and had our boys just 1 month apart!

Jack moved from NYC to Palo Alto the same week as Izzy. They went to the same school in NYC and now live nearby in Palo Alto. What are the odds?

Izzy and Masha were fast friends. Benji and Mehow both went to Kellogg and we've hung out with Karina, Mehow and Masha for years when visiting Palo Alto. This was Izzy's first time meeting everyone. 

Izzy and Masha test driving cars

Izzy and Adrian (aka Gerber Baby) at his 1st birthday party. We know his parents from NYC and they made the move 5 years ago.

Palo has two daughters and one is just a couple months older than Izzy. We know Pablo and his wife through several mutual friends. When going to their house for dinner, Izzy was more excited to play with Pablo's drone helicopters and cars. He's been asking for Pablo to come over for a play date ever since. 

Family is very important to Benji and I so we LOVE knowing that Benji's cousins Paul & Dorothy, their kids and grandkids are all in the Bay Area. Izzy had the best time playing in their garden, picking lemons and walking through their 'forrest' -- we can't wait to go back!  

The one bad part of the past month was when my Mom had to go back home to Georgia. We bribed her in every way to stay longer, but she promises to come back to visit in August. She was such an incredible help to get our house in order. Plus, just having an extra set of hands at all times was priceless. 

Izzy and Grandma making lemonade from the Paul & Dorothy's lemons

Finally, (more on this in another blog)- but I hit the jackpot (again) in the nanny category and found Katelyn - Izzy's summer nanny. She is just for the summer because she's a first grade teacher in Palo Alto. I just call her Camp Katelyn because they are having a different adventure every day. 

One last personal update....To add to the chaos I flew back to NYC for 48 hours for the fundraiser that I founded and co-chair - ArtWorks ADL. It was amazing and I am so glad I was able to see all of our hard work come to a reality. We raised over $166,000 to support the Anti-Defamation Leagues mission to fight hate and bigotry.

I think we're going to like it here!