PUBLISHED!!!

So excited! The blog book of this past year is FINALLY done being edited/formatted etc. It was my first time figuring out the program & how to change fonts, create my own layouts, etc. Keeping my fingers & toes crossed that this next years book will go a little more quickly! There are a few kinks to the book, but nothing I can't live with-just things that annoy my perfectionist style :)-either way I LOVE the family memories that I have compiled & being able to read them in this format! Thank you Megan for the AWESOME idea! YOU ROCK!

LOOKY!!! LOOKY!!!!

I can't believe it! No more tuition, no more homework, no more classes....NO MORE! Super big Congrats to Mike for his new Principal Certification! Now here's hoping one of those many many job applications ends in at least a call back?

And here's to FINALLY being able to put money away for something OTHER than tuition! :)

New Colors

We've had a very busy weekend of inhaling paint around the Martone household. Case(s) in point:

All the doors got 2 coats of fresh white paint-that took FOREVER....then we painted the bathroom & living room. I've wanted to paint the bathroom metallic brown for a while & since this is the first summer that Mike & I haven't had to work-thought this was as good as time as any for a painting project. 

Color 1: Martha Stewart Metallic Eagle Brown 

still need to finish the tray ceiling, but-you get the point.

Color 2: Martha Stewart Geyser.....

I'm still waiting for this to grow on me-I need some lamps, area rug, etc to tie the color in more perhaps....of all the colors on the Martha Stewart pallete, I thought this one looked like a toned down blue-hmmmmmm, guess not??? lol. Mike thought I was trying to hint at wanting something from Tiffany's? Maybe I was??? ;) Unitl then-I guess it's 

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" EVERY day!

Bryce's Room Transformation

Thank You to our reinforcements (Grandma & Papa) who came to help with this undertaking. LOVE the outcome.

Grandma is going to make Bryce a sign to attach to this pole that says "Bryce's Treasure" and his Treasure chest toy box will sit below it!

SUPER cute palm trees! I drew them and Grandma Chris transformed them into this masterpiece! (Don't mind the painters tape that I forgot to remove). I drew waves along the bottom of 3 out of 4 walls & Mike painted them. Laying in B's bed now, you feel like you are on a boat in the middle off a pirate island!

Captain Bryce & his parrot!

Next on the docket: Emma's FANCY NANCY room transformation....think pink, crystal chandeliers & feather boas!

The Martone Creamery

Yesterday we turned our kitchen into 

Martone's Homemade Ice Cream factory! 

We made 2 flavors-Strawberry & Mint Chip (my fav!)

The kids made strawberry ice cream using the strawberries they picked at Remlingers a few days ago. Emma decided it needed to be PURPLE. Whatever. Color doesn't matter-as long as it still LOOKS appetizing right? Then it was only fair to let B pick the color for the Mint Chip. Needless to say, "Captain America" blue was chosen!

After a chill in the fridge-the creams were ready for the 2 ice cream machines later that night.

After the beach today-the results were DELISH! Just ask Em...

A Day at the Beach

This afternoon was B.E.A.utiful! Taking the family to a picnic at the beach was a no brainer! Vantage is really beautiful this time of year.

Em threw down her lunch and instantly wanted to get in her swim suit.

Bryce did not.

Until he saw sister collecting shells from the water. He was ALL ABOUT that plan! So swim trunks it was.

They spent the afternoon building sandcastles...

and finding "remote" areas of the beach-like being pirates hunting for treasures on some deserted island!

Momma admired some cute chubby little sand covered toesies....

and Dadda brought the puppies down to the shore!

Both dogs saw the bouys out in the water & thought they were toys floating out there....WRONG....Brinkley wasn't letting go if her life depended on it! SHE IS A STUBBORN LITTLE POOP!

This girl treaded water with this thing gripped in her teeth for a good 10 minutes....LITERALLY! Finally she was taking in too much water and starting to trip herself from the rope the stupid float was tied too and Mike had to go in after his "baby" :)

Peyton gave up on the stupid "toy" in the first 30 seconds. See-NOT tired.

Dadda to the rescue-clothes & all.

You'd think she'd be one tuckered out puppy but....

NOPE! The kids played water fetch with her for another hour after that incident!

Seems someone hasn't quite grown into their new trunks yet :)

Someone else is a WATER BABY!

All the "kids" playing together.

Leave it to Bryce to find the GUN shaped stick-such a boy, and SOOOOO Ellensburg. lol

A little lunch & time to head home.

Happy & content. Great family day.