roadTRIP continued

Walking around campus of Miami University.

Well it's been quite a day. We started it out in Oxford. Where we stayed the night after Kenny showing us all old haunts and former residences while in college. We ate pizza at Bruno's and bought t-shirts at the bookstore, and ended the night out at BTOyogurt! We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in the middle of Oxford, which was a great location, until the bar fights broke out at 2am, then my kiddos got a lesson in inebriated undergrad vocabulary. Hopefully my eight year old isn't scarred for life.

Bruno's Dough is the BEST! Little garlicy nuggets of fried dough...ooh-lala!

After a quick recovery, the next morning, we grabbed some grub at a a local restaurant...that no one can remember the name of. It has a purple awning. They had good oatmeal. Sorry I was suffering from hangover by association with the drunkards that kept me awake half the night.

Cincinnati here we come! We drove straight to Joseph-Beth Booksellers, so I could get a line letter for Ree Drummond's Black Heels to Tractor Wheels book signing. I received the letter M. (M for Munchy Mouth) Better than I expected, when I heard they had started handing out line letters a week ago, I thought we didn't' have a chance in H. E. double hockey sticks! of getting in line for P-dub.

Then we decided to take in the sites of Cincinnati. It was a great day for a walk, 60 degrees and sunny! Who woulda thunk it, on February 18! So we are just walking around minded our own beeswax when what before my wondering eyes should appear but George Clooney and Ryan Gosling! (of The Notebook fame) They were filming a movie in a walkway over the street. So NO I did not exactly rub elbows with George and Ryan, but I saw them in the flesh. I love it when that kinda stuff happens! And yes they are CRAZY hot, especially when they are suspended above me like such.....

One time Dennis Rodman stepped out of a car, in Chicago, right in front of my sister and I. He was so close we could smell his cologne. That dude is big and bad lookin. Not the someone I was later wishing I had spontaneously hugged or something. Now Ryan Gosling, I might have spontaneously hugged! The weird thing about that night was that my sister and I were walking back to our hotel, and we smelled brownies.....we were bound and determined that we were going to figure out where that smell was coming from. We never did find the brownies. Dennis Rodman's strong cologne kind of knocked us off track.

I twittered our food adventure. Skyline Chili, Graeters Ice Cream, and then PF Changs was the plan. Well, we hit the first two, but ended up fore going PF Changs for fear that we would miss Ree. (Ree I luv ya so much I gave up PF Changs! That's big Darlin.) So we ate in Bronte's which is a restaurant in the bookstore. It was decent. We were all pretty starved by he time we finally ate so it could have actually stunk...but we were too hungry to know it!

Ree and the Johnson's.

(This is the only picture I's got. My only disappointment of the trip. I should have told the lady I handed my camera to to be a happy snapper. I look like a big dork..I know.)

They called letter M while we were eating so when we got done the line manager lady plopped me in line. And there I stood, heart thumping, books and camera in hand, texting like a maniac trying to get my family to get their booties up stairs where Ree was signing books so when I got to her they could quick sneak in a picture, without hogging a whole lot of space in line. While waiting in line a twitter friend Outatfirst said Hi. It was fun to meet her...but I realized I forgot to ask what her real name is. So sorry. Glad you recognized me and I got a hug from ya, Sweet Girl!

So then the group of gals ahead of me had a whole song they had rehearsed for Ree...then it was my turn.......

My littlest had asked me no less than 60 thousand times during the day if Ree would recognize me when she saw me... I kept reassuring her she would definitely recognize me. But then all of a sudden...her question rang loud in my ear, "will Pioneer Lady recognize you mama?" and then I panicked thinking what if she doesn't know me? And I have to explain to her who I am. Silly me! She did. She seemed taken aback a little, maybe it was the whole family descending upon her....maybe she was thinking gadzooks I can't shake this girl...but I'm gonna think she was genuinely surprised to see me and excited to meet my family. I introduced my kiddos, and she gave each one of them a hug. Then told Kenny that he had to bring us all the to the Ranch sometime.

Sorry to say he took you serious Ree. We'll be road trippin your way next week!

Skyline Chili, is where we ate lunch (after the hunk sitings and before the book signing), and had the sweetest waitress ever. The kiddos were less than enamored with Skyline. I'm glad I can say, "I tried it", but I don't think I will be craving it anytime soon.

Now Graeters Ice Cream on the other hand......OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!!! Can you say DANG GOOD ICE CREAM? I had the Chocolate Mocha Chip..MMMhmmm need I say more?!

The Creation Museum was one of our main destinations on this trip. It is a few miles south of Cincinnati in Petersburg, Kentucky. The kids enjoyed it. It stirred up a good theological conversation in the car. We continued to discussed all the questions over our BBQ at.....

The Montgomery Inn's Boathouse location, on the Ohio River. Thanks Kim for the great foodie recommendations! If you are in the Cincinnati area, and you are a lover of BBQ then you MUST give the Montgomery Inn a try, it was fabulous!

After our more than plentiful BBQ dinner we headed to the Premium Outlet Mall just north of town. We walked our dinner off and found ourselves a great hotel (Courtyard by Marriott) near the Ikea at the Mulhauser Rd exit 19. This is a great exit. Lots of nice hotels, a Starbucks, Ikea, movie theater, PF Changs....what more could a girl want?! All the boys wanted was to watch the NBA All Star game, so us girls ventured out for snacks and came back and chill-axed with the boys in front of the TV.

Sunday morning we arose to rainy, cold weather...no more sunny and 60's. We headed to Ikea for a cheap breakfast...and to look for martini glasses for the up and coming Cowgirl Dinner Party, then we got on the road and headed homeward.

Unfortunately this is what our trip home looked like. It was quite a drive, 7 long hours(normally it would take 5+hours) in the van with the kiddos. I have to say they were very good. But it got quite stinky in there by about the 5th hour. Very thankful to be home safe and sound. If this wasn't enough, you can read all the gory detail on my travel blog, when I get around to posting over there.

The kiddos have one more day off school today, and tomorrow it's back to school! I think I might eat my socks and take my girls to the Bieber Movie today....EGADs did I just admit that? I know, I know...he's a nice kid. I just pray he stays that way!

Hope you had a great weekend!

Luv Ya!

The Love Story of the century & a GIVEAWAY!!!

(Sing to the tune of the Brady Bunch Theme Song....not that there is any connection in any way what-so-ever to Carol and Mike)

Here's a story of a purdy Lady.

Who was doin just fine on her own.

Then one day she made a pit stop,

back in her home town.

Here's a story of man named Marlboro.

Who was livin on Ranch with some cows.

He was busy ropin' cattle,

but decided to go into tAWn.

It was here that the purdy Lady met her Fellow.

And she knew it was much more than a hunch,

that this man must somehow be her soul mate.

After she made him Linguine and Clams for lunch!

PW and Marlboro, PW and Marlboro....

That's the way they became The Pioneer Woman.

Ba dum pa dum bumbum bah dum bum!

Wow, I am not sure what just came over me. But that was inspired, don'tcha think?!

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels is the REAL life Love Story of how Ree, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, met Ladd, a.k.a. Marlboro Man. Left her big job in the city and married MM and moved to the Ranch!

(Oh my! Go back and sing that last line to the tune of Proud Mary! I need to do a podcast one of these days.)

I am beyond excited to get my paws on this novel!!! I have only read the beginning online, and then my eyeballs fell out! And I said a long heart felt prayer (Because to be honest, I cain't read that many words on my computer screen) that Ree would put this love story of hers into the form of a book. Not an E-book. A crawl into bed and snuggle under the covers kinda book.

Yeh-HOOO my prayers were answered!

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels was released on February 1st! Just in time for my Week of Luv! Thanks Ree, that worked out just dandy. I had pre-ordered a couple books, when I found out that My Neck of the Woods was not on Ree's book tour. I pouted for a day or two then I got over it. I'm gonna get that girl to Grand Rapids yet!

Ree we have a JW Marriott. It would be a fantastic addition to your Hotel Room Tour. (wink)

Ree graciously agreed to sign my books and send them back to me. So your copy will be signed! Ain't she a sweet, purdy, Lady? Love her!

Enter to WIN a signed copy of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels:

Tell me in the comments what you would like The Pioneer Woman to sign in your book.

I'd love to know....if you've read any of BHTW online already. Or were you prayin furiously like me, for a real live book!

One comment per person.

If you TWITTER this giveaway or share it on your FACEBOOK page, let me know with an additional comment, and I will enter you again.

I will take comments until midnight Friday, February 11th.

The WINNER will be announced Saturday, February 12th!

There are three more GIVEAWAYS yet to come!! So please do return......If you missed yesterdays giveaway check it out HERE.

Luv Ya!

WINNERS of The Pioneer Woman Cooks and CUTE aprons are.....

WoooHOOOO! Are you ready? Drum roll...pleeeezee. Thank you drummer boy! The winners of the Pioneer Woman Cooks signed cookbooks and aprons are:

#1 Cookbook & Cowgirl Apron

the Segard Family said...

We will be snowboarding in Colorado!!

December 20, 2010 9:24 AM

#2 Cookbook &Christmas Apron

SarahinSC said...

Awesome giveaway! I'll be spending Christmas with family!

December 20, 2010 8:44 AM

#3 Cookbook

Diane said...

Adorable Apron... Sheila, your Mom did a fantastic job!! (perhaps she could sell a few for the 'tour' next year??). I will be sitting back, eating, drinking egg nog, and fellowshipping with family. Oh, I'll also be keeping my eye on Marlin as he keeps his eye/nose on the food :). Love you.

December 21, 2010 9:25 AM

Please shoot me an email leaving your full name and contact information, and we will get your winnings off to you quicker than you can say Frohliche Weihnachten! or Feliz Navidad!

Thanks for sharing what you are all up to over Christmas I loved reading all your comments!

Many blessings!

Hugs to you all!

Luv Ya,

The Pioneer Woman COOKS- GIVEAWAY!!!

Because Christmas is less than a week away..

Because I fed lots of people today....

Because I used this cookbook to feed the crowd.....

Because Elvis stopped by and sang "Hound Dawg" real loud......

Because I love this lady, and her Hound Dawggy........

And it's almost my Birthday...... and my Mom made these cute Frocks! (OK the rhyme ends here....I'm not Dr. Seuss.)

Christmas themed, with snow flakes, candy canes and holly. Adorable!

You can also wear this apron with the bib down.

Cowgirl Apron! Yeehaw!

Look at the detail. I bought this fabric months ago, if you remember I actually asked you what I should do with it and someone suggested I make an apron and give it away. Well, I could have never come up with anything this cute....I knew this. So when my mom was visiting us this Fall, from Florida, I snuck it in her suitcase with the pattern and and a note that said, "Make cute, apron. For blog. Purdy pleeeze."

The pockets are just big enough for a cell phone! I always have my cell phone in my apron pocket...no foolin'.

Aren't these little Ladies Sweet?!

This is not my backside! In my dreams, look at the bow, not the hind quarter. How'd my mama do that? There's a cowgirl on each tie!

Do you realize how hard it's going to be for me to give this away?

Do ya? Do ya?

Not hard, because I think the world of you all, and wanted something really fun and special to giveaway for Christmas. I don't know what I'd do with out you. (Eat less, and read more books...not that I'm keeping track or anything.)

And the SUPER added BONUS....... Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, gave me three signed copies of her cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks to GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

My kiddos are home from school, so I'm gonna kick off my boots and my tennis shoes, and be a lazy blogger this week....

We have lots of fun stuff planned. Cookie decorating, friends for dinner, movies, pajama days, games, three birthdays to celebrate, and hopefully lots of sledding and skiing!

Here's the SCOOP! There will be THREE winners, chosen randomly.

WINNER #1 will win a signed copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks and the Cowgirl Apron.

WINNER #2 will win a signed copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks and the Christmas Apron.

WINNER #3 will win a signed copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

TO ENTER:

Answer the following question in the comments section of this post:

"What are your plans over the Christmas holiday?"

Movies, baking, sleeping in, visiting Aunt Thelma....let me know in the comments and you will be entered to win.

RULES:

One entry per person.

No entries after noon on Thursday, December 23.

WINNERS will be announced on Christmas Eve.

Good Luck!

Feel free to spread the love by Twittering and sharing on Facebook...use the share buttons on the sidebar.

Thank you, Thank you, thank you very much!

sorry...one LAST thing

I promise this is IT there ain't no more. I had somebody say to me the other day..."your blog is kinda all about the Pioneer Woman, isn't it?"......I like to think it's more about what I enjoy: encouraging others (hopefully), sharing my FOOD, and sharing my life experiences, which Ree Drummund fortunately has become part of. So I write about it. I hope I haven't bored you, or annoyed anyone by writing so much about this trip or P-Dub. I might write about her more, but for now this is it...and well, this really isn't anything about the Pioneer Woman herself anyway...it's just something I observed while at the Ranch and I thought you and any inquisitive minds in your home might want to see it.

It just so happens when I was visiting her that I saw for the first time, laid out before me, (and now you) the purpose of the Fly, and I thought I would share it with you.

POOP! Yes this is what you think it is. It is horse SH_ _. We took a few walks and it is everywhere on the ranch roads. I told you I wanted it to be just like you all were with me...I didn't want to leave anything out.

I just found it very interesting.....the decomposition of horse poop, manure, dung, whatev you wanna call it. My kids are always asking me "why this, why that"...why did God make flies. I have always told them...because they eat poop, and something needs to get rid of the poop. I can always see their brains a-churnin like who's poop. There isn't any poop laying around here.

Look close you can see the flies...lots of them.

So because my kiddos, ask...and maybe yours do too. I had to take a picture of the natural progression of manure decomposing with the help of the good Ol Fly. This poo however had some help from Marlboro Mans truck tire.

Busy, busy these Oklahoma ranch flies...they are breakin' it da-own.

And there it is the final poo. Almost gone...just waiting for a truck to drive over it and mix it all in with the dirt, a good hard rain, or a good Ol wind to whip up and blow it away.

Gone

Gone

All done.

Good-bye horsey doo doo.

Thank you flies. We are grateful to you all. Now that we see what hard work you do.

Thank a fly today!

PW IV

So sorry, I have to do a part four. I just had to share with you that me, and Dee made it on the Pioneer Woman's "so thankful" post on Thanksgiving Day! My, my, my, its a good thing I was sitting down when I spotted us right there.... well I had to kinda look.... uh, yeah, well if you were to look you probably would never spot us. But I did! Cause I recognized the lady in the red sweater who was even more excitable than me. She is standing up and yes there we are about 4 rows behind her. Dee with her camera up, me with my flip video thinga-ma-bobber in front of my face. I started singing "looks like we made it" by my ol' friend Barry Manilow ......(did I mention we are the last picture, so you must scroll all the way through all her pictures on the post)


All silliness aside. I am still quite geeked about my cookbook signing. I read the whole cookbook from cover to cover this weekend. I was thinking maybe I would do the Sheila and Ree Project. Where I try to cook through the Pioneer Woman's cookbook in say three months and try to not go up a pant size, and blog about it. What do ya think??? Comments please.

PW part III

Phew! Okay, it was getting hot in there, there are about 50 of us jammed in to a little seating area and another 200 standing around waiting. The Barnes&Nobles chick has announced the rules for the 6th time. Then finally, she announced "with out further ado, Ree Drummond........" Squeals, and giggles, gasps, cameras flashing where is she? Oh there she is coming in from the back, but first Marlboro man and the two cutie patootie boys.

There was alot of hub-ub about Marlboro Man. This is what I have to say about that. He was handsome, rugged, but he IS her husband. And no I did not get him to sign his butt in my cookbook. (Only my friends cookbooks......ha made ya look) The boys did sign my book though. So funny, the littlest guy had sharpie marker all over his forehead.

PW answered questions for about 15min. "Tell us about your perfect marriage"..."no marriage is perfect" she answered "but we are perfect for each other". "Do you make your kids eat things they don't like?" "No, not really I am lazy that way." Love the honesty! "Are you going to open the lodge up as a B&B someday?" "Nope cause then I would have to change the sheets often, and that would be buzz kill." LOve this woman! Finally some one asked her about her Ethel Merman impression, and would she please do it. Well, after a bit of prodding, but not too much, she broke out into a perfect imitation of Ethel's song "Theres no business like show business...". It was awesome, so fun. I wished she could have left with Dee and I right then and gone had a bottle of vino!

Q&A over it was time to get into line. First twenty five on the first floor from 26 to 250 something line up upstairs wrapping around the store. If I didn't say it already we were 67 and 68. One hour and fifteen minutes later we were up next. YIKERS! Talk about ring-o-fire. My pitts were pumpin out sweat. I felt a little light headed. OOOOh, what was I gonna say when I gave these stupid cupcakes I'd schlepped all over Chicago. How embarrassing, I wanted to kick them to the side and act like I had not just held them for the last 1 1/2 hours. So Dee went first. Thankfully she didn't push me and say "you go first". They chatted like ol pals, Dee is so thoughtful and smart she had her put Hebrew 13:1 (look it up) in each of her books. So they chatted about that verse. Then me with my 10 cookbooks and box-o-cupcakes. I told her that I was member of her sisterhood of the ring-o-fire. She took a look at my sweaty pit and giggled, then told me about her silk shirt incident in Denver. Then we talked about cinnamon rolls. Then I presented her with the cupcakes I had baked her. Hoping she would love them and then HAVE to have the recipe and read my blog to get it. CRAZY I know I am a dreamer, but a girl does have to try doesn't she? She asked if I had a cupcake shop, I told her no baking is just a passion. (I didn't admit to my dream of having some sort of baking business) Then she sniffed the box. Some how or another I blabbed that I had a blog. She asked me to write it down, DONE its already on the attached card. Did we hug? No, maybe, oh probably not, my memory and my day dreaming get things all mixed up. She was sweet.

Pour Dee. While I'm chattin' up PW is stuck with Marlboro man. That made her nervous, what do ya say, "Hi I love your wife"??? We did get to see what was in the bags though T-shirts, Pioneer Woman T-SHIRTS. Nice ones! Like designer cute sleeved t-shirts with out a tag! Yowza! And we each got one!

Ok, so are you wondering who else we saw? What other famous person? Author and fellow foodie, Shauna Niequist! She wrote the book Cold Tangerines. Check it out its really goooood....I tried to find her after we had our books signed, but she was either hiding from me, (cause I also once had her sign a stalker-level number of books for me) or she got sick of waiting and left. You should check out her blog its at www.shaunaniequist.com or even better read her book!

Oh my gosh if you have stayed with me this whole time till now, you truly love me. And I truly love you even if you didn't!

PW part II

Land of Goshen! How could two girls have more fun going to a cook book signing???? I have not giggled that much in a long time. (at least a couple weeks!)

Well to start out our perfectly placed peeps that were supposed to get our tickets for us, were not really at the right shopping mall area. We found this out about an hour into our adventure and my right foot got a little heavier on the pedal when I heard Dee say, "oooooh, you can't find the Barnes&Nobles". It will be "ok" we told each other, it will be "ok". We will just go straight there, no stopping for lunch or peeing, just straight to get our "golden ticket", which turns out was red.

We arrived at the Westfield Mall in Skokie. Got a parking spot. The lot looked very full, they must be lining up already, at 12:30. (I will use Chicago time, so don't get all confused and try to subtract and hour.) But to our astonishment there was no line and wE GOT Number 67 and 68. No not the next number, husbands who think that would be funny.... no names mentioned. YAHOO! We did not do a funny dance or make a scene but we were very pleased with our accomplishment at this point. So we took some pics of us buying stacks of cookbooks by the sign of Ree the pioneer woman. And headed out to get some food! (that is another post entirely, sorry mole lovers you will have to read another days entry to get that story, cliffhanger...)

The Barnes&Nobles lady gave us the scoop. Keep your number, at 5pm limited seats would open up for a Q&A with Ree, at 7:30 she would come out and do Q&A, then shortly after they would line us up like cattle, no posed photography, we had to quickly move through the line. They were expecting about "200", she said. "Ok, good thanks, we got it, we will be back!"

So at 5:15 we arrived back JUST in time to snag the last two seats together! My, my, my that was very close..........so now we wait. Mind you we have 16 books between the two of us, a RedLetterword print and a big box of cupcakes, two purses, water bottles, and two very little butts to fit into the area of two small folding chairs. I could hear the moans and groans around us.........but we bounced back quickly and made friends with our neighbors. "So whats your number?, how much of a stalker of PW are you, are you more into her photography, cooking, homeschooling..." It's always easy to jab jaw with people you have a common thread with. THEN at about 7ish I get a elbow in my side from Dee, at the same time I hear gasps from the crowd "Marlboro Man!". It was Ladd, Rees husband hauling in black garbage bags. The time was drawing near...
Oh my goodness, I need to add pictures and tell you about who else I saw at the signing besides PW. Sorry this is going to have to be continued, in PW part III, my kids are all staring at me with hungry Saturday morning eyes. Stay tuned.....

PW

Oh my goodness gracious me..........how can one girl get so excited about meeting another mom, lady, fellow foodie. I feel like I am going to see a friend I haven't seen in years, BUT she doesn't even know who I am! Isn't that crazy??? I know I am not the only one. She is so easy to relate to. When I read her blogging and even the way she describes food, I am like "yes, yes I hear ya, that is what I think of cheese dip too!" or "yes my pits pour out like fire hydrants too!" It's so embarrassing 99% of my wardrobe is planned around whether you will be able to see a giant sweat ring or not. I do the spit test sometimes before buying if you can see wet bright and boldly I can't buy it. Its pathetic.
So back to The Pioneer Woman, if you don't have a clue who I am talking about you need to leave my blog immediately and go to her website.(www.thepioneerwoman.com) It is B-awesome! She loves to cook, she loves her man (she calls him Marlboro man), and she loves being a mom, and extra bonus, she is an amazing photographer! (photography being my long lost love, I can live vicariously through PW) And most of all she is just down right funny and real, she says things 75% of us only think and never say. I know this is why she has best friend wanna bees lining up all over the country to have her sign their cook book!
And tomorrow I will be one of them! The excitement has been building since early September, when my friend Dee (the totally awesome friend that shared her knowledge of PW with me) emailed me "Hey what ya doin on November 19?". Then she blew the news on me that Ree was gonna be in Chicago. I said "oh man I am sooo there with ya"
So we had to wait to see where she was gonna be, it just said on her site "to be announced". Then they announced Skokie, Ill. Skokie??? Okay for you PW we will drive to Skokie. Turns out its just north of Chi-town. She will be at the Barnes and Nobles. We planned on arriving at around 4 o'clock for her 7:30 book signing. But then we saw they are handing out numbers starting at 9am! WHAT! AHHHH! Now what, do we have to to early, do we risk going and not even getting our cookbook signed??!! But God had our peeps in place....a good friend of Dees just so happened would be there early Thursday morning with her mom and they are going to get us numbers so we can still show up later. YaHOO, look out Ree we are comin darlin' and we are coming bearing gifts. You don't show up to see a old friend with out a gift do you? Oh we are such geeks..........to be continued.