Tick Tock - The Time Keeper Book Review

I've been reading The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom along with a few friends and today is my final Time Keeper post.  

No matter how you are with your time, I feel like you could gain perspective by reading this story.  You may or may not identify with Dor, Victor or Sarah.  The important thing is that you reflect on how you spend your time and who you spend it with.

If you don't stop and evaluate how you spend your time every once in a while, then shame on you.  

My thoughts -

• The story's ending was a stretch of imagination, but I liked it.  
• The characters in the novel show how much we can impact those around us and how enriched our lives are when we prioritize the right relationships.  
• As a Christian, I love that God was truly at the center of the story.
• It was fun to think of a "Father Time" and what role he could play in our lives.
• I wish anyone with suicidal thoughts would read this book - especially teenagers.
• I would love to hear what a teenager thinks of this book.  In fact, I just might loan it to one and ask her to read it and share her thoughts.  Do you have to live more of life to understand the concepts here?

My Favorite Quotes - 

• Dor to Sarah (p. 195) - "Time is not something you give back.  The very next moment may be an answer to your prayer.  To deny that is to deny the most important part of your future."
• Dor to Victor (p. 206) - "There is a reason God limits our days... To make each one precious."
• Dor to Victor (p. 208) - "When you are measuring life, you are not living it."

My Question for you - 

Even if you haven't read the novel you can answer this one.  Was there ever a time in your life that you thought you weren't making a difference but were later told your actions were significant to another?

If you read the novel, how has it impacted your use of time?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

~ Mrs. Priss

Reflecting on my use of time like...

Tick, Tock - The Time Keeper, Part Two

Bookcover from www.amazon.com 

If you are just joining in and have no idea what we are doing, you can catch up here, then here.
We have read to chapter 21, but I am getting impatient.  Let's just finish the book before my next post.  Okay with you?  Then it is settled.  
We will have our final book posting on October 9th and wrap it up.
Questions: 

1. Can you identify with any of the characters and their personalities?
2. What is your current attitude about time? In other words, if Dor was listening to your thoughts on time, what would he hear?
3. Share a quote or thought that impacted you while reading this portion of the book.
4. Anything else you want to say?

First, I'm going to say that I love this book in part just because it is different.  Sometimes I feel like I am reading the same storyline in a different book.  That happens when you favor a particular genre or author.  I'm not a fan of rotating characters in a book, but he seems to be making it work and I can see the necessity of it in telling the story.
I'm not going to provide a synopsis of the book this time because I want you to read the story!
1. I'm having a hard time identifying with the characters, personally.  I can see glimpses of myself in most of them, but not enough to feel mirrored.  If I had to pick one, I would say I am a bit like Dor in that I miss the miracles of daily life in pursuit of my goals.  I hope I don't get stuck in a cave for thousands of years for that.
2. Time.  OH BOY.  Let's just say my whole entire family laughs when they talk about me and my calendar.  Everything I do in life is future oriented.  Days are mapped out to the point of insanity.  I have a lot to do and I will feel like a failure if I don't get it all done.  In my pursuit of making a difference and covering all of the bases, I wear myself out but I am very efficient with my time.  I don't understand how anyone can sit without doing anything and not feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.  Even when we watch television I am folding the laundry.  Anyone else have this problem?
3.  I love quotes.  

• On page 46, the old man said, "Man rarely knows his own power."  This made me think of the movie Pay It Forward.  What we do, whether positive or negative, has an impact on others.  We are all connected.  If you haven't seen that movie, go rent it.  Rent it now.
• On page 47, the old man tells Dor, "The length of your days does not belong to you."  I'm anxious to see what direction we are headed with this one.  Your thoughts?  From a spiritual aspect, my days should belong to God as I follow His will for my life.
• On page 52, it tells Victor's story of childhood heartbreak.  His motto in life comes from tragedy - "holding on to things 'will only break your heart.'"  This explains Victor's struggle with emotions and attachments.  Do you sometimes put barriers up when you don't really need them?  I know I do.  When your heart gets broken, it is hard to open up and trust again.  Do you put yourself out there?

I have no #4 for you today.  I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and insights!

If you like the book, don't forget to tell your friends to read it together with us!  They can still post on our last installment coming up on October 9th!

~ Mrs. Priss

Enjoying a good book like...

Tick, Tock - The Time Keeper, Part One

Time's Up! Did you buy the book?

Bookcover from Amazon.com

If you didn't, I want you to know it is not to late.  It will take approximately 1 minute to read the first two chapters with us and you will be caught up! It was really hard for me to stop at Chapter Two.  Did you stop?  Did you keep reading? The first thing I noticed about this book was the dedication.  He dedicated the book to his wife who "makes every minute of life worthwhile."  How sweet is that? I wondered what other husband's might say to their wives if they dedicated a book to them.   Are you ready for this?

• "To my wife, for always being there and keeping us in line - keep living the life, babe!" (Mr. Sinclair)
• "I dedicate this book to my wife who has been a great wife to me and a wonderful mom to my two amazing children! My life would be empty without her!" (Mr. Hart)
• "To my wife: the hook that secures the bungee cord called our life." (Mr. Priss)

Since this book is about time, I decided to give you an official definition of the word time.  When I tried to define it on my own, I was stumped.  Think about it.  How would you define it?  The Macmillan Dictionary says that time is "a particular moment during a day, measured on a clock."  If you want to delve even further into the concept, I enjoyed reading about it on Wikipedia. This story begins with an introduction of main characters.  A girl needs more time in order to look her ideal best for a date.  A man finds out he is dying and wants to know how much time he has left.  We see the importance of time from different perspectives.  Hearing about the dying man might make us scoff at the girl's ridiculous pleas for more time so she can tone her arms or buy better clothing, but we know we have all been there.  How many times have we placed importance on gaining more time for things that do not hold long term significance? We also meet Dor (the future Father Time), Alli and Nim.  They are childhood friends playing outdoors.  Dor is notably different from the others.  He is fascinated with numbers and is the first on Earth to attempt counting and use numbers. Not that my Michael is Father Time, but it made me think of him and his early fascination with numbers and letters.  He, too, thinks differently from others.  My favorite quote in the first eight pages is this: "One different child can change the world."   I'm counting on it, but that's another story.  Hopefully, different in his case is a good thing. The author brings up a thought-provoking comment -  "Try to imagine a life without timekeeping." Can you imagine it? I live by my calendar.  Do you?   The closest I can get to imagining a life without timekeeping is to think of our family's beach trips.  On the days reserved for just playing on the beach, we have no specific time set to do anything.  We get to just... be.  If we are hungry, we eat.  If we are tired, we rest.  If we are warm, we get in the water.   But, even then, we are aware of time. This quote really brings the point home. Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life. ~ William Faulkner
Online Book Club Participation Guide:

• Leave a comment on our Facebook page or here on this post about the book, your thoughts, etc.
• Questions will be available each week to help prompt your comments, but you are not limited to these topics.
• If you have a blog and want to participate through your own posts, please leave your post address in the comments section with your comment.
• If you are going to read ahead (our pace may be killing you), please stop and take notes.  We will read about 50 pages at a time.  This is a bit of a snail's pace for me, but I don't want to lose any of you in the process.  Thoughts?
• Keep all comments positive.  We don't bicker with each other, do we ladies?
• Read!

Next Step: Read to Chapter 20 (page 56) by September 26th.

Today's Questions:

1. Can you imagine a day without keeping time?
2. What do you hope to gain from reading this book?
3. Does the setting of this book entice you to read more?

I look forward to hearing your comments!

Mrs. Priss
Ironically, giving you a time limit on this book like...

The RHOK Reads!

It has been a while since I have been excited about a quality book.  You know what I mean -- a book with substance, one that will make you a better person for reading it.  Believe me when I say that I enjoyed the Twilight series just as much as the next girl, but I love a book that makes me reflect on my life and want to be a better person for reading it.
Reading a Mitch Albom book always achieves this goal.
I've been doing some thinking about how I use my time.  It is our most valuable resource!  Sometimes I think I need to volunteer more, sometimes I feel like I need to volunteer less.  Am I spending time on things that truly matter?

Book cover picture stolen from Amazon.com

Today, Mitch Albom's new book The Time Keeper comes out.  It will be a bit pricier because it is new, but I'm hoping some of you will be willing to jump in and read it with me anyway.  Personally, I will be buying the hardcover edition instead of the e-book on this one.  I think it will be one I want my kids to read someday.
From the website: In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time. He returns to our world-now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began-and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so. Told in Albom's signature spare, evocative prose, this remarkably original tale will inspire readers everywhere to reconsider their own notions of time, how they spend it and how precious it truly is.  
My question for you is this.
WHO IS IN? Who wants to read this book with me?
If I get some RHOK readers to participate then I will be posting about it this month. I won't know if you are reading along with me unless you comment.  To get this thing going, please leave a comment at the end of this post or on our Facebook page.

If you are joining me, please get the book a.s.a.p. and read the first couple of chapters by Thursday, September 13th if you can.  Participants can either keep to commenting on the post that day (or under the post on the Facebook page) or may choose to post about it on their own blog and give us a link to their post.  If you post about it, I promise to get over there and comment on it.  I'm a giver like that.

I'm really hoping some of you will read along with me.

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller??

Mrs. Priss

Reading every night until my eyes won't stay open like...

Well Hello, Old Friend...

The old friend I'm referring to is books. I used to be an avid reader until.... I got an iPhone on my 40th birthday. That was three years ago. Let's count, shall we, how many books I've read since then.... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. I used to read that amount a month, at least. That silly little box of technology is just too much fun and gives such instant gratification. Oh, how I like my instant gratification. Some of my favorite things to do on my iPhone are Facebook (of course), Words with Friends, Scrabble, Pinterest, Instagram, and a bazillion photo editing apps. I absolutely love editing my iPhone photos with those apps and what better place to display them than Instagram and Facebook?! What's your favorite picture editing app?!

But, I'm not here to talk about my iPhone or app addiction. No, I'm here to tell you I've rediscovered my love of reading. However, I've not given up on the technology addiction entirely. You see, Priss shared with me how much she loves reading on her iPad. She also shared with me how much more she enjoys walking on the treadmill because of reading on the iPad. My daughters got iPads for Christmas from their grandparents. My youngest is 5 so she doesn't mind sharing with mama. I mean, she is at school when I go walk on the treadmill and then there is always bedtime for reading. I've got a sweet deal going. Oh, and by the way, there are some pretty cool photo-editing apps on the iPad that are different than the iPhone. I think I already have three folders full on her iPad. Hi, My name is Mrs. Albright and I have an addiction.

Normally an hour on a treadmill seems like two hours. Not anymore. Now my treadmill shuts off and I'm bummed. Did you just hear what I said?! That's not normal, for me anyway. I am loving the time alone to read for an hour uninterrupted. I don't even tell anyone I'm going to the gym because I want to go alone so I can read. It sounds a little selfish, but I'm enjoying my me time, burning  calories and reading. I actually look forward to going and I'm bummed if I miss a day. I will admit, I'm not getting the best workout because I'm only walking, but it's better than what I was doing before - NOTHING! I am burning calories and that's all that matters at this point. I've got so many extra calories to burn due to the holidays. Oy to the vey!

In case you are wondering what I'm reading, I will tell you. The first book I read on the iPad was a free one I found. It's a Christian fiction by Dee Henderson entitled The Witness. It's a murder mystery love story. It was quite good. I've just started a Christian fiction series that's the equivalent of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. It's called Angel in the Shadows by Lisa Grace. If you guessed it's about angels instead of vampires, you'd be correct. Have you read the books? Mrs. Montgomery read them and really enjoyed them. I think my teenage daughter will enjoy them as well.

I'm really happy to have my old friend back. I love living in another world for an hour at a time. Oh, and I haven't given up actual paper books. There really is no replacement for a real book with the smell of the pages as they turn. The real book that I'm reading is called A Discovery of Witches. Actually, I haven't read in it for months. But, I plan on picking it back up. My dear friend, Amy, LOVED it and is completely put out with me that I didn't read it non-stop as she did. Sorry about that, Amy. I WILL finish it, even if I have to buy in on the iPad. Ha!

 What are you reading? Are you on Shelfari or Good Reads to keep track of your books? I am on both, but I'm trying to get my books all moved over to my shelf on Good Reads. It's going to take some work.

Sweating with an old friend, like...

The RHOK Reads - Pioneer Woman - Final Chapter

So, here we are...at the final chapter of BHtTW. 
What are your thoughts?

Anybody feel like the last part of the book was kinda rushed?  I felt myself wanting more...more details, more description.  However, I still really loved it. 

What did you think of the book as a whole? The ending?

Do you think you could ever write a "tell-all" book about your life?  I'm not sure I would feel comfortable disclosing some of the more private moments of my life.  I wonder how MM felt about all that?

Were you a PW follower before reading the book?  If not, are you now?

Did you know that there is a blog called PWSux?  I think that's when you know you've really made it...when someone feels the need to hate you on a blog.

In other news, The Housewives will be at El Guapo's in downtown T-Town tonight for National Mom's Night Out!  WHUT?! WHUT?!  If you're attending, we're looking forward to hanging out with you!  We'll be sure to do a thorough post about the happenings here on the blog soon!

Hope you are all having a splendid week!

~Mrs. Edwards

...who is in desperate need of a Mom's Night Out!  Bring on the adult beverages.  Who's driving?

The RHOK Reads - The Pioneer Woman - Week 4

So, week 4...Part 3 of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.

Ree's life is anything but boring. 

I have to admit and come clean that I've been wrapped up in another book of sorts and it has me totally preoccupied.  I haven't even finished Part 3 (go ahead, shoot me now), but I know that Ree and MM get married...and that their honeymoon is, shall we say, eventful.

Seems as though something is always going wrong for Ree...she's a magnet for "magical moments".

What was your honeymoon like??  Eventful?  Blissful?  Disaster?  You ended up pregnant?  You did have one or you didn't have one?  Or your not married, but your ideal honeymoon looks like...Tell us about it.

Since, I'm a perpetual procrastinator...and easily distracted these days, thanks to my recreational reading, that didn't include The Pioneer Woman this week; we'll have to wrap up our Black Heels to Tractor Wheels next week.

...so, read to the end, if you haven't already and next week we'll wrap it up!

~Mrs. Edwards

who honeymooned in Jamaica at the young age of 20...at an all-inclusive Sandals resort (that didn't card you)that offered yummy banana creme drinks that you couldn't taste the rum in...mine was "eventful" and lovely.  Oh, and I lost the key to our safe in our room and we had to pay $100 to get our stuff out...but it was the morning of our departure, so they had to mail it to us...wedding rings, watches, bracelets, diamond earrings.  It was nerve-racking!  I think I had my first holy-crap-i-might-be-pregnant a week after we got back.  I was SO naive.  I laugh at that girl often.  Tell me about yours.

The RHOK Reads - The Pioneer Woman - Week 3

This week we've been reading Part 2 of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman.

I really loved these chapters.  Ree's inner dialogue is still one of my favorite things about this book.

I loved the part in Chapter 10 where she was at MM's cousin's wedding.  She was wearing a butter colored wool suit...in the summer...in Oklahoma.

Now, all of us good Okie girls know that wool and humidity do NOT mix.

I'm thinking Ree's desire to find the perfect outfit overshadowed her better judgement in fabric choices.

When she's standing stripped down in the bathroom at MM's grandparent's house, and MM comes looking for her and decides to wait for her outside the bathroom...and then Tim shows up...and she begins her silent prayer, I died laughing.

"Lord, please take me now.  I no longer want to be here.  I want to be in heaven with you, where there's zero humidity and people aren't punished for their poor fabric choices." 

Absolutely hilarious.  Have you ever had an experience like that?

Ree's tip: vodka + orange juice = truth serum.

Through the next chapter or so, we get a glimpse into the daily happenings between Ree and the MM.  They cook dinners, watch movies, and take long drives around the countryside. 

What is up with the bra-and-panty wearing grandma mowing her lawn??!!

The next thing we know, MM nonchalantly stops in the front yard and says "Oh, hey...by the way, wanna get married?"

Ree goes over all the things that implies...married women have short hair and get it "fixed" at the beauty shop...and make casseroles...and wear yellow gloves to do the dishes.  She thinks about it for a few more minutes and then just as nonchalantly says "yep"...in true Oklahoma fashion.

I guess I was waiting on some passionate-romantic-at-sunset-out-on-the-ranch-kind-of-proposal, but that'll work too. :)

What did you think of the proposal?

Feel free to discuss any of the questions I've brought up...or go off on your own tangents...that's fine too.  Remember comments and blog posts (that are linked up) count towards a Pioneer Woman Giveaway!

If you write up your own post, be sure to stop back by and link up!

Let's read Part 3 for next week, shall we?!  Sounds good.  See ya then!! 

Mrs. Edwards

...who's been known to partake of the "truth serum"...once or twice.

The RHOK Reads : Pioneer Woman - Ch. 6-9

Soooooo, we've been reading the remainder of Part 1 of The Pioneer Woman's Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.


What do you think so far?!


I'll tell you what my favorite thing is so far and then you can tell me what YOUR favorite thing is so far.

Deal?

Ok, so my favorite thing about BHtTW is Ree's inner dialog.  I LOVE the way she talks to herself...in her head.  It cracks me up.  Her wit and humor just explode on the pages.  It just draws me in and I devour the chapters.

If you're anything like me, you were *swooning* again this week.  So much romance and new, young love and chivalry...ahhhh...so sweet.

One of my fav quotes from this week's chapters was in Chapter 7.  Ree and Marlboro Man had just had a hot steamy date in the back of a pick-up truck.  Ree told him that she wasn't moving to Chicago.  MM drove her back into her parents' home on the golf course and they kissed at the door...passionate kisses, as always. When Ree is going inside the house she thinks to herself..."if this wasn't love, I reflected, then love should just be discontinued entirely."  LOVE that.

MM tells her that he doesn't want her leaving.

Chicago is cancelled indefinitely.

Then Ree starts professing her love for the MM.  Telling everyone.  Including J.

I don't know about you, but J was starting to get on my nerves.

Glad that seems to be over.

I was cracking up in Chapter 8 when she was looking for something to wear to her 5am date with MM and the rents.  She was searching through her closet looking for a piece of clothing that didn't scream "CLUELESS CITY GIRL!"  "CLUELESS CITY GIRL!"  "CLUELESS CITY GIRL!"  LOL.  Thank goodness for her little sis, Betsy, leaving behind a few items that were less city-fied.

The she put her car in the ditch, with MM's mom in tow.  awesome.

"I was Lucille Ball.  Lucille Ball on steroids and speed and vodka."  Oh, Ree.  You crack me up!  She survives the day and feels like she belongs on the ranch.

Then her dad drops the bomb.  Ree is questioning love.  She had been "excommunicated from her exalted position in the Church of the Stable Home".

MM does what he does best...takes charge.  Ree loves that.  (me too.)  He makes her laugh. (girls really love that.) She realizes that as uncertain as she is about love and the lasting effects of it, she is incomplete without MM.

He would "prove to be her savior, her distraction, her escape in the midst of troubles..."

PW Tip of the week:  spoons in freezer for reduced red/puffy eyes.

So, what's your favorite part so far?  Fav quote? 

You can either tell us all about it in the comments or write up a post of your own!  Remember to snag our button, stop back by, and link up your post!

Let's up our game a little this week and read the entire Part 2!  

Happy reading, y'all!

-Mrs. Edwards

The RHOK Reads : Pioneer Woman - Ch. 1-5

This week, we were reading Black Heels to Tractor Wheels chapters 1-5.

So, what do you think so far?

I'm LOVING it!  I have to tell you that I've been preoccupied by a few other books this past week, but I stopped to read BHTW and I'm in love.  The way Ree tells the story is so captivating...just like her blog.  I feel like we're BFFs and she's telling the all the juicy details of her dates.

You guys feel free to tell me any of the juicy details of your dates.  I'm a good listener.  I love juicy details.

I think my favorite part of the book so far is in Chapter 4.  Ree got lost on the country roads after leaving MMs house after a date.  She was so caught up in her thoughts that she couldn't find her way back to the main road.  So, she gives in and calls MM.  Of course he comes to her rescue.  After leading her to the highway...he stops his truck and gets out...

Then this is it...my favorite part and I quote...

"He didn't say anything at all.  He opened my car door, pulled me out of the car, and kissed me as I'd never been kissed before."

If you did not S-W-O-O-N when you read that, you should check your pulse...you might be dead.

Plausible Questions/Writing Prompts for this week:

• While reading the first chapter, and reading about all of Ree's exes, could you identify with any of them...have you had a J or a Mr. B or a Kev in your life?
• Anything surprising you learned about Ree?
• How would you have handled ex-boyfriend, J?
• Ever experienced that strong of an emotional pull from someone you just met? 
• Do you believe in "love at first sight"?
• Tell us about a past dating experience.

Feel free to answer one or all of these questions in a post on your own blog!  Grab our snazzy button (Thanks, Mrs. Sinclair!) and link up with us today!

For next week, we're going to read the rest of Part 1, chapters 6-9.

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, and feedback!

Mrs. Edwards,

smitten by the Marlboro Man

The RHOK Reads - Pioneer Woman - Week 1

Hello, fellow RHOKstars...and readers! 

<a href="http://therhok.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The RHOK" src="http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo160/ajsouthern/readwithrhok-1.jpg" /></a>

Hopefully everyone has picked up their very own copy of Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman...PW...PDub.


If you haven't bought, downloaded, or checked-out your book, don't panic.  You still have time!  We're going to start this week reading chapters 1-5.  So, you still have time to get your book and start reading!


You know what is SO COOL about Ree?  Besides the fact that she is THE Pioneer Woman...and she's beautiful...and funny...and uber cool?  She's a blogger.  I think it's something that the majority of us can identify with.  The beginnings of this book started on her blog as weekly installments chronicalling her love story with the Marlboro Man.  Some of you who are long time followers probably remember reading some of these stories on-line at ThePioneerWoman.com. 


Your assignment for the next week is simple.  Just read the first 5 chapters.  That'll get us half way through Part 1.  I think it'll be a breeze.  Ree's writing is so easy to read...it's just flows so naturally.  Next week, we'll post some discussion questions over the first 5 chapters.  You'll be able to discuss them with us in the comments or create a post of your own discussing the chapters.  We'll have our snazzy button up that you can grab...it'll be fun!


Remember for every time you comment or post during our RHOK Reads posts, you'll be entered in a Pioneer Woman giveaway, that will include a PW Cookbook among other things!


Also, if you have questions you'd like to submit for discussion, shoot us an email and we'll include them in the next week's blog post (giving you a shout-out, of course).


We love crowd participation!


First 5 chapters...GO!


Happy Reading,
Mrs. Edwards

The RHOK Reads

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Yep, you read that right.  We read.

We're hoping that you do too, or that you would at least be willing to read a little with us!  We're going to start a little blogging book club titled "The RHOK Reads".  I'm not sure if this will be a monthly meme or just an every-once-in-a-while thing, but one thing I know for sure is that it's going to be fun!!  Swearsies.

For our inaugural book, we've chosen none other than the The Pioneer Woman's novel, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.  It is Ree's account of how she went from a city-girl to a country-girl in rural Oklahoma.  She's a wife, mom, housewife, amazing cook, baker, blogger, and now author of a best-selling book!

Synopsis (from B&N website)

"That's when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room."

"I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.

Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected.

This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.

It's the story of a cowboy.
And Wranglers.
And chaps.
And the girl who fell in love with them."

Doesn't that sound super romantic?!  I can't wait to start reading!

Mrs. Albright, Mrs. Montgomery, and some other RHOKers went to the recent book signing at the Mayo Hotel.  You can read about that in yesterday's post!

We'll start reading next Thursday (March 31), so that gives you a whole week to find your book (or download it)!  I've seen it at Super Target and Barnes and Noble.  You can also purchase it on Amazon.com (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - click the title).

Each week we'll assign a certain number of chapters and there will be some discussion questions you can ponder while you're reading and come back here and chit-chat with us about them.  You can even snag our button and write your own post as we read (or as a final review).  We'll open up a McLinky each week for you to link up with.

As an incentive, each time you comment on The RHOK Reads posts and/or link up with your own post, you'll be entered in a Pioneer Woman Giveaway!  I'm not sure what will be included, because I'm just flying by the seat of my pants here, but it'll be great.  Promise!

I'm really looking forward to reading with you guys! (because I'm totally geeky like that)

~Mrs. Edwards

...and a nerd.