Minnesota Prairie Roots

In this game, contestants (my sister Lanae is on the left) race to move gummy worms from a pie plate into a cup, with their mouths. The plates were supposed to be filled with whipped cream, but someone left it in a hot vehicle and, well, there was no whipped cream. Perhaps just as well.

Kegan drops gummy worms into a cup, doing his part for the Rednecks team.

Teams of all ages work together in assembling 25-piece puzzles.

Teamwork, up close.

Denver, member of the blue team.

Big sister assists little brother in the kids’ nail driving contest.

Determined, if anything.

Uncle Wally, an experienced carpenter, won a round of the adult competition in nail driving.

My cousin Sandy, organizer of the games, scrambles to pull boxcutters from the tool prize box before the kids grab the knives.

Colorful socks, colorful cups for this contestant in a race to fill the cups with popcorn.

The water spigot proved a popular spot once squirt guns were distributed.

That would be my husband, Randy, sporting “safety glasses” for the nail driving contest. He tied in the first round, pounding 9 1/2 nails into a chunk of wood in one minute.

My sister Lanae cuddles 5-month-old cousins Garrett (I think; he’s a twin), left, and Logan, right. They represent the next generation of Kletscher family competitors.