It's In The Sauce!

A New Year is Upon Us!

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Patti Fralix

Happy New Year from Mike and
me and our grands!

It is day two of a brand-new year! Whether or not 2018 was all that you wanted it to be, it is now in the history books. Let’s look ahead to this new year and all that we want it to be.

Some of you set resolutions for this new year. I did not. I made commitments, commitments to myself. Lest you think this is just a word game, think of the difference in those words. Think of how many people fail to accomplish their resolutions; yes; me too. Years that I focused on resolutions, I failed to change what I needed to change to be successful with those resolutions. Yet years that I have focused on commitments, I have been more successful. But this post is not about me. It is about you, my readers. Continue reading →

Posted in best self, change, life | Tagged 2019, attainable, commitment to self, commitments, family, Fralix, friends, goals, Happy New Year, measurable, money, New Year, Patti Fralix, realistic, resolutions, self, SMART goals, specific, The Fralix Group, timely | 2 Comments

Christmas Traditions and Memories

Posted on December 28, 2018 by Patti Fralix

Granddaughters Elsie, Virginia, and Mary Grace waiting for their summons to come downstairs Christmas morning.

The live trees are bare, soon to be disposed of. The decorations are back in their boxes. The candle lights that graced the window sills are dark. Christmas 2018 is now history. But before it passes completely, a few traditions and memories of this Christmas season and some of years past must be remembered. Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, love, traditions | Tagged 2018, candle, Christmas, circle of life, customized Christmas tree ornaments, decorations, Dr. Danks, Elsie, England, family, Fralix, friends, Georgia, Gina, handcrafted ornaments, holiday, Mary Grace, memories, Mike Fralix, Nana, Ornaments, Patti Fralix, Tara, The Fralix Group, traditions, trees, Virginia, White House ornaments | Leave a comment

The Gift(s) of the Season

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Patti Fralix

With only a few days left until Christmas, many people are scurrying around finishing up last minute shopping. Then there are those whose shopping has not involved scurrying around at all. Many of those have had Amazon and other deliveries as a daily guest to their homes. I have been in both groups this season, having done my share of in-store shopping and online shopping. I have actually bought more online this year than ever before. Online shopping is not more enjoyable to a shopper like me, but it is certainly easier. Except when the items arrive at one’s home and are left in unsafe places, such as was one of our deliveries this year. Here is a photo of the package left on top of our mailbox! Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, life | Tagged 2019, Amazon, Christ, Christmas, Christmas season, Christmas Trees, experiences, focus, Fralix, gift cards, gift giving, gifts, grandchildren, holiday, online, Patti Fralix, possessions, presence, presents, season, shopping, The Fralix Group, things, wrapping | 1 Comment

The Gift(s) of Friends

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Patti Fralix

Decorating for the holidays was easier being snowed in!

This is the most wonderful time of the year! And when I say “this,” I am referring to Thanksgiving to New Years, with Christmas a very important part of the season. Our family hosted 64 family members for Thanksgiving, with the people, tables, and food the main event, and that order is intentional! The food is wonderful, of course, and all of our family makes it so, but the people who grace the turkey decorated tables are what I love more than even the food. And as soon as the tables are cleared and some of the tables and chairs stored for next year’s event, it is time to decorate for Christmas. We have a much smaller number for Christmas Eve dinner, which is the meal function we host for our nuclear family; only 16! Continue reading →

Posted in gratitude, life, Relationships | Tagged Christmas, decorate, family, Fralix, friend, friends, friendship, gift, gift of friends, gifts, heart, holidays, lifetime, love, meaningful gifts, memories, Ornaments, Patti Fralix, People, present, Raleigh, reason, relationship, relationships, season, snow, The Fralix Group | 2 Comments

Let the Words of My Mouth Be Acceptable

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Patti Fralix

What we all need!

This week in our country we have witnessed an almost miracle; the return to civility. The death of George H.W. Bush, America’s 41^st President, made most people stop the negativity and reflect on the life and legacy of this man for a few days this week. We were given many glimpses into the values, behavior, and loves of this one term President. His values of Faith, Family, and Country were obvious in his behavior, and in the words about him by those who knew him best. When asked by one of his granddaughters what was most important to him, he replied, “family.” Not power, not fame, not glory. Family. What a legacy. Continue reading →

Posted in hope, life, Relationships | Tagged 41st President, Changing Me from the Inside Out, country, faith, family, Fralix, gates, Gates of Speech, George H.W. Bush, God Bless America, Hurricane Irma, is it kind, Is it necessary, is it the right time, Is it true, legacy, life, Patti Fralix, politics, president, relationships, St. Maarten, The Fralix Group | Leave a comment

Home Alone

Posted on November 28, 2018 by Patti Fralix

Just a few of the dishes!

My last blog post was about our wonderful Thanksgiving with 64 family and friends. They all left Friday and Saturday. Sunday was a quiet day. Mike and I went to church, and our pastor’s sermon was on Mary and Martha. I felt like Martha, yet hoped I showed some of Mary to those who graced our home and tables for the holiday. Monday and Tuesday, I was clearly Martha, home alone. Continue reading →

Posted in family, gratitude, Relationships, thankful | Tagged "the work", alone, dishes, family, Fralix, guilt, heart, home, laundry, loneliness, loved ones, Martha, Mary, message, Mike Fralix, mom, mother, Patti Fralix, sadness, thankful, Thanksgiving, The Fralix Group, turkey | 3 Comments

Blessed and Thankful

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Patti Fralix

This is our group photo of most of us present for our family Thanksgiving celebration.

The last of our 64 family and friends who graced our tables and our lives at Thanksgiving this year just departed. I made the comment to some this morning that everyone leaves between yesterday and today and Mike and I are left with the memories and the remainder of the mess! That was a comic relief comment, made out of sadness that after several days of being together, we are once again saying goodbyes to many of our loved ones for another year. While Mike and I certainly spend many hours preparing for this annual event and more hours putting the house back to normal afterward, our entire crowd makes the event what it is. There are many cooks, dishwashers, and helpers doing a variety of chores, so none of us should get the credit for making this work. It is indeed a family affair, and “family” includes our friends who are our chosen family. It is a labor of love that warms our hearts and feeds our souls as much as our tummies. We are so blessed and thankful. Continue reading →

Posted in family, gratitude, thankful | Tagged 34th year, angie henle, blessed, celebration of family, children, cousins, dad, family, family affair, fathers, Florida, Fralix, Fralix Family, friends, grandchildren, grateful, hearts, labor of love, love, loved ones, Maryland, memories, Mike Fralix, mothers, North Carolina, Patti Fralix, prayer, Raleigh, spogga hashway, tables, thankful, Thanksgiving, time, together | 2 Comments

A Reason, A Season, or A Lifetime

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Patti Fralix

The best thing in life is relationships

You may have heard of “A Reason, A Season, or A Lifetime” before seeing it here, but this phrase was new to me when I heard it last night. Someone I had just met mentioned this phrase, and although I did not have a “textbook” definition of it, I immediately understood what it meant. We were talking about relationships and the fact that all relationships do not last, and are not even meant to last. As one who holds onto everything, including people, I initially had difficulty accepting this. But after thinking about this more deeply, I realized that it is true. Continue reading →

Posted in change, life, Relationships | Tagged a lifetime, a reason, a season, celebrate, change, disappointment, experience, family, Fralix, friends, friendship, friendships, growth, happiness, last, lesson, lifetime, memories, Patti Fralix, reason, relationship, relationships, season, seasons, The Fralix Group | 6 Comments

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Patti Fralix

Mary Grace (L) and Elsie (R)

Our oldest granddaughters, Mary Grace who is 13, and Elsie who is 11, were having a conversation recently about one of their leaders. I decided to listen in, and I am so glad that I did, for there was a good lesson to be found in their conversation. They were comparing the behavior of one of their current leaders to that of the previous one in that same role. Regardless of our roles as adults, we can learn something from these wise young people. Continue reading →

Posted in change, family, Leadership | Tagged 65, action, action oriented, change, doers, don't just be a think tank, Elsie, in our heads, knowledge, leaders, Mary Grace, Mike Fralix, mouths of babes, Patti Fralix, theory, thinkers | 2 Comments

The Doors of Maastricht

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Patti Fralix

What does a writer do when the well is dry? One option is to dig deeper. Another is to go within oneself, searching for the message that needs to be delivered. Another option is to post more photos, fewer words! I decided on the latter approach for this post. So, here is one last blog post from our recent wonderful trip to Maastricht in the Netherlands, this one is about the beautiful doors of Maastricht. Continue reading →

Posted in hope, life, travel | Tagged beautiful doors, blog, doors, entrance, exit, International Apparel Federation, leather bag, leather shop, Maastricht, Netherlands, photos, red hat door, transition | 2 Comments