So this sweet little girl had a birthday party a couple of weeks back that happened to be at the "Young Chefs Academy" here in our town. This is a locally owned chain where young children can come and "learn" to cook and chef it up. I think it is a fabulous concept, but I'm not sold on the fact that they can keep up with the rising allergies and food restrictions on many of our young people these days.When she first got the invite, of course I was concerned about what they would be cooking and what ingredients they would be handling. When I found out it was pizza, I was relieved. However, the little princess was not excited. Have you ever met a child who didn't eat pizza. Meet Addie. I promised her that she could make her pizza and then bring it home to her Dad to eat. That made her happy.
Unfortunately, this was a busy Saturday for us, and I forgot to bring her "special cupcake" along. Since she can't eat the cake at birthday parties, we have our own that we bring instead. I knew this would be a problem once the cake was served, but thought I could promise an ice cream stop afterwards. I got busy socializing with the other mommies at the party and when I looked up, Addie had a huge bite of chocolate cake on her fork and was getting ready to shovel it in. I panicked, and ran over just in time....saying "no, Addie....you can't have that!" Of course, the tears came a flooding. I had totally embarassed her. Here she was at a "big girl party" with a friend who was in kindergarten. She knew noone at the party besides the birthday girl herself. She was so nervous about going, but put on a smile and summoned up some courage as the strange woman dragged her little hand from mine and strapped her in a tiny apron. And then I totally embarass her :( I hated that it happened. I wanted to cry right there too. I scooped off a bunch of icing from the cake and offered her this little peace offering. We dried off her tears and she eventually went back to her seat to eat her icing beside the other kids. I was proud once again at her little courage.
Then the chef walked over and asked us if she was finished with her pizza (of which not a single bite was taken)....and when I told her she was going to take it home to her Daddy, she informed us that the "Young Chefs Academy" did not have a carry-out license, and that we could not take the pizza with us. She asked us again if she was going to eat it, and when I shook my head no, about to cry once again, she tossed it into the trash. That will be our last visit to the "Young Chefs Academy".
On a lighter note...
Look at my gangster boys...
Do they think they are cool or what?
They make me laugh. Addie didn't see them throw her pizza away, and she was too excited about the present she got as we left that she didn't think about it until much later that night. Addie: "momma.....what about my pizza?"......Me: Oh, Daddy ate it right up and told me to tell you it was the best pizza he has ever had!
