Summer time!

Don't you just love summer? Swimming pools, grilling, Popsicles, lightning bugs. We haven't seen lightning bugs in 7 years (not sure why there aren't any in Orlando). And knowing that it's pushing 100 degrees down there now, I'm rather glad to be so far north. I guess the spring and summer do make the cold long winter worth it :)

So the Weltons have been busy, busy since all the PC students left. The kids and I have spent lots of time at the pool, which has afforded the opportunity to meet LOTS of other families from our church and the community and get to know a couple ladies better (though expectations for pool conversations are extremely low!). Our care group has also been having weekly dinners at a local park (or at a home when it rains), so that has been a blast. Keith and I have been planning our family vacation and it is quickly approaching. We're also looking for a good weekend to take the kids camping, which should be a real adventure for all of us :)

The kids are still growing like weeds. Samy's vocabulary seems to expand daily. My favorites are all her "H" words like "hi," "hand," "hold." She begins every "h" word with "a"--so she says, "a hand", "a hi", "a hold". It's so cute! Her current favorite thing to play is dress up, but not just any dress up, she's always getting ready for the ball!! She must have a dress, slippers (pretty shoes), satin gloves, and her crown to be ready for the ball. One day I'll post a picture :) and everything is in some way always related to Cinderella--"Rella" as she calls her. And if you put her on the potty she almost always goes! Now mommy just needs to be more disciplined to put her on :)

Isaac seems more grown up everyday. He is quite the little fish and picking up swimming very quickly since he has other kids to watch. He's started making everything into a gun and shooting things. We are regularly (pretend) frog hunting by our pond. We borrowed "The Fox and the Hound" from the library and I think that is what is spurring the hunting on :) He can memorize Bible verses and songs in no time! He always asks at bedtime if he can do his verses. And he's frequently singing around the house--though the words are usually made up to what he hears not the actual words :) He can write his name all by himself and no longer needs me to make his choo-choo tracks connect. He's growing up so fast!

Isaac quote of the week

We've been encouraging Samy to only suck her thumb when she's in her bed, and when Keith was reminding her the other day Isaac quickly chimed in with much enthusiasm, "And I can only pick my nose in my room!" Keith says he thinks he remembers telling him that once. Amazing the things that stick :)

Condiment queen?

For years my older brother, Mark, has been the condiment king of our family--dipping already soaked burgers into ketchup (though Keith and I are fans of that too!), seen with globs of mayo on his cheek. But tonight I had to wonder if our little Samy wasn't going to give him a run for the money for his title.
We had a very fun pre-Father's Day dinner at Five Guy Burgers tonight. There were tables outside and a band playing (in like a market square setting). The kids LOVED the peanuts! So, after Samy had finished all her french fries--all at least triple dipped in ketchup--she went for the unshelled peanuts and started dipping them in the ketchup! She was dipping and then sucking the ketchup off to do it again, until I saw her and made her stop putting the dirt covered peanuts in her mouth :)
She certainly loves her ketchup! I only wish I had my camera to get her red little face on film.
Watch out Uncle Barky!

Sad & Happy Goodbye

The day finally arrived--the Pastors College graduation was this past Sunday. While we are so sad to see our new, dear friends go, graduation was a wonderful reminder of why we're sending them out--that the gospel might go forth! The reason the Pastors College exists is summed up well by 1 Timothy 4:16 "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Here are some pictures from the graduation celebration!