Newlywed Needs

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Cinco De Mayo Detox

In need of a Cinco De Mayo detox? Did you celebrate Cinco De Mayo in a BIG way?? It’s really easy to get carried away on such a fun “holiday”, especially if you’re out with a group of friends or co-workers. If you ended up with more than your fair share of margaritas, here are a few fun ways to detox.

Drink water, water and more water. The more hydration you can give yourself, the better you will feel, sooner. Throw in a few lime and orange slices to add non-queasy flavor and some natural sugars that will help your body break down residual alcohol in your system.

Eat some chocolate. Don’t you just want to hug me through the computer screen? Raw chocolate is considered a “superfood,” mineral-rich and high in antioxidants. One site swears that pure cocoa will help your hangover. Enjoy ladies!

Alcohol overindulgence has a tendency to dry out your entire body (including your face). Use a left over avocado to make an amazing moisturizing face masque. Who knew the beauty behind avocados went past guacamole?!

What are your go-to hangover cures? Do you have any day after Cinco De Mayo detox tricks or recipes to recommend? Please share in a comment.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

What do you know about skin cancer? Spring has finally sprung and the sun is shining! While we all enjoy the feeling of the warm sun on our faces, we also need to start applying SPF. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Here are a few easy tips and suggestions to enjoy the summer season safely:
Everything You Need to Know About Sun Protection
With virtually hundreds of sun protection options available at your local drugstore or department store, there are several important ingredients one should look for when seeking full spectrum coverage and protection:

Micronized Zinc Oxide: For broad spectrum UV protection (including UVA rays). This also has soothing effects for skin irritations, and antimicrobial properties
Titanium Dioxide: An excellent absorber of sun rays (both UVA and UVAB rays), it provides long-term UV-protection and is water resistant

Niacin: This ingredient is clinically shown to visibly improve skin tone, texture and hyper-pigmentation

Vitamin E: Helps heal and protect the skin

Know Your SPF: It’s very important to use at least SPF 30 regardless of your skin type or color. According to Dr. Ostad, “sunscreens should be applied to exposed areas 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors.” When using sunscreen, pay special attention to your face, ears, hands and arms, which are sometimes forgotten or not properly covered. One ounce, about the amount in a shot glass, is considered the amount needed to cover the body properly – don’t skimp on your sunscreen!
Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D: Many people tout the sun’s ability to help our body absorb vitamin D. According to Dr. Ostad, “it is important to get 20 minutes of direct sun per day, which will allow our bodies to absorb the normal level of vitamin D needed.” You should be careful to avoid the sun during the hours of 10am – 3pm, when the sun is strongest.

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge of what ingredients and SPF to look for in your sunscreen, slather some on and go enjoy the great weather! Don’t forget about your new hubby (he can help you with hard to reach spots and you should make sure that he wears sunscreen too)!

Facts and suggestions provided by Dr. Ostad. For more information on skin cancer and its treatment, please visit www.drarielostad.com.

Mother’s Day Magic

We have some Mother’s Day magic up our sleeves for you! Heads up ladies….Mother’s Day is on Sunday. Planning your wedding may have brought up the good, the bad, and even the ugly in your relationship with your mother, but hopefully the day you walked down the aisle allowed you both to connect on a whole new level as you shared one of the most beautiful days in both of your lives together. If you haven’t already made a plan for Mother’s Day or chosen a gift, here are a few ideas for you.

Capture Moments – Do you have a few fantastic photos of you and your mother on your wedding day? Now is a perfect time to either frame a few for her as a gift or make a mini album.
Pamper Her – A mother’s work is never done, so give her a Red Door spa certificate to make sure she takes a well deserved break. What would make it even better would be spent with you…so consider booking a treatment together!

Memorialize Your Family – Chip in with your siblings on a gemstone representation of you all! Your mom will be blown away by this a modern necklace with each of your birthstones to remind her of her “little gems”.

Get Personal – Write your mom a letter expressing all of the love you have for her and all of your best memories together. The price of this gift may be free, but she will think it is priceless.

Whatever you choose to do to honor your mom, make sure to do just that honor her. Also, as you are now a newlywed…don’t forget your mother-in-law on Mother’s Day. She helped make your spouse the wonderful person he is, so be sure to send her a card. What are your plans for Mother’s Day this year? We’d love to hear about them!

Announcing Our Marvelous May Giveaway!

Ready for our May giveaway? After any wedding, there’s a mountain of thank you notes to be written. Is there any way to make that process more enjoyable? Well, we thought that providing gorgeous custom notes to one of our newlywed readers would help her write with a smile on her face! We’re happy to announce that our May Giveaway includes 100 of the fabulous custom embossed notes as well as embossed envelopes pictured here, customized with the winner’s new name or the first names of both newlyweds! The winner will also be able to select the color of note card (white, ivory or pink).

Expressionery is providing the chance to win this chic and unique thank you note set. Expressionery allows any newlywed to express her style in print with their exclusive collection of custom stationery. Whether your favorite look is classic, funky, casual or formal, their stylish array of stationery supplies & products can help you find the perfect gift to share or keep all to yourself.

Ready to win our marvelous May giveaway? Leave a comment on this, or any of our thank you note posts on Mondays this month and you’ll be automatically entered to win. Tell us how many notes you need to write or why you’ve been procrastinating on the project.

The randomly selected contest winner will be announced on May 31!!^st If we don’t hear back from the winner within 2 weeks, we will randomly select a new winner to make sure someone ends up with this great May giveaway!

The Premarital Plan: Talk About the Tough Stuff BEFORE Tying the Knot

Have you gone through the premarital plan yet? When it comes to marriage, there are many matters that could result in power struggles once or several times over the length of the relationship, but there are two very common reoccurring themes that come up in marital disputes.

The first has to do with the financial status of the new family unit and the second deals with the matter of time. Learning your fiancé’s take on both topics can help solidify a base for your marriage to stand upon. This post addresses a few of the questions that can be the starting point for these necessary pre-wedding conversations.

Who does the housework and grocery shopping? Many years ago, the answer to this question was obvious. Today the “little woman” isn’t necessarily in charge of the household. With both the husband and the wife taking on professional roles in this day and age, the rules of marriage have been altered. Suddenly, housekeeping and grocery shopping are eating into everyone’s free time. Because time is valuable to both of you, it is best to be up front about what will be expected from each of you, so don’t be afraid to be specific and outline the chores to be done.

What’s the ultimate income goal and who is going to handle the financial matters? Perhaps even more important than time, is money. At least this seems to be the case in marriages as financial problems are the number one cause of divorce. So, be upfront about your expectations and ask about his or hers. It is better to know in advance where each expects to be financially two-, ten -, and even fifty years down the road. Also choosing the member of your new team who is best able to make that happen, will reduce stress over the length of your marriage.

How much will our monthly bills cost us? Similarly, it is important to have a true understanding of all expenses that will come with your coming together as one. These costs may not be entirely obvious. It is safe to assume that anyone today will have some debt. He or she may also carry insurance policies (auto, life, home, etc.) that can quickly rack up. Calculating all of these expenses in advance can help to keep everyone on the same page.

What professional goals do you have and will they keep us apart often? Another matter linked to time is the professional aspirations of each spouse. It is important to know what is involved with the career that your partner wishes for. Are the commitments something that you can truly live with? He or she needs to be able to answer the same question about your goals in life.

How often do you expect to see your parents? Mine? Our friends? Finally, the other major claimant of time is the outside relationship. Whether it is parents, siblings, or friends, these outsiders will cost you and your soon-to-be spouse some of your time, but how much? Now is the best time to figure all of that out.

Have you discussed the premarital plan your fiance or spouse? If you didn’t, do you wish that you had?Please share a comment that could help our other readers.