Loser

Yep. That's right. For the millionth time I am a loser and my mom, Geemah, is a winner. A winner at what you ask? Well, hang on a bit while I tell the WHOLE story...

I met my friend, Regina, last year - in May, I think. A fellow homeschooler and stay-at-home mother. She introduced me to the possibility of blogs written for reasons other than keeping in touch with family and friends half way around the world. She showed me knitting blogs, sewing blogs, blog blog blog. Then she told me about The Pioneer Woman. I figured that "she" was some gal who was kind of attempting a pioneer life, sort of like that reality show - was that PBS? The families lived in cabins in some remote location and had to fight the weather and such to make it. So, I figured I'd go to the sight and find that there was some lady wearing "little house" skirts with petticoats and a bonnet - do NOT forget the bonnet! I would find her wearing those little black lace up boots and milking her cow every morning and churning butter after her man went out into the field (I met Regina in the spring!) to finish up the planting. So, I was not too excited about going over to her sight and seeing what her blog was all about. I mean, I like crafts and sewing and things - but, pioneer evokes for me the idea of necessity, not "for fun." So, what kind of fun would I find there, I imagined.

I should have known not to doubt the undoubtable Regina. (Yes, Regina, feel free to gloat. You may gloat until the sun sets and then get over it. I'll talk to you after then.) So, what is the scoop on The Pioneer Woman? She writes a blog of her ranch life and random things, like cooking, photography, home & garden and homeschooling her punks. So, you see... all these things are pretty high on my list! I homeschool my "punks." In fact, it seems as if we even sort of have a similar approach - but I can't be certain of this. I love things to do with my home - and I like the idea of garden but I fail miserably in this department. She confesses that she is only beginning to learn and that living a citified life before marrying her rancher husband did not lead her to being a perfect gardener. Anyway, she loves to cook and bake and share all sorts of tips and recipes. So, that is right up my alley, too! The photography?  Yea, have been interested in that for a bit and I am getting better - slowly. She does a lot in Photoshop to make her pictures more interesting. I am not very talented in that program, but she inspires me to try. Finally, the ranching life? I am just living vicariously through her, there.

When I said "Yes" to my man and knew that I would spend forever with him... I thought for certain that would put me in the middle of nowhere which is, you know, half way to everywhere! We talked of our herd of cattle and the horses and dogs (more than one indoor dog! We were gonna have farm dogs that run around and bark when people or animals come on the property. Mind you, I would have still had my one indoor "lap dog" but, there would have been more dogs outside!). Somewhere between getting a job and discovering "real life" our ranch with cattle and horses and dogs got left out. We still plan to be "there" one day - but it is in a stall pattern currently, so I live vicariously through The Pioneer Woman!

So, Regina introduced me to the only blog that I read everyday - not including friends. (I ought to post a blog roll, I know - but what do you do when you quit reading someone? Take 'em off? How would I feel to be on a blog roll and then be removed? Kind of feels like weird mean spirited high school to me. Hmmm. I haven't quite figured all that out, so if you have suggestions - I'll be happy to take them!) Anyway, I get to my computer and check my email, click on PW (from here on out, just know that PW = The Pioneer Woman), click the other blogs that are usually updated: Regina's blog, Jessica's Blog, Aubrey's Blog, and then I run and put out some kid fire fast! Eventually, I make my way back to my computer and read up on my other friends, but yes, I have a virtual friend, Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman, who doesn't even know I exist. I don't think. Well, that isn't quite accurate. I think that she did click over to my blog ONCE. I had left a comment over on her blog about Pops and way back when we had the opportunity to take a trip to Sweden because he spent the summer counting bull sperm (riveting, I know) and he presented his research findings at an international animal reproduction convention. But, I digress. Perhaps she knows I exist, but as my blog is not full of ranch life and the like perhaps she clicked and forgot me. Such a fickle friend she is turning out to be!

PW offers contests on her blog regularly. Not just because she posted a whole lot of stink, like me. She does that with not too many apologies, just plenty of contests where you leave a comment and risk winning a prize! So, I told Geemah about this fun and how I have a new virtual friend. She thought it was all nice enough, but isn't as into PW as I have continued to be. She reads the occasional post and made a recipe off the site after trying my version of it at my house. But, being the spectacular daughter that I am, I try to drop her an instant message or email when PW posts a contest. There are at times nearly 20,000 entries! So, what's one more, eh?

Well, last week I sent Geemah and IM about a contest on PW's cooking page. We both entered the contest by telling our favorite chocolate treat. And would you believe that SHE, my mom, Geemah, WON?? PW chose 4 random entrants and MY MOM won - she is "itskarenk"!?! Pretty cool. She is getting herself a red Kitchen Aid stand mixer and now there should be NO excuses about the lack of homemade cookies!! (Make her toe the line, dad! Get you a homemade batch of fancy pants cookies made by mom in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer!!!) And with Geemah being the winner, I am left a loser. Bummer. How's about you send me some deliciousness made with that mixer, mom?!?!