Blog-Stalking Confession...

Readers, I have a confessions to make.

Are you ready for it? Here goes.

I am a blog-stalker.

I shamelessly follow popular blogs (The Pioneer Woman, Joy the Baker, Enjoying the Small Things, Brown Eyed Baker, Confections of a Foodie Bride, to name just a few. No, honestly - that's just a few. I have a tab of all the cooking blogs I stalk, and it has 28 blogs - and counting - on it). I also shamelessly stalk blogs of friends and acquaintances, which I won't provide a list of...I'm not gonna lie, it makes me feel like a creeper.

There's something so great about blogs to me. I love reading other people's styles of writing, seeing their pictures, and getting insight into others' lives. My favorite blog of all is definitely Ree Drummond's: The Pioneer Woman.

I discovered her earlier this year when someone sent me a link to her recipe for The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever. Ree's personality shines even through her recipes, so I was instantly hooked. Next I read the story she wrote about her romance with her husband, entitled From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. After that, I was addicted. Completely infatuated and, yes, obsessed. Ree became my girl-crush, and I began talking about her as if I knew her.

I began cooking all her recipes, and checking her website for updates every day.

And then, a few months later, the most amazing thing happened.

Ever.

She announced her book tour, and guess where she was headed? The Pacific Northwest. And guess where I live? Oh yeah, the Pacific Northwest.

And I decide that when Ree came to the Portland area (and hour-and-a-half from me), I would be there - nothing would stop me.

So, long story short, I ended up driving an hour-and-a-half to Powell's in Beaverton. I arrived at 5:00 p.m. for the book signing that was set to begin at 6:00. I, along with around 450 other people, waited patiently for Ree to arrive. When she did, it was amazing. She spoke to the audience and answered several questions, as well as singing to us. She was as nice and sweet and funny as I had imagined she would be.

I settled in for a few hours of waiting (luckily I brought my studying in anticipation of a long wait). I met some really nice women and ended up chatting with them for an hour or two. They had higher ticket numbers than me, so they met Ree and said goodbye to me, then were on their way.

Finally, at 10:15 p.m., my number group was called. I got in line, waited patiently, I finally met Ree at 10:24 p.m.

It was the happiest moment of my life.

Okay, maybe not. But it's pretty high up there.

She was as wonderful as I thought she would be, and she graciously listened as I tried to get a sentence out - I was a bit star-struck. She signed my cookbook ("Love to Abigail! Ree/PW :)" and I was on my way.

And I was the happiest girl in the world.

♥ abigail