Team Amell: Here Come the Holidays!!

Somehow, amongst all of the madness going on in our crazy lives, I've found time to catch up on all of our pictures! To start with, we are all FINALLY in our beautiful house together! After much work, we are happy to say it's almost done......a few pictures left to hang and we are good to go! Cade is a busy little bee, surprising us everyday with something new. His newest "Cadism" is chuckling HYSTERICALLY at our dogs! I will have to share that video....it's definitely one that laughs you into tears!! He just has to see them and he goes absolutely crazy......oh how I would love to know what goes thru his mind and what they look like to him! You can only imagine. Mrs. Annette, our wonderful sitter says he's just an angel and we just have to agree! As we venture thru yet another "ball" season, (this one NOT so much our favorite) he is still just as enthralled with basketball as he was with football, it's amazing.
Our first Thanksgiving was wonderful as always. We have always had it at Momma and Daddy's house. Everyone comes over and we just make a day of it! We start out with the Macy's Parade, (which Mommy told Cade we will be at as soon as he's old enough to remember!) Mommy's once annual trips to NY aren't anymore, but we can't wait to go again as a family! I was so thankful I didn't have to make my annual trip to Chicago this year, although it's always nice to stay a while in the beautiful City, doing a little Christmas shopping and enjoying the exquisite Chicago restaurants and always......3 feet of SNOW!!!!
As soon as Thanksgiving dinner was over, thus began our Christmas celebrations! The Saturday following was another awesome day, as we spent it on Lake Murray with Uncle Perry and Aunt Jess watching the BIG GAME! Once again, we celebrated true "Uncle Perry" fashion!!!! Lots of food, outdoor fires and all of the other "Perrisms", it was a blast.....(still waiting on those pictures and will post asap, they are too funny to miss!!!). While everyone was still home, we all went to the Christmas Tree Farm and got our trees. Cade picked out our first tree and helped Lovey and Daddy Bob find theirs as well! By that afternoon, it was CHRISTMAS, our FAVORITE time of the year!!! We are looking forward to many fun filled days-shopping, parties and get-togethers with friends and of course, more food! It only seems like yesterday that we gave the "gift" to our parents, our Family Christmas Card with the Ultrasound picture inside!....Now look who's here!! Christmas, once again, is rejuvenated with a new little one crawling around and getting into EVERYTHING! Pretty soon we will have to build a "Holiday Home" to accomodate all of our growing families during the celebrating seaons.....think we are up to......18 on one side and 19 on the other?!?! The more, the merrier!
Last weekend was the Byrnes Holiday Tournament, the Hartsville Christmas Parade and our 8th annual "Girls' Christmas Party", only this year, we had Kerry's shower as well! We look forward every year to getting together and seeing the changes from the previous year. When we started 8 years ago....no one was married and now........4 married, 1 engaged, 2 with children and one expecting anyday!!!! Old friends are the BEST! We are all ready and geard up for an awesome CHRISTMAS SEASON!!!!
Next on our agenda....
1. Christmas shopping and Santa at Sandhills with the McPhersons!!!!
2. Christmas lights at the Zoo
3. Aunt Greesha comes HOME for a LONG TIME!!
4. More Basketball....
5. Byrnes Christmas Party
6. Cade's Christening
7. Mommy's Birthday
8. Christmas movie night
9. Christmas Eve Service at our Church, my favorite!!!
10. Our Family Christmas(sssssss!)
11. SANTA!!!!!!!!!
12. Annual New Years with the Parker/Floyds, we hope!!!!!!!

AH, we just can't WAIT!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!