BOY OH BOYS

Here are the three Summerill sweeties! The other day when I was making dinner, mark told me to see what the boys were up to. I glanced into the living room and found Henry and George entertaining Theodore...with out me prodding them to do it. Theodore was mesmerized by Henry's playing actions. I might be a little partial, but I think these three boys are the cutest Summerill boys in Hawaii!

Theodore's First Haircut

On Thursday I gave Theodore his first haircut. I couldn't let the shagginess go on any long. He had some crazy wispy hair that hung over his hears and a mud flap in the back. I trimmed up the mudflap and evened out the sides and top. He sat pretty still, and there was no crying involved, so I flet it was a success.

A Family Outing

I think that it is about time that we sight see the island that we live on. We have resided on Oahu for 1 3/4 years; yet, we are suprisingly unaware of the many sights to see. Yesterday we decided to drive to the opposite end of the island and enjoy the scenery at the Makapu Light House. Mark woke the boys up early this morning while I went for my morning jog. Together, the boys and Mark packed lunches and readied the van for our President's Day outing. It took us a little over an hour to drive to the Makapu Light House trail. Makapu Light House is located on the south tip of the island. Visitors park their cars at the base of a large hill and then hike a little over a mile to the lookout above the light house. And although we didn't see any whales today, we could see another island off in the distance. I have heard that on a clear day in winter large groups of whales can be seen from the light house lookout.

Theodore and Henry rode in the double jogger while George trotted along beside. George was a trooper and didn't complain at all about the steep climb. In some areas, it took both me and Mark to push the double jogger up the hill to the light house. The view was excellent and we would love to show you it...provided you come out to Hawaii and visit us!!!

When we arrived at the light house it was apparent that there were no accessible public restrooms; thus, the long stream of urine next to our van (I had to squat and hide my bare bottom with the door of my van)

I can't believe it has been 4 months!!!

On the 13th of this month, Theodore turned 4 months old. It seems as if no time at all has passed since we brought home our little 8 pound bundle. Already Theodore is tipping the scales at a hair under 16 pounds. With his bright eyes and chubby cheeked smile, Theodore is such a loveable baby. He is so mellow and calm that I am only used to him crying when he wants to eat. He loves to coo and interact with his family. Here are a few pictures I took of him this month...see how he is growing!
My and my two youngest boys. George missed out on the photo opportunity because he was at school.
Does he look like his daddy or his mommy?

How can you resist that grown-up comb over and those chubby cheeks...maybe he looks more like his grandpa than we originally thought.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

On this day of lovely kisses and hugs, I wanted to send a internet shout out to all of you, my friends and family! I feel so blessed to have you all in my life. I just wanted to share a quick glimpse of what our family Valentine's day included.
In the attempt to be a better mom and homemaker, I scrambled around yesterday hanging hearts from the ceiling and blowing up valentine balloons, while making chocolate chip cookies for George's class...and resisting the insatiable urge to devour every last morsel! (I am on a no-sugar quest right now) Today, the actual day of love celebration, I took one step past my decor and George's school treats. I created a little heart scavenger hunt for George and Henry to test their reading skills and then prepared a"healthy heart" breakfast. Since Mark has school this evening, we are going out to lunch at a cozy resturant on the north shore called Papa Ole's. I hope your Valentine's day is enjoyably festive and full of hugs and kisses!
Here is my recipe for my healthy heart pancakes:
3 egg whites beaten until stiff
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of oats (ground into a course flour)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups skim milk
3 tbl. unsweetened applesauce
Directions: Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and set aside. Sift together flour, oats, salt and baking powder. Stir in milk and applesauce until evenly blended and then fold in the egg whites. Cook over medium high heat and use non-stick cooking spray. You can easily form your batter to look like hearts :)
The hanging hearts were a big hit with Henry and George.

At the end of the scavenger/treasure hunt, the boys found conversation hearts and a new pair of underwear, but lucky Mark was fortunate to find conversation hearts and "sex appeal in a bottle"...you know you can never get too much of that. At this point in the blog, I would like to send a shout out to Walmart for providing the citizens of the United States with endless cures for all their needs i.e. "sex appeal in a bottle"

Dada da da its George SUPER-CITIZEN

On Friday our little George was awarded the Super Citizen Achievement for his kindergarten class. Each month a couple students from each class are given this special honor to recognize ways they have contributed to the class. George recieved this award for helping in the classroom and for excelling in his studies. We attended a school wide assembly to honor the Super Citizens. Each nominee was given a certificate and treats from the school. To celebrate George's achievements, we brought George candy leis, a granola bar lei and an orchid lei. Friday evening we had a celebration dinner with George's favorite foods: pizza (from Pizza hut...it wasn't that good), chips, and soda. We ended the evening with a movie, to which George invited two friends over.
We are so proud of George. It is so hard to believe that our little George is growing up so fast.
Here I am with George wearing my Valentine Red! (inspired by my sister Nikki...look at my shoes!!!)
Here is Mark, George and some crazed lady in the background...


Here is George with a few of his classmates. Apparently the little boy in the bottom right hand corner is not as pleased with the assembly as George was.

5 Random Things...

Ok, I recently read my sister Leslie's blog and she posted 5 random things about herself, which were very enlightening. Then at the end of her 5 random things, she "tagged" 5 people to also create a 5 random things entry...so she tagged me and here is my entry. I thought it would be fun and a break from the everyday random blogs.

1. I have a terrible Kink in my intestinal track so when I dont eat "well" I get a little stopped up...well not just a little, but sometimes days of agony! Thus, I have to eat at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. It is not that I like to eat healthy, but I am kind of forced too. In addition to my fruits and veggies, I can (95 percent of the time) only eat whole wheat pasta and breads and high fiber cereals (a minimum of 6 grams of fiber per serving).

2. I almost always (99 percent of the time) go without wearing deoderant because I almost never develop that BO smell. I used to wear deoderant when I was in high school because all the other girls used it and I am sometimes a follower. But when I went to college and I had to start paying for my own, I decided enough was enough. I have not purchased deoderant in 10 years! But this last Christmas, my mom and great group of friends from Pleasant Grove gave me some Secret Deoderant...I wonder if that was a hint.

3. One of my favorite things to do is play "quadriplegic" on my sweet husband Mark. The rules of the game are easy. At any given moment of the day...at any given place, I can simply yell out quadriplegic and then go limp. He is supposed to catch me...but most of the time he just isn't very good at the game. Maybe he just needs more practice?!?

4. One of my Life's ambitions has been to attend Law School. At one point I had a glimpse of going to BYU-Law, but I opted out because of the lack of time I have since I have had children. When Mark starts bringing in the high rolling paycheck, he can work from home and I will return to school!

5. When I was at BYU I took a young adult lit class and I loved it. During that time I wrote short stories weekly and I even had a couple published in a little scholarly journal, but nothing serious. My teacher encouraged each one of us to write. Since that time I have attempted to write a YA novel 3 or 4 times, eventually abandoning the text when the story lost flavor. It is my goal this year to complete one novel...just for my own sanity...not to be published, but to tick off on my goals for life list!

Ok, there is my random 5 pieces of info about myself. The 5 people that I would like to "tag" to create a 5 things list are: Weaver family, Wartena family, McMullin family, Jesse Bahr, Heather Summerill, Marcie Kolb, Amy Allen, Cousin Crystal and anyone else who reads this blog. Ok, I know that is more than 5 but it will be fun!

Tuesday Book Update

Thank you so much for your book responses. I loved the feedback that was left in the messages for the last book blog. Like I said, reading with me is feast or famine. So inevitibalyI was drawn to read the final two books in the "Uglies" series, plus the book, "Twilight" that I had put a hold on at the library finally came in. After reading "Twilight" I had to read the second book in that series, so I read that one too. Here is my take on the book for this week:

1. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld: This is the second book in the "Uglies" trilogy and it left me reeling for more. I was pleased that the author stayed true to the personality of the character that he had developed in the first novel, and added some unique twists on the ever anxiety building plotline. The only dissappointment I felt was that the end had no closure...thus this book is truly a "second" in a trilogy...it just was a link to the finale. If you liked "Uglies" this book is a definite read, but I still only ranked it 3.5 out of 5.

2. Specials by Scott Westerfeld: I don't really want to give away the ending of the "Uglies" trilogy, but I was distraught with the series end. I felt this book led the reader in 20 new directions without giving the base of the store a clear conclusion. Please let me know if you disagree, because I am prone to liking the simple ending over the complex...so I don't want to lead too many readers astray with my rating. I did not like the ending! 2.5 out of 5

3. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: To be honest, I read the back of this novel and I clearly was not interested in reading it; but, I had promised a close friend that I would, so I dove in! Let me say, I was so glad that I continued to read past page 40. Up until page 40 my interest was not sparked, but moving deeper into the simple yet heart wrenching plot my interest was sparked...no my interest was on fire! I absolutely loved this story. Yes, this book is about a vampire (I know, sounds kookey) but I promise, by the time you are half way into the book, you will not be able to put it down. I love this book because it takes a supernatural relationship and breaks it down to a pure, yet simple love story that will leave you wanting much more! This book was on the New York Times best seller list and it is definitely my read of the week! 4.5 out of 5

4. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer: This book is the second book in what I am guessing will be a trilogy. There hasn't been a third book published yet, but from the open ending of this novel, I am sure there will be a third. If I was comparing seconds, I enjoyed this second book much more than I did of the "Uglies" series. This second book could stand on its own...aside from a few loose ends that are clearly ties to a third. I enjoyed this book because it took the series from a simple growing love story, to a complex weave of friendships, personal struggles, dealing with inner feelings and the choice between right and wrong...once right and wrong can be defined. I absolutely enjoyed this sequel! 4 out of 5

That is all the reading for this week, if you have read any of these books or you read any from my previous book post, please leave comments in the message board! I love to hear what you have to say about the books. And to all of you who responded about Ender's Game, I was wondering if you read the sequel? If you have, could you please message or email me info about it.

Here comes the Tooth Fairy!!!

Yesterday, George ran into my bedroom at 6:55 am insisting that I wake up immediately. Mark covered himself with blankets and pretended that he could not hear him, so I rolled over and tried to be a nice Mommy, asking him what exactly he needed. He opened his mouth wide and tried to explain that his loose tooth was now hanging by a thread. Now anyone who knows George knows that he is quite the "sensitive" kid. He does not like getting hurt and definitely shys away from any situation that my injure him. With an inquisitive look, I simply asked, "ohh, can I feel it George?" I stealthily shot forth my hand into his mouth, seized the tooth, twisted and yanked. Plop! Out came George's first baby tooth. When this happened, George gave me a shocked, I don't know exactly how to respond to what just happened, look; but I just brought up the fact that the tooth fairy would be coming his way pretty soon. That took George's mind right off of his throbbing gum line! Here are a few pictures of George with his missing tooth!

Twirl, Suck, Twirl, Suck

I can hardly believe that my little Teddy bear is already 3 1/2 months old! Time flies so fast. Over the last month Theodore has developed the cutest habit. About a month ago he found his thumb and has been soothing himself to sleep throughout the day. Along with his thumb, he must have noticed the soft wisps of hair attached to his head, because as he sucks his left thumb, he twirls his hair with his right hand. Pretty much every time he starts to doze off, I will find him twirling and sucking. I tried to capture a picture of him in the act.

Some Good Reading

One of my goals this year was to read a new book at least once a month...what I hadn't planned on doing was completing all 12 of my books in the first month. But I am a feast or famine type of person. I love to have a binge reading session more than just slowly reading a little out of a book everyday. A great friend of mine told me to read the book Twilight but that book was already checked out, so while I was waiting for that book to come in, I checked out and read the following books. Next to each book I left my rating and a little bit of info about each book. If you have any suggestions on some good reading, please post it because I am always up for a good book.

1. Under the Nightingale Floor (I forgot the author and I already returned the book) This book is written in historical Japan and it is about a boy who loses his family and is taken in by a mysterious traveler. This book is excellent if you like adventure, mixed with a harsh honor code, and a little romance. I give this book a 4 out of 5 (some of the violence is a little too graphic for me...and there is a little bit of you know what...)

2. Uglies by Scott Westerfield (I think that is the author...I am not looking at the book) READ THIS BOOK....READ THIS BOOK...READ THIS BOOK...READ THIS BOOK....
I absolutely loved this book. Although the book is more than 400 pages, it is an engaging quick read. This book is so great, I am not going to spoil it and try to sum it up. PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE: Read this book!!! 5 out of 5

3. Once upon a Marigold (sorry forgot the author again) This book was quick to read, it is a cross between a fairytale and a coming of age story. It was cute...but really it would be a perfect book to read for a 13 year old. I give this book a 2 out of 5 for an adult or a 4 out of 5 for a teenager.

4. Enders Game (Orson Scott Card) I have actually tried to read this book three or four times, but I was bored by the first 10 pages or so. Ok I finally stuck to it and once you get past the first 10 pages you wont be able to put it down. Parts of the book were a little too far fetched and dark for me, but over all I thought this Sci-fi novel was worth the day of reading. (4 out of 5)

That is my book commentary for the week, if you want any more info on any of these books just e-mail me or post on my blog and I will get back to you. Then maybe we can start a little online book group!

George, Sophia and a Mer-boy

On Friday the boys and I went out and played on the beach because the weather was so nice. I layed out on the sand and read the book, Across the Nightingale Floor, while the boys ran up and down the beach. I must have been really into my book, because I didn't notice what was transpiring down the beach a little ways. George, Henry and their friend, Sophia were digging in the sand and playing around. After 20 minutes or so, George came over and was adamant that I come and look at what they were doing, so I walked over and this is what I saw:

If you can't tell, they turned Henry into a little Mer-man. Isn't it great that the weather is so nice and sunny that you can enjoy the beach almost all year round? We love living in Hawaii and when the day comes that we have to leave, I am sure that we will be very sad.

I love RACHEL RAY

I just wanted to share a great recipe with you! Now, I have been trying to drop the baby weight by working out and doing weight watchers. I have been doing ok, but I hit the holiday rut. I was so excited yesterday when Rachel Ray made an incredible light pasta dish, because pasta is my favorite of all favorite foods! The following recipe is actually a combination of a couple of her recipes because I played around with it a little bit. It might sound a bit scary to you, but please try it! Mark and the boys loved it and I loved it so much, I made it twice already!

Cauliflower and Vegetable Penne
Serves: 10

Ingredients:
1 tbl. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
3-4 garlic cloves chopped
1 med. red onion chopped
1 head of cauliflower coarsly choped into small pieces
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1/2 - 1 tbl. Chopped rosemary (fresh or dried)
salt
Pepper

1 medium Zucchini Cut into 2-3 inch strips (resembling french fries)
Fresh or Frozen string green beans (two large handfuls)

12 oz. Whole Wheat Penne (or Barilla Plus Penne)
1/2 cup Italian Cheese Mixture (or shredded mozzarella)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and begin to cook the penne in the salted boiling water. After the pasta has been cooking for 8 minutes, throw in the cut Zucchini and Frozen Green beans. Continue cooking until beans, zucchini and pasta are tender. Drain pasta/veggie mixture and then place into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle italian cheese mixture on top and toss.

While water is boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and lightly brown. Add chopped onion to lightly browned garlic and stir well. Continue cooking over a medium high heat until onion is tender. Add chopped cauliflower and stir well for 1 minute. Add chicken broth, rosemary and salt to taste, stir well, cover mixture and simmer until cauliflower is soft. Pepper to taste and remove mixture from heat. With a potato masher, mash the mixture until all the ingredients are blended togather like a chunky sauce! Pour sauce over the pasta/veggie mixture and lightly toss. Serve immediately!

This recipe is so yummy! please try it and then tell me what you think!

I'm 28 Years Old!!!

Actually I turned 28 on Friday, December 29th (yesterday) but I only had time to leave a blog post today. Here is a quick little update:
We left Hawaii two weeks ago to spend Christmas and the Holidays in Utah with my parents, my sister Leslie and her family. Since being here we have enjoyed the lights, the freshly fallen snow, sledding, shoveling snow and warming up to a fire in my parents family room. Christmas was wonderful and especially heart warming this year. Mark and I recieved a very special gift that really has touched my heart and made me grateful to all my friends and family who care about me and my family. I truly cannot express how grateful I am for such a Christmas surprise, but Thank You!!!

Since I turned 28 this year, and in this year, I have experienced many new changes, I thought i would list 28 things about me:

10 things you might not know about me:

1. I had another baby boy (my third)
2. I started taking violin lessons again.
3. Eventhough I claim I hate the cold, I miss the snow
4. I would rather be hot than cold
5. I really think it is fun to do aerobics
6. sometimes I actually need deodrant because my armpits smell bad!
7. I do not like books that are turned into poorly made movies
8. I own more pairs of shoes than years I am old
9. I will always feel like Pleasant Grove is my home
10. Although I love to workout, when it comes to actual sports, I SUCK!!! (I am the person you would pick last to be on your team)

10 things that I want to do this next year:
1. Move back to the "mainland"
2. Buy a home
3. Attend Mark's graduation from the MBA program at UH
4. Achieve my goal weight and keep it
5. Continue violin lessons until I move from Hawaii
6. Finish Theodore's baby scrapbook album
7. Get caught up in my scrapbooking
8. Remember my friends and family's birthdays (please let me know when yours is)
9. Read a new book every month
10. Make Candy at Christmas with "Tammy the Pecan Logger"

and finally, 8 things that I am the most grateful for:

1. Mark: although we have our ups and downs and ins and outs, he is my best friend, greatest support and confidant. He works so hard to make our lives better and he is always humble and willing to go the extra mile for our little family.
2. My family: This group of people always know how to give advice when I am in need and help when I am down.
2. PGWC: this group of women are truly inspiring, with a story each their own, I learn so much from them...they know I love them.
3. Diet Rootbeer: when you haven't had a soda in a long time, and you are trying to skip out on the extra calories, Diet Mug rootbeer really hits the spot.
4. Costco: whatever you are looking for, most likely they have it, and if they dont...you don't need it.
5. My Scriptures: I love to read them and feel safe, secure and at peace.
6. Shoes: because they come in every shape and size, and no matter how you feel about your body, your feet can always look fabulous.
7. Babies: Because my little guys make me feel so important and loved.
8. My Ghetto Van: because eventhough I have ran into many objects, she still runs and gets me to where I need to be.

Well, I am 28 now and that pretty much sums it up.

HOLY WHAT?!?

I just wanted to share this short little story that happened to my family today. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.

This evening Mark, the kids, and I went to see our Bishop of our ward (church). It is the end of the year and we thought that we would visit him. We all went over to the church together and went into the Bishop's office. I took him some of my mom's Pecan Sandies and I think that he enjoyed them. After our short visit with the Bishop, the Bishop asked George and Henry if they would like to pick a candy out of his candy jar. George and Henry jumped (literally) at the opportunity. George reached in first and grabbed an orange sucker, then Henry reached into the jar. At first it looked as if Henry was going to choose the tootsie roll, but instead he finally decided to opt for the sucker too. When he tried to pull out the sucker, his hand caught a few other candies and they too flew out of the jar, so Henry quickly ducked down under the Bishop's large desk/table and picked up the candies to put them back in the jar. When George noticed that Henry's sucker was still on the floor, George thought it was funny that Henry had to duck under the table. So George made up a little rhyme, "Sucker Ducker" Henry thought that was too funny, and he too decided to join in the rhyming. Soon Henry was saying "Sucker, Ducker, Pucker" Well within a matter of seconds, I will let you guess what the next rhyming word Henry said was...it begins with F and ends the same as the other words. Now it was obvious that Henry just thought this word was just one in a list of endless fun rhyming words, but as soon as the "bomb was dropped" I couldn't contain myself. I looked at the Bishop, who looked stunned and then to Mark who was looking awkwardly at Henry, and I laughed so hard that I thought I was going to pee my pants. In fact, I couldn't even say anything I had to just walk out of the room because I could not compose myself.

Family Pictures

We recently had our family photos taken by a great friend of mine, Natalie Norton. She has been studying photography for quite some time now, and she offered to take our family pictures so she could build her portfolio. We haven't had professional pictures taken since Mark and I got married and it was nice to be able to take family pictures somewhere other than Walmart and Target. (Not that I don't love my Target Pictures, but it was nice to be outside) Since Mark is a full time student and our financial situation does not provide the lavish lifestyle of being able to take professional pictures, I was so grateful to my friend when she offered to take our pictures. Not only would she not accept payment, but she gave us a cd of all our shots so we could print as many and what ever size we wanted. Here are a few pictures from our shoot that I absolutely loved! I feel so blessed by her kindness and she has given our family a truly special Christmas gift. I hope that I can pay her gift forward...
This picture really captures George and Henry's personalities.


I love this picture of our family in front of the Laie LDS Temple. It is such a beautiful, tranquil place.

George's Grand Christmas Concert

On Wednesday night we attended the BYU-H tree lighting ceremony which started with the Annual Elementary School Christmas Concert. Each grade level preformed a song with dancers and movements. Then all the grades joined together and presented a final number. In our little town that we live in, this Christmas concert is a big deal. Families and friends show up 1 hour before the concert just to reserve a seat in the Center. The concert is held in the CAC, which is the BYU-H large basketball center. I was shocked that the entire center was packed! George's class preformed an upbeat song about Blitzen the reindeer...I'm sorry I don't know the name. Here is George sitting with his classmates waiting for their time to take the mainstage and preform.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie....

I asked Mark to get the baby ready for church so I could get ready and this is what I found when I came into the bedroom this morning. Like father like son, two Sunday sleepers! I thought this picture was too cute to pass up. I can't believe that it has been 6 weeks since Theodore has come into our home. He is so sweet, mild mannered and cuddly. The boys have taken to calling him "Theo", I call him "Teddy" or "Teddy bear" and Mark just calls him Theodore. You are welcome to call him whatever you want. I just thought you would like to see the update in his development!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

For the first time in our lives, Mark, the boys and I spent Thanksgiving alone. Mostly this was a decision on our part because I was sick this week from Mastatis and I didn't feel up to a large group of people. However, spending Thanksgiving alone gave our little family a chance to really enjoy each other and be thankful for the blessing that we have. Mark and I spent the morning preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. Mark made the Turkey, stuffing and gravy, while I made the rolls, salad, green beans and mashed potatoes. We listened to Christmas music and the boys helped clean up the house. After our dinner George decided that we absolutely needed to set up the tree. We pulled out our decorations and Mark and the boys asembled the tree. After the lights were set, we decided we were all too tired to put the ornaments on so we cuddled up as a family, drank frozen hot chocolate (a little blender mix of mine) and listened to our Christmas tunes. Over the next couple days we fixed up the tree. NOte: George and Henry put most of the decorations on the tree, I just guided them and helped put the high ones on. Our quiet family experience this year really set the tone for Christmas this year. I am so thankful for our little family. I feel lucky to have two energetic little boys, and one sweet baby. I am grateful that Mark works hard at being a loving, caring father and husband and I am blessed to have supportive family and friends that I can always call at a moments notice when I need advice, help or just someone to chat with. Although the last year has been a great struggle for our family since Mark has been gone 16 or more hours a day with work and school in the evening, it has also made us appreciate our time together as a family. I know we are not perfect, but as a family we are working on being the best we can for each other. Thank you to all of our friends and family that keep in touch...we love you!!!