Last Monday I decided I needed to take a break from this little spot in my kitchen where I work on my computer when I’m not at the school and head off to P-Dub’s book signing. I’m so glad I did.
My sweet friend Mrs Mama arranged the whole thing. She made coffee, packed snacks, printed no less than twenty Google Maps with directions and reminded me to charge the battery in my camera. She would make such a great Girl Scout, it’s too bad she can’t remember to take off the lens cap of her own camera.
I remembered to pack my Kodak Easyshare circa 2004, two granola bars, THE cookbook and all my chins. Do I need to tell you that Mrs Mama took all the good photos? Probably not, but she did.
There were several people in the crowd that I knew personally. This is Ann, she goes to church with me and that is her friend and sweet baby girl.
This is Mandy, one of my very good college friends that lives in KC. Yes, she is very tiny. Yes, I am very tall and I was wearing heels. I have a lot of Mandy stories that I should tell you someday.
We did a lot of this all night long. Laughing, not hair tugging. There is no hope for me in the laugh line department. I have them, send Botox please.
Look, another small person! This is Mary she started a blog not long ago.
This is Clint, Mary’s husband. He works for the same firm as Clay. He texted Clay asking why he wasn’t there and then looked around and wondered why he was the only man in the room. It’s okay Clint, Clay wanted to be there.
There she is. Hi Ree!
Sing it Ree! I love the hip and knee action.
We had a long wait to get our cookbooks signed. So we sat and talked.
And met new friends. Hi Karen Flanagan!
We went out to the car for a snack and coffee break while the first few hundred people went through the line and when we were headed back in I noticed my granola bar wrapper had wedged itself in my shoe. I don’t know how these sort of things happen to me. How on earth did the wrapper get in my shoe? I’m just relieved it wasn’t toilette paper….this time.
I asked Marlboro Man who was running the ranch while he was gone and I offered to go check on how things were going, but he said he didn’t raise pigs. Good point. It was really good to see him and the boys. Mrs Mama gave him those UFC gloves he’s holding and then the boys took them and started throwing some wild punches at each other.
When I finally got to see Ree I threw her over my shoulder and burped her.
She felt so much better that she signed my book and called me Pam. Just kidding. I had this book signed for my friend. I want Pam to know this was the last cookbook left at Borders in my town and I called just in time to have them set it aside for me. My timing is impeccable.
As we were leaving Mary came running back in the auditorium because their car wouldn’t start. So I jump started their car, actually Clint jump started their car, but this photo makes it look like I helped and then I took Mrs Mama on a major detour of KC before finally getting home.
It was a very fun night with old friends and new friends and Ree’s cookbook is delicious.
Guess what I got in the mail yesterday?
Yep, Ree sent me some cookbooks and I want to share one with you. To enter this give away just leave a comment saying what you’re thankful for this year and I’ll choose the winner tomorrow night when I’m elbow deep in Thanksgiving preparations.
Thanks Ree for bringing us all together in real life and being so kind to send me some of your lovely cookbooks.
***This give away ends November 25th at 10pm CST.***
Give Away Closed, thanks for commenting!
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I am thankful for your blog and others that keep me laughing!
I want this!
I am so thankful for my friends, family and incredible husband- and especially my patient Savior who have stood by me in an incredible year of “roller-coaster” ups and downs, the likes of which I am not too willing to revisit!!
Hugs to you and your chickens (and Damn Ramsey)- I suppose I should be thankful for him, too.
Sigh…
I am thankful for all the usual stuff, healthy family, great friends, but at this very moment…I am thankful for the chocolate pudding cup I am devouring!!
I’m so cliche, but I’m thankful for my family and my job. Oh! And I’m thankful for good friends.
Hey April! I just love the photos of you laughing….you are such a doll! We went to the Chicago signing of the book, and it was a blast! She even featured little Aaron on her blog today….saying he ‘charmed her socks off’…..I’m so proud of him! He’s reviewing all of her recipes on my blog….
Don’t need to include me in the giveaway, I just wanted to say hi, and nice to ‘see’ ya, and I’m thankful for my health this Thanksgiving. It’s been a weird year, and I just got the ‘all clear’ yesterday!
I’m thankful for a happy, healthy family and that we are now debt free!
Never apologize for laugh lines! I’m thankful that this year both of my families (inlaws and outlaws!) will be together in their entirety at both of our Thanksgiving feasts!
I am thankful for my babies (aged 7 & 9) and my hombre and my health….even if being over 40 s@#$%^s.
I’m thankful for the family that will be able to be at Thanksgiving this year. I’m thankful for good and supportive friends. I’m thankful my husband puts up with me. And for new recipes to try this year.
For the health of my family, including my Dad who turned 84 today.
I’m thankful for two little boys that light up my life and for God for allowing us to adopt them
I’m thankful that I found your blog – and thankful beyond belief that my husband survived a 7 1/2 hour open heart surgery to repair a valve – and is doing super!!!! Great thanksgiving this year!!
Hi April,
I am thankful for my fiancee. I am driving him crazy but he still loves me.
-Maryanne
I’m so very thankful for my husband and my mom, I’d be rattling around this planet like a pin-ball without them.
I’m thankful that even though we can’t travel back home to see family this Thanksgiving, some traveled to our house.
Family.
I’m thankful that Ree introduced me to your blog! What a fun read!
Thankful for YOU !!, I was amazed that you did respond me when I need it some help with my chickens, it means youa re a real person… ! TKS… they still bottom naked, but will fix that here soon!
I’m thankful for my family and friends. They make life so much better!
Well that’s easy: I’ve been doing a daily “thankful” on Facebook for the last two weeks, so I’ll pick one.
Today I’m thankful for indoor plumbing; until I was twelve years old, it was a luxury my family did without.
I am thankful for family, health, happiness, (notice how I left out “wealth”?) and for the endless entertainment you and Ree provide. Love, love, love your blogs.
Ooo, quick, there’s still time to enter. Awesome. I am thankful for my two little boys and my big husband. All three are delicious. Yum. Just put ‘em on a plate and Thanksgiving is served!
I AM THANKFUL FOR TODAY.
I’m thankful I started reading blogs in February of this year — now I’m hooked on so many!
I am thankful for your blog – and that ain’t no lie! April, when are you going to write a book and tour the country holding signings so that I can come out and meet you?
Hi there! I found your blog through PW – reading all about you lucky people that were able to meet her in person. How wonderful. I will be back.
I’m thankful for my family, and that they are always there even when times are a bit tough.
I am thankful for so many things! My family, my kids, my house, my clothes, my van, my kitchen, my pantry full of food, my laundry pile, my washing machine and dryer, my husband who fights for us in Afghanistan , my husband who sends me sweet flirty sexy emails every day, my husband who’ve I’m SO looking forward to seeing in just 50 days time, my God who’s given me ALL OF THE ABOVE and MORE. My mom and dad and brothers and sister and my mother inlaw and father inlaw, and my brother in law and sister in law and comfy mattresses and good pillows and a neat warm red jacket and little boys kisses and my hens and their eggs and my dog and his barking and my cat and her mole killing and my dirty carpet and my vacuum and my sewing machine and my fabric and my knitting needles and my yarn and Christmas is coming and Thanksgiving is right next door and 50 more days I’ll be a “proper” bride and I am just thankful, all around, for all things and in all things…..and thank you April for burping Ree, and for making me laugh. I love you for that!
P~
I am so thankful for my hardworking husband. I am thankful that I have a wonderful job (that I adore) teaching 7th grade science.
I’m thankful for three wonderful men in my life: my sweet son, my loving husband and my wise old grandfather.
I am thankful for my family and our health. I’m thankful that we have a roof over our heads and my husband has a job even when the economy is stinking. I’m thankful for my five kids and my 2 furry kids. I’m also thankful that my husband fixed the dryer because laundry with five children was piling up QUICK!
I am thankful for my ability to laugh.
It gets me though so many days.
I am thankful for a new start, financially, for my family this year. God is so good and constant!!!!!!
Also thankful that I found a site that can make me laugh on a daily basis but not located in my town so I can’t stalk!
Man… there’s so many things. Rather than go with the obvious (family, good health, food on our table), I’m going to say that I am thankful that deer season is over and we’re almost done processing the many deer our family gets each year! Such a huge job!
I am thankful that after being single for many years I have managed to make it through the first year of this marriage. I mean, we dated for 6 years, so you’d think I would be ready. I’m thankful that he didn’t hear me tell my friend I’m not the marrying type. And I’m thankful that he bought me a motorhome….just in case.
I am thankful for your blog as well as Ree’s. I actually, found yours through Ree’s. I love them both and they both keep me laughing. Out loud no less…when everyone is sleeping and I should be doing some catching up on bills, laundry, or finishing off my gallon of icecream.
My fantastic family.
I’m thankful for my family, dogs, friends…and blogs that make me laugh
I am thankful for my four healthy, happy, beautiful, and busy children. Somedays, I get so overwhelmed with them that I forget to thank God for how precious and lovely they truly are.
I am thankful for my family and friends who have been there through some tough times this year!!!
I am thankful for my son – he makes my days very entertaining! I am also thankful for my friends, family…and that it was 70 degrees today!
I am so very thankful for my amazing boyfriend, Jon. He puts up with a lot and I have given thanks for him every day for the last five years, but this Thanksgiving I am giving extra thanks because he’s really helped me through some rough patches this year.
Hi, I am very thankful for the love I recieve from my two grandsons……… My heart is over filled with joy.
I am thankful that my life is surrounded by love! My husband, my dog, my brothers and sister, nephew and nieces and grandnieces and grandnephews!
We are not as healthy financially as a few years ago (like many others), but we still have a roof over our heads, food in the fridge and my husband has a job. We go to church every week, have strong relationships with our church family, and an abiding faith in God. We are indeed thankful.
Wow- the signing sure looked like fun!
I am thankful for my wonderful family, the fact that I am constantly surrounded by people I love, my amazing job, and all the adventures I have while living in NYC!
Thank you for this great giveaway and all the funny posts- your blog is so entertaining!
Looks like you all had so much fun!
I thank God for my family and the beauty of nature. And thank you for this give-away.
I am so thankful for my winderful family!
I am more thankful than words can express for my husband who is a wonderful man and father and for the health of our six truly lovely children. I know it sounds cheezy but it is really true.
Besides my wonderful family…. I am thankful for all these fun blogs that I love to read!! Including yours and PW’s!!
I’m so thankful for my family! This is the first thanksgiving in 5 years that I’ve been able to celebrate with my mom!