7 year itch?

Yesterday marked the seven year anniversary of our relationship.  Seriously, how in the world do seven years pass so quickly? I once heard that the dynamics of one's relationship have a tendency to alter during the seventh year and some people are even tempted to stray.  I can whole heartedly and honestly say that I am more in love with Miguel today than ever and would NEVER even consider the thought. Not that we don't have struggles and fights, but we always manage to solve our problems and end up on the high road.

So this is my quick post (a day late but nonetheless) to shout out, I LOVE YOU MIGGY!! Thank you for being my friend, partner, lover and sexy husband! I am grateful for your presence in my life each and every minute the day and I cannot wait to share endless adventures with you!

~This is the only 'recent' pic that has both of us!~

* And a quick THANK YOU to my sister, Sara, who was kind enough to watch the kids on Saturday so Miguel and I could celebrate.  We went ice skating then shared some much needed laughs over appetizers and cocktails at PF Changs.

1 Year Anniversary

Yesterday marked the one-year wedding anniversary for me and Miguel. I can say without a doubt that more sh** happened/changed in our first year of marriage than in the entire course of our courtship. Ha!

Let's recap:

- Got married
- Moved into our rv and began traveling
- Traveled to the East Coast
- Found out I was pregnant
- Traveled through the South and to the West Coast
- Returned to Colorado
- Moved into my parents' basement
- Began working at the kennel again (both Miguel and I did)
- Moved out of my parents' basement and back into the rv
- Lived at a campground
- Started working at Home Depot (both Miguel and I did)
- Got too pregnant to be comfortable in the rv
- Moved back into my parents' basement
- Got hernia from pulling hoses at work
- Quit Home Depot
- Mig got his old job back in Denver and started working there again
- Mig lived in the rv in Denver for a month to save on gas money
- I was bit by a dog on my hand, swelled up for a week
- Mig moved back into the basement and began commuting to work
- Had a baby shower
- Had a baby :-)
- Stayed with parents for a few more months
- Moved into our own home
- Salem turned 3 months old

And that brings us to our first anniversary as a married couple! Happy Anniversary babe! Its been one hell of a ride!

Moving Day!

After almost two months of living in my parents' basement and working at their kennel, Miguel and I finally broke free on Friday! Although the initial feeling was one of liberation, the following emotions were closer to fear and anxiety. We decided to bunk at my sister's house for the weekend while we finalized some decisions.

Being that we still own our motorhome and all of our belongings are piled into the beast, we have chosen to live there again. So, Friday morning was filled with searching for an affordable place to park the rv and call home. We came across a wonderful location by the name of, Riverview RV Park & Campground, located outside Loveland, CO on the Big Thompson River. This was an easy choice to make because of the long-term rent costs ($375/month) and many amenities, which include full hookups, free WiFi, cable, a dog park, laundry, showers, river access, trails, clean drinking water, etc.

With a new place in order, we decided to go look at cars for purchase. We have a little money saved up and would like to buy a vehicle with cash (especially since I am still looking for employment). Our mission quickly became a disappointment and we called it quits in order to eat lunch/play with the dogs.

We had a commitment to work at the kennel for the weekend so Mig and I decided that we would move into the new digs on Monday after he got off work. That leaves us here, today, Monday-Moving Day. By the time the sun goes down, we will be parked along the river and reorganizing our house in order to get/remain comfortable for the next few months.

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.