When we recently read Lola Augustine’s Tweet about filling her bathtub with snow to make a real Barbie Aspen, we knew that we had to post about this.

That’s because Lola’s sweet image reminded us that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create memories — or any money at all. All it takes is a little creativity. And we know that you’ve got some!

For example, Dr. Leah‘s kids LOVED pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse. Or dinosaurs. To her kids, pancakes, no matter what the shape, mean happy family memories.

Rachel is proud of the $12 investment that she made years ago in a 1,200 feet of newspaper print roll. With a handful of washable paints, her daughter has made lots of masterpieces with this same roll, unraveled in the kitchen.

As much as we encourage you to get down on the floor and play with your kids — oh, please do! — we also understand the reality of being a single parent. There are only so many puzzles you can put together with your three-year-old — along with finger puppet shows and train set configurations — when there are dishes to wash and bills to pay.

What we love about Lola’s “Barbie Aspen” idea is that she set up the creative space for her daughter… and then her daughter use her imagination and have fun!

We’re sure that you have some ideas of your own to share. What are your own recent experiences?

(Photo courtesy of Gustavo G via Flickr)

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Renowned dating coach, Rachel Greenwald, has now applied her Harvard MBA business savvy to the dating world.

Can you imagine how much fun she had conducting in-depth interviews with 1,000 men, asking them why they hadn’t called back after a date? Haven’t you always wanted to know the truth about why he never called again?

We certainly have!

In Why He Didn’t Call You Back: 1,000 Guys Reveal What They Really Thought About You After Your Date, Greenwald tells us men’s Top Ten Date-Breakers — as well strategies to avoid these relationship killers!

Another author asks: “Do you find yourself behaving in your relationships in ways that don’t accurately reflect who you really are?”

In Ms. Typed: Discover Your True Dating Personality and Rewrite Your Romantic Future, Michelle R. Callahan, Ph.D, ask if any of these women sound like you:

Ms. Second Place: She allows herself to be a low priority in a man’s life.

Ms. Sex Machine: She settles for physical intimacy when she really wants an emotional connection.

Ms. Mom: She makes it a priority to fix her man’ life instead of her own.

Ms. Independent: She’s been hurt before and won’t let her guard down.

If you recognize yourself in any of these types, don’t be discouraged.

In Ms. Typed, you’ll learn how to be the woman and partner you’re meant to be through uplifting stories from other women. Dr. Michelle’s smart advice is sure to give you a fresh outlook on dating — and guide you toward loving, fulfilling relationships.

Last but not least…

Secret Seductions: 62 Naughty Nights, Lusty Liaisons, and Sexy Surprises by Roxanne Colville and Cynthia W. Gentry

Illustrated with gorgeous full-color erotic photography!

Each sealed seduction contains titillating techniques that will take your sex life to the next level. As you rip open each seal, you get to see a sexy scenario, with step by step details for you and your partner!

Roxanne Colville lives in Northern California with the love of her life, a much younger man who seduced her one night over a fine 1996 Merlot, and later married her on a balcony looking out over the glittering lights of San Francisco. Cynthia W. Gentry co-authored What Men Really Want in Bed with her (younger!) husband.

Let’s get this giveaway started! We’re giving away 15 books total!

How can you enter?

Tell us why you need a good dating advice book right now. It’s that easy…

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If you were going to write a memoir, what would the title be?

Welcome to the theme of our very first Mother’s Day book giveaway at Singlemommyhood!

We couldn’t be more thrilled about this contest because a few single mom authors whom we admire a lot have offered to give away their books to YOU!

For starters, there’s one of our all-time favorite authors --  Mary Pols — whose memoir, Accidentally on Purpose will be out in paperback on May 5.

In Accidentally on Purpose, Mary gets pregnant after a one night stand she had with a cute 29-year-old whom she picked up at a Bay Area bar. Mary, the youngest of a large Catholic family from Maine, resolved to make a go at single motherhood — and, boy, has she!

Publishers Weekly says: “Candid and unaffected, Pols provides an important lesson about not being willing to compromise herself, and that being brave can bring the richest rewards.”

Elle adds: “It’s funny, intimate, wise, and real, and we get to root for forty­something Mary, her twentysomething coparent, Matt, and their little son, Dolan, now four.”

Secondly, we’re giving away Amy Dickinson‘s Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them.

“Ask Amy” and frequent NPR contributor, Dickinson is giving away her memoir. Amy tells the tumultuous and often heartwarming story of her divorce and of raising her daughter, Emily, in her small hometown of Freeville, New York.

With the help of the wonderful women of her family, whom she has dubbed the Mighty Queens of Freeville,  Amy is working to establish a new life for herself and her young child; it’s about life and the importance of love, family, and friendships.

Publishers Weekly says that “Dickinson’s irresistible memoir reads like a letter from an upbeat best friend.”

Lastly, Christine Coppa — who pens Glamour’s popular blog Storked! — is giving away copies of her just-published memoir, Rattled.

Christine details the night that she and her boyfriend of not-yet three months slept together. In straight-out honesty, she describes how she and “A” relinquished the condom.

One of our favorite lines early in the book is: “Penises should just come with condoms.”

Although both of our lives share many parallels to Christine’s –raising our kids solo without a father in the picture — she swiftly figured out how to fit a baby into her social lifestyle. (It took both of us a good many years and one of us is still figuring this out!)

She even had the wherewithal to realize early on that her little boy would also need role models. Her father and brothers stepped up to the plate for her — and Jack Domenic.

“Everyone seems to think he is my husband,” Christine writes about her brother, Carlo. “Carlo is the most prominent male figure in Jack’s life. He even changes poo diapers.”

~~~

So, here’s the scoop: 15 of you will win a copy of one of these memoirs!

All you need to do is answer this question:

“If you were going to write a memoir, what would the title be?”

If you have a preference about winning a certain title, please note it, and we’ll do our best to make it happen.

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Here’s your chance to win:

Getting Naked Again: Dating, Romance, Sex, and Love When You’ve Been Divorced, Widowed, Dumped, or Distracted, by Judith Sills:

“You are divorced, you’re widowed, or maybe you’ve just been busy with other things. Lately though you might be ready (are you?) to meet (but where, and how?) another romantic partner.”

Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex, and Work in Our 40s, edited by Molly Tracy Rosen

“Have you ever wondered how other women survived their 40′s? You’ll get an earful in Knowing Pains, an honest, humorous, thoughtful and diverse collection of essays by real women who aren’t afraid to tell their age and tell it like it is. Sex, marriage, love, divorce, motherhood, singlehood, passion, obsession. Nothing is off-limits…”

The Successful Single Mom, by Honoree Corpron

“This former single mom and business coach gives single moms the tools they need to quickly and effectively get moving – personally and professionally – in the direction they want to go. This book provides single moms with a simple, practical method for creating success.”

Why Hasn’t He Proposed? Go from the First Date to Setting the Date, by Matt Titus and Tamsen Fadal

“So you’ve found the love of your life. Good for you! But after dating the guy for months, even years, you’re starting to wonder: Why hasn’t he proposed? This is the book for you. Written by the husband-wife relationship experts from Lifetime’s Matched in Manhattan.”

The Complete Single Mother: Reassuring Answers to Your Most Challenging Concerns, by our very own Dr. Leah Klungness

“A comprehensive and practical guide for the single parent, filled with expert information and pragmatic advice. No topic is off limits: Sex and dating, of course. There are tips on how not to fall to pieces when the baby starts saying ‘da-da’ and even what to do when teenagers start worrying that mom will be old maid…There is an entire and encouraging chapter on raising sons. Breezy but always down-to-earth.”

Single Mom Seeking: Play Dates, Blind Dates, and Other Dispatches from the Dating World, by yours truly.

“Surely the first book about single parenthood that will be described as ‘hot’… a sexy, edgy, honest expose of single parenthood.”

To enter: Leave a comment. That’s it.

If you’d love to receive a certain book, give us your No. 1 and No. 2 choices. (No promises, but we’ll try!)

Winners will be chosen randomly on Feb. 15, the day after Valentine’s Day.

Remember: there are more than 20 books up for grabs!

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