Happy New year and the last of Christmas 2017...

Happy Happy Happy

New Year Sweet Friends,

Hope you are full of anticipation

and excitement for 2018.

Altho I am sad to leave behind

2017 as it has been a very good

year for us.....there is just some-

thing exciting about getting a

fresh new start.....which is what

New Years seems to be, for me

at least, and I think for most of

you too!

I am not big into making New

Years resolutions, cause most 

of the time,  they go out the

window pretty quickly....lol

but we do have a few things in

 mind that we feel needs some

tweaking....like eating better,

and trying to cut out so much

sugar in our diet, and getting

back to being a bit more strict

with our heart healthy diet as

we have sort of let the wheels

fall off our wagon some.....

and trying to exercise more,

even if it is just 10 mins a

day....cause at our age if you

don't keep moving the results

are not good ones!!  lol

Also more time with the Lord

and more prayer!  Definitly

can't go wrong with that one.

Thought I would get most of

 the rest of our pictures in from

the family room for Christmas

 2017 as I love having a record

of them to look back on....and

Can be quite nice if I need a 

quick idea.........and of course,

hope you enjoy them too!!

I have had this pine greenery arrangement 

for years, it was a gift from a lady at our

church many moons ago......I keep the basic

 part of it, with the greenery and pine cones

 but I change it up every year now to give it

 a fresh look, by just adding poinsettias and

 candles of different colors and christmas

 balls or picks and different candle cups.

Then there is my Thomas Kincaide

Christmas book, a gift from my son

from many years back too.  I absolutely

loved Kincaides works of art, they

were fabulous!  Such a talented man.

Also love this terra cotta angel, she was

 handmade and one of a kind, and was

 a gift from my Aunt, many years ago as 

well.

She has a lil place in the back where

 you can put oil so she puts off

 fragrance as well.

Hard to see but this lil crystal looking angels

we bought about 4 yrs. ago for our lil darling

and she loves them still I might add.

You can see them a bit better here lit up,

but this pic doesn't do them justice.....

they change colors, from red to green to

blue......and looks so pretty, but for some

reason that doesn't show up on camera.

  Lil darling can now turn them on for

 herself and really likes that...........

I did purchase a new sign I happened 

on this year.....

loved it, cause it is so true.......

"Christmas begins with Christ".

Isn't it so great to hear so many

people in the stores saying 

Merry Christmas again.

I just love it!!!

This was how our mantle

started out this year.....

a side view

This was how it wound up.....not the 

greatest pic but I took it at the last minute

and at night and with no light or candles

 burning and it really came out yellow,

 so I adjusted it as best I could.  lol

Our 40 year old nativity set....

First thing that goes up every year to

 kick off the Christmas season.  It is

on our sofa table behind the sofa  just

in case you are wondering!

Our tree this year that we tried to 

copy kat from Lucy's tree over at

 The Craftberry Bush.  Doesn't look

near as good as hers,  but we were

quite happy with it.....definitely a

lovely change.........Thanks Lucy!!

Click on the link above to go visit

her blog ....she has a lovely gal

and has a very enjoyable blog,

 so think you will enjoy it 

very much............

A few close up shots

Our tree still looks like this with gifts 

and all.....cause all those boxes were

empty because when we were getting

ready for our Christmas party I was

still sick and feeling bad, but there

was nothing under the tree and it just

looked sad, so think the Lord helped

 me out cause I found some empty

white boxes that I had forgotten about

from last year, and thought hey, why

not just stick some bows on there and

 see how it looks, and we were quite 

pleased....this year we just put every-

thing in gift bags (which totally

 alleviated wrapping) and kepted it

 in our bedroom till Christmas.

Think we might do this every year

now........lol

Well, sweet friends hope that 2018 

will be very good to you and yours,

and that you will have more love,

Joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, gentleness, faithfulness

 and self control in your lives.

Thanks for coming by..............

Keep your light shining brightly

Love, Hugs, and 

New Year Blessings,

Nellie

Sharing with:

Oh My Heartsie Girl

A Stroll thru Life

Dwellings

Stone Gable

Between Naps on the Porch

Saavy Southern Style

Life and Linda 

The Dedicated House

Dwellings