Selling it ALL

In celebration of Black Friday/weekend, instead of going out and buying everything...
We are selling EVERYTHING.
I haven't posted everything but take a look so far.

www.movingoffisland.blogspot.com

Penny's Eulogy: Our loyal pup

This afternoon my mom called me crying with the news that Penny was going to have to be put to sleep. I had always hoped that Penny would pass away while I wasn't in San Diego because I think it would be too sad to handle.

My mom brought her to the vet in a towel. Our little 14-year-old Penny was shaking but very calm. My mom held her head as they put her to sleep. She said the whole process was peaceful which I'm sure it was (while I'm reviewing scenes of Marley & Me in my mind trying not to cry too much).

We bought Penny, the Jack Russel Terrior for $100 dollars when she was a year old. Her previous owners said she needed more attention and she was too much to handle. So we took her to our house where she lived with 9 kids +. She was the perfect addition to a crazy, kid-filled family.

Anyone that knew the Collins family knew our dog. Penny left impressions on everyone-- good and bad. The neighbors knew her as the "dog that stands in the middle of the street". Kids knew her as a spastic dog or as she got old and senile "the dog that nipped at me". Many knew her as the Collins' fat dog that kind of resembles a seal pup. Some knew her as the "the dog that humped me" or visitors to our house knew her as " the dog that snuck into my car that I didn't notice she was in there until I was half way home". Either way, Penny had a lot of personality.
She lived through it all. Kids hitting, pulling, tugging her. She once jumped out of the car window after seeing a squirrel. Being attacked by a German Shepard. Kids thinking it was funny to pull her tail. Attacking her dinosaur puppet as a way of entertainment for others. She was a champ.
Penny wasn't very good at going on walks or runs because she would sniff around every second. She was overweight most of her life because she was our family vacuum cleaner and my mom fed her chocolate cupcakes that the kids didn't finish.

You may think that it is silly that I make all this fuss about a dog but I was really attached to Miss Penny.
She was my best friend.
She jumped through hula hoops with a little skirt on when I conducted a circus in my backyard. (there was probably lunch meat waiting on the other side for her)
She laid with me in my bed when I was being an extremely emotional teenager.
She understood me and stayed with me.
Most of the time she was obedient.
She listened to me and was always happy.
She thought she was one of the family. Seriously, I think she thought she was a kid.
She was a smart dog. If you left a whole pizza on the dining room table, she was smart enough to jump up and only eat the pepperonis off (leaving the cheese in perfect condition) in hopes that no one would notice.
She was always up for a drive. And while you rode in the car, she would climb up and lay across your shoulders behind your head like a neck pillow (even during her heavier days).

She would let you pose her for pictures as "cash money dog"



She would even wear the poncho you bought for her from Tijuana.



She was an awesome little dog and the Collins Family Mascot.

My little Penny dog, my forever pup... I will miss you!

THANK YOU, Nana

Mid October, Shannon (Nana) came to visit us! Boy was she such an awesome help! She made meals, watched Krew, edited my paper, and anything else we needed! What a blessing it was having her around that week because I had one of the craziest weeks of the semester so far.

Shannon and I were able to go through the Laie Hawaii Temple Open House. The work that has been done on it is beautiful. Perfect for such a special place.

While she was here, Cameron and Shannon were able to do the Gunstock Ranch Half Marathon! I heard they did great and heard it was an intense (lots of hills) course. They are awesome!
(thanks Shawn for the pictures! Krew and I were cheering them on from our beds)

We were able to do a little beaching as well while she was here. Always a must.

Halloween 2010: Giraffes

Krew LOVES giraffes.
Strangely, he received two toy giraffes when he was born and he can't seem to keep his eyes off them. If I set a giraffe in front of him, I find him smiling at them.
I wonder what Krew was for Halloween...

Can you find Krew?




Why does he love giraffes so much? Maybe their spots are really attractive to babies or maybe he hopes to be tall and slender some day? Either way, Nana/Shannon found this adorable giraffe costume and we couldn't resist!

We celebrated our Halloween with a fun ward party!



Ya, Halloween came too quick for us so Cameron borrowed our neighbor's scrubs and lab coat that had "Lindsey Alkema" embroidered on it and I dressed up as a mom. Next year I promise improvement on our part.



Ashleigh and I and our baby animals! Poor kids, they make these baby Halloween costumes to keep the kids warm on a cold Halloween night. It's only 80 degrees here so we just make our kids sweat it out because they just look too darn cute in them.



Cameron got really into the games.
First, it was the doughnut on the string game.


And it ended up on the floor.



Cameron also won the musical chairs game. I hope no one was injured from him but we did win two movie tickets. Woo hoo!



And Sunday Halloween, Krew got in some festive church clothes.
(which were then puked on within an hour but that's just how we roll these days)

Thanks Rachelle for the cute tie!

Happy Halloween!