Wonderful Early Christmas With GrandPa

December 23, 2009 by Victoria Sorry for the lack of posts -- everything is okay. It has just been a busy week preparing for Christmas and planning for the big Round Two of the Chase Community Giving campaign. (Be sure to join the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation Cause on Facebook and ask your friends to join as well.)

This weekend Christmas began in the Strong household with a special early celebration with GrandPa (my dad). Gwendolyn LOVES GrandPa. She beams just hearing his name and smiles from the moment he arrives. He always walks through the doorway with a fun-shaped balloon for Gwendolyn and her eyes get as big as saucers -- and this time was no different as the giant Santa balloon peaked his head in. Gwendolyn proudly held onto the balloon all weekend.

The weather was gorgeous and so we headed out to the wine country for a picnic. (We even had a fun star sighting on our drive over the winding and narrow Hwy 154 -- I know the picture isn't the best, but it really is Lance Armstrong.) We drove around for a little bit as Gwendolyn napped and to show my dad the beautiful Santa Barbara wine area and then we stopped at the Zaca Mesa Winery. As long as she could see GrandPa, Gwendolyn was perfectly contented to sit under the big oak trees as we talked and ate our lunch -- and occasionally she would chat with her buddies Ernie and Abby. In fact, she was so patient that we decided to go into the tasting room and have some wine, which was really fun to do with my dad -- and Gwendolyn like to "Cheers!" with each sip we took.

Then on Sunday we woke up and put on the Christmas carols, stayed in our jammies, sat around the Christmas tree and opened Christmas presents. Gwendolyn loved every second! She got so excited when she saw the presents and she loved helping to tear off the paper. GrandPa found some wonderful pop-up books for Gwendolyn and she was in heaven as he read them to her all morning. It was a wonderful way to start the festivities.

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