29!!!!!

So, it's my last Birthday in my twenties and since I'm so young, I am taking up a new hobby/sport. Ryan got me this beautiful pink/purple Wilson Hope golf set for my birthday and I am pumped. We've already been out twice and I must say, I'm doing better than I expected. The ball does go straight when I hit it, just not very far yet. I only lost four golf balls on my first day! (this may prove to be more expensive than Ryan anticipated). It's a lot of fun! Plus it's another sport I can play with my husband and he's an excellent teacher, very patient and soft spoken, which helps since those are two qualities I don't have. So, we'll see how it goes, we have a golf date on Friday! I'll keep you posted, I just hope I don't injure anyone else who happens to be out on the course with us....

As always we spent the 4th at the Lake and loved it. Now there are more people to play with, even more fun...little people that is. Nolan really loves babies right now and wanted to hold baby Izzy from the minute she got up. The fun part is that now she smiles and laughs and responds to him. Here he is teaching her animal noises. She liked the cow the best.

Birthday Boy!

So, Mason is officially two now. He's pretty excited as you can see...he loved when everyone sang to him. As soon as we were done and clapped and laughed and wanted us to do it again. The look on his face cracks me up, pure joy, maybe he was just thinking that cake was his piece! He had a great party with family and of course got way too many presents, Nolan says thanks too...I love family parties, they are small and personal and everyone who loves my babies is there to celebrate the day of their birth. It makes me cry when I think he's two and growing so fast, but I love the little person he is becoming. He's very sweet and wants to please others, but he's also very sneaky and loves to push the limits. He's starting to cuddle more the older he gets, which is the opposite of most babies. I feel I'm bonding more with him in his second year of life than I did in his first. I don't know if it was because of the acid reflux and all the screaming and crying and not wanting to be held, or if that's typical because he's baby number 2 and therefor not held from the moment he came home from the hospital...not sure, but I'll take the hugs and kisses and cudding anytime.

Ryan had the afternoon off so we took the boys to the beach. Lake Maxincukee is about 20 minutes from our house. They had a blast splashing in the water all day and then playing on the playground. I love summer!

Poor baby

By the end of that day Mason couldn't even stay awake to eat his ice cream. I can't believe my baby will be 2 tomorrow. Sniffle sniffle.

It's the little things...

This is the kind of stuff I love. No reason, I just makes me smile when I come around the corner and there is an animal parade in my bathroom.

If I ever get a girl....

If I ever get a girl, I think I have a pretty

good idea what she'll look like.

Father's Day Fun

All the Bales boys went on a train ride for Father's Day, so much fun. We saw a deer and a muskrat and lots of tractors. Jamie and Quinn, Ryan and Mason, Grandpa Dave and Nolan. So handsome!!! Ryan has been extremely busy this summer with Basketball and of course, the always scary Driver's Ed. but he always manages to spend every free moment with us and pack in lots of fun. The boys start running and screaming when they hear him unlock the door everyday, I couldn't ask for a better husband and father to our children! I love you.

Another Girl!

So, I think it's the season for girls. The Bales family, Ryan's brother and his wife added the first ever Bales girl. That's right, the first. Ryan and Jamie have only one female cousin and she was adopted. Then we had two boys and Jamie and Amy had a boy, so we were beginning to think it simply wouldn't happen. Kylee is a healthy 7lbs. and we love her! Congratulations, Jamie and Amy. You should get an award or something!

Nolan's first fish

Nolan caught his first fish over Memorial Day Weekend. We were discussing if he got the connection between the fish that we caught and the fish fry we had in the evening. His first words after he caught it, "let's cut it up and eat it." I think he gets it...

Mason's favorite things...

Mason's favorite things are still his paci, blanket, and food. Lately he's been trying to have all three at once. These long summer days are too much for him, he rarely makes it through lunch.

Helmet Head

Nolan loves his new bike helmet. We've decided it's great too because every time he wrecks he says, "I'm okay, I have my helmet on" and gets back up, even if his knees are bloody.

She's here!!!

Israelle Marie Mattocks

born Tuesday 8:17am

5lbs. 12oz.

20" long

I'm an aunt again, and finally to a GIRL! She's perfect!

This is a true story...

We are clearing out our basement to begin some waterproofing work later in the month. Anyone who has seen our basement knows this is a HUGE job. Well, since we had some nice weather on Sunday, Ryan decided to borrow his dad's truck and move a few items to the storage shed we have rented in town. He took three loads in the truck and came home around 6:30, at which time we ate dinner and then I went to pick up a friend to go workout. As my friend and I are driving down the road at 7:45 at night, she asks me to turn on my brights because she sees something in the road...an ottoman! Oh yes, that's right folks, our ottoman is in the middle of the road, but the fun doesn't stop there. I loaded it up and looked around and saw a large white box with "rings" on it leaning against the bottom of a tree. Ladies you know what I'm about it say. The box says, "to love and to cherish" on it. Can you guess what it is? It's my wedding dress, all dry cleaned and preserved and placed in a box, lucky for Ryan it was also wrapped in a clear plastic bag! In case you are wondering, yes, he's still alive....barely!

Puddle Trouble

We at the Bales household love Henry and Mudge books. They are about a red headed boy and his big dog, so it's right up our alley. One of our favorites is "puddle trouble". It's all about the rain in the Spring and the "ocean puddles" you can jump in. We thought is sounded like fun, since we have several lake size puddles in our yard. The boys loved it and stayed outside running through them for almost an hour. Mason came in and yelled "WET" and Nolan cried when we made him take off his boots that weighed a ton because they were full of water! As a mom, I am a little hesitant to let them do stuff like this and I need to get over it. They had a blast, entertained the neighbors who were laughing from their windows, and no one got hurt. It's good, clean, fun...well, maybe not the clean part, but everything got washed eventually!

So Sad...

Basketball Season is officially over for the BlueJays. We lost our first Sectional game on Wednesday night by nine points. It was ugly, I'm sorry to say. Ryan will be going through withdrawl for a few weeks and then things should get back to normal around here. We finished the season at 9-12, which is one game better than last year. Things are looking better, we just have a lot of work to do to get these boys back in shape, physically and mentally. Thanks for all your support during the season, especially Ryan's Dad & Joyce and my parents, we couldn't make it through the long months without your help with the boys and the endless support for Ryan. We hope to have some living space finished in our basement by the next season, so we expect some of you Fishers/Noblesville friends to visit for the weekend and come see a game!

Luke, May the Force Be With You

Here's the scoop...Luke Menard is on American Idol. For all of you who came to our wedding, Luke is my friend from high school who sang with his wife, Lara. I think he's supposed to sing Tuesday night at 8/7C. He hasn't gotten much air time, and they didn't show anything of his singing yet, but he's great. He is a great guy with a wonderful heart and a spectacular voice. I've personally never watched American Idol, much less cast a vote, but I'll be racking up a big cell phone bill this month! Hope you'll join me! (click on title or my links to see info)

Quiet means TROUBLE!

If little boys are quiet at my house, 90% of the time it's because they are getting into something. Yesterday was one of those times! I came around the corner to find Mason pouring sugar into his mouth...it was a long afternoon...

Happy Heart Day

Valentine's Day Cookies!

Finished product... Beautiful, and the cookies look great too!












"Hmmm. This looks good."
Yes, he did squirt that tube of frosting directly into this mouth.












When we were done we let them choose a cookie, they each chose the biggest size, they're no dummies!















Drew, my cousin's son. They live 35 minutes away and we play about every other week.

One of my Favorite Things!