Festival of Trees

For a team retreat/party, we decided to go to the Festival of Trees. It's a benefit for Primary Children's Medical Center. Not a bad cause to support. It was absolutely amazing! We did lunch at my place and then went over to the South Towne Expo Center. While it was wonderful, we did not exactly stick together and bond as a team, but it was still great to see and participate in. I had only been to this once before, when Jen was going through her chemo and we were pushing her in a wheelchair. This was definitely a bit of a different experience. I should go every year.

We started with the gingerbread houses. I kept looking and wondering if Russ could or would make some of these creations. Christmas tree. I think the sign said it took three sheet cakes to make this.

The train was phenomenal.

Shrek's swamp.

Fairy Tale Castle.

My nephew, Logan, loves Curious George. So, of course, I had to take a picture of it.

Once There Was a Snowman. Such creativity. I just seems wrong to have a "dead" snowman.

"It's Always Rainy in Forks" - I was actually surprised this was the only tree that referenced Twilight - and, yes, those are clear plastic forks hanging on the tree.

They told us how many paintbrushes it took to make this, but I can't remember the number.

Same issue with the pencils, but how cool is that?

I actually worked with the family who did this tree. They adopted two of my kids - who had so many issues. They are absolutely amazing people. While I was working with them they actually adopted two more kids. One of them never made it home from the hospital. This tree is dedicated to him and his two brothers. The family lost three sons - two to medical issues and one was actually murdered.

They used the good stuff for this tree - Lindor chocolate!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! Each soccer ball had the picture of one of the players taped to it. I was actually disappointed because the Jazz, U of U, and BYU all had two or three big trees and the team that actually brought home the championship only got this midsize tree. But then again each person gets to choose how to decorate their tree.

More of the stuff that went with the Real tree.

I love the Americana themed trees!

Good or bad advise? You decide!

What a combination! Two of my favorite things - chocolate and teddy bears.

When I saw this one I just had to think of Russ, although the more appropriate one would include Mountain Dew!

More Americana!

I actually rang up the sale for this one. I remember talking to the family; they were pretty excited to be involved in this.

Yep, you can guess which one I decided to have my picture taken by! There are more pictures from the Festival on my Facebook account, if you didn't get too much here. I really will have to make this a tradition.