Meeting the Pioneer Woman

His Royal Highness claims that I stalk the Pioneer Woman. I claim that she is my best friend, although she may not know this.

This past saturday Ree was here in Houston signing copies of her cookbook. My dad was supposed to be in town so I had already accepted the fact that our day of best friend activities such as pedicures, tea, sushi, etc... would have to wait until another time. Then a little thing called the Great Houston Snow of 09' happened and my dad canceled his trip. To say that my head started spinning was an understatement. You may not realize this but I am a shy, fly on the wall type person. I am not outgoing in situations where I am not extremely familiar with people. I think I asked His Royal Highness at least 50 times if I should go to the book signing. The first time he said yes, the other 49 times he just ignored me.

So saturday morning I packed up Princess Newbie and we headed to the book signing. I honestly did not take Princess Newbie just so that the PW could drool over her but it did not help that on that particular day almost every single outfit she owned was in the wash. There were no clean socks, no matching hair bows to be found. She had scratched her face several times the night before and her hair had this oily/punk rocker look going on. I still think that she hung the moon but other babies that were there could have been on the cover of Vanity Fair they were so chic.

I got there at 11:50 and grabbed a seat to wait until 1:00 when the PW would do a short question/ answer session. She finally appeared a few minutes after 1:00.

I think a few women in the crowd might have fainted at this point.

Alright, she is not possesed.... this is what happens when I play with photoshop late at night and I'm tired. My red eye removal ran amuck.

That's better.

There's a few things that make me admire the Pioneer Woman

1. She is positive

2. She laughs a lot and occasionally at herself

3. She loves her family

4. she has killer cooking and photography skills. (am I too old to say killer?)

The question and answer session just proved all these thoughts to be true.  I now know what underwear Marlboro man wears. Yes, I do. Do you?

After she was done speaking, the waiting began. I met a lot of great people. Some of them proved the fact to me that I am actually not a stalker, they are stalkers. His Royal Highness has now changed his tune to, "You just look up to her." Exactamondo dude.  I did meet some people that are just great people and we exchanged information to get together again in the future.

Princess Newbie was so good, never crying. In fact, she decided to do a little reading.

No more baby books for me, it's hardcore from here on out!

I love it!!

Finally after about six hours of waiting and a short trip home to pick up HRH and the other two princesses, we were almost there!

I'll let you in on a little secret...... The night before I had practiced (in my head of course) about 5 different possible converstations. All of them were funny and witty. They could have won a Nobel Peace Prize, which seems to be extremely easy to come by these days.

Then....

It happened. I met her. And do you know what I said? It went something like this.... "uh...duh... Are you tired?"  AGH! That's some hard hitting journalism right there. Tom Brokaw, eat your heart out! That was not the speeches that I had rehearsed and faked laughed at.

I'm a goober. There's no other explanation for it.

So here it is.. the official picture:

Why do my bangs always break apart into little bunches like that?

Princess Newbie looks like she's crying out for help.

Ree, your white teeth are making me look like a chain smoker.

Help me Rhonda, help help me Rhonda.

Overall, it was great. It was worth the time waiting, it was worth the verbal vomit from my blank mind and it was worth my 12 pack a day habit (just kidding).

Come back soon Pioneer Woman, I'll have the sushi and Starbucks waiting.