After living in Italy, the Keefers Happily Call Rancho Peñasquitos Home

Posted on May 31, 2012

by MICHELLE TREMBLAY | photos by Zeena Gregg Photography

Kimberly and Tom Keefer met on a blind date at the Old Town Mexican Café in San Diego. “A friend of ours who worked with Tom and who had a daughter in my third grade classroom arranged the blind date,” said Kimberly.

Kimberly, a teacher originally from New York, and Tom, a Naval Officer from New Jersey, are now living in Rancho Penasquitos with their two children, Marlee Renee (age eight), and Thomas Brian, III, (age six). “We live in the Twin Trails section of Rancho Penasquitos near the park,” said Kimberly. “We like the area for many reasons but moved here because of the wonderful schools and access to the parks and canyon.”

But the Keefer family did not always live in San Diego. “We spent three years living in Italy between Tuscany and Liguria, so the kids began their educational journey in the Italian Public School system which was a grande esperienza,” explained Kimberly. After perfecting their Italian, the family felt it was time to settle back in San Diego. “We bought our first home in Penasquitos in May 2011 and have fallen in love with this community,” mentioned Tom.

“Here you always feel like the neighbors are looking out for your best interest and genuinely care.”~ The Keefer Family

Cooking is one of the family’s favorite hobbies, and with an extensive garden it is easy for them to incorporate fresh fruits and veggies into their meals. Their favorite cuisine to cook? Italian, of course! “We make pasta and pizza from scratch and our kids love to partake in the fun,” said Tom and Kimberly. The kids love it so much, in fact, that once a week they are each responsible for cooking the family meal. “It has made our family dinner time extra special,” said Tom and Kimberly.

The Keefers love to spend time outdoors. “We love spending time hiking, running and riding bikes along the endless trails of Black Mountain, Penasquitos Canyon and the Del Mar Mesa,” said Tom. They also enjoy skiing, rock climbing and frequenting the local beach.

Indeed, there are many things the Keefers cherish about their Rancho Penasquitos community, but perhaps what they love most is their wonderful neighbors. “While we were moving in, they immediately made us feel welcome and we have made many really great friendships over the last year,” expressed Kimberly. “Here you always feel like the neighbors are looking out for your best interest and genuinely care.”

At A Glance

Names: Thomas and Kimberly Keefer
Neighborhood: Black Mountain area of PQ
Resident Since: 2011
Hometowns: Kimberly- Long Island NY; Tom- Turnersville, NJ
Occupation: Naval Officer and Elementary School Teacher
Kids: Marlee(8) and Thomas (6)
Pets: Yellow Lab-Prana, and a fish