Our Story

      Once upon a time there was a sweet little daredevil of a second grader. He could leap over huge obstacles without a single thought.

 Although, this brave boy did have a hurdle that seemed impossible to conquer, it would stump him every time. For him, leaving his mama was proving to be quite complicated, which made it difficult to go to school. To solve this issue we had many secret sit down meetings and drew up a plan.

After a few prototypes and trial n error, we developed the perfect answer. Let me introduce our first Cherished Littles Monster to you. She is a mini monster that is "filled up" with love and kisses in the morning and kept in a safe pocket all day. Now when my little daredevil is feeling like he misses his mama, he just gives his monster a little squeeze and is reminded of all his mama's love and kisses that it is filled with.

I am pleased to report that this story has a happy ending.

xo,
Cherish

Wonder What Movie to Watch?

We love to come together as a family and watch movies. We have favorite movies that we watch over and over. Often times we quote the movies and crack each other up. These movies are like classics and will be handed down through the generations. We have found that this a great way for our family to bond. This was a whole evening created around one of our favorite movies, The Sandlot,it was super fun just planning it!

 We started out with a steak bbq. This was inspired by a part in the movie where Smalls used a steak to help ease the pain of a black eye. Then we ....

... had a blast creating new versions of smores! My favorite was the Symphony bar smore. This is a Hershey bar with toffee and almond chips, so decadent. I had a great time creating a theme and watching the movie with my family. We also choose favorite quotes from the movie.

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Brings Me Back

It has been so hot here when I step outside my cheeks start sweating. When summertime is right on top of us we love to have frozen treats. Here is a quick afternoon cool down idea, pull out the Snoopy Snow Cone maker. Today we made some watermelon cubes and sprinkled them with a bit of sugar. We left them in the freezer for a bit and walla! Frozen watermelon cube pops. They were a fancy treat on their own but we decided to shave them down and turn them into snow cones in a cup. A super refreshing afternoon treat.

Makes me wonder what else I can freeze and shave! Any suggestions?
xo,
cherish

Wonderful LA

I feel lucky to live in LA where there is so much available to experience. On the Fourth of July we went to a Dodger game that may soon become a family tradition.

We arrived at the stadium early. When you do this and you have kids, there is a brief time where you are allowed on the field to observe batting practice and if you are lucky talk to the players, catch some balls and get some autographs.

Since we were so early we decided to take in some local culture and get some ice cream.

Here's a great tip - Watch the fireworks from the parking lot, it is just as good of a show out there and you beat the crowds leaving. Our family had a fantastic time and can't wait to go again.  What were your 4th of July adventures? Did you start any new traditions?
xo,
Cherish

Trader Joe's Treasures

Most of what I get at Trader Joes is because someone told me "It's so good, you have to try this". I always get the best tips from my friends and family, otherwise I would never know that these treasures are hiding in the isle's of T.J. It's so fun to share all their hidden gems. Here is one I found not too long ago in the frozen section. This is a perfect match with a cup of coffee or tea! We piled fresh fruit on top of it.

Please pass on any of your Trader Joe's secrets. I love adding to my shopping list!
xo,
cherish


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Tween Time - Jules and Me

   Sometimes capturing the attention of my little girl (who is now 11, OMG) is not so easy, especially with all the different screens in our house. This little activity was fun to do together, even though she was on the ipad while her nails dried.

What is needed:
* red, white, and blue nail polish + clear coat for the top
* paint brushes with various size ends. The ends are perfect for making polka dots.
* palette

Thanks Jules for chillin with me for a bit.
Have a  great 4th of July everyone!
xo,
cherish

Wonderful Watermelon - Food Of the Month

I'm so excited that we are happily jumping into summertime. When I think of summer, watermelon always comes to mind. I don't ever recall a summer that I haven't eaten watermelon poolside or abused a watermelon at the store in order to find which one was the juiciest. Luckily Martha gave me a tip to pick the melons with a white patch on it, this is where it sat and made sugar for the sweetness. So far this season all my melons have been sweet and juicy! Here is a super refreshing treat next time you pick the perfect watermelon.

We made watermelon iced tea. So super thirst quenching.
Here's what you need:
Your favorite iced tea, we used a tropical tea.
Watermelon
Ice

Cut the melon.

Juice the melon, then strain out seeds.

Combine watermelon juice with tea, I used about 3 tablespoons per cup. Totally your preference, I have a sweet tooth so mine is on the sweeter side. Garnish with a slice and enjoy with family and friends.
xo,
cherish