Today is Halloween, which means it’s my mom’s birthday!
I thought I’d take this opportunity to use the alphabet to mention her best traits.
Are you ready? Here goes.
My mom is…
Awesome. Clichéd! But true.
Beautiful.
Inside and out.
Curious. She’s interested in the world.
Delightful.
Always has been.
Enthusiastic. She used to wake me up by singing “Good morning, good morning, good morning! It’s time to rise and shine!” I didn’t love it then. But I love it now.
Fun.
Eternally!
Grandmother.
Her love for her grandchildren is so tangible, you can actually touch it.
Helpful. She’s a servant.
Intelligent. She reads. She seeks. She knows.
Jocular. She’s fun to be around.
Kind. She got it from Ga-Ga. Never gossips. Never judges. Sees the good in everyone.
Loving.
It’s evident in everything she does.
Mother.
It’s her Facebook tagline.
Nice. Every day!
Observant. Of events on the liturgical calendar. Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, All Saints Day, Advent…she acknowledges them all.
Peace-loving. Fighting, arguing, debating…they ain’t her cup of tea.
Quick. She can wash a mountain of dirty dishes in four minutes flat.
Refreshing.
People come away from having talked to her feeling a little more hopeful about life.
Social Worker. It is her job. It is her vocation. It is her calling.
Theological. She studies her faith.
Unflappable. I have never once seen her panic or lose heart.
Vascular. Nope. Velvety. Um…nope. Vibrant! “Full of energy and enthusiasm; bright and striking.” Bingo!
Warm. Like, totally.
X-tra (sorry, can’t come up with an X adjective) wonderful.
Youthful.
She’s 73. But she’s young at heart.
Zesty. (It was either that or Zippy. But that one works, too!)
Happy birthday, Mom!
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.
