There are no two ways about it, friends.
It was ugly two weeks ago at App State.
But, in true Eagle form we are going to pick ourselves up, dust off our battered feathers, and get back in the game.
Big Al, of course, has a few thoughts on the matter. And he would be honored to share them with you at this time. Enjoy!
Name: Debbie
Nicknames: Mama, The Debster, Deb, Mama Babe, Debra D, Double D
Birth Date: November 4th!!!!!!!
Married To: Big Al
Favorite Son: Matthew
Favorite Daughter: Jenna Babe
Talents: Random Acts of Kindness, Showing love, Critiquing movies, Making potpourri on the stove, Laying out on the beach from sunrise to sunset, Clearing a room while singing on her husbands Karaoke machine
Non-talents: Lying, Remembering things
Loves: God, Husband, her children, friends, her job, THE OCEAN, The GSU Eagles, Cool Whip, Twilight (!!!), Paula Deen's dressing recipe, Football, Birthday Cake, Holidays, Pizza, Good smelling candles, Diet Coke, E!, Reading, Her bright-as-the-sun-yellow GSU blanket, Laughing
Hates: People messing with her babies, People talking during Grey's Anatomy (i.e. Big Al), Being cold
Signature Sayings: LOL2, Heavens to Mergatroid!, I love you, Jenna can I borrow _______.
Claims to fame: Recently made her film debut in a 12 minute student film & Once saw Forrest Whitaker in a restaurant in LA.
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, Going to every movie Hollywood ever created, Beth Moore Bible studies, Decorating for every holiday between Halloween and Easter
Goals: To live happily ever after with her family and (one day) a bunch of grandbabies
Who she reminds me of: My Nannye (her mama)
Who wants to be like just like her: ME
Who loves her: EVERYONE
Halloween was on my good list this year.
Marlee has been hosting a Halloween party for the last few years, but for whatever reason I had never been in town to go. So I was very excited that I would be available this year because word on the street was this party was where it's at. And it did not disappoint.
I went over to the Hagans that afternoon to help with party prep and was forced into the kitchen. Now, for the record, I will contend forever that I am a good cook - I just never actually do it.
The main reason being, um - Jenna, party of one.
But as my wise mother always says, if you can read a recipe you can cook.
(In an unfortunate Halloween twist, this theory would later be dispelled - but it is a nice thought, generally speaking).
So here is where I spent the afternoon. Be warned, that the picture you are about to see may be frightening and unfit for children under 30.
That's Tara holding the Easy button that Marsha's husband Greg brought in for me. Haha hee hee ho ho.
There are 100,000 comedians out of work, but everyone around here is trying to be funny.
What Greg didn't know is that the fastest way to get me to screw something up is to tell me it's easy.
In all honesty, there really weren't any catastrophes.
The only sketch thing that happened was that I accidentally put both packages of meat (that were both handed to me at the same time with the words "OK HERE, NOW BROWN THE MEAT" fyi) into the Tortilla Soup.
Which wasn't a problem until it was time to cook the chili.
Meat free chili, anyone?
Thankfully there was an extra package of meat in the freezer so we didn't have to go all vegetarian that night.
(Email me if you would like the recipe for JT's Extra Extra Meaty with Extra Meat Tortilla Soup).
Sometimes while I cook I like to pretend I am on the Food Network. It is very entertaining. - just ask my audience.
Marlee and Matthew made the Banana Pudding which in hindsight might have been a better task for mini-Martha over there at the stove.
While many preparations were happening inside, there was much to do outside as well. Tara, Matthew, and Marls worked tirelessly to hang a big white sheet in the barn. Marsha was setting up to take pics of all the kids at the party. It was very high tech and photographer-y.
The decorations around the barn were hard core and really helped set the scene to be scared out of your everliving mind.
And before we knew it, it was time to get dressed.
Marlee and a bunch of her people were the cast of Mario Kart. So funny. Marlee made all of the carts and did such a great job!
She will go off to college next year, and I am suggesting Cart Maker for a major. I think there is a future there.
Marlee went as Toad. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
Mario and Toad getting ready for the big Hallows Eve race.
Even Phoebe got into the spirit. Everyone please welcome Skele-Phoebes! She is so hood.
And then of course there was this.
Let me just say, I found out this costume was out in the barn about 5 minutes before the party started. It was on loan with a box full of other costumes, and when I put it on I knew this was the costume I was created to wear.
I felt like Fat Monica from Friends, and I danced just like her all night long. You have never made people laugh until you have made them laugh while booty dancing in a fat suit. It is priceless in more ways that I can count.
Check out these cuties. Sissy, Ashley, and Kendall - a few of our high school Bible study girls - were there!
Of course they wanted a pic with Lt. Phatty. This pic below makes me want a donut for some reason.
K and S have a special fondness for the camera, the likes of which I have never witnessed before. And obviously the cam loves them as well.
The Spooky Barn all ready.
The party was very fun and everyone's costumes were so cute. I didn't take very many pictures since I was busy embarrassing myself, but Marsha will post a bunch on her blog soon, and I shall direct you there at that time.
EVERYONE wanted a turn in Marsha's picture-taking set-up. Some gave their life waiting for a chance to be photographed.
She is SO good. And Marlee's party was SO fun.
Sending love, donuts, and fatgirl booty dances,
Lt. Phatty
With a message attached that goes a little something like this...
Personal Good Mama Assessment: A+++
A few thangs:
-Blog break to get caught up on life = Fail.
I have issues. I could list them all and all the reasons I did not really accomplish my goals this week but in reality it would just say, "I am a loser." It's been a good week, just not a To-Do List conquering week as previously planned. Oh well.
-No Big Al commercial this week. The Eagles are off.
Funny commercial related story: An App State fan got a hold of last week's video link and apparently passed it around to all of Boone, NC. The video now has over 1000 hits, and I have no less than 25 comments from App State fans in my inbox (I moderated comments on my youtube page, so they are just for us to enjoy, haha).
The comments are all along the lines of, "We smoked ya'll" or "GSU sucks" or some other more colorful message about how they dominated us and how they are God's gift to football or whatever.
We even had a couple calling Big Al a hillbilly and a moron, and we have laughed our little selves silly reading them all. We even called my brother and read them all the him.
Family bonding at it's finest.
And while this incident has made my disdain for Crap State all the more fierce, Big Al (the voice of reason in our crowd) did say as a response, "Well if we had beat them as bad as they beat us, I'd be talking like that too."
-This week is Red Ribbon Week so we have been able to wear jeans to work everyday! It has made me exponentially happy on many deep and meaningful levels. Mainly the level of not have to worry about figuring out what to wear. I will mourn the loss of this week come Monday.
-There was a flu shooting at my work yesterday and I was unexpectedly wounded. I had not planned on getting a flu shot, but that's the good thing about working at a hospital - the flu shots come to you and they are free.
I have never had a flu shot before, but all went well (i.e. no passing out) and the only weird moment was when they asked me if I was allergic to eggs??? I know there is a medical purpose to this question, but since I opted out of med school, I felt it was completely random.
In related news, I ate an egg sandwich for dinner last night.
-Marlee is hosting her annual Halloween party on Saturday and I am concerned that it is Friday and I still have no costume. I have had some suggestions, but none to my liking and I am afraid I am going to end up going as The Lame Girl with No Costume. Ideas are welcomed.
I want to go as a giant sub sandwich, as suggested by my friend Lin, but sadly there is no time to construct such an AMAZING costume idea.
I told Marsha I wanted to go to as that and she stated flatly, "You are weird." Maybe I could go as a Kettle and she could go as a Pot - and she could call me "black."
-I am thinking about making cake balls tonight for the party tomorrow. We'll see what my mental state is a 5 when I get off. I may not be able to emotionally handle a shopping trip - although I am sure no one will be at Walmart at 5 on the Friday before Halloween.
-Speaking of Friday, YAY.
-Happy Weekend and Happy Halloween!
Well, that didn't take long!
So less than 24 hours after declaring my week-long blog retirement, I am back.
I am not shocked because, well, I know me - but I really am only doing it because something monumental happened, and I have no power to wait until next week to announce it.
And as those of us who blog about our lives know - our blogs are not ours alone.
They also, in a way, belong to those who make life worth writing about - and they serve as a way to also document the lives of those we love.
And a BIG thing happened to one I love, and he deserves to have it announced.
Jake "The Man" Hagan KILLED HIS FIRST DEER.
Now, I do not hunt because what about the phrase "give Jenna a gun" sounds safe to you? But Jake loves to hunt with his grandaddy, and he has been working tirelessly for some time in efforts to take out his first deer.
I got a call yesterday evening announcing that The Man had taken The Gun and shot The Deer. So I raced over to the house to capture the big moment.
He shot a 4-point buck white tail with a nice-sized body. I have no idea if that is correct deer-talk. Jake? Help a sista out.
Meanwhile, here is the proud hunter and his bounty. That thing was huge!
And here they are with Papa - the man who helped make it all possible.
Jake's dad, Greg, and sister, Phoebe, were anxiously waiting outside when Papa, Jake, and Bambi pulled up. Everyone was so excited and proud. Is that a tear I see in Phoebe's eye?
Being killed really takes a lot out of a deer, so he decided to put his feet up and relax a while.
If you are squeamish, please disregard all that blood. Pretend it's ketchup. Also, repeating the phrase, "Be strong, be strong" can help someone not pass out while looking at such a scene. Not that I personally know anything about that.
"I lead a good life." -Bambi
Cute Phoebes was taking it all in. She had a worried look on her face, as if to say, "Will this happen to me if I keep using the bathroom on Marsha's new carpet?"
One more shot of the proud deer-killing Hagan men.
CONGRATS, JAKE!
