How do i get my cats to be more comfortable around me so i can hold them more often without them getting mad?

okay here it is. I am 13, and have two cats. one is named Abby, and the other is Gandalf (don’t ask) I got abby in 2002 so she is getting kinda old, and she HATES being held. if you try to pick her up she will hiss, growel, maybe even bite you. But she DOES come to sit with you when your sitting down, all the time. She never lays on her side though and I’d really like to be able to hold her, and have her be totally comfortable with me any time.
Gandalf is a white cat and he is very squirmy. You can pick him up but he meows all the time and tries to get down, and if u try to pet him he will run away and squirm off, and it gets really annoying. Gandalf normally only comes to you when your sleeping or every once in a while when your sitting down. I got him in 2005 and he is really nice most of the time, rarely bites.

So my question is, how do i get them to be totally comfortable with me and my familly and be able to hold them? because most of my friends with cats can hold them and they have no problem. please help me!! thanksss! :))

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr254/kandychicka39/Kendallsawesomepictures048.jpg <——————- that is abby

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr254/kandychicka39/Kendallsawesomepictures014.jpg <——————and that is Gandalf