Gluten Free Cookie Swap

We had our very first gluten free cookie swap at our house this year. It is something we hope to do every year with the families from the R.O.C.K. group.

This year we had five families participate. It was mostly moms with children under the age of 7, but we did have one brave 12 year old come out for the fun as well.

What a blast...as you can see Ethan was elbow deep in frosting! One mom brought along all the toppings and ingredients necessary for cookie decorating. All gluten free of course, but the look on these kids little faces when they were told that EVERYTHING on the table was for them to eat...was priceless. It's a wonderful site to see such happiness on the faces of such little children over something that most of us would take for granted.

How many parties have you gone to where you looked at the table and wondered what up there was okay for you to eat? How many parties have you gone to where you wondered if what you did just eat would make you sick later? That's what these little kids (and adults) have to do everywhere they go. Except for this cookie swap. Granted we had food coloring to clean up, cookie toppings all over the floor, and 5 or 6 kids running off all of that sugar later, but it was well worth it.

One mom even brought gluten free pizza in real pizza boxes. I have to say I was thrilled to see a real pizza box in my house with pizza that we could all eat. AND the best part is this pizza was delicious the morning after as well. (I love a yummy slice of cold pizza in the morning!)

The cookies were all delicious as well, and the kids were just overwhelmed by so much yumminess within their reach. Mike and I were so happy to have held this party for not only these families, but for our children as well. Ethan and Josh had a blast, (although Josh missed the cookie decorating as it was way past his bedtime) as they were the only little boys running around with a bunch of girls. We look forward to doing more of these types of get togethers for everyone within our group. It was a wonderful way for us, the parents, to be able to compare notes on our children's health, discuss what has and hasn't worked for food ideas, and just share with each other our fears of how the outside world perceives our children with this disease. (For example schools, families, friends etc.) We know we can't put them in a bubble and protect them forever, but wouldn't it be nice?? :)