I’ve been spending way too much time reading other blogs and completely neglecting my own. I do have several recent events to post about, with pictures, and will get to it asap.

In the meantime, it’s frigid here. There is  about an inch of snow and ice on the ground-just enough to sled. Joseph has taken up snowboarding and can’t wait for more snow.  Although I love winter, when it gets this cold- single digits- I start day dreaming of Florida.

But I do love to snuggle up beside the fire with a cup of tea and a good book…or a good blog.

Monday some friends and I drove up to the Plaza for The Pioneer Woman’s book signing. I have followed her blog for a little more than a year from which I learned to cook steak, among other things.  How in the world I could live in Kansas City for more than a decade and not learn to cook steak before this past year I’ll never know. They always turned out so dry and hard, but steak isn’t our topic here.

Reading her blog, I’ve also learned terms like bull, steer, and pairs. I’ve realized that I would hate, HATE to get up at 0400 and no amount of donuts and coffee could make me love it. However, I’ve decided that my husband needs, truly needs, a pair of chaps (or chinks) for Christmas.

But back to the book signing….

It was hosted by Rainy Day Books, which did a fabulous job of getting all 700+ folks through in an organized fashion. There was a short question and answer time with The Pioneer Woman, after which door prizes were given away. Then the signing and visiting began.

Dawn and Jana waiting for things to get started.

PW making her grand entrance.

PW and Vivien from Rainy Day Books conducting the door prize give-aways. Marlboro Man and  the boys are helping out. Those little boys were a hoot and entertained all of us who had to wait our turn for a few hours. Those little sweeties even signed my cookbook!

Jana and Marlboro Man.

After the signing began, MM and the boys started to make their way up our isle. Some of us, including me, waived our arms like fan-crazed little girls asking if they’d have their pictures taken with us. They agreed, and that’s how MM and the boys got started signing cookbooks themselves. It was wonderful for them to do that since so many folks had to wait for a PW for a while. We thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them.

Dawn and Jana getting their books signed. Not bad for a first outing after 2 months of bedrest, eh, Jana? And, Dawn, I am so grateful you brought the food! We would’ve starved if you hadn’t, made even worse by perusing a cookbook!

This is April from Coal Creek Farm. I have to say, I was as excited to meet her as I was to meet Ree (The Pioneer Woman). April’s blog absolutely cracks me up. I share her twisted sense of  humor. This is the post that won me over forever.

The lady sitting beside Ree getting her book signed is Mrs. Mama. She is a friend of April’s and does a lot of the photography for Coal Creek Farm.  She is such a sweet and friendly person. The fact that she is obviously a Jane Austen fan makes me instantly like her.

Finally, at 11:20 PM (we had arrived at 5:20), it was my turn. I was so tired at this point, and I am sure PW was too. But it was worth it. I had so much fun. Thanks for staying, Ree, and signing every last single book. I don’t know how you do it.

And here is Ree doing who knows what. What is it with that family and peoples’ backsides?

This is Maeghan (note the authentic Irish spelling ), Dawn’s daughter. She is so smart and pretty and fun to have around. She brought a magazine that had featured an article on PW and butternut squash. Ree was pleasantly surprised and graciously signed it.

But, I saved the best picture for last. Here is April, from Coal Creek farm, who is 6 feet tall and trying to get a pic of Mrs. Mama and PW seated at the signing table

Just like a pro!

It was a great time. There was an electric vibe in the room with lots of  camaraderie. Even the half-dozen or so men that came seemed to enjoy themselves. It took all day Tuesday for me to recover, but what fun we all had!

Wuzza

P.S. I made those cinnamon rolls already. That’s all I need to say.

A day at the park with bunch of boys….

One of mine was at home that day. And two of those pictured are my neighbors chillins. But what a time they all had that day…

Every year we anxiously await the pomegranate season. Then we anxiously await pomegranates to go on sale! And when they do, we make an investment in some serious and healthy family fun time. The only draw back to these amazing fruits is that they are really messy, and the glorious juice stains everything it touches.  So everyone gets on some old clothes, grabs a cutting board and a knife, and gets to work.

It’s a special treat for each person to get his/her own pomegranate.

I remember as a child my mother always put a pomegranate in each of our Christmas stockings, along with other fruits and nuts. We were as excited to get those as we were the candy, and we usually ate them for breakfast Christmas morning.

Pomegranates are to Fall and Winter what berries are to Spring and Summer.

I am seriously considering upholstering my dining room chairs in a pomegranate red. Then I would never have to worry about stains again.

Happy Fall, Everyone!

Last weekend, a bunch of us loaded up the van and went to Johnson Farms. It’s a local farm here in Belton with a ton of activities during the fall season. The kids had a blast!

First, they went on the large “Jumping Pillow”- very different from a trampoline.

There was also an older model firetruck put out to pasture which the kids were allowed to climb on, sit in, and otherwise explore. This  was every little boys’ dream to be sure.

And since it is a farm, they were plenty of chickens to catch, goats to feed, pig races to watch, horses, donkeys…..and a 3 day old litter of baby pigs! They couldn’t be handled though. Mama pig was not ready to share. I don’t blame her.

One of the favorite things was a pumpkin canon. The operator would load it up with a pumpkin or two and fire it off in the direction of the pond. The boys absolutely loved this, and it was a lot of fun seeing how far the pumpkins would fly. Some cleared the pond entirely and took out a few branches from trees on the opposite side!

The canon in action- I can’t believe I got this shot. I snapped it the instant I heard the bang. But, as you can see, the pumpkins were already tens of feet out of the barrel.

Last, but not least, I got to ride a camel with one of my sons. I have never ridden a camel and never dreamed I would even have a chance to ride a camel. I guess the most interesting things can happen anywhere!

Blessings,

Wuzza