Kinze Day

Riding to the fun on the wagons, pulled by big tractors.

Once again it was that time of year: time for Kinze Family Fun Day! Every year it seems to get better and better, and the kids have come to really look forward to it. We were keeping it all on the down low around here until we were sure that the weather would cooperate. I was not about to go out in the hot humid sun! It couldn't have been a nicer day though: no humidity, a beautiful breeze, highs in the low 80's. I can do that!

It's all about the kids on Kinze Day:

Family Fun Area

Sam thought the object of the tossing games was to match like colors: the red rings go in the red row, the red horshoe goes on the red peg. There was no "tossing" involved, no matter what I tried to tell him. The workers (all Kinze volunteers) didn't seem to mind and gave him tickets anyway. They redeemed their tickets for way too much junk. Besides the carnival games and inflatables, the kids (and Dads) raced cars on a remote control track, did the batting cage and the putt-putt golf. I don't think anyone made it to the water balloon sling shot targets, or the basketball shoot-out. They also had a mini-tractor pull event for kids, and a mini-wagon train ride. New this year was a real-live mechanical bull! (is that an oxymoron? Well, you know what I mean.) I tried to entice the guys into trying it, with the unresistable offer that I'd take a video of them, but for some unfathomable reason, I had no takers. Jack briefly went fishing, but his line broke (if you catch a tagged fish, you win a prize.) They also do canoe races in this pond.
While Jack was fishing, Will, Sam and Noah were doing this:

Wow, I just realized there's quite a glare coming off of Sam's fair skin! Good thing we kept him lathered in sunscreen! In the background you can see the larger slide. Will said he wanted to try it, but the water was pretty deep at the bottom, and although he doesn't mind going under, we told him no. Maybe next year!

While the kids and Dads were doing some of the outdoor stuff, us girls played some very exciting Bingo. There were two major events that made this year's Bingo playing so memorable. The first event was that I actually won! My goodies consisted of a men's denim shirt XL, a black baseball hat, a Hummer magnet and pen, and a $20 Target gift card! But was that enough for me?! Noooo! Once up there to claim my prize, I sweetly asked if I could trade any of my winnings for the coveted Kinze cookbook. (Last year we desperately wanted to win one, and when no one won anything, my sister and I strongly hinted to our mother that we knew what she should get us for Xmas. Well, it's a long way between July and December and that never happened. Now was my chance!) I was even willing to trade in my Target card, ok, well maybe not. Anyway, the lady told me to go ahead and take one, they had too many and were just trying to get rid of them! Can you believe it?! So I made out like a bandit! Shortly thereafter, major event number two happened: my mother's folding chair broke and she dropped flat to the ground, with her chair flat underneath her! We were all shocked! She just kind of laid there for a moment, too stunned to move!! We all helped her up, got her a new chair, and resumed our Bingo playing. A few minutes later Laura leaned over and whispered to me, "Is it too soon to laugh?!" which got us snickering. Even my mom was laughing about it, although when we got up to leave, she realized that her back and legs felt stiff. A good amount of time had passed and we had left the Bingo building before a member of Kinze managament tracked her down and insisted that he take her to be checked out by the EMT's to make sure she was alright. Here she is being taken away, while we took pictures, and (of course) laughed: They lamely prodded her back and told her to take some Ibuprofen. She's fine today.

Who can turn down free food?! (You know me, I'm all about the food!) There was something for everyone: kettlecorn, sno-cones, nachos, ice cream, big cookies, pop, lemonade, iced tea, and of course Kinze water:

That's not to mention the fabulous BBQ dinner they fed everyone: pork, beef, or hotdogs, raw veggies, fruit salad, baked new potatoes, potato salad, coleslaw, beans, snicker apple salad (my favorite!) green salad, etc. If you went away hungry, it was your own fault! It's hard to fathom the organization and planning it takes to feed that many people. But they do it! Here is Miss Lily with her grandma, and behind them is the huge open air pavilion where everyone eats dinner.

Wearing Grandpa's hat.

Above: Kinze recycled the waste from cut out parts to make fences and gates in the parking area. They are very geometric, and quite artistic.

Overall, the day was a success! Thanks to Grandpa Don for sharing it with us!