God Bless the Internet!

Recently when I wrote about why Facebook should be sainted, I told you about how I was going to get to meet my cousin Amy. Because of that post my cousin Robin started reading Amy's blog and now follows her on Twitter. That lead Robin to send me this e-mail.

I've been reading Amy's blog and we're now following each other on Twitter. She's in Africa and asking me about Krispy Kreme donuts this morning! So how are you related to her? Do you know yet when/where you'll meet her when she's in the states?

Imagine how excited I was to tell her that we're all cousins! Our grandmothers were three of 11 siblings. Because of all of this...Robin will be joining us for the mini reunion also!! Aaaaannnnddddd...since Robin's twin sister lives in the area of Texas that Amy is coming to, she's joining in!!! Can I tell you how incredibly stinking excited I am!?! But wait, it gets better. If Amy gets to come to the Dallas area we might add three more cousins to the mix. Amy's two sisters and Robin and Renee's sister. What a time to be an only child.

So there are the reasons I'm thanking God for internet. And Facebook. And blogs. And Twitter.

And family:c)

Look What I Got!

I am not feeling better, quite a bit worse actually. My throat and chest are so sore today that (this might gross you out) I have often spit out my spit instead of swallowing it. I know. Sorry. Since I've had strep twice a year, every year, since I was 13, I'm sadly used to that.

But we're not discussing that today. But one more thing. I had five wonderful comments from the nicest friends and family last night after my post. I feel blessed to have such thoughtful readers.

But, I am here to thank Kelli for her sweet gift. I stumbled across her blog like I do so many others. Clicking on a link from a site, clicking on another link, and so on. I'm sure we all do it. But boy am I glad I kept clicking that day! Her Cupcake Liner Wreath had me drooling. But I couldn't find out how she'd made the flowers. She said she'd found it online but after searching I didn't find anything that looked as cute as hers. So I made a comment and asked her where she'd found it. She did a blog post about it instead! Aren't these adorable? Sadly I've been too sick to craft. Now that's sick.

I was so honored that she took the time to do a post just off one comment. But then she went a step farther when these came in the mail. I love them both for such different reasons! The pin is 5 different fun fabrics together with what looks like a brooch on top. Two of the fabrics are chenille and one is corduroy. Hello gorgeous!

The other one has what looks like a watch band so that it can be worn comfortably on my wrist. The edges of the fabric are burned and curled in and it has two wired ribbon leaves. It also has a beautiful brooch. I am in love. Absolute love. I have seen some like this on other blogs and of course on Etsy, but I have the prettiest!

Thanks Kelli for giving me a silver lining to this yuck that I'm living right now. I'm honored!

Amelia

I have been amazed that this little blog that I started to keep my dad updated on the girls has evolved into what it is now. A place to share pictures, gripes, home improvement projects, crafts, and the weird ramblings that roll around in my head.

And the weird thing?

There are people that read every day. Every day there are those of you stopping by to see what nonsense I've come up with lately. I am in awe.

Because of my little spot in the blogosphere I have friends in my life that I count as some as the best I've ever had, and I've never met them! One is my precious Aussie friend Peggy. Having never met me she donated $500 to my fund raising to help find a cure for leukemia. We have exchanged e-mails and comments since then and I count her as one of my good friends. She will be in the US this summer and is making an Oklahoma stop. I can't wait to hug her and get to know her in person.

Another friend is Kelly. We met through a friends blog and have really gotten to know each other. We have so many things in common that it's funny. Well, except for the food she cooks. Being a deep South girl she is all about sea food. The day she blogged about cooking shark is the day that I thought about throwing up my socks. I still love her though! She is one of the strongest women I know, not based on physical strength, but the strength that she uses daily to live with two children that have a terminal illness. Add that to a recent surgery for her and an accident and recovery for her husband and I don't know how she puts her feet on the floor each morning. This morning I received an e-mail from her asking for prayer for her sweet Amelia. Her recent blood work showed her counts were down. For her condition that is frightening. Please join me in praying for Amelia and Kelly and her family. And stop by her blog and look at her family, thoughts, and recipes. But not the shark one if you're wearing socks!

Love you Kelly! I'm lifting you all up in prayer today.

And Peggy! This summer can't come soon enough! And I'm not just saying that because I'm freezing and don't have any gifts purchased or decoration up:c)

PW's necklace

**************UPDATED**************

Here's mine all finished.I'm in love.

I haven't been to The Affair of the Heart since McKinley was a baby. After my mom's death and my inheritance of all her possessions my home decorating changed from country/artsy crafty to traditional. But this year McKinley was invited by a friend and because of an event at church I ended up having to take her late and staying myself. It was still a lot of the country stuff but I did find a few things worth my money. But what I found the most of were ideas. Thanks to a tall friend and a cell phone I was able to get some pictures of some things I knew I could make.

I decided to make the first for The Pioneer Woman at her book signing.

I learned quite a few things to do wrong and a few things to do right.

Here we go.

You'll need:scrapbook paper, silver charms (size and shape of your choice), rhinestones, Mod Podge, a paint brush, and glitter.

And if you could please have some permanent pumpkin pieces (say that three times fast) on your floor, I'd appreciate it.

My paper had a sheen to it. It was pretty but meant that it took 2 1/2 years for the ink to dry. Well, not exactly. But I will say that I ruined about four before I got it to be smear free. Next time I will print in the morning and assemble at night. I found a pretty font and printed out the initials. Font size 72 is one inch and by measuring my charm I figured out that 14 would work best for me.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures but I get started and forget! I also had Mod Podge from my fingers to my elbows and was afraid to touch my camera.)

After it had an appropriate time to dry, I cut the letters out leaving a bit of space around each one. I then carefully held onto it and ripped around it so that it had rough edges. I covered the charm with Mod Podge and stuck the paper on. I Mod Podged around the edges being careful not to get it on the printing because it will smear. (Don't ask me how I know that.) While it was still wet I used tweezers to place the rhinestone and sprinkled the whole thing with glitter. I set it down to dry and later shook off the excess glitter. The last step was going to my local do-it-yourself jewelry store and buying a chain.

Here it is all finished and boxed up. Sure hope she liked it!

Now, who wants to make one for me?? I'd like one for each of my girls. An M, K, and R.

Anyone?

Oh fine.

Guess I better get busy!

Ree & Me!!

Wow.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

How much fun did I have last night? I don't think a word has been invented that can describe how much fun it was to meet The Pioneer Woman.

Because I assumed there would be a massive line I went to the bookstore as early as possible. For me that meant picking up the girls from school at 3 and getting to the store by 3:40. I was the first one! The very first. The, no one in the world was going to have their book signed before me. Yes, that one.

I was there for 45 minutes before my friend Phyllis came to join me. A bit after she got there a new friend (whose name I never found out. So sorry!) joined us and we had a wonderful time talking all things Ree and Facebook and blogs.

Soon enough the line was growing and we couldn't see the end anymore. But I was at the front so who cared?!

The camera crews and photographers started talking and getting their lenses pointed at the door and in came Ree, Marlboro Man, their four children, Betsy, Elliot, and I think Gaga. What a family reunion!

I had a hard time getting non-blurry pictures of them as they walked in but I did get this.

Hello cute boots! For someone that lives on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, she has style!

My friend Debbie took my camera and I stepped up. I handed her a little gift I'd made her and started talking. She apologized to me for the long wait! I told her three hours was nothing since I got to meet her!Question? Who looks like the country bumpkin in this picture? Um, yea, the one on the left does. It's okay, I can take it. But still...I had my picture taken with The Pioneer Woman!As she was signing her boys asked when they'd get to sign one. Marlboro Man said that this was for their mom, not them. I told them I'd love to have them sign mine if they wanted to. Yes, I feel special:c)Since Marlboro Man was standing right there I asked if I could have a picture with him. He said sure and I got in place. I will kill the friend who said something funny and made me laugh just as the camera snapped. I need to figure out how to Photoshop a better face on there and make this a better picture. Until now, please look at the man, not the goofball.The boys didn't last long and soon were at the little cafe having drinks. Wish I could have joined them.Her beautiful (and very tall) daughters made me want to have her genes. And jeans for that matter.Isn't Betsy beautiful? How about those genes?And as I left I couldn't help but notice who was parked next to me. Hello white Suburban! Of course I had to touch it. I do believe that I have officially achieved stalked status. But I'm done. They have left the town and I am done. But what wonderful memories I have of the day.A local restaurant had planned a Pioneer Woman meal that was supposed to start at 8 with her getting there soon after. Four of my friends and I headed down there to wait.

We could choose one of two appetizers-Black Bean Soup or Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing.

One of three main dishes-Linguine with Chicken Thighs, Grilled Ribeye Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce, or a shrimp thingy. No, that was not the exact name. I think it might have been this one.

For dessert there was only one choice. And one was all they needed. It was Pastor Ryan's Monkey Bread. Warm from the kitchen. Hello delicious.

We all ate to our stomachs content and chatted all things Ree. We all agreed that there was no way that she'd be there by 8. We had seen the line. Did someone actually think that she would tell the people in line, "Sorry, it's time for me to go." We all knew that she'd stay there until the very last person was gone.

I drove two of my friends back to their car at the bookstore but instead of getting in it they started walking back into the store. I yelled at them to wait for me and parked way too fast. Can you believe 3 hours later the line was still as long as when she started. Marlboro Man was walking down the line signing books for people! Such a nice husband. I could have run out to the car and gotten mine but I told myself it wasn't necessary. I had a picture with him. A bad picture of me of course, but still a picture.

So at the end of the night I was so happy that I'd braved my crowd fears and spend a wonderful evening with new and old friends.

And thanks to Ree for just being her. Real, genuine, and gracious. And a true beauty inside and out.

And just because....http://newsok.com/multimedia/photos/gallery/501778 .....here are the pictures of me from the newspaper. Number 14 is my personal favorite:c)

I'm giddy!

I have never had a celebrity crush.

I have never felt the need to go to concerts to scream at some cute band guy.

When interviewed for the radio once I was asked what famous person I had a crush on. Feeling under some pressure to say something I mentioned a local sports man because I really couldn't think of someone else.

But now....I have a little non-sexual crush. And I'm going to meet her tonight!

I am going to The Pioneer Woman's cookbook signing with about eight friends! One friend went ahead and bought the books so we'd be sure to get one. I plan to go at 4 to save places because we know by the time it starts at 6:30 there will be a big crowd. Wish me luck when people start giving me dirty looks when people join me.

I have made her a little gift and my camera is charged and ready to go. My clothes are laid out and all the plans are in place.

She might have a court order in place by the time I get home tonight.

But I can't wait!

Pictures, and I'm sure a good story, are coming soon!