Well considering there was one very sick little boy and 2 little girls who needed naps I thought the picture turned out quite well!

What a transformation!  And the work isn't even done yet!  The new kitchen  flooring was installed on Friday.  The stairs aren't finished yet but will be coming soon.  I will post pictures of the entryway and stairs when they are done. 

I am way behind the bread baking carnival that happened a few weeks ago but wanted to post a link to my new favorite bread recipe http://armyofseven.blogspot.com/2006/04/history-of-bread-making-in-my-family.html  I have made this recipe 3 times now and done both plain and several cinnamon sugar loaves!  She even inspired me to take one loaf to a neighbor or friend each time I baked a loaf!

I have always loved baking bread but have gotten away from it since dd #5 was born 9 months ago and then throw a move in and it makes for a little chaos :)

I have always used my kitchenaid mixer but I even (gasp) tried this recipe kneeding by hand! 

I found 3 new pans at IKEA recently that are a little longer and make for nice sandwich sized loaves.  I still prefer my stone loaf pan but only have one of those.

There is nothing better than fresh baked bread any time of of the day!

I am slowly realizing that advent is only 1 week away.  There are so many wonderful ideas out there on how to live our faith through the season.  Look here if you are looking for some inspiration  http://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/

We will get out our tried and true advent wreath and hopefully try out a new book of advent prayers I ordered from Catechisis of the Good Shepherd. 

I am hoping to truly live this advent.  I am trying to get most of my shopping done and gifts lined up before next Sunday, this is made so much easier thanks to online ordering!  Getting out to Christmas shop with 5 children can be a little tricky to say the least!  I am scouring my email lists and other blogs looking for ideas to make our advent one filled with joy and excitement as we wait for Christ.

It is so hard to believe that our little red head is 4 today!!!  He is getting so grown up!  I remember him being a newborn like it was yesterday!  I remember a friend coming up to the hospital to visit the day after he was born, who happened to have 4 boys at the time.  She asked if I noticed any difference in having a boy yet...My answer was, "YES!"  The only thing he wanted to do from the beginning was EAT!  He spent his first 9 months of life eating and eating and eating!  It has slowed down some but boys sure do eat! :) 

He gets questioned about his red hair everywhere he goes and he always has the same answer for everyone, I get my red hair from my Grandma Connie who is in heaven with Jesus.  What a great way to remember my mom as I see this little boy grow into such a little man who adores his sisters, especially his beautiful Catherine!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY buddy!

One less house!  We finally closed on our old house today, thanks be to God!  We were starting to wonder if it would ever happen after several bumps in the road, but we some how made it without making any double payments!  Hurray!!!!  It feels so good to only own one house! 

They will begin to put in some of the new flooring starting Friday.  I will post pictures as they get it in.  The new stairs are almost finished and the kitchen has a fresh coat of paint.  Between a lot of traveling and painting this week I am tired out! 

I am looking forward to Advent to settle our lives down a little and turn to our Lord in anticipation.

We are busy here at the house of blessings. 

We are preparing to have new flooring installed in our kitchen and entryway.  Sounds easy enough...not so.  The stairs on our main level are/were not built correctly, therefore they wouldn't pass code,ect not to mention they weren't safe because the bottom step was higher than all the rest.  Needless to say, they are gone now!  My dh and father tore them our last night in preparation for our new flooring.  They will hopefully have new ones built and ready to install on Friday when the floor guy comes!!!  I will post some before pictures of our very 70's house.

The kids have been enjoying the many leaves pouring down from our 3 oak trees.  We spent several days raking the leaves covering the yard and finally had it looking good.  The next morning Maia woke and looked out and said with dread in her voice, "MOM, look at all the leaves in the yard!!!"  It hardly looked like we had touched it! SIGH!!!!  What we need to a big windstorm to send the leaves to someone elses yard!  Maybe some nice retired man who has nothing to do but rake all day!  Oh well, winter will be upon us soon and I won't know they are there making mud out of our newly planted yard.

Today we had a playdate with 2 of the kids 4 cousins.  As usual they played hard and loved every minute of each others company!  The 2 year old girls got right down to playing house with their baby dolls and stealing Maia's candy from the Fall Squall.  Every time the 2 little girls came out of the bedroom they had a new piece...so much for Maia's hiding place.  The 3 year old boys headed for their swords and capes.

At lunch I cut up some kiwi that had been waiting oh so patiently to be eaten.  A few minutes into lunch my nephew anounced, "I like pickles"  eyeing the kiwi.  I told him they were sweet and a fruit as I handed him a piece, he decided quickly that his taste buds didn't approve!!!  Later on at snack time the girls were thrilled to serve some roasted pumpkin seeds from our recently carved jack o lanterns.  Matthew tried one and prompltly ran to me asking for a drink so he could get the seed out of him :)  So much for aunt Michele's cuisine.  The apples and juice seemed to go down fine though.

I came home after a wonderful dinner out with dear friends and the baby last night to a houseful of sleeping blessings.  It sometimes takes the quiet moments like these to truly appreciate these wonderful gifts God has bestowed upon our family.  Each very special, each so unique, yet hand picked by God for us.  To help us grow in sanctity, to help us get to heaven, all of us as a family. 

Now I just need to pray to transfer this awe, to my everyday life.  To see the beauty when everyone is yelling at each other, crying, begging for the 15th time to do something I have told them 14 other times no to...

In these times only prayers of mercy will sustain me, if only I ask.