Collins Good Friday Boil

April 22, 2011

This is my favorite day of the year! Family tradition, old and new! My uncles have kept my grandfathers boiling recipe going for 30 years and with each new birth and wedding the sacks may grow, but the boiling continues. We normally have a space walk for the youngest Collins cousins, but this year my aunts and uncles were nice enough to 86 it and opted for crafts due to Rylee's condition. We had a great time, young and old!!! We added egg toss to the mix and that was probably if not the greatest new tradition, but the funniest!!!!

For those of you who do not know, I have an ENORMOUS FAMILY! My dad is the oldest with eight brothers and sisters. I am the oldest grandchild of 20 and Rylee is the one and only great grandchild. I grew up with my aunts and uncles and we started this tradition when I was very young. I remember going crabbing with my aunts and uncles in the early morning hours just to go back to my grandparents and boil and hide eggs. I was the only grandchild until my brother came along when I was 5 1/2. Needless to say I received a lot of attention and love. Not to say that I don't now, but I share a lot of memories with my aunts, uncles and grandparents that my little cousins did not have the privilege of sharing. My Paw Paw Harry passed soon after my brother was born, so I was the only grandchild that was lucky enough to know him. I have one picture of him and I together that I cherish and ironically enough there is a boiling pot and crab nets in the background of that picture. I loved to sit in his lap and have fond memories of his Dixie beer, Church on Sunday, chicken cooking in the kitchen, family dinners and most of all the SAINTS!! I am definitely a Maw Maw's girl and love that my youngest cousins have her living next door so that they can make some wonderful memories of their own with her! Boy is she special! My aunts and uncles were raised in strong catholic faith, tradition, giving and service. Each and every one of them have instilled that in all of us and I am very blessed to be a part of this family.... I am proud to be a Collins!!!