Bits and Pieces

What do we do normally? Pretty much the same as in the states. In the summer we got up late, stayed in our PJs late, swam in the pool, played with friends, played outside. All those things. Plus struggled with the language. Got depressed. Tried to get to know people. Tried to figure out how to cook, clean, pay for things, etc. with new language and available things. Then we hit the three month mark and life has been looking better. Still struggling on some days, but others are busy and good.

Once school started the kids started sports and clubs as well and that has been great for the kids and making friends. The week school started our nana started too(what they call the maids here, but maids here are different than what you think of in the states). Veronica speaks only Spanish and she knows how to talk to Americans - slowly. I have improved so much in my language because of dear Veronica. The Nana cleans, yes, but she is becoming part of our home. So the first three months I was here cleaning overcame me. Because it is so dry here (since we moved here it has rained once, in November, for 15 minutes) there is dust everywhere. I mean everywhere and there are ants like you would not believe. I spent 3-4 hours every day cleaning and this was not enough to keep up even half way. Then came Veronica...and I will be spoiled when I get back, yes. But I do still clean the days she is not here, but for only about an hour a day. It is fantastic. On Wednesday morning I went to the LDS temple just because I could since the nana also helps with the kiddies. It is definitely a perk.

We wake up early, I take the kids to school. I run or walk, depending if I do with a friend or not, pushing Easton. I spend time Easton. I take care of bills, organization, church calling with the teenage girls, grocery shopping, etc. I spend time waiting...a lot of time waiting...in traffic and at home. The repair man coming in the morning can mean the morning, the night, or the next day. It is always a guessing game. And I have time to read most days. I get on the computer more often here to check blogs, facebook, and email. It is my life line.

The kids go to school, have after school activites 3-4 times a week. They finish at school anywhere between 2:25 and 5. There is alot of homework. Time to play. Kids ride bikes to friends houses. We eat dinner later here, around 7 or 7:30, but that is early compared to the Chileans who eat around 9-10pm. Chileans don't sleep alot.

On the weekends we do all the things we needed to do during the week but didn't. Little maintance things, cleaning out the storage area, shopping, lessons for church. Traveling and sight seeing. Which, even with all the work travel Mark has done, we have been able to do much of. We have seen amazing things and had experiences that are truely only available here in Chile. We have made amazing friends, who have taken us in and made this whole transition work. It has been our miracle to move here and at church find families that have taken us in and we have felt immediately close to. And they have kids, who are mostly boys that are the same ages as our boys. The Lord had a hand in it all.

And here are a few random pictures that I just wanted to share.

See the little signs. They tell about the comic books you can buy from the kid's comic book store. They have been drawing comics since we got here and every once in a while I spend a quarter to purchase a comic.

Warriors live here. And often attack without warning.

Architects often find there way into a long afternoon.

Hiking occurs often on Saturday mornings. Since it is all within minutes. This picture has our home in it. It is smack in the middle and white with a tower. I spy...

Hiking behind our neighborhood. Oh that view!

Making empanadas.

Love this picture...oh Easton.

Easton is Three

So my baby is getting big. And his little personality is developing and I love having conversations with him. We celebrated his birthday on two different days, since Mark was out of town. On his actual birthday we went and ate dinner at McDonalds and had ice cream at McDonalds. This is Easton's biggest request to eat at McDonalds, and then the added bonus is getting an ice cream there. Best thing ever for Easton.

The rest of the celebration occured the four days later when Mark returned. And it is always a treat when dad comes home from the states because he takes an extra suitcase to fill up with all the things we miss. We opened presents, went out to eat, had cake, and spent the day together as a family.

Easton is the baby and his brothers and parents spoil him as such. And oh those big brown eyes, with the long, dark eyelashes. They melt you. He is so cute! And it is a good thing! He is happy and smiles a lot, but when that kid is tired or hungry, careful he becomes a terror (church is always interesting with this kid). He can make a mess of anything, but loves to help as well. Everytime I am in the kitchen he grabs a chair and pulls it over to cook with mommy. Too bad he won't eat all that he cooks, Easton would eat peanut butter and jelly for every meal if allowed. He and Mason have a little thing about making brownies. Mason is always the brownie maker, but he took it upon himself to always include Easton. It is a sweet moment everytime to see those two together. Easton can rough house with his brothers (and he can hold his own when it comes to teasing). Easton is obsessed with puzzles; being outside; the beach; and Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Toy Story, and Cars. Easton has an amazing imagination. With a car, small animal figurine, or little Star Wars character he can sit and just talk and imagine. I love listening to his little stories, it makes me smile. We love you Easton!

This picture cracks me up.


Do you see how cute this kid is? I know I am biased, but oh well.

Banos Colinas

A few days before the start of school the kids and I headed into the Andes toward a volcano. High up, near the Argentinan border is a hot springs that is the result of this volcano. It was a true Chile trip, in that involved being on a dirt road, high in the mountains, with nothing to keep you from falling off a huge cliff other than being cautious. But the drive was amazing, the canyon and it's fast flowing river, huge mountains, and the volcano were awe inspiring.

We went up with several other families. You literally drive up to where you think there cannot possiblly be anything out there and then there is a little toll booth to pay your enterance fee. It cracks me up because out in the middle of no where are these little shacks waiting for your fee. And then the hot springs...and mud baths.

So the view was great, the company was fantastic, and the mud made my skin glow. There were a series of about 8 or 9 baths. Starting at the lowest it was pure grey mud, up to a pool that you could barely put a toe in it was so hot. The kids had fun with friends, loved the getting dirty, and said it sure stinks. It was an experience to say the least. We were glad to share it with our wonderful friends.

So I took this just so you could see the only structures up there. The little guard structure in the background to pay your fee and the bathroom/showers. And all these people in the middle of no where.

You can see a couple of the pools and then the parking lot in the background

The very hottest pool, which has absolutely no one in it.

My cute boys

A picture of the volcano. This was taken on the road up to the springs.

The women and a couple of the kiddes, I know beautiful with the mud masks, right?

The source of Banos Colinas

Algarrobo

The first weekend in February Mark took a day off and we made a long weekend to spend at the beaches of Algarrobo. We stayed at the San Alfonso del Mar Resort, which is home to the world's largest pool. It is about half a mile long. Dallin is really into Guiness World Book of Records and he had read about this pool. So not only was it a beautiful place, but it checked off "a to do before I die" for Dallin :-).

It was fairly cool there. So even though it was over 90 and cloudless in Santiago, it was cloudy and cool the first day we got there. Thankfully by 3pm the clouds had all burned off and we were able to spend a great deal of time at the huge pool. The second day we spent most of the time on the beach since it was much warmer.

Travel here in Chile can sometimes be questionable, but this trip went smoothly and was so good for our family. Mark's time here in Chile has been very full. He is working so many hours and traveling a great deal. He also got called to be in the bishopric of our church (which is all unpaid and done voluntarily). Needless to say we were very greatful to have a few days with no distractions, loads of fun, and good quality time.

Rodent of Unusual Size

Enough Said!

Turning Seven in Santiago

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy! Drew had his seventh birthday last month and we celebrated by going to a market to buy some Chilean birthday gifts he had requested. Then we headed to Buin Zoo just south of Santiago. We weren't sure what to expect, but it was a wonderful zoo. We were quite surprised by how big and well maintained it was. Plus we saw some animals we have never seen before, so that was very interesting. We finished off by going to Johnny Rockets (a hamburger place that is from the western United States - hamburgers, milkshakes, diner place). It was a good weekend to celebrate an amazing boy.

Drew has not only gained a whole lot of height, but a fun sense of humor. He makes me laugh and smile. And he still loves to give hugs and loves. Drew has become our little fish. He goes out into the pool almost every day (even if he has no one else to join him). Drew loves to be outside and has a great imagination. He will make forts whenever he feels compelled to get a way from it all. A blanket over his head, some books and toys, and he is in his own little world. Drew is an amazing helper and has a quiet way of doing things for others. Drew notices the little things and can remember and recall all sorts of information. I am blessed to be his mom.

Plants vs Zombies - always makes Drew smile..."Brains."


This is a self portrait. The first time it was viewed by Mark and then by me, we both stopped for a moment to question if this was Drew or Mason. It is Drew, he took several of himself eating cake...but it is very much like his older brother.

Thirty Five

Last month I turned 35. It was a lonely day for me. Mark was out of town and I found myself in a country that I felt very uncomfortable in. I thought much about the years I have under my belt and concluded that I had earned every one of those years. I wondered if I was bothered by getting older and concluded, at least at this point I am happy to call myself closer to 40 than 30. We celebrated a week and a half after the fact, but it was a fun night to be with the kiddies and my hubbie who I had missed dearly. In a post soon I will write about the day to day here in Chile. I have struggled and found myself in depression, but I am finding that as time goes on crawling out of bed is getting easier and I am having more good days than bad. Learning the language is becoming a road to freedom that I am glad to be on (even if I am going very slowly).