Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: Part Two

Holy Cow, I'm actually posting past the first section of the book club questions! I usually get too far ahead and can't remember the specifics of what that week's discussion is about, or too far behind and don't want any spoilers.

So this week is Part Two of Pioneer Woman's Black Heels to Tractor Wheel. Questions from the book clubbers and my responses below:

From Samantha:

What did you think of Marlboro Man's proposal? How would you feel if you were proposed to like that? I love that it was so casual and how off guard she was caught. We he called to say he was at her house, I knew it was coming. I thought it was perfect for their relationship. With anyone else, she probably would have known it was coming, suspected it, or saw signs. With Marlboro Man, she was always on her toes, she never knew what to expect.

She wrote a lot about never riding in a pickup truck before and how she used to judge girls who rode in the middle. After being with Marlboro Man she felt differently and actually wanted to ride in the middle. How do you feel about that? Have you ever judged somebody and then after learning more, regret that you had judged them? I think there are a lot of things you can judge until you're in the situation. Not knowing where that couple comes from or their background, you don't understand everything they do. Once you're in the situation yourself, you can form your own opinion. I think there are a lot of people who would judge "country folk" for one thing or another, but then try it themselves. Like Nascar? Who could ever watch cars go in a circle for 4 hours? Go to a race, then you understand. It's super exciting and just plain old FUN.

From mcbracey:

After their first fight, did it make you question if Marlboro man was the one to give up everything for, or was Ree willing to do it because it was easy when everything else seemed hard? I think as Ree said, she didn't know what to do, Marlboro Man had always taken the lead. I think she had to work that out herself, how to respond. I love that by the time she figured out what needed to be done, Marlboro Man had already moved past it. That first fight is always awkward and is never as bad the next day as it seems at the moment.

Do you wonder what Ree is doing all day? How is she financially making it? Is she really just waiting around all day to meet up with Marlboro man at night? I just assumed that her parents were taking care of most of her finances, plus she probably had money saved up for her move to Chicago, once that plan was canceled, she could dip into that fund.

Would you let your now husband duck out of your reception to watch a football game? NO. Never. I also would have planned the wedding around sporting events. My husband is a football and hockey fan. We got married in March where the main sporting event is the NCAA Tournament. I don't even think there were any major games going on the night of our wedding. I still check the Steeler's schedule before I RSVP anytime anyone invites us to an event September - December.

From Erin:

So many embarrassing things have happened to Ree in front of Marlboro Man. What is the most embarrassing story that comes to mind when you think of embarrassing things that have happened to you in front of a significant other? I think my most embarrassing things have happened when inebriated. I have sworn him to never speak of those events again.

How would you have reacted to being around for the prairie fire? I think it would have been exciting, but scary. I would have stayed as far away as possible, while still being able to keep an eye on Marlboro Man. After seeing it, I think I would have reacted the same way she did "You can't go fight fires anymore, they're DANGEROUS!!!!!!" Anyone else read the chapter about the prairie fire the same day there was one in real life on her ranch? She was blogging/tweeting about it and I was thinking "I just read about the first one you saw"

From Rachel:

There have been so many funny little stories along the way in the book. What has been your favorite? Any favorite lines? I just love the way she tells stories altogether. I ate her book up, every single page. I love when she posts more than just recipes on her blog, however, even the way she writes up a recipe post is entertaining as well. I want her to write more!!!! More Pioneer Woman!!!!!

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

This month we are reading Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman. She is one of my absolute favorite bloggers. I LOVE her sense of humor and her recipes are AMAZING. Every single thing I've made of hers turns out phenomenal. This is her story of how she met and married her husband. I am loving every single page and can't stop myself from reading ahead! I love her voice when she writes and feel like I already know so much about her from her blog. There are several questions submitted from the girls in the book club this week, I'll just pick a couple to respond to.

While reading Part I of Black Heels, did you find yourself comparing your own love life/story to Ree's? I haven't so much been comparing Ree's story to my own, I am just lost in her world and love reading about how her Marlboro Man courted her and how they fell in love. Knowing how happily married she is and how obsessed she is with her husband and kids, it's great getting to see how they got there. It's almost like being able to pull back the curtains of her blog and getting all of the juicy details. Maybe it's just the nosy side of me, but I love reading about the details of their dating.

 Have you ever felt an instant connection with someone? How did it turn out? I had met Hubs a couple times before we actually started dating when I was bartending. The first time we hung out away from the bar, I knew there was more to it. We were with a group of people, but I couldn't tell you who was there. We were in our own little world just concerned about getting to know each other. At the end of the night, he put his arms around me and said "we fit". And here we are today, a week away from our two year wedding anniversary and 5 1/2 years after that night. 


If you were Ree and started to question your life plan (leaving Cali, moving to Chicago, being independent for a while)...how would you feel when this sudden romance came into your life at the 'wrong' time? I couldn't believe she canceled her move to Chicago for this guy she had been dating for only a couple of weeks. Of course, if she only had an apartment lined up and no job waiting, it wouldn't be as hard to put it off and see where things went with her new flame. However, it was still a HUGE leap of faith for her to cancel her move and see where things went with Marlboro Man. Thank goodness she did or else we wouldn't have The Pioneer Woman!!!!

I love all the details of Ree's cooking for Marlboro Man in the early stages of their relationship. Have you ever made anything for the guy in your life that was just an utter disaster? Did he choke it down anyway? I absolutely love hearing about their early cooking adventures. Just from reading her blog, I knew a couple things, like what the first dish she had made for him. I can't believe she went from vegetarian to eating steak with him. I never in a million years would have guessed she didn't always eat meat from all of her cooking posts. I have definitely had some disasters. Luckily Hubs has been forgiving and I think only one dish I've made went uneaten after the first bites. So far I've taken it pretty easy in the kitchen, trying mainly dishes that would be categorized as easy, but we're moving along and I love making something new that he loves and stashing that recipe away for another day.

 How much of Ree's book do you think is truth or fiction? How much did she embellish? Do you think she omitted or added anything? Obviously she couldn't get EVERYTHING that happened during this period of her life in the book, but I kept wondering what was left out and if some of the stuff she was writing was built up just a teensy tiny bit I really REALLY want to believe that it is pretty true to life. There have to be some embellishments, but I want to believe that they really did have this amazing of a romance. I certainly don't think MY life could be made into a book, but I'm glad hers was, I'm enjoying every minute of it. One day I'll have to meet her and find out how much was true and what was embellished.


If you haven't read this book yet, I can't say enough how much I love it.  If you aren't following Ree's blog already, go do yourself a favor. Give yourself some time to get lost in the recipes and have your printer ready to go, you'll want them all. I am so happy we picked this book and can't wait to keep reading!!!!

Ape House - Chapters 1-12

Our online, blogger bookclub, is reading Ape House by Sara Gruen, the author of Water For Elephants. I'm only 12 chapters in and I LOVE it. So good. Below are my answers to the questions for the first 12 chapters. SPOILER ALERT. If you plan to read this book, which you should, stop reading here!!!!!

Alright, now that we got that out of the way....

I immediately fell into love with this book. I can't wait to see where it goes. I had to make myself stop reading last night so that I could finish weekend chores and so I didn't finish the book in one sitting.

1. What was your initial reaction to the idea of a language lab with bonobos who are capable of having conversations with humans? I didn't see this concept as too far fetched. I think that they are probably closer to us genetically that we think they are. I know ASL has been taught to some primates, probably the extent of their language skills was the most surprising. The fact that they could be asked to accept or reject visitors, order food, etc was a little far out there, but it's fiction, we'll just roll with it. I have no doubt that animals can express emotions and the fact that they can actually vocalize (by signing) their feelings would create a unique bond between the bonobos and their caretakers.

2. Isabel said early in the book that the apes know they're apes and know that the humans are humans, but they don't see any superiority with either... What do you think the major difference is between the two? I think that she meant that the apes don't think that being human is better than being ape. They are living a pretty sweet life, getting taken care of in a controlled environment with humans that genuinely love and care for them more than just a science project. I don't think that they are envious of the people around them for BEING human. This could maybe be similar to boys know they are boys and that girls are girls, but one is not better than the other.

3. What are your thoughts on John and his feelings toward Isabel? How do you think their relationship will play out? I was guessing from the beginning, based on how John described his day with Isabel, that he was into it more than just platonically. And then we found out he has a wife. A wife that he cares for. But he can't get Isabel off his mind. I think that they will have a romantic relationship, I would be surprised if they didn't at least slip up and share a kiss.

4. How do you think Isabel will respond to the apes being taken? I think she will track them down and try to rescue them from their new owners. It was heartbreaking that the University would just sell them off at the first sign of trouble, especially after having put so much time, money, effort, and personnel into the project.

5. Do you think Celia is part of the team that ambushed the learning center? No, I think it would be too obvious if she is. Although, it would only be one step deeper to show alternative motives. I like Isabel a lot, I think that if she believes that Celia is innocent, she may be right. I will be sad if she turns out to be involved.

6. What are your thoughts on John and his relationship with Amanda? I think John is having a rough go of it right now. At a time where his wife seems to be in a depression, he meets this new girl, Isabel. By the time he gets home, Amanda has a turn of events that may be her key to getting her life back on track. Now that he's already let his thoughts and emotions consider Isablel, he's torn between getting his wife back and the new girl. I hope he sticks with his wife, supports her, and they turn out OK. 

What are your initial impressions of the book? Love it? Hate it? Think it's ridiculous and over the top? I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks!

Book Club: Commencement, Part One

When this book was selected for our next read at http://bookendbloggers.blogspot.com/ I thought it would be a puff piece. From the description I thought it would be just a quick and easy read without to much depth. After finishing Part One I was convinced that there was a lot more to these girls and so much in their lives I could identify with.

Here are this week's questions:


1. Which girl do you identify the most with?
I think I identify with Celia the most. She ended up at Smith almost by default. I kinda chose Penn State for what it wasn't more than what it was. It wasn't too close to home, it wasn't where half my graduating class was going, and it wasn't anywhere anyone in my family had already been. I was excited to be going to college, but sad to leave my high school years behind. I had a great group of friends that was scattering across the East Coast. I was shy, but eager to meet the girls would I would be living with for the next four years.

2. If you're a college student or graduate, what similarities or differences do you see between this story to your own college experience?
I feel like my freshman year college experience was very similar to this. I bonded with the girls on my floor and made friends that would last my whole college career. We ate together, we studied together, we worked out together, and we partied together. Penn State is a HUGE school, so immediately bonding with these girls helped create our small niche and made it a little bit smaller and a little bit more like home.

3. Which girl do you think has changed the most since her time in college? In what ways has she changed?
I think that Sally has changed the most. She was so bent and determined to be a doctor and is now a lab assistant at Harvard with her priority now being her fiance'. I think a lot of people have hopes and dreams of what their life will be and where they believe they will end up. I think a lot of that is naive to think you can plan your entire life at 18. So often with a little world experience, your values change and your priorities shift.

When I was in high school and starting college I thought I would be working in politics, working on Capital Hill or for a lobbyist. Once I graduated and entered the real world I realized that a staffer job on Capital Hill probably wouldn't pay my bills, Law School wasn't happening and there needed to be a change in plans.  I jumped right into Corporate America to bide my time. Now I'm married with two dogs and my family is my priority.  I now dream about what to make for dinner and keeping a neat and tidy house instead of a career that would take over my entire life.

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes - Bookclub Week 2

Another week of book club questions! I love the format last week, it was so fun popping from blog to blog seeing what everyone said and meeting new, fun people!

This week's reading was Chapter's 11 - 20:

1. Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?
I think Tim and Marty hadn't really planned out what they would do at this point. They dropped of the Governor's wife with CeeCee and then just expected him to give in to their demands. I don't think they had any alternative plans and really thought it would be quick and easy.

2. What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?

I was scared for Genevieve and the baby. Genevieve seemed so confident that they could do this, but without someone with experience there, things would go terribly wrong. 

3. After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?

I would like to think I would turn the baby in. I would realize that making things right would get me in trouble immediately, but would be less harmful if continuing on with the charade. 

4. Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding onto hope that Tim will come for her?

I think that CeeCee trusted Tim that he wouldn't have gotten her into this if it meant never seeing each other again. She believed that Tim was her true love and she was his, he wouldn't be able to live without her either. I think she believed that they would be on the run together and that he would find her eventually. 

5. How do you think Eve will establish her new identity in Virginia?

Eve has to pull herself together and move forward with her life. She has to assume that she will not be found and live her life now as Eve wholeheartedly. She won't be able to move on if she's always looking back. 

6. What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through with the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, and the relocation?

 I think these events forced CeeCee to grow up and quick. Her new identity put her one year ahead already, but now she is on the run from the law and a mother. I'm sad for her that she got caught up in all of this and it has changed the course of her entire life. I want to like her and cheer her on, but that is so hard when she has made such bad decisions! 

Since I've already finished the book I'm so looking forward to the next couple of weeks and seeing everyone's reactions! I really loved this book and am enjoying sharing it with everyone! 

Happy Monday!

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes - Bookclub Discussion

I've recently joined an online/blogger book club. I've always wanted to find a fun book club to join and in the midst of my reading frenzy that has started once I got my Kindle, one of the bloggers I follow (Blue-Eyed Bride) announced that she was starting an online book club at Book Beginnings and Bookends. The first book we are reading is The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.

The assignment this week was the first ten chapters, but the book was so good I could not put it down!

Our discussion questions for this week:

1. What was your first impression of Tim?

I really wanted Tim to be a good guy. I was weary of why a graduate student would be interested in a 16 year old waitress. Him studying Social Work made me want to like him, but I had such a hard time getting past the age difference and creapiness factor.

2. If you were in CeeCee’s position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim? 

No, absolutely not. I hope that at 16 I wasn't that impressionable to be swept up into a plan as dangerous as that.

3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim? 

Tim is an older man who she has been eyeing for a while. Once her crush is no longer one sided, she is ecstatic about her new flame and ready to do whatever he wants/needs. Not to mention he is her first and all of the baggage that goes along with that. She is starry eyed and in lust.

4. Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee?

I think CeeCee has it hardest. She has been through some tough times, losing her mom at 12, foster care until 16 and then is out on her own. I can't imagine having to provide for myself at 16, living away from home and holding down a job. That is enough to deal with and on top of that she has Tim in her life influencing her to follow him down a dangerous path.

5. What character trait(s) about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first ten chapters? 

I thought she was awfully naive. She fell head over heals for this older guy, blindly thinking that he is the one for her and that she is the one for him. She will follow him wherever he asks, even against her better judgement. She is so eager to keep him in her life, she trusts that he also has her best interests in mind.

6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems? 

I was disappointed in the very childish decision she made to follow Tim. She seemed very young and small when she went against her better judgment. However, I think once she is embedded in the plan with Tim, she steps up to the plate. She is only 16 but has put herself in a very adult situation. It's either sink or swim and she is determined to survive although she doesn't know how that will be possible.

If you haven't read this book, check it out!!! Join the discussion at http://bookendbloggers.blogspot.com/