(Photos by my beloved.)
When the kids get home from a long day of working cattle, all they want to do is run in the house, turn on Dragon Ball Z Kai (or American Idol, depending on age and gender) and relax.
But unsaddling the horses always has to come first.
I remember a time–and it doesn’t seem all that long ago–when Marlboro Man had to undo the cinches of each of the kids’ saddles…and carry the saddles, one by one, into the barn.
They’re heavy, unwieldy suckers.
(The saddles. Not the children.)
But now…all but one of the kids of them can do it themselves.
*Sniff*
WAAAAAAAAH!
Stop growing up, my children. Stop.
I would like to state for the record that I am going to die when my children become adults and leave the house.
Just die. Shrivel up and fall over and die.
So I’ve come up with a great solution: I’m not going to let them!
The end.
My older boy. He hardly needs any help at all.
He’s such a little man already.
He gets dressed and combs his hair right when he gets out of bed.
It slays me. Just slays me.
Here’s one thing I know: No party is more pleased when the saddles come off than the horses themselves. They’ve been at it since 5:30 am. And as soon as the saddles come off, while the kids are running to house…
Running to American Idol…
Running to Dragon Ball Z Kai…
The horses run down toward the creek, rolling on a dry spot on the ground to scratch their sweaty, tired backs.
I can actually hear them saying it. It rises in a symphony from the creek bottom.
“Ahhh…that’s the spot. That’s…the…SPOT!”
(Not sure if you knew, but I speak equine.)
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.
