Thanksgiving in Utah

Jeff was lucky enough to have 5 days off for Thanksgiving weekend so we packed up and headed to Utah. We were worried about how Scout would do with the 6 hr drive because every time we take him in the car he shakes and cries/barks like there's no tomorrow. It's both sad and annoying. After talking to our vet we bought some benadryl and hoped we wouldn't have to use it. He did great on the drive up there, curled up between the two of us the minute we got in the car and didn't have an accident! Of course the second we set him on the floor at Chris and Tess's house (after Jeff stood outside with him to go, and he did) he pooped on their rug! Ugh.

We had a wonderful time in Utah with our families and had 2 very delicious turkey dinners. Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures but these few I got on my phone, we are lame!

Chuck and Scout, long lost brothers. Jeff said no to me bringing home my own cat but I'm still insisting Scout needs a kitty ;)

Lollie "cookin"

Both our breeder and vet told us that Yorkie puppies can only hold their output for as long as they are old so for Scout who is 2 months we can only expect him to hold it for 2 hours. We had just passed the last Beaver exit, with Scout asleep in the back and were confidently on our way to Cedar when he woke up and started to whine. I don't know why we thought he could make it but he climbed onto Jeff's lap (lucky me!) and next thing I know Jeff says, "Is he peeing?!" Yes.

Yes, he was in fact peeing, on jeff's lap. Oops! Sorry baby and sorry Jeff! hehe We couldn't really be mad at him because it was our fault but it was gross and hilarious and we made a stop so both boys could clean themselves up! Other than that our drive was as great as the first, Scout slept and entertained himself for 6 hours, but put him in the car for 5 mins and you better pack some ear plugs!

Finally Legal

As a Seare that is. After waiting a year and a half to change my name I am happy to say no more

Seare/Gallagher. As much as I loved being a Gallagher I am very happy to finally be a Seare (according to the government).

Christmas came early at the Seare house

I have the BEST and most thoughtful husband. He is a better man than I probably deserve and he goes to the ends of the earth to surprise me. He got me real good a few weeks ago.

At sunday dinner with the Augustine's Jodi (Jeff's cousin) asked us for a favor to drive up to Hurricane to pick up a customized hope chest she had made for her daughter for Christmas. I automatically agreed, we owe her, she's been so good to us since we got to Vegas; Jeff on the other hand was hesitant and told her we would have to check our schedules and get back to her. All week he griped about having to make the drive to Hurricane, Saturday came and when we got to the ladies house and walked inside I stared at the tiny, slatted wooden box that sat on her ottoman and thought to myself ," That's what we drove up here for!?" And then the sweetest, tiniest little head popped up and I was so confused. I literally did not know what was going on and everyone kept telling me to go pick him up. Well Chelsey (breeder) had 2 small girls and I kept thinking I'm not going to pick up their puppy... I turned to look at Jeff who happened to be standing behind me filming the whole thing on his iPhone and he said, "Merry Christmas hun!" I was stunned and in-love with our little guy the second I picked him up. I named him Scout and he is the funniest, smallest, most wild little guy I have ever known and we love him! He is quite a handful but has brought so much joy to our home. And I'm pretty sure he is putting us through a rigorous training course for when we add another member to our little family. (No I'm not pregnant)

Thank you Jeffrey! I love you so much and I love our little Scout!

He had the cutest little t shirt on when we picked him up, it is an xs and still drowned him!

he loves to tear up paper towels and would rather play with garbage items than the toys we bought him
Napping
tired boys

look at that sweet face!

If anyone is looking to buy a Yorkie and need a breeder ours is awesome! Her name is Chelsy Boucher and she is located in Hurricane, Utah. Check out her website for more information.

I would recommend her to anyone, her knowledge and love for the puppies is hard to find, not to mention her price and she even guarantees for her puppies up to one year. Just tell her Jeff and Cassie Seare sent you! We seriously love our little guy so much!

Day 8 Las Vegas or Bust!

Days 5, 6 & 7 :

We spent 3 glorious days in salt lake visiting with friends and family and massaging out our kinks. Sadly we took no pictures, I was to exhausted to do much more than just hang out.

Friday morning we once again loaded up our houche and took to the road. Chris, Tess and John and Courtney were kind enough to come down for the weekend and met us when we pulled into our new apartment. In about 30 minutes we were moved in, our bedroom and front room was set up and we happily left the rest of the mess behind and went out for a much needed fun night.

A HUGE thank you to all of you who helped us pack, move, drive, gave us beds to sleep, fed us, loved us, moved us, etc.. We couldn't have done it without you!

Day 4 Northe Platte to SLC

Nebraska is one of my least favorite places out there. No offense! We spent one night there and that was enough for me. We were all super stiff and sore from being cramped in the car and tired so we layed in bed and played on our computers for an hour before making the dreaded walk back to the car.

About halfway into the day I was not feeling well and asked if we could stop for lunch and to stretch. By the time we sat down I was in full blown tears I was so uncomfortable and emotional over who knows what, I guess 30 hours in the car can have that affect on a person. Becky and Jeff doctored me up real good and Becky took to driving the rest of the way, I am so grateful she was there because I'm not sure what would have happened otherwise.

We decided to make a quick pit stop at Ryan and Jill's house before heading down the canyon and Jill was sweet enough to feed us dinner.

Just a cute and completely appropriate picture of Chloe drinking the Seare family drink :)

We pulled into Dave and Becky's house around 830 that night and I have never been so relieved to be able to just go to bed!

Day 3 Chicago

I know I wasn't the only happy person to get to sleep in and not have to spend another day in the car! We putt putted around, went for a walk around Lake Michigan and enjoyed a yummy seafood dinner with Sharp, Laura and the boys before it was all over too soon and we were back in the car the next day headed for nebraska.

I already miss the gorgeous, unique homes from the east
Maggie

L to R: Peter, me, Becky and Sharp

Nebraska or bust!

This is pretty much the view for the majority of the drive. Pretty exciting right?

Day 2 Niagara Falls, the iPhone 4S and onto Chicago

We woke up early saturday morning and headed to Niagara Falls. It was another very wet, windy and cold day, but we soon learned the weather was nothing compared to the falls. We left looking and feeling a bit like wet rats but that didn't stop our (and by our I mean Jeff's) hehe determination to get the new iPhone 4S. We stopped at the Buffalo mall on our way back from the Falls and about 2 hours, lunch and a new phone later we headed back to Manzanares's home to pack up once again and hit the road. We pulled out at 4pm and had a 10 hour drive to Chicago ahead of us, if that gives you any sense of how we were feeling.

We pulled off the road to a little place called Kirtland, Ohio and walked into the visitor's center just 20 min shy of closing. They allowed us to watch a short film giving the history and then one of the elder missionaries was kind enough to let us go with him to lock up the buildings and gave us a short personal tour. It was pretty cool, we went into the Newel K. Whitney store, where Joseph and Emma lived for a short time above the store and also to the Newel K. Whitney home where Joseph and Emma also lived for a short time. Both places where Joseph smith received personal revelation that we now find in the Doctrine and Covenants. We drove by the temple and took some pictures before getting back on the road.
Around 1030 we passed a cop sitting in the median lane and I of course did a quick glance to my speedometer but I was keeping up with traffic and new I wouldn't get pulled over. An hour later however, I had just happened to glance in my drivers' side mirror and saw flashing lights. I said, "oh crap!" and that woke Becky right up! I told her she better text Jeff and tell him to pull over and wait for us. The officer asked me if I was moving once he walked up and took inventory of the car, I told him yes from CT and he asked me to explain my UT license plates. I gave him the readers digest version of the story and when he asked who I had in the car with me I told him my mother-in-law. He told me very nicely he had only pulled me over to tell me my plate light was out and it was only a warning to get it fixed. He took my registration back to his car, meanwhile by the time Jeff believed us and pulled over he was a few miles ahead. The cop came back and said, "ma'am I gotta go, here's your warning." And just like that he was passing us, lights and sirens. So Jeff is there waiting for us and a cop comes to his window and says, "you're not broken down are you? Actually you are waiting for your wife huh? Yeah, I just pulled her over, she'll be here in a minute." And before Jeff even has a chance to answer he's gone!

That woke us all up and we FINALLY pulled into Winnetka around 1:30 am.

The American Falls on the left

Umm...

Maid of the Mist
American Falls



Canadian Falls
It was a bit more than misty if we're being honest

Canada

USA
Our faces pretty much sum it all up. It's a once in a lifetime sorta thing

Day 1 Connecticut to Palmyra, NY

Becky flew out wednesday night, Friday morning we packed our cars up, in the pouring rain (of course!) and drove out of our apartment parking lot for the last time. It wasn't sad for me then, I know it probably should have been. Our last week there I was already missing how beautiful and green it was in CT and of course the first changing colors of fall but that friday morning I was ready to go. I was so excited and I know all 3 of us were anxious to get on the road and start the first of many long days of driving.

Jeff and I had been talking about all the fun things we got to do while out there and had only one regret, that we never made it to Palmyra, NY. After hitting up google maps on the iPad and discovering it would take us only 1.5 hours longer we decided it was worth it and planned to stop there and visit the church history sites and then spend the night with cousins in Buffalo.

Palmyra was cold, wet and awesome, the weather definitely made for a more unforgettable experience. We pulled into the visitors center parking lot and walked in to find more cousins sitting right there in the foyer. We got to visit with Wade and Angie and their kiddies before braving the winds and rains and "hiking" up to the top of the Hill Cumorah. Our umbrellas blew inside out and mine snapped in two, we made it a quick hike.

Next up we drove over to the Smith Farm which sits on the edge of the Sacred Grove. I always thought that the Hill Cumorah was in the Sacred Grove, but it turns out they are actually quite a few miles away. We ran into Wade and Angie a second time and walked through the Grove with them. It had such a, well, very sacred spirit and it was surreal to look around and know that is where the young Joseph Smith in 1820 knelt in prayer and was visited by two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description. It has to be one the most beautiful places I have ever been and no doubt we went at the best time of year. After leaving the grove we toured the Alvin frame home, the smith's temporary farm home and saw the temple through a clearing in the trees. Our prophet Gordon B. Hinckley had a window put into the side of the temple where one can look out and look directly into the sacred grove. He wanted it to be an eternal reminder of what happened in the grove and why because of it we have the gospel and temples today.

Our last stop in Palmyra was the Grandin Print Shop where the very first Book of Mormon was printed and published.

Before making it to Dave and Wendy's for the night we stopped at Duff's bar, one of the first two places in Buffalo to ever make the famous "Buffalo wings".

Saying goodbye

We couldn't get enough of those cute babies!

Hill Cumorah

Palmyra Temple

Inside the Grandin Print Shop
Where the first Book of Mormon was printed

The Alvin frame home, Alvin died before the home was completed
The very room where Angel Moroni visited Joseph 3x during the night

Inside the Smith Family home
The very bricks Joseph hid the plates under when the mob came into their home
Tree planted by the Smith family after Alvin's death
Barn where Joseph Smith hid the plates for a short period in the rafters
Palmyra Temple overlooking the Sacred Grove

what is blogger doing to my photos???
very first Book of Mormom