222. The Secret to Memorable Family Vacations
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Release Date: 05/02/2025
242. Faith, Family, and the Songs That Heal: A Conversation with Angie Killian
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Making Jesus Famous One Song at a Time with Angie Killian This week, Melissa sits down with award-winning songwriter and composer Angie Killian, whose music has touched millions of hearts around the world. Angie’s songs — like her viral hit “My Own Sacred Grove” — have been streamed over 30 million times and translated into dozens of languages, inspiring faith, joy, and connection in homes everywhere. But Angie’s story didn’t start with fame or recognition. It began in the quiet moments of motherhood — rocking a newborn in the middle of the night, wrestling with exhaustion and...
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241. Living with Intention: The Daily Habits That Build a Life You Love
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Living with Intention: The Daily Habits That Build a Life You Love This week, Melissa continues the conversation from Episode 239 — The #1 Thing Standing Between You and the Life You Want — where she shared the importance of getting clear on what you want. Now, in Part Two, she goes deeper into what to do once you’ve found that clarity, and how to live with intention even in the middle of life’s stress, chaos, and constant demands. In this episode, Melissa shares insights from a workshop she recently gave to women at her church about living intentionally and managing the mental load...
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243. You Are What You Consume: How Media Shapes Your Family
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
You Are What You Consume: How Media Shapes Your Family What we watch, listen to, and read matters more than we realize. In this episode, Chris and Melissa open a conversation that every family needs to have: how the media we consume — from music and books to shows and social media — shapes who we become. It all started with a walk and a conversation about Taylor Swift’s latest album, but the discussion quickly turned into something much deeper: how to discern light from darkness in a world full of noise, artificial positivity, and subtle influence. Chris shares the idea of hidden...
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242. Building Family Identity Through Dia De Los Muertos
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
How to Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos as a Family (and Why You Should) Every year around this time, Chris and Melissa share one of their favorite family traditions — celebrating Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. What started years ago as an invitation to a friend’s backyard gathering has turned into a cherished Family Brand tradition that connects their kids to their heritage in the most fun and meaningful way. In this episode, Chris and Melissa unpack why Dia De Los Muertos is so powerful, how it has evolved in their home, and why they believe every family can benefit from celebrating...
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241. Why Unity Starts at Home: Building Strong Families in a Divided World
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Creating Unity in a Divided World In this powerful and emotional episode, Chris and Melissa explore one of the most timely and important topics of our day — unity. The world feels more divided than ever, and yet, as Chris and Melissa remind us, the healing of that division starts at home. Drawing inspiration from past guests like Connor Boyack and Bubba Page, and from recent events in their faith community, Chris and Melissa discuss what it means to “save America at the dinner table.” They share how strong, connected, unified families raise strong, confident kids who bring peace and...
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240. How to Support Your Spouse Through Every Season of Marriage
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
In this episode, Chris and Melissa get real about what it means to truly support your spouse—not just when it’s easy, but through every season of life and marriage. Inspired by a listener question, they dive into what support actually looks like when your goals, energy, and responsibilities are constantly shifting. From the early days of raising five kids under nine to their current phase of parenting more independent children, they reflect on how their definition of support has evolved — and how communication has been the key at every step. Chris shares a powerful mindset shift: that...
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239. The #1 Thing Standing Between You and the Life You Want
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Clarity: The First Step Toward the Life You Actually Want What if the reason you’re not living the life you want isn’t because you’re lazy or unmotivated — but simply because you haven’t gotten clear on what you truly want? In this powerful conversation, Chris and Melissa kick off a two-part series on living with intention, starting with the one thing that has to come first: clarity. They unpack why clarity is so often missing in our lives — from distractions and busyness to fear of what the truth might require from us. Chris shares how clarity is the gateway to intentionality and...
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238. How This Single Dad of 8 Blends Business, Faith, and Family
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Faith, Fatherhood, and Leading at Home with Intention In one of the most heartfelt episodes we’ve ever recorded, Chris and Melissa sit down with Bubba Page — a single dad of eight, serial entrepreneur, and unapologetic follower of Jesus — to explore what it really means to lead your family with faith, intentionality, and purpose. Bubba’s story is raw, real, and deeply inspiring. From building and selling companies to walking through heartbreak and healing, he’s discovered that success means nothing without faith and family at the center. He shares how his relationship with God...
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237. The Tuttle Twins Creator on Saving America at the Dinner Table
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
What if the future of our country doesn’t hinge on elections, courtrooms, or political battles—but on family dinner conversations? That’s exactly the vision today’s guest, Connor Boyack, shares with us. Connor is the bestselling author of over 50 books, including the wildly popular Tuttle Twins series, which has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. He’s also the founder of Libertas Network, a think tank and collection of family-centered initiatives that have changed over 100 laws and empowered kids and parents around the globe. From teaching free-market principles to...
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236. Becoming Dangerous...Being Strong Enough to Play, Protect, and Participate as a Parent
Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
Getting Off the Sidelines Have you ever looked around and realized that too many parents are sitting on the sidelines of their kids’ lives? Chris had this exact thought during a recent Girl Dad camp, where he noticed how many dads struggled to fully participate in simple activities like soccer, frisbee, or even just running around with their daughters. It broke his heart—not out of judgment, but out of empathy. Because every parent wants to be in the game, not watching from the bench. In this episode, Chris and Melissa unpack what it really means to stay active and engaged—not for...
info_outlineHey Family Brand! It’s Chris and Melissa here, and this week we’re talking all about summer plans and how to create meaningful, memorable family vacations. If you're anything like us, summer can sneak up quickly, and planning can feel overwhelming. But what if the best family trips aren’t the most expensive or extravagant ones? What if they’re the simple, unstructured ones where everyone just gets to be together? Today, we’re sharing one of our favorite family exercises for figuring out what really matters when it comes to travel—and how it might just change the way you vacation.
A few years ago, we sat our kids down with a whiteboard and asked a big question: “What are the most fun, memorable trips we’ve ever taken?” What surprised us? Disney World didn’t make the top five. The most expensive trips weren’t their favorites. Instead, what rose to the top were the road trips and spontaneous adventures—the ones with little structure, lots of connection, and no jam-packed itinerary.
In this episode, we break down how that simple family discussion helped us realize the kind of trips that work for us—and how every family can do the same. We also talk about creating themes for each vacation (like “Wander with Wonder” or “Adventure”), letting each kid share what they’re hoping to experience, and why even short weekend getaways can be just as impactful as long, elaborate ones.
We also opened up about our current season as our oldest prepares to be gone for most of the summer. It’s new territory, and it’s reshaping how we think about this year’s vacation plans. But instead of letting the logistics overwhelm us, we’re choosing to be intentional, and to make the most of the time we do have together.
If you’re planning a summer trip (or just trying to figure out what would make the season meaningful), this episode is full of ideas to simplify your planning, prioritize connection, and make your next vacation truly unforgettable.
LINKS:
All Links Family Brand!
Episode Minute By Minute:
- 0:00 – Kicking off summer plans and Chris joins the show
- 2:00 – Asking our kids to name their favorite family trips
- 4:00 – Why big, expensive trips didn’t make the top 5
- 6:00 – What our favorite RV trip taught us about family travel
- 9:00 – How to create a family vacation “style” that works for you
- 11:00 – Creating themes and letting your kids shape the trip
- 13:00 – Navigating summer with teens and limited availability
- 14:00 – The power of small, intentional getaways