Momma's Gone City » City Life

Three Peas in a Pod: Our Nursery

Jessica Shyba — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:26:05 +0000

I’ve been wanting to share our nursery/children’s room with you for a while now, but there were so many things getting in the way. First and foremost, I wanted those picture perfect magazine-like images to share. I had to eventually come to the realization that the perfect magazine photo just wouldn’t ever happen. And that’s ok. I want to be be realistic, too. The reality of the situation is our apartment is NEVER picture perfect. We just have too much stuff.

When we found out we were pregnant, Zoe and Jack were sleeping in matching toddler beds. Jack had nearly outgrown his, and Zoe was just getting used to hers. We knew that the inevitable was upon us… Somehow we needed to find the perfect furniture to comfortably and nicely fit three children into a pretty small room.

Let me be the first to say that I am not creatively inclined to interior design whatsoever. I know what I like, I just have a terrible time putting it together. I picked the furniture for the room and some of the decorative items and my husband did basically everything else.

We made our first rather large investment into furniture for the children’s room, and while it was a decision that wasn’t made lightly, we couldn’t be happier. The pieces we found are so incredibly beautiful and well made, I know they will be in our lives for a very long time. Hopefully forever.

We purchased the Oeuf Classic Crib and Perch Bunk Bed in Birch. Before we would be able to build them out in the room, we had to find a bookshelf and an area for some storage. Ikea came through for us yet again- I couldn’t believe how close the colors were and how well the style suited the rest of the furniture.

We went with the Oeuf Perch Bunk Bed because not only is it timeless in style, but it is narrow and offers a few different set-up combinations so that it will grow and change as the children do. The Perch can be separated and configured into a standalone twin and loft bed, and has a more compact footprint than any other bunks that we looked at. We were concerned about putting Jack on the top bunk, but on the Perch both beds were lower than any others we had seen. He’s been so happy in it-even the cat started sleeping with him.

Pottery Barn quilts-found on sale on their website!

The room turned out pretty gender neutral even though there are now two boys and one girl in it, but we wanted Zoe to have her own special girly area all to her own. She loves her space; It’s all hers and as pink as she wants it to be.

Oeuf (which means “egg” in French) is a Brooklyn based company-which is evident when you look at the style of their furniture. It’s clear that they not only take space into consideration, but their designs are made to incorporate multiple uses and options.

The Classic Crib was a very easy decision for us. With the changing station built to go on top of the crib, that made for one less massive piece of furniture that we would have to account for in the room. The crib also turns into a toddler bed, so I know we will get years of use out it. Plus, it’s just gorgeous to look at!

Beau’s crib bedding is David Netto for Maclaren, and the stuffed animals are by Steiff. These are some of the most gorgeous plush toys that I’ve ever laid my eyes and hands on. I love their expressions and simple design. Again, finding things that were gender neutral wasn’t easy, but the searching was well worth it in the end. Green is a very versatile color.

While taking the leap to invest into furniture for the kid’s room was something that took a lot of thought and consideration, deciding to go with Oeuf was very easy. This is a company that was started by a couple of designers who had just had their first baby together in 2003 and are still based in New York City. In fact, when I threw my benefit for Children’s Cancer, Oeuf not only readily and happily donated a Perch for the raffle, but the owner himself came to build it for us at Moomah. Their products are eco-friendly and made in Europe from sustainably sourced Baltic birch plywood and eco-MDFs, the finishes are non-toxic and water based. It’s absolutely important to me to support small businesses, especially ones that make an effort to make safe and planet friendly products.

I couldn’t be happier with our nursery/children’s room, even though it gets messy frequently, has too much stuff in it at any one time, and it’s just too small for three children. This is our life for now, and I am proud to call our tiny, cozy little apartment our home. I’ll even miss it when we move to a larger space. It’s nice to know that their furniture will be with us throughout the transitions-an investment that was completely worth it.

If you are interested, my dear friend Nicole at Chic & Cheap Nursery put together an incredible design board for our nursery around the Oeuf furniture. I love her ideas and am working diligently to incorporate her modern, minimalist approach into our life. It’s a work in progress.

I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a discount on the furniture, the Maclaren bedding and Steiff products for purposes of this post and review.

Sundays

Jessica Shyba — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:31:32 +0000

I’ve never really been a fan of Sundays until recently. Throughout my life, Sundays have indicated the impending doom of Monday… Back to school or worse, work.

Since I’ve been a stay-at-home mother and wife to a student, the weekends have blurred. I’m grateful that Justin is around most weekends, but generally he spends a good deal of time studying those days anyway. Realizing that this was a pattern that wouldn’t change any time soon, I decided to make Sundays our family days. I try to cook a big meal for dinner, and the kids both know that the final day of the calendar week means Family Movie Night. Sundays have become the day of the week that I most look forward to.

It occurred to me one night when I was up late nursing Beau that I haven’t taken my camera out to record a day out in the city with my kids in a really long time. So, I picked a Sunday and we hit the streets with our scooters and my SLR to explore and visit our favorite shops.

This is an example of My Favorite Sunday in New York City. Just me and the kids.

These guys are so well behaved out in the city (or I wouldn’t feel comfortable navigating around the traffic with them). It’s still nerve wracking, but so cool to watch them absorb the city on their scooters, even taking a break to get their groove on by a street vendor and his boom box. Sundays are particularly quiet in Manhattan, so they make for great adventure days.

This was one of Beau’s first trips outside in the stroller. I love wearing him in the Moby Wrap, but watching his big dark grey eyes peer out of the blankets at the wonder of the city was so sweet. His bright gaze reminds me of the way we all looked at the city when we first landed here.

We made it just in time for story time and then lunch at our favorite book store, Books of Wonder.

Afterwards, we went across the street to City Bakery for their famous hot chocolate, homemade marshmallows and pretzel croissants. This is a huge treat, to be sure. The hot chocolate tastes like warm, melted chocolate bars.

Needless to say, they definitely had energy to ride to the park and then home afterwards.

We get excited about fire stations.

This is my favorite block in our neighborhood.

Our days here in Manhattan are numbered. These moments listening to stories, sharing hot chocolates, dancing all over town and swinging at our favorite playground are sealed forever into my memory as some of the very best of my life. How do you hold on to a time that you know you’ll always want to come back to? It’s not just the city that I’ll miss… It’s the city right now. Right now, when my children still have the dimples on their knuckles and stars in their eyes.

I could probably count how many Sundays we have left before we move somewhere else-most likely back to the Bay Area. Justin is graduating from Dental School in just about a year and a half and my feelings are mixed about it. There are days-mostly the cold days when we’re stuck in the apartment-that I look forward to moving back. We miss our family and friends like crazy, and they are the only things tugging at my heart strings from all the way in California.

Living my days in a series of “lasts” is a great way to appreciate every single thing about the present-something I discovered when we decided to move to NYC two and a half years ago. I have to remember that life is about change, and uprooting is a great facilitator for learning and growing around circumstance.

Getting Organized

Jessica Shyba — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:44:19 +0000

We definitely downsized when we moved from California to New York City. Plus, we lost a TON of storage space both outside (garage, etc.) and inside. It’s been a work in progress for the last three years. Basically, we have to spend time each and every weekend organizing and re-organizing our things and the kids’ things, getting rid of everything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Those toys, clothes, shoes, odds and ends that don’t fit get donated, while those things that do, must get placed somewhere new in the most compact space possible.

With three children, two adults and one cat living in the confines of 750 sq ft apartment with zero storage space, we have really gotten creative with organization. There aren’t any strollers hanging from the ceiling yet, but I’m sure we’re not too far from that.

We made a few runs to Home Depot during the first few weeks here in the city, but it’s sort of far away and inconvenient to get to and from, especially with a lot of stuff in tow-not to mention two children. I was so pleasantly surprised to find the organization section at Duane Reade during one of my many of my weekly stops there for basically anything under the sun.

I went home with more than I had planned on-and was so happy about it. There are Duane Reade’s on basically every corner here in New York City. I was relieved to find a home organization option that was close to my home and offered a pretty decent variety of storage options. I definitely feel less isolated being here without a car when I stumble upon places like this that offer so many different products.

I’m always grateful to find a store that will serve more than one purpose. Living here without a car makes getting to and from different places while errand running very costly in the time and energy department-especially with three children in tow. My closets and bathroom storage areas are much tidier now and we are all much better off because of it.

Duane Reade can be found on Twitter and on Facebook.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias I was compensated for this post, but all opinions are, as always, my own.

Christmas Magic

Jessica Shyba — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:08:35 +0000

This Christmas will one of my most memorable, to be sure.

The weeks leading up to Beau’s due date and the big holiday itself, I spent nesting and squirreling away stocking stuffers and gifts for my kids, knowing that once the baby was born I would have very little time.

I took the kids to Build-A-Bear the night of the Rockefeller tree lighting to make a teddy bear for their new brother. I secretly wanted to steal a peek at the illuminated behemoth, but as it turns out, being 9 months pregnant and out alone with two toddlers doesn’t bode well for safe and easy crowd surfing.

We visited Santa at Macy’s, spending as long as possible wandering through Santaland peering at the dancing bears, trains and the sparkling decorations.

Jack asked for Legos, Zoe wants a princess castle, and I requested a healthy baby, of course.

And then, two days later that is exactly what we got.

Having a new baby during the holidays is really, really special. Of course, having a new baby ANY time is very special, but this is an entirely new feeling of wonderment and awe. Bringing him home to an apartment full of family and a sparkling Christmas tree was lovely, but the overall feeling in the air that everyone is celebrating love, life and togetherness at this time (especially in Manhattan) is unforgettable.

We did get to check out the tree at Rockefeller Center after all. And as promised, it was as magical as ever, and even more special having my mom, sister, husband, and new baby with us.

We’ve been really lucky to have all of our family here with us this holiday. My mom and sister were here for a couple of weeks before Christmas (right after Beau’s birth), and Justin’s family is here for a couple of weeks afterwards. We didn’t time the birth of this child, but it has worked out really well with coinciding with everyone’s vacation time. It’s been one of the most full holidays I can ever remember.

I hope you all have had a lovely holiday and are enjoying the company of your family and friends as well!

Cranberries Galore in Rockefeller Center

Jessica Shyba — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:42:38 +0000

Every year before the holidays kick off, Ocean Spray brings a gigantic cranberry bog to the middle of Manhattan-smack in the middle of Rockefeller Center. In the realm of crazy and amazing things to behold in New York City, a 1,500-square-foot bog filled with 2,000 lbs. of floating cranberries will definitely not go unnoticed.

This year, Ocean Spray debuted an open-air pop-up restaurant inside the “Big Apple Bog” and invited Ming Tsai-owner and executive chef of Blue Ginger restaurant to host the “Cranberry Mix & MINGle.”

Along with 30 other guests, I was able to attend the event-I even got INTO the bog in waders at 8 months pregnant-I wasn’t about to pass that opportunity up. We met the Ocean Spray growers, learned all about cranberry harvesting and ate the delectable creations of Chef Ming. It was a pretty neat night.

Have you ever heard of a cranberry bog? Apparently three quarters of Americans have never heard of one-I was one of them last year before this same event took place. The harvesting of cranberries is a really cool process, actually. When they are ready, the beds they are grown in are actually flooded so that the cranberries float to the top and are easy to corral with reel harvesters. They are then conveyed and taken to a facility for cleaning and packaging.

I personally will be making my own cranberry sauce tomorrow, using the incredible Jennifer Perillo’s Spiced Scented Cranberry Sauce recipe. Making home made cranberry sauce is actually really easy-so easy that it’s hard to believe that 75% of Americans buy canned cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. I challenge you to try to make it on your own this year!

These are the kinds of adventures that I feel lucky to be apart of and will remember as a part of our New York City life long after we leave. I’m already nostalgic.

For recipes all-things-cranberry and information from Ocean Spray, head over to their Ocean Spray Kitchen site.

I was not compensated in any way for this post.

Country Escape

Jessica Shyba — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:26:41 +0000

My mom flew in from California on Thursday, so as you can imagine my life has been very peaceful the past four days. We’re all just a little bit more grounded when she is around.

She takes care of us, but mostly she takes care of me. It’s the only time in my life lately when I feel content, comforted and completely at ease. I’m not arguing with myself about what to clean first, when to make dinner and how to juggle a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos with Jack or playing princesses with Zoe between work and everything else that needs to be done. When my mom comes, she’ll throw on a pot of lentil soup and then head over to the kid’s play table to sit and work with them for an hour. She just has this way about her. The Mom Way. The YiaYia Way.

We took advantage of the gorgeous weather this weekend and walked around the Union Square Farmers Market, explored an exhibit for Little Members at the Museum of Modern Art, and spent most of our time at home, cooking, watching movies and playing games.

On Sunday, we took our second annual trip to Dr. Davies Farm for a morning of apple picking, laughing, and as usual per our car travel, many puking episodes. These kids get ridiculously carsick.

It was, however, totally worth it. Last year, we went to the farm about a month earlier in the year, and my goodness what a difference. The colors of the trees alone were breathtaking. The view of New York as we drove over the bridge from Manhattan was so beautiful- it looked as though we were driving directly into a Thanksgiving cornucopia. It made me think of the beaches in Half Moon Bay, the forests in Humboldt County and every aspect of Lake Tahoe. The West Coast is definitely awesome, but I’ve never seen the seasons change before my very eyes the way they do over here. It is quite the display.

It’s so crazy to look back at last year’s photos and see how much the kids have grown and how green the trees were, but we had an equally fun time. Picking apples to eat and cook with in the middle of the country is the antithesis of our daily lives in Manhattan-and a very much welcomed breather. We ate our way through the orchards while filling our bag and planning recipes for our bounty.

We loved having my mom there with us on this new tradition of ours, and she enjoyed it as much as we did. As much as my heart beats mightier and my mind moves quicker in the middle of Manhattan, it is so totally imperative to wind everything down and truly hone in on what is really important. Sometimes a quick escape to the country or a visit from a loved one will make all of that happen in one fell swoop. I just need to remember to do it more often, and within the comforts of our home.

On The Move {$50 Amazon Giveaway!}

Jessica Shyba — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 06:27:38 +0000

For the past week I’ve been in suburbia, living the quiet life without any children or anything to clean. A press trip-turned-hurricane-detour has left me in the lap of luxury: A quiet, cozy space in my mother’s home, with my mom’s cooking, with full use of my mother’s vehicle.

I’ve almost completely forgotten what it is like to walk everywhere, loading and unloading strollers while carrying scooters and groceries to and from our destinations. Living this suburban lifestyle has gotten me very interested in the minivan/SUV market, especially with our third child on the way. I even caught myself briefly fantasizing about our future minivan ownership and all of the travel that we’ll be doing in less than a couple years upon our move back to California.

With the purchase of a new car, we’ll be also in the market for car seats and car insurance. Since we’ve been here, we’ve rented a few cars through various different services, and have borrowed from friends. Insurance hasn’t been a worry, but it’s always been a consideration. We haven’t-fortunately-had any significant issues while traveling on the East Coast with kids, but there have been times when I’ve really worried what would happen if I did get stuck. Who would I call?

It’s nice to know that there is an option out there that doesn’t require a huge commitment, especially for those times that the need is temporary, just like how we need it right now. This type of coverage is perfect for those families and individuals that take frequent road trips, as it’s the perfect roadside assistance for the minor times when you need a little extra help.

I can tell you there have been many, many times in my life that I have been locked out of my car, been stuck on the side of the road without gas and have needed a change of a tire. This program is a simple phone call away-nice especially when you don’t have any friends or family around.

Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance is a new Allstate service that gives you free access to Allstate’s 24/7 Roadside Network should your car break down for any reason. They can be reached at any time by calling 1-800-ALLSTATE.

~ No annual fees. Pay only for the service as you need it and when you need it – in most cases just $75 per tow and $50 per other service.
~ Available to everyone in the U.S. – not just Allstate customers.
~ Service covers any driver, any car, any time.
~ Download the Good HandsSM Roadside mobile app to your smartphone for faster, easier service.

I know I’ll be looking forward to utilizing this service more when our third baby comes, as we’ll need more adventures outside of the city requiring a vehicle.

Happy Driving!

Giveaway!

I’m giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one of my readers! Just tell me your best piece of advice for family road trips.

Leave the answer below in the comments as your first, mandatory entry.

Bonus Entries:

2 entries
· Register for the program and comment that you registered
· Download the mobile app and comment that you downloaded it

1 entry
· Tweet about the giveaway and comment that you tweeted: “Just entered the Allstate #ghrgiftcardgiveaway via @MommasGoneCity. Could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Your turn!”
· Share post to Facebook (through widget or copy and paste link) and comment that you shared it

This giveaway will run from tonight until midnight PST on September 5th. Winner will be chosen randomly.

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Odds of winning are not increased by a purchase.

UPDATE! Winner Chosen

Our random winner of the $50 Amazon gift card is Amanda S.! Congratulations and thank you to everyone that entered!

This post was sponsored by Allstate. I’m running this giveaway, however Allstate is donating the prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

Summer Streets and Step & Repeats

Jessica Shyba — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:33:51 +0000

The past three consecutive Saturdays in August, Park Avenue has been closed to vehicles and opened to bikers, pedestrians and everyone in-between for what they call Summer Streets. We’ve managed to make it out to two-the festivities along the way are so much fun and the kids get such a kick out of riding their scooters down the middle of the street.

This past weekend we had an event to attend, so we took the long way down Park Avenue, perusing the lemonade stands and hula-hoop rest stops.

Jack, enjoying the attention from the ladies, naturally.

When we got to the 77Kids Style School event hosted by FourMomsMedia, we were excited to see the Step & Repeat-perfect for showing off their new back to school outfits from 77Kids.

They’ve really turned into quite the little hams… Only slightly instigated by yours truly.

We had so much fun working the step & repeat that we forgot to have our hair styled and mohawks painted… but I think they did just fine without it. They had tons of fun at the PlayDoh table and snacking on the new Mott’s Medleys applesauce provided at the event. I had the rare opportunity to chat with my mom blogger friends on a beautiful Saturday, surrounded by great back-to-school fashions.

This really just begs the question in my mind: How will we ever re-adjust to life in the suburbs? I’m hoping that a few projects that I have in the works just might keep us here past our May, 2013 exodus from NYC. Can’t stop believin’, right?!

Special thanks to the fabulous ForMomsMedia and 77Kids for a fantastic event!

I was not compensated for this post, however I was given a stipend for the kid’s clothes. Opinions are my own.

NYC Scooter Cruisin’ (plus a giveaway)

Jessica Shyba — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:00:52 +0000

Moving to the middle of Manhattan has changed so many things about our lives; Most significantly our mode of transportation. We had to quickly adjust to learning the subway system and bus schedules, rather than depending on the ease of owning our own vehicle. The first two years we were here, we relied mainly on strollers-and I really ran the gamut on finding the perfect one. I had two small children that I needed to get quickly and safely to school, doctors appointments, grocery shopping and the playground.

Jack is four and a half years old now, and not only isn’t interested in riding in a stroller any longer, but he really is too big for one as well. Zoe sees her brother out of the stroller and decides that she doesn’t want to be confined to one either, so just like that, our lives changed again. We’ve sold our larger double strollers and pared down to two singles… that is, until December when baby number three comes along and everything changes again.

We’ve taken to the streets this summer via Kick scooter. We-well, they-scoot all around this city running various errands with me and enjoying their freedom. We take the scooters on the subways, shuttles and taxi cabs… they even came with us to tour Boston (helmets required for particular adventures, of course).

It’s taken a lot of consistent daily lessons in listening to my commands, not to go too far away from me and to stop at every single driveway and street corner. They know that if they don’t listen for even a second, their privileges of riding out on the town will be stripped (it’s happened, and it was ugly).

Jack and Zoe both received a Mini Kick scooter when they were two years old. It took a bit to learn to steer and use the brake, but once they mastered the functionality they were in heaven.

Recently, Jack upgraded to the Maxi Kick Scooter-it has an adjustable t-bar and wider foot bed… and he’s positively in love. It’s like his brand new Porshe.

Needless to say, our summer has been out scootering around this city so much that I’m actually considering buying the adult version. I’m not kidding.

Until the winter time and the arrival of our new baby, we’ll be cruisin’ around the city via scooter and enjoying our summer mostly stroller free.

Win It

I’m giving away one Mini Kick Scooter in the color of the winner’s choice.

TO ENTER:

*Head over to Kickboard USA and tell me your favorite product and your preferred mode of transportation with children in a comment below.

One comment per person, please.

EXTRA ENTRIES

*Tweet about the contest using the following:” I’ve entered to win a Mini Kick Scooter from @MommasGoneCity and @kickboardusa http://t.co/g0CLw2w ”

Leave one comment with link to let me know you tweeted about the contest (one per person).

*Follow Momma’s Gone City on Facebook and/OR subscribe to Momma’s Gone City and leave a comment letting me know you did (or already do!).

This contest will run from today, August 15th until August 22nd, 2011 at midnight, PST. The winner will be chosen randomly.

UPDATE: Winner Chosen!

Congratulations to tehamy, who was chosen via the contest plug-in And The Winner Is…

Thank you to everyone who entered, tweeted and subscribed!

I was not compensated for this post, however Jack received a Maxi Kick Scooter for purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.

Golden State Escape

Jessica Shyba — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:12:02 +0000

We’re back in the city after an exciting, relaxing and restorative vacation back home to Northern California. Nothing like traveling back in time to land far, far away to gain a little perspective.

Traveling to the airport and across the country alone with the kids was the easiest and smoothest to date… there were zero puke episodes on the 40 minute drive to JFK, and we made it into the airport and through security in record time. What a difference 10 months makes. My seasoned traveling toddlers knew the shoe and jacket removal drill like it was daily procedure, and the only real issue we encountered was placing Zoe’s babies in the buckets. It took three security guards to coax ol’ Tina and Baby Kitty out of her iron grip, but after a few tears and a quick belt travel, they were back right where they belong and pretty much stay every single day.

Note to self: Slip on shoes are MUCH easier to travel with.

We checked the stroller at the gate and boarded the plane, the kids excited and me discreetly wiping the cold sweat of anticipation off of my forehead. You can’t let them sense your fear, I thought. The other travelers sneered and rolled their eyes as we passed them in their seats. Flying with children would be so much more pleasant if it weren’t for other passengers judging and scooching away from us like we have a disease. Fortunately, I’m now a New Yorker, so guess how much I care about that any more? Rushed, impatient and self concerned travelers make up my neighborhood. You learn to ignore it.

Still, at their ages of 2 and 4, I can never really predict how they will behave and react to certain situations. They giggled and squealed in delight as the flight took off, and I laughed right along with them. We were excited for our vacation, and I wasn’t about to contain it.

They were really good. The only issue we encountered was the seatbelt sign, turbulence, and all three of us needing the lavatory at once. After a bit of a heated word exchange between me and an attendant, I left Jack in the bathroom by himself with the plane rocking, as I sat and waited in my seat as ordered. There’s a two person limit per lavatory, of course.

We landed safely and were greeted my mom and sister at SFO with open arms and excitement. There’s nothing quite like California air and the feeling of being *home*.

It had been close to a full year since our last trip across country to the place of our roots. The beauty and redundancy of a small town that never changes is really quite comforting to return to after living in a place of the extreme polar opposite. Friends and family welcomed us with love and smiles, and I saw feelings and expressions in my children that I rarely see normally. They were beaming and proud to be amongst people that love and care about them unconditionally.

We visited beloved close friends and family, our favorite old parks and haunts (including our favorite outdoor swimming pool), and spent a nice amount of time in the Santa Cruz Mountains at the home where Justin grew up. You can’t really compare that kind of nostalgia and home-y feel to anything, and I am so grateful that my children have this in their life-even though the times are few and far between right now. When we are in New York, they know that this place exists and for them it’s a place of comfort and freedom.

The kids planted trees, caught salamanders, and mixed cement for their own handprint stepping stones in Gran-Gran and Papa’s back yard. This was the ultimate vacation for them… just being kids.

I even got to go to our local Apple store and make a purchase that I’ve been waiting on, saving for, and anticipating for years. My first MacBook Pro. Welcome to the Shyba family, Pro, and helloooo productivity!

Grinning like a fool with my very first computer baby.

Our visit to California included a visit to the fabulous Four Seasons in San Francisco, of which I will share about in it’s very own post. That city is incredible-I cannot wait to share.

More than anything the time spent at home was really healing. We get so used to our daily routine amongst the hustle and bustle and being so far away from our support system that we forget how crucial it is to have in our lives. However, for me, New York City represents home and freedom. I’m happy here and I feel the most like myself than I ever have before. I imagine by the time Justin graduates dental school in 2013, I may be ready to move back to California because I know that it is best for my children. For now, though, the place where I grew up no longer feels like the place where I belong.

Maybe I can convince my entire family to move to New York? *ahem*