Tree Festival

The day before Thanksgiving my mom and I took the kids to the "Festival of Trees" in Riverside. I had never been before, but I received a flyer for it and decided that it sounded like a really fun thing to do with the kids. And let me tell you...we had a blast!! The Riverside Convention Center was filled with so many trees all decorated so beautifully, my mom and I could have just walked around looking at all the trees for hours. There were also TONS of things for kids to do and the best part was, it was all free!!!! I think we have a new tradition my friends!

Thought I would just share this picture that Owen took of Audrey and I since it was the only picture taken of the two of us.
All of the kids got these reindeer headbands and Owen just LOVED his! He wore it the entire day...even after we got home!

Owen got to make an ornament,

and decorate sugar cookies...even though he mostly just ate the frosting!

There were a ton of booths set up with activities for the kids to do. Lots of hands-on stuff, games, and crafts. I couldn't believe it was all free!!

Definitely the best part of the festival by far was Owen sitting on Santa's lap. In the past Owen has been deathly afraid of Santa and has screamed just looking at Santa from across the room. I have been talking to Owen about Santa a lot lately and getting him excited about Christmas so I was hoping that he would want to see Santa this year...and he did, YEAH!!!

Owen was a little bit nervous at first, but this was the cutest, warmest, most pleasant Santa Claus I have ever seen, and Owen had no problem climbing up on his lap and telling him that he wanted a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas. I loved every second of Owen's 2 minutes with Santa Claus!!

Kind of funny: right after Owen got off of Santa's lap he asked me where his Buzz Lightyear was. It took about an hour or so of me explaining that it isn't Christmas yet and how he still has to be a good boy for Owen to realize that he wouldn't be taking home Buzz Lightyear today.