It's In The Sauce!

Children Grow Up When We’re Not Looking

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Patti Fralix

The title of this post comes from a verse stitched in crewel by a dear loved one years ago. It was given to me when my daughter Tara was little. Tara is now the mother of our three granddaughters; Mary Grace, who turned fourteen this week, twelve-year-old Elsie, and six-year-old Virginia. I am amazed at how the years have passed so quickly. Time and years that will never return. Memories that are forever embedded in my heart. Memories and Traditions that will live on longer than we will. Continue reading →

Posted in family, life, traditions | Tagged awe, birthday breakfast, birthdays, children, Colorado, confirmation, cook, Elsie, extended family, Fralix, generosity, gift, grandchildren, granddaughters, grandparents, gratitude, growing up, impact on children, influence, love, loving discipline, Mary Grace, memories, Memories and Traditions, Nana, parenting, parents, Patti Fralix, play, religious, responsible, role modeling, sisters, ski trip, The Fralix Group, time, traditions, travel, values, Virginia, years | 2 Comments

Changing Me From The Inside Out

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Sometimes I think what I own owns me. This is not a new thought, but it is a current one. Like many of my readers, I am in the process of cleaning out; clothes, collectibles, and stuff. I have long since known that I have too much. And I have also known how hard it is for me to part with it. I know where the problem comes from, and how deep it is. So, my process of cleaning out is slow. But I am in process. Continue reading →

Posted in best self, change | Tagged chairs, Changing Me from the Inside Out, cleaning out, closet, clothes, clutter, collectibles, family, Fralix, Lent, Patti Fralix, process, spring cleaning, The Fralix Group, time commitment, too much stuff | Leave a comment

Showers of Blessings

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Dad and Rosie

Many of us in the Southeast have had showers for many days, showers of a different kind than blessings. Mike and I received showers of blessings last week when we visited with Dad and Rosie in Hendersonville, NC. Continue reading →

Posted in gratitude, service, thankful | Tagged aging, blessing, blessings, breakfast, Brookdale, family, Fireside Restaurant & Pancake Inn, Fralix, Hendersonville, Mike Fralix, NC, O'Charley's, Patti Fralix, pay it forward, Raleigh, showers of blessings, The Fralix Group | 1 Comment

Showing Appreciation to Your Customers

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Patti Fralix

All of us are customers of some businesses, and many of us have customers of our own businesses. We can probably name some companies that do not seem to care about their customers, even taking advantage of them. But instead of focusing on that, I choose to focus on the positive instead of the negative. We should acknowledge when companies show they appreciate us in ways that they do not have to. I have had some great examples of customer service lately, and I will remain a loyal customer of these businesses. Continue reading →

Posted in gratitude, Relationships, service | Tagged add-a-pearl necklace, appreciation, business owners, Businesses, Companies, customer, customer service, customers, electrician, Gold Mine Jewelry, good service, jewelry, JME Electrical Services, Joe Martin, loyal, Nextdoor, Patti Fralix, service, small business, The Fralix Group, time, Tom and Eddi, Triangle CompuDocs, Trip Advisor | 2 Comments

“Learning to Love Yourself, it is the Greatest Love of All”

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Patti Fralix

A recent photo of Mike and me.

You may be singing the song by the same name as the title of this post. This powerful song was sung beautifully by Whitney Houston. Unfortunately, Whitney Houston apparently did not live by the words of her song. Sadly, it is too late for her, but not for us. On Valentine’s Day, it is fitting to think about love, and not just love of God or love of others but love of self. Continue reading →

Posted in best self, life, love | Tagged A Year in the Life of a Recovering Spendaholic, best self, Bryan Townsend, faith, family, Fralix, friends, Greatest Love of All, happy life, healthy self-esteem, husband, Judy Townsend, life's challenges, love, love self, loving, mental health, Mike Fralix, Patti Fralix, romantic love, self, self love, strength, The Fralix Group, Valentine's Day, Whitney Houston | Leave a comment

Friends for a Lifetime

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Recently I wrote about the different types of relationships we have. Some are for a reason, some for a season, and some for a lifetime. The past few days I spent time with a couple of friends and their families in Alabama who are friends for a lifetime. Our visits reinforced to me why these are friends who I am bonded to forever. Continue reading →

Posted in family, life, Relationships | Tagged Alabama, Atlanta, celebrate, Classic on Noble, Elsie, everydayliving.me, family, Fralix, friends, lifelong friends, lifetime, loved ones, Mike Fralix, Patti Fralix, photos, reason, relationships, season, The Fralix Group, traveling, visiting | 2 Comments

Keep Going as Long as You Can

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Dad (at 94) and Uncle Barry (at 87) Thanksgiving 2017

This is a hard time of the year. The holidays with all of their magic and fun are over, and we are left with cleaning up and putting away. Winter has settled in, with many parts of the country having more snow and bad weather conditions than ever seen before. Christmas bills have arrived, and it is amazing how much was spent on so few people. For many people, excess weight has also settled in, and the New Year’s resolutions to hit the gyms to get back in shape have given way to settling in and staying warm. We are two to three months away from relief from winter. It would be easy to get despondent, with not much to look forward to soon. But we should not give in to this seasonal sadness, for we have so much to be grateful for. Continue reading →

Posted in best self, change, life | Tagged #keepgoing, aging, alone, Baby Boomers, change, cleaning, family, Fralix, friends, life, Minimalist Home, organizing, Patti Fralix, Silent Generation, slowing down, The Fralix Group, time, traveling | 2 Comments

Trust

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Patti Fralix

A big thank you to the unpaid TSA agents and Air Traffic Controllers who got us to Colorado safely!

There are different opinions about the state of our political system and the current partial federal government shutdown. Many of us would likely agree, however, that having large segments of our government working without pay, some required to do so, has significant potential negative consequences for all of us. I have thought a lot about that in the last few days as my family and I have flown across the country. While the partial government shutdown hasn’t affected me directly before now, (other than the potential economic ramifications for all Americans) it certainly has the past few days. Continue reading →

Posted in life, Relationships, travel | Tagged Air Traffic Controllers, air travel, airplane, Amazon, experience, faith, fear, flying, Fralix, government shutdown, granddaughters, Patti Fralix, political system, The Fralix Group, traveling, trust, TSA, vacation | 2 Comments

A Call to Action

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Peaceful and loving language does not include obscenities.

I am fully prepared that this may be one of my most controversial posts. So be it. I am willing to suffer the backlash if it comes.

Continue reading →

Posted in best self, conflict, life | Tagged accept, advocate, assimilate, call to action, Cheers, controversial, customer service, disturb the comforted, F----, Fralix, freedom of speech, FU*K, ignore, inappropriate word on t-shirt, individual rights, Management, Mike Fralix, obscene language, obscenities, opinion vs racist, Patti Fralix, profanity, The Fralix Group, tolerate, what do you think? | 6 Comments

Paying Attention

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Have I paid enough attention to these girls growing up so quickly?!

One of my goals for 2019 is to focus more and better. By personality, focus is not one of my strong points. It is something that I am committed to improving. Since my 2017 Hurricane Irma experience in St. Maarten and the other traumatic events of 2017 (which you can read about in my latest book, Changing Me From the Inside Out, available on Amazon), I have become acutely aware of the problems involved in failing to focus. Paying Attention and Focus are closely related. I have a recent example of the importance of these.