As the mom of a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old, I'm always looking for fun new things to do with kids in the Austin area. Thankfully, Austin has a lot to offer in that department. From lake activities to a wonderful children's museum to parks where they could play for hours, there's a little something for children of all ages.

In the spirit of new things for kids, I wrote this round-up of some fun things to try with your little ones next time you're looking for something fun to do. There's a good range here, from exciting ways to watch movies to live theater action to getting their hands dirty at the Austin Nature Center. Tell me, what's your favorite thing to do with little ones in Austin?

The first time I met a celebrity in Austin it was a completely random afternoon. I was walking near the University of Texas campus when I saw none other than Kevin Spacey walking directly toward me. My hearted started beating fast as I tried to decide if I should say something. As he got within a few feet of me, I said nervously, "Mr. Spacey -- I'm a huge fan!" He graciously thanked me, shook my hand and continued walking.

Little did I know that it's actually quite easy to meet celebrities in Austin. All you need is a little planning. That's why I compiled this list of places where you can meet your favorite author, actor or artist. Just look at the schedules of upcoming events ahead of time and plan your afternoon.

It's March, which means that in just a few days Austin will be flooded with celebrities of the film, music and interactive varieties. While the South by Southwest festival may be one of the exciting times of the year for many Austinites, the high badge prices keep it from being a reality for many others.

Not so fast. There are ways for you to attend this year's SXSW festival without spending a dime. First of all, the city hosts a slew of free events associated with the festival, including a free concert series on Auditorium Shores (Counting Crows are one of the headliners this year), a guitar and poster show, and various arcade games set up across town.

Want even more access? You can sign up to become one of SXSW's 2,000 volunteers, who do everything from greet out-of-town registrants, to work tables at the Austin Convention Center, to assist with music production. If that sounds cool, check out the official SXSW site for more details.

SXSW photo.

I'll be the first to admit that I was once skeptical about the whole food truck craze. After all, did I really want to eat my dinner off a paper plate outside an old Airstream in a gravel parking lot?

Nowhere are food trucks more ubiquitous than Austin (OK, maybe New York City), where you can find everything from crepes to deep-fried avocados served out the window of a small trailer.

But rather than shy away from its distinction as a food truck Mecca, Austin has decided to celebrate its counter culture (no pun intended) with an annual Gypsy Picnic, which will bring together more than 40 food trucks on the banks of Auditorium Shores.

Sponsors of the event, which is scheduled for March 24, are promising a huge number of vendors, free admission and live music throughout the day. It seems like a pretty cool deal that's definitely worth a visit.