How do keep kids entertained on the drive from Las Vegas to LA to visit Harry Potter world?
We started with printable tickets from Getawaytoday.com for the Hogwarts Express. The fun thing about their printable is that its a one-way ticket to the World of Harry Potter in Universal.
Once in the card we started on the audio version of 
I also got them each one of the trendy Harry Potter coloring books for the car:
When we got to the hotel, it was time to go swimming and release all the energy built up on the long car ride.
At dinner we played a game draw your own Harry Potter character on the placemats. Cinco was the judge and awarded ‘points’ towards the house cup based on our artistic skills. After dinner, we played a game of 
Next we needed the embellishments to finish off the look. We added the google eyes to both books and used some creepy colored eyes to make the monster look a little nastier.
Using Scout’s glue gun technic we created a few wands and then went to work painting them. We got out a few wild paint colors to have a little fun decorating them. Some them had a base color and then we painted the glue a second color. Others were fully one color. Cinco also decided that he wanted to add beads to the bottom of the wands to make it look like a handle.
But, the coolest part was the glow-in-the-dark glue sticks I purchased for the glue gun. We used the glow-in-the-dark glue on two wands and they looked thrilling in the dark.
Our final project of the day was a papercraft I found online to make your own 
while all of us listened to the audio version as we drove around town doing chores and driving to and from places like the Eiffel Tower.
. Basically, you are the executioner during the French Revolution and you need to collect noble’s heads. Different nobles are worth different points and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins. The Princess really took to game. I suspect because she is always trying to collect the queen.
he asked if that was the original version. How funny…
before we started the down south adventure. The film remains an American classic for a number of reason– least of which is the amazing score and the fact it was one of the first full-length feature films. I know some people take issue with it’s portrayal of slavery and it’s treatment of marriage, but I still like like. And, even-though I like her, Scarlet is a bit of a nut!!! Like so many works of historical fiction, IT’S NOT ACCURATE… The Professor who actually teaches Southern Film, is also more than welcome to comment.
Now back to our trip to Oak Alley. I was surprised to learn that it was NOT a cotton plantation, but rather a sugar plantation. That makes total sense, since the French did a lot of sugar farming in the Caribbean. Why wouldn’t they do the same thing in their Louisiana territory? But, I am too far into the stereotype that all plantations are cotton.
Walking into the dinning room the kids and I had no idea what was hanging over the table. The guide quickly informed us that it was a large fan. A slave child about 8 years old would have stood in the corner and pulled a rope to make it move back and forth.
Inside it was decorated to look like the mid-1800s. All nothing remains of the original furniture. There are four pieces original to the house all related to the this bedroom.
Anyone who knows me, knows I cannot pass up a chance to stare at a little creature. The Captain spotted this one as were walking around the plantation’s second story terrace. The kids were really amazed by this little guys blazing green color.
The Booky Mom 
