Wordless Wednesday - El Santuario De Chimayo #HolyPlace #miracles

 

Find out more on OWN Miracle Detectives

Mosquito Bites, Diagnosis and Tips for the Family



CDC Photo

Warning to California residents....Please see the report by NBC News today as related to this post!

http://4.nbcla.com/12QXrQ7

Mosquitoes!  Those pesky little bugs lurking to cause summer time irritation.  Most commonly found in the moist or heavily water populated areas of the world.  For the US, you are more likely to encounter mosquitoes in the Midwest, Southeast, Northeast or areas with heavy concentrations of long standing water. 

 

Mosquitoes are produced when the fertilized eggs are laid in standing water where they will hatch and grow into water organisms that feed from the algae in the water.  Once matured, the mosquito grows wings and is ready for flight, living in moist, tall grasses and water areas.  Male mosquitoes are only good for mating, which typically occurs immediately upon maturity.  Once the male has found a female, they typically only live a few hours after mating.

 

The female mosquitoes are the culprit for biting humans and animals in search for blood.  Female mosquitoes require protein to help produce eggs for reproduction and require the blood of a human or animal to assist in egg production.  The female uses sensors which alert them to body heat, CO2 (exhaled breathing) and chemical scents found in body sweat.  The female finds its victim and sticks a needle type stinger into the skin.  Injecting saliva into the opening to thin the blood, the mosquito then draws the blood into their body.

 

Many humans have an allergic reaction to the saliva which causes a red, itchy or irritated bump.  Some mosquitoes carry disease and parasites causing illness to humans and animals.  Some of these diseases include Malaria and West Nile Virus however most bites in the US are just irritating to humans.  However, it is wise to protect yourself and your family to avoid further complications and illness.

 

PREVENTION AND CARE

 

One of the most commonly used products in the avoidance of being bitten by many insects including mosquitoes is products with Deet.  Deet is a chemical that confuses the sensors of the mosquitoes preventing them from finding their victims.  Additionally, Deet causes asphyxiation in mosquitoes resulting in death.  The products using Deet as the active ingredient come in several strengths for effective use for longer periods of time.  There are other preventative products on the market that can be clipped on the clothing or natural oils that are a deterrent to the mosquito.   Once a person is done with their outdoor activities, they should wash off the product completely with soap and water to minimize the risk of ingestion.  As with all products, follow the directions on the product to ensure effective use and safety.  Additionally, a person can take further protection by wearing light colored clothing, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants, tucking their pant legs into their socks and using large brimmed hats to reduce face and neck attacks.

 

Should a person be bitten, many products can be used to reduce the histamine at the site causing the itch and swelling.  Products like Benedryl or other anti-histamine over the counter drugs can be used to reduce the irritation at the infected sites.  Additionally, topical applications like After Bite and Calamine lotion can be used to reduce or stop the itching for a period of time.  Home remedies including warm/hot compresses on the affected site, warm/hot baths or a paste of baking soda and water can be applied to the site to reduce the itch.  Should these solutions not correct the issue within 3-5 days or if the sites become more irritated, one experiences fever, nausea or flu like symptoms you should seek professional medical help immediately.

 

Although most mosquito bites in the US are harmless, prevention should be sought after to keep disease spread to a minimum.  Remove standing water from around your home, change birdbaths and kids wading pool water frequently.  Reduce the time of your automated sprinklers to ensure the watered areas are not saturated with standing water.  Spray your yards with insect repellent to minimize the breeding of pests.

 

The comments written in this post are personal opinions and tailored to our specific situation only.  As with everything, you should do your own research to ensure you are protecting your family based on knowledge you personally obtain from professionals.  Seek additional information from your own doctors and contact your local county agencies for professional recommendations on your specific situation. 

Written by guest writer:  Tim Bosek COO, Field Trip Mom

You may find more information on mosquitos on these site:
Center for Disease Control - CDC
Metamorphosis
Learning About Mosquitos
 

Annual Community Garage Sale - Lake Forest, CA 92630

 

Lake Forest, California will be hosting it's largest community Garage sale on July 27- July 28th. Imagine blocks and blocks of people selling their gently used items. This garage sale is so popular that people come from as far away as San Diego to shop. The neighbors are so friendly they sell their homemade egg rolls, tacos and tamales. Shopping and food are two of the things to do at this garage sale. This only happens once a year, so if you are in the area stop by.  Wear comfortable shoes, because there is lots of walking to do and lots to see. The major cross streets are Trabuco Road and El Toro Road.

 

The streets that will be hosting the garage sale are Auburn Dale Drive, Chapel Hill, Dartmouth, Foxborough, Heatherow, Marylhurst, Revere, Rockford, Toledo, Westover and Williamsburg streets. Near Cherry Park, Lake Forest, Ca 92630.

Placement on map is approximate Get directions Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All thoughts and opinions are all my own. This is not a sponsored post. ‎

 

 

 

The Children's Place Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel Bash

WHAT: The Children’s PLACE Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel Bash

WHEN: Saturday, July 27^th

12:00pm to 2:00pm 

WHERE: Farmers Market

110 South Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 9003

If you are in Los Angeles you don't want to miss this great opportunity. The Children's Place at the Farmer's Market invites you to come and have fun with them this Saturday .The first 50 attendees to arrive on Saturday will have the opportunity to meet the show’s creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, and take home a one-of-a-kind hand drawn illustration. All guests will be treated to an energetic Radio Disney sponsored dance party, and will get to meet Phineas, Ferb and Perry the Platypus. Come ready to have a great time and dance the day away. 

 

The Children's place is a great place to find back to school clothing and accessories. Sign-up for sales alerts and special offers on their website. Don't live in California. No problem, you can shop online.

The Children's place website

Follow The Children's Place on Facebook 

The Children's Place Twitter

 

Shops that are nearby:

The Farmers Market

The Grove

 

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received the media alert and I am sharing it with you with permission.

Petrified Forest National Park

It was a Sunday Morning when we drove past the sign that read "Petrified Forest National Park".  We were running behind schedule on our road trip, when we decided to make a U-Turn back to the National Park.  There was a long drive ahead of us to Minnesota, so stopping to see the stone trees was not the best idea. Our curiosity was much stronger than our common sense. So there we went to see what a Petrified Forest looked like and why was it named as such.

Fossilized remains are Petrified trees. They are a piece of history telling a story of how life changed over 218 million years ago. Camping here is the best way to learn about the park and all it has to offer. The park is approximately  218,533 acres that requires days to really see the entire beauty of the forest. We only had 30 minutes, so we walked around the visitor center. Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived however the park did not disappoint as we still got to touch and see Petrified Trees. These stone trees are 218 millions of years old according to the National Parks Service.

These Petrified Trees are made of "minerals, including silica dissolved from volcanic ash, absorbed into the porous wood over hundreds and thousands of years crystallized within the cellular structure, replacing the organic material as it broke down over time." (Source National Park Service)

 

This is a tree that was near the visitor center. Here we could see the Quartz and other minerals that have taken over and replaced the wood. The shape is still in tact, because we can still see it once was made out of wood and it was a tree. We were just amazed that they actually exist in the world and they are so close to California.

Truly amazing to see and feel marbelized trees.  The process of fossilization is an incredible display of scientific wonder.  If you have an opportunity for a long weekend trip, this is one park you won't regret visiting.

Wordless Wednesday - #RoadTrip #UnitedStates #rainbow

 

 

Meteor Crater Visitor Center - Arizona Roadtrip

The Grand Canyon visit was short but educational and inspirational.  We left the Grand Canyon and headed East towards New Mexico. On our way to our destination, we came across the Meteor Crater Visitor Center off Interstate 40, Exit 233. We were informed of the destination by the posted signs and billboards on the side of the road.  One of the signs read, "Meteor Crater National Landmark 6 miles", curiosity got the best of us. 

It was only 6 miles to the National Landmark!  This totally grabbed our curiosity so we ended up driving up the road to meet up with the curiosity. None of us had ever heard of this place before our visit. Besides how often do we get the chance to see a meteor crater? 

We had to climb a small driveway up to the visitor center. The crater is in the middle of the AZ desert with little around but some cattle on nearby ranches.  As you can see there is nothing else nearby for miles other than sky and ground. 

Walking out of the visitor center and museum, there are sets of stairs that take you to platforms where you can get closer to the Meteor Crater.  Lining the crater rim and the platforms are telescopes that help one look to the bottom of the crater.  This is what we saw:

There we saw it, a Meteor Crater which is  one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep.  It is believed to be approximately 50,000 years old or so.  This is considered one of the best preserved meteor crater on Earth.  The entire Earth!  

NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey provided extensive science training at the Meteor Crater for the Apollo Astronauts from 1964 through 1972 as per their website.  As you walk through the visitor’s center there is information about the science behind the meteor crash.

The place brings out your excitement about our sky and the what is really out there in the Universe. We wondered about what it must have been all those years ago when NASA trained Apollo Astronauts on this location. Then we realized that we got the chance to walk the same ground as the Apollo Astronauts. The experience left us with wanting to know more about science.  

We highly recommend the Meteor Crater Visitors Center for all who love science, beautiful mother Earth or just love an adventure. We had a great time exploring science at the Meteor Crater in Arizona.

If you want to visit, please go to their website to find out their hours of operation.

Meteor Crater website

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Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All opinions and thoughts are all my own. We did not receive any monetary compensation. This post is intended for entertainment and to inspire you.

Grand Canyon National Park - Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 Roadtrip

Can you say "Road Trip!" We drove through several states in (17) seventeen days. Our first stop was the Grand Canyon in Arizona. This is a Great American National Park, which holds lots of history and stories. We parked in the South Rim area near the Visitor's Center to take a  peek at the famous Grand Canyon. 

As we walked towards the edge, we could see why the Grand Canyon is famous. Looking into the crowd we could see people from other countries who had  traveled from Europe, Asia and Latin America to breathe in the Grand Canyon air. Standing near the edge, we heard people gasp and point. We heard people being surprised by the length and depth of it. Pictures do not tell the whole story. This natural beauty requires a visit to see how vast and beautiful it is in real time.

There we were standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, watching in amazement of how tiny we really are in this world. The experience opened a family discussion of why, how and when did this all happen. Our children were interested in finding out more about the Grand Canyon. We headed to the visitor center to ask questions and get answers. The best part was that they had a free movie that we all could watch to learn about the Grand Canyon. The visitor center was filled with information and free maps. You could also find near by water fountains, restrooms and a store. There is also shuttle pick-up to take you to the other points along the rim.   

 

The cost is $25.00 to enter the park or you can buy the annual pass for $80.00, which gives you entry to other National parks. The annual pass is a better deal, if you intended to visit other great National parks.

 

Planning on visiting Arizona. I found these websites helpful:

State of Arizona

Find a National Park

NPS Elmo

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Travel Size Peace Soap - #KissMyFace

 If you follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter you will know that I am on a road trip with my family.  We are driving through the heartland of the United States on our way to the grandparents.  On our road trip, we could only take a few things because we did not have much room in our suitcases.  One of the items we packed were these samples of travel soaps we  received from Kiss My Face.

 

These soaps are 100% castile.  According to Ask.com, castile soap is a type of soap made from olive oil in a style similar to the origins of the Castile region of Spain.  Benefits from castile soaps are that they protect the skin from the potentially harmful chemicals in some commercial soaps today as they are all natural.  Additionally, they are biodegradable, which is better for the environment and all types of sewer systems.

 

The soaps were small enough that they did not take lots of space.  They are perfect size for airline travel as they easily fit the TSA approved liquids regulation of under 4 ounces.  They come in several different smells such as  Grassy Mint, Pomegranate Acai and Lemongrass Clary Sage.   Out of these three soaps, we enjoyed the Grassy Mint the most.  The smell of the Grassy Mint was familiar and bright.  It really woke up our senses.  The price is reasonable and the traveling with the soap is very easy.  There are no messes or big containers to bring along.  This was a very easy item to travel with and carry.   A little of this product goes a long way and leaves your hands and face nice and clean.

 

If you would like more information on all of the Kiss My Face products, you can find them at Wholefoods, Soap.com and of course KissMyFace.com. 

 

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All thoughts and opinions are all my own.

 

Field Trip Mom Family goes on a road trip. #Travel

 

This summer we decided to take a road trip to visit family in Minnesota.  We wanted to see the heartland of the United States and all the beauty it has to offer.  So far, we have visited Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wyoming.  We have been sharing a few of our moments through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  If you follow Field Trip Mom on Social Media, you already know that we have been to several places across the nation.  However, if you learning about our travels for the first time, we will catch you up with our posts by the end of this month.  In the meantime, here are a few pictures.  
 

 

Located in Arizona, we visited the Meteor Crater on our road trip.  It is located off highway 40 with no other business other than a gas station nearby.  The crater is in a very remote place but worth visiting.
 

 

El Santuario de Chimayo was next on our must see.  It is tucked away in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  This is an amazing place of spirituality and peace.  You must see and experience this beautiful sanctuary if you are in New Mexico. 

We invite you to visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see more pictures of our road trip.

SEE Selective Eyewear Elements - New Store Newport Beach Fashion Island

 

Gorgeous eye wear and sunglasses are important to me.  My son's and I wear them everyday with everything we do.  I personally have several pairs to go with different outfits.  My kids don't worry about their eye wear matching their outfit however they concerned with their eye wear being comfortable and fun.

 

We had a chance to visit the SEE store located at the Newport Beach Fashion Island shopping center a few weeks back.  The selection of eye wear was new and fresh.  They had styles made in different countries including Germany, Japan, Italy and many others.  There were lots of choices and many great designs.  The prices were reasonable however it really depends on the design you choose.  SEE carries some sunglasses for as little as $99.00 a pair.

 

 

They carry a children's selection with bright colors and fun styles.  My kids loved the designs and they had lots of fun trying on all of them.  The clerks were very helpful and friendly.

 

 

Shown above is The Bosek Family trying on SEE eye wear. My husband, who doesn't wear glasses, felt left out and decided to try a pair.  We took a picture to remember this moment.  I have to say that for designer eye wear, the prices are good.  This year alone we have spent over $1400.00 for three people.  This includes eye exams, lens and frames so I have a lot of experience with eye wear.  Next time I need new eye wear, I will have to visit SEE and get myself a fancy pair for the same price of my normal set.  I suggest you shop around if are in the market for new eye wear.  There is no need to wear an ugly set of eye glasses when you can wear a handmade Italian pair for the same price.

 

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. All thoughts and opinions are my own. No eye wear was hurt in the making of this post.

Giga Savvy and Chuck Jones Center for Creativity Website Launch Private Event

"The rules are simple. Take your work, but never yourself, seriously. Pour in the love and whatever skill you have, and it will come out.” Chuck Jones Academy award winner and artist.

 

 

On June 25^th,2013 I attended the website launch party for Chuck Jones Center for Creativity. The launch event brought a great surprise, “The Blackwing writing instrument” by Palomino. Together Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Palomino hosted a wonderful event along with Giga Savvy who is responsible for their new great looking website.

It was truly an honor to learn about "The Blackwing Experience" on this evening. This writing instrument has a rich history and a life of ups and downs. The pencil had been in production for over 60 years by Edberhard Faber Co. (U.S.A.)  before it was discontinued in 1998. The history of the Blackwing is filled with great artists like Chuck Jones, John Steinbeck, Quincy Jones and perhaps even John Lennon.  The story of The Blackwing is a must read. If you get a chance you should try to read it, so that it may help you understand why it is called "The Blackwing Experience".  Thank you Palomino for keeping it's history alive by continuing to make them and selling them.  

On this evening we were able to see and read about the history of the wooden pencil. The exhibit was held for a few days for the public to see. It was a collection like no other I had ever experienced. It proved that the pencil is mightier than a sword. The Blackwing Experience sparked my interest in wanting to learning more about this  wonderful writing instrument.  

Of course, the website launch offered fun conversations and delicious foods. However, on this evening, the art and the writing instruments were the most important. It was still nice to visit with great people who love art just as much as I do. Great seeing all of you wonderful OC friends.  

 

This was not my first visit to Chuck Jones Center for Creativity. On a cloudy Saturday in the spring, we visited the center. The Saturday we visited was free art class day. Kids were able to learn how to draw. Volunteers were teaching how to draw their favorite cartoon characters. My kids were among those lucky kids to be learning art. The class was absolutely free.

I highly recommend that you look at the centers calendar of events before showing up. They have lots of events happening all the time. On Saturdays, next to the center they have a farmer's market. During the week several shops that are unique and inspiring are open. Chuck Jones Center for creativity is located in The South Coast Collection Shopping center 3321 Hyland Avenue, Costa Mesa, California 92626. 

 

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and all opinions and thoughts are all my own.

 

 

 

Discovery Science Center - Lego Castle Adventure and Da Vinci Jr.

 

Award winning Discovery Science Center has two exhibits that are a must see and do this summer. The Lego Castle Adventure and Da Vinci Jr. Inventors Wanted exhibits are amazing.  On a recent visit to the Discovery Science Center, my family and I got to experience first hand the fun activities at the DSC (Discovery Science Center).  We started with the Lego's and Knights in front of the castle. There, my family and I got to build many things with Lego's.  We played together by making Lego castles.  It was so much fun building as a family.
 

Then we headed over to put on Knight clothing and play pretend. Inside the Lego Castle there is a box of Middle Ages costumes for kids.  My kids tried a few of the costumes and pretended to be the King of the Lego Castle.  As they were playing, they were laughing and having fun pretending.  The whole experience inside the Castle is to promote imagination and creativity.  It completely opens the mind to imagine the Middle ages using Legos as your inspiration.
 

After having fun in the Lego Castle we jumped over to the Da Vinci Jr. Exhibit where we became inventors.  We were able to make catapults and find first hand how Popsicle sticks can make a great science experiment.  The hands-on experience left all of us proud of our finished product.  I highly recommend that you try it.
 

 

In the Da Vinci Jr. exhibit we found lots of the great inventions that Leonard da Vinci had brought to life.  The exhibit lent itself to discussing who the person Leonardo da Vinci was in history and what his inventions meant to all of us.  The exhibit is interactive just look for the signs that say you can touch to have new experiences.  One interactive Da Vinci exhibit we loved was the "Whack a Note" where you use flip-flops and PVC pipes to make music.  As we played music with flip-flops, we laughed and enjoyed the moment.  Look for the Whack a Note, play with your kids and see for yourself how much fun it is for all.

 

Overall, the experience was great at the DSC.  We all had a great time playing together and learning as a family.  For a great experience you may want to go early in the morning and buy an annual pass. This way if it gets crowded you can leave and return on a slower day.

This summer, don't miss the Lego Castle Adventure and Da Vinci Jr. exhibits running now thru September 8th and 15th.  These exhibits are sure to entertain kids ages 6 to 60.  Get your tickets today to the Discovery Science Center.

My temporary office. #fieldtripmom

I have always wanted an office with a view. I get to have one this week. I am completely inspired.

 Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson