It’s been a few months since we finished the first phase of The Building, and as I pointed out in this post, we have been loving it. It was a pretty big project just getting that phase done, and considering the office is only 1/4 of the entire building, we have wanted to spend time getting a firm plan in place before hitting the ground running on the next phase, which will be the deli, mercantile store, and event space.
My husband and I lost our marbles back when we decided to buy this old building, but we’re so glad we did. Who needs marbles anyway? Marbles are boring. That said, getting the first phase done and dusted required so much intensive (and intestinal) effort and focus, Ladd, his mom, and I were astounded that we still loved one another by the time it was finished. Not that the process was fraught with disagreement and strife—more that it was such a continual drip-drip-drip of decisions and judgment calls, that by the time it was finished, we were even more bereft of marbles than when we started.
That is why, after a few months of planning the remaining 3/4 of the building, my honey and I finally surrendered and decided to bring in some outside help for the planning stage. I guess you could say we woke up with new marbles one morning. We had sketched and discussed and thought and wondered and chosen and rechosen and second-guessed…then one day it occurred to us that for the new spaces—spaces that will actually involve humans other than our own family—it would make way more sense for us to bring in someone who actually knows what in tarnation they’re doing. Ha.
(I can hear you saying it. I can. “Geez, Ree—asking for help. What a concept!” Ha. You don’t think I hear you, but I do.)
I’m so happy that we threw up our hands and decided not to plan this whole darn thing ourselves for the following reasons:
* I don’t know anything.
* My husband has a ranch to run.
* I have stuff to do, man.
* If Ladd and I had kept going by ourselves, the project would be completed in approximately July of 2047, which is way past our original deadline.
* I can spend my energy and focus on the vision and the fun of the place rather than the pipes, ducts, and codes.
* This thing is actually going to happen now!
So whether you read this as a positive development or a cautionary tale about being willing to surrender and ask for help at an early stage, it’s up to you.
Just wanted to fill you in on the status of things! I’ll keep ya posted as things start getting exciting.
Love,
Me
Ree Drummond is the founder of The Pioneer Woman and a lover of butter, basset hounds and life on the ranch! Ree started her blog in 2006, and now millions visit ThePioneerWoman.com every month for her trusted recipes and fun family stories. Here’s what she has been up to since it all began:
New York Times Bestselling Author
Ree has written two memoirs (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and Frontier Follies) plus nine bestselling cookbooks:
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (2009)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier (2012)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (2013)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime (2015)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! (2017)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier (2019)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy (2021)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready! (2023)
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The Essential Recipes (2025)
Food Network Host
Since 2011, Ree has been sharing simple, family-friendly recipes—and the occasional kitchen prank!—on her award-winning show The Pioneer Woman, filmed right on Drummond Ranch. Ree is also a regular judge on Food Network competitions, including Christmas Cookie Challenge.
Founder, The Pioneer Woman Collection
Ree has been creating and selling kitchen and home products at Walmart since 2015 and she’s involved in designing every piece and pattern. The line now includes best-selling appliances (you have to see the floral blender!), plus hundreds of pieces of cookware, tableware, and more. Ree doesn’t like to play favorites but the Agatha print has a special place in her heart.
Restaurant and Hotel Owner
Together with her husband Ladd, Ree has opened several bustling businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, including The Pioneer Woman Mercantile—a bakery, restaurant, and general store that draws visitors from across the country (many come for the biscuits alone!), P-Town Pizza, Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop, and The Boarding House, a charming hotel with eight different rooms decorated by Ree and Ladd.
Media Personality
Ree appears regularly on national TV shows like Today, Good Morning America and more—all while managing to keep flour off her shirt.
Wife, Mom and…Grandma!
Ree’s kids (daughters Alex and Paige and sons Bryce and Todd) are all grown up, and as of December 2024, Ree is the proud grandma of the cutest baby ever, Sofia Scott, born to Alex and her husband Mauricio. Ree still cooks for Ladd (and the kids when they’re home), and she also looks after a few mischievous ranch dogs.
