Newport Beach, California

Green grass, tropical flowers, WARM WEATHER, the ocean, surfers, Balboa Island, frozen bananas on a stick . . . oh yeah, all the good things Newport Beach is made of. This is our third year to come here in January for Jason's ALS annual conference. He sits in meetings all day and I get a luxurious vacation out of the deal. Life could hardly be better for me this week!

We got here yesterday at noon. Jason had a free day so we walked the couple miles down to Balboa Island and the beach. It is so fun to come to the same place a few times and do all our favorite things . . .We ate at our favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican place (see picture), then rented cruiser bikes to ride along the ocean, Jason got his favorite chocolate & toffee covered frozen banana, etc.

This year we had a new highlight . . . seeing lots of waves and surfers. In Jason's second life he would be a California surfer boy . . . he LOVES it! Fortunately for all of us, reincarnation is not reality so he will continue to dream. We were able to walk out onto a rocky pier and have a "front row seat" to the waves crashing in right in front of us. The crashing of waves may just be my favorite of all God's creation. It is breath-taking.

And, to top off a great day, we got to have dinner with good friends - Josh & Rochelle Beck (who live in LA). We had a wonderful time with them.

The Netti Pot

So, I am sick for the second week in a row - with sinus drainage, headache, etc. But, my time being sick is greatly reduced using the Netti Pot. So, I decided it is time for my Netti Pot commercial!

If you've never heard of it, you may think it is the strangest thing ever (I did at first)! You fill the Netti Pot with a solution of 3 t canning salt plus 1 t baking soda with 1 quart of warm water. You stand over the sink and pour the water from the Netti Pot into one of your nostrils and it comes out of the other one. Then, you switch sides. I usually blow my nose several times during this process. It really clears out your sinuses and feels great. Sometimes - like last night for me - I couldn't even get the water to drain out my right nostril - it was too plugged up! The purpose is that it is a form of nasal irrigation. It helps keep your nasal membranes moist. I don't remember all of the science behind it, but I swear by the Netti Pot now.

My other recommendation for sinus problems is a book called, "Sinus Survival" by Robert S. Ivker, D.O. It has great holistic treatments for allergies, colds an sinusitis.

Snow Forts & Slumber parties

Jason and I spent the night at the Ehresman's Friday night because we were watching the kids and knew the weather would not be great. Sure enough, there was tons of snow Saturday morning. Mark, Jason and Brady shovelled lots of snow and built two awesome snow forts. Brady was in heaven!

Our annual Christmas break slumber party with the kids at our house a couple weeks ago . . .

Eating malts and watching Kung-fu Panda

Bedtime