Fun for the whole Family!

On one of those not so fun doctor's appointments with my son, we sat in the waiting room forever. The office was slow that day, but it turned out to be a good thing! I fumbled through several magazine piles only to find the same old parenting magazines that I had on my nightstand at home. Yes, they are great magazines but I didn't care to reread articles on how great some cities were or how early you should teach your child to eat broccoli.

With a little luck I picked up a new magazine that I had never seen prior to this doctor's visit. FAMILY FUN.... It looked great from the outside, but as you know, you should never judge a book (or magazine) by it's cover.

I opened it up and was pleasantly surprised to see great color photos of delicious birthday cupcake ideas, beautiful snowy winter getaways, tidbits of information about the holiday season, and where to go when visiting New York state. The magazine was jammed with great stuff!

I decided to 'steal' the little subscription card from inside and sent in my information the following day to get the ball rolling. I felt like I had to get this magazine in my mailbox once a month.

Within a few weeks the first issue showed up and I was just as thrilled with it as I was with the first issue I had read in the doctor's waiting room. From cover to cover I couldn't put it down.

The price I paid for a subscription was more than I am used to, but for quality I will pay the price if needed. I believe the price was $17 (or so) for a 12 month subscription. From time to time the magazine has sub cards inside for cheaper rates, and it's always a good idea to keep an eye open for them if you decide to recieve it regularly. A subscription is much cheaper than paying for an issue each month at the grocery store.

The best part about the magazine is how diverse it is. There are articles for all walks of life and for parents of children of many ages. Most of the articles and hints and tips are geared for parents with children 2 or older, but as with any magazine, it does have a little for younger children too.

Here's an example of some of the great ideas I have used out of the magazine...

**In the October issue there were some quick and easy ideas for Halloween costumes. I found one that was perfect for my son. A pile of leaves! Pin artificial leaves on a brightly colored jogging suit and voila! The original idea was a little different, but I was able to adapt it to my liking.

**A recent issue had some great ideas about summer parties. I am hoping to use one of those ideas for my son's birthday party. Instead of having people buy gifts, I may have them bring a food dish for a potluck supper! We won't end up with items to return or a bunch of toys that he'll never play with!

**Every issue has wonderful reviews of places to visit. Whether you live in the midwest or the deep south there is always some place that you would love to visit based on the great articles.

Overall I would recommend this magazine to just about any parent who has time to be creative, or who is looking for a way to escape into a magazine with articles that are not overly depressing or opinionated. I have really enjoyed every issue and I plan to renew every year for quite some time.