Return

Last time I posted anything, I was just a few months pregnant and now here I am with a 3-month old baby! Crazy how fast time can fly. In recent days/weeks I have had the pleasure of being introduced to some new blogs and it kinda got me in the mood to start writing again. Although the life of a stay-at-home mother is far from glamorous, I do find that perhaps I have a few things to share with the world. So, even though I'm sure I won't have the ability to post daily and perhaps not even weekly, I am determined to start trying! That's right internet.... I'm baaaaack! And here is a picture of where most of my energy goes:

Ideas

Since we have been back in CO life has absolutely flown by and I am really questioning the purpose of it all. Miguel and I have been slaving almost every moment of every day, never really getting a day off. I can say with absolute honesty and a bit of desperation that we HAVE to find a better way. This is not how I imagined my pregnancy or journey into marriage and motherhood.

So, I have ideas. Good ideas. I just need to be smart about how I take those ideas and formulate a plan. So be prepared to have your mind blown, because soon, very soon, things are going to change for good!

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.