Christmas Dinner with Murphy's Law

I hope and pray everyone had a fabulous Christmas this year.  I had an interesting Christmas to say the least, and still I am blessed by Him whose birth we celebrate.

I'm gonna tell the story of my crazy Christmas dinner, starting with Christmas eve. 

It all started Friday (Christmas eve) at approximately 6pm when I opened the oven to put the apple pies in to bake.  EEK...there was not a drop of heat in my oven, it wasn't even warm, so I yelled loud enough for Pete, my husband, to hear:  "problem, we've got a big problem!".  Pete came down and played with the oven for a bit, then tested the element by checking the cleaning cycle.  The heating element was working, but this Fault code kept appearing.  Murphy's law has arrived!

As Pete is working on the oven, I'm thinking about the 14 pound turkey I've got in the fridge to cook tommorrow.  How am I going to cook that??  Pete kept telling me to take deep breaths, it will all work out. (my thought to that was:  deep breaths aren't going to make my oven work)

As I'm thinking all these GREAT thoughts about Christmas dinner, I've still got 2 apple pies to bake.  Pete decided if we can maintain a 200 degree temperature by turning the cleaning cycle on and off, we would be ok.  How many of you ladies reading this think that is a crazy idea??

We did exactly that, with Pete monitoring the temperature while the pies are in the oven.  My pies normally take about 1 hour to cook, well...I was 'slow cooking' these 2 apple pies for sure.  I finally gave up at midnight (the pies weren't getting brown), knowing it was going to be an interesting Christmas dinner the next day.  Murphy is still visiting.

Moving on to Christmas day:

I wake up at 6am, thinking of all the things needing to be done, and how it was going to get done with an oven that is not cooperating.  So I clean the bird, make the stuffing, place it in the roaster, all the while trying to time everything out with an adjustment for 'slow cooking' beings we were only able to maintain about a 200 degree temperature by turning the clean cycle on and off.  Pete is now awake (it is about 8am) and I tell him, 'we have got to get this bird in the oven, to make sure it is done by 2pm (dinner time)'  Pete was my 'heat monitor' for the oven, and he was turning it on and off throughout the day to maintain the 200 degree temperature.

So now I'm thinking to myself, just maybe it will all work out ok.  And then I hear beeping in the kitchen-it was the oven yet again, and Pete tells me a different fault code is now showing, and he can't even turn the oven on.  This was about 12:20pm (dinner is scheduled for 2pm) and I was thinking 'NOW WHAT'!
Murphy - GO AWAY!

My brain was working overtime to figure out how to finish cooking this big bird.  I've got it:  the grill!!  So I had Pete fire up the grill to preheat it.  He took the turkey out and put it on the grill, then comes back in the house and tells me we are out of gas for the grill.  (Murphy really needs to end his visit with this house now)Oh no....now what?  Pete gets his coat on, and says I'm going to find somewhere to get gas for the grill.  I'm thinking, it's Christmas day, where in the world is he going to gas for the grill today?!

Thank God for Home Depot's automated machines!  Put the empty canister in, swipe your card, full canister appears.  Yeah, we're in business again!

So, Pete comes back with gas for the grill, connects everything up, gets the grill started and preheated, takes the turkey out and we are going to get it all done.  I'm inside doing mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, etc etc etc., when I went to open a cabinet door and not paying attention to which door I was opening, smacked myself in the head pretty hard with the cabinet door.  Murphy is still here.

Pete comes back in the house to me in tears because I hit my head.  I've even got a bit of knot on my head.  I said "Murphy really needs to go away", and of course, Pete laughed.

I got it all done, and everything was tasty I was told.  The slow cooked apple pies weren't all that great, but Pete says they are fine.  He would as apple is his favorite pie.

All in all, it was a very interesting day for sure.  Usually before this type of dinner I am a bit nervous and have butterflies in my belly, this Christmas I wasn't nervous at all about the big dinner.  Murphy sure fixed that.

Hope you all enjoyed reading about my Christmas dinner with Murphy's law, it was interesting!

Be Blessed!

Tricia

Presents that Pamper

Do you like to be pampered?  Even better:  do you like to receive presents that pamper?  I believe these can be the best type of presents to give and receive.  Take a look at some of the items I am featuring today.  All items are from Etsy shops who are also members of teams I also am a member of.  The teams are CASTteam (Christian Artist Street Team), CAPSteam, (Christian Artists Promoting Shops), and the Burghteam (Pittsburgh and surrounding areas).

Enjoy and be pampered!

From the CASTteam:

Dead Sea Bath Salts from LusciousLather's shop.

Visit her shop on Etsy:

http://www.lusciouslather.etsy.com/

From the CAPSteam, a wonderful bath 'candle'.  Check out topc's shop for more unique and pampering gifts.   http://www.topc.etsy.com/.

From the Burghteam, something to pamper the man in your life from SugarSugarScrub's shop.

Visit SugarSugarScrub's shop to find more pampering presents for yourself or even for the man in your life.

http://www.sugarsugarscrub.etsy.com/

From the CASTteam:  want to feel like you are at a spa in your bathtub?  Check out the bath tea's from baghdadbum's shop.

Joe has some wonderful and fantastic smelling products, some even work in the shower!

Pamper yourself by going to http://www.baghdadbum.etsy.com/.

From the CAPSteam:

Bath Salts with Dried Rose Petals and Herbs from whatshername's shop.

Visit whatshername's shop to find even more pampering uniquely crafted items.  http://www.whatshername.etsy.com/









Have a wonderfully pampered day today!

It Is the Christmas Season, Not JUST a Holiday

I received the following in an email today and thought it so fitting for those of us who ARE Christians to take a stand.  My husband, Pete, and I were shopping at a local store here and I heard the cashier, as we were getting ready to check out, say to the previous customer: "Merry.....oops...happy holidays.".  Then I asked her about it and she told me she could get fired for saying Merry Christmas.

She went on to say that management in her store states that the term Christmas is offensive.  Isn't it strange how these companies will bow down to the 10% of folks in this country who are not Christians?  I am offended when they don't say MERRY CHRISTMAS. 

So here goes, for all the world to see, the poem I received in an email today:

Twas the month before Christmas* *When all through our land,* *Not a Christian was praying* *Nor taking a stand.* *See the PC Police had taken away,* *The reason for Christmas - no one could say.* *The children were told by their schools not to sing,* *About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.* *It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say* * December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.* *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit* *Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!* *CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod* *Something was changing, something quite odd! * *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa* *In hopes to sell books by Fran ken & Fonda.* *As Targets were hanging their trees upside down* * At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.* *At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears* *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.* *Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty* *Are words that were used to intimidate me.* *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen* *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !* *At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter* *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.* *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith* * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace* *The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded* *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.* *So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'* *Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.* *Choose your words carefully, choose what you say* *Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS , not Happy Holiday !* Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet during theholidays a MERRY CHRISTMAS Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

I felt this is a fitting way to share this beings I don't like to forward emails.  (My inbox is too full already)

Had it not been for Jesus Christ, there would not be a Holiday to celebrate so 

I wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS season, and all be blessed by the reason for this season!

Please note:  if I have offended you in any way by this post, I WILL be praying that you see the light and are removed from darkness!

Beaded jewelry by CreationsbyTricia

I have finally been able to finish a few pieces of jewelry.  I'll be listing them on Etsy daily.  Let me know what you think.  Going to post just a few pictures here.  The first picture I did list today.  All opinions and comments are welcome.

The above photo is black agate and crystals in 2 different colors.

 

I think these look pretty good, and there is a bracelet I am working on to complete the set.  Thank you for any comments, it is appreciated!

Have a great day!

Encouragement for the Discouraged

Whew, is it really already December 1?  This year of change sure has gone way too quick for me.  All this change can be a bit overwhelming at times, and sometimes it can really get to you.  I am generally not a negative soul, but yesterday discouragement really set in hard, and I was nearly in tears. (Yikes!!  that is definitely NOT me)  But God is certainly good and He has a plan for me.

After being near tears yesterday, I posted in my team's forum on Etsy to please pray for me.  I received lots of encouragement from my fellow sisters and brothers and it definitely helped to stall the discouragment I was feeling.  This morning I received even more encouragement as I was reading my Bible and devotions.  Here's the statement I read by Max Lucado, and ohh how true this is:

 ' Though the road to the palace takes a detour through the prison, it eventually ends up at the throne.'

This statement is so true, even through the detours of this life, God is always there.  It is so amazing how God loves us!  I received even more encouragement this morning when I opened up my Etsy account thru another sister who 'convoed' me with words of encouragement.  I am truly blessed.

When flesh gets in my way, I have to remember a saying I've used quite often: 'if God brings you to it, He WILL get you thru it' whatever it may be. 

I know in my heart and soul God gave me the ability and talent to make and create jewelry.  I know in my heart and soul God told me to open this bead shop in Uniontown, PA.  I know in my heart and soul God led me to the Etsy site.  And I know in my heart and soul He led me to the teams I have joined there for encouragement. 

Take a look at this wonderful artwork in one of my teammate's shops.   I would like to use to say thank you to all who blessed me with encouragement, by using a beautiful thank you card I found there.

You can find beautiful note cards, Christmas cards and more in Phyllis's shop.

http://www.pfdoriginalartworks.etsy.com/

Phyllis' work is absolutely gorgeous, check out her shop and see her beautiful artwork in cards.

I pray everyone has a fabulous day today!
Be blessed!

Tricia