And we're off!

The new Pastor's College year has officially kicked off with Ladies' lunch and Orientation almost two weeks ago (I have been so slack with blogging!). We're enjoying getting to know all the new families and being re-envisioned for this year.
Isaac is, of course, eating up meeting all the new friends in the neighborhood (there are 5 townhouses in our neighborhood where PC families live every year). One funny story...when the first family arrived way back in June, they moved into our old sitter's house. Well, I knocked on the door to introduce ourselves and as soon as it opened Isaac ran in and took his shoes off and headed straight for the basement to play :) It's always been Rachel's house to him!
Keith is back in the swing of things and preparing for his first Greek class of the year this Friday. You guys better watch out, he's brutal :)
We have had no shortage of things to do this summer (mostly the pool) and now that the Pastor's College year has begun, our calendar looks almost ridiculous to me :) But God is so very faithful to order and provide in the midst of what He calls you to!! We are so glad to have found a sitter who has courageously agreed to serve us regularly! Yippee!!!!!!
Many more posts to follow soon I hope :) I have tons of pictures to share and lots to catch up on.

Making a splash

Since about a month ago, Isaac has been determined to go off the diving board. We told him he had to be able to swim all by himself to do it. So every time we go to the pool he wants to go out in the deep (4 ft) and practice. About two weeks ago he still couldn't really take a breath and keep going, but yesterday he jumped off the diving board! Our little fish is quite the swimmer! Keith was waiting in the water for him the first few times, but Isaac really didn't need any help, he swam right to the ladder! He was SO excited! And he went like 10 times in a row, Keith had to make him rest :) I was so bummed I hadn't brought the video camera, so I'll try to remember next time we go and share with you all.
We went to Mount Vernon on Saturday, which was incredible! Unfortunately my batteries were dead in the camera so i only got a few pictures. I'll post more about that sometime soon. Today we're preparing for Grandan and Bubbe's long awaited visit!

Isaac's Fourth Birthday

Hard to believe, but our little guy turned 4 last week! We had a pretty low-key day. We had expected Keith's dad and step-mom, but an illness kept them from getting up last week. So, I took the kids to the pool since Isaac loves it so much--we were there from about 10 till 2! I had some tired kiddos :) We had Isaac's favorite for dinner: home-made mac 'n cheese with tomatoes. Then a Lightning McQueen cake, of course! He said I did a good job on it but I'm not sure he'll be seeing anymore such fancy cakes, after two hours of decorating, it was looked at for 2 minutes and eaten :) But I'm glad he enjoyed it!

He was absolutely thrilled to open his presents to find Diesel 10 and Cranky, who he's been talking about for months! And Keith had the idea to make him a mountain out a shoe box and paper mache, which turned out pretty cool, and also some extra cargo for his new crane to pick up. He's been loving it!

Isaac's silliness keeps us laughing. His love for people is just precious--he's always so excited to meet new friends! His growing faith is so very precious to our hearts! When he is hurting, he always asks to be prayed for. When he heard his grandan wasn't feeling well, he wanted to pray for him. He won't let us put him to bed without reciting his memory verses. I love seeing the Lord work in his heart in so many ways even at this young age! There are lots of moments mommy is tempted to anger with him, but there are many more moments when he makes me laugh, and when I can say to him, "That is evidence of God's grace!" He is such a treasure to our family :)

Places to go, people to see

We had a whirlwind of a trip last week, all well worth it! We set off for Knoxville Friday afternoon to see my family--my parents and all my siblings and their fams. And then Saturday our very dear friends from Orlando (now living in Georgia) came up with their kids (such a special treat)! So for 24 hours there were 11 adults and 12 children running around my parents house. It was a blast :) We had a cookout Saturday night and Isaac decided to pick blackberries on his own and slipped down the hill into the bush, which sent us in to pick out the stickers and get him a bath, so we missed out on the campfire we had planned.
Monday we went to the mountains and played in a little school house, then let the kids play in the river, had a picnic and took a short hike up to a look out tower. I was too concerned with keeping Isaac's feet on the ground to enjoy the view at the top :) And we ran into our dear friends, the Coopers, while we were there! They were our care group leaders before we moved to FL, Craig was the first person Keith met when he went to UT, and Craig also told us about this job. Where would we be with the Coopers :)
Keith and I left the kids with my parents on Tuesday and took a two night "personal retreat" at a bed and breakfast nearby called Whitestone. They have hundreds of acres of property right on a lake. We got to enjoy lots of uninterrupted conversation as we strolled the beautiful grounds, went canoeing and paddle boating, had a picnic, got some planning done, lots of reading in the hammock, and some wonderful time praying together!
We picked the kids up Thursday and headed for Lake Lure, NC for our own little family vacation. The kids had a blast playing in the pool that allows floats (ours doesn't) and in the lake. We checked-out Saturday morning and headed for Chimney Rock park before making the long drive back home.
We certainly made lots of memories!

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!