Clowns and Face Masks

Today is the the day I lose my sanity. I have 13 kindergarteners and a magician clown coming over this afternoon. Clearly, someone is turning six years old.

I just hope I bought enough beer. Not for the children, obviously. And none for the clown, either. That can never end well, a drunk clown and his magic show.

On a completely separate note, I found myself running to stores like crazy all week in preparation for this party, and had to drag the twins there with me. I hate doing that, not in flu season. So many of our friends have had sick kids this flu season, but I like to think that since I never have to take the twins anywhere with me, they have stayed healthy. But since Costco doesn't offer a drive-through service (as if), I had to bring them in with me. I masked them, and then couldn't resist snapping this photo:

















I have two requests of the Internet today:
1. I switched to Mozilla and now I can't figure out how to see more than one tab when I launch it. Hm, those words don't even really make sense, do they. Let's see, how else can I put it? I'd like for three different websites to launch simultaneously when I start my browser. Each site in their own tab, automatically, every time. Help me, Internet.

2. I'm having knee problems this week, but as soon as I feel better, I need a golf buddy. Or buddies. Nothing fancy, just the PV municipal golf course, but it has to be during the lunch hours, or maybe early weekend mornings. Putting practice and driving range balls are getting old. Don't get me wrong--I am the suckmaster at golf. But I love it, and I am a rule followerer, so what else can you ask for? I don't take mulligans unless my golf partner forces me to (oh yes, there have been times). The PV course isn't long, and it's cheap. Whadaya say?

GSF Wins! Which means SMA families win!

The Chase Community Giving campaign ended yesterday, and what a campaign it was! The contest took place on Facebook, but many of us utilized Twitter to gain more attention and to direct people where to vote within Facebook. The week was a blast, and the race to win was neck-and-neck until the very end. The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation did not win the grand prize of one million dollars, but as a runner up GSF is awarded with $100,000. Yo, Chase--thanks bunches!

Just as exciting as winning the cash is all the awareness about SMA out there now. Various celebrity twitterers joined our cause, as did some celebrities and bands on Facebook. I had never heard of SMA before the twins were diagnosed, and that's true for every single person I know. If the world could witness what SMA does to our kids, could see what we SMA parents see on a daily basis, the world would be demanding a cure yesterday.

I will live to see the day when SMA is a mere inconvenience instead of a merciless, anguish-causing disease, and this $100k will go a long way to getting us there. For my non-SMA followers, I can try to gather up some information on current SMA research for a future blog post.... but there's nothing funny about SMA, so I hesitate to be a buzz kill too often. I'd lose half my followers. But I bet I can find a spot within an otherwise side-splittingly funny blog post to summarize some of the exciting things going on in the world of SMA research. Twenty-ten is our year, folks. I can feel it.

I can't recap the past week's events for you better than Victoria Strong already has, so please click here to read her summary. She also includes a list of the all the great celebs and organizations who supported GSF in some way over the past week. And I am full of gratitude for everyone's participation and am exhilarated about 2010 and everything that I can expect from this new year.

Much love to Gwendolyn, too. I just had to share this photo her family captured recently, celebrating last night's big win. Are these three not adorable? I could give them bone crushing hugs right about now.


Much love to my fellow Twitter-holics. We bonded this week, didn't we? I hope to meet you all in person one day soon! And when that day comes, the first round is on me! (unless you're underage, in which case I'm am so paying for your Shirley Temple.)
@gsfoundation
@victoriastrong
@billstrong
@natedlee
@dianadear
@LO_raine
@ACTforSMA
@stopsma
@lucyandethel09
@princessmadiro
@LittleLauren
@kimmymary
@KarlHumphries
@emmahumphries
@TaysensTricks
@smamommy
@whatsupwithdrew
@EndSMAdotcom
@pennygersh
@mmarlow
@SMAAwareness
@mlynnfox
(Did I miss anyone?)

Lauren's Message For You: Vote for SMA!

We need to keep up the momentum! Please visit the Chase Community Giving campaign on Facebook and vote for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation! SMA is absolutely curable, folks. Make this happen. Voting ends Friday 22 January. Visit www.VoteForSMA.com, or click the image below.

Let Lauren tell you about it.