Santuario de la Naturaleza del Arrayán

Our first little trip was to a beautiful mountain park that is only about 25 minutes from our home. Wow. I love the mountains and hiking. It was just what our family needed after a few weeks of running around trying to get moved in. This was on December 8th, a holiday here in Chile. We have found that if you get any place in Chile by 10am, you are pretty much one of the first people there. We spent a few hours, had a picnic, and then headed out just as it was starting to get crowded.
We were able to hike a litte...as much as a two year old allows, which I was surprised at how much he did that day. After a while I took Easton down to a playground, while the others did some more exploring. It was beautiful hiking in the mountains right next to the mountain stream.

Chile

So the first few weeks were full of the little details that pretty much drive you crazy. And we have found that in Chile those details take much longer than we are accustomed to. The waiting just about made me crazy. I found myself getting a bit depressed.

Mason started school 4 days after we got here, but Dallin and Drew had to wait because of the acceptance process for the elementary more than a week after Mason. It was a long wait...at least it seemed like it. No car, no toys, no books, no TV, no computer equals drive your mom crazy with the phrase, "I'm bored."

But there were fun times too. We did a lot outside and played together and the boys found clubs to make and adventures to have while I tried to get the house cleaned and manageable. The pool was cold in November and the first couple of weeks in December. I guess most people don't get in until the end of December, but we had just left snow, so the boys could not wait. They would get in for short periods in the afternoon. In November the temps in the day were 75-85, but at night in would drop to 45-50. It makes for perfect days, but cold pools.

This was the first day here in the morning in our front yard.

Until last week, much of the house was empty. We had a few rental pieces. Two couches, a table, and beds. So there was room to run.


And the pool and backyard are gorgeous! I love being outside and just looking at the garden in the back and front. And I love my lemon trees. The lemons will be turning yellow soon. There are a lot of them just getting ready to ripen.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

I will be trying to play catch up here for a while. We have been seeing new things and doing all sorts of new things. So now I have to organize all my thoughts and get working on getting it all documented. This post is going to be a few pictures of the weeks before we left. Then on to the Chile stuff.

So the last few weeks were filled with the end of the soccer season and a very sick Dallin, he missed 5 days of school. He didn't want to miss the last game and getting a medal, so he cheered his team on from the side lines (and a safe distance away).


This is Drew's last game and awards.

Trunk or treating at the church the Wednesday before Halloween. It was the only trick or treating we did. Since in Iowa trick or treating is always the day before Halloween (it goes way back and I am still not sure why the tradition hasn't died) it fell on a Sunday. We went to a friends for dinner instead and left a bowl out on the porch for the neighbors.

Carving pumpkins Thursday before Halloween. Dallin was laying on the floor, just watching. He drew the face on his pumpkin and I carved it for him (that is how I knew he was really sick).

Our friends threw a going away party for the boys at a gym. It was so nice of them. They invited all classmates at school and families. Unfortunately I didn't take more than a few pictures and most didn't turn out.

The night before we left (Friday November 12th) was the boys piano recital.
They all did so well. I am so proud of all their hard work. Especially considering we didn't have the piano for the 5 days before the recital, since it was packed on the truck. We did go over to a friends the night before so they could practice before the big day. We sure miss their piano teacher, she has a place in our hearts. We look forward to when they can learn from her again.

Our Big Trip

With this post we begin a brand new chapter in life. There are certain events that mark your life. "After we were married, life before and after children come, etc." In our family, we will mark events by before, during, and I assume even after we lived in Chile. It is strange because at times I feel like things are so normal, then I try to answer the door when the bell rings or go do simple things like get gas for the car and then I am jarred back into the realization that life is so very different. Different, good, amazing, and hard.

So I will start with our trip to Chile from the states. It had seemed like such a long time coming that we were all ready to just get on the plane and start! The last 4-5 days in Des Moines were crazy! But we have amazing friends who stepped right up and feed us, drove us, and loved us. I feel blessed by my Heavenly Father for the people He has put in our lives.

So to the airport our friend helped us get. We had so much luggage that our one rental van was simply not enough. We had eight large suitcases, a jogging stroller(which I am so glad we brought so I can run the trails here), a car seat, a booster seat, and then the 5 backpacks, one laptop, and a purse full of passports! We had five suitcases too heavy, after much moving of things we got it down to three and said the heck with it and paid for the three over weight bags.

We got to Dallas without a hitch. Landed and headed to McDonalds to eat dinner. I got up to go look at some other food options while the kids ate. When I got back Mark said our flight was delayed 12 hours, I laughed and told him to stop kidding around. He did not laugh, at which point I almost cried. So Mark went off to find out what to do. I gathered kids and had so much in my arms I couldn't carry Easton, who then had a complete meltdown as we made our way to the ticket counter. It was a blessing because the gal took pity on us and got us our food and hotel vouchers herself rather than us going to the counter that was doing this that had a line of about 100 people doing the same thing. Who know that meltdowns of two year olds were blessings?





So we stayed in the hotel attached to the airport (which is prepared for travelers like us and provided six packets of toilettries). So we woke up, ate, and boarded our 10 hour flight. We thought we would have 10 hours of sleeping kids, but not so. I was amazed at how awesome our kids did. Easton took about a 4 hour nap, the angels where with us.
So then the real fun, lets just say after 12 hours of not eating, 3 hours of lines, and a very loaded taxi van, we made it to the house a little after midnight! And our kids rocked it! There was the occasional complaint, but by the time we had been in lines for so long I think they just gave up and realized there wasn't one thing to do but just keep going.
The next two days were a blur. Grocery shopping, trying to get cars, school tests and tours. But we made it. We are still trying to figure out a lot of things, but that is for the next post! Love to all who helped us on both ends of the adventure.

*As a side note, now that our internet is through a Chilean company, when I run spell check it tells me every word is spelled incorrectly since it is checking for Spanish. So typos may be frequent for the next little while.

Farwell Winter, Hello Summer!

Next week we take off in a pursuit of a year without winter! It is a wet, gray, and cold day today and it got me so excited to move to Chile and the start of summer. The packers will be coming on Monday to crate everything for its ocean voyage south. So my blogging adventures will be on hold for a while. We get one palate that will come by air freight that will arrive 2-3 weeks after we fly to Chile. In that palate will be our computer, hopefully no worse for the wear. So until then I will say a little blogger goodbye. We will still check e-mail, and I might even use Facebook! I have been trying to check Facebook more often, and have even been commenting on it, but I might write a few words about our crazy life as well. Love to all! Oh, and our home phone will remain the same through Vonage (that is as soon as we can get internet, which is as soon as the work visa goes through, oh the joys).

Pumpkin Patch and Fall Pictures

Despite the fact that I have not been blogging life has been moving forward. At times it feels like the move has taken over, but life has been going on. There have been good and tough things that have happened over the past couple of months. But there is so much good and I have seen it in so many, many people.

We made the annual trek out to the pumpkin patch and had a fun adventure. Grandma and Grandpa Hamilton were able to join us for choosing the perfect pumpkins and picking apples.

Rosetta Stone...I believe Drew and Mason will be most prepared.

Dancing in the Rain

Harvest

The middle school was able to play the fight song with the high school for a home football game. I had the opportunity to chaperon, so I got front row seats.

Exploration in the yard.

Soccer for Drew and Dallin (I will post Dallin's in a couple of days)

When Mark and I were in Chile, Grandma and Grandpa Moring took care of the boys. This is an outing Easton was able to enjoy with them.

Mark was able to travel to China in August

Things that surprised me about Chile

1. How clean the city is.

2. The amount of parks all over the city. There are so many beautiful parks and lots of amazing playgrounds.

3. The amount of American products, advertisements, and shops that are there.

4. I was surprised about the sheer volume of people outside. These people walk everywhere. It's good.

5. How expensive everything is (at least compared to Des Moines).

6. Just how comfortable I felt there. It is a beautiful city and I love the home that we found to rent.



One of the views from the window in our future home.


Mark's future office building.

A park in Santiago

Our future home. The gates/fences are around all homes in Santiago. It will take some getting used to.