Superhero's come in all sizes.

It was superhero day at school the other day. The kids were excited to wear capes and their favorite suprehero t-shirt. On this day, teachers, administrators and kids get to channel their superhero powers. The entire school gets involved in finding their inner strengths. 

This school season has been a year of learning about our inner strength. From bullying, non-solicited parent Q & A, witnessing punching and learning explicit words. We have learned some valuable lessons this school year. Things seem different then from when we went to school. Kids and parents are more likely to let their home life spill into the classroom. Sometimes, these emotional spills can be very harmful to an entire class and or the entire school.  We have seen kids hitting other kids because their parents hit each other at home. Additionally, a child told a group of kids in the classroom that his mom is throwing the "F" bomb at his dad because they are in the middle of a divorce. Another lesson we have learned this school year is, parents can and will force friendships if they see it fit for their selfish needs. We experienced another family interviewing our child over a period of weeks, without introducing themselves, to see if he was fit to be friends with their child. These are just a few of the many things we have experienced in the public school system.  It seems that maybe some of us have lost sight of boundaries and social kindness.

Now we pray when leaving for school and we tell each other, "Be strong like a bull."  It is our way of saying no matter what happens today find the happy moment. Have fun inspite of the negative talk and hardships that are occuring at school.

Today, we would like to ask all of our readers to find that Super Hero in you. Are you using not such kind words toward your spouse in front of your children?  We want you to think of it in the kids view, "Why is Dad/Mom yelling at MY Mom/Dad?"  Parenting is not sitting at the coffee shop talking with your friend ignoring the kids play while your child is bullying or hitting your friends child. Be a Super Hero to your kids and your friends kids, be in the moment with their play and take corrective action when and if something occurs. 

Instead of looking at your emails or your social media accounts, put your phone in your pocket and have a family conversation at the dinner table or run and jump with the kids at the park.  Be the Super Hero to your kids, raising well adjusted, responsible and socially active adults means that you have to interact and show them what great looks like!  Be a Super Hero to the children who will lead our country to greatness!

Super Heros Come in All Sizes!  

You can find parenting quotes at:
http://artfulparent.com/2013/01/best-art-and-creativity-quotes-for-children-and-adults.html

University of California Riverside Botanical Gardens is waiting for you.

Riverside has so many interesting places to visit. One of those places is the University of California Riverside Botanical Garden. It is a 40 acre hilly botanical garden filled with local plant life. You must be able to walk up and down the rolling hills to get the full experience. 

Passion Flower

The garden holds beautiful and peaceful trails that travel up and down the 40 acre botanical garden. On the top of the trail, you will find a place that you can sit for a while and bird watch.

The best time to visit is in the early morning and during the spring time. The weather is cool and the garden is in full bloom. 

It is a great place for kids to explore nature and for adults to reconnect with Mother-Earth. It is such a peaceful place that we recommend to bring a small picnic lunch along with a blanket to stay a while. 

Their Rose garden is filled with busy bees harvesting honey. It is full of fragrance as you walk through. Be careful the many lizard residents love to sun bathe near-by. 

We jumped when we met this botanical resident. He was not like the other lizards we had met on our visit. This garden was special because it made you forget about time. If you love peace and quiet as well as beautiful plant life, then this is a must see. 

UCR Botanic Gardens: "The Gardens is a living plant museum with more than 3,500 plant species from around the world. Visitors and researchers may see and study on-site. It was established primarily for teaching purposes. In a beautiful setting, the Gardens serves to provide a wide assortment of plant materials for courses at UCR and other local schools. Courses supported include anthropology, art, biology, botany, ecology, entomology, landscape plants, morphology, ornamental horticulture, plant pathology, photography and taxonomy.

The Gardens also provides plant materials for various research projects and serves to test and exhibit plant species introduced from all parts of the world. The variable terrain and Riverside's subtropical climate create numerous "micro-climates" which allow for the notable diversity of plantings.  This wealth of vegetation creates a hospitable sanctuary for wildlife, where nearly 200 bird species have been officially observed."

Open daily: 8am - 5pm Except major holidays:Thanksgiving, 4th of July and Christmas

Location: 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507

Visit their website for updated information: http://gardens.ucr.edu/information.html

Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch located near Barstow.

Near Barstow, California on Route 66 you will find a glass forest. It is one of the most interesting things to see and experience while traveling the 15 freeway. Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch in the City of  Oro Grande is the work of Folk Artist, Elmer Long. He created this forest with bottles he and his father had collected throughout the years. Recycling can be beautiful and artistic is the theme of this 1 acre open air art display. If you stand still you can hear the wind make music as it flows through the bottle trees.  Standing there you will feel the beauty of recycling. The address is 24266 National Trails Highway, Oro Grande, CA 92368. 

You should know: The weather during spring is best for visiting because the desert weather is kinder to you and your car. There is no fee to visit and take pictures. You are welcome to leave a donation for the artist and up keep of the ranch. 

Something we did not anticipate: The destination is in a long stretch of road with only residential houses and farm businesses nearby. We had traveled from Calico Ghost Town to the Bottle Tree Ranch without food or a pit stop. There is not a public restroom on site. You should consider making a pit stop before you arrive at this destination. 

As you travel towards Victorville from Oro Grande you will find vintage shops. We stopped at Salvaged and Tattered and found a few vintage items. There is other shops that were in town. You may find their website on this link 
http://orograndeshops.com/ 

We had a great family field trip visiting the Ranch and nearby shops. We hope that you visit them soon. It might get you inspired to travel more. 

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post all opinions and thoughts are all our own. 

Del Real Tortas De Carnitas estillo Michoacan

Del Real Tortas de Carnitas estillo Michoacan are super easy to make and filled with flavor. The main ingredients are pulled pork, re-fried beans and french bread. These main ingredients can be combined with other flavor combinations to change the dish. For example you can use Pineapple and teriyaki sauce mixed in the Del Real pulled pork to make it a Hawaiian sandwich.  Barbeque sauce and brown sugar mixed into the pork can make a delicious BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich. 

(****We entered this recipe into the Del Real Foods Challenge 
http://www.delrealfoods.com/blogger-recipe-challenge/del-real-carnitas-tortas
Please vote for us!***

Ingredients you will need: 

1 Carnitas pull pork Del Real foods

1 Refried Beans Del Real Foods

1 container of Salsa Verde Del Real Foods

6 French bread / Bolillo Bread cut in half.

1/2 cup of Sour Cream

 4 cups of Shredded Cabbage

1 ½ cups of Shredded carrots

1/4 Onion sliced very thin

1 cup Cilantro for garnish

1 cup of Cotija cheese shredded very thin
1 cup of olives (your favorite)

Slices of  Jalapenos (optional)

Preparation time 30 minutes: 

Warm the Carnitas and Refried Beans as per the directions on the Del Real package.  Ensure all of your vegetables are washed and the excess water is removed.  While your Del Real food is warming up, start shredding the cabbage and carrots gently tossing together.  Your mixture should look like Cole Slaw. Place them in a bowl and set them aside until needed.  Grate the Cotija Cheese and set in a bowl.  Remove the ends of the Cilantro and chop it up.  You may leave the Cilantro out if you are not a fan.

Once your Del Real Carnitas and Refried beans have been warmed up, you are ready to begin building your delicious sandwich.

Start with your French bread and sour cream.  Cut the bread in half and apply a thin layer of sour cream to each side of the French bread.  Then, add a layer of refried beans on top of the sour cream followed by sprinkling on your Cotija Cheese (the Cotija cheese is salty).  The mixture of the sour cream, refried beans and cheese will blend well with the Carnitas.  

Follow next by placing the Del Real Carnitas to one side of the sandwich (I use only ¼ cup on my sandwich.)  Adjust the Carnitas distribution to fit your hungry crowd.  Next, add your green salsa on top of the Carnitas (You may also add sliced jalapenos to add a bit  of heat to your sandwich.)  By now, your sandwich should be (5) layers of yum!  To make this sandwich burst with flavor, add your cabbage mixture to the sandwich and garnish with a few thinly slices of white onion and cilantro (optional).

Serve with fresh cut up watermelon or any fresh fruit that is in season. 

*** Feeling like BBQ? Then you can remove the sour cream, Cotija cheese, re-fried beans and green salsa from the recipe.  Mix ½ cup BBQ sauce and ¼ cup brown sugar (Taste it as you add.) to the Carnitas and turn this Sandwich into a delicious BBQ dish. 

Disclaimer: We received free product to create a recipe for Del Real Foods. This recipe is my original creation. My roots are from Michoacan, Mexico and my style of cooking is from that region of Mexico. All ideas and opinions are all my own. 

Mission San Juan Capistrano family field trip.

California is rich with history. All you have to do to find it is walk outside your door and explore Mission San Juan Capistrano. It is a 239 year old monument that offers 10 acres of gardens, fountains, and structures. Take a Saturday morning to explore the past.

If the walls could talk? What would they tell us about what happened to the Native Americans, Mexicans and Father Junipero Serra. Saint Serra established 9 missions and converted about 5,000 Native Americans before his death in 1784. He died and was buried at his headquarters Mission Carmel, just outside of Monterey.

These photos are of the ruins of the great stone Church at Mission San Juan Capistrano. It took nine years to construct the great stone church. In 1806, the church opened it's doors to San Juan Capistrano Catholics who had been in a smaller building that could barely hold them. It was a great accomplishment for the people of San Juan Capistrano.  Unfortunately, six years later an earthquake would claim it and (40) of it's church members attending mass on December 8th, 1812. The church was never rebuilt. Today, we can see the hard work that went into the construction. 

As you walk through the great ruins at Mission San Juan Capistrano, take a close look at the materials they used to build the walls of the church. You can still see the seashells, rocks and other hard materials that were used to create the walls of the Mission. It is very inspiring to see how a seashell can survive 239 years.

Walking around the Mission you get a feeling of peace and serenity. It feels like you are seeing the beginning of our history in the State of California. We suggest you visit the Mission this Spring when the flowers and fruit trees are in full bloom. You won't be sorry that you made the trip.

Happy travels... The Bosek Family.

Natural Products Expo West 2016

Anaheim Convention Center is hosting the largest food expo. Natural Products Expo West 2016 was jumping this year with several new products. Our taste buds were in organic heaven the entire time we visited Expo West. As you know, Expo West has been one of our go to events for several years. We review, test and taste organic products, then share our results with you to help you shop smarter and stay within your budget. This year, we found some delicious, high fiber and healthy snacks. Let me start with Mission® Certified Organics Tortilla Chips. They are made with masa ground from organically grown corn. The tortillas are then  cooked in organic oil and topped with fresh sea salt. 

While at the Expo West Hall, we tasted the Mamee stacked potato crisps and Dragon fruit in a pouch. Both were delicious and full of great ingredients. These products are Non-GMO, gluten free and Vegan friendly. Both products are great for packing in lunchboxes and on the go healthy eating. Ask your grocery store for these organic products. They are sure to change your eating habits!

Vegan Bacon Bits, Love Beets and Spinach Wraps were also tasty and healthy. All of the above products are organic and full of healthy ingredients.  Beets, Beets and more Beets, the more you eat them, the better you feel. One of the amazing things that happened in our house is the kids fell in love with BEETS!!!  They are in love with beet juice, beet snacks and beet anything because of the colorful packing. Who knew that beets could be so lovable and delicious as well as healthy for the entire family! 

Fresh coconut water from the Vietnam fields via @Hamona USA, Boxed water (Boxed Water, an eco-friendly and BPA-free alternative to bottled water) and fresh fruit bars are great products to take on your next travel adventure. The coconut stays very fresh if you freeze it right in the shell. The fresh coconuts were brought all the way from across the world to be sold at our local markets. The boxed water was the perfect size to pack in my children's lunch box. The boxed container sparked a conversation between the kids about going  BPA-Free. It made for a fun lunch experience for my kids at school. Pure bars are filled with only great fresh ingredients and are Non-GMO, gluten free and vegan friendly. They are the perfect bite for an afternoon snack. Our whole family are now fans of the Pure Bar. 

This is a small sample of products that Expo West had to offer. We are still testing and sampling organic products. Please continue to stop by to read about our latest food adventure.
Disclaimer: We reviewed food products for a period of six weeks. Not a sponsored post. All thoughts and Ideas are all our own. No fruits or vegetables were hurt in the making of this blog post. 

Ratchet and Clank iconic PlayStation video game comes to the movies.

Ratchet and Clank, the iconic video game is coming to a theatre near you on April 29th, 2016.  Take a sneak peek at the movie here and you will see how fun and educational it will be for your entire family.  The movie is entertaining as well as educational.  Ratchet and Clank, the two main characters, walk us through forming new friendships, believing in ourselves and self-discovery. As these two partner up to save the galaxy, they will encounter many obstacles that they will need to overcome. Read on to find valuable resources that can help your child learn.

We attended a movie preview at the Google offices in Venice, California.  Google L.A. and Focus hosted an interactive film event for approximately one hundred students from the Downey Unified School district.  After the movie was over, the students were able to ask questions.  The panel included two game developers, movie animator, director of the movie and two voice actors (Ratchet and Clank).  The Q & A was amazing because the kids asked some amazing questions. 

After the Q& A with the panel of Ratchet and Clank experts, the audience was treated to a special introduction on animation. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math were very much present during this event.  Here, the films lead animator walked us through the process of creating Ratchet and other characters.  The kids were amazed at the entire process of animation. 

The fun continued as the audience was asked to participate in game.  The game was to design a new weapon that Ratchet and Clank would use in their next adventure.  The students were given markers and a blank piece of white cardboard to start their design.  Immediately, kids formed friendships and ideas started forming.  Soon, the kids were in teams brainstorming.  It was wonderful to watch young minds at work. 

They were given about 15 minutes to get their ideas on paper and present to the judges.  The youngest student at the event was a third grader.  Age did not matter in this competition. 

The competition was exciting!!!  The team that won made a technology glove for Ratchet to use in his next adventure.  The voice actors, the movie director and the entire panel along with Ratchet were on hand to thank the entire audience for coming to their interactive movie premiere.  The experience was incredible for all of us as well as the Downey Unified School District because we could see Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math come together in the movie. 

Bonus: Computer Science Education Resources that can help your child learn 
https://www.google.com/edu/resources/computerscience/
https://blockly-games.appspot.com/
https://littlealchemy.com/

Find more pictures on Fieldtripmom nstagram https://www.instagram.com/fieldtripmom/

Disclaimer:  We were invited to a private preview of the movie. We did not receive any compensation or prizes. All thoughts and opinions are all my own. Allied Hispanic