Well, I Met The Pioneer Woman.

I almost missed this and I'm so glad that I didn't.

It would have been easier to skip this trip all together.

I had other things to do.

Pressing things. Boring things.

Things that I will not remember needed to be done in even a week or two.

I'm so glad my sweet friends and my dear husband encouraged me to do this instead.

On Friday afternoon, my mama, myself, and a couple of my best homies loaded up to go meet The Pioneer Woman. We had a great time. At one point, we were all sitting on the floor in the bookstore, and I was so overcome with happiness that I squealed out "This shiz is AWESOME!!"

The shiz really was awesome.

Mama and I rode up with my friend, Ashley. Another friend, Danielle, met us there. We all love P-Dub.

Danielle got there early and got us all arm-bands (whoop! whoop!). The arm bands were for crowd control. You had to have a book to get an armband. Each armband had a letter on it and when the book signing began, they would call your letter and then you could get in line.

So basically, you wait to be called to get in line so you can wait some more there. Book signings are not for the faint of heart, my dears. We got our wait on... Big time. But the time went by quickly because we were having such a good time.

The book signing was at Borders Books in Buckhead and the place was filled to the brim with ladies waiting to meet the Pioneer Woman. Very few men were on the premises. The waiting lines were filled jeans and boots and flowy shirts...we all wanted PW to like us and think we were cute.There were many many babies in "My mom and I love PW" shirts or onesies...PW says to bring your babies. There were grandmas and college girls...PW spans the generations.

While we were sitting around waiting to get in line, I saw someone who looked familiar out of the corner of my eye. I walked around closer and realized it was someone I knew...It was Layla from The Lettered Cottage! Her blog is my absolute favorite and the first blog that I ever faithfully followed. Then I saw that she was with a whole slew of great bloggers! I was really nervous, and felt a bit stalker-ish, but with a little push from my peeps I went over to meet them. 

Ashley, Layla, Me, Rhoda, and Shaunna

They were so very nice. What a great bonus to get to meet some other amazing bloggers in addition to The Pioneer Woman. If you read PW, then you probably recognize Layla from Hycinth's living room makeover and Rhoda got to go spend a weekend at PW's lodge. (Lucky dog!)

Finally after much waiting and great anticipation, it was our turn to get our books signed and talk to Ree. I still didn't have anything clever to say to her. So I just marched up next to her and thankfully she started talking to me. I don't remember exactly what happened. I must have blacked out.

I am happy to report that she had a fan blowing on her and was sipping on an iced coffee drink. If you read her blog, you would expect as much. She was just as nice as she seems in her writing and she acted like she had all the time in the world to talk to us and take pictures, despite the fact that there was a line of people wrapped around the store to meet her.

It was lovely.

We all got together for a group picture after each of our individual pics but I can't explain exactly what happened next.

I sorority squatted right down beside The Pioneer Woman.

We all got ready to smile.

Just as the man was about to take our picture...

I lost all sense of reason and propriety...

And I asked The Pioneer Woman to throw a fist pump.

Danielle, Mama, PW, Me, and Ashley all throwing fist pumps.

I don't know what's wrong with me.

She graciously complied.

Oh, Lordy.

The icing on the cake was that Marboro Man was there. He wasn't "officially" signing books, but he was hanging out and would sign books if you wanted him to.

And believe, me...the ladies wanted him to!

We got in line to meet MM after we met PW. He was so nice, too....but much more quiet. When it was my turn to have my picture made with Marlboro Man, I decided it would be appropriate to do this:

Why Mel?

Why would you do this when you're meeting nice, normal people?

Salt of the earth folks, and you act like this?!

Honestly.

Regardless of my unexplainable antics, our books are signed. We met PW and MM.

The End.

Melissa

PS: 15 Friend Points to Jess and Ryan for hanging out with us at Borders even though they had no interest in PW.