This post is sponsored by Amazon, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

(version en Español aquí!)

Hello my beautiful familia!  The sky is blue, the sun is out, and I am ready for this 2021 spring season to bring us more hope, health and plenty of joy.  Things are beginning to feel normal in my life again and that just makes me so happy.  One thing we all learned and got used to this past year though was ordering our groceries online.  At the same time, we’ve seen the disparities in communities of color and lack of access to fresh produce and specialty pantry staples.  This has been a growing concern even before the pandemic.

This is why I want to remind you that if you are paying with SNAP EBT, Amazon makes it simple for you to get all your favorite pantry items, as well as fresh produce, meat, dairy and more, directly to your home FREE on qualifying orders. You also don’t need to have a membership to enjoy Amazon Fresh if you’re a customer paying with SNAP EBT (in most metropolitan areas).  All you have to do is add your SNAP EBT card at amazon.com/snap. 

Here I am sharing some of my pantry faves and items I buy regularly.  Hope you all find it useful when shopping on your own. Hit me up on the gram and let me know which Items are your favorites! 

Domino’s Sugar

365 Organic Pearl Couscous 

Freeze Dried Mangos

Avocado Oil 

O Champagne Vinegar

O Champagne Citrus Vinegar 

MaraNatha Cocconut Almond butter

Jasmine Rice 

365 Almond/sunflower seed crackers

Daves Killer Bread

Grass Fed Butter

Vital Farms Pasture Raised Eggs

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This year for Día de Los Muertos, we welcomed my grandparents and father in law into our home.  I love this time of year.  To me, it marks the beginning of new life.  It’s almost as if our ancestors come down to bless our home and lift up our spirits.  

On Sunday the 1st this year my husband, son and Igathered around the altar and payed homage to my father in law by playing his favorite songs.  My father in law was a musician and every year we lay out his accordion for him.  We like to believe he likes to come down and play for his grandson.  I take time to speak to my grandparents.  This year I introduced my little girl to both of my grandmothers.  I felt their spirit and hers connect right away.  It was a beautiful day that my family will never forget.  My son was having a full conversation with his grandpa and my daughter laughing, it was beautiful.

I love to see how this tradition has expanded and reaches more and households every year.  Muertos (the way we refer to this day in Oaxaca) was always such a monumental part of my life growing up.  My grandma had an entire room dedicated to her altar and I remember he entire household smelling like smoked chile pasilla and mole.  

Of course, my altar looks very different than that of my grandma.  I chose to have a minimal look this year, in order for my Oaxacan candles to shine.  Huge shout out to one of my best friends, Omar Alonso (@oaxacking) for introducing me to the candle makers.  It was a mission getting these beauties from Oaxaca to LA, but well worth it. 

In Oaxaca, there are certain traditions that an altar must always have. 

Photos of loved ones who’ve past, flowers to represent the earth, copal to represent the smell that connects us to life, their favorite foods and drinks of choice (including pan de muerto), and water.  My mom also always told me an altar must be three levels. 

Can’t wait to see your own altars come to life in your own homes in the years to come. 

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Building your kitchen essentials I think it's one of the funnest things you can do when moving into a new place.  I remember the day my husband and I moved into our home, I spent hours and hours scrolling through pinterest for inspiration.  Back when I lived on my own in that tiny Koreatown apartment, my kitchen was comprised of a coffee station (which I still have), one chefs knife, one pot, a pan and a few plastic spatulas I got from Ross.  Most of my young life was spent at work and eating out so having a well stocked kitchen was at the bottom of my priority list (besides, I had restaurant’s kitchen to worry about). 

My life is much different now.  I have a family, I host a lot more parties and major holidays are mostly spent at my home.  I have built my home’s kitchen arsenal through the years. Some items I use more than others and some I can’t imagine living without today.  I know today there are countless ads telling us why we need certain products and how that product can change our life. I also know everyone is different.  Some of you cook more than others, some of you have families, and others may only be cooking for not more than one or two people every so often. However, I do wish I would have bought smarter in my early adult life.  

I compiled this list with the idea that it will serve as inspiration when building your kitchen essentials at home no matter what stage in life you are at today.  These are the items I use the most at home when cooking and hosting people (you all know how much I LOVE hosting people). Again, this collection took me years to put together, so be patient, invest with caution and know it will take time and work to get there.  Great quality items can last you a lifetime!

Stainless Steel cookware

Stainless Steel pots and pans work great for browning or frying.  I like to use the smaller pots to make any sort of pasta sauce or quick soup. It’s great to have a couple of pans and a pot around.  Or just one of each will do. 

Non-stick cookware

There are two types of people in this world.. those who love non-stick and others who look don’t.  I personally could not live without it and don’t understand those who cook without it. I discovered Scanpan non stick pans through my girlfriend Norma.  She raves about them and decided to make the commitment. It was my first ever ‘adult’ purchase. The quality is unlike any I’ve seen. They are also a sustainable company that offers a lifetime guarantee. Note that olive oil should never be used on these to fry anything.  Opt for a vegetable oil like grapeseed when it comes to high heat. This will help maintain your pans like new (this goes for every brand… olive oil is not meant for high heat cooking). 

Dutch Ovens

This is the one piece of cookware that will be passed down to your daughter, son, niece or nephew.  They can get expensive depending on the price, but they sure are worth it. These are meant for braising, roasting, making stews, deep frying, cooking on the stovetop, in the oven, etc… They hold heat like no other and are perfect for any kitchen.  

Knive Set

Great quality knives are very underrated in a kitchen and you won’t learn to appreciate them until you slice a tomato with a sharp nice for the first time.  It is an unbelievable feeling and experience. To take care of your knives, make sure you get them sharpen at least every 6 months. I will always chose Global knives! 

Kitchen Shears

YES you do need special scissors for your kitchen.  They are perfect to help you cut meat or even snip a few vegetables. Believe me, they will make your life way easier in the kitchen.

Stoneware for baking/roasting

This is another kitchen essential you never knew you needed, until you have it.  If you love baking sweets or savory dishes, this is a piece of cookware you will be using time and time again. They are great when hosting because you can place it right in the middle of the table for people to serve themselves.  I also have to admit that I have bought pre-made food before, heated it in one of these puppies and may or may not have acted as if it was home-made (please don’t judge). They not only make food look beautiful but are versatile and you can bake and roast practically anything in one of these.  

Non-stick Griddle

I was debating whether this should make my essentials list because it seems more like an ‘extra’ item.  However, given the amount of time I use this per week, it only made sense it made the list. Not only does it expedite my pancake-making process but it’s absolutely perfect to make AND heat up tortillas.  You can heat as many as 6-8 tortillas at a time! That to me is reason enough for me to make the list. 

Toaster Oven

I wanted to stay away from kitchen appliances here because I think they deserve a list of their own.  However, those of you who know me, know my love for my toaster oven runs deep. I don’t know if a toaster-oven fan club exists, but if it does, I should run for president.  I LOVE this thing. And yes, I do own an oven, and yes I know I could just use that instead. But when you are running on mom-time, you need your oven to heat up like yesterday!  I cook my bacon here almost every morning perfectly at 390 for 12 minutes. Leaves no mess and its perfect everything time. I toast my bagels, roast veggies, and reheat many of my pre-made meals.  It has also saved me time and time again during the holidays when I’m baking multiple dishes and running out of space. Again, I can go on and on about it so I will just stop now and let you be the judge.  

Rubber spatulas and spatulas spoons

I love working with rubber utensils.  Not only are they more giving but they also help prevent scratches on your cookware.  Also, if you are making fried eggs, a rubber spatula will be a game changer for you. 

Measuring cups and Spoons

I have to be honest, I may own several sets of these.  I can never have enough and may have a hoarding problem when it comes to measuring spoons.  This set from Sur La Table is one of my faves because of the variation in sizes of the measuring cups (like the 1 ½ cup… yes nerdy but VERY useful)

These past four weeks have been a whirlwind.  OAXACA: Homecooking from the heart of Mexico hit the shelves on October 22nd 2019.  Since the, we have been on Amazon’s Best Seller list week after week and have sold out in a few of our favorite book stores around the country.  It is unbelievable to think this in fact, is real life. Our 2019 book tour has been a life changing experience, one that I will never forget. I never expected so many of you to come out to our events and be interested in the story of our family and our culture.  This book tour has not only brought me closer to many of you, but to my siblings as well. Many of you know how close I am to my family. We work together, and celebrate life outside of work together. But never had we traveled the way we have these past few weeks.  My sister Paulina and I went deeper into our Book Tour Chronicles on this week's episode of our Super Mamas Podcast. Hope you listen and laugh along with us. 

This tour would not have been possible without the support of our brand partners, DELTA, AEROMEXICO, SCANPAN AND GLOBAL KNIVES. It was because of travel partner, DELTA and AEROMEXICO that my siblings and I were able to tour together. Delta has been my go-to airline for years and it was a dream to be able to partner and have their support these past few weeks.

Our partners SCANPAN and GLOBAL KNIVES gave away  one 10-piece cookware set per stop and global knives to the first 10 guests who showed up to our stops. I felt so happy for every single person that was able to get their hands on these. I use them at home so I know first hand how incredible they are!

Brooklyn Stop

Brooklyn Stop:

Homecoming

Arriving at Brooklyn's HomeComing. Our host for the night

My siblings, Fernando and Paulina

Catering by Casa Publica. They cooked from our book!

The incredible Vivian Nuñez moderated our panel

Some of the questions I have gotten asked over and over again these past weeks have been about how the book came together.  How did the idea come about? How did you manage to gather all the recipes? How long did it take? What did it take?  

The truth is that writing a cookbook has always been at the top of my life goals list.  A book that aside from documenting my family’s recipes, could also serve to document my parents immigration story from Oaxaca to Los Angeles.  It all started with Jonah Strauss, who I met in 2015. He was having lunch at my restaurant and asked if I would be interested in having him as a book agent  Even though at this point in my career a book deal seemed unreachable, I went along with it and signed with him. Time went by and he would check in with me from time to time, asking if I had begun to work on a book proposal.  The first step for me was to find a writing partner, a professional who could help me articulate my words into pages. That took a while, almost three years actually. I could not figure out who that person could be. But timing is everything in life.  My friend Paola and I had a casual lunch at the beginning of 2018. As our lunch was coming to an end, I shared with her my dilemma in finding a co-writter for the book. She mentioned her husband, Javier Cabral had just left his job as the food editor for Vice and that I should reach out.  Well, I did and we were off to the races after that. Everything moved fairly quickly after my first conversation with Javier. We had a book proposal within a month and a signed book deal three months after that. And yes, it sounds crazy. But what was crazier was the timeline we gave ourselves to finish the manuscript. Javier and I wrote 120 recipes, and were able to put our family's story together in less than 7 months time. 

Chicago stop:

Read it and Eat

I moved to Oaxaca in April of 2018 for a month.  The entire time my mom and I worked tirelessly working every recipe thoroughly.  We had a crazy schedule but we made it happen. It was incredibly special being able to work with my mom through this process.  We both learned to speak the same kitchen language and respect each others taste and technique. I learned about sazon and how every single one of us should strive to search for our own. 

At the end of September of 2018 we were shooting all the pictures in Oaxaca and in November of 2018 we turned in our manuscript’s 1st draft.  A year later we are traveling the country promoting what feels a lifetime of work, tears, sweat, joy and laughs. We have had stops in Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Diego,  Brooklyn, Chicago, and Portland. We are constantly adding dates, so stay tuned! I will be in DC on December 7th in a conversation w Chef Pati Jinich.  

PORTLAND STOP:

VIA RAIZ

I am so thankful to every single one of you who have gone out of your way to buy a copy of our book.  Our story is not only ours, but every immigrant who comes to this country with nothing but a dream and the courage to fight for it.  I feel so blessed to have been given this platform and expose the world to our culture. Thank you from the bottom of heart for your endless support. 

About a year ago, I got home after a long day at work.  I walked in hungry rushing to my pantry, trying to find something quick to snack on.  When I opened my cupboards I was greeted by small brown flying insects flying out into my kitchen.  I freaked out, wondering where they were coming from and if at anytime I had fed anything with this larvae to my child.  I quickly went through my entire pantry and found out that about of third of my pantry items had been infested. The worst ones were all the seeds and nuts products I had in their original now opened bags.  It hurt throwing half of my unorganized pantry away. I realized I had items in there that had been there for months without me even noticing! 

More often than not, we talk about decluttering our closets, bathrooms, or storage spaces.   We often forget that our pantry is one of the most important places in our home. I know my son often grabs a stool and opens the cupboard by himself to find a snack.  Children are more curious than adults. They often grab things without noticing expiration dates or label warnings. I recently did a blog post on how I organized my laundry where I give more tips on how to keep a tidy and safe home ( Always remember to keep your Tide pods high, close in a secure location!).  

The idea of my child reaching out for a moth infested box of snacks scared me.  It has been months now since I’ve seen a moth but if I ever run into one of those little suckers, best believe I will be ready!  Here are a few tips and tricks on how to keep your pantry tidy, clean and most importantly, safe. 

1. Remove every single item of your pantry.  Don’t leave anything behind! 

2. Vacuum and disinfect every corner of your pantry 

3. Strategically Place 1-2 Pantry moth traps around your food storage area

4. Store any opened (and unopened) dry food items in Air-tight sealed containers.  (I prefer square ones, but if you have round one, those will do) 

5. Label everything with stored dates with liquid chalk markers 

6. Go through your entire house, and look for any other potential risks that could cause harm to your child.  This video will help! 

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A few of the items mentioned on post:

Last week I posted a video on my Instagram discussing the difference between cleaning and organizing (tidying up).  I’m sure many of you have heard of the book “the art of tidying up” by Marie Kondo. If you haven’t yet, please do yourself a favor and buy it today!  It will change your relationship with your drawers and home. After reading her book, I was so inspiring to not only organize my house, but also interview a professional organizer on my Super Mamas podcast.  I learned so much from her, but I will admit that the advice that stood out to me the most was her view on cleaning vs. organizing. She said that when you have an organized home not only will you be cleaning less and less, but your home will also feel lighter and safer.  Before reading Marie Kondo and interviewing Tanya Whitford, my idea of organizing my house was very different. I was only rearranging clutter. There was no purpose behind my cleaning. I also didn’t realize how unsafe my house was for my then 1 year old boy. I had old medicine in my medicine cabinet, I hadn’t installed safety latches around the house, and my laundry pods and cleaning supplies were within reach.  

Decluttering not only helped me get rid of things that no longer served me, but it also made space for organizing the things that really matter.  I will say that my organizing became my therapy in some way. It allowed me to channel my inner control freak in a healthy way, all while making my home beautiful and safe for my family.  I even went ahead and got wall decals for my laundry room. I think it gave so much life to the space. 

If you have a kiddo at home like myself, here are a few items that you can keep in mind to help them keep safe and at the same time jumpstart your decluttering. 

Keep liquid laundry packs closed and out of reach

1. Keep medicine out of reach and out of sight.  Also, make sure to check expiration dates on these! 

2. Wash all Teddy bears 

3. Sanitize all door knobs and light switches 

4. Donate clothes, shoes, and any articles that don’t fit your kiddos anymore. 

This Tide Bingo board is a great way to help you get started.  I shared it on my IG stories and so many of you asked that I repost it. So I decided to keep it here in my blog for reference.  It’s a great first step into getting in the groove of having a not only clean home but an organized home. And believe me, when your home is in order, your life will be too :) 

This post was sponsored by Kinder but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

What would you do to see your child happy?  The answer is simple – “Anything,” right? Yet, most of us get caught up in the everyday hustle, rushing from one thing to the next. Worrying about schedules and being diligent about not slipping away from the routine.  We often do not leave room (nor time) for special moments. After I became a mom, I learned the true value of time.  When you are a mom, every second counts.  Running two businesses and a household leaves almost no time for flexibility.  The other day after picking up my son from school, I decided that maybe instead of rushing home to make dinner and following our daily routine, I would change things up a bit.  

I stopped by the grocery store on my way to pick him up from school and bought a couple of pre-made sandwiches and fruit cups.  When I arrived to pick him up, I told him I had a surprise for him.  You all should have seen the look on his face when I said the word ‘surprise’- it was priceless.  Instead of rushing us home, I drove us to the local park playing his favorite tunes on the radio.  The closer we got to the park, the more excited he got about his ‘surprise’. When we finally arrived, I told him we were having a special mommy and son ‘surprise picnic’.  Lord, was he happy. He sat right next to me and said “Mommy, this is so cool.” In the middle of the meal, I told him to close his eyes because there was still one more surprise left in the day.  When he opened them, I handed him a Kinder Joy. His eyes were filled with joy and excitement, all at the same time. “OH.MY.GOSH” were the first words out if his mouth.  We quickly opened the treat and savored every last bit of the two soft creamy layers – one milk-crème flavored and one cocoa flavored.  He, of course, then assembled the surprise toy that comes inside every Kinder Joy. This, I think, was his favorite part of the entire afternoon.  Then, we took the toys to the play yard and spent the rest of the time being kids together. It was out of our routine, but totally worth it. 

Sometimes, as parents, we can often get very close minded.  We think we have to do things “a certain way.”  Truth is, there is no “right way” to parent.  We will all make mistakes along the way, but the bright side is that we are in this together, mamas.  Let’s make the most of it.  Make it a point this week to surprise your kids with something.  Step out of your comfort zone and create new memories. Here are a few suggestions on how to surprise your kid.

1.     Create a surprise picnic- Sometimes the simplest of things create the biggest memories and smiles.  Do as I did, grab a few sandwiches, snacks and take your kids on a surprise picnic on a random day of the week after school. 

2.    Dress Up as their favorite super hero– Yes, this may sound a bit extra, but imagine the look on their faces when you wake them up dressed up as Batman or Wonder Woman.  Seriously, just do it. (And don’t wait until Halloween!) 

3.    Make a family outdoor slumber party– Why wait until a special occasion, or until you have people over? Save a Friday night for an outdoor movie (even if it’s on your iPad) and spend the night outdoors.

4.    Non-Easter Egg Hunt– Why wait a whole year to create a surprise egg hunt? Do it on a random Saturday evening. Nothing beats them finding a surprise egg on a random day. 

5 years ago I was single, living in a loft in koreatown dreaming about the day I owned a home with a backyard for my puppy Diego.  It was just me and Diego back then.  No kids, no boyfriend.  And when I wasn’t working, I would be at the newest LA restaurant having dinner with my girls.  One night, after a few drinks with my girls I texted my then ex-boyfriend with a simple ‘hi’.  Little did I know that those two letters would change the course of my life forever.  He and I had dated years back, but things didn’t work out for us the first time around.  But after he and I reconnected, it was clear we were meant to be together for the rest of our lives.  After a year of dating again, he proposed.  We then got pregnant and bought a home all in the same year.  Yes, it was a crazy 2014.  House hunting was not fun, it was stressful, and having a belly the size of a watermelon didn’t help.  I can’t remember how many homes we looked at, all I can tell you is that the house that would ultimately be our home was the 13th bid we had submitted.  I was in disbelief when we finally went into escrow.  I do have to give it up to our real state agent Raul, he was so patient with us (mostly me).  I remember one day after losing yet another home to a higher bidder, I completely lost it (I blame the pregnancy hormones). 

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When we moved in, our yard (which was one of the selling points) needed a lot of work.   We thought we were prepared for the project, but we weren’t.  From start to finish, our backyard remodel took a total of 10 months, a lot of patience, some marital disagreements, and countless learning experiences.  I began the project by asking my great friend Alexis from Preen to help me sketch up a design of what she thought was the most economical and easy-to-achieve design.  It took weeks to find the right contractors and landscapers.  We used three different companies and it took so much out of my husband and I to manage everything.

But at the end, the result was exactly as we pictured it.   We learned so much along the way and yes, I would do things a bit differently if I had to do it all over again.  Here is what I learned throughout the process:

1.     CREATE A MOOD BOARD WITH PHOTOS AND SKETCHES – You can either hire a professional, or do this yourself.  But trust me, this is a very important step that you simply cannot rush not skip.  First, create a blueprint of your yard by taking photos and measuring the entire area.  I had a pinterest board that was all over the place, so make sure you are 100% sure of the style you want to achive.  Do you want mostly grass, concrete, sitting space, gravel?  Modern, retro, bohemian?  There are so many options, so take your time and don’t begin until you are 100% sure and have an agreement with your partner, if one is involved in the process.

2.     CREATE A BUDGET – Know from day 1, that most home owners that take on any sort of remodel always go above their budget (specially if you live in LA).  Once you begin changing things up, you are going to want to change more and more.  You’ll get ideas along the way, which is why is important to really spend time in step 1.  Be sure of what you want before you seek out quotes.  This may be the hardest and most frustrating step.  Landscape contractors are not cheap, they know their worth.  A landscape contractor is a one stop shop for everything you may need.  They will manage your project from start to finish.  If you have the budget, they are worth it.  This will be the sole person you will have to manage throughout the process. 

3.     RESEARCH! – If hiring a landscape contractor is out of the question due to budget constraints (which was our case) , then get ready to do massive research.  Carve out the time to meet with independent contractors, speak to them frankly about the budget you have and what you want to achieve.  We used 5 different independent contractors for each step of the way.  The first built out our retainer walls, and leveled out our hillside into two sections.  The second did all the wood work of our fence, our kids play house, and bench.  The third was our plumber who ran all the plumbing for the pool and fire pit. The fourth was the plaster guy who did all the finishes on our retainer walls.    The fifth was our landscaper, who installed our pavers, sprinkler system, lighting, grass, trees and plants. 

4.     COMMUNICATE WHAT YOU WANT -  Yes, communicating with all of our individual contractor was hard, and coordinating their work even harder.  Had I done more research on concrete, plaster, wood and outdoor electricity, things would have gone more smoothly.  Print out photos of the textures  you are going for and ask your contractors about them.   If possible,  get samples.  If you are working with concrete, plaster or paint, ALWAYS ask for sample first.  There is ZERO room for miscommunication when dealing with any sort of construction.  Don’t be afraid to ask question.

My absolute favorite part of the entire process however, was choosing our outdoor plants and lighting.  If you are working on a tight budget, leave room for those two things.  You won’t regret it.  It’s really plants and lighting that can make the difference.  Trust me on this, lighting is everything!  Sometimes we want to splurge on furniture, but without the right lighting or living plant next to it, it won’t have the same impact you are looking for.  And it works both ways really, you can dress up any corner of your backyard with the right light and living plant next to it.  It’s been a bit over a month since our lights and plants have been installed and I sometimes can’t believe its real.   

When we moved to this country, my entire family (there was 6 of us) lived in my aunt’s spare bedroom of her 2-bedroom apartment.  I went to school in Brentwood, where my mom cleaned houses for a few years.  I remember accompanying her somedays.  When we were done cleaning, we’d drive down Mandeville Canyon, and I would day dream of one day owning a home with a pool and big yard. Sometimes in remodels, amid the stress, we can lose sight of the bigger picture.  Learn to draw inspiration from photos but catch yourself when you begin comparing yourself to picture-perfect Pinterest and Instagram posts.   

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Study lighting and learn what and where to invest in.  I picked everything from Lamps Plus.  The site made it super easy to learn about lighting and it was convenient to order everything from one place.

If any of you are embarking on a house remodel of any kind, whether big or small, don’t be shy to ask questions on the comments below.  I love sharing information.

And remember, dream big, and then dream a little bigger after that! 

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This post was sponsored by Kinder Joy, but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

This is the first year my son and I will be spending Easter away from home.  It’s a bitter sweet feeling, because on one hand I will be back in Oaxaca with my parents celebrating ‘Pascua’ the way we did when I was a little girl.  But on the other hand, I’m going to miss spending that weekend with my siblings here in LA.  Every year, we all get together either at my sister’s or at my house, eat, and have the kids run around the backyard Easter egg hunting.  It’s the best time.  I will have to admit that it’s going to be so great being a guest at my parents’ house, though. My mom is the best DIY crafter in the world and I know she is going to do the most.  She is also the best cook, and it’s going to be so great being taken care of for a change.

But I don’t want my travels to take away from my son’s Easter experience.  The feeling children get when they find a hidden egg is priceless.  This is also why I love Kinder Joy so much. They are really the perfect Easter treat and toy.  Aside from their egg shape, Kinder Joy is a treat like no other, with two separately sealed halves – a treat side made of two creamy layers and a second half containing an exciting mystery toy.  Also, how great are the paint brush toys in Easter-themed Kinder Joy eggs?  Your little artists are going to LOVE THEM!  Because I am going to be away for Easter weekend, this year I am making an emphasis on Easter baskets.  Before we head out to Oaxaca, I want to make sure my son and I spend some time putting a couple of baskets together for the family. It’s fun to even hide some eggs around the house pre-Easter while we’re putting the baskets together.

This year, gather a few of your girlfriends and their kids and host your own DIY Easter basket get together.  It’s a great way to connect with your girls while all of your kids hunt through the house for eggs. Have everyone bring different items, and make it an event.  Giving away an Easter basket to your kids can bring so much joy into your life.  Trust me. Oh, and don’t forget to include a few Kinder Joy eggs in there!  Also, it’s a great way to include the kiddos in the tradition. If you do decide to host your own DIY Easter basket get together, let me know!  Snap a picture and tag me, I’d love to see your creation with Kinder Joy!

This post was sponsored by Kinderbut the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

ENCUENTRA LA VERSION EN ESPAÑOL AQUI

If you live in LA (or, anywhere that it’s warm 90% of the year for that matter) then you totally understand what it means to cherish those rare rainy/gloomy winter days. The city seems to stop and it becomes the perfect backdrop (and excuse) to stay home, enjoy some good ol’ frijoles de la olla, a warm cup of your favorite drink, like a café de la olla and a sweet treat to cap it off (a Kinder joy in my my case).  When I was single (and kid-less) I would cozy up in my couch and binge on my favorite TV shows, and Jennifer Lopez romantic comedies (please tell me I’m not alone on this). Today, I share my rainy days with my husband and little one.  Though I can no longer relax on the couch all day, one thing remains the same – Food – The snacks, the drinks and treats are all still there.  It’s amazing what food can do to bring a family together.  True, I miss those vegging out days, but I wouldn’t trade being at home on a rainy/gloomy day with my son and husband for anything in the world

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If you find yourself missing those days and scrambling on how to entertain your own children at home, consider making them part of the kitchen. Find easy to make recipes in which you can involve them.  My son for example loves cutting up his own strawberries.  Not only is it empowering, but it helps with his motor and math skills. (of course, always supervise your kid and make sure they use age-appropriate cutting utensils). Another way of interacting with your children in the kitchen is by them helping you in sorting out the rice and/or beans.  I have fond memories of sorting the beans with my mom.  I somehow think that made me appreciate her cooking that much more and where the love for my cooking began. It’s also super fun to watch your kids face when you eat something they have made.  And really, who doesn’t love a warm bowl of frijoles de la olla on a gloomy day? (I have a great frijoles de la Olla recipe here).  Of course, after we eat we always leave room for dessert or a special treat.  Both me and my son are obsessed with Kinder Joy’s surprise eggs. If you are one of the few who has yet to taste these delicious treats, they consist of two separately sealed halves – a treat side made of two deliciously creamy layers and a second half containing an exciting mystery toy.  They toys are always the best, my son always loves them.  I also have a sweet spot (no pun intended) for Kinder Joy’s eggs. 

After we cook (and eat), we move playtime to his room.  One of his favorite games right now is bowling (our version anyway).  We line up all his toys in a single file line, then we take a few steps back and roll a ball towards them, counting how many of his toys we can knock down at once. This keeps him entertained forever. He also loves to play hide and seek with me and his toys.  He asks me to count and hides toys all over his room.  I think he loves the idea of me finding something he has hidden.  Brings him so much joy when I find them.  We absolutely love to use his Kinder Joy mystery toys for these two activities. They are the perfect size and being able to assemble them only adds to our experience. Kinder Joy has been around the world since 2001 and sold in 170 countries.  And did you know that over the past 17 years, billions of eggs have been sold???  I have most definitely contributed to that number.   

Also, on days like these, make it appoint to relax your mid, when sitting to play with your kids. I know first-hand how difficult this could be.  Our minds as moms are always thinking about a million and one things. But practice relaxing your mind and being present every day.  Little by little you’ll become a master!  Remember that Kinder Joy is officially available in the U.S.  Cheers to those gloomy LA days ladies!

This post was sponsored by Kinder Joy, but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The moment I received the email telling me Kinder Joy would now be available on shelves in the US starting this holiday season, my mind immediately took me back to my home in Oaxaca.  I was face to face with 5-year-old Bricia again.  I remembered the feeling of joy as if I were there.  The moment my mom would finally cave in and bring home that velvety beautiful Kinder egg, waiting to be opened and eaten very slowly.  Some of my fondest memories were of me trying to figure out how to assemble the surprise toys inside with my mom and uncle.  I remember I loved displaying the assembled toys in my room, showcasing something I had achieved.

For the past 50 years, the Kinder brand has been bringing parents and children together by offering them delicious and joy-filled moments to share.   I couldn’t be more excited for this collaboration.  Kinder Joy is a treat like no other; it brings a whole new level of surprise not only to kids, but to us adults as well.

Sometimes we forget that we, too, were kids once.  I sometimes think, what would life be like if we embraced the kid inside of us every day?  I look at my son and the joy he finds in the simplest of things, amazes me.  I love seeing how curious and fearless he is.  As moms, we take on so much.  We are constantly worried about the smallest of things.  Let’s not allow the everyday little things to block us off from what’s real.  Allow yourself to find those moments of joy in the simplest of things too, and also please don’t forget to treat yourself!  Treat yourself like you would have liked when you were 5.  Remind yourself of what excited you at that age; what brought you the most joy when you were 5, 7, 10 years old?   Let’s run around, let’s jump in puddles and relive those innocent and most joy-filled moments of our childhood.  A happy mom, makes for a great mom.

Thank you Kinder, for allowing me to relive my childhood once again, for bringing me back to those memories and face-to-face with 5-year-old Bricia.  Digging into those two soft creamy flavors of milk-crème and cocoa nestled into the chocolate-covered wafer bites was just what I needed.  I am very much looking forward to once again displaying those assembled toys, but now[IB2] , in my son’s room, and to creating memories for him that will hopefully stay with him like they have with me.

Also, for all my screen moms – Kinder has launched Magic Kinder App, a digital world of fun and education designed to help families play and learn together through a wide range of engaging games, videos, stories and activities. It is completely free and can be accessed through www.magic.kinder.com, the iOS and Android app stores.  You can also access it through the QR code that is printed on the information leaflet that accompanies the toys inside the Kinder Joy egg.  Please let me know on the comment below how you are liking the app, I would love to hear your thoughts!  In a world where we can’t escape technology, I admire those companies who take it upon themselves to bring us quality and educational forms of entertainment.  Another reason why I love Kinder so much!