We love our friends!

Ash & Emily

Katie & Lezlie

Tyson & Hunter

Michele, Kami, Kira, Lezlie, Nancy, french lady, just kidding Danielle!, Heidi

La Serena, Chile

October 25, 2012 we left Salt Lake City and this:

And traveled to Santiago, Chile.  We stayed the night in Santiago and left the next day for La Serena.  We arrived in La Serena, Chile October 27th. 

Once we arrived in La Serena with our 30 bags we had to figure out how to get our stuff transported to our hotel, which we had not booked yet.  We had to rent 2 pick up trucks to haul all of our stuff. But we couldn't keep both trucks so we returned one truck after we figured out a hotel and stuffed our luggage into the front room.  Since then we have been house hunting and exploring.  Mostly house hunting!!!  Here is a photo of our first hotel: (on the left- white buildings)

Here is a photo from our first hotel:  (Looking out the back door)

We were only able to stay in this hotel for 4 nights.  We had no idea that Chile was having a national holiday and all the hotels were booked for the weekend.  We were very lucky to find our next hotel which was just around the corner from our first hotel.
It was time to move to the next hotel with only 1 vehicle.  You know...my mom is a California girl but my dad is pure, complete redneck oakie.  I fully embrace my oakie-ness.  I guess you could even say white trash cuz that's what Ashlyn called us.  She may be the only person in the family who really cares.  I don't know what Geoff's excuse is.

The kids just climbed on top of the truck and down the road they went.  Yes, after all that oakie talk, I couldn't fit and had to walk.  It was walk or sit on Ashies lap.
Here is a photo of our next hotel:

And a photo of Geoff fixing dinner:

The sunset from hotel #2

Visas Anyone?

So we get our 30 bags to the airport in 2 vehicles- a suburban and a taho.  We got a lot of strange looks and made it to the check in counter when we were asked if anybody had Visas.  Well, we had already done our homework (not to mention that Geoff had already been there 30 times in the last 90 days and knew the system inside and out) and we knew that Visas are only issued at the airport there in Santiago.  They don't send out Visas any other way.

"No, we don't have Visas.  They are not required and won't issue them until we get to the Santiago airport" says Geoff- or something like that.
Delta says - or something like it- "You won't be allowed onto the plane without them."

The bottom line- Delta didn't have proof that we were returning within 90 days (the allowed time to visit without Visas) and we had to have Visas in order to even board the plane or pay upwords of $20,000 in fines.

My question- how are we supposed to get Visas for Delta so we can board the plane when the only way to get them is to arrive at the Santiago airport and get them there???

The solution?  Delta had to change our return dates.
The problem?  Delta mistakenly labeled our 4 kids as unaccompanied minors.  Because of this they rearranged all of our seating and put us in the very last row of seats on the plane.  Hmmm- from Geoff's frequent flyer status we were able to upgarde our seats for economy comfort which put us in seats with more room and closer to the front of the plane.

I think Geoff was seeing RED!  MAD

THEN--- at the end of our flight as we "docked" the stewardess walked down the aisle and told our kids to stay put.  She was going to escort them to their next departing gate.
Geoff and I looked at each other like....what????
We told them we were their parents and asked if we could have our kids back.

That was the first leg of our trip.

We arrived in Atlanta with no further issues.
Our plane to Santiago was delayed for 1.5 hours from hurricane Sandy.  We ended up leaving Atlanta at midnight. Thank goodness for economy comfort.  Well, actually, thank goodness for Geoff's frequent flyer status which got us better seats!

We arrived in Santiago at about 10:30 the next morning.  The next issue was trying to find a vehicle large enough for all of our bags.  We ended up storing some of our bags at the airport overnight until our next flight to La Serena the next day.  That flight was simple and easy- 1 hour to La Serena.  The only issue, again, was trying to find a vehicle large enough for our 30 bags and 6 people.  It was kindof ridiculous and wow did we get the looks!  We ended up renting 2 trucks.  That seemed like a good solution.

Moving Chaos

The thing I hate the most.....THE MESS!

To Do List when moving to Chile

Enroll in online seminary
Withdraw from schools and seminary
Sign up with US Embassy
Cancel car insurance
Get international health insurance
Cell phones for Chile?
Find rental property in Chile
Pack birth certificates in carry on (NOT LUGGAGE)
Get a large storage unit
Wes quit job
Lezlie quit job
Tyler quit job
Geoff quit job-- just kidding!
Change address at bank
Forward personal mail
Forward mail for LuLu's Italian Ice and Super Savers Wholesale
Pay PO Box for a year
Leave PO Box keys with Katie
Leave UPS acct # with Katie
Move boat to Katie's
Move quads to Katie's
Replace fixture in bathroom
Paint repairs in house
Clean house & yard
Give Landlord 30 day notice
Pay up on life insurances
Update living will
Notarize living will
Cancel utilities
Suspend DirecTV acct
Sell: bunnies, car, furniture
Figure out Caleb's braces
Get dad a shot for his back
Lezlie needs new running shoes
Lezlie hair
Get caught up on LuLu's sales taxes
Get things set with IRS
Psychologist visit
Psychiatrist visit- where to find meds in Chile
Get international driver's license
Get contacts for Wes
Eye exam for Wes
Have b-day party for Wes
Immunizations for everybody
Submit change of address for voting registration
Apply for absentee ballot or early voting
Registration on Suburban
Buy luggage
Have a good bye dinner with Chris and Sara
Send Oct & Nov b-day gifts to dads and Chris
Cancel cell phone contracts
Get laptops for kids school (from Inthinc)
Get rental car for last week in UT
Get hotel for last week in UT
Schedule carpets to be cleaned
Make sure to pack yw personal progress books, scouting books, music books
Give new school updated address/phone numbers
Figure out how to keep diet program for out of country
Buy new undies
Stock up on: toothpast, peanut butter,protein powder, qtips,deodorant, ranch dressing, excema lotion, neutrogena face soap, truvia, hairspray, make up, razors
Get Geoff new shoes
Write a lease cancellation notice
Get kids withdrawn from school
Get tuition reimbursements
Move house to storage unit
Pack
Say bye to friends

K12 Brady version

I know in my first (?) post I said something like everybody but mom being excited about home schooling.  Well, to be honest, I love it!  I really do.  NEVER, EVER thought I would say that but it's true.  Let me tell you why I love the K12 program...  Or some reasons why the kids love it.

*First of all- we all get to sleep in-- a smidge.  Really.  This is a work-at-your-own-pace kind of program. Tyler and Caleb get up at 6:00 to do the paper route and just stay up to get going on school.
Ash usually gets herself up around 7 ish.
Wes? well.  He is an entirely different story.  hmmm- 11ish? noon?
*As long as we log 5.5 hours per day per kid we are doing great. So by noon ish Tyler and Caleb are about finished with school.  Ash is not too far behind and Wes gets all 4 computers to himself.  Know what that means for him?  Well, he has his addicted to game on one computer, facebook on the other, school on one and email on the last one.  Kindof kidding about that.  Kindof.
*I get to be ultra involved in everybody's education business.  I like knowing what the kids are and aren't getting in school.  The one on one has been excellent for me and Caleb.  Love it!
*Ok this might be the biggest benefit ever.  Seriously, EVER.  NO HOMEWORK!!!  The kids get the assignments finished online and there is no more work to be done during the rest of the day.  No trying to get homework done, dinner, and kids out the door to activities at the same time.  I really love this!  A lot!
*They sent us boxes and boxes and boxes of supplies for each kid.  Seriously- I have an entire school set up here right at home!  They sent art supplies and science project supplies complete with a microscope and books and manuals and anything we could have thought of for school.  And guess what else!  They sent 2 computers, 2 monitors, 2 printers and all the accessories!!!
*I have paid NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH, ZERO, ZIP!!!  Seriously!  I went to the junior high and was refunded $100 for tuition for Ash, $100 for tuition for Ty and $250 tuition for Wes.

Ok- I also love the quality of education they are getting.  The whole program is impressive and I would highly recommend it to anybody considering homeschooling.  Let's chat if you are!

Here is what home schooling looks like at the Brady's house.