DELICIOUS READING: Are you ready for some 'family fun?'

Bob and I have had our share of subscriptions to magazines tailored to households with little ones (Parents, Parenting, Cookie), but our favorite is Family Fun. Instead of focusing on the individuals in the family, it focuses on the whole family -- even grandparents! There is no space devoted to baby milestones. There isn't a "For you" section that features beauty tips, something that always bothered Bob: "Why is it called Parents if they aren't going to talk to the dads? Why not call it Moms or Parent -- no 's'?" Instead, Family Fun magazine is divided into "Create," "Play" and "Explore." We have found some of our best gift ideas in these pages, some of our happiest holiday traditions and one of our all-time favorite vacation destinations (Emerald Isle, N.C.). We have also found some of our favorite recipes.

Each issue has suggestions for great after school snacks, creative birthday cakes (that you don't have to be a pastry chef to recreate) and healthy kid-friendly dinners. There is always a recipe featured for "Kids in the Kitchen," which provides step-by-step instructions with lots of pictures and tips on which steps kids could help with. The May issue has "Apple Pie Pretzels" where kids can "mix the dough, shape the pretzels, prepare and brush on the egg wash." One of our favorite recipes from Family Fun is Ice Cream in a Bag: one part physical activity, one part great way to cool off and one part sweet treat! I am looking forward to making this as soon as May turns up the heat.

@story subhead:Ice Cream In a Bag

@body copy column:Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup half and half and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a pint-size Ziploc bag. Place 1/2cup coarse salt (table salt will also work) in a gallon-size bag, then fill halfway with ice cubes. Place the sealed smaller bag inside as well, and seal the larger bag. Shake the bags until the ice cream mixture hardens, about five minutes. (Feel the smaller bag to determine when it's done). Take the smaller bag out of the larger one and eat the soft-serve ice cream right out of the bag!

About Brooke

Brooke Clubbs is a Jackson mom of three, a freelance writer and a communications instructor.