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EXCITING NEWS GF & AF Expo!!!!

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 I have some seriously EXCITING NEWS!!!!!!!! Probably more for myself and The Lil Chef than you guys. OK! So I can't remember if I put it on this website or one of my other medias but I have been dying to go to the GF & AF EXPO since I heard about it however long ago but it was just never the right time, etc. I actually won tickets a few months back but it was in CA. and I had absolutely NO WAY to get there! I was devastated. Then there was the "Natural Products Expo West" that just passed and I was seriously almost in tears because we were not there. Ok, I said all of that to say....... Guess who is going to the GF & AF EXPO in "Chicago" (actually it will be ... see below)
Where
Schaumburg Convention Center
1551 Thoreau Drive North
Schaumburg, IL 60173
When
April 22 & 23, 2017
10:00-4:00 pm on Saturday the 22nd
10:00-3:00 pm on Sunday the 23rd
AND there is... Free Parking!!!
The website to attend the EXPO is - http://gfafexpo.com/ 
there is also a discount! Go check them out!!!
First things first. (Because I'm super excited, I'm all over the place, can you tell?)  What is "A" or the Gluten Free and Allergy Free Expo and why am I SO excited?!
#1 - The GFAF Expos are the largest and fastest growing special diet consumer events in the US. Started in 2007, the events are professionally managed and have expanded from one to eight cities throughout the United States. In addition to meeting the needs of the Celiac community, the Expo welcomes those with gluten sensitivities, autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and autism.
That is what this Expo is about in a nutshell. I am SUPER excited because (depending on your location) Gluten and Allergy Free food and items are hard to come buy. Having Food Allergies is isolating. Friends, family, associates, you name it usually do not understand that you can no longer eat what you used to. It's heartbreaking to have to unlearn and relearn everything that you know or thought you knew about "Food". You can no longer go to your favorite restaurants (or if you do go for a get together, you can not eat, or you have to eat before you leave the house.) In the area that I live (Northeast Ohio) they have made progress in the grocery stores but I do not feel like they have made a ton of progress in the Restaurant department. I was a foodie before they coined the term and then my life changed almost overnight. It has been a very long road consisting of trials and a ton of errors! 
I am very happy to know that there are other people out there like me (and my daughter, who has ADHD. People with that condition or in that spectrum should not consume gluten or dairy amongst other foods. Usually The GAPs diet is recommended.)
 It feels good to know (like The Lil Chef JUST said) "we can actually eat the samples"! Having a restricted diet has increased my daughter's anxiety at school and over friends and family's houses (especially when she isn't with me) because people do not believe that "you really can't eat that?" or your mom is being extreme "this won't hurt you just eating it while you are here, she doesn't have to know". It's been really difficult for the both of us. 
These EXPOS mean the world to me and I/we FINALLY get to go!!!!! This is one huge place we can all come together and not be judged or criticized for what we can or cannot eat. It will be nice to be surrounded by people I have something in common with.  Also, this will be my first event as a "Blogger" if my application is approved so I'm BEYOND excited!!!! I have not been this excited in a really long time about anything! Wish me/us luck!    


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