You've Got Mail Monday

Our postal carrier was working overtime last week. Our mailbox was so full, they must have thought all we do is order things.

Catalogs arrived from Land's End, FrontGate, Kiddly Winks, Oriental Trading, L.L. Bean, and Soft Surroundings (this is a new one). Our second issue of Antiques Roadshow Insider arrived, but I've decided to discontinue this subscription. It seems interesting, but it's only a 15-page booklet. It also irked me that they sent me two invoices for my trial issue before I even received a single copy. History Magazine arrived. I think this is one I ordered from the fundraiser at school. The November/December 2013 issue of Traditional Home also showed up last week. I certainly won't be bored.

Actually, there is no way I could be bored because I won the Christmas in October giveaway from the Penny's Tales blog. I walked away with more than 50 prizes, which included numerous books and swag. They began arriving last week, so I'll have plenty of reading material to keep me busy. I also received Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber which included a DVD with music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a reading of the book by Tom Brokaw. This book review also included a set of 12 Biblical NAMES OF CHRIST Heirloom Ornaments to adorn one of my numerous Christmas trees this year.

We had fun celebrating the Lil' Princess' birthday this past week. Her big--and I do mean big--present was this nearly five-foot tall Melissa and Doug Plush Giraffe. She quickly named it Spots and takes it with her all around the house. That was tough to hide once it was delivered.

We also picked up a copy of the new LEGO Marvel Super Heroes game for XBOX 360. The Lil' Diva loves it! I'm so thrilled. Though it does make me realize they have no real comic book super hero knowledge. I lived on comic books as a kid. When one of the girls thought Batman lived on Krypton, I knew I had some work to do.

That's it for this week of You've Got Mail. This might be a slow blogging week since I am preparing for a writers conference.

You've Got Mail Monday

And the craziness of life continues. There are only a few weeks left before our church's annual Christmas bazaar and tag sale. We're busy cleaning, crafting, and soon to be baking. I'm not as much of a crafter as I used to be, so I'm concentrated on filling up the baked goods table this year. Oh, that reminds me, I need to see if I can find some butter crocks to put honey butter in.

Other than a few gifts for the Lil' Princess' birthday--which I can't talk about yet in case she checks in here--the only thing the mailman brought this week was catalogs. You can always tell when November comes around because catalogs I haven't seen in forever arrive; like the Things Remembered gift catalog. Build-A-Bear sent along their Christmas catalog, as did Oriental Trading. I tossed the most recent Land's End one, because I'm not ready to buy from them right now. I usually buy clothes for the hubby from them, but first I need to see what the budget says I can spend.

That's it for now. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Monday

What a crazy place it is around here. I'll be brief in my post today because I have a million things to do.

I've definitely made my way--for better or worse--onto someone's mailing list. I received a postcard about a new book by Chris Harlow (Full Court Press) in the mail. I don't believe I've read anything by him before, so that was a surprise. Also a surprise delivery was a box of children's picture books from Michael Neugebauer Edition.

Catalogs in the mailbox this week were from Grandin Road, Gardener's Supply Company, and a kid's catalog from Land's End. I also received Some Enchanted Season by Marilyn Pappano, which I ordered from Amazon. I enjoyed the movie Season for Miracles on Hallmark Channel last year. That movie was based upon Pappano's book of the same name, which was set in the little town of Bethlehem. This is another Bethlehem novel, so I hope I enjoy it.

Most importantly, presents for the Lil' Princess' birthday began arriving last week. We don't like to spend too much, especially close to Christmas, but I think she'll be happy.

That's it for now. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Bet you're wondering where I've been hiding? Well, maybe not. The title of this blog is The Busy Mom's Daily, so you can guess what's happened. Yep, busy as all get out. The Lil' Princess' last regular season soccer game was yesterday. She scored two goals and the team went on to win 3-1. Now we're waiting for the playoff schedule. She also cheered at the last regular football game of the season. Oh, and the local Taste of Greece festival was this weekend, too, so pretty much I had a lot of work to do because I knew I wouldn't be around all weekend.

The mailbox was filled with all kinds of goodies last week. The latest Land's End and L.L. Bean catalogs arrived, as did a catalog from LTD Commodities. I haven't seen one from them in a while. The Lil' Diva found a One Direction throw and pillowcase on one of the pages. Maybe Santa will bring them for her. Also in the mailbox was my latest issues of Health Magazine and Shape, the last of which I still have no idea why I'm getting. The ESPN magazine that also mysteriously appears each month--and gets promptly recycled--also showed up.

What I really want to know is whose mailing list I got on. Six books were delivered last week, only two of which were ones I requested to review. Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra Bricker and Traces of Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelly are books I'll be reviewing at Cheryl's Christian Book Connection. I honestly didn't know Landon was writing novels. This is his second one with Kelly. Traces of Mercy is set at the end of the Civil War, which already makes it appealing to me. And who can resist a seasonal read like Bricker's? The other books were all for kid's, which is great, but I am so far behind on reviews I don't know when--or if--I'll get to them. Here's the list:

• Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes. This book was originally published in the United Kingdom and went on to win the Booktrust Teen Fiction Prize and was shortlisted for the Guardian children's fiction prize. 
• Guinea Pigs Online by Jennifer Gray and Amanda Swift
• Frightfully Friendly Ghosties by Daren King
• Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird by Eleanor Hawken

These last three are chapter book series launched by Quercus Publishing. 

I'm excited to see all these new books arrive, but I am anxious that I'll get through my ever growing TBR pile.

That's it for now. Hope you have a great week. 

You've Got Mail Monday

Oh my gosh, it's been busy around here. I've been finishing off registration for WriteAngles, a local writers conference I attend each fall. The mail carrier delivered the remaining plants for the backyard, which got added to the new flower bed yesterday. I've been taking in the rest of the herbs and freezing them or making herb butter so I have them for the winter. And of course, there is still soccer and cheerleading.

When fall arrives, it's kind of sad to watch as the plants die off, the patio furniture is put into storage, and all the leaves fall down. But it's nice to see the yard looking so clean after we rake up and blow the fallen leaves away and clean up the flower beds and vegetable garden. I'm also making plans for spring, so I have that to look forward to.

Like I said, the mail carrier brought in those remaining plants I was waiting for. The Lil' Diva helped me get these beauties into the ground yesterday. I can't wait to see what this looks like next year. This area is mostly shade, so I stuck with hostas, a brandywine bush, some lilac astilbes, neat-looking black mondo grass, and an ostrich fern.

Through Crowdtap, I received samples of Cottonelle's® flushable wipes, along with two small sample packs to share with neighbors. I'm reviewing these on their site. I have another sample package for Truvia® Natural Sweetener coming soon. I have to say that Crowdtap has been the most successful in the terms of winning prizes and being accepted to try free samples.

My Land's End Kids catalog and the Oriental Trading catalog arrived last week. I usually find value priced Christmas ornaments for my many trees in the OT catalog. Another great book arrived last week, too: Amanda Weds Her Man by Naomi King. I've been following the Cedar Creek series for a while and I'm always thrilled to see a new book release. I'll be reviewing this book at The Book Connection.

That's it for this week. Hope you have a great one.

You've Got Mail Monday

I didn't post one of these last week for two reasons: a) it was vacation Bible school week and I simply didn't have a lot of free time, and b) nothing much worth talking about arrived. I think I've got the post-Lil' Diva birthday bash blues. Rest assured, by the end of this week I'll be glad it's all over. We're having her friends sleep over Friday night. I'm already wondering if Calgon can take me away.

Here are the vendors who loved me enough last week to send catalogs my way: Mary Kay, Land's End, Grandin Road, and Bluestone Perennials. I really want to plant some bulbs this year, but I am so fickle that I planted some bulbs the second year we were here and then pulled them out a few years later. I also have a mostly shady area that we mulched this year that I would like to add plants to for next year.    

Planning to improve my overall health, I subscribed to Health magazine. I haven't read a single issue yet, but the article in the September 2013 issue featured on the cover that says, "Fight Flab and Win" is right up my alley. I could use some lean legs, a flat belly (I honestly don't remember what that looks like anymore), and a firm butt.

My recent issue of Homecoming Magazine also arrived. This is the Gaither magazine my in-laws purchased for me. The women of Homecoming are on the front cover. There's and interview with first lady Laura Bush and one with Amy Grant, who is one of my favorite artists. I have also somehow ended up with ESPN magazine. No one admits buying it for me and I know I didn't order it. The first issue that arrived was all about fitness and had several mostly naked bodies in it. This new issue covers college football. I don't watch football unless the New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl. I don't really understand the sport or its rules. I would much rather watch baseball or hockey.

The most fun gift that the mail carrier delivered to our doorstep is a new book I hope will help with my garden--A Homeowner's Guide to Landscaping with Fruit by Lee Reich. It includes numerous ideas to make "your yard an edible paradise."  This book features landscape design basics; things to consider such as climate, soil, and sun; selecting plants, pollination, pest control, and soil care; landscaping plans, and a guide  to fruiting landscape plants. I had no idea there was such a thing as a raisin tree! I'm eager to dive into this book as I try to add more fruits to my garden.

That's it for this week's You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you all have a great week.  

You've Got Mail Monday

That I am sitting down to type this post at almost 10 p.m. on Tuesday should indicate what kind of week it has been. Blogging here went out the window as other things like replacing a dead car battery, grocery shopping, and playing chauffeur took precedence. I think I might have some time at home tomorrow morning before taking the Lil' Princess to violin lessons.  Oh darn, that reminds me, the bill for her rental is overdue. Ugh!

So, last week was fairly exciting around here. I bid on an item for the Lil' Diva's birthday and I won it. I am so thrilled. Can't tell you what it is yet--in case she stops in to take a peek at the blog--but when I spill the beans you will be amazed she wanted one of these things considering all the technology that is out there. I haven't had one of these in probably 30 years.

I'm actually driving her nuts right now because every gift I've gotten her wasn't on her birthday list, but I know she wants them. She's desperately trying to figure out what I've bought, but she'll have to wait until Sunday to open it all.

School is due to start at the end of the month. I can't believe summer has passed so quickly. In last week's mail I received the Gardener's Supply Company End-of-Summer Clearance catalog. Now, I really know fall is coming. Plenty of back-to-school and fall catalogs have arrived from Land's End, too.

For books, I received a copy of Who I Be by Annie Brown, which I'l be reviewing at my Christian book blog next month.

That it for this week. Hope you are having a great one.

You've Got Mail Monday

The Lil' Diva starts golf camp today. She had her first golf lesson with her dad last Monday, and since this is the only sport other than cheerleading she has expressed an interest in, I thought it would be good to sign her up for a camp this summer.

The post office finally delivered all our accumulated mail from vacation. Less than I expected, but filled with catalogs from L.L. Bean, One Hanes Place, Land's End, Gardener's Supply Company (they have a Hot Summer Sale going on), and the birthday catalog from Oriental Trading.

My July/August edition of the AAA Times was in our mailbox. The headlines read, "10 great spots to set up camp" and "Theme parks add new attractions." There was also this neat little newspaper type magazine titled Articles from Old News.  It says it covers historical topics ranging in time from the fifth century B.C. to the 1960s. Sounds right up my alley, but not sure how it was sent to me.  A six issue subscription is only $17 so I might give it a try.

The only book that arrived was Traveling for Love by Becky Due. I'm reviewing it Wednesday at The Book Connection.

That's it for this week's edition of You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Mondays

I'm writing this post by memory, since I'm not at the house right now. Typical catalogs made their way to my house last week: Grandin Road, Land's End, and Hanes. My latest issue of History Magazine also arrived.

Though I wasn't expecting anything else from tiger tales, I was pleasantly surprised to find four more picture books to review at my blog The Children's and Teens' Book Connection.

That's it for me right now. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Another week has come and gone. Last week was a crazy one with doctor visits, end of the school year activities, and dance recital. Today is the last day of school, so now the schedule should lighten up for a month or so.

In addition to my latest issue of All You magazine, the postman delivered catalogs from Boston Proper, Land's End, and FrontGate. Not feeling in the buying mood--meaning, I am so broke it hurts to even browse--they swiftly made it into the recycle bin.

Two books arrived this week and I am so excited. The Many Faces of Katniss Everdeen and Buffy and the Heroine's Journey. These books are by Valerie Estelle Frankel. I read Frankel's other Hunger Games book, Katniss the Cattail, which is a guide to all that is Hunger Games. She kindly sent me these two other books for review. What a neat niche she has created with her movie and television show tie-in books. You can find her here if you would like to learn more.

That's it for this week's You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a lovely week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Happy, happy, joy, joy. Happy, happy, joy. (Brownie points for anyone who knows where that comes from.)  It has arrived! It's so rare I treat myself, I can't help but get excited when a total unnecessary, but thrilling product arrives.

I've missed talking about Downton Abbey while it's in between seasons. I can't wait until January, so I have an excuse to bombard this blog with DA posts. Enjoying this show so much was a surprise to me because it's not an era or a setting I read a lot of. American drama set in the 1800s is my thing. But these characters' lives have totally captivated me. I've even joined a DA forum.

The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes is filled with tons of historical information and loaded with historical pictures and photographs from the show. I've only skimmed it because most of my reading time takes place in the bathtub at night and there is no way I am taking this book with me. I hope to read through it while we're in North Carolina.

Included in this shipment was the latest Dork Diaries book, Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker, by Rachel Renee Russell. The girls love this series and we never miss a book. Thank God for Jeff Kinney and his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series that spurred an entire trend of diary books for boys and girls.

My latest Land's End and Gardener's Supply Company catalogs arrived last week, too. That's it for now. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Blogging has taken a backseat to getting the garden planted. Plus it was Greek Easter this past weekend, so we were at the in-laws. With Mother's Day coming on Sunday, my sister-in-law and I are plotting some gardening work in my mother-in-law's yard. She loves flowers, but just can't do as much as she would like these days.

I ended up buying some soil and plants for her and brought them over on Sunday. Today, I bought two large whiskey barrels to replace the broken ones she has, and another smaller one for a plant she has on her deck that has outgrown its pot. On Mother's Day, I'll visit and do some planting in front of the deck. They have more shade than sun in the backyard, so it's been a challenge for her to find just what she wants. I'm hoping she'll enjoy the new plantings.

Speaking of plants and gardening, the last few plants in that garden plan I am working on arrived on Friday thanks to the postman. With the spring vegetables and some herbs now planted, I can get to work on the front yard. Here is my before picture. The tall bush is getting pulled out and placed in the backyard to hide our generator. The lower vine-like ones are going to be donated to a new flower bed we're creating at church on Saturday. This will all be flowering plants when I'm done with it.

The Lil Diva's (11) bathing suit arrived from Land's End last week, too. We're taking them to Disney this month and I swear that child has grown out of everything she owns. So, bathing suit shopping was on the agenda. I like that their bathing suits are modest, whereas some of the ones I find around here show way too much skin than I am (and she) are comfortable bearing.

My May/June 2013 issue of Gardening How-to arrived early last week, in addition to my May/June 2103 issue of History Magazine. Catalogs from Bluestone Perennials (where most of my new plants came from), Ballard Designs, Grandin Road, Land's End, and FrontGate also arrived.

That's it for this week's edition of You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a lovely week.

You've Got Mail Monday

It's another busy Monday. I'm off to the dentist this morning to finish off my root canal. Yuck. On the upside, going through labor three times means visiting the dentist isn't as bad as it used to be.

I didn't work the postman quite so hard last week. My mailbox was a mix of bills and catalogs, with some books--expected and unexpected.

New catalogs arrived from Mary Kay, L.L. Bean, Frontgate, and Land's End. Plow and Hearth also sent a catalog to me last week. There are so many lovely things I could buy. My wallet tells me I should hold off a bit. We have some major bills coming down the pike in the next couple of months. Besides, the Lil' Princess needs a new bed and dresser.

The dwarf spruce plants I ordered through Amazon arrived. Thought they would ship later in the month, but I'll work around it. Hopefully the landscaper can come and help me remove the bushes that are there now, so I can plant these instead.

Circle and Square by Sally O. Lee showed up on Saturday. The girls and I have read many of her children's books. I'll be reviewing that one at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, so keep an eye out for it. We also received a second shipment of books from tiger tales for review. I was surprised by the small shipment we received the other week, but when a publisher is sending you books, you don't complain. I'm thrilled I'll get a chance to check out more of their authors' work. They are a wonderful publisher of books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

That's it from my neck of the woods. Hope you had a lovely Easter. My in-laws and my brother-in-law and his wife came over for dinner. It was a nice time had by all.

Have a great week!

You've Got Mail Monday

After an exhausting weekend, it's good to rest up and look through the mail. It was a catalog and magazine week, not much more.

There were the usual culprits, Land's End and Oriental Trading. We just firmed up reservations for a trip to Disney in Florida around Memorial Day weekend, so I'll be needing to pick up a few things for the girls from Land's End--if I can find some good deals. Our vacation might also mean a trip to Justice. The Lil Diva (11) needs a new bathing suit. She went swimming at the YMCA this weekend and hers is a bit tight. It certainly won't fit her in a few months.

One new offering was Boston Proper. They have some beautiful clothes, most of them costing way more than I would spend on myself, but they had a few things I would consider since the prices were reasonable.

My latest issue of All You arrived last week, too. The Easter/spring cover is really making me sick and tired of all this snow. We're expecting another 4 to 8 inches this week. Ugh. All You is one of the magazines that I actually make the time to read because it offers advice and tips I use. The coupons and recipes are an added bonus.

That's it from my neck of the woods. Did you find anything interesting in your mailbox last week?

Proud Bargain Hunting

Okay, I'll admit it: I'm not a great bargain shopper. I have my favorite brands; and as long as the quality is consistent, I'm willing to pay for it. I'll buy clothes for myself off-season to save cash, but you'll never see me scouring ads to find the best deal on a product. If it isn't where I normally shop, I don't need it that badly.

Do I sound like a snob?

So, I had to share how proud I am of myself for the great deal I got on a dress from Land's End yesterday. Since my post-40 body has changed shapes in the middle, not many of my old clothes fit. That's what I get for wearing snug-fitting pants and skirts (I truly hate loose clothes). Anticipating a return to the workforce (outside my home), I've slowly been updating my wardrobe. I honestly only have one skirt set and no dresses in  my closet.

Land's End sent me an email with a promo code for 30% off one item, so I decided to see what they have. I found this beautiful dress that was originally $89.99 on sale for $29.99. So, I scooped it up in the wineberry color. The 30% off brought my cost down to $20.99. But I still had to pay $5.95 shipping, so we're at $26.94. Still not bad.

Over Christmas, I turned some of my credit card rewards into gift cards for Land's End. Even though I spent hundreds of dollars, my gift cards covered 98% of it, and I still got to accrue Land's End membership rewards. My total Land's End rewards came to $19.08, which I used toward the purchase of this dress.

In the end, I paid $7.86 total. I had to rush over and tell my mother-in-law, the queen of bargain hunting all about it.

What's the best deal you've ever taken advantage of?

You've Got Mail Monday

Well, we made it through the storm mostly unscathed.  Seeing photos of the destruction Hurricane Sandy left behind in other areas makes us count our blessings even more. The families of those impacted by the storm remain in our prayers.

Last week, the mailman brought some nice presents. Several catalogs arrived from Land's End. I'm done with my shopping for now, so they made it right into the recycle bin. I also received a catalog from Oriental Trading. I haven't ordered from them in a while, but I might find some cheap stocking stuffers there.

As for books, three great ones arrived that I am excited about reviewing:

Unexpected Christmas Hero by Kathi Macias,

American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom by Rick Santorum,

Deadly Plunge by Greg Messel.

To read the powerful story behind the cover of Unexpected Christmas Hero, please visit the author's blog.
Hope and pray you have a nice week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Lately I feel like I can't keep up with anything--even mail. Luckily, last week was not an overwhelming mail week.

I received a kid's catalog from Land's End and a seasonal catalog from Oriental Trading. The latter one reminded me that I need to order my Christmas cards soon. Do you still send Christmas cards? Do you order them online or buy them in a store? Do you include personalized notes?

Since I send out so many cards, and because some of them go overseas, I usually order them with my family's name on them inside. I also have been known to order matching envelopes with our return address on them. One thing I do, though, is write a short Christmas letter to let everyone know how we are doing.

The only other item of mention is the latest book by Naomi King, Rosemary Opens Her Heart. This is the second book in her Home at Cedar Creek series. I was disappointed to receive an ARC with a plain cover instead of the finished cover art, but I really wanted to read this book after enjoying the first one of the series.

It's already a crazy week around here, so hopefully I can keep up with everything. I'm preparing for two writers conferences next month. I'm going to pitch a project to an agent and see what happens.

Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Monday

Back to School season is in full swing. Catalogs from  Land's End, Justice, and Macy's have all made their way to my mailbox, overflowing with back to school deals. In addition, Oriental Trading sent me their birthday catalog to browse through.

It was the Lil Diva's birthday this weekend. She turned 11. She enters the middle school this year (in only three weeks). Hard to believe that this little one,

has become this big one:

Thinking of back to school and the fact that the Lil Diva will have cheerleading practice twice a week and be away from home without me, we opted to buy her a cell phone. I didn't want to do it. but I feel safer if she has it on her.

We opted for the Samsung Brightside™. Though I wasn't thrilled with the reviews I read, the Lil Diva liked it when we were in the Verizon store a couple of weeks ago. The keys on the QWERTY keyboard seem to be a bit bigger than some others, so she finds it easier to type on.

When I stopped by Macy's on Friday, they were running this fabulous sale on bedding. My in-laws had asked me to pick up birthday presents for the Lil Diva from them too, so I chose this lovely Lauren Ralph Lauren comforter that looks fabulous in her room.

This is a down alternative comforter, so it is fluffy and soft. I wasn't sure how she was going to like the plaid, but she loves it and it looks great. Her rug is a darker blue and her walls are a light blue. I opted to go with a dark purple set of sheets to match her lilac and white pink butterfly curtains. I also ordered a hot pink pillow sham, since this package didn't come with one. They do sell one on eBay that has a sham. I also picked up a floral rug to place in front of her bed.

So, for back to school, the Diva's bedroom got an upgrade. She also received some new outfits from her aunt, so she and her room will be heading into this season in style.

That's it for this week's You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a great week.

You've Got Mail Mondays

It's time for another edition of You've Got Mail Mondays. No books last week, which is unusual, but good for my massive TBR pile. I'm taking my Kindle, my Kindle Fire and three paperbacks with me to North Carolina. That should help me catch up a bit.

There are days I wonder how much Land's End spends on postage. I received another catalog. This one talks about their kids' summer sale. The Oriental Trading Crafts catalog also arrived. It hosts over 150 new crafts. Now's the time of year I look inside to see if I can scoop up any great deals for vacation Bible school.

The most exciting thing the mailman brought last week was the clothes I ordered from Old Navy. I picked up a pair of khaki colored cargo shorts, this floral racerback tank top, a sports bra and this pair of women's active compression shorts. I've already used the top and cargo shorts. The tank top is beautiful--even nicer than I thought it would be for $10. The cargo shorts are a bit loose, but I held onto them anyway. They are comfortable. I haven't used the other items yet, but I plan to. I didn't notice it in the description, but the compression shorts have a zippered pocket at the back waist. That might come in handy.

That's it for this week. Hope it's sunny and warm where you are.

You've Got Mail Mondays

Seems my postal carrier wanted to visit my house a lot last week. He brought some neat stuff.

On the book front, First Flag of New Hampshire by Stephanie Burkhart arrived. This is a book I'll be reviewing for my kids' book blog, The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. This book was released by 4RV Publishing LLC, who is my publisher for A Christmas Kindness. My book should be out this fall.

Catalogs arrived from JcPenney, Athleta and Land's End. I have to admit with the only JcPenney around is a half hour away, I don't shop there much. We had a JcPenney Outlet for a while, but that closed in October. They didn't have the great deals the regular JcPenney store that used to be there did, so I wasn't thrilled when they changed it to an outlet. With Father's Day coming soon, I might pick up something out of the Land's End catalog for the dad around here.

I received a coupon for $25 off purchases of $100 or more of Charter Club® or other brands at Macy's stores and macys.com. I need to buy a few things for North Carolina. Maybe it's time to drop by or log on and see what they have.

Great Clips® sent me some coupons for discounted haircuts. I've never used them before. I usually go to MasterCuts in the mall, since it's closer. The girls like to go to the hair salon. It gives them a chance to get their hair done up nicely. I have to admit that is not a strong point for me.

Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot. Ernie the mailman brought me the best gift on Friday. Through my National Home Gardening Club membership I ordered an electric Black & Decker 20-in. Hedge Trimmer. We never bought a pair of hedge trimmers when we moved in because the gas powered ones are so expensive. We keep saying we are going to get them, but we would prefer to spend that money elsewhere, so we paid the landscaper last year to trim the hedges.

Well, I wasn't thrilled with the job they did. Actually, I wasn't happy at all. You could barely tell they had been trimmed. When the landscaper came over to quote out the job, we had discussed how they needed to be cut way back for their health. I guess that wasn't relayed to the guys who came to do the actual work.

Now that I have my own set of hedge trimmers, I can cut them the way I want. I've done it at my in-laws' house before, so it shouldn't be an issue. I just need to make sure I don't cut through the cord.  LOL!

That's is for this week of You've Got Mail Mondays. Hope you have a lovely week.