As the oldest in a big family with six kids, there was never a dull moment growing up. During the summers, we always found ways to entertain ourselves and, sometimes, anger our parents. Since we’re older, it’s much harder to schedule outings with everyone, so I made my best effort to corral the gang in before my last two brothers go off to college. My brother James already left, but like I said, I did my best.

We decided to bowl at a local alley and though Journey can’t bowl, she had a great time getting passed around from person to person.

In addition to bowling, here are a few family outings that can be great options during the summertime:

• Swimming – this has been a hot summer so we’ve splashed around in the pool several times this summer. If you don’t have one, make a friend that does!
• Museums – in Dallas, we have the Perot Museum that’s been a big attraction since it opened. Adult tickets are $19 and they offer a variety of exhibits that change during the seasons.
• Amusement Parks and Water Parks – In a few weeks, I’m taking my goddaughter Logan to Hawaiian Falls. It has fun for all ages with rides, slides and a lazy river. At $28 a person, Hawaiian Falls is a cool alternative to lying by the pool.
• Zoos and Aquariums – Lions and tigers and bears… oh my! We’re fortunate to have both the Dallas Zoo and the Fort Worth Zoo nearby. You can visit each of these locations for less than $15/person. There’s also the Dallas World Aquarium for $21 for adults.

For our bowling outing, we kept it fun by breaking into teams with the older, wiser people on one team and the younger portion of the group on the other team. Naturally, my team won.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer!