Disney Movies at NOMA

If you happen to be a member of the New Orleans Museum of Art, then this series of events is for you! The museum is presenting a 5-weekend Disney movie series to get you ready for the upcoming Dreams Come True exhibit that opens in mid-November. Here is a list of the movies that will be shown:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs October 3 &4, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm

Cinderella October 10 & 11, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm

Sleeping Beauty October 17 & 18, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm

The Little Mermaid October 24 & 25, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm

Beauty and the Beast November 6, 5pm and 7pm; and November 7, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm

Remember, these screenings are for members only, though if you're not a member, you can still enjoy the museum's exhibits for free as a Louisiana resident (thanks to the generosity of the Helis Foundation).

New Orleans Area Free and Frugal Events this Weekend

Hopefully this weekend won't be a complete washout, but this weather is not what I'd ask for on the weekend! If you want to venture out despite the weather, here are a few free and family-friendly events happening in the area:

Take Time for Lunch on Saturday 9/12, 11am to 1pm at the Edible Schoolyard at Samuel J. Green Charter School (2319 Valence, New Orleans). Visit informational booths, tour the edible schoolyard garden, and the kids can participate in activities just for them.

Along similar lines, the Young Leadership Council is holding a Community Revitalization Day on Saturday from 9am to 12 noon at their headquarters (1840 Euterpe Street, New Orleans). If you're looking for service hours (or rather if your children need them!), come help plant a community garden and paint the YLC meeting room's walls.

Also on Saturday, you can visit the Sankofa Marketplace in the lower 9th ward from 1pm - 4pm. Kids visiting the marketplace can receive a free book courtesy of the New Orleans Public Library Martin Luther King branch bookmobile. Stop by this or any of the other area farmers markets and support our local farmers and fishermen.

On Sunday at 1pm you can celebrate author Roald Dahl's birthday at Octavia Books. Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my older son's FAVORITE stories, so maybe I'll surprise him with a trip Uptown!

Enjoy your weekend and remember, GEAUX SAINTS GEAUX!!!!!

Road Trip

We're traveling this week to visit my parents 16 hours away. Yes, 16 hours - with 2 young boys, AND a dog we can't trust to stay home with the other 3! Let me say that I was both looking forward to and dreading this trip at the same time. I decided to find some ways to make it happen more smoothly and more frugally. Enter the dollar store. Before we left town, my husband and I took the boys to the dollar store to grab up some treats and drinks for the road. Anyone who's taken a road trip can attest to how fast those snacks, drinks, and meals on the road can add up - this is what I was trying to avoid. So, we trekked through the aisles of the dollar store and grabbed a few treats to take with us. Our 4 year old was thrilled that he got to help plan part of the trip, and the one year old was just along for the ride. After filling up the basket with cookies, gum (for me), rice krispie treats (chocolate-drizzled, no less), drinks, and a gallon of water for the dog, we went home to pack the car. Add to those items some turkey, ham, cheese, and a loaf of bread, and we were set for the ride! We made it the whole way from Louisiana to West Virginia without having to stop for food or drinks. My family didn't feel shorted, either, since they were a part of the planning. Now, let's see if we can be so lucky going home...