Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Thankful for Hodgepodgers and Pioneer Women

What would a week of Thanksgiving be without the Hodgepodge?  We're all grateful to have a springboard for our thoughts every Wednesday, right?

Before I post this week's questions I have to share a picture-


Why, yes that is me (scrunched down at a very awkward angle) with my new best friend, The Pioneer Woman.  

Okay maybe not my best friend, but I'm absolutely certain we'd be friends if I lived on a neighboring Oklahoma ranch instead of a Big Apple suburb. Last Saturday Kim (Kimberly's Korner) and I went to a nearby town to meet Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman.  As an aside, Kim and I met through our blogs and discovered we lived not too far from one another which has been fun.  On Saturday she drove and I talked her ear off.

Anyway, Ree Drummond was signing books, specifically her new Christmas book for children, but also her cookbooks.  The store had a problem with their shipment of her newest cookbook so they only had her first one and her children's books for sale.  I was hoping to get her newest cookbook so was a little disappointed, but when I mentioned it that night to my daughter she pointed out I already own the new one.  Good grief.  I knew that.  As soon as she said it I knew it.  I've actually even made some of the recipes in that book.

Sometimes I worry my very own self.

The Pioneer Woman is positively adorable! She's funny too, and seemed so down to earth. Maybe that's because she isn't someone who went out looking for fame the way so many people do today. Instead, fame found her.

A lot of celebs decide to write children's books thinking, "I'm famous and people will buy it so why not?" I love that PW's children's books are based on the real life antics of her dog Charlie. She has four kids of her own and the books feel like a natural extension of life with a lovable, slightly lazy dog on a working ranch. On Saturday she had all the kids in the store gather round (one climbed right into her lap) while she read her latest, Charlie and the Christmas Kitty.  This story included a line where Ree barked just like a Basset Hound and the kids absolutely loved it. We definitely should be neighbors.

Coincidentally I'm making one of our favorite PW recipes tomorrow night-Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp, and actually I plan to have daughter2 prepare the dish.  She's made it before, and in my house when you do a task once it's yours for life.  How do you think hubs ended up with the job of cleaning our shower til the end of time?

If you come to my house be careful what you volunteer for-Ha!

Okay, I know not all our Hodgepodgers are American, but gratitude for all we have is universal so everyone can still play along with this week's questions.  Be sure to waddle on over here tomorrow so we can link our answers...


1. Turkey-love it or leave it?  White meat or dark?  What's your favorite thing to make using leftover turkey?

2. Gotta burn off all those carbs the day after a holiday feast so which would you rather do-run a 10K or climb a mountain?

3.  Do you feel like social networking has made your relationships better or worse?  Explain.

4. How do you find and express gratitude for the hard things in your life?

5.  In the US, the day after Thanksgiving has been dubbed 'Black Friday'.  Is most of your holiday shopping done live and in person, or is it done more through the magic of the Internet? How do you feel about stores opening at midnight Thanksgiving night? Will you be out amongst the masses on Friday?

6.  Speaking of the color black-which black item in your wardrobe would you say is your favorite?

7.  What do you appreciate about your life today?

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

19 comments:

  1. That is so cool! I have one of her cookbooks. I didn't know she had two different ones. I also didn't know about her childrens book, I will check them out. I love watching her show and seeing her children. I made her Chocolate Sheet Cake for Mark on Sunday for his birthday. Thanks for our questions, see you Wednesday.

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  2. I've heard of The Pioneer Woman - so very cool that you got to meet her! And you're not the only one who worries herself. I typically do that on a daily basis! lol

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  3. Funny you already had the new cookbook and didn't realize it. :)

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  4. I am so jealous you got to meet PW! Seriously, if I had a genie and 3 wishes, one of them would be to go to OK and stay a week with her and her family on the ranch :) Off to ponder my answers for this week!

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  5. This month I met Holly Becker, blogger and author of Decor8. It is so fun to meet those that you've followed so long that you feel you know them. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. I love the Pioneer Woman! I'm so thrilled to hear that she's as fun in real life as she seems in her books and on her blog. :) And I'm excited to finally have gotten to the Wednesday Hodge Podge *before* Thursday. :)

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  7. Good picture. I have found that getting an autographed cookbook makes me not want to open it up because I'm afraid to mess up the autograph! LOL

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  8. Had to laugh about wishing you had her new cookbook, only to be told that you already have it (and have made recipes from it). That so sounds like something I would do!

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  9. Lovely photo! It's so nice to meet online friends in real life.

    I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. Have some turkey for me!

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  10. I would so like to meet Ree Drummond and you too for that matter!

    Thanks for the great Hodgepodge questions. See you tomorrow, hopefully with some answers. :)

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  11. OK well I read your blog and I read her blog and you met her so through six degrees of web separation I feel like she is my bff too. How fun!!

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  12. That's a great picture. I love the bright background too.
    I think it's funny you didn't remember you had the cookbook. I can totally relate. I often forget I have a certain piece of clothing in my closet. Same thing. Isn't it? Ha.

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  13. What a great photo! It's so cool that you got to meet her. I love her recipes. The shrimp dish sounds delicious. I would love to try that. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!

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  14. So happy to see the photo of you with Pioneer Woman; hers was the very first blog I ever read...and I still love it.
    Enjoy your Thanksgiving, Joyce.

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  15. How fun! She never comes to my neck of the woods so I'm jealous.

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  16. Last spring my mom and I met The Pioneer Woman at a book signing near Pittsburgh, PA. She was so nice. It was such a fun day. We are also planning to have the spicy lemon garlic shrimp this week while my girl is home from college. Yum!

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  17. What a neat experience! Glad you were able to meet up with her!

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  18. You met the Pioneer Woman??? I'm starstruck over her. You look beautiful as always. That red background is quite bright, I must say though. How did the recipe turn out?

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