A large family is a beautiful thing until it comes time to entertain everyone. This weekend we participated in the AMF and One2One Network All Stars Bowling party. It proved to be fantastic entertainment.
This is not to say it started this way.
AMF Ritz Classic 2265 South State St. Salt Lake City
My eighteen year old was not mesmerized by the exterior of the building. AMF Bowling has been in the same location on State Street probably since my dad was in high school. I remember the giant bowling pin that announces the entrance from my childhood!
I’ve never been one to judge a book by its cover nor a building by its brick. I moved the troops inside.
As we walked through the front door, it was like a time machine. My husband and I flashed back to our youth as the air conditioning enveloped us. If we had a boom box, the lyrics playing would have been those of Guns N Roses:
She’s got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
We walked through the arcade, past the pool tables and to the front counter where we were greeted by a young lady who helped us get the party set up before the other Salt Lake Bloggers arrived. After speaking with her for a few minutes, I met Sue, the Shift Manager, and our party pizza cook.
These shoes were made for bowling!
After a few exchanges in size, we had our shoes and sat in our lane. I lace up my shoes, which I confess is cutting edge fashion and declared, “These shoes are made for bowling!”
The kiddos tested their shoes on the high-glossed wooden floors.
Shoes on and ready to rock and bowl
My nine year old thought the shoes made us look like we had escaped from a band of circus clowns.
My husband got the scoreboard set up. In his excitement to bowl, he dubbed two kiddos with the first initial Z. We only have one, Zac. This was not at all confusing!
The girls loved the bowling ball colors. Li’l Man thought he was Hercules!
The kiddos went in search of their bowling balls.
Everyone gathered back at Lane 21, and we turned the smack talk on, and our game started.
I went first.
Bowling has never been something I excel at…not even close. I once dated a guy who was in multiple leagues, but he wasn’t the sharing, caring kinda guy that gave me lessons.
Hubby shows his mad skills
Then my husband took his turn. Here he announced when he was thirteen or fourteen his Aunt was in a league and Hubby went to the bowling alley to practice and to bowl. His first ball didn’t reflect he had any more experience than I did. I said nothing.
One by one the kiddos talked smacked, then set their ball free. They opted for no rails, so we watched a lot of slow gutter balls.
Zac gives Li’l Man some bowling pointers
A few frames in the kiddos’ balls were making contact with the pins! They were cheering each other on and betting chores. As parents, we gave them “pointers” and tried to give them direction for “throwing” the ball. The implemented what they wanted and left some of it in the gutter.
We were in the company of amazing SLC Bloggers
We were soon joined by some great Salt Lake Bloggers. Rachel from Second Time Around, Jamie from My SLC Mommy and Carly from Living the Scream. They brought their families suddenly the party became irresistible fun as their cheers and chants for one another created a giddy atmosphere in the alley.
This pizza and pitchers of soda topped party off!
AMF and One2One Network know how to throw a party. They jazzed up the fun from standard to bowling bash with a pizza and sodas. It was the perfect nudge that took the event from near perfection to utter perfection!
The Divine Miss M bites into the deliciousness
I think every bite of the pepperoni pizza motivated the kiddos to think of new games for their next ball. They bowled backward. Sent the ball down in S-L-O-W motion and passed the time between each other’s turns by seeing who could sing the most versus to Row-Row-Row Your Boat. They made up victory dances for when the ball collided with the pins.
In our second game, I asked the kiddos if they wanted bumpers and they screamed, “NO!”
The Beauty Queen Struts is Up after her bowl
They bowled their hearts out. Each frame was filled with more enthusiasm. Each ball a new victory dance.
As we wrapped our party up, everyone exclaimed, ‘We have to do this again!” Three days later, they are still talking about bowling. They want to know if the “bowling alley delivers pizza.” They have a list of challenges for “next time” and thanks to AMF’s Summer Unplugged, kid’s bowl free all summer long. To make it a family affair, up to four adults (Summer 17+ pass) can bowl for just $27.95. It’s the perfect fun to get out of the heat, to start some friendly competition and build skills. Both passes include two free games every day!
*Our party and this post is made possible thanks to the girls at One2One Network and the folks at AMF Bowling. All opinions are my own and were in no way influenced by the sponsor.