Hawaii--giving more meaning to the "aloha" state

Disclaimer: Please refrain from reading the following blog if you are sensitive to discussing bodily functions, if you have eaten anytime in the last 2 hours or if you had the notion that I was above discussing my own bodily functions. If you fall under any of the above noted categories, you should refrain from reading the rest of this blog entry. Hence forth, you have been forewarned.

Hawaii, the 50th state, is most often called the "aloha" state, meaning the state that shares love freely. This last Tuesday I had the opportunity in the bathroom stall of a Ross Dress for Less store to witness Hawaii's spirit of "aloha" first hand.

Earlier in the day, Mark and I decided to eat at a restaurant that we had never been to before. (This restaurant shall remain nameless, because it is quite a popular restaurant and I wouldn't want to sway any readers from eating at this restaurant.) The food tasted excellent and I whole heartedly devoured my dish. We left the restaurant and ran a few errands which ended up taking 4 or 5 hours. As we were finishing our errands Mark and I stopped at a shopping center that had a Ross Dress for Less. Mark needed to find another pair of nice dress pants for work, so he went into the Ross while I went next door to Pier 1 (a fabulous store to buy home decor). Within minutes of entering the Pier 1, I found the cutest set of designer decor pillows, and my stomach felt like it was erupting within. All of a sudden I felt light headed and an intense clenching in my stomach and intestinal track. As small beads of perspiration formed on my head and nick, I quickly dropped the pillows of at the register, mumbling to the cashier that she would have to hold the pillows for me, and I exited the store. I ran/clenched/ran to the bathrooms at the back of the Ross and entered into one of two stalls in the small bathroom. I sat down and found immediate relief...at least from that end. It seems I was in the throws of food poisoning! As I sat haunched over the toilet in the restroom, I glanced down and noticed that toilet paper was strewn all over the floor of the restroom, but no toilet paper hung in the dispenser! "Great, there is no toilet paper," I muttered as I scanned the restroom floor inspecting the toilet paper on the ground...I was going to have to be resourceful!

Then in the other stall of the small, two-stall restroom, I heard the distinct accent of an older Filipino woman. "Eh you, you got da diarrhea o' wat?" I couldn't believe my ears, was she asking me about my bodily projections? "Um, yes," I timidly returned. "You no sound so good. I got da paper. You need?" She continued. "Yes, thank you." was all I could say, thinking our conversation was over when she handed me a wad of toilet paper under the stall wall. But to my surprise and amusement, she continued. "I tink you need more." Apparently she was listening to me...She passed another large wad of toilet paper. "I got the diarrhea too. I ate da Saimin and I no feel so good too. Wat You eat?" Well, I could see at this point a conversation was going to ensue, so I, thankful for the shared toilet paper, engaged in the Restroom spirit of Aloha. We talked about what we ate, her recent gal bladder surgery, my 2nd and 3rd rounds, and 10 minutes later when it was all over, I found that I had made a new, old Filipino friend.

May the spirit of Aloha be with you too!

Cake CAKE and more Cake!!!

Eventhough Henry's birthday isn't until Sunday, his "friends of Shrek" party is Saturday. Henry will be turning four, so he chose some friends from his play group and church to come and enjoy a day playing Shrek themed games, dressing up like Shrek and then eating Shrek cake. I made the cake tonight so I wouldn't have to worry about it before the party tomorrow. Here are a few pictures of my Shrek cake. I will post party pictures later.

George is 6!!!

Here is the birthday boy!

I can hardly believe that George is already 6! It seems like just a short time has pessed since Mark and I were struggling students, living in Orem and expecting our first baby. Yesterday we celebrated George's birthday by having a superhero training camp party. When George's friends showed up they each recieved a superhero name (i.e. Frost Man, Blaster, Speed o boy). As the kids arrived they were given a superhero mask to color and decorate and once they finished, they were awarded a special superhero cape (old cut up sheets with ribbon sewn as ties). We played superhero training games like pass the Kryptonite, toss the bomb away, save the musical planets and superhero superhero FLASH. After the games the kids ate corn dogs, chips, and veggies and then we cut into the superhero cake. The party was a lot of work, and I think next year we will just have a family outing, but George absolutely loved his party, so it made it worth the effort. Also, eventhough it sounds like this party would be expensive it actually cost just under 30 dollars for EVERYTHING!!! Thus, that is why I tried to be creative, I am always looking for a way to cut expenses.

You cant have your Cake and eat it too...

I have officially been "off" sugar for 42 days! Yes, I stopped eating most sugars a little over a month ago for health reasons. (Most who know me have noticed that I have an insatiable appetite for sugar. My body does not seem to have the "you have had enough sugar" signal.) So seeing the line of diabetes that runs in my father's side of the family and noticing my own tendencies, I decieded to limit most sugars in my diet....

Ok, that having been said, every now and then I have to make foods that are high sugar content foods. And it is on those days that my yearning for sugar comes back with a vengence. Yesterday was my cousin Sarah's 25th birthday, and we celebrated her birthday at my house today on St. Patricks day. For her birthday I made a single layer green cake. I improvised on the frosting decor, practicing some of the fun tips I have picked up from my sister (the ultimate cake decorator...who I think buried her talents i.e. the parable) Anyway, It took me 6 hours from start to finish to bake the cake, cool it, level it, decorate it and then clean up the mess. But I was please with the final product.

The Ocho!

As of Tuesday, it has been 8 years since Mark and I married! I would like to say 8 years of wonderful wedded bliss, but anyone who is married knows that marriage, like life, has its many ups and downs. All in All, it seems that the recipe for success in marriage is to try to have more ups than downs. In the last eight years our marriage has been fortified and it is my hope that we will help it to grow stronger as time goes on, this having been said, here are 8 things that I love about being married to Mark:

1. You probably know this, Mark is patient: He has such a wonderful capacity to sit and listen to me for as long as I need it. He is always the last to get upset and almost never raises his voice with our boys.

2. Mark is helpful: I love that Mark was raised to always help around the house (thanks to his Mom) Mark is so good at always taking out the trash, but when he is at home in the evening, he will work by my side putting dishes or laundry away. When Mark helps me around the house, I know he loves me!

3. Mark is a hard worker: In our 8 years of marriage, we have re-finished countless pieces of furniture, re-modeled 3 homes and constructed random projects out of just an idea. Mark works hard to finish our endless projects and always does his best!

4. Mark works to better himself: Mark completed his BA at BYU, and is now working at his Masters. Even though he works 40 hours a week or more, he still makes time to do endless hours of homework and attend classes 1 hour away in the evenings from 6pm till 9pm.

5. Mark loves his boys: Since we have had kids, Mark has shown to be a wonderful father and friend to his boys. He tries to never miss a game or meet and he is always the first to take the boys to the park on Saturday to play ball (I am a little lazy that way...plus I don't play ball)

6. Mark is supportive: Ok, yes I do know that sometimes I can be a little crazed and really get into a few hobbies at once. But Mark always supports me in whatever I am interested in at the moment. He is great to encourage me and to sometimes reason me...If I need that.

7. Mark is Faithful: The one thing that has kept our marriage strong and grounded us is our faith. I love that Mark is the first to get dressed for church and he is always helping me to be to church on time. We read our scriptures together and we love to discuss talks we have heard.

8. Mark is a Love Machine....seriously have you seen him...he is sooooooooo cute.....and with age, he has gotten even hotter....I love him!!!

That was my ode to Mark, now here is my ode to you. Thank you for giving us so many places to go. As a couple and now a family, we have found that we love to travel and we love to spend time with family and friends.

Over the last eight years Mark and I have:

1. Gone Camping at Leman Caves with my sister, Nikki, and her husband.

2. Traveled to California to attend my cousin Amy's wedding.

3. Spent a few days in Florida/Disneyworld with my sister, Leslie and her husband.

4. Returned to Del Coronado Island and then went up to Disneyland to visit my friend, Bobbi.

5. Visited Idaho's Sun Valley, and Idaho Falls to see family and friends (Benedicts and Weavers).

6. Flew over to Hawaii to visit Grandma Calabio, Auna and Caluag familys for a family reunion.

7. Driven to Victorville and Yucaipa, California to visit the Kahns and to see Aunt Freda.

8. Road Tripped to Washington to eat cherries, apples, grapes, asparagas and Peaches...and to see the Pughs!

Goal Accomplished: Biathalon!

My friend and I nursing our babies before the run.

My cheering squad.
Finishing the race with jelly legs.
Erin Summerill: biathalete!


















It seems like with the start of each new year, I am very gung ho on setting goals by talking about them, writing them down and dreaming of finishing them; consequently, most years end with 1/2 or more of my goals having been forgotten and never addressed again. At the end of each year, I feel discouraged with my attitude and preformance of such said goals and I inevitably vow to do better. Listening to my inner voice, I mull over my unaccomplished goals by sheepishly saying, "I gave it a good try." One of my favorite sayings that I use and have since learning it in high school is, "There is no try, you either do it or you dont". And it appears that most years, against the direction of my own advice, I justify my behavior by saying, "I gave it a good try," instead of delivering a blow to my self esteem by admitting, "I did not do it, I did not accomplish my goals."



Since having Theodore, my third son, and witnessing many changes and and the exciting accomplishments of my friends and family, my desire to acctually accomplish my goals has burned brighter. With Divine guidence (a whole lot of prayer) and by daily addressing my goals with my best friend and support (my husband Mark) I have been able to stay focused and continue moving forward in my persuit to accomplish many things.

Yesterday, and (I mean this when I write it) only by the had of God, I accomplished one of my goals for this year!!! I competed in my first BIATHALON! The biathalon was held at Ft. Derussy in Waikiki, HI. The course was a sprint distance and about 600 people of all ages competed. Because I have been running almost every morning, I found that the run was quite easy to finish and I was pleased with myself when I was able to pass about 2/3rds of the women runners. To my dismay, I was not so confidant in the swim portion of the biathalon. In fact, I think the majority of the women runners that I passed in the run, passed me up in the swim. I had not prepared well for the swim and the kind life guards in the water asked me multiple times if I needed assistance. But I persisted and talked myself through the ocean swim and found myself barely able to stand and trudge out of the water to the finish line! My wonderful supporters: Mark, George, Henry and Theodore, sat at the finish line and cheered me on!





To all my friends and family, I cheer you on in whatever goal you are enduring to accomplish! Please share with me any goal you are working on and I will send you a cheer from Hawaii!

Theodore's Limerick!

Playful, rotund and pudgy,
I love toys soft and squdgie.
I squeeze them and coo-
Coating them with drool,
I'm Theodore: cuddly and luvie.

Daddy's sleeping on the bed,
Trying hard to rest his head.
Not letting him sleep,
I'm louder than a peep,
I'm Theodore: waker of the dead!

The sleeper will soon be awake,
To a scent...no, it's no mistake.
Yellow buttery goo,
My diaper leaks the ooze,
I'm Theodore: a mess I did make!!!

(Nikki, this one is to be entered in your contest!!!)

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!