There Is Always Hope

Welcome 2015 -- we're glad you're here.  

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Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year to all of you!  I've been taking time off to spend with my family, but I'll be returning to my blog soon.  :)  I wish all of you the best in the coming year and I thank you sincerely for visiting and reading my blog this year -- I appreciate it more than I can ever say.

Best Wishes,

Denise 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Joy to the World!

Gifts of Love

The countdown is definitely on now, isn't it?  Are you ready?  Have you finished your shopping and cleaning and decorating and baking?  Me either.  :)  I have so enjoyed reading your posts and seeing what you've been doing this Christmas season.  My fellow North Carolinian, Anita, who blogs at Far Above Rubies, has given us a tour of her home decorated for Christmas, and oh it is just charming!  I love it!!  Everywhere I look people are doing creative things and cooking up wonderful food.

For some reason, this year more than ever, I am feeling so thankful for my blessings and for all of my dear loved ones.  If I can't always hold them close physically, I can hold them close in my heart.  Last week, my friend Laura at Decor To Adore left me a comment about the carolers that are featured in my header.

A Silver and Red Christmas Tablescape

Hello to you all.  I haven't posted anything in almost a week -- I've been deep into Christmas preparations, which are basically going pretty well.  I still have quite a bit left to do, but I'm doing much better than last year.  We also celebrated Mr. Forest Manor's birthday earlier this week.  I told him I was really glad he was born.  :)

I'm aware that I owe all of my blog friends a visit.  I have had very little spare time to do any blogging.  My husband is home on vacation right now, and we're staying busy.  But, I have been looking at your blog posts as time allows, and it's so much fun to see what all of you are doing during this Christmas season.

I've done another Christmas tablescape, and I felt kind of self-indulgent for doing that with just a week left until Christmas day.  But I did it anyway.  :-D  The main reason is that my mom gave me these reindeer a few years ago, and I wanted to feature them so she could see them on our table.  I spotted them when we were shopping together; they were already marked down to half-price, and my mom got them for me for Christmas that year.

Friday Christmas Music

Happy Friday to you!  I've got to finish my decorating today, and I'll be listening to Christmas music while I work.  How about you?  Have you finished decorating yet?

A Woodland Christmas Tablescape

Hi folks!  I'm so excited to join Kathleen, who blogs at Cuisine Kathleen for her Copycat Christmas Challenge.