Oh Happy days!

Monday- Went to story time and Chick-fil-a and the kids had a great time.  Adalee did not like meeting the cow though at the end but Tolson was in there doing the hocky-pocky with it.  We had fun and then went grocery shopping.  I forgot how good the chicken nuggets are there!  I might have to go every week to story time!

Tuesday - So today we were supposed to get the house papers signed and notarized so we could Fed-ex them to AZ so the buyers could sign and close on Friday.  I was a stress case today!  Not really sure why but I really was!  We went to the Library for story time and Tolson got his OWN LIBRARY CARD!  He is very excited about this!  Anyway, then after stressing all day we went to Jason's FTO's (Field Training Officer) house and his wife did the Notary on our stuff.  They were super nice and told us about some other fun local places to eat. 

Wed- I went first thing and dropped off the papers to Fed-ex and was done with it.  Then about 15 min later I realized I had forgot to include the checks I needed to.  Not to worry our awesome realtor (and friend) saved the day for me.  Then we went to Playgroup at our park and then we all went to the pool when the kids (and moms) got too hot.  What a fun time we all had!  It was hot but a nice breeze cooled us off.  I am really starting to love these awesome ladies here!  We are all here away from our families and they are so welcoming and loving and real!  I love that about them! Its great! 

Thursday - There wasn't much to do today so we went to the store and got some new fish!  5 this time.  They are smaller goldfish and are all different so we named them.  BFF (for black fin fish), Paleface (he has a white face and tummy) Black spot/blackfin, White tale and  Holey Poley fish (he has a little hole in his tale).  They are doing great so far so we will hope we can keep this bunch alive!   

Friday - THE HOUSE CLOSED!!!! we no longer own our home and it is a happy and sad day!  I am so glad to be done with all of this and sad at the same time that we don't own our cute little house anymore!  We loved that house and all that happened in it!  All three of our kids were born while living there.  We had several different jobs there and so many memories with friends and family!  We will miss our little house on Emberwood but will always have the memories. 

Saturday - What a day!  Jason went on a bike ride on a new trail ( I guess they are all new here)  and met some other riders he might go ride with again.  Then we went to a park close by for a friend's sons birthday party!  It was great  they had a jumping castle with a slide that Tolson loved! and we got to mingle and Jason got to meet some of the awesome ladies I have been able to become friends with.  Then we left there and came home to put Adalee to bed and Tolson and I headed to the pool for another birthday party!  This one was a bit more low key and fun just hanging out with a few friends.  It was a fun exhausting day.

Sunday - We got to speak in church today and I got a new calling.  I haven't been sustained or set apart yet so I can't spill the beans but I am excited!  I think our talks went well.  When we got there I was laughing because it said on the program "youth speaker by invitation"  and I thought great we might have 1/2 hour each.  Turns out we got about 15 min total between the two of us.  It worked out fine and was good for me to have a reason to really study one of the general Conference talks.  We took naps and had a great easy quiet Sunday.  We invited out downstairs neighbors to dinner and had a great time visiting while the kids played!  A great way to end a fun week. 

 p.s. 3 out of 5 of the fish are dead already!  I guess we are not very good fish people! 

Week 4

Monday - Recovered from our weekend trip. We went to Hobby Lobby for the first time and got some groceries. Nothing new or exciting. Had FHE after dinner and I worked out. good day but nothing exciting.

Tuesday - We went to story time which the kids love and I got some books I had reserved. I really have missed reading and am anxious to get going again. I can only check out books for two weeks here so I better read fast. Lost another fish and the other two are on their way out as well. I think we need to get some PH balance stuff for our tank and see what we can do to help our fish survive for more then two weeks.

Wednesday - We had play group here at our apartment play ground.  I really should have added a picture of it because it is three stories high.  Well not three actual stories but three levels.  The kids had a great time and the moms tried not to have heart attacks from them being up so high.  I am so glad that both branches on the north side of town do this so I can get to know some other sister in the area that aren't in our branch.  The kids have fun and the moms talk.  went swimming at our great splash pool again. I am sure you are going to be hearing that a LOT this summer. 

Thursday - The kids and I went shopping to try to find shoes for Adalee.  didn't find anything but had fun anyway!  We also got some water conditioner stuff for the fish tank.  We will hope that we can figure this out and stop being fish killers. After the kids were in bed my neighbor and I went out shopping.  It was nice not to go with the kids and not to go by myself after dark.  I am sure I would be perfectly safe but its a good excuse to have a friend come with you.  We had a fun and I bought a really cute skirt(even though I was looking for shoes). 

Friday - Had a good day not really doing much.  Tried to clean the house a bit since we had a sitter coming over.  Then in the afternoon we went to the pool.  The kids had fun but Adalee tripped on her towel and did a face plant.  She now had a nice scab on her nose and upper lip.  Poor girl.  Still stinking cute though.  Then Jason and I went on a date.  It has been a long time since we did and it was so nice.  Our downstairs neighbors babysat for us (we are going to trade) so we went to dinner at the local Mexican Hamburger place.  It was so good.  the menu was even in Spanish but we figured it out.  The waitress knew enough English and we knew enough Spanish to get by.  The funny part was that I guess on Mexican burgers they put ham. (It is a HAMburger after all) Anyway it was good.  Then we went to see Hunger Games and had some Frozen yogurt I showed Jason what HEB is all about and then we headed home.  What a fun and great night.  Too bad it ended horribly!  I was up ALL night throwing up form the awesome food we had.  Its really too bad to because it was good and inexpensive.  Oh well, Live and learn. 

Sat - Nothing too exciting since I was still not doing well.  Jason was wonderful and got up with the kids and let me sleep until 10 then I just layed around and the kids played.  Jason went for a bike ride on a trail he found at the bike shop here.  He said it was a good and challenging ride (which is what he likes)  anyway we just ran some errands and watched a movie at home so I didn't have to think about or do anything. 

Sunday was good!  Still no callings.  There are rumors that they will be changing the branches brck to English and Spanish branches but we don't know anything for sure yet.  They did have an English RS this week so that was good.  A nice easy low key Sunday!  Always good. 

I hope you all are doing well and don't mind reading my ramblings.  We love and miss our family and friends back home but are making new ones here and do feel very welcome! 

Week 3

So I sort of have to continued from last week before I start this week. Sunday when we went to the park with some friends from the branch the kids were playing on the park playground and Adalee fell off and landed on her knees and hands. She cried for a long time and wouldn't walk or even stand on it. no swelling or anything so we still arn't sure what happened. My Dr brother thinks it might be a bone bruise. Whatever it is it hurts a lot.

Mon - We ventured to Target today but was not as impressed as I thought I would be. Tolson played almost all day with his friend since there was no school. They also have another neighbor friend who is a little more rough then they are so Tolson doesn't really like him yet. Also we lost our first fish. (They got some fish for our new fish tank on their daddy day) Tolson handled it really well. Good thing they are only $.29 each!

Tuesday - We found the library and went to story time. This was a little hard for Adalee as she is still not able to stand or walk. We got a library card and checked out some fun books. Then we went to Wal-Mart AGAIN and got one more shelving unit for the house. I think I finally got most everything in a place now. I think I have been to Wal-Mart more in the last two weeks then I did in the last year in Tucson. oh well so it goes I guess. We also had a Family fun night at the splash pool. We had a picnic and swam and splashed in the pool. The water was a bit cold so we didn't stay too long but the kids had fun and it was nice to be together.

Wed - We went to a new park for Playgroup and had a great time. I got to know more of the LDS ladies in the area and the kids had a blast. Adalee was walking a bit more today and did fine on the playground.

Thursday - We went back to the same park and played again. A lady in one of the other branches is moving so she dropped off her kids at the park so they could play so we all went back to play with them and help keep track of them.

Friday - We went shopping in the morning and then When Jason got home we went to San Antonio! The kids did pretty well on the drive and we saw several trains along the way. We got there late but the kids were too excited to go to bed so they played for a bit and then crashed. The adults went to our favorite FroYo place and it was yummy.

Sat - Tolson got to go to Rory's t-ball game and got to be a little helper lining up the bats and stuff. He loved it. Ida and I went grocery shopping with Adalee and Jason helped Geoffrey with some manly stuff! That night we went downtown for dinner and the River Walk. It was fun. We also actually went to the Alamo which I hadn't been to even though I had been to the river walk several times before. It was fun

Sunday - Went to church, had a yummy lunch and then got ready to head home. The kids were a little less excited on the way back so it was a longer drive. We were glad we went and are so glad Ida will be so close for a few more months.

I am trying to get better about taking pictures so you all can see and read about our goings on!

Week 2

Monday – Jason Started his first day of work. Nothing super exciting as they couldn’t really do much training until the other three new guys got there on wed. They did some paperwork stuff and drove him around to just show him some stuff. Fun but nothing too exciting. The kids and I
just worked on the apartment some more and got some decorations up in the kitchen.
Tuesday – I can’t really remember much about Tuesday except in the afternoon we went with our neighbors to the splash pool. The kids had a great time and the moms did too. It’s fun to have an insider to give me tips like Don’t go shopping on Fridays or sat because all of Mexico is here
shopping and the lines are really long.
Wed - We went to a LDS play group and met some people from our branch and from the other
branches. The kids had fun and we got to see another park. There are a lot of parks here in Laredo and they are very well kept. Most of them have a shade over them too. I met Jason after work at the Drivers License place and we got our new ones ordered. They have to make them in
Austin and send them to us so it may take a few weeks. This was not nearly as painful as trying to
get our cars registered.
Thursday- I made Banana bread and then we swam again. Nothing too exciting but a fun day.
Friday- Tolson’s friend had the day off of school so they played most of the day together. Friday
night we took a drive and grabbed some dinner out. There is a taco place here called Taco Palenque that they say is really good but we have not ventured to try it yet. We will soon I am sure!
Sat –The Easter bunny comes to our house on Sat and the kids thought it was great. They totally
forgot he was coming. Then, Tolson and Jason had a daddy day and Adalee and I went shopping. Nothing exciting for us just groceries and stuff for Easter. Then in the afternoon
we went to help a family in our branch with their pond. It was having issues and I offered Jason’s help earlier so we called them and went over there. We ended up staying for dinner and went driving with them to see the river. It was a lot of fun and there is actually a lot of water in the Rio Grande here. ALso, I figured out a house I was looking at renting before we came here was right up the street from them and right next to the neighborhood pool and park. I am kind of kicking myself for not going for it because I really like their neighborhood and there are lots of members and BP there. Maybe it will be for rent again in a year.
Sun – We went to our branch for the first time today and it was interesting. Sacrament meeting was great. Gospel Doctrine was good but the poor teacher also had his baby so I offered to take him and ended up having to leave because he was grouchy. Then RS was all in Spanish so one of the sisters has to translate for me and one other sister. It was interesting to say the least, But a good experience too! We are going to have an Easter dinner of Ham and Shrimp curried eggs with salad and then possibly go meet some families from the branch at the park in their
neighborhood. There are things in the city that I don’t love and things that I do. I can see why
people don’t like it and want to leave and I myself don’t want to be here forever but I am trying to find all the great things about it while we are here. I hope you all are having a great
week too!

Skip Ahead... not catch up

Ok so for those of you that don't know ( if anyone even still check on here) We moved. I haven't posted anything since August and instead of trying to play catchup I am just going to start from now. Jason finally got a job with BP and we moved to south Texas about two weeks ago. I have started sending a weekly letter to my family with the goings on of the week and thought i should put it on here as well to keep you all informed too. I promise I wil try to do better about other posts as well but at least you wil get the day to day stuff.

So without further ado... Here is week one!


Kempton Kingdom weekly Update!
OK so since we are far from family and friends I stole this idea from a friend and will
hopefully be doing a weekly letter just to fill you all in on our weekly
doings.
Monday – SO after a long, long drive we made it here at about 3:30 got our key (only one since the other one is still in the mail somewhere between here and Tucson) and got in. We started unloading and had the Elders Quorm President show up to help. He lives in the same building as
us so it was easy for him. Then about 5:30 three more guys from the branch showed up to help so it didn’t take us that long to get it all unloaded and in the apartment. Now was the challenge of where to put it. Delaney and Brannick were a big help during all of this but I think we
wore them out a bit.
Tuesday – Today was just about putting things together and unpacking boxes. Nothing exciting.
Wed – I took Brannick and Delaney to Dilly to meet Ida. I think they had fun but were ready to sleep in their own beds! More unpacking! Thursday – we didn’t do a whole lot of anything. We took a drive around town to get used to the area.
Friday – well today we attempted to get our cars registered and drivers license’s changed. To make a long story short, here was our day. Went to dealership for state inspections.
Then went downtown to wait in line 4 times to get all the right forms to get the car registered and new plates. Then went back to the dealership because they left a number out on the VIN for the Land Cruiser and back to downtown then back home for a form we forgot then back downtown and got the LC done. Then to the license place to discover we did not have the right documentation with us for this one too! SO we came home and will try again later. Long day but we got half way done!
Sat- We watched Morning conf and then we went to a Laredo Families Easter Egg Hunt. This is a
group of Law Enforcement families. Not just BP but lots of different types. It was fun and I got to meet two other sisters from the Branch. It was fun and the kids seemed to have a great time!
Sun- we stayed in our PJ’s and watched conference from home. The big message I got was that I
need to focus on my family more! There is so much we can do to help our kids be great!
So there you go a glimpse in the life of the Kemptons! I hope you enjoy these and I hope I can keep up with them. I am excited and a bit scared at the challenges that will be before us adjusting to this very different community! Wish me luck!