Cherrybrook Kitchen mix & the Easy Bake oven...my apologies Hasbro

Before Christmas I posted about my frustrations with Hasbro and the Easy Bake Oven.  Initially, I was very annoyed that all the mixes have a nut allergy warning but then I decided Santa would deliver an Easy Bake Oven that would be safe for my special girl.  Santa and his elves used Cherrybrook Kitchen sugar cookie mix to create individual mixes just for Alexa.  Santa even placed a special note inside the box which read:

"Dear Alexa, I understand that the cookie and cake mixes for the Easy Bake Oven are not safe for you, so my elves and I created special mixes for you to use.  I hope you enjoy them.  Please tell your Mom she can use Cherrybrook Kitchen mixes in your oven when these special mixes run out.  Love, Santa"

She loved it and Christmas Morning we made safe sugar cookies even though we were in a hotel.  We haven't really used it since...bad I know...but hey, we're busy!  Today Alexa begged me to use her oven and said she wanted to make cakes instead of cookies.  Fortunately, I had some Cherrybrook Kitchen yellow cake mixes and we made 9 mini cakes.  My little baker was all smiles!  So Hasbro, sorry I diss-ed you-the oven is pretty fun and Cherrybrook Kitchen, thank you AGAIN for putting big smiles on my little girl's face!!  This is why I buy your mixes by the case!!

In honor of my sisters.......

I'm a bit overdue but need to take a moment to write about the joy of spending a holiday at someone else's home this Christmas without the worry and stress!  I'm not sure either of my sisters understand the magnitude of what they did for us or how immeasurably grateful we are.  So this post is in their honor.

Almost all parties we attend require the following: packing safe food for Alexa; inspecting all food upon arrival; explaining to Alexa the items which are safe and which are not; reminding her not to eat off other's plates or share snacks or drinks; putting aside a plate for her before everyone dips into safe foods with nut or egg contaminated hands or utensils; watching what the other children are eating to keep track of who's eating "danger" foods and watching my child throughout the party to ensure she's okay.  This Christmas was extra special because we could relax and know our daughter was safe.  Not one peanut or nut was present!  My amazing sister Noreen, checked in with me over every ingredient, asked lots of questions about safe food brands and even made my little girl her very own egg free lasagna!  She also made Cherrybrook Kitchen sugar cookies, Chocolate Covered Sunbutter balls (that I was supposed to make!) AND checked in with my sister Karen about desserts.  Karen not only brought nut free desserts but also went out of her way to make special nut and egg free cookies just for Alexa!  When she put them out she explained how she cleaned her pans, made the egg and nut free cookies first, packaged them and put them away before making any cookies containing egg or nuts!  How do you express you appreciation for this kind of care and forethought?  How do you explain how much it means to be able to attend a party and relax and enjoy yourself without worry about the food on the table?? A simple "thank you" does not seem sufficient.  So Noreen & Karen, thank you for your thoughtfulness, your time, your love, consideration, forethought, hard work and for making this Christmas one we will remember for a very long time!  You will never know how special you made it!

Short lived victory....

Well...so much for "small victories" (see Sunday, November 7th post below).  There are 2 more home visits (field trips to children's homes) scheduled this week.  Well SURPRISE!! This morning the teacher informs me they are serving crepes at the upcoming home visit.  GREAT! Thanks! Wonderful! Fantastic and aaaarrgghgggh! Why? why? why is this necessary?  I was so happy, so excited, so relieved to have food be a non-issue at these school events and now I have to find sitter for each event, contact hosting parents, research safe recipes, make safe food, AND attend every visit.  I wish I could understand WHY they made this choice.  What's to keep all the other parents from now including food during their visit?  The teacher literally dropped this bomb on me and walked out of the classroom.  I was left standing there with my mouth open and a very confused and upset look on my face.  Looks like I will be making egg free crepes on Tuesday night.  Wonder what they are serving on Thursday? With my luck it will be some exotic, hard to make dish that I'll have pull out of my hat at the last minute.  grrrrr..... Damn food allergies!!