I've been a little quiet around here and that is because I've been saying goodbye to one of the most important people in my life -- Grandpa Harry. Losing Harry (and yes, I called him by his name -- everyone did) has been extremely hard. There ar ...
Easter 2011
What an awesome Easter! Easter egg decorating, playing, more playing. A Gramma slumber party. Easter egg hunting, Easter basket opening, more Easter basket opening, more Easter egg basket opening, more Easter basket opening. A beautiful walk to the p ...
Ninth Graders Host Spaghetti Banquet To End SMA and Raise Over $4,000
Children helping children...it gets me every time! And I love it! Students at Hopkins West Junior High in Minnetonka, Minnesota were asked to select a charity to design a service project around. And they chose Spinal Muscular Atrophy and the Gwendolyn Str ...
Life Really Is Short: Cherishing My Special Daddy Days
The reality and gravity of Gwendolyn's SMA diagnosis three years ago has completely turned my personal balance sheet on its head. Things that used to be important, aren't so much any more. Priorities have shifted. Focus has become much more micr ...
First Picnic of the Year
The weather is finally warming up. Okay, I know I can't complain too much in comparison to my friends further east where the weather has just been so darn ornery this year. But per Santa Barbara standards, it has been too rainy and too chilly for too ...
Fee-fi-fo-fum
Fee-fi-fo-fum.Have you met Giant Gwendolyn?She stomps and thunders(and squeals and giggles)And she's heading your way to give you tickles It's the little things...
Grand National Roadster Show Raises Over $5,000 To Help End SMA
The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation was honored to be selected as one of two featured nonprofits for the world famous Grand National Roadster Show this year. The event, known as the longest running indoor car show in the world, was held in January 2011 at th ...
Calling Nurse Gwendolyn STAT
Remember "Career Day"? Well, our fabulously thoughtful friends Heather, Wade, Reagan and Kendall read that blog post and quietly got to work making sweet G's career dream come true. A package arrived in the mail with a note that read:Gwendolyn, You c ...
Good Things For Gwendolyn: Our Animal Whisperer and A Half Birthday
Today Gwendolyn is 3 1/2 and I can't believe it! 3.5! I can't believe it has already been six months since her big 3rd birthday celebrations -- her first trip to Disneyland, the month-long "Birthday Bonanza" giveaways, the $36 for 36 months camp ...
Grandpa Harry: June 27, 1905 – March 30, 2011
Harry Reese GillespieJune 27, 1905 - March 30, 2011My grandfather Harry passed away this week and I am devastated. He was 105 years old and while I know this is the normal course of life, this is an enormous loss for me and anyone who knew him. He was kin ...