A little over a year ago I read about
The Pioneer Woman in Southern Living magazine. I bookmarked her website for her photography. Then I heard Andrea talking about how funny she is so I decided to look into the site a little more. Well, now I'm addicted and make time each day to check her blog (just so I don't get behind too much or miss a great giveaway)! With her new book out she's doing a book tour and Atlanta was one of the stops. So, since several of my other good friends also read the blog and some have just read a few things, but needed a girls night out, we loaded up and headed to Atlanta for a girls night!
Andrea even decorated her car for the big occasion!!
We got there at 5:00 and were given a wristband with the letter "I" and that's how we would line up. At 6:00 when it started we had not lined up yet and were near the stairs/elevator. Some other big fans came up and quickly said that she's coming on the elevator. We knew we'd see her, but were so excited when we saw Marlboro Man (what she calls her husband) and her two sons who were with her.
I wonder if he always wears his cowboy hat when he's away from the ranch or if he just wore it since everyone who reads her blog has only seen him in his hat?!?! He probably wears it or he may feel naked!
We walked up towards where Ree was signing the books and Mandy almost ran into him...we were that close! Too bad I had on my fixed lens because I couldn't zoom out to get a good picture of the boys, but they were so cute!
We may have started something here, but I'm sure he was prepared for all these women to ask him to sign books as well. Ben, Amy's husband, would have loved to have met him, so she got him started with his first autograph.
I loved Stacey's question for him. She asked him if he ever expected any of this when they first got married and if it had been hard. He said no and that when it all started they had been married for 11 years or so and had a good relationship/routine established.
At this point it's after 6:00 and we still had not lined up. We took a seat in the religion section (it really just happened to be where we were standing) and Haley worked on planning a study for our small group while she waited on the "Frontier Woman" and the "Oregon Trail." We finally lined up around 7:00 and then had more waiting, but entertained ourselves with finding some other interesting books (one on Painted Cats...).
After some time of waiting, Marlboro Man's line was much smaller so I went to have him sign my book. Their boys had found some books to read. They were so well behaved to be there so long.
Finally at about 9:30 we were next in line. This was the stack of books that we gave her! (but it did afford us several minutes to chat with her)
Our group shot with P-Dub!! So glad that Alisa was able to join us after work!
Just as I expected...beautiful, sweet, down to earth, and a great multi-tasker! I could have never talked and signed books with the right name all at the same time!
And then it was over. Haley had mentioned while we were waiting that the "Oregon Trail" (what Colin, her husband had thought that this might be since he thought it was "Frontier Woman") was much longer than she anticipated. :) It was a long wait, but I thought it was all worth it and a night out with the girls!
We then headed over to
FlipBurger for dinner. A very trendy restaurant with a different menu, but very tasty!
I had the local burger...local organic grass-fed beef, tomme cheese, beef bacon, lettuce, yellow tomato, red onion, coca cola ketchup, pickled peach & pecans ...DELISH!! And the onion rings were outstanding...I could eat another serving of them right now!
To finish off the night we had a milkshake. I had the nutella and burnt marshmallows. It was so good!! They also have a Krispy Kreme milkshake that those that ordered it said was good. Now to go back and take our husbands!!