We enjoyed a long weekend with the Joye's in SC a few weeks before Christmas. Jay's entire childhood was spent with his large extended family at his Aunt's house in Columbia every Christmas. When we first married, the family was still getting together each year. But as the years went by, and cousins got married, had their own children and moved away, it became harder for everyone to get together. This year, Jay's mom and her 3 siblings and all of the cousins decided that it would be so wonderful if everyone could plan to come and surprise Jay's grandmother and have the traditional Christmas again. It was a big sacrifice for everyone to do it, but everyone was able to come this year except for 2 cousins! We all crammed in his Aunt's house again and when his grandmother arrived, all of the family's came up the stairs as their own family unit to surprise her - it seemed like the line of people would never end! She was absolutely blown away, and so overcome by emotion that she had to sit down for the next hour! It was precious to see her face and to see how much this obviously meant to her. All she ever wanted was for her family to be together...., and we were.
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| Really blurry and dark picture, but EB and Ellison with their older cousins, Makenzie and Parker |
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| Ellison loving on Makenzie |
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| Ellison and "Bear". Bear was such a good sport all weekend being dragged around and held ALL DAY long by Ellison! |
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| Little Princess and her Daddy |
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| Catching "fake snowflakes" in their mouths! |
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| Riverbank Zoo Festival of Lights |
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| New headphones for the long car ride home |
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| This one too! Jay and I enjoyed our quiet drive - the long drive to SC was a tough one, so this was a treat from Gammy and Pop Pop to get us home! |
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| Big smiles and happy girls! |
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| BIG boy! I always have to catch my breath when I look at pictures of him now. He seems so much older now through the camera lense. He is growing into such an amazing young boy, honest and tender-hearted to a fault, and a heart as big as the ocean. |
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| The Joye Family 2014 |
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| EB and Parker building a Ninja Turtle puzzle on the floor |
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| Adorable in every way! |
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| Waiting patiently for presents |
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| She set up her Princess computer on the trashcan and put the mouse on the stool next to it - had her own little computer table! |
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| Bear, we owe you big time! Thanks for being such a great team-player! |
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