Book: Until Then

Growing up with a distant mother and absentee father, Michelle's childhood has been far from idyllic. Her only attention comes from her partying friends and the guys who are more than happy to give her the affection she longs for. But when one party goes wrong, Michelle's grandparents hatch a plan to get her out of Chicago and away from her so-called friends.

College plans are low on Michelle's priority list, especially with no money to pay for it, until her grandparents offer to foot the bill for her entire tuition. There's just one catch. Michelle must choose between three schools - all hours away from Chicago and all Christian colleges.

Michelle's reluctant choice leads her to an unfamiliar place, where she's faced with new relationships and unexpected decisions that could change her life and her heart forever.

***

This book is the sequel to Goodbye, Magnolia, although I would really call it more of a companion book.  It tells the same story as Magnolia, but from Michelle's point of view rather than Maggie's.  We don't really find out that much about Michelle in the first novel other than that she and Maggie have a pretty rocky relationship.  I was prepared to really dislike Michelle since I didn't like her from Maggie's point of view!

However... wow.  Krista has done an amazing job of creating a real character that I can relate to and helping me understand her motivations.  This is a story that isn't afraid to tackle the hard issues head on rather than gloss over them.  It makes for a great ending that leaves you satisfied rather than feeling like this would never happen in real life.

I loved reading the parallel storyline and seeing things from an entirely different perspective.  I have to believe that takes a lot of talent to be able to write that way!  It changed the way I saw all the characters in the stories and I'm actually tempted to ask if there will be a third from one of the characters that features more prominently in this book than the first.

I really can't say much about this story without giving too much away.  I highly recommend reading them in order, in quick succession. Michelle makes life choices and deals with the consequences.  The people she chooses to allow in her life affect her, as they do for us too.  And sometimes things happen that our really out of our control that we have to deal with, but how we choose to deal with them may make all the difference.

There is one caveat to this book, it deals with some mature themes without trivializing them, but it is not really suitable to younger readers.  It's essentially rated PG-13.  Honestly though, I felt like it was done very well and the story would not have been the same without it.  Real life is messy, but dealing with it head on is often way better than not facing it. (yes, that has two meanings, both in the story and out)

Krista is a newer author to having books published, but I am a fan and can't wait to read what she comes up with next!

***

Buy a Kindle version here, also the first book is free for the next 2 days so you can get both!

Paperback version is here.  And don't forget to enter to win one below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

KRISTA NOORMAN is the author of the young adult novel, The Truth About Drew, and the Cornerstone contemporary Christian romance series. Most of her life has been spent scribbling away in journals, while documenting her every day life, but it wasn't until she took part in National Novel Writing Month that she found her true calling and turned her pen to fiction.

Krista studied music education at Cornerstone University. After college, she turned to her love of photography and spent nearly a decade running her own wedding photography business. She is constantly inspired by books and movies, enjoys beautiful instagram feeds, and loves a great cup of coffee. Krista makes her home in a small town in western Michigan with her husband and their two children.

She writes about life, family, faith and whatever else comes to mind at bykrista.com.

Krista sent me a copy of her book to review.  All opinions are my own.

My Favorite Skincare: Moody Sisters!

I have known the lovely ladies (and their husbands) behind Moody Sisters Skincare since high school.  That's what happens when you're from a small town/valley!  In the last few years they got fed up with all the chemical laden skin care products available on the open market and started creating their own, right in their kitchen.

Once I found out I could get these awesome non-toxic, high quality products locally I quit buying anything else.  They've had a few quirks along the way, but they've been in business long enough now that you will not get an inferior product in any way when you buy from them!

Check out the haul I picked up last night!

Now that I'm on the downward slide to 40 (eek!) I've realized that my skin looks and feels better when I take care of it.  I know the wrinkles and other issues are not going away no matter how many fancy creams I use so I'm not putting something toxic on my face just in the hopes of looking younger than I am.  But taking care of my skin means that my makeup goes on better too!  Have you ever put makeup on dry skin? It's not pretty.

Speaking of makeup, Moody Sisters contracts with a Midwest company (because makeup is still complicated, yo!) for high quality makeup that also does not have any toxins in it.  ALL the ingredients are listed right on the label.

I'm kind of late to the makeup game and I'm horrible at guessing at colors, so lucky for me Whitney loaned me all her samples for the weekend so I can find the right products for me.  But I've already been using their mascara for years and some eye shadows in fun shades.

I hope you'll check out my friends' shop and see what interests you!   It's not drugstore prices, but these are not drugstore products and they are still totally affordable and last a long time.  Plus, you'll feel better about putting safe products on your skin.

For new customers you can use my special code MARRIEDLIFE for 10% off your first order of any size.  And, if you join their newsletter they are always having sales and specials.  Or follow them on Facebook as well.

Come this Monday actually, the first 300 newsletter subscribers to order will get a free sugar scrub just for the price of shipping ($15 value and they are the best sugar scrubs I've ever tried, not so oily that they leave a slick sheen in the bottom of your tub and actually lather a bit). You can see the new one I picked up in my photo up top, it's the short squatty bottle.

There are so many other great products the Moody Sisters make and sell, some seasonal items, and some great bundles.  Your skin will thank you for trying them!

*I was not compensated in any way for this post, these are my friends and I truly love their stuff!

Blue Lizard Sunscreen = Awesome!

The color changing cap has major kid appeal

I received a sample of Blue Lizard sunscreen in a box from Influenster.  All opinions are my own.

For Father's Day weekend we went up to a fun cabin on a lake.  Which meant we spent the better part of the weekend on the lake and out in the sun.  It was the perfect opportunity to try out a couple of new sunscreens I had this summer.

The hands down winner was Blue Lizard Sensitive Sunscreen.  It's a barrier sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxides, the kind I prefer to use on my kids because there are no toxic chemicals in it.

The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't nearly as greasy as some of the other barrier sunscreens and it spread easily without leaving my kids looking like ghosts.

Another cool feature is, depending on which size you get, either the cap or the whole bottle turns from white/clear to blue in the presence of UV rays.  Perfect for when you're wondering if you really need to put on sunscreen.  One of the days we were at the lake it was fairly cloudy so the cap changed slowly, but it did still change.  Less exposure to the UV rays, but they were still obviously there.  Layer up!

I typically don't use this kind of sunscreen on myself, we're still using up some of the more chemical laden stuff we had from a couple years ago, but this Blue Lizard one was so much less greasy that I did use it on myself and ended up feeling about the same as usual.  Now that impressed me!

Blue Lizard is an Australian company and as my husband says, the Aussies know what it's about when it comes to sun so they make products that work.  I'm happy to report, there were no sunburns that weekend!

GoMacro Bar Review, Coupon and Giveaway

Last week we got something fun in the mail, a box of GoMacro Mini bars to try.

I was excited to try these energy bars for a few reasons, but number one being that they are gluten free.  At the moment 3 of my 4 kids are gluten free, with the oldest on a permanent basis.  And he, of course, is the most picky about his food.

He gave the thumbs up for the fruit flavored varieties of GoMacro bars.  There are 11 different flavors and I think I've at least tasted most of them this week, corners off my kids' snacks here and there!

My favorites are probably the cherries + berries and the apples + walnuts too, although the chocolate chip peanut butter would be a close second.

What else do I like about these bars? Here's my list, you might find other reasons to enjoy them by checking out their core principles.

• Gluten free
• Soy free
• Not only are they organic, they really are pesticide free
• Mini bars are the perfect size for kids

Two of the flavors are nut free as well, so they really are trying to help out those of us dealing with food allergies.  There truly is a lot to love about this company!

Twin approved!

Stay in the loop by liking or following GoMacro on all their social media channels.
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Try your own

If you'd like to check them out for yourself, new customers can get 40% off their first GoMacro order using code BLOGGER at check out.  That makes them cheaper than almost any other energy bar you can get in the store.

Win a box of GoMacro Mini bars!

In order to be eligible to win you'll need to leave a comment here AND like or share about GoMacro on at least one social media platform.  You can do more for extra entries!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
I received a complimentary box of GoMacro bars to facilitate my review, all opinions are my own.

A New Christmas Tradition: Hog Hollow Farm

We had a rather eventful Thanksgiving, fodder for another post, but Saturday is our traditional day to get our Christmas tree.  This year we opted not to trek out into the woods on our own in hopes of finding the right size tree, but instead visit a farm run by my friend Molly's family, where ALL the trees are potentially the right size!

Hog Hollow Farm isn't too far out of town and they provide the complete experience!

Park just off the pavement and ride up to the farm in your own tractor-pulled hay wagon.  Music provided by Nana's new lyrics to Jingle Bells.

It also got really cold this weekend so we wore ALL our layers.

Once at the farm there are plenty of options besides just cutting a tree.  Try out your face as an ornament (or three), roast your own marshmallows (free!) or hotdogs ($) over the fire, and finally, just find that tree already!

We aren't too picky, just need one that will fit on a table top!  The boys had a go at sawing together with sister, Hope, supervising. 

A little help was required by Daddy, but finally, "timber"!

My tree warriors!

They even hauled it back to the trailer themselves! 

Now off to explore and help Nana find just that "perfect" tree for her house.

Once you are thoroughly chilled, head inside to pay for your tree, have some complimentary hot chocolate with a candy cane stir stick and check out all the fun knitted creations for sale!  Crowns by my friend Molly, hats by my other friend Melanie, and lots of other cute Christmas decorations.

Did I mention we are small town?  This is my friend Molly.  We ran into some other friends while we were there as well!

Micah took the group photo as we prepared to ride back down to our cars.

A very successful tree hunt, a fun new experience, and quite a bit simpler than what we've done in the past!  Besides the cold (did I mention it was cold?) we even got fresh snow on our way there!

Hog Hollow Farm graciously provided us with a free tree, but we were going anyway.  And I think the pictures speak for themselves!

Why I Like Huggies

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central for Huggies and Target. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

I buy a LOT of diapers.  For a year I had three kids in diapers.  Thankfully now it's "only" two, but that's still a lot of diapers.  One thing I've found in the last 7+ years is that I can depend on Huggies.  The Snug and Dry diapers have a SureFit* design for up to 12 hours of wear with a flexible waistband for extra comfort.  And they don't have that weird chemical fragrance scent associated with a lot of other brands.

I don't usually buy my diapers at Target, but considering my local warehouse membership store just stopped carrying the Snug and Dry diapers it was good timing to check out a new place.  

Pay careful attention to the price per diaper when you shop.  I discovered that buying the medium size box was actually cheaper than buying the large box.  So naturally I bought two (and had to ask a clerk to find the second one in the back).  When I got up to the register they also handed me a $10 gift card because I bought two.  Target often runs this promotion, but it's usually marked on the shelf.  This time it wasn't, but keep an eye out for it and you can get an even better price, actually comparable to the warehouse store.

The other thing I like about Huggies are the Natural Care Wipes.  Once again something I normally buy in bulk.  Wipes are great for multiple uses beyond just cleaning baby's soft skin.  Hand washing, wiping up spills, cleaning just about anything in the car when we're on a road trip.  I've even used them to wipe out my smartphone case when it got wine spilled on it at a wedding this summer.

I love that the Natural Care wipes don't have a strong smell (although the ones in store seem to have more smell than the warehouse store Huggies wipes) and are thick enough to use just one or two on a big job (yet once again the warehouse version is much stronger).

Apparently everyone else was on a wipes run too because the shelves at my Target were looking a little bare this week.  This could be a problem, especially if they are completely out of what you need "right now"!

So you can see that I have four kids and it's not always convenient to run out for diapers when you need them.  Target is launching a new subscription service for automatic shipments of diapers, wipes, and other household items that you might buy on a recurring basis. 

I usually stock up in advance because not even a subscription could help me if my girls have a bad week that requires a lot of diapers!  But I can definitely see how this would come in handy, particularly for things that I don't buy on a bi-weekly basis and might forget about the next time I made a Target run.  Bathroom cleaner anyone?



Check out Huggies on Facebook or Twitter and get your own Target coupon for the next time you need diapers. (Shh, I forgot to use that coupon, would have made my diapers even cheaper!  Oops, guess that's what happens when you're a busy mom!)

What kind of diapers and wipes do you use?  How do you like them?  Have you tried various brands?  Would you give Huggies a try if you haven't before? 

Stitch Fix #4 - Improvement!

So maybe having a Stitch Fix* delivered the day we get home from vacation wasn't the brightest idea...

Taking pictures late at night when you still have a million things to do (did I mention school starts next week?) isn't very flattering, but I do it for fashion!

This time around everything fit, hooray!  But we've still got a little work to do!

I knew when I saw it that this one wasn't going to work, but not for the reason I expected.  Mainly, this girl always wears a bra, and not the strapless kind.  The stylist nicely suggested I wear it with a denim jacket or cardigan, but I get hot and not having an option to take it off probably wouldn't work because the fabric was too thin for anything other than summer around here.

But the biggest issue I have is the waist... somehow it sits all wrong.  This might be one of the least flattering dresses I've ever tried on.  Sad.  I really liked the hi-lo hem too.

Next up, green sweater.  I didn't think I'd like it much, but I was a bit surprised.  The Dolman sleeve cut is definitely not for me, I should have taken a photo with my arms out a bit, ugh.  But overall not too bad!

This one is a keeper.  I love blue and the fun lace cutouts on the back aren't too risque (most I see are way too low and show that bra again).  Plus, it actually fits!

Finally, this top was one I thought I'd keep, but on, not so much.  It looks fun, but is slightly too small in the chest and also, you can pretty much see right through the cream layer.  Too bad because it has a lot of character!

The earrings were the fifth piece.  They're okay, but not for the price.  The hooks for the ears were really short and I'm afraid I would lose one fast, especially with little girls that like to pull on my jewelry.  They also felt pretty thin like they would get bent fast.  Maybe that's not everyone's standards in fashion jewelry, but it is mine!

Okay, what do you think?  Favorite? What would you wear? Am I making the right choice?

*Check out Stitch Fix for yourself and if you use my referral link I get a credit too!

Odyssey Adventure Club Back to School iPad Mini Giveaway

The end of summer is in sight, and OAC is giving away an iPad Mini back-to-school bundle! It might seem like summer just began for your kids yet it's already time for it to end, so if they need some added motivation to get their homework done, remind them they can jump on the Odyssey Adventure Club after their papers are written and their math problems are solved.

As members, your kids can also listen to Album 58 before the album is released to the public! Sign up today for just $5!

Here's what part one is about (which you can listen to for free HERE):

It’s a time of surprises as Wooton becomes the celebrity guest at Comic-Connellsville and Whit finds himself in conflict over the upcoming “Let’s Get Together Festival” in Odyssey. Plus, hear an interview with writer-director Paul McCusker about the entire 14-part series.

Album 58 was inspired by Focus on the Family’s The Family Project, a 12-session small group experience that explores the theological, philosophical, and cultural underpinnings of the traditional family, and combines that information with inspiring stories and practical tools to help 21st-century families thrive. Plus, here's a sneak peek of a new episode called "The Lone Lawman"!

 
Jason, Whit, Red and the gang rustle up herds of fun while performing a new Kids’ Radio show set in the Old West. “The Lone Lawman” features a confused boy getting mixed up with a shifty band of bank robbers. Can a hero on horseback set things right? See just how wild the West can get in this action-packed send-up of old-time radio dramas.

NOW . . . on to the iPad Mini back-to-school giveaway. One grand prize winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini

Hurry, the giveaway ends on August 27th. All winners will be announced August 28th on the widget on this page.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit this page again on the 28th to see if you won! (You'll see the winner's name in the widget.)

Bauhaus Style for Fall by Tea Collection

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated a small amount if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links. 

I'm sure by now you've noticed my love affair with the Tea Collection children's clothing line. Well, their newest destination is here... Germany!  Some of the new arrivals are inspired by Bauhaus school of design from the 1920's.  Very exciting for kids clothing!

Recently I was provided the opportunity to review a few pieces so I picked out what I thought the kids would like.  This was the girls reaction to these Mod Tulip Banded dresses with pockets:

I think we have a winner!

The Germany line has articles of clothing for every season, from the short sleeves above to long sleeve dresses like these skirted beauties below.

Each dress is made of soft knit fabric that makes them super comfy for little ones. 

Hope picked up this Gunta's Circles Skirted Dress and said "Pink!"
I think we'll keep it!

Both of these will go well with the plain gray leggings I picked up the other day, or tights as well.

These adorable crew neck tops run really big, but I hear that was the way they were supposed to run, good for next summer!  Tea Collection sizing is usually a little smaller than mass market clothing so if you're borderline on a size, I'd get the next size up unless you plan to wear it immediately.

The graphics are just perfect for kids, not too baby-ish, but still adorable and definitely unique!

I especially love the graphic tees for boys.  With my 7 year old wearing size 10 it's hard for me to find clothes for him that aren't covered with skulls or skaters.  Tea comes through with fun prints like this Munich Lion Graphic Tee on Cory or the Rennwagen car design that Noah loves.

Some of the other reasons I love Tea?  Their customer service is pretty awesome.  I've only had a few issues, but when I did, they made it right immediately.

They also have an ongoing relationship with all their vendors to ensure good working conditions for their overseas employees.

And finally, the quality of these clothes is significantly higher than the mass merchandise you can buy anywhere.  This means they'll last through multiple children (with proper stain treatment of course!)

New customers always get 10% off their first order, so check out some Germany inspired clothes today!

Tips for Visiting Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful

The other night I met up with a fellow mom of twins and she mentioned she was heading to Yellowstone with her gang next month.  Since we just got back, I started sharing a few things with her and afterward she thanked me for all the information.

Later I thought, I have a lot of insider info from working two seasons in the park that might help people prepare for a better time.  So here are my top four points to make your visit less stressful!

Plan Ahead - Way Ahead

 

Main Entrance - Gardiner

Most lodging in the park is booked at least 6 months in advance if not farther.  If you plan to camp you will have a little more wiggle room, but if you need a hotel or cabin call as soon as you know.  This especially applies if you have a specific itinerary and want to stay in certain places on certain nights or need multiple rooms together.  The earlier you can call the better!

For camping: you will need to know exactly what size tent you have or they won't let you make a reservation.  There are also a few National Park campgrounds (most are run by a concessionaire) that are first come first serve, but you'd better plan to be there at exactly 11am or have a backup!

The lodging concessionaire is called Xanterra Parks and Resorts.

Take your Time

Bison in Hayden Valley

Most people don't realize just how big Yellowstone is.  At 3,468 square miles or 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone is big.  There is one main figure eight of road that goes through the park and for each "segment" (pretend it's a digital 8 and you'll understand the segments) you should allow about 45 minutes of driving time.  A few sections are shorter, but you also never know when you'll run into an Animal Jam! 

There is also usually major road construction on one or two segments each summer.

Besides, this is vacation and there are lots of little things to see along the way like stinky mud pits and picture perfect waterfalls!

Crested Pool

A good rule of thumb is that if you simply want to drive and take a few minor walks during the day, still don't plan to do more than one half of the figure eight in a day.  If you want more, allow at least 3 full days in the park to hit all the major view points!

Pack Well

Whether you're camping or not, please be aware that no food or food preparation items can be left outside unattended at any time.  This is for your safety and so that bears don't learn to come where the people are.

Mammoth Hot Springs

You should also bring plenty of snacks and as much food (for camping) as you can from outside because your choices are limited to one company of stores and they are expensive.  If you are staying in a hotel you are not allowed to cook/grill, but there are cafeterias, delis, and fine dining at each of the major lodging locations.  You'll still want snacks for your days of driving though!

In terms of clothing, layers are your friend.  The majority of the park is located at 6,000 feet or above in elevation.  It can get quite cold in the morning and evening and sometimes even snow.  There was a reason we had Christmas in August celebrations when I worked there! 

The elevation also affects how much sun you get.  When it does get warm and you shed your layers, be sure skin is covered with sunscreen, especially if you are fair.  And don't forget the bug spray!

Remember you are in a National Park!

Some of the funniest questions I got while working there related to the amenities (I worked as a front desk agent at one of the lodges).  There are no swimming pools. No TV's in the rooms. And most places don't even have phones.  Your cell phone will not likely work in most areas although there is now some wi-fi available in the lobbies with pay as you go service.

Some of the accommodations are very rustic, especially for the price.  But you're also paying for the location since having to stay outside the park means quite a bit of extra driving each day.

Lower Falls at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

There are very few street lights!  Some things, like the Lower Falls and Old Faithful can look really cool by moonlight, but please be VERY careful if attempting this since they are also in dangerous areas, especially in the dark!  Your best bet is to go to bed early and get up early with the sun to enjoy the most of your time in the Park.

You can also read more about our recent (camping!) adventures and see more photos here and here.

Have you been to Yellowstone National Park?  What are your top tips for a good vacation here?

Family, Community, and a Free Episode of Adventures in Odyssey

*This is a sponsored post, I have been compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own. 

We really enjoyed listening to Adventures in Odyssey on our recent road trip.  I think we got through almost the first two albums - about 10 episodes each.  We have lots more hours in the car next month too.  Something great to listen to that the whole family can enjoy!

Would you like to check it out? For a limited time, you can listen to a new episode of Adventures in Odyssey for FREE!

 

Album 58, The Ties that Bind, will be available this fall for digital download and CD purchase, but if you join the Odyssey Adventures Club, you can listen to the full album now! Guess what? The $5 special held last month was extended through the end of July, too, so you can join in the fun for only $5! Here's what part one is about (which you can listen to for free HERE):

It’s a time of surprises as Wooton becomes the celebrity guest at Comic-Connellsville and Whit finds himself in conflict over the upcoming “Let’s Get Together Festival” in Odyssey. Plus, hear an interview with writer-director Paul McCusker about the entire 14-part series.

Album 58 was inspired by Focus on the Family’s The Family Project, a 12-session small group experience that explores the theological, philosophical, and cultural underpinnings of the traditional family, and combines that information with inspiring stories and practical tools to help 21st-century families thrive. One way families can carry out God's design for families is by serving their community—right where God has planted them, being His hands and feet together. Want to serve your community with your family, maybe make a day of out it? Here are some fantastic ideas from some Adventures in Odyssey bloggers and club members:

• Make scarves through the year and deliver them to your local homeless shelter at the start of winter, or regularly donate food to your local food bank. —Shirley 
• Our family likes to help with Meals on Wheels. We also do reenactments of the Civil War and WWII to help educate people on history. I like to show my kids that we should be servers and givers by taking meals to people who need them (i.e. baby just born, someone died, someone had surgery, etc.). —Erin 
• We have been visiting a nursing home with friends once a month. The kids just sing and then we fellowship, but the ladies love it! —Lisa 
• We make lap blankets for nursing home residents and take the time to visit with them. We also collect food for the local food pantry. —Donna 
• We make blessing bags to give to the homeless when we encounter them. We also donate clothes and food to a local shelter. —Amy 
• Our MOPs (Mothers of Prechoolers) group supports our local Pregnancy Support Services with donations, gifts, and notes. We also supports the Durham Rescue Mission, which helps people break free from addictions and restore families. —Melissa 
• We live in a very rural area. Our church serves two of the poorest zip codes in the state, and about a decade ago, they started operating a food pantry out of a closet. It has expanded since then, so we now use the closet for storage, but the pantry is basically a classroom. The kids and I serve over there a lot. My 17-year-old and I go to Care & Share (50 miles away) to get food to bring back to the pantry. All of us help unload and stock shelves. On pantry days, everyone can get involved with helping people go through the line, playing with the kids, carrying boxes out to cars, etc. There are so many hungry folks, especially in the summer when school breakfasts and lunches aren't available, and helping a bit to put food on some tables is such a blessing for us all. —Debra 
• We pack food bags each month for the homeless and needy through a thrift store that offers an outreach to the community. We also help clean our church and our Sunday school. —Michele 
• We work through our AHG troop to do several service activities a year. My girls just recently made bracelets they are selling, which 100% of the profits goes to Hope House in Africa to help young girls. —Sarah 
• Our church works with a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta. We cook food ahead of time, and when our schedules allow we ride down with the group to serve the food. My son always reminds me when we haven't been for awhile, so it's something he looks forward to. —Maria 
• We do lots of random acts of kindnesses within our community: pay for others' meals, leave change at a vending machine, hand out Gatorade/granola bars to people on the side of the road asking for food. We also love to support Mobile Loaves and Fishes. —Kathryn

Did that provide some ideas to give your family service activity the kick-start it needs? What other ideas do you have for serving your community? Share in the comments!
 

Summer Activities for Adventures in Odyssey Fans

*This is a sponsored post, I have been compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own. 

 Adventures in Odyssey is officially geared towards kids ages 8-12, but my 4 and 7 year olds have been enjoying listening to the episodes at night when they go to bed.

It's just like when I was a kid and it was on the radio... only better!  You're not tied to one very specific time and you can listen even if you don't get great radio reception (like us) because it's streaming to your computer or Apple device.

So the following activities would have required complete supervision from me and since we're packing for a road trip we didn't get to them.  Younger kids can check out Clubhouse Jr for more age appropriate activities. 

Did you know?  Each subscription to the Odyssey Adventure Club includes a subscription to the Clubhouse magazine where these activities originally appeared!

Don't forget, it's only $5 to sign up for your first month and check it all out!

Summer is officially here! Don't let your kids' boredom run rampant. Adventures in Odyssey is here to save the day. Below are some must-try ideas for summer fun! Want even more summer fun? For the month of June, you can join the Odyssey Adventure Club for only $5! More details can be found here.

Summer Activities

As a parent you are probably a big proponent of reading. Encourage your kids to dig into a book or two this summer with Adventures in Odyssey's On Your Marks Summer Reading Challenge. Bonus points if YOU create a reading challenge for yourself as you read along with your kids!

Looking for something hands-on? Create Matthew in 3-D! Invite a few of your kids' friends over for a play date, print off the activity sheet, and let them have at it for the afternoon (with the promise of cookies and lemonade once they've finished constructing Matthew).

Maybe your kids aren't into reading, but they love math. If that's the case, have them solve Eugene's Sudoku!

The laundry needs to be done; the dishes need to be put away. But your kids are begging you to take them out to the zoo. Let them take a whack at Matthew's Decoder in the morning, then make an agreement that if they figure out how to use the decoder, you'll take them on an afternoon adventure. That'll give you the morning to finish up your to-do list!

Welcome to the Odyssey Adventure Club

*This is a sponsored post, I have been compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own.

How many of you remember listening to radio drama in the car as a kid? Come on, raise your hand!

Well, one of the staples in our car was Adventures in Odyssey.  You can still collect all their episodes on CD, but now they have something simpler, the new Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC) online and app for Apple (Android coming soon).

I'm so excited to listen to these again, my boys and I listened to the first episode this weekend and they are just at the perfect age to get started! 

Check out all the info below on how you can join too, there's even a special for new members!

 

For a limited time, you can join HERE for only $5 (regular monthly membership costs $15 for up to six users)!

Families will be able to stream the Adventures in Odyssey library, plus listen to exclusive new monthly episodes.  Busy families will find 24/7 access to the content through the Odyssey Adventure Club mobile iPhone app.

Children can also read daily devotions, interact with hands-on activities and view video documentaries featuring a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the Adventures in Odyssey stories. Parents can feel confident their children are safe on the Odyssey Adventure Club website — Focus on the Family staff will be monitoring all comments before they’re publicly posted.

A portion of each Odyssey Adventure Club membership will benefit Focus on the Family partner relief organizations, including Christian Veterinary Mission, Operation Christmas Child and Compassion International. This provides parents with an opportunity to teach children about the value of giving and serving others.

Coming in July, Odyssey Adventure Club members get to listen to the brand new album, "The Ties That Bind," FIRST before it's available ANYWHERE ELSE!

Click here to join for only $5!