The Scariest Halloween Ever!

Miguel and I spent Halloween Eve in Salem, MA, which I have always wanted to do. We were at the very beginning of what was planned to be a year-long honeymoon filled with travels of the U.S.

However, on October 31, 2009 we discovered that only four weeks after our wedding, I was pregnant. This day will go down in our history not only as our 4-week anniversary, but as our scariest Halloween EVER! I'm still flabbergasted as to how this happened (not the birds and bees part, but the timing and all). How is it I went from a carefree, traveling newlywed to a mother-to-be in just a month's time? Needless to say our trip had to take a serious turn. We went from the northeast to the northwest (by southern route) in about two weeks and ended up back in Colorado.
Currently, we are struggling to find employment, living in my parents' basement and simply trying to hold on. Thank goodness we have each other for I don't know what I would do without my Miggy. So here I am, a thirty year old wife and soon-to-be parent asking myself, "what happened?" Talk about expecting the unexpected and being forced to be flexible.

The After Party

After the bowling reception was over and we separated the party crowd from everybody else, we continued the insanity at The Vault in downtown Fort Collins. Our good buddy Dave is a bartender there and he opened the bar early just for us. Thanks Dave.

Needless to say, the party continued until pretty late and our guest let loose a bit. I was also surprised by a visit from an old school mate, Henry Gaona. What a great time we had, catching up and sharing wedding stories.



This part of our day also served as a going away shindig for Miguel and me. Thank you everyone who made it out, we are so fortunate to have such great friends!

Here are some pics of the madness:

The Reception

In the spirit of where we met (kinda), our wedding reception was held at the bowling alley. We decided to mix a bunch of things we like together: Day of the Dead, skulls, music, bowling, friends, family, beer, booze, cupcakes and Mexican food (among other things).

Miguel and I tapped into our frugal/ creative senses and decided to make most of the decorations: two-tiered records bowls- the top was for chips and the bottom for our M&M favors and hanging records with skull accents-made from 45s, fishing line and skull beads.

(My adorable parents and sister; you can kind of see the hanging records in the background)

I also asked the guests to send a piece of fabric so that I could make a quilt that represented our loved ones so we're never alone on our travels (from what I've heard, the quilt idea is becoming increasingly popular in the DIY wedding world).

We used bright fall-inspired colors for the tablecloths and frosting on the cupcakes. The music was a mix of 50's and 60's rock. Everything was very simple, yet fun.

The party began with everyone settling in and grabbing a bite to eat from our buffet of Qdoba snacks (Taco/Burrito/Nacho Bar). Then my friends Leslie and Jamie gave very sweet, funny toasts and we said our "thank-you(s)". Finally, the games started, as did the laughter and great conversations.

From the responses I have received, it seems everyone had a great time. I'm hoping to get more pictures of the decorations and reception, unfortunately we didn't get very many. After the reception some of us moved on to an after party, which is material for another post ;-)

The Nuptials

On October 3, 2009 I became Mrs. Cindy Banuelos when I married the love of my life Miguel. Many of my posts over the next few weeks will likely highlight this wonderful experience. Those who know me understand my quirkiness, and those who don't, soon will.

We said our vows in front of family and friends in my parents' front yard and we were blessed to have amazing weather. Here are some pictures of the ceremony.

My dress was ordered online through uniquevintage.com for an astounding $88. My sister found her dress at Dress Barn for a mere $30. Our crinoline slips were also purchased through uniquevintage.com. My mother and I did some simple tacking with thread to spruce up my dress and let the red show a little more.

Our bouquets were done at a small local shop and were vibrant with fall colors. The arch (rented) was decorated by me and Sara (my sister). The fellas wore snazzy bowling shirts and slacks (the shirts were ordered from daddyos.com and I will explain the bowling part in a later post).

At the last moment, I decided to have both my mother and father walk me out to the arch. Overall, I think everything turned out wonderful and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! Thanks to all who shared in the momentous occasion.

Our First Home

After slaving away all summer working for my parents at their dog boarding kennel, Ashcroft Kennels, Mig and I had finally saved enough money to buy our first home with cash. Now, this may seem awesome to some until I remind them that our home is on wheels. After a long search for something that suited both our needs and the dogs, we settled on a 20 foot, 1985 Toyota Sun Land Express. With an initial investment of $4500 and then some $1500 more on simple repairs and preparations for a year of travel, we have our perfect home.

I'm Back!

Ha! Sorry for the lack of communication over the last few months, but don't worry, I'm back! My spring was filled with travels to the East and an injured father, which led to a summer of working seven days a week and being away from my fiancee for three months straight. Each experience brought us closer to our final goal of buying our first home (with cash), getting married, and pursuing a dream we call Road Love America. Follow our travels as newlyweds in our 1985 Toyota motorhome with our dogs on www.roadloveamerica.wordpress.com. You can read about our idea and hopefully find yourself hooked to our adventures.

Puppies

As a quick preface to the bulk of this post, I have been out of touch (technologically speaking) due to an unforeseen change in plans. About a month ago my father was involved in an accident with an ATV and two days later my parents helped their dog deliver a litter of 7 beautiful springer spaniel puppies.

My mother quickly wore herself out with the pressure of caring for an injured husband, a dog that developed an infection in her mammary gland, 7 puppies and running their large dog kennel. I received a phone call shortly thereafter begging for my assistance. So here I am, almost 3 weeks later, living in my parents' basement and working with/for them.

The best part is I get all the puppy love a girl could need...... Oh how comforting the smell of puppy breath can be. Here's a little taste of what I get the pleasure of playing with each day. (Don't get me wrong, I have been working my a** off from dawn til dust but these guys make it all worth while).

Moving towards the goal

This week has proved to be a wild one. It all started with my return from North Carolina on Monday. From there I was whisked right back into the hectic-ness that is my life: ate something, walked dogs, rode bike to bar for Nuggets game, returned home to find 2 missed calls from family (which is never a good sign), listened to messages about how my father was in an accident but is alive and fine- just a little bashed up, tried to return calls with no luck, tried to sleep. That's just Monday evening.

On Tuesday I had the great pleasure of reuniting with my best friend from college whom I haven't really spoken to in 7ish years. We shared laughs and stories over drinks with another friend of ours. I can honestly say the time has definitely allowed us both to grow. We parted ways and I headed over to another friend's house for a bbq and some business chat. Our logo is coming along nicely and I cannot wait to unveil it to the world!

Wednesday I spent every free moment loading old pictures onto flickr in the hopes that I will someday have my collection online (my way of backing up files). I read an email from my beautiful sister who has this amazing ability to lift your spirits just right (her emails are always filled with inspirational quotes, thoughts, pictures, etc). Amongst the quotes was a picture that I thought would be perfect for our wedding invites, except I needed to add a personal touch; I spent the afternoon painting my idea and came up with something great (which will have to wait to post until after the invites are sent). Ended the day listening to the Nuggets win the second round of playoffs and jumping around wildly. First time in 24 years that the Nuggs have made it this far. Woo!

Today I tried to mow the lawn but Mig had the gas can in his truck, so no go. Decided to weed-eat but failed due to mechanical difficulties. Wound up driving to Miguel's work and hung out there for a bit. Talked to my dad; he is doing just fine. Mig and I went to the grocery store for his lunch break and then I came home. We are headed out this evening to check out our possible new home and I am pumped. Here are some pics:

Here's to an even more productive weekend!

New Home

It seems like most of my friends are buying their first homes. Well, Mig and I are no different except one tiny detail: we want our first home purchase to be one on wheels. Last week we went and looked at a potential 'house', a 1978 Chevy Van Motorhome. She's a beauty and runs like a dream.

We are still on the lookout for other options but we are sticking to a few criteria:

a) Must be a classic

b) Don't want to spend more than $3000

c) Has to have character, but be in good shape

d) Can't need a ton of work (unless it is less than $1000)

Not too much to ask, I think. This vehicle/house needs to be able to accomodate myself, Miguel and the two dogs for at least a year as we travel the entire U.S. We plan on making some modifications in order to gain better mpg and overall energy efficiency. I hope to purchase our dream home very soon and get this adventure underway.

One of those

Last Monday I returned home from North Carolina and have attempted blogging since but internet/computer issues have left me with nothing more than frustration. The last week could be classified as 'one of those weeks'. While in NC, I was offered a temp job working as performance coordinator for a music/arts festival. I was really excited for this offer and then after a few days of tasks, some family drama, and the realization that the job was going to be a ton of work for very little compensation, I turned the position down.

Much of this decision came when I was helping my parents this weekend and I found myself really enjoying our time together. With getting married and leaving CO, I had to step back and look at what is most important in my life right now. The conclusion: Family/friends, marriage and moving forward to the ultimate goal (living in an RV with Mig and dogs for at least a year all around America). I plan to write about all of our adventures in another blog and maybe even a book! Haha.

So, back to square one: looking for a part-time job. I have faith that the perfect position will present itself very soon. Keep your fingers crossed ;) Best wishes for a wonderful week!!!

The Biltmore

Here I sit in the Asheville airport and I finally have a consistent enough internet connection to post this.

On Wednesday, my friend Kim and I went to the famous Biltmore Estate (Kim had 2 free passes, which is great because admission is around $45 otherwise). The Biltmore is promoted as the largest house in America. Although the entire house is utterly amazing there was one room that took our breath away: the library. Filled with over 10,000 books on two levels, this may be the most beautiful room I have ever seen. I highly recommend a visit to this estate which is also home to an amazing garden and fantastic views along the driveway to/from the house (about a 15 min drive in either direction).

North Carolina is beautiful in a way that Colorado cannot even compare. There are rolling hills covered with trees of green and blooming bursts of flowers everywhere. I suppose it helps that it is spring. My only complaint on this trip is that there has been rain everyday; which usually stops in the afternoon but leaves the air thick with humidity. In all honesty, I have been overly lazy on this visit (partially because I am alone while Kim is in Vegas for four days) and have been working on getting my mind in the right place.

Headache Concluded

I have concluded that a hormonal imbalance was the headache culprit for the following reasons:

1) Sex cured it, and
2) I keep having hot flashes

That is all.

Basketball and headaches

I am not sure if my allergies are to blame or dehydration or hormones, but I have had a headache going on three days! Therefore, I don't feel much like writing but wanted to give a quick shoutout to my Denver Nuggets!! Way to make it past the first round..... Mig and I rode our bikes down to the tavern and watched the awesomeness last night. Although we got home late, it was well worth it! Sorry New Orleans. Better luck next time and probably with a new coach ;)

What a Weekend!

This past weekend proved to be a solid balance of productivity and fun! Here's how it went:

Friday:

I was pleasantly surprised by an early phone call from Miguel; he giddily announced that he had won tickets to the Opera (his very first) and a $25 gift certificate (to a pub) from a local radio station. Woo woo! Miguel has been on a winning streak as of late, but this is the best prize yet! He was given the choice of 4 different dates for the Opera "Cosi fan tutte," a work by Mozart; he chose Saturday night/Opening night.

The rest of the day:

Did yard work, posted free furniture on craigslist,set up pick-up times for items, Mig arrived home, dashed off to claim his prize from a tall building downtown, bought new brake pads for my car, arrived home, Miguel installed new brake pads, lady came and picked up free stuff, ran around with dogs, took car for a test drive, stopped by friend's house, another friend called, left first friend's house, went to second friend's house, watched hockey game, laughed, went home, ate a late dinner, watched half a movie, went to bed.

Saturday:

Woke up early to a very chilly morning and set out for a long walk (almost 2 hours) with the dogs, decided we were hungry, wanted to use our gift certificate for lunch, went down to the pub, discovered that it is a booze only (besides the bags of chips behind the bar) bar and is one of the last in Colorado where you can smoke cigars and cigarettes, liked the atmosphere, pulled up a table, sat down to watch the Nuggets vs. Hornets-Game 3, enjoyed ourselves $20 worth of beer and chips, Nuggets lose by one point a few hours later, had plenty to drink (we didn't end up using the whole $25 and the bartender was able to keep the rest as a cash tip, win/win), made our way home, made/ate a batch of afternoon/after beer pancakes, got ready for our fancy night on the town.

The Opera:

Got a little lost downtown, became late, found (what we thought was) a sweet parking spot, wandered aimlessly in parking garage trying to find stairs/elevator, found stairs, got confused with all the different theaters in the Performing Arts Complex, asked lady for directions, arrived just in time to be seated, found our seats to be awesome, realized the person sitting directly behind us (in the box) is Ellie Caulkins herself (the theater is named The Ellie Caulkins Opera House), suddenly sat up straighter, show began, watched, laughed, Intermission, grabbed a cup of coffee and water, returned to seats, made speculations about the ending, watched the rest of the Opera, talked about the ending, left the theater, drove home continuously rehashing the experience, arrived home still wired, ripped off fancy clothes and replaced with pajamas, played with dogs, talked a little more, watched half a movie, fell asleep.

Sunday:

Rode bikes to the library and grocery store, found killer deal on pork chops, rode home, Mig's chain fell off, he walked the rest of the way (it was a super short distance and I had the groceries in the basket on my bike), made/ate lunch, did dishes, picked up house, cleaned out the closets, separated clothes into give away and a cut up for quilt piles, made painting/gift for friend's birthday, Mig played bass, Mig fixed computer cord, made/ate snacks, laughed, half watched movie while doing other things, read for an hour before bed, slept.

These shirts were in the 'give-away' pile, I just had to see Mig in them first! Ha Ha.

Save-the-Date

I have been battling myself all morning in a quest to decide what to write about today. After a lengthy tennis match of ideas in my head, I decided on posting our Save-the-Date cards. I really need to upgrade my flickr account and get some of the photos online.

Anyway here are our handmade cards that were sent out to some of our friends/family; they were time-consuming (like most DIY projects) and we wanted to keep costs down, so only a few were made.

If you are a member of our close friends/family and did not receive a hard copy of one of these- this is your Save-the-Date. We love you.

You can find the tale of Miguel and Cindy (if you don't already know it) under the post titled, Love Story.

Out with the old....

In with the new.

Last Monday I began a ritual some like to call, 'Spring Cleaning'. However, my reasoning for this sudden urge to purge is stemmed from much more than a need to be clean. I figure, I am turning 30 in a few months, getting married in a few more after that and finally leaving CO shortly thereafter.

That's right I said we are leaving Colorado. I have never lived elsewhere and I want to start my new life somewhere new. Colorado is an amazing state and has nothing to do with this desire; simply put, I'm a wannabe vagabond at heart and have felt imprisoned by 'adult' responsibilities for a very long time. Actually, I have wanted to leave for many, many years but sure am glad I stayed to meet Miguel. We aren't sure where we're going to live just yet, but we have a plan to help us figure it out.

So over the next few months this blog will likely morph into a time capsule/memory lane with some spurts of wedding stuff. For instance, last week my mother and I decided we are going to make my wedding dress (which allows me to custom fit each part and therefore don't need to struggle with traditional ladies attire).

Cheers to a good week for all! Stay tuned for some much needed humor from my wild past and crazy idyllic present/future. I'm thinking if I work it right I may be able to post daily and really bump up the ol' writing skills.

Silly Cards and Hamburger Buns

Ha! I finally uploaded pictures of the Welcome Home card I made for my sister, which reminded me of how funny I think I am.

Yes, that is my white face on Giselle's tan, thin body and Miguel's head on a lady with a chainshaw. Old school PhotoShop, except the word captions are pop-up style for a 3-D feel.

In other news: today is cold, wet and snowy so I thought the use of a crockpot would be a nice touch.

I decided on bbq chicken made from legs and thighs (started with bones but tore the meat off once cooked). After envisioning shredded chicken swimming in bbq sauce, I decided fresh baked hamburger buns were necessary. I found a wonderful recipe for buns here http://rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com/2006/10/world-bread-day-2006-hamburger-buns.html.

I followed the directions mostly; forgot to add the butter. The end result was awesome regardless. My fridge is still broken so were just trying to get by with random creative snacks (that unfortunately are not very healthy).