In honor of their new product, PBN has posed the question, what shortcuts have you taken that took you exactly where you wanted to be?

So, I have to say that the broiler is my best friend in the kitchen and time saver.  It is the ultimate shortcut because it requires NO time to heat up and can be a very easy clean up!  Just cover your tray in foil and place the chicken, meat or fish.  Season as you’re like and put it in there until done then flip! use a lower rack until your comfy with the process and how fast everything cooks! Great flavor, day or night, rain or shine, snow or sun… ok, you go the idea.  And ummm EVERYBODY has a broiler right? so it’s a universal shortcut.

Another shortcut I have is for a hot delicious oatmeal breakfast via crockpot.  Just put in your steel cut oatmeal (2 cups for family of 5 should suffice), 6 cups of water and put it on low all night.  In the morning slice bananas and enjoy your delicious breakfast with minimal effort!

My last shortcut with kids is to invest a tiny sum in a dishpan.  Every morning put about two inches of water in that pan.  I usually run the dishwasher last thing before bed.  If we’ve had oatmeal that morning chances are good that it’s stuck pretty hard on the bowls.  If the dishes have been soaking there’s no effort in cleaning.  I don’t use any soap in this pan so I throw out the water out my front door or side porch.  It’s kind of a quick compost that saves me time and nurtures my trees.

Let me know your shortcuts and what you think about Ore-Ida’s Steam n’ Mash!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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— The Best Gift Ever —

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” And stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.

He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, “And if ye, being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?” As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words… PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God’s blessing because they are not packaged as we expected? I trust you enjoyed this. Pass it on to others. Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for…

Lesson learned:  Taking the time to appreciate all that we have.  We must also accept gifts, even if we don’t *think* we want them.

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If you could have a servant come to your house every day for one hour, what would you have them do?

I would have them do laundry: sorting, loading, drying, ironing, folding and putting away, kind of tight for an hour but…

Has your life ever been changed by an apparently random occurrence?

Yes, more times than I probably even imagine.  I won’t go into all the particulars to protect the innocent…

You’re having dinner with several friends and acquaintances. They all criticize a close friend of yours (not knowing he/she is a friend). The criticism is unjustified. What would you do?
If I truly felt it was unjustified I would speak out without hesitation.  This has happenned to me a lot between all the mommy groups I deal with.  If I believe it’s justified I let them know that I know that person has those qualities but they make up or it with their (insert positive).  I really don’t like to get involved in petty things and bad mouthing people.  The whole thing makes me uncomfortable… to me it would be very different if it was a close family member that was being talked about.

Thanks for the great meme Manic Monday!!

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I don’t know but I remember the emotions, I am pretty sure I waited the longest in line with my mother when I was a child. I remember Department stores like macy’s and that smell of women who’d been in their pantyhose too long all around me, remember I was a shorty back then. eeewwww Waiting forever myself and the other children would lay down on dirty carpets, some falling asleep some crying.

*** It’s been said that, “The best things in life are free.” Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

Yes, I think that is true, you really can’t buy the best things in life, family is something you create and maintain. Another thing is nature, sunsets and long walks are enjoyed by young and old.

*** If you could go back in time and re-live one day in your life, which day would you choose and why?

This is a toughie… I have several days like this and I’d have to say it would be the day before boy2001 was born.

I would have lived that day as if it were my last, I know that sounds bad, but having your first child completely changes your life so quickly from one minute to the next (admittedly I’ve had easy pregnancies and childbirths) that I wish I’d taken some more me time before hand. Although you may love the experience the second and third time around you will have other children at home and feel more directional pulls. that day before the first child is crucial.

Total spa day, full body massage, haircut, mani/pedi. I was so concerned with saving up because I’d be a SAHM I didn’t treat myself well… now when I look at the pictures of the ABSOLUTE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE with boy2001 I see my furry eye brows and non-manicured hands.

Thanks to the Manic Monday Meme for this great Meme

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HowManyOfMe.com

There are 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Delphine
There are 10,618 people in the U.S. with the first name Delphine.
Statistically the 1798th most popular first name.
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Delphine are female.

This is Fascinating!! Really amazing info! lol I love these things, I consider myself a connoisseur of useless information and this will top my newest list.

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1. While visiting in Europe and driving along the countryside you spot a famous castle that has long been empty. Excited you decide to check it out. Your curiosity getting the best of you, you drive through the large iron gates to the castle and get out of your car and walk past the large fountain in the court yard to the main enormous door and knock. You continue to knock but no one answers… totally creeped out but at the same time intrigued, you make the daring decision to enter the castle.

2. Entering the castle you are in a large completely furnished hall and a room with two large sliding doors closed on your right, a beautiful spiral staircase ahead and another room on your left also with closed doors. You decide to take the long walk to the sliding doors… Usually trusting your instincts, something is wrong because those doors don’t belong in a castle.

3. Much to your surprise you find a bottle of windex and a kleennex nearby and instinctively clean the window. You think, “my job here is done”.

4. Upon leaving and driving off, you know you will never look back, you simply can’t afford to fill your gas tank to make the long drive ever again…

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I love this series of pictures… girl2004 commandeered boy2001′s knight set. She didn’t want the girly tiara and boa I bought for her, she wanted to wear his stuff which was so adorable. We were at Storyland and several people commented on it because she was so into being a knight. I guess I’m going to have a hard time keeping her in dresses and bows.

It worked out fine though since the set was really too small for boy2001 which is ok, it’s not like he doesn’t have 3 other knight outfits! Speaking of outfits reminds me of costumes and I have three to shop for right now!

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Q: If you could enter a racehorse in the Kentucky Derby, what would you name your horse?
I would name my horse trekker after my favorite tv show living or dead, Star Trek.

Q: What famous person, whom many people find attractive, is most unappealing to you?
I never understood why people thought Robert Redford was attractive, he doesn’t appeal to me at ALL.

Q: Which foreign country are you least interested in visiting?
I am least interested in visiting Guyana (just picked a country I’m least likely to go to – no offense).

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