Advent Calendar Update...

 Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Well, here is a little peek into our advent calendar so far...it's been a blast! We keep teaching the girls (as much as a 2 and 1 year old will listen and learn) that this is all building up to Jesus' birthday! It's just been so fun...today we get to bundle up and take a family picture outside (and it snowed...perfect!)

     

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

I Wish...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
This video is POWERFUL...but my prayer is that it isn't just powerful but that it brings change for parents and kids, teens, moms and dads to talk about purity...Don't be wishing you had...

Be awesome & Love Jesus,


kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

The Perfect Pair...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
I walked into our kitchen today singing Bieber's new Christmas song...precious. Anyways, the hubs asked what I was singing and I told him Biebs. He laughed as he had just gotten home from picking up my latest Craigslist find and I was so so ecstatic about this little project...so he put the two together and said "Justin Bieber and Old Furniture makes for a great day."

Oh that hubs, he's funny...and true!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Mom: Christmas Edition...

{source}: It's actually a FREE Printable. 

Hey K2 Kanakuk MOMS (really it should read PARENT), 

I am going to try and start a mom post that pops up maybe 1-2 times a month. I am not posting about mommyhood b/c I am any kind of expert. Nor am I posting to build guilt into mom hearts which is such a huge battle...the Lord and I went rounds about guilt and now I don't live in it...freedom (said in a braveheart scream like Mel Gibson)

Okay, so I wanted to simply write/talk/question ask about being a great mom/parent during Christmas? I LOVE / HEART/ OBSESSED with Christmas. I love family, the tree, the wonderful smells, the old movies, games, ornaments, and the Christmas Eve service with candles that reminds you just 1/1000000 of the candles that may have been in that stable when our Savior was born. I want so badly for my kids to love Christmas b/c it's when Jesus was born. I know they will love the tree, snow, family and presents but I want them to know that if all the presents were stripped away their smiles and joy is still there b/c of a baby turned Savior named Jesus. How do we do this well? I honestly have no great wisdom that is proven from any research (considering my kids are still playing with the paper and just want more cheerios to eat)...but here are my thoughts (that's it...just THOUGHTS!)

1. Don't be crazy. Meaning this...your child's Christmas wish list should not be able to cover the whole living room floor. Have a budget and make it a budget that does not involve debt or major credit card charges. Our children need to understand this idea of not living above our means.

2. You must live in a way that SHOWS them Jesus is more important. That means not being ticked if your hubs didn't get you the "it" gift  or your family doesn't have the newest i____ (fill in the blank with the newest Apple toy). You must show them Jesus by going shopping for a family that can't get any gifts. A family that on their child's wishlist it says: coat and shoes. They must see the Holy Spirit in you. I tear up thinking about this as I am challenged by my own typing...

3. Teach your kids to make/get gifts for others. I can't wait to begin to teach our kids more (they don't do a lot of deep thinking or communication at this point) about giving. I love teenagers that come to kamp and say they had to pay for some of kamp or kids that just get it...they don't lean over to you and say can I have money to go get you a Christmas gift (if they even ask at all). They save and get their parents a gift or they create something as the kids to give to their parents. The oldest siblings watch the little ones for 4 nights during the month for a date night. They all color a manger scene and frame it for their parents. They all come together to get their Grandma a digital photo frame all set up with pictures b/c she can sit there in a nursing home and see her legacy.

4. Open their eyes. Go deliver gifts to kids whose parents are in prison. Go feed food to the homeless. Read Kisses from Katie and send over care packages. Fill boxes for Samaritan purse and have the kids put some of their toys in there. Make them understand they are millionaires b/c they have a roof over their heads, running water and a fridge full of food.

5. Read about Jesus. Read about Jesus and talk openly that while gifts and monetary blessings are so fun that they don't mean anything compared to Jesus and knowing Him. Talk about if the "stuff" were all taken away that we all still have Jesus' love and hope and each other.

6. Start young...and if you can't...reprogram. I know this is a weird one...for me, I want to start young that Christmas is not a time to raise our credit cards (we actually don't even have one...Dave Ramsey lives in our house as my hubs) limit to afford our kids wish list. I want to start young in being grateful for 1 gift or just being together with a yummy meal and family. (I have to add this does not include my mom and dad who will spoil our kids as much as they like...haha! Grandparenting must be awesome!). But even with that I want my kids to LOVE my parents and just being with them...the gifts are just an extra...not an expectation. I never want the mountain of gifts to be an expectation.

* Now if yours are older...reprogram. Shock value can be huge here. What if for Christmas you sent your entire typical Christmas money for gifts to a missionary in Egypt. What if you all were allowed to gift 1 gift and the others would go to those without. I loved that for our birthdays growing up my parents would get us 1 gift and by no means a HUGE gift. I remember one year I got a pair of jeans I needed. I loved them and was so thankful. It taught me simplicity.

Okay...so those are thoughts...not expertise and no judgements. Monetary blessing is not bad and Christmas gifts are not bad either...it's your focus on the gifts and what you would be like if the gifts were all gone...JUST THOUGHTS...

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 

kanakuk ashley robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

These Would be Awesome...

{source}

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Okay, seriously, how fun are those little props for a photo session during the Christmas season with your family! It would be so fun! You could literally just set up your computer and click on Photo Booth and have folks pick a fun prop and be silly! It would be a priceless book for your grandparents of their whole legacy of a family! Such a fun idea!

Okay, so follow the source and order them (No I do not know who sells them nor am I getting paid...just love the product) or spend a day and make your own!

Go...do Christmas-ey stuff!

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Biebs & Christmas...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Okay, I finally listened to it and I think it's precious. That's all I will say. I love how you (girls) are either fans or totally not fans...but I have to wonder if the not fans are but just want to rock the boat. All in the name of being different...

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Advent Calendar...

{source: original pottery barn)

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Well, I have my advent calendar made and am thinking of all the little activities or goodies to put in each day...here are some thoughts (some will be for the whole family and others just for Shay and I since our little ones, well, are LITTLE):

1. I have a new addiction and person on my prayer list. Kisses from Katie is this amazing blog about a gal that has adopted like 13 kiddos and feeds hundreds each day. She left after high school and everyone thought she was crazy. She has a new book out and I can't wait to read it. One idea is that I want the girls and I to write her a letter and send something...money, small trinkets, something...I want to connect with her somehow. I know that's wacky...
2. Go see Santa.
3. Make hot cocoa in the coco-motion and add lots of whip cream...with each sip.
4. Go sing carols to the Rapps. (a kamp family that I think would enjoy it...Bronwyn if you are reading this look away, look away).
5. Play in the snow...obviously, if it snows.
6. Wear Christmas PJ's all day long.
7. Make a new ornament for the tree.
8. Read the Polar Express.
9. Go look at Christmas lights.
10. Take a picture as a family all bundled up.
11. Wrap our Christmas gifts in fun, creative ways.
12. Make our family the dancing elves e-card and send to family.
13. Watch Christmas Story.

That's all my brain can think of right now...thoughts?

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com