Thanks, Pioneer Woman!!

Wow, have you ever had something really good happen that you weren't expecting? Okay, I've had lots of things like that happen....like two wonderful babies being born (yeah, I literally WAS expecting babies, but I didn't know they'd be so wonderful); a handsome, kind, hard-working, God-loving man propose marriage to me (I said yes...ten months before the first wonderful baby made an appearance -- and when you get to your mid-30s, you aren't really expecting too much! But God saved the best for me!); a warm, nice, completely paid-for house (yeah, paid for!); lots of kind, thoughtful friends that amaze and bless me when I'm least expecting it....and so many more things!

But something happened yesterday that made me (again) thank God....and a dear friend I've never met. Yet.

My readers (all 3? of you...okay, more than 3 -- there's someone in Denmark reading my blog now....how did that happen? That is SO cool!) know that I really like and admire Ree Drummond -- The Pioneer Woman. (check it out at www.thepioneerwoman.com) I've linked several of her recipes and made reference to her. Love her family stories (do you think her kids are going to be super thrilled about some of the things she's written about them when they get older? That's the beauty of being a parent.... you can write what you want...and hope they still love you later!). Smile at her courtship story.

Are you still following around with all these "rabbit trails" I'm taking?

ANYWAY! With all her cooking posts, I was surprised (honestly) that she wasn't using Watkins products. Watkins quality is so superior to anything else you'll find, although some may beg to think otherwise (but they'd be wrong). Thru a series of comical events, the box was overlooked for almost two months. Then I got an email from her telling me how excited she was to try everything....that it was Christmas in July....and that she wanted to do a give-away linked to my Watkins website (www.watkinsonline.com/lindasuecarter) ON HER BLOG!!!! She wanted time to review the products to see what she thought of them first.

Seriously, folks, I was so excited I couldn't sleep that night. And that was the middle of our county fair where I was working my Watkins booth for 13 hours a day. With no breaks. I was tired. But too excited to sleep (that ever happen to you?). See, when she does give-aways (which is at least once or twice a week) she often gets over 40,000 comments and entries. Wow! Hello!

Then life got busy again -- a few different magazines did features on her. She was on a few television shows. She won best blogger in the US again for the second (maybe third?) time in a row. She started her new home-school year (and as a home school mom, I know that takes ALOT of time!). She published her first cook book. She's now on a national book tour. And each of these things got even more readers to her blog(s). But still nothing.

Until Saturday. Ree posted a new recipe. One I'm going to try simply because my husband asked me to. I won't have any though (sorry, Ree, if by some chance you stumble on my blog and read it). It's carrot-and-squash curry soup. You can find the recipe here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/carrot-and-squash-curry-soup/. Well, she posted it on her main blog...which immediately posted it on her Facebook page and to all her fans and friends there...and also to her new recipe blog, The Tasty Kitchen (you've GOT to check out this blog if you like cooking! http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/ -- Mark, you'd like the recipes, you really would).

And I've been getting catalog requests. Orders placed. And am sooo thankful to the generosity of Ree for linking my Watkins site to her blog.

I think she likes the spices. I hope she liked the rest!

THANKS REE!!! (yeah, I'm still excited!)