The Circle of Life....

“What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.”

This is a picture of me when I was about two years old.  I showed it to Steve a few nights ago, and he laughed... he laughed because he said I had a big head (do I have a big head in this picture?...I don't think I have a big head).... and he laughed because he said it looked like I was complaining about something even then!  (do I complain about things now?....I don't think I complain). 

If I was complaining, I shouldn't have been.  I look back on my past, and I feel as if I lived the life of a princess. Life was good.  I had all I wanted... well, not ALL I wanted, but it SHOULD have been all I wanted.  It was pretty darn good.

I love this picture of my brother Josh and me saying our prayers!  I think I'm seriously praying, but my little brother looks a little ornery ... it's adorable!  I was taught to pray at an early age.  I don't remember my life without God in it.... what an amazing thing to be able to say.  My dad became a preacher when I was only four years old, and I spent many hours of my life on a church pew.... sometimes I was sound asleep, sometimes I was doing homework, sometimes I was writing notes to my BFF, and sometimes I was listening and taking it all in.

My baptizing!  I was six years old in this picture.  The man on my right, the one who is holding my hand so tightly, is my daddy.  Oh how I miss this man... he was such a part of my life... my everything.  I was such a Daddy's Girl. And how fitting that he should be there to baptize me, as he was there when I knelt on my knees and asked Jesus to come into my heart.... as he was there for every important event in my life until the day he died. 

And isn't it neat that I was baptized in a REAL river?  They used to do that you know.... all the time... all year round! 

This is me with my older brothers, Ronnie and Steve.  I'm wondering why I have my arms folded again like I'm mad at the world.... I must have been a regular little whipper-snapper.  And why in the world did my mother curl my hair like that? 

Senior prom!  These plastic swans on the porch always make me laugh... why did I pose between the plastic swans? 

My babies, Alec and Kyle.  They were probably ages two and four here.... now they are 15 and 17. 

This is one of my favorite pictures ever... I have no idea what Alec is holding, but I love the expression on Kyle's face as he looks at whatever is in Alec's hand.  Just look at these cute little guys in their little denim bibs. 

omgoodness!  What a cutie pie!  This is Kyle around age two... and posing in a flannel shirt with pumpkins of all things.  This is just too much cuteness for one picture.  This post was supposed to be about my past though... a reflection of my past.  I could post pictures of these two adorable babies all day. 

Okay so I had to post one more of Alec just to be fair.

Present day --- the love of my life.  He makes my heart go pitter-patter when he looks at me that way!

One of my favorite quotes from another anonymous person:  May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future.

Letting their Lights Shine!

Since we had the pumpkin farm this year, we thought we should put the kids to work carving a few of the now-world-famous Bolte Pumpkins!!  Well.. maybe not world famous.  Well... maybe not famous really, but popular....  The now-popular Bolte Pumpkins!!

Alec pulling out the guts....

This one has an ugly side.  We kept the less-than-perfect ones for ourselves.  We are sympathetic....We understand what it feels like to have an ugly side.....  We encourage all our pumpkins to turn their good side toward the world and SHINE!

See?  Not bad!

These are the three jack-o-lanterns that Alec carved.....

Lewis carved the scary guy on the right....

And here they are ... turning their good sides outward and letting their lights shine!

Fall Festival

One of the best things about living in a small town is the local fall fesitval.  Here in my town, it's called the Black Walnut Festival, and this year was the 56th year! 

I love the beautiful agriculture exhibits where local farmers and gardeners compete for prizes.  The array of colorful vegetables are so pretty!

And I'm happy to report that the Bolte Farm pumpkins received two first place ribbons! 

Some people even entered sacks of hay into the competition.

And then some ladies enter their gorgeous canned produce.

Steve and I bought this wooden pumpkin carved by a chain saw artist!! 

This is the ONE time of the year that our little town's main street is lined with thousands of people.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day for a parade....
There were marching bands, floats, clowns, children, and festival royalty... but my favorite of all was the Calhoun Middle High School Marching Band! 

Here's my all-time favorite drummer playing his snare drum.

He's so SERIOUS....

My favorite drummer's best friend Kameron on the bass.

And here's my "fake" son ... RYAN!!!!!  He moved to another county two whole hours away, and now he plays for another band.  They are bigger and better though!  Go Ryan!