Blogging for Books: Book Review, Blind Hope by Kim Meeder

I requested "Blind Hope" in great anticipation. I was not disappointed! This book, by Kim Meeder is extremely insight full and soul stirring.


Laurie was looking for something else in her life. So she accepted a plea to rescue a dog. When she first meets the dog, all her illusions of a cute puppy were dashed. She almost refused, but decided to take the dog away from it's impoverished home, in fear that the poor creature would die without help. Although tough at first, Laurie begins to bond with the dog she now calls Mia.

Mia begins to teach Laurie a lot about unconditional love, and about obedience and how her relationship with Mia is mirroring Laurie's relationship with God. Or should I say lack of relationship with God.

Shortly after rescuing Mia, Laurie takes her to the vet for a physical and evaluation. The vet delivers some devastating news to Laurie. Mia is going blind, and has many other physical aliments. Poor Laurie is crushed.

The story follows Laurie's spiritual path in fully accepting Gods greatest gift, often mirrored in Mia's acceptance of Laurie as her Master. A Master she can not see, but trusts and loves.
 
I admit I struggled reading this book, not because of the writing, but because it shed light on my own spiritual life, or lack of. It inspired me to get closer to God, not because He moved away from me, but because I moved away from Him.
 
This review is of a book that I received free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers for the purpose of reviewing it on my blog.


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WOW! Bing Rewards!

I joined Bing Rewards Preview last month, and today I cashed in for a $5 Amazon gift card, and I have already recieved the gift card! That was super fast!
Go HERE to join! And here is a list of the FAQ's. Have fun searching! You will recieve 250 points to start!

Kroger and CVS Trip

Did pretty good at Kroger and even better at CVS last night!

Kroger
2 Yakisoba noodle bowls
1 Bisquick mix
5 Vitamin Waters (1 has already been consumed)
4 Yoplait yogurts
4 boxes of Special K cereals
1 box of Danimals Coolision Tubes
before coupons: $23.00ish
after coupons : $10.91
received $4 off for buying 4 Kelloggs products
used (2)BOGO Special K printable (promotion is now closed)
.50/4 Yoplait yogurts
BOGO Vitamin Water coupons (from Facebook promo)
1.00/1 Vitamin water Catalina coupon
.50 off Bisquick Kroger Digital coupon
.50 off Bisquick printable from Coupons.com
(2) .50 off 1 Yakisoba product (from 1/2 SS)
no coupon for Danimal Yougurt, but it was marked down to .99! However, the sneaky cashier didn't scan one of my vitamin water coupons right so my total would have been under the $10 I had planned. Hmmm

CVS

(that's the youngest sprouts hand and elbow!)
Total before coupons: $21.27
used
FREE Excedrin Migraine coupon (home mailer)
FREE Excedrin Extra Strength coupon (home mailer)
$3.50 off Excedrin PM (home mailer)
and used $4 ECB (my quarterly bucks)
total OOP: 3.49 and received back $10.00!!
I was really excited to see this promo, and have all the free item coupons arrive before the deal expired. I did have to be a little careful because the FREE item coupons had a limit of 5.99 and 4.99 I believe. So you can imagine my joy since I found products within my "price range"

2010 "Earnings" and savings

                                                              

Swagbucks: $290.00 in Amazon gift cards
                   $15.00 in PayPal money

Irazoo: $50.00 in Amazon gift cards (didn't start this one until June)

Listia: $65 in Wal-Mart Gift Cards and about $75 worth of merchandise: books, DVD's, clothes, toys, coupons.
The main thing I "sold" in this site were Coke codes and Dr. Pepper promotional codes. Not a bad profit for trading codes/trash. I am notorious for picking up Coke codes up off the ground.

My Points: roughly $100 in Gift Cards (Wal-Mart, CVS, Pizza Hut)

Toluna: $80.00 (cash)

Mindfield Online Surveys: $60.00 cash/PayPal

Savings:
Received in promotional items: about $500.00 worth of merchandise: Wii Games, books, Gift Cards. All from review sites or HouseParty.com
 
Paperbackswap.com savings: $234.00
Swapadvd.com savings: $80.60
 
I stopped buying papers for most of this year, instead I got most of my coupons in trade on Listia, Chocolate Soup, Kizoodle and I bought some with my PayPal money on TheCouponClippers. I also received a few free item coupons using my points earned thru RecycleBank.

It is difficult to say how much I saved with coupons this year, but I would say in the $500 range, including free item coupons and regular X amount off coupons.
 
Facebook is definitely a tightwads friend because many companies are offering exclusive coupons and freebies (of which I benefited greatly! lol) I just received a free bag of Purina One dog food from a FB promo. My dog is quite happy! My favorite is probably my large area rug from Natural Home Rug.

Uses for Canned Biscuts

 I am a big fan of cheap, canned biscuits because they are versatile and easy to prepare. Here are a few of my uses and a link for more recipes.

 Donuts or Donut Holes
     If you want donuts, use a medicine bottle or something small like that to make a hole in the center and fry them in oil (about 3 minutes each side). If you don't feel like going all out, just cut each biscuit into quarters and fry them as donut holes. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar mixture or try this easy chocolate sauce
        Glaze
        2 cups powdered sugar
        1 tablespoon vanilla extract
        1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
        3 tablespoon milk

        2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

         Blend with spoon until smooth. Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring often              Add to sugar glaze mix. (recipe taken from Miserly Moms)

Mini pizzas
     Make your own "bagel bite" like mini pizzas. Flatten the inside of the biscuit with the spoon of a ladle or a medicine bottle. Fill with pizza sauce, bits of leftover sausage, pepperoni and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until bottoms are brown and cheese is melted.
 Or use rolling pin to flatten all the biscuits and place them, overlapping in a Pyrex pan for a large pizza crust.

 Turnovers
     flatten the biscuit with a rolling pin and fill (just a dollop!) with pie filling (cherry, apple, peach) on half of the dough, fold over the remaining half and seal with a fork. Fry until lightly golden brown (on both sides) and drain on paper towel or brown paper bag.

 Bread sticks
    Take 1 biscuit and roll between your hands to make a stick. (think back to your play dough days)repeat with remaining biscuits.  Brush with melted butter and add some garlic salt. Bake in oven at 375 for 5 minuets.

 Pigs in a blanket
     For regular hot dog wienies, simply flatten a biscuit with rolling pin, and wrap around hot dog and bake. I also use the little smokey links to make appetizers. Just flatten out the biscuit and cut in half before wrapping. You can also wrap breakfast sausage links.

Sugar biscuits
   Lightly fry a biscuit (whole) and then roll in granulated sugar. These are very similar to the sugar rolls you can get at a Chinese restaurant.

Clover Leaf Rolls
 These were a hit at our Christmas dinner!
 Take one biscut, divide into three pieces, roll each piece into a ball and place them in a greased muffin tin.
 Here are a few more ideas from Yahoo! Answers which has some of the same as above ( tightwads think alike!) and  then click HERE for the ever useful dumpling recipe that uses canned biscuits.

JANE4girls $800 Annual Budget For A Family of 4: FREE Excedrin Coupons

JANE4girls $800 Annual Budget For A Family of 4: FREE Excedrin Coupons

Psst… want to save up to $46?

Hey! I just learned a clean little secret about Lowe’s. They have quite the selection of cleaning products plus air and water filters to help keep your home spic and span inside and out. And they’re sending out up to $46 in savings so you can really clean up. Get your coupons before they’re gone! Go to vocalpoint.com/Lowes.