Hi Guys, I stumbled across something tonight while I was sorting through coupons and reading Jen’s blog iheartorganizing.blogspot.com. I came across the SwitchSaveChallenge.com ad, which led me to the blogger Toni Anderson, who has a wonderful blog at TheHappyHousewife.com and she also does this amazing thing. She founded and runs the Coupons for Troops program, Troopons, (http://www.supportourtroops.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1435)which sends expired coupons to our military and their families serving overseas. The coupons that are accepted are those that are no more than 2 months out of date by the time you mail them. Please take the time to sort them out into two groups “food” and “non-food” and place them in separate plastic baggies. Also, please label the outside of the bag with the value of the coupons inside and mail them to Support Our Troops^®P. O. Box 10 Weir, TX 78674-0010  .

Hi All,

I wanted to let you know that my first blog can be found at http://southernchelle.blogspot.com/. I didn’t like Blogger as far as the way it looks…. WordPress by far looks so much better! I’ve stumbled across a new site called The Blog Guidebook. Hopefully, it will help me increase traffic to my site and make blog friends! If you like this pitiful blog, please stick with me as I learn and grow in the blog community! I know this doesn’t look anything like IHEARTORGANIZING or anything, but hopefully someday I’ll get there. Stay tuned for my post on the most amazing uses for FRAMES, that are viral around blog land and my book review of The Lion of Babylon from Bethany House Publishers.

-Chelle

Product Description
Detective Boone Drake has just masterminded the most massive sting in Chicago history, bringing down the heads of not only the biggest street gangs in the city but also the old crime syndicate. The story is the biggest in decades, and the Chicago Police Department must protect the key witness at all costs. Despite top-secret plans to transfer the witness ahead of his testimony before the grand jury, an attempt is made on his life. And the person suspected of leaking this information may be one of the CPD’s own.

“The Betrayal” by Jerry B. Jenkins is a classic example of betrayal in a job many consider a very cut and dried profession, that of law enforcement. Detective Boone Drake is injured following an attack on the key witness prior to his grand jury testimony, in the aftermath of the most massive sting in Chicago history bringing down street gangs and crime syndicates alike, which Drake just masterminded. It soon becomes apparent that Drake’s girlfriend, Haeley, may be responsible for leaking the information about the key witness.

This was as far as I got with the book, even after having it for a couple of months. I tried repeatedly to finish it, but it was extremely slow starting out and just didn’t hold my interest. Normally, I am a big fan of both Jenkins and crime novels, but this one couldn’t hold my interest. I’m not sure where the problem lies, it may be with a change in my reading tastes more than an issue in the plot of the story. I will definitely think twice about picking up either a crime novel or Jenkins novel in the future.

I was provided with an Advanced Reader Copy by the Tyndale Blog Network. However, the thoughts expressed in this review are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I really tried to finish this guys, to give you an honest review, but it turns out that this honest review was that I couldn’t finish it. I hope the next book I’m reading will turn up to have a great review, whether good or bad. I’m scared though that I’ve had such a hard time reading books lately. Is it because of graduate school and what I’m reading on a daily basis that I cannot read for fun anymore? I so hope not!

Although, I am still reading blogs to bring you some of the great ideas I’ve found around blog land, not being a mainstream blogger I only appreciate some of the wonderful ideas that are viral these days as far as DIY and home decor. I’ve decided to try a couple of the ideas in my own home and will have a post soon about these great uses for things we all have in slightly different ways.

SO I AM A HUGE COUNTRY FAN AND DECIDED TO SHARE THIS WITH Y’ALL…..

Big Machine is offering a free download every day until the Brickyard 400 on July 31!

via Brickyard 400.

  I had a really hard time reading Where Will You Go from Here? by Valorie Burton, because I’m not in a place in my life where this would apply to me. However, if I am ever in a place in my life where I need direction forward, I will definitely uncover this from my bookshelf!

Nonetheless, she posed some very interesting and enlightening ideas and thought processes to move on with your life after recovering from a setback. You definitely need to take the time to evaluate yourself and where you are and not rush into an action or inaction when recovering from a “bump in the road”. She leads you to a place where you have the information you need to move on, from whatever setback you’re facing. She does this by stories of amazing people in situations we can all relate to and how they faced or didn’t face these situations, and by giving advice on what your next plan of action should be and giving you scriptures to reflect on at this step in your recovery. If you are at a place in your life where you need guidance or tips on how to move on from an upset that has been thrown at you, please pick up this book. I feel certain that Valorie Burton’s book Where Will You Go from Here?: Moving Forward When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned will help you to pick up the pieces and become a better, stronger individual because of you’re upsetting circumstances!

I received this book from the WaterBrook Multnomah Blogging for Books Program in exchange for an honest review.

I recently finished reading Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley. I must say, this book was an unexpected, joy to read! It didn’t read like your typical Christian Romance/Suspense book (You didn’t know the entire plot very early in the book, and it didn’t play out typically either). I love this genre in general, but I will definitely seek out more of DiAnn Mills’ work.

The main characters, Special Agent Meghan Connors and Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders, meet on assignment protecting the vice president’s daughter in West Texas. Zinders has a reputation for being critical of woman agents, and Connors will be no exception, especially after they learn they are both up for the same promotion! Connors proves to be an exceptional agent and insightful person. Her caring persona, both with their charge, Lindsey, and Zinders harsh mood swings, eventually win her trust with both of them. Soon Ash can’t keep Meghan out of his head and she becomes both a critical part of the team assigned to Lindsey and his confidant. When threats on Lindsey’s life escalate at the ranch, Ash and Meghan must get to the bottom of the death threats, before more people are killed. Can their budding relationship outlive this case?

Twists abound in this book! Once you think you’ve figured out a culprit, something else happens! This book will be available later this fall. Please check it out here.

Are these things jellyfish or Portuguese Man-O-War floating in my broth container? No, they are a fungus that decided my T1N3 broth was tasty and would make a nice home. This is one of the problems of conducting research in an area with extreme humidity. It tends to create excess contamination issues during the summer months, when the humidity is extremely high and causes us to toss out otherwise fine media. Luckily, for me, on Monday when this photo was taken, I had another batch of T1N3 broth to make test tubes of the cultures I needed to Gram Stain. I have decided over the course of the last two days that I DESPISE all things that involve MICROSCOPY and GRAM STAINING. They have both proved to be a pain…unfortunately, this is going to encompass a large part of my summer – GRAM STAINING…….I have approximately 295 “isolates” to Gram Stain and conduct oxidase testing on. Ah, the joys of grad school.

Kidding aside, this research is interesting, I suppose. Although, I really don’t have any idea how my data is shaping up, and won’t until I finish all of the testing, run PCR, and then take a look at the statistics and all of that…

On another note, I have recently started another book, “Attracted to Fire” by Diann Mills, which was graciously provided to me via ebook via Netgalley by Christy Wong of Tyndale House Publishers, which is due out in October. I hope to finish it by this weekend and write my review, so far it is shaping up to be a fabulous book! (The picture and more info. can be found here.