Back in Bucktown

We hadn't been up to see my grandfather since Christmas, so the four of us piled into Mikey, Mom's blue beetlebug and drove up on Saturday morning to make a quick visit. Cannelton, IN also known as Bucktown- though no one can tell you why- is home to most of my mom's side of the family, and is where mom & dad both went to high school.

Also in town for the night were my uncle Michael & aunt Missy, their 2 boys Braedon and Garrick, and the newest edition to the family, a puggle (cross between a Beagle & a Pug) named Ginger. She's only 9 weeks and took turns sleeping in all of our laps this weekend!

Mom cooked for everyone on Saturday. These are the times that I miss my grandma the most because she was always in the kitchen whenever we came to visit- either sitting at the table peeling potatoes or covered in flour standing at the stove. Of course Mom's round steak was delicious ("you can cut it with a fork"- a joke from my Grandma that has been passed on to mom!), and I had 2 huge plates. I also had a "you know you're getting old moment" at dinner- I volunteered to sit at the kids table! For years and years I was relegated to sitting at the card table while all of the adults got to sit at the big long table. Then I crossed over to adulthood and had finally earned my place at the big table. Now it seems I may have passed on to the next phase of my adult life where I take the role of the adult cousin sitting with the "little kids." I watch Nicole and Braedon running around the house and it reminds me so much of what me and Ryan used to do! (I still maintain that if those potatoes had stuck to the ceiling that it would have been the coolest thing ever!!)

Here's a pic of all the present grandkids and in Nicole & Natalee's case, great-grandkids:
back to front, L to R: Chris, Laura, Papa, Eric, Nicole, Garrick, Braedon, Natalee, Me, Megan, & Kelli
And then one of my mom, her brother, sisters, & dad (Can you see the family resemblence??!!) Michael, Mom, Papa, Kristina, & Lisa

And of course what trip to Cannelton would be complete without a trip to the Divadomain-made-infamous bar, The Pumper?! Tonight was Kareoke night, and a normally-shy me got up there about 10 times during the night! I'm sure people were sick of me singing, but I was having a ball not caring who heard me belt out Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Baby Got Back, and of course, Family Tradition!!! Even the dj commented that half the bar got up to perform this song together!! You can't see me in this pic but I am behind my uncle's brother who is pointing.

Finally, here is one of me, Laura, & dad singing "O Brother Where Art Thou"