Croquet!

I can not wait to get together with my extended family and have a game of croquet before dinner.  We do this every summer and it is such a blast!  The game really changed after I got married and my seriously competitive husband got in the game.  He doesn't mess around!  I must say that we never really understood the rules until he started playing with us.
Croquet is a fun game for any group and any age.  To have a croquet party all you need is a croquet set and a copy of the rules!  The popularity of the game is really increasing so sets are available everywhere from Walmart and Target to Orvis and Restoration Hardware.  There are great options at Croquet.com too! During a serious game of croquet, the players should wear white.  During one of our family games, the only dress code requirement is a cocktail in hand!
The object of the game is to be the first player to work a heavy colored ball through a course of nine wickets (the curvy hoops that are placed in the ground).  If you hit another players ball, you have two options.  You can either take two "free" shots to advance farther or, and this is the one my husband always picks, you can plant your ball against the opponents ball and knock them off of the course!