grab a cup & stay awhile.....

Where have I been?!

patrizia2000 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:48:04 +0000

Do you think I should update?????? Today, I thought about my blog. I dont do that very often, I have too many other things on my mind…..still, I was thinking about it. My long, lost blog (sigh) I wont pretend that Ill commit to writing dialy, diligently, however, I will try to at least spend a bit of time with my friend, my journal, my blog. A way to give my friends & family a peek into my life. Well……………..now where do I begin? For now, I bid you farewell, until then. :~D

Its The Most Wonderful Time of the Year……….

patrizia2000 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:24:03 +0000

There was a time that I loved going out in the snow & just freeeeezing & laying in it & throwing it & making things with it………… long, long ago. Now, I like to look at it…….. from inside of my toasty, cozy house. I LOVE the snow, winter is my favorite season, but I wont go in it! Imagine! Does that make sense to you? Makes perfect sense to me~

Julia, Maria & Lidia loving the beautiful snow God made ~

I think its snow…… they must be trying to make a snowman with a tan!

TA-DA! Love these gals. : )

Patrizia

Winter Berries

patrizia2000 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:25:26 +0000

My Anna is quite the photographer. She takes such beautiful images of whatever she finds. She looks at something or some sort of still-life & can make it into a lovely piece of art. Here is one of Annas recent masterpieces ~

This is a shot that Anna took of our ornatmental tree in our front yard. Doesnt it look like a magazine cover? So pretty ~

Patrizia

Busy in the home~

patrizia2000 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:27:47 +0000

A photo that was taken last March~ My 5 beauties~

One of my favorite things about late fall/winter is being “in” ~ all snuggly warm & in the comfort of our home. I get such joy in spending time baking, cooking, doing projects that I normally wouldnt work on in the summer. I have a list! Will I ever accomplish it? I dont know, but I do know I look forward to each day & what it brings. The smells of baked goods in the oven & just being together as a family in our family room in the evenings after dinner. Such bliss.

Today I had a goal to make my home made pasta & be done before lunch, & I did accomplish that. I set goals daily. I try to reach them & usually do. Sometimes I dont. Wether it be circumstances around me or the constant training of the girls. That is usually what stops my day.

Ive had to learn to be content in all things. It gets crazy around here sometimes. REAL CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yet, I know as crazy as I am, I need to get through it with a good reputation before my children. Am I pleasing the Lord in all my actions & words. This will forever be something Ill be working on.

As I sit here & type, I look at all of my 5 daughters in the kitchen, they just got done eating lunch. All busy. Everyone is doing something. We are ALIVE! We are all breathing! No one is terminally ill or is on drugs or living a foolish life with boyfriends ect……. As crazy as it gets here, today I am reminded of how much worst it can be. Really, its pretty good around here. I am blessed. The Lord has blessed me.

With all the noise & the chattering, all the fussing & chattering & sometimes the emotions run wild, I will count my blessings. Winter does that to me. I am too busy in the summer to really appreciate what I have. Hmmmmm…….. shame on me. I really should take the time even in the warm days to thank the Lord for what He has given me.

Patrizia

Girls, Girls, Girls!

patrizia2000 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:28:16 +0000

Ive got 5 of em’! Can you believe it? Oh my…………

I sure do love them though~ Our house is full of emotion. Have you ever been in a house full of girls? Did I mention that I have 5 daughters!? The Lord knows what we need, amen?

When I was a young gal myself, I had my whole family planned out. I would get married & have a boy first & then a girl. Perfect American family, no? Of course what I didnt realize at the time was that I had dreams of the cookie-cutter family. I hear that a lot from young moms today who have a baby boy, “I got my boy, now Ill get my girl & were done!”

Oh God forgive us. I wouldnt change my family for the world! As crazy as it gets here sometimes, I still wouldnt trade it for nothing! I lost 3 babies, I can almost imagine, they were girls too! What else?

Theres a lot of chattering that goes on here. Girls talk ALOT! Did you know that? It seems too that in the past few years, I have run into more familys with 5 girls! I think Ive met at least 3 families so far.

We are a spectacle where ever we go. People sometimes stop & stare. Im not kidding you! Ive heard people make comments, I always have people stop & ask if they are all mine! Some people actually feel sorry for me. They make comments like, “I feel sorry for you!” “All girls? You poor thing.” Or how about, “Girls have the worst attitudes, & youve got 5 of em’?” Can you imagine!

This used to bother me years ago, now I actually look forward to the comments. I say things like, “Oh, dont feel sorry for me, I love my girls.” Or I might say, “Look at them, do they look like they have attitudes to you?” I do tell them too, ” I wouldnt trade them for the world.” I make sure my girls hear me if they are with me.

So many people have missed the blessing of deciding to have just one or two, hoping they get there boy & girl team. Nothing wrong with wanting a boy & then a girl, but I praise the Lord for what He gave me. As many people have looked at us in hatred, many have also been blessed.

Today, I thank my God for my girls. They are my life & my life would be quite boring without them. The Lord chose them just for us. This is the family Im supposed to have. The Lord has used my girls to shape me, to make me who I am today. He knew we needed them & He was right~

Patrizia

An apple a day, keeps the Dr. away!

patrizia2000 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:30:35 +0000

I love the fall! Its apple pickin’ time~ Why is it so fun to pick apples? We all love to do this. Lets see apple sauce; apple chips, apple crisp, apple pie, apple butter, apple dumplings, APPLES, APPLES, APPLES! Its a beautiful thing……………………

My girls

Look at all them apples!

As you can see, Anna is pretty pleased with herself!

Who you lookin’ at? (Michaela)

Theres something about an apple. Picking it right off the tree & taking a nice, bit bite. Just another way for God to show us His great creation. How wonderful is He for taking such good care of us. We can just pick it right off the tree & enjoy. An apple is an amazing thing~

Patrizia

HOME MADE!

patrizia2000 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:30:36 +0000

We love to make everything from scratch! Its much healthier than buying from the store. No packaged food in our house, only on very rare occasions. My girls love to cook & they are good at it! Heres a bit of what goes on in our home.

Michaela making us superb home made pasta~ there aint nothin’ like it! Its beautiful.

One of Annas many delicious cakes! Yum! This is Torta di Mele (Italian Apple Cake)

Michaelas home made doughnuts! What fun that was!

My beautiful bread~

What fun we have! Making memories in the kitchen. ITS WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP~ beautiful.

Patrizia

TRAIN UP A CHILD….in the way he should go???

patrizia2000 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:32:29 +0000

PROV. 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: & when his old, He will not depart from it.

The proverbial question~ what does this mean? It is a very important question, yet the Bible is not specific about this. Ive heard different conclusions to this verse. One friend said, “the way he should go”, “that means, individually, each child has a different way to go.” (okay!) Worked for her! Her children turned out pretty good! Another gal said, “its the Word! The Word is to be used to train up a child, nothing else & then they will go the way of the Word.” (Oh! Okay!) I think I get it now! I think. So which is it?

Training is the hardest job Ive ever had in my life! Its seems like you have it all together when they are very young, then they turn a certain age with their own minds & then you realize you failed miserably. You really see the fruit in the later years. Good or bad~

With our girls, we did with the know-how the Lord has given us. The older girls are at an age where they can make up their mind how to respond to certain situations & they are accountable. The younger girls, well, they still are so moldable. Our girls are wonderful! We love them dearly, wouldnt trade them for the world! NO WAY, NO HOW!

Its been a learning experience for both my husband & I. We are forever learning. Daily! Hopefully we have instilled much into their hearts & our goal has always been to point them to the Lord in every instance. You can get through anything if you go to Him! Thats all I want to drive into them. Its because of Him! Everything we do is because of Him! Its ALL ABOUT HIM! I wish I would have known that growing up. So, I would say, the girls have that advantage. I love my girls dearly & want the best for them. The best is the Living Lord! Dare I ask for more?

Patrizia

My garden

patrizia2000 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:33:39 +0000

Herbs & our beautiful Roma tomatoes~ oh, such a sight!

We so much love our flat-Italian parsley. Theres nothing like this kind here. The seeds are right from Italy & it is a wonderful taste. Nothing like the stuff you buy in the store. Theres nothing like this~yum!

This is my very fragrant basil. Again, seeds directly from Italy. Does NOT compare to anything you can buy here in the stores. I use basil a lot in the summer. I love when its fresh & I use it in all my pasta dishes & have made pesto with it. I also use it in sandwiches or panini. Its really used in everything in my cooking. I love when its freshly picked, I hold it & just take it all in. The smell is wonderful.

If you look real closely here, you will see 4 litte, teeny, tiny beaks. Im not sure what sort of birds these are. Truthfully, Ive never have seen anything like these before. We are pretty good about naming the birds about the yard. I put up this little bird house, its shaped like a gourd, and these little guys moved in! Well, mom & dad moved in first. Never heard such chattering (lots of gossip going on!) Oh, & their parents were so, so busy getting their new home all ready for their babies. All day, back & forth, back & forth getting food for their youngins’. I couldnt help but think, these birds should write a book on parenting! We can learn from them. They are the best parents out there. Such a good example.

Patrizia

being hectic!

patrizia2000 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:37:49 +0000

Oh my, time has gone by! Our lives have been busy with other things & I noticed as the children get older, it gets busier!

I dont like that. I dont do well with that. I so love being home & working here. I love the protection of my home & can stay in & not go out forever. I really so enjoy the peace.

So, I look forward to winter! I love being in & baking & being all warm & snuggly. Its my favorite time of the year. Summers fine, but theres too much to do. I make a resolution each summer to do school with the younger girls. I did it maybe 6 – 8 times this summer. Im not happy with myself. I used to be real consistant. I dont know what happend to me!

Oh, lots of work to do on me. LOTS! Monday, I plan on starting school HARD! It keeps the children in order. In the summer, there is too much fooling around, I think. No order. I am out of my comfort zone when things are out of order. God is a God of order. Theres a reason for that. He knows we need structure.

I thank the Lord though, that I stay in the Word daily. Its the first thing I do upon wakening. I cant start my day without it. Its my breathing-machine. Its what keeps me going. Its my way to Him!

Its breakfast time here. All ready thinking, how do I keep everyone in order? So many voices & such. I do so want order! So, today begins my plea with the Lord, He alone can help here. I have much work to do. I need order in every thing. There is no safety in chaos.

Its a beautiful day here in Ohio! My flowers are looking spent! SO, so sad. They are losing thier beauty. I get such satisfaction looking & loving them all day. I sit outside & just get such joy from them. Fall is in the air. I love that feeling. I cant wait until it gets a bit chilly. Now thats perfect weather!

Patrizia