The Pioneer Woman in the Pacific NorthWest!!!

So, I was encouraged by Pops to go the opposite way of my general "stay-at-home behavior" and meet The Pioneer Woman in the Portland area. Not wanting to drive all that way alone with a baby (3.5 hours - or so) I happily accepted the chauffeur services of Pops (And the companionship of my treekids)! So, let's not waste any more time... here's how it all went down.

We arrived at the bookstore at around 5 PM for the 6 PM event. I went and was trying to find the "ticket man" so that I could get all queued up. Then I went and purchased my second copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks. You see, after we were 25 minutes from home, I realized that I had left my copy of the cookbook (already signed - thanks to my mom purchasing and sending a copy to "The Ranch" and PW signing and sending it on to me - for my birthday) at home on the counter. Grrr. So, I purchased another copy and got busy ... waiting.

When we first walked in the door and I took off for the information booth, Pops had the treekids and they were browsing the books and Pops got a, "HEY! Pops! I know you!" kind of comment. He looked at the woman and had NO idea who she was. Turns out... it was Angela!! She had recognized Pops and Bump from here on the blog, but had never met either of the two of them in person! But, she said "hi" and came searching for me a bit later!

I wish I would have known to she was going to be there... I would have had her snag me a ticket or a chair! She was ticket number 40 and I was... 245. I sure would have loved to get through the line as quickly as she did! But, she was there waiting before the event since 2:30 or 3:00 - so, wait one way or another, early or late, we both did!

My big girl, Branch, was excited to be with me waiting on someone... she just couldn't wrap her head around it, but wanted to join the excitement and not miss a thing.

PW was fallowing a GPS unit to the store and it took her down a wrong way and made her late by several minutes. I sat there being VERY understanding since our GPS unit did the same thing to us! Powell's Bookstore has moved in the past ... who knows how long! Anyway, she arrived and the "fun" began!!

She was a hoot and a half and seems to be as normal as you or me. I think that there are just some really great people out there in "internet land." I know we need to be careful as people can hide behind their computer screen and all, but there are just some really nice folks out there!

She began signing books and I met some of those nice out there in the internet people sitting or standing around! Most of the people I met either don't blog at all for themselves and only read others', or they don't keep up on their blog (or so they said... maybe they were just hiding behind that screen... hmmmmm). Anyway, it wasn't very long before Angela made her way to the front of the line!

And she and PW shared some juicy secrets, of what nature - I am unsure! Angela, you COULD tell us about your secrets here in my comments section!! Don't keep us in suspense...

Do you know how many people I saw make this pose?? Smiling from ear to ear at a camera while PW signed their book? Lots and lots and lots! And I saw some people have 6 or 8 books signed! What on earth?!?! Well, I suppose a gift, but the gift recipient didn't get to go MEET her and she was HERE!!!

This is Branch at 9:12 PM - still waiting and it is more than an hour past her bedtime! She was getting TIRED!

And then the moment arrived... and she was watching like a hawk that "our book" got signed just right by this funny red-haired lady from out of the computer. (Shhhh... I will keep this second book for my girl to take with her when she flies the coop in 11 - 14 years with a few pictures inside to remember this fun we had together!! I'm thinking that's the best plan now that I have two copies!!)

Since Pops calls me a "stalker," I had her inscribe this book with

Thanks for stalking, elm!

Love to the Treehouse -

Bud, Branch, Blossom, Bump and Pops!"

I thought it was good to put them all in there since they waited FOREVER with me!

Ree told me that she loved their blognames and asked if Bump was "Bump" and then really got a good look at him under his hat and grabbed her camera to get herself a nice shot of him!

And then she turned to Branch and said, "Oooh, let me get you, too! You are just so cute - you kids!"

And then we posed for a group picture... and then, it was all over.

We went to go find Bud, Blossom and Pops and do you know where we found them??

Yep in the stacks of books! It is a good thing that they hold these kinds of events at bookstores!!

And, do you know what Bud told me? "This was awesome!" That is what my 8 year old boy said to me about going with the family to an author signing event. He couldn't think of a better place to go and have to wait for a long long long time! He read and read and read and read and read... until we headed for home just after 10 PM!!

And Pops was soooo awesome herding kids and being understanding AND encouraging when I was ready to toss in the waiting towel, throw the kids back in the van and drive home as fast as our wheels would take us!! I love my family... and I love them best at home in our small town away from all that traffic, noise and crowded spaces!!

Thanks for visiting Oregon, Pioneer Woman! It was a real treat. Next time, don't miss touring SouthWest Oregon... some of the most beautiful countryside in all of the U.S of A.!!! (This coming from a native midwestern flatlander!!)

PS - Sorry about these weirdly colored photos! I had 4 or 5 different people snapping pictures and everyone uses a camera differently, the lighting was WEIRD in this store and I don't have the time/patience to alter them all in Photoshop! So... I think I will skip putting any of these selections in the county fair!!