Being Italian means that family comes first, and food follows closely in second! There is never a dull moment and I love my big Italian family. I'm sure that we aren't the only ones that relate to the items below, so I hope all of you who can relate will enjoy!

1. We all live within 10 minutes of each other.

Sure, constantly seeing each other and surprise visits can get annoying, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing better than knowing you have people to rely on just minutes away. Because we’re all so close, there is always someone there when you are bored or lonely or upset. Plus, if you get sick of your house, there’s always an escape just down the road.

2. Holidays are never boring.

Growing up, there was no silent scene at any celebration. Everyone was talking joyfully, arguing back and forth with playful banter stirred by a few too many sips of espresso with Sambuka. Someone was always upset and somebody else was always laughing. Plus, there was never a shortage of kids to play with before and after dinner.

3. You learn an assemblage of random words and pronunciations.

You become accustomed to intermixed ramblings of English and Italian that makes sense nowhere outside of your household. It drives you crazy when people mispronounce “gnocchi” or “ricotta.” Oh and don’t even get me started on “caprese"...

4. Everyone is your cousin somehow.

Every wedding, funeral, and graduation party you will find someone you are related to. Whether it be because Ricardo married Maria and she was Cousin Anthony”s sister, or Tia Caterina was married to Rosario’s sister and that is Nonno’s cousin, somehow they are all your paisan.

5. Obviously, the food is not comparable to anything else.

There is nothing like freshly baked bread at a family dinner on Sunday. You will never eat sauce from a can, and probably can your own tomatoes as a family. Homemade pasta and gnocchi are the center focuses of your family meals. Not to mention tens of pounds of sausage hanging in the garage every February.