Lots of Random Thoughts...

Random Thoughts Thursday (yes, it kind of fits with the whole "th" thing!)...

1. Spring/Summer...I am so ready for spring...seriously ready! Sandals, nike shorts, and tshirts...here I come!

(picture: weheartit.com...careful most pics are creative/fun/awesome...some weird/artsy/sketchy)

2. Ruffles...I love them. These are actually the curtains I want to do in Lulu's room. My friend Jennifer (Kanakuk K1 Asst. Director) is going to help me make them! Oh, I'm crafty, well, my friends are!

(picture: weheartit.com...careful most pics are fun/creative/awesome...some weird/sketchy)

3. Water/Pink Lemonade...random! I just love ice cold water and also pink lemonade. Lately I have been adding lime juice to my H2O...yum-diddley-yum!

(picture: weheartit.com...see above)

4. HOME...just loving being at home right now! Awesome hubby, precious daughter, and lots of silly laughter)

(picture: weheartit.com...see above)

5. Home Decor/Design...don't freak out the room below is not in my home! I would love it though! My friend Jill (1st Kanakuk co-counselor) and I text back and forth about home design. We love it! My new favorite blog about do-it-yourself projects/home design is www.younghouselove.com. Oh, John and Sherri! Sherri and I have a very similar design style...side note: please know that I am sure all of you teenage girls could care less about my home design obsession...just runnin low on blog thoughts...hehe! Just laught at/with me! Kay? Just for knowledge I took the RealSimple Magazine design style...I am 100000% cozy casual! love it!

(picture: weheartit.com...see above comments)

6. Cupcakes...I am laughing so hard in my office with my sleeping 4 month old at this blog post. Please join me in laughing. There is nothing special about cupcakes...nor have I had them lately...i just think cupcakes are awesome...bahahahaha!!!

So there you have it...take this Thoughts Thursday to the bank...i mean this is good stuff!

Be awesome, love Jesus, and read this blog for deep insightful brain power,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

Sleeping Beauty...

Hey Girls,
Somewhat of a follow up to yesterday...Just wanted to instill the awesomeness (not sure that's actually a word) of your innocence. It's priceless!

CAUTION: Moms/Dads/and Kanakomo girls, get a tissue before reading below. I'm so serious, go get one right now...pause...okay, now you can read.

TO A SLEEPING BEAUTY
Dear daughter,
I tiptoed in your room tonight and I looked down at
you smilin' in your sleep.
You were so lovely my heart nearly broke;
and I thought how much like Sleeping Beauty a little girl is.
When I tuck you in at night I never know
how old you'll be when you wake.
One evening you crawl on your dad's lap
and throw your arms around his neck,
the next morning you might be
much too grown up for that sort of thing.

You're so quickly approaching the awkward age,
too young to drive the car and yet too old
to be carried in the house half asleep on daddy's
shoulder. I have a secret that I've never told you,
Sleeping Beauty, you're going on a very exciting trip.
You'll travel from yesterday all
the way to tomorrow.
It's a rapid journey and you'll travel light,
leaving behind you - measles,
mumps, freckles, bumps, bubble gum and me.
I promise not to feel too hurt when you
discover that the world is more
important than your daddy's lap.
Yesterday you were blue jeans and pig tails,
the neighborhood's best tree climber.
Tomorrow you'll be blue organdy and
pony tails and you'll view the world
from a loftier perch - a pair of high heel shoes.

Yesterday you could mend a doll's broken leg
with a hug; tomorrow you'll be able to break a
young man's heart with a kiss. Humh! Humh!
Yesterday you could get lost one aisle away
from me at a supermarket - now I have to worry
about losing you down another aisle
to some strange young man. You see,
just at the point where you're
growing pains stop, mine begins. Yesterday
you were kind of a pain in the neck
when you were around, tomorrow you'll
be an ache in my heart when your not.
Tomorrow you'll lay aside your jump rope
and tie up the telephone lines
and that little boy that used to push you in the mud;
well, he'll fight to sit out a dance with you.
The clock is countin' the minutes for you and the
sky upstairs is savin' its' brighest stars; -
and the sun is waitin' with its' shiniest day.

Oh I, I can't expect you to live in a doll house forever.
Sooner or later, the butterfly sheds it's cocoon
and the smallest bird must try its wings.
But when you grow up and out of my arms;
when you finally get too big for my
shirts, I'll still recall how you used
to scatter dust and dolls and partially
through ev'ry room in the house;
but you spread sunshine too. The dust is
settled, your mom picked up the dolls; -
but the sunshine will always fill
the corners of our hearts.
So, here I am talking in your sleep, because,
well if you saw this look on
my face, you'd laugh and if I spoke
with this lump in my throat, I'd cry.
Yea! honey when I looked at you tonight you
were a Sleeping Beauty.
So, I tiptoed over and I kissed you -
you didn't wake up, I knew you wouldn't.
According to the legend only the handsome
young prince can open your eyes
and I'm just the father of the future bride.

So you sleep on pretty thing, tomorrow you'll wake
and you'll be a young lady and you won't even realize
that you've changed courses in the middle
of a dream. But you might notice a little change in me;
I'll look a little different somehow.
A little sadder, a little wiser, but a whole lot richer.
Tonight, I kissed a princess and I feel like a king.
Recorded by Jimmy Dean
Written by L. Markes

Well, I'm in tears now...going to hold my precious Lulu....forever.

Be awesome & love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

Price of Perfection...

Okay, I must admit that I am flustered. I got on Vicki Courtney (an author/christian speaker's) site today and found her article on Heidi Montag. Oh, sweet teenage girls...my heart is racing and my fingers are slow. I feel almost stunned by the reports and quotes of this precious girl. I say girl because she is 23 and has had 10-15 plastic surgeries. 10 of them at one time. My heart in posting on this is to just help to shed light on the MADNESS of it. To try and shed truth and light into each of your hearts to tell you that there could not be a more beautiful YOU!

Heidi Montag throws a curve at young girls :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Laura Berman: "Perhaps even more troubling than her procedures is Montag's justification for this obviously excessive amount of plastic surgery. Like a lot of children, Montag was teased while growing up, and she says this prompted her to go under the knife, as her so-called imperfections 'held me back from a certain inner light and an inner happiness.' It's as if Montag is broadcasting right into the insecurities of young girls everywhere. And, while men also grapple with body image issues, it is young girls who will examine her newly taut body and decide they don't measure up. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't men who are handing women measuring sticks and asking them to fit into a certain size of jeans. Women do it to each other, and we do it to ourselves. Most men would simply be happy if the woman in their lives was confident and would embrace her curves (or her angles)"

I looked up article after article that made my mind spin as a new mom. I sat in my office in disbelief that it's real. Girls, women, teenagers are actually doing this. The statistics for plastic surgery is sky-rocketing each day. My mind is swirling with thoughts of our precious daughter ever feeling or thinking she isn't good enough. Having thoughts that she isn't beautiful the way El Elohim (Her Creator, your Creator) made her to be! I plead with you to stand and walk in TRUTH. Not the lies of the world. Heidi speaks of being held back from her inner happiness...I am mystified how she can speak of inner happiness by having 10 outer surgeries. I pray my 23 year old daughter someday never seeks inner happiness by changing everything about herself.

My heart hurts for Heidi's mom...not that I know her. But I have to wonder if she sits at her home and flips through pictures of her baby...her precious Heidi. The natural, beautiful, pure daughter she had. The innocence is now gone. The purity of life is now tainted and her joyfulness is skewed with seduction with each smile. I just wonder what this mom feels? More than that I wonder if Heidi, when the cameras aren't on, the expensive clothes are off, the professional hair and make up is all removed...what does she see? Does she feel her "inner light and inner happiness" then? I fear she will be left empty. In that moment may she feel and know the hope, love, and tenderness of the precious Lord and Savior!

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised." ~Proverbs 31:30

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

* Side Note: This is obviously an extreme case...this does not apply to plastic surgery that was done for medical purposes/health reasons/birth defects/etc. I apologize for being late in adding this note.

Okay, American Idol...

Hey Kanakuk Girlies!

Okay, I admit that American Idol is one of my fav shows! We had my best friend and her hubby over last night to watch the Top 12 Guys go. Jennifer and I (you can check out her K1 Kanakuk Blog: Click here) LOVE American Idol! So anyways, we waited till 7:25 pm to start it so we can fast forward through all commercials (Genius, right?) and began our journey of being our own Idol judges in good 'ole Branson.

Who were your favs? I must admit Tuesday night I was left not impressed...at all! Simon thinks it's the year of the girls but goodness, they have some improving to do. But let's be real honest I, and most Americans, would have been a nervous wreck on that stage so nerves are understandable.

Okay, so here are my thoughts (please don't comment not nicely...only your opinions and fun light hearted comments...thanks!)

1. Judges: I truly do think Ellen is funny on her daytime show but I just have not really liked her on the show. I thought she would be the funny, well, just funny voice but it has come across to me as just another 4th judge to agree or say something not that funny. There have been some awkward moments and I feel like she talks about young girls voting for all the handsome guys a lot which is just weird. Anyways, I like it but literally when it comes to the judges I just wait for Simon (sometimes Randy) and that's the only judge I care to listen too. Jennifer and I decided that Kara, who I know is super talented and a great songwriter, well, I just don't love her as a judge. (please don't comment that I'm judging her...I am constructively telling an opinion on a TV show where there job is to be a judge...I'm sure Kara is very nice and sweet in person as far as her personality but as far as her job as a AI judge, I'm just not a fan)

2. Top 12 Girls: Oh, gooodness, I just wasn't impressed on Tuesday night...hoping it was nerves. Here are my favs in order: Lacey Brown (red head), Lily Scott (white hair), and well, those 2 are my favs and then 3rd place could be several people...Ashley Rodriquez, Katie something, or Paige something....it's a toss up for now.

3. Top 12 Guys: I thought the guys did much better than the girls. Top 3 fav guys in order: Lee Dewyze (2nd from left), Andrew Garcia, and Alex Lambert/Big Mike...it's a toss up between those 2 for my 3rd spot...

4. My Official Top 3 that I love for sure:

A. Lacey Brown: Love her! I secretly (well, not secretly b/c I just typed it on here) love her hair and would love to do that someday when my facial bone structure changes...so therefore I never will. A girl can dream!

B. Andrew Garcia/Lee Dewyze: fan of both of them. I like Lee's voice (he needs some spunk though when he is being interviewed) and Andrew's story just makes me cry and he has great pipes. I have heard that Kirksville K-Life is like fan club of Andrew's. Random fact for ya!

C. Lily Scott: one her name is awesome, two her hair is awesome, and three she is just different. I like her!

Okay, there is my OPINION of Idol last night...any predictions of who will be sent home? I think it might be...oh, I just don't even know who it could be...2 guys and 2 girls I think go home? Yikes!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

Happy Monday & More Olympic Tears...

Hey Kanakuk Cuties! Well, it's Monday....so therefore Happy Monday friends! This weekend was pretty laid back with lots of great family time for Shay & I. We continue to watch a lot of Olympics...I am already dreading not hearing the theme music in my house all the time...I just love it!

Okay, so last night (well, I think it was last night) Tom Brokaw did a special on Kevin Pearce...Wow!!! I was in tears, surprise surprise, and was in awe of this precious family. I would love to go into great details but basic summation is that Kevin Pearce was a highly favored contender for the Olympic snowboarding team. Kevin actually beat Shaun White in a X-games competition this year. Anyways, during a practice run he had a terrible accident and should not have survived. He did and is daily fighting to make a recovery. Oh the precious mom of Kevin seemed so strong and it just amazed me. So last night...I was in tears over how there are so many stories out there...everyone has a story. Lulu and I prayed for Kevin's family this morning and prayed that they see the Lord each day in the miracles He is doing!

* Picture of Kevin Pearce.

* Picture of Kevin & His family (4 boys...he is the youngest)
*Some of the boarders have a sticker on their boards that say "I ride for Kevin."

Have great Mondays everyone...Kanakuk Countdown is coming close! Summer please hurry!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

Introducing the Kanakuk #2 Leadership Team 2010...

Hey Kanakuk K2 Gals, Parents and Staff,
Here is the official K2 Girls Leadership team for summer 2010. It's going to be awesome!


1. Trish Helsel: K2 Women's Director. She gets 1 picture of a pretty picture as she could fire me if I put any "silly" pics of her. Hehe!!! She is AWESOME! Married and has 3 amazing kiddos that are the bomb.com. Great cook! Yummy! Has amazing hair and nails and loves Nike Shocks.

(*Side note: I have no pictures because I run the blog and there are pics of me at the top header. I love being my own blog president to get all silly pictures of everyone else and none of me. Hehe!)

2. Brooke Roberts: doesn't she look so studious! Graduated Liberty University, Attending Kanakuk Institute now, really good at walking behind Shayla Helsel as a kid sitter.


3. Whitney Turner: volleyballer at King's University, extremely loud voice volume (we love it in her), has an awesome heart for missions/stopping the trafficing of young girls, is tall.


4. Rachel Nobel: St. Louis resident, graduated from Truman State and Kanakuk Institute, loves the K2 Kitchen, likes to take weird pictures with wooden pew in the background, crafter of crafts.


5. Meredith Grooms: K-Life Women's Director in Tulsa, OK, has a {funny blog}, loves music, has a podcast, loves TOMs shoes, very creative doodler, loves her dogs, and has great hair in the morning time.


6. Cynthia "Cyndi" Holley: loves the K2 office, loves to be in skits everyday of her life, has great fashion, helps keep Joe and Shay organized all year round, loves Coffee and mugs, has great cowboy boots.


7. Lauren "LK" Kolter: wife of Jared JK Kolter, mom of a new yorkie (i forget her name), works for Kanakuk Institute year round, scheduler extraordinaire for K2 girls side, she is the sweetest person you will ever meet, has a great recipe for BBQ cups (so yummy).

8. SHE'S NEW: KRISTEN KNOTH: loves blueberry farm, is tall, attends Kansas State University, used to work at Sonic as a carhop, is a transfer from Kanakuk Klassic, class valedictorian, editor-in-chief for award winning yearbook in high school.

Be awesome & love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

Oh, Precious Olympics...

(Picture from foxnews.com used on Kanakuk Ashley)

Hey Kanakuk Komos,

Well, once again, I am just loving the Olympics! I mean last night was intense, right? Lindsey Vonn was amazing and so precious after she won in her interview. She was that total not sure what I'm saying cry-er. Love it! Then Shaun White...seriously, he is just precious! Okay, I'm sure he would hate that I just called him precious...and I'm sure he will read my blog to know that I called him precious...but he just is! I don't even understand half pipe moves, but I totally teared up last night seeing him win. P.S. on that doesn't he have great hair?? Seriously!

So there is my random thoughts this morning. Oh, totally forgot about speed skating...did anyone watch the relay? Craziness. Shay and I at one point as we were watching Shani Davis and Shay had to remind us both to relax our bodies because you tense up your body as you watch. Oh, I just love the Olympics!

Be awesome, love Jesus, and go Olympics,

kanakuk ashley robbins

I Heart the Olympics

Hey friends,

Seriously, I am slightly obsessed...well, nothing about it is slightly...with the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. I DVR all of it and feel this overwhelming unity with the whole world during the games. The athletes that they do "feature" stories on become like best friends and I just cry during medal ceremonies for the athletes...USA or not! I just love them! Am I alone here or does anyone else feel this way? Well, I know my friend Jane (also my neighbor) loves them too!

So hope you are watching the games because they go so quickly...here are my top 5 favorite things about the olympics:

1. Bob Costas: I just think he is the best anchor for the Olympics! I think he is so authentic and calm! Weird, I know!

2. Figure Skating: Seriously, I love the story of the Chinese couple who won the gold. They are married and were just precious in their "feature" story.

3. The marketing design: Okay, this one is strange but I love all the background walls for the ski slopes, ice rinks, jersey deals the skiers wear...the blue/green variation design is just beautiful and cool like the winter games! Love it!

4. Drama: Okay, typically I hate drama (especially since I work with 13-18 year old gals at Kanakuk) but there has been drama for Apollo Ohno and the whole country of Korea (is Korea a country...oh, goodness, please don't leave comments to tell me I'm not smart). The Koreans feel like he was violently moving his arms in this 1500M race but Apollo says they were all bumping and making a ton of contact...oh, the drama! More speed skating I think tonight! Woohoo! Apollo is going for #7!

5. Alexandre Bilodeau: This is the mogul Canadian skier who won Gold for Canada. I was just a hot mess in tears with this one! He skiied for his older brother with cerebral palsy. Amazing story and amazing brothers!

Be awesome & love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins