Tucson Festival of Books

Last Saturday, Natalie and I drove to Tucson to visit Aunt Ashley and go to the Tucson Festival of Books. What a great event!! We spent the entire time in the children's area and it was so much fun. Natalie made bookmarks, got free goodies, participated in a story time that topped ALL story times (details below)and...the absolute BEST part was she got to meet some of her very favorite characters!

One of our favorite story book characters is Skippyjon Jones! Well, he was there...with his own Mariachi band! Hilarious. He danced around the crowd and this fairly large band just followed him wherever he went. I don't know who loved it more...the kids or the parents!

Skippyjon was the first character we encountered so Natalie was a bit leery at first. I wanted MY picture with Skippyjon so I persuaded her to join me.
Then it was story time. Four books were narrated as the page images were displayed on a huge screen WHILE the characters from the books stood nearby acting out certain parts. Totally captivating.
While another book was being read aloud, Natalie cozied up to the Very Hungry Caterpillar! It kind of got out of hand. The kid who was leery of the costumes a half hour earlier was now practically mauling the Very Hungry Caterpillar. I didn't get good pictures of this caterpillar cuddle fest because I was desperately trying to convince Natalie to let him go before she tipped him over! I lured her back to her seat with Goldfish crackers so that the poor caterpillar could take his place on the stage as his book began!

Then, as a totally unexpected highlight, we ran into Papa Bear...

and Mama Bear of the Berenstain Bears! Honestly, could this event be MORE perfect for Natalie? She LOVES the Berenstain Bears so much that it actually borders on obsession.

This Mama Bear hug was the most genuine of all Natalie hugs that day.

She didn't want to let this Mama go!

We ended the day with a $5 parasol that will either last 36 hours or 15 years but Natalie loves it. She now corrects anyone and everyone when they call it her umbrella. "No, it's a paratol...for the sun, not the wain" she says.

At one point during the drive home this is how I found her in the backseat!

What a fun day! Thanks, Aunt Ashley, for a great weekend!