Choo Choo

We had a field trip to the Hawaii Railway in Ewa, and it was pretty cool going on the open air train and learning a bit about the history of this railroad (though admittedly it's tough to hear much when you have 20 kindergarteners close at hand).

The neat thing is that the ride gives a very different perspective of the City of Kapolei, which is undergoing massive construction since this will become Hawaii's "Second City." (Traffic, pollution, crime and other urban hassles at no additional charge.) All aboard!

...and more from the Doting Parent

Big K copied the cover art of the Peanuts DVD he got from Grandpa and Grandma. I have to say it's nice to see a departure from the mayhem and destruction that he usually depicts (Godzilla, Transformers, etc.).

Dad's in Print!

Martin & MacArthur, a local retailer of Hawaiian wood products has featured one of Dad's hooks on the cover their latest catalog mailer (click on image to see larger view). Worth a mention - we’re so proud!

Almost-Vegan Beef-a-Roni

I never acquired a taste for Chef Boyardee, but am always looking for new recipes, especially heart-healthy and easy meals. Tonight both kids were sick and fussy, so it was as good an evening as any to enjoy some comfort food. I got a recipe for a vegan version of beef macaroni online and decided to try it. In addition to onion and garlic, the recipe called for a bag of MorningStar faux ground beef crumbles, two cans of tomato soup and elbow macaroni.

It came out pretty good, though I cheated and added grated cheese to the cooked concoction, which really added a creamy, comforting flavor. I ate a bowl-and-a-half without guilt - the great thing about eating vegan dishes is that you can pig out without as much consequence!