Christmas Time!!

Just a little Christmas week recap!!!

We kicked off Christmas the Wednesday before and had a little Christmas party at our house. Instead of playing dirty santa or exchanging gifts, we had a donation jar for the Salvation Army. Kendol said when he dropped the money off at the red kettle at Kroger, that the man almost cried and gave him about 10 hugs. Kendol told him how we went about getting the money and the guy told everyone that walked by!! That'll put a smile on your face.

Precious friends Krista, Kaitlyn and Christin.

Stephanie and Wally

Ann-Hamilton, Kaylis and I.

Hayes made her first public appearance and everyone loved her!!!

The next morning, Kendol, Mallory, Stephanie, Wally and I packed up and headed to Nashville, for the night, for the Garth Brooks benefit concert!! O my gosh. It was one of the best things I've ever done. He played every good song and never stopped to take a break. A-MA-ZING. Not to mention, Trisha sang "She's In Love With the Boy."

The Saturday before Christmas we celebrated with Kendol's daddy's side of the family. I got the most precious 8x10 distressed frame compliments of Chal and Rivers. YAY!! I can't wait to get it hung up. And the kiddos got Dora the Explorer guitars!! They absolutely loved them.



 

Sweet Jacks







Susie playing her Dora Guitar.

Milla master her first bridge (backbend) while at Christmas!! YAY for new little gymnasts. So proud.

The Sunday before Christmas, we celebrated Christmas at my parents house with the Pittman side of the family! Here are all of the Pittman Gals.

Ann-Hamilton, Eleanor, Kaylis, Farrell (+1 Boy), Me, Hayes, Claire and Anna Elizabeth

 That same afternoon daddy sent me hunting for the first time by myself. It has always been something we have done together, so it was kind of sad. But when he heard my gun shot, he immediately sent me a text. "Did you shoot?" to which I responded, "One buck down." He was the happiest, proudest daddy in the whole world when I killed a deer all by myself without him there to talk me through it.

On Wednesday I headed back to the delta for the Christmas holidays. We did lots of hunting, shopping and eating! Eleanor and I spent the entire night baking Jesus a birthday cake and making Christmas sugar cookies... from scratch!! Needless to say, it was interesting and MESSY.

On Thursday we had our annual girls Christmas party at Lusco's.

Annual picture in front of Mrs. Angie's Christmas Tree- minus a few who met us at Lusco's.
Me, Mary Britton, Amanda, Mary Gregory, Mary Kathryn, Meagan, Meagan Rae and Whitney




Mal, Liz and I at Websters after Lusco's.



On Friday, we went to the candlelight service at Church. Baby Hayes got dedicated and Meagan Rae sang "O Holy Night. She did so so so good... made me cry, of course!! Melissa Tribble also sang and did such an awesome job. Afterwards, we went to JuJu's for Christmas with Stowers side of the fam!! Then went home to open our new Christmas Eve pajamas and wait for Santa.

 

The whole fam in our new pj pants. (annual tradition)

Ann-Hamilton playing Santa for the first time!!

Hayes' Santa

I think Hayes' Jenny Jump Up is a little too big!! She'll grow into it soon enough.

On Christmas morning, we opened all presents then had our traditional breakfast.. sausage balls and biscuits with chocolate gravy. We then headed back to Jackson for even more Santa Claus at the Collins. We got lots and lots of good stuff for Christmas. I just started to type it all out and it made me look very spoiled, so I'll refrain. Let's just say, we are BLESSED beyond measure.

Saturday night, we had Christmas with Kendol's mother's side of the family. On Sunday, we went back to Kendol's parents for a Christmas party with some of their closest friends and their children, who all happened to be in town at the same time!! 

Put it this way... I am tired and a couple of pounds heavier than I was a week ago.

I hope everyone had a Merry Merry Christmas!!! I know I did.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2: 9-12

Happy (Maroon) Wednesday

HAPPY WEDNESDAY EVERYONE!!!

MARATHON MONDAY

WE DID IT!!!

I can officially say that I have completed a half marathon and lived to tell about it. YAY!! Here are some pictures from our weekend in Memphis.

SOME OF OUR TEAM EATING DINNER FRIDAY NIGHT!
MAL, LESLIE, KATE, KATIE, JAMIE, KRISTA, ME, LIZ & KAYLIS

WELCOME RACERS!



KENDOL & I BEFORE THE RACE



OUR CHEERLEADERS!!
KATE AND LESLIE



KRISTA AND I BEFORE THE RACE



SOME OF TEAM TRI DELTA BEFORE THE RACE
LIZ, KATE, JESSICA, KATHERINE, LESLIE AND KAYLIS



ELIZABETH KALICH



BRAD COLLINS



KENDOL



CALLIE



YOU CAN BARELY SEE KRISTA BACK THERE!!



I SPOTTED KATE AND LESLIE RINGING THEIR COWBELLS!



JESSICA JOHNSON



KATIE HORTON



KAYLIS BYRNES



THE BACK OF OUR PRECIOUS T-SHIRTS



KRISTA, BRAD, ME AND KENDOL AFTER WE FINISHED!



A LITTLE POST RACE CELEBRATION AT SILKY'S
KATE, KATIE, ME AND MAL



MORE CELEBRATING!
KATE, ME, MAL AND KRISTA

This Race is for You!!

So, I just ran across the most adorable picture in the world and I immediately started crying. This is Eleanor when she was little and my grandaddy "Nanny."

 

Nanny was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of my 9th grade year. I remember leaving early from our first football game against Jackson Prep to go to the hospital to see him! Luckily for us, he lived for 3 more years after that!!! The last time I saw him was May of my Junior year, we were in the hospital together. I was in an accident and had to have surgery on my on my wrist. Well, Nanny found out I was there and ignored his nurses orders to not come see me. Although I was really out of it, I just remember him coming to my room, oxygen tank and all!! I'm so glad he did, bc at the time I had no idea it would be the last. I remember it like it was yesterday and it makes me cry every time.

As most of you know, I am running my first half marathon on Saturday and it benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I know it's not much, but it's my small way of helping in the fight against this nasty disease. I am a part of a team of runners, mostly consisting of Tri Delta's from MS State, close friends, husbands, boyfriends and family. Together we have raised over $2,500, so far!!

Dear Nanny,

This race is for you!! I know you will be watching me and I may need your help towards the end. I don't care how long it takes me or how I finish, just as long as I cross the finish line!!

I love you and think about you everday!!

Caldonia Colleen

P.S. I may celebrate with some Bolgna and Whip Cream!! (that's what he would tell me was my only option to eat every time I said I was hungry ha)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!! At least it is at the Collins residence bc I got to put up the Christmas decorations!!!! YAYYYY So, I have waited very very patiently to put up my Christmas decorations. Kendol doesn't like for them to be up until after Thanksgiving, which I completely understand. The only reason I would like to do them early is so I can enjoy them longer, not because I want to skip Thanksgiving. And I actually waited 3 days after Thanksgiving to get them up. I spent about 8 hours yesterday getting everything just perfect and wrapping the few gifts that I already have... and I loved every last second of it!! It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

I started out with the tree, of course!! Little did I know, the brand new 10 foot tree would have light issues... but what do you expect? Isn't there always 1 bulb out, every year, that messes up everything. Then I moved onto the fireplace, front door, tv table, coffee table, sofa table, the manger scene then all kinds little things here and there!! I believe it's safe to say that my "halls are decked!!" YAY!!! Now to finish that Christmas shopping....


 

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:9-12

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (MONTH) JESUS!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!