The relationship between mothers and daughters is an interesting one.  It changes many times throughout the life span of both mother and daughter and it has so many other different factors that can greatly impact it.  For example, how far geographically do the two parties live from one another?  Where there any other daughters in the family?  Is the daughter currently experiencing PMS or pregnant?  (That one may seem like a joke but it’s really not!)

So I was so excited to be able to review Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Mothers & Daughters: 101 Inspirational and Entertaining Stories about That Special Bond.  And these are really spectacular stories – ones about moms who weren’t so great, moms who have since passed on, daughters who reached out of their own fear to help others, and daughters that excelled because their mother supported them.

If your relationship with your own mother or daughter wasn’t/isn’t so great, maybe this book will help you heal a bit from that stress and strife.  It certainly put my little squabbles with my mother into perspective.

You can purchase Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Mothers & Daughters: 101 Inspirational and Entertaining Stories about That Special Bond from Amazon.com.  Even though Mother’s Day has passed, I think this would make a great gift for any day to show your mother or daughter how much you love her.

I also have 3 copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Mothers & Daughters: 101 Inspirational and Entertaining Stories about That Special Bond to give away!  To enter to win, just use the form below to enter.  If it doesn’t appear after a few minutes, refresh your browser window.  If there is an action that you already do (like following me on Twitter), you’re still eligible – just fill out the space with the requested info. If you are new to Rafflecopter and are unsure of what to do, check out this video to learn how to enter.

While I am no longer adding follows for my Google Plus profile as extra entries for giveaways, please feel free to add Tethered Mommy to your circles and/or +1 this giveaway (at the top or bottom of this post).  It would be much appreciated!  I’ve also added follow methods for my new blog, Literary Winner.  Good luck!

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My husband has been operating a business for a couple of years now.  He’s getting to the point where he’s creating customized products, like stickers, but hasn’t gotten around to t-shirts yet, really just because there’s only about 3 employees (yes, I’m one) and not much in the budget for custom t-shirts that are good quality.

So I was so excited to get the chance to review the shirts at www.Fibers.com.  This site has so many options for creating your own shirt, either totally from scratch, or using components that they offer to help you out.  If you’re totally stumped, they also have a ton of fun and funny t-shirts to choose from – over 25,000 in fact.  Like this one here:

But, if you’re like me and choose to design your own t-shirt, you’ll be pleased to find that there is no minimum order for custom t-shirts, nor any extra charges.  My first step was getting a PNG version of his logo from my husband.  Those tend to size well without distortion or pixelation.  I then picked out a shirt that wasn’t black but wasn’t light colored (they get stained too easily).  And then I threw the logo on the shirt, sized it a bit larger and asked him for placement.  We nudged it around a bit, and then he said he’d like the website address on the back of the shirt.  No problem and it really didn’t cost that much extra.  What made this so even more fun was looking through all of the fun fonts on Fibers that I’ve never seen elsewhere.  We did find one that closely matched the font in the logo and we were all set.

The shirt arrived very quickly for being a custom order – surprisingly quickly actually.  And then when I opened the package I was in love – the shirt was superb quality and exactly matched the shade as shown online.  Everything was exactly as I had designed and we were both thrilled!

Sorry, I forgot to take a pic of the shirt by itself, but here it is on him:

And the back:

If you’re looking for a funny t-shirt or wanting to create your own, look no further than www.Fibers.com- you will be so happy with your product.  And one of you will receive a $30 credit to Fibers!  To enter to win, just use the form below to enter.  If it doesn’t appear after a few minutes, refresh your browser window.  If there is an action that you already do (like following me on Twitter), you’re still eligible – just fill out the space with the requested info. If you are new to Rafflecopter and are unsure of what to do, check out this video to learn how to enter.

While I am no longer adding follows for my Google Plus profile as extra entries for giveaways, please feel free to add Tethered Mommy to your circles and/or +1 this giveaway (at the top or bottom of this post).  It would be much appreciated!  I’ve also added follow methods for my new blog, Literary Winner.  Good luck!

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SO IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO OWN A NEW KINDLE FIRE JUST ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW

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Gilt is a new young adult novel by Katherine Longshore.  Before I get into how much I loved this book, here’s the plot summary:

Kitty Tylney has always lived in the shadow of her best friend, Cat.  Then Cat worms her way into the court of King Henry VIII – and into the King’s heart.  When Cat brings her best friend into her inner circle at court, Kitty is thrust into a glittering new life of fabulous gowns, opulent parties, and dashing men vying for her attention.  But Kitty soon discovers that beneath the golden veneer lies a world of secrets and lies, trysts and back-door deals, where the price of gossip could literally be her head.

I absolutely loved this book!  It brought me right back to that wonder of reading The Other Boleyn Girl all over again.  If you liked that book, you’ll love this one just as much.

Knowing what I did about King Henry’s reign, it was interesting to see how Anne and Mary Boleyn were regarded by the younger girls.  But it seemed that while the younger girls learned from the olders’ “mistakes”, the king learned absolutely nothing.

What I found most interesting about this novel was the title.  I think the word “gilt” is fitting because it implies that while the surface may look shiny and golden, that gold veneer is easily scratched off to reveal whatever lies beneath.  I also feel that the title refers to the guilt that Kitty feels after all the years of seeing what she did in the forest and not taking any action.

My only complaint about this book is the ending.  While it is looking very bleak for Kitty, she does receive a glimmer of hope at the end.  I’d have to loved to have known what ended up happening to her.

While this is billed as young adult, I would be very hesitant about letting a younger teen read this book.  There is a lot of sexual content and a rape scene.  But again, this is subject to what a teen is able to handle and digest.  The girls depicted in this story are just teens themselves.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore will be released tomorrow, 5/15.

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport is the first book in the new Avenue of Dreams series.  Here’s a bit about the book:

She has a secret to keep. But will she give her heart away?

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago’s rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work and squeeze herself into the mold of the well-dressed wife who spends most of her time and money redecorating. 

When she meets Will, an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World’s Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family’s expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?

Get swept away into the lavish world of Chicago’s high society as Olivia Newport brings to life an age of glitz and grandeur, stark social contrasts, and one woman who dares to cross class lines for what she believes.

I really enjoyed this book.  I most enjoyed the descriptions of the humongous World’s Fair that was being built in the city of Chicago at the time of this book.  It boggles my mind how these events were undertaken so cheerfully and with much less technology than we now have AND completed so quickly!

I also greatly appreciated the story line about the maid, Charlotte.  While that plotline played in nicely with Lucy’s story, it made the story a bit more varied and not totally focused on one situation.  I’m glad that Lucy was able to look past the obvious social stigma of the situation to try to help Charlotte.

You know I love a good historical novel and this one did not fail at all.  I learned all about the lives of servants at the time, how society women were expected to act and all about the fashion of the time.  An extra bonus was learning about infant care from over a hundred years ago.

The only part that disappointed me about the book is that the title isn’t very fitting.  I don’t really see an active pursuit of Lucy.  While Will does like her, he realizes that they have two different social positions and knows his place.  Upon further reflection, perhaps it’s a comment on how two men were both desiring her, but for different reasons.

If you like reading about the World’s Fairs and society, then you’ll like The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport.  The good news is that there is already a sequel planned for release in January 2013 that focuses on Charlotte – I’ll read that one for sure!

Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I do really want to buy a sectional sofa since it would fit really well in our living room but I worry about ruining it.  I guess a solution is slipcovers but they are so expensive!  And of course they probably aren’t made in sectional sizes.  They also don’t stay on very well, from what I’ve seen and heard.

So I was very excited to find furniture protectors.  These are like blankets but so much prettier and bigger too, for maximum surface area protection.  I think these would come in so useful with those with dogs.  Dogs are the worst on couches!

Best part – they’re not so expensive and they’re easily washable!  Got a mess on your couch?  Well, now you just pull off the furniture protector, throw it in the washer and you’re all set – it’s like getting furniture cleaning all the time!

I will be looking into furniture protectors when I finally get a new sofa.  I think this is an easy, stylish and affordable way to keep your sofas looking lovely.

I’m participating in a bloggers campaign sponsored by Cyber connect bloggers network and was compensated. However the opinions are mine.

Let’s face it – grocery prices are only going to go up.  And even if you do pretty well in life, who wants to overpay for stuff like toilet paper or diapers?  There’s literally hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in coupons out there, waiting to be used so you can save money!  But getting started is so overwhelming, especially when you see those women on TV.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Couponing is here to show you what to do!  (And no, you’re not idiots :) )  I thought I knew a lot about couponing – until I received this book!  Seriously, I think even the most hard-core couponer will learn something.

While this book looks a bit ovewhelming at first glance, reading one chapter a day will have you well on your way to savings in less than 3 weeks.  And this gives you time to put all of your new learning about savings into practice.

With chapters on coupon myths, brand loyalty, print and online coupons, and organizing your coupons, you’ll learn everything you wanted to know about coupons – but felt dumb asking.

Just one tidbit I learned – if you can’t find an coupon code for an online purchase (which is like a game to me!), then search for the “live help” chat window and ask the representative – they may have one!  See – just reading that section in 2-3 minutes has already given me a financial advantage.

What I like best about this book is that it was just released at the beginning of April.  It does address the recent abuse of coupons and how stores and manufacturers are responding to this issue.  A book written a year ago probably wouldn’t have anything about this in it.  I hope to see this guide to couponing continually updated to be relevant.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Couponing by Rachel Singer Gordon (who also blogs at MashupMom.com) is available through various book retailers at a suggested price of $16.95 (you can save on that by using Amazon or coupons for other book stores!)

But, I also have a copy to give one of you a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Couponing!  To enter to win, just use the form below to enter.  If it doesn’t appear after a few minutes, refresh your browser window.  If there is an action that you already do (like following me on Twitter), you’re still eligible – just fill out the space with the requested info. If you are new to Rafflecopter and are unsure of what to do, check out this video to learn how to enter.

Please note that you cannot have a PO box to receive this prize – the sponsor requires a physical address.  However, you can have the book delivered to a nearby friend or relative.  

While I am no longer adding follows for my Google Plus profile as extra entries for giveaways, please feel free to add Tethered Mommy to your circles and/or +1 this giveaway (at the top or bottom of this post).  It would be much appreciated!  I’ve also added follow methods for my new blog, Literary Winner.  Good luck!

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Win a $55 Walmart gift card!  This giveaway runs from 4pm eastern on Friday, 5/11 until Monday 5/14 11:59PM eastern.  What  an awesome giveaway to help you get geared up for summer!

Sponsored by:

Powered By MomMom Does ReviewsMommy and Baby Reviews and Giveaways

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Butler Bag, “The World’s Most Organized Handbag”
The Butler Bag Everyday Tote is a perfectly versatile back. Offered in three colors and create from genuine Nana leather. This bag offers two zippered pockets outside and a compartmentalized interior with zippered “privacy pocket” inside. This is a true organizer’s purse dream come true.  This purse would be perfect for anybody that is constantly losing important items into the depths of their bags (like me!).

Karren’s Avon is generously providing a bath and body package plus a few accessories extras to make you smile.
Odyssey Cologne Spray, Odyssey Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant and Odyssey Perfumed Skin Softener
RARE DIAMONDS Body Lotion, RARE DIAMONDS Shower Gel and RARE DIAMONDS Eau de Parfum Spray
SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Moisturizing Shower Gel, SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Gelled Body Oil and SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Replenishing Hand Cream
Florence Gift Set
Leading Love 2-Piece Gift Set
Silver Coin Purse and Black Wallet

Just think of how pretty you’ll feel after you use these products to pamper yourself!  They practically scream for a beauty night!

Finally Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom wants you to enjoy your stylish night out and is bringing a $50 Visa Gift Card to the What A Woman Wants party for you to do just that.  This makes the night out so much more affordable – and therefore enjoyable!

Giveaway starts on May 11 at 12:01AM and ends May 25 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter to win the What Women Want Giveaway below!

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I love plants but the critters around here thwart that inclination at every turn.  This year, I'm saying forget it and have asked for some annuals to plant into window boxes for Mother's Day.  And I intend to nurture those flowers as much as I can.  

So I'm excited to learn about the organic soil and organic plant food from Whitney Farms®.  These products are all natural with no additives and nothing artificial.  They even have low to no dust and no manure odor!  I know that I equate natural with stinky so this is good to know.  

Why use Whitney Farms® products?  Well, the obvious reason would be that if you were growing food in your garden, you obviously would want as healthy plants as possible but with no poisons or weird stuff.  Yeah, we can wash that off but who knows what's actually inside the fruit or veggie?  Kinda defeats the purpose, right?  Fruits and vegetables aside, wouldn't you just feel better just knowing that your flowers looked gorgeous naturally?  

With Whitney Farms®, I know I can have window boxes like these:

Aren't those something?  While I'll probably never be able to achieve that floral display, I know that Whitney Farms® products will help me a lot! 

Feel free to visit Whitney Farms® to get a $3 coupon to use on Tomato and Vegetable Food or Plant Food.