My Encounter with The Pioneer Woman at Borders in Dallas & Just Because.........

Today I'm finally posting about getting to meet Ree Drummond!!! Y'all know her, that sweet country girl also known as The Pioneer Woman. Well.......  Ree was in town last Tuesday night at Borders Books in Dallas. I've been so excited about this night since I heard about it back in October. My husband was nice enough to go to Borders about 10:00 am on the day of the book signing. You see he works around the corner so he said he would pick up my cookbook and wristband for the book signing event. 

I ♥ you honey!!! Wrist bands hmmmm when I heard it was a wrist band event I knew it was going to be a crazy night. The deal is you go in and purchase your cookbook and you get a wristband the day of the signing. The color of your wristband determines your place in line. So if you want to be at the beginning of the line you must arrive at the store early. Like opening early. My husband arrived about a hour after the store opened and received a Gold Wristband.

I heard Gold was a great color it was the First Wristband Color given out so I knew I was in the first group. HOW EXCITING!!!! I don't know what it is with book signings, borders and rain. It seems like anytime I go to a book signing at Borders it pours cats and dogs. So this night was no different. My husband told me it was a blessing in disguise, he said if its raining not very many people will show. 

He said do you remember when the Deen Boys came and it was raining, the turnout wasn't bad at all. So this is a good thing Tina. Hmmm a good thing. This poor sweet man he doesn't know what he is getting into. I told him but it's The Pioneer Woman!!!!!! she gets over 25,000 hits a day on her site. I think it's going to be packed. He said trust me. OK I said.............

We finally got to the store after a huge detour from all the construction traffic on the freeway. It was crazy bad and I felt like I was going to have a anxiety attack from all the crazy people on the road and all the rain. My husband took such a detour I didn't know where we were by the time we got to Borders. We finally pulled into the parking lot and It was bad real bad. I looked at my husband  just to see his face. He said Tina its packed!!!! hmmm really didn't i tell you that back at the house. He said I think I'm gonna have to drop you and the kids off at the front of the store and then come and find you in line. I said sounds like a plan.

I opened the door to Borders at 6:45 PM and you think they were giving away something free. OMYGOODNESS people, people, people were everywhere. I was greeted by a lady with very blonde spiky hair. The poor lady she was still so chipper and unaware that this evening was going to get CRAZY, but who was I to tell her. She asked for my wristband and I pulled it out GOLD she said well look at you gold has already started lining up at the front so find the end of the Gold Line. Just follow the blue tape and you will see it.

OK I said. It was so crazy and so many people I knew my husband would never find us if I left to get in line. So I did what any excited mother of three would do. I ditched my first born in the front of the store and told him to wait. He said but mom!!! I said don't worry just wait and I was gone. I felt a bit bad but got over quickly. I was passing all the people in line with different colored wristbands other than gold so I could get my place in line. Wow there were so many people on that blue line. 

I felt scared real scared to pass in front of any of them. I just kept saying where is the gold line? so I could get in front of them and not be taken out because these were some very serious woman in line and I didn't want to cross them. I finally made it to the end of the Gold Line. WOW it was still so far from the front, but then I looked behind me and said WOW that is a long line so maybe this really isn't too bad. 

So we waited and waited. Finally two familiar faces approached....my husband and my oldest son. My son said mom you just left me, I said oh I knew you would be fine you see he's 15 years old so no worries if I left anyone younger, I knew they wouldn't be able to handle it.

My husband said Tina there is a ton of people in this store. I said see I told you I don't think this was really a blessing in disguise LOL. He told me he was gonna take my youngest and find a chair and read, but he would be back for me. I told him OK and I will be right here. My daughter waited with me she's 9 and was just as excited as I was to see Ree and Mackenzie was hoping that Ree would bring her kids. She kept asking me why does she call them punks and thought that was mean pretty mean for a mother to do that. 

I told her she means it in a nice way. I chatted with some people in line and tried to pass the time as best that I could. It was at that time that my husband came back just the look on his face alone I knew he was confused. He said Tina I read a book and you still haven't moved a inch. UH OH I think the anger is going to set in. But no he said OK I'm going back to read again. That poor man I tried to warn him.

He left and I heard sceaming from the front of the store "she's here she's here" We could hear Ree but we couldn't see her. How exciting I sent my son up front to snap these two photo's above. Yep she made it a bit late but I'm sure she had to drive through the rain and the crazy people that I had to encounter on my way to the store. And then I looked up she brought her two daughters yay!!! Mackenzie was so excited. You can see them in the backround in the gray.

We took some photos while we waited. We finally started moving and we are getting closer.

We came around the first corner and there she was "The Pioneer Woman" my Mackenzie so excited!!!  I snapped a photo of her just watching and waiting. My husband came back around and said Tina I had no idea it was gonna be this crazy, I think it's going to be a while. In my mind I thought "You think" LOL He then proceeded to tell me that the next time he wants to go fishing that I need to remember this night and not give him any hassles about it. So I agreed.

I snapped a lot of photos of Ree while we waited and waited. 

Almost there these ladies in this photo were about 6 feet ahead of us.

Hey there's the lady with the blonde spiky hair that greeted us at the front. She's still so chipper and smiling she still hasn't caught on that this is going to be a long night. Ree smiled the whole time and her girls were so nice signing copies for anyone that asked. 

Then it was our turn!!!!!!!!  What do I say? Oh goodness I thought you don't want to say anything stupid. I told Ree hio and thank you for making Dallas one of her stops. She said your welcome and we chatted a bit. I gave Ree the gift we brought for her and she just smiled she asked me what any pure bred southern girl would ask IS IT FOOD???? LOL 

I said of course home canned items. Hot sauce, Green Tomato Relish, Homemade Peach Preserves and Cowboy Candy. She thanked me and said they love cowboy candy!!! Score!!!!!!!! She proceeded to tell me don't you just love canning it makes you feel so old fashioned and isn't that the greatest feeling? I agreed and she said says she loves to home can. I was so excited I said me too. She asked if I had a cooking blog and I said yes. 

I told her the name and she said she would check it out. She signed our books at 9:00 PM and our turn was up just like that. I moved through and asked one last question can I get a photo? Ree said sure!!! It was at that point a man from the store that was now tangled up with Ree's nephew with bags full of free t-shirts from The Pioneer Woman looked at me and said NO Photos because we gotta keep the line moving. That poor man was frazzled!!!! What no photo :( everyone was getting photos. I waited 2 hours and 15 minutes I said to myself I have to have a photo.

So...... I did what any fan of The Pioneer Woman would do. I just walked passed the store manager and did it anyways. LOL I felt bad but got over it very quickly. I yelled to my oldest take the picture. He had been waiting at the front just for that reason and there it is a bit blurry but I got it. I proceeded to her girls which were tangled up in the same bag of t-shirts. Those poor girls they looked scared to death I don't think they expected all these crazy Dallas fans.  

Paige signed my book and then I got pushed through. I finally got to her oldest daughter Alex and asked her to sign my book she looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said sure. I told her I hope you get out of here soon but by the looks of things I didn't think so. It was 9:00 pm and the Gold Wristbands were still heading through the line. I found out there were 6 or 7 color groups and each group had 100 -200 people in them. YIKES the store sold all 700 cookbooks my goodness but remember it's The Pioneer Woman were talking about.

Here's my book!!!!!!!! so exciting it's the best darn cookbook around. I know this because I had plenty of time while in line to read it. Ree was wonderful and she gave everyone a Pioneer Woman t-shirt. Thanks Ree.

Because Ree is just so beautiful, look at her beautiful red hair. Not to mention her bubbly sense of humor. She really is just the sweetest gal in town.

Because she makes the best Chocolate Sheet Cake ever!!!!! You can trust me on this one. (photo courtesy of the PW)

Because of Ree's Perfect Pancakes. Have you tried them? it's the best fluffy pancakes you will ever eat. Thanks Ree!

Because of Pastor Ryan, I just love when he comes to the ranch to cook, can you say Cutie Patootie.!!!

Because of Charlie, Oh Sweet Charlie isn't that a face only a mama can love.

Because of them, Ree's beautiful daughters two very sweet and patient girls that looked totally overwhelmed not to mention scared to death when they saw all of the PW's crazy Dallas Fans!!! I wanted to scoop them up and take them away they looked so scared. I guess that's the mama bear coming out in me.

Because of this recipe, Ree's Chicken Fried Steak I knew as soon as I saw the recipe in her cookbook she was a true country girl. This recipe alone put a smile on my husbands face. He said now that's what I'm talking about.

Because I heard that Ree stayed until everyone got their cookbook signed. Rumors were it went into the wee hours of about 3 :00 am!!! God Luv Ya Ree.

Because of this, whats this??? it looks like a second cookbook. It is!!!!! Because I felt so bad for everyone that could not venture out to see the PW.

Because I felt so bad that Ree would not be coming to your neck of the woods. It made me feel sad that ya''ll wouldn't get the chance to see her, like I did.

Because of my sweet husband, the man who brought me this second cookbook while I was standing in line waiting to see Ree. He said here's one for your readers!!

And finally Because of SPANX!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hmmmm Ree talks about them so much she has me thinking that it's really something I need to look into!

Because of all that I'm giving away One Autographed Copy of The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. I was so excited to have it signed for one of my lucky readers. Just leave a comment in the comments section letting me know the one question you would ask Ree if you had the chance.

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! 
A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN.

• Last day to enter the drawing will be Tuesday 12/8/09 at midnight (central time)
• I will announce the winner on Wednesday 12/9/09. 
• Contest open to Us Residents Only due to shipping charges. 
• I will contact the winner and they will have 48 hours to contact me or I will choose a new winner. So if you are not registered please leave your email address. 
• Good Luck

THANK YOU REE FOR COMING TO DALLAS AND PUTTING UP WITH ALL OF YOUR CRAZY AND LOVING DALLAS FANS!

Tina, The Mom in Mommy's Kitchen