Fall and Us...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Fall...you are a beautiful time. Your leaves turn these brilliant colors like fiery oranges and reds and yellows that make the sun look dull sometimes. It's like everything is sparkling without any glitter somehow. I wish the above picture is what my walkway to my door looked like and Jesus, I wouldn't mind if this was the walkway to heaven when you return or I'm brought home...just sayin since you are preparing the place for us now...

Anyways, fall is such a great picture of us. Weird to connect to a season right? Maybe not so far fetched. Fall is a time for the leaves to burst into color but what's happening is that they are dying. The leaves are dying, they fall, the may or may not get racked into piles and bagged up or jumped into and the trees for a bit go inward to restart, regrow. The winter is bare limbs and renewal for the tree. Sweet girls/friends, this is our life at times. Times when leaves on our branches in our own lives need to die. Parts of us that the Lord needs gone or refined somehow. For most of you it's probably only one or two branches...heck, for this momma it's like the whole tree on some day (okay, okay, most days!). Oh, but shouldn't we long for our Maker to want to allow those parts to die...so that He can make us brand new with bursting healthy green leaves in our lives. I would guess if the trees could talk they would wonder why they couldn't just say all orange and red and yellow as it looks beautiful to all the eyes and cameras that behold it and instagram them...but I would also guess the Maker of those trees has to remind them (yep, the Maker and the trees are now in conversation...He's God, why not?) those leaves are dying. Though beautiful...dying. Don't hold onto the outwardly beautiful junk in your life...let the Lord, your Maker, renew your branches in your life...and spring will burst forth with a new creation (and I don't just speak of "salvation-new creation"). I pray I'm being made new each day...bring on the bare branches!

Let the beautifully-dying leaves fall in your life...

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Slow Down...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Autumn (or fall...whichever you prefer...i say fall because Autumn is someone I know and works for Kamp so it would be weird to talk of a season with her name...both are precious though!). Anyways, I love this picture (couldn't find original but just all over Pinterest). It just seems slow, cuddly and cozy with each picture. My favorite thing about fall is the tension to slow down. I know most of the time "tension" is not necessarily a good word but I love the tension of when we need to slow down our hearts and just look around to see moments of wonder and glimpses of our Savior. Fall brings so many of those for me...fall bucket lists, pumpkin patches with the littles, hot cocoa, popcorn family movie nights (a movie for us is a Disney Jr. 1 hour special of Sofia or Jake and the Neverland Pirates but I'll take it), sweatpants day (currently having one of those after all 3 littles have been throwing up this week...too much? sorry), scarves, boots, hoodies, fall leaves that are brilliantly colored, and just the coziness of the season.

Enjoy it girls and go snuggle your daddy...or momma...or brother...or little purse dog...

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Welcome...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Fall...maybe it's been there for some of you already but for our little Ozarks we are just now starting to feel fall...long sleeves, red leaves popping out and pumpkin EVERYTHING. Don't you worry I just made my first pumpkin chocolate chip bread...yum-diddily-dum!

I must admit, like the rest of the world, I love fall! It is gorgeous around these parts and there is just something all cuddly about it. Can a season be cuddly...Sure.

So grab your PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte for those out of the Starbucks loop) or your fav sweater and relish in the fall weather and beautiful landscapes of fall...if you live somewhere on the coast where it's not really fall, just google it.

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Ready for September...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Well, September is here...summer sadly is gone. Schools are in full swing, homework I'm guessing is starting to come, and football is in full effect. September for our house means we are 4 weeks away (if the little guy doesn't come early) from little #3. So add to the art above "labor" or "new kid" as my hubs thinks this little guy is coming early...

I hope your September is full of lots of apple cider or Pumpkin Spice lattes if that's how you roll and lots of fun!

What does September look like for you? Busy or still slow from summer? Keep your life balanced...

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
Picture source: http://bethproudfoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-subway-print-5-ways.html

Favorite Thanksgiving Food...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Oh the delicious food that is coming in a mere week. I can't wait! I was dreaming of this magical food  and overstuffed meal that is coming our way soon and I just wondered if I had to pick a favorite which one it would be...yeah, it's a deep question.

1. Green Bean Casserole. Kind of weird I know but it's my favorite. Then...
2. Rolls. Then...
3. Apple Pie with LOTS of ice cream.

What about you? What's your favorite?

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

To Do...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Sorry that I am a bit behind in blogging. Goodness, time out for me. Just kidding! I feel like today I have like 1,000 to do lists running through my head...one for the garage projects, house projects, girls clothes to reorganize and work. It's just too many lists for my blonde head (please, fellow blondies let's not take offense but simply embrace it).

So this is my new to do list for this moment. I'm off to go put on a scarf now...check that off!

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Boots...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
BOOTS...I want need some boots! I am just a sucker for a good, cognac no heel, big circumference for calves boot. Anyone else? No...weird.

Fall just brings out the shoe-aholic in me to just love boots. No heels (sorry just a personal thing there...running after 2 little ones in 4 inch boot heels = not attractive or practical.). I just love them. At a football game I went to that is what I did while tailgating...just looked at people boots...not in a creepy way. In a "no, not quite those" or "don't want dark brown cuz then i can't wear with grey and black" or "those are perfect except oh, wait, my calf musles are close to don ford's size." That was my day.

Anyone have a favorite pair they would like to share? I found my new planner by asking so I'm going to start asking...remember I might have a smaller budget than the average American for fall boots.

Be awesome & Love Jesus, 



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Go Play...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
It is bea.utif.ul today! I have no idea why I added the "." in between that word but I just needed the dramatic effect. So there ya go!

Seriously, quit reading this blog and go play catch with your little sister or brother. Go wash your parents car or have a dinner picnic. As I type this I realize I forget not everyone lives in the south (I know Branson is not in the south but I just like to tell myself that I still live in the south. Let me live my dream people). So if your weather is a bit under the weather, throw on a snow coat and go shiver outside...it's good for your throat that cool, crisp air. Ha!

Off to play with 2 little munchkins!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Fall is Coming...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
I am ready. I am so ready. FOR FALL. I love summer, obviously, but oh man when the leaves start to turn, long sleeves feel warm and starbucks actually is a stop I want to make (I don't drink coffee and do not like their hot chocolate, especially in summer) due to their caramel apple spice drink that makes me want to cut off my tongue so I can lick all the way down to the bottom of the cup (too much? sorry).

Fall...it's good to see ya again.

Be awesome & Love Jesus,



kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

You are my Sunshine...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Gals,
Sunshine...isn't it just wonderful in the fall weather? It hits perfectly each tree that is changing from green to yellow, orange, or red. I just love it! I love summer sun because it's summer...enough said. But the fall sunshine makes me want to...

a. grab a scarf and linger in it all day even if it doesn't match
b. snab a caramel apple spice with the Starbucks gift card I have and sip it all day and somehow it magically stay warm all day
c. snuggle up to my hubby and watch the Bears prayerfully win
d. take a bazillion and one pictures of the firstborn outside with the brilliance of fall around her
e. ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Such a hard test, I know...but you guessed it (well, I don't really know if you did I'm just assuming here) it's ALL OF THE ABOVE. I mean something about fall sunshine that just makes you all warm in the sternum area and just want to grab your family and put on scarves and go hang on in the woods hiking. At least that's the picture in my mind...anyone elses? No, oh, that's weird!

Well, enjoy the fall sunshine wherever you are...if you like live in Florida or California or New York then I don't know if you can fully embrace my words. Come visit the Ozarks in the fall and you might find yourself a new home! Or you might just miss the pool in your neighborhood...either way it would be a fun trip!

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins / ashley@kanakuk.com
Photo: etsy.com / Seller: sewsaucystitches / Click HERE to purchase print

Fall Doors...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Gals,
Fall decor front doors! Ah! I just love them! My door currently is just, well, our door. No pumpkins, fun wreaths or hay bails with straw people. Priorities...the door decor is not on the list! Sad day! BUT, I enjoy just as much driving through neighborhoods (in an uncreepy way of course) looking at doors/porches of other homes!

There is just something so welcoming about them...it's like the pumpkins are just saying hello and the straw people really are real! I pulled these two pictures and just love them...minus the black scary birds on the bottom one. I am more of a "fall" person than a halloween person.

Well, there is no point to this post. Just to encourage you to look around as you drive around (or are driven around) in your towns. What is a welcoming door look like to you?

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins / ashley@kanakuk.com
Photo: google.com / search "fall door decor"

Weekend Project Idea...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Gals,

Well, I thought today, being Friday, I would do a weekend project idea for you and friends, you and the momma, you and little siblings, you and just you. Just a fun, quick, easy project. Well, today I am just craving (not a preggo crave, just normal "that sounds good" craving like normal people) a caramel apple. I haven't had one...goodness, I am sure I have had one in my life but I surely can't remember...weird! Anyways, I thought I would give you the idea, a few links with directions, and you and whomever can just have a ball as you make them on a fall Saturday morning (that would be the time I would want to make them in my weekend agenda...or maybe Friday night with a movie and hot cocoa...so fun!). So enjoy and seriously they're delicious (I think. Caramel + granny smith apples = DEELISH!).

How many parenthesis ( ) did I use in the above very small paragraph...bahahaha! Again, I am so glad I enjoy writing this blog each day! Well, I'm off to dream of caramel apples since our firstborn has no teeth and can't eat them...maybe I'll get Shay to do the weekend project with me! Woohoo!

Click HERE for lots of caramel apple recipes.

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins / ashley@kanakuk.com

Photo: google.com / search "fall caramel apples"

Fall is Coming...

Hey K2 Kanakuk Gals,
Well, today it has been a slight overcast but also sunny...all at the miraculous same time! Anyways, it made me think of weather, which also made me think of my great friend Jane who is slightly obsessed with fall, which made me think of why does she live in Iowa and not in the Ozarks where fall is like just amazing. (Goodness that was quite the tangent of thoughts as well as making me miss my friend Jane).

Anyways, so it also led me to my thought to post some (seriously I could have posted like 100 things) things I love about Fall being on the way! Sit back and think to yourself, "self, what do you love about the wonderful fall season?" Is everyone thinking that? Good...let's begin...

1. Soups...I don't generally like order soup at eating places but in the fall when I walk through the doors of Panera (or any sandwich/soup joint) it just calls my name...tomato basil, minestrone, vegetable, potato...yummy!

2. Fleece jackets, long sleeve shirts, little hoodies...again, I just want to go get mine out and throw it on with some denim bermuda maternity shorts (I'm laughing at my kitchen table at my own writing...so sad!). I like just a little extra layer, now don't get crazy. I'm not one to have one 5 layers to step outside but love the long sleeve tee with jeans rolled and my rainbow sandals. That's a great outfit!
3. I love the changing of the leaves. In Branson this is like majestic around here. Shay and I will probably be traveling for Kanakuk Tour during this time of awesomeness but maybe wherever we are on the road it will be a beautiful fall there too!

4. Caramel Apple Spice...I mean, really, it's like drinking dessert. We have some gift cards to Starbucks and I feel like I got such a deal when I can order this and pay with money that is free! Woohoo!!

5. Arkansas Razorback (you can fill in your favorite high school, college, or NFL team) Starts! I love the Razorbacks and although such a has been to my college days now am still a fan! Shay has also turned me into a Chicago Bears fan (NFL...not really my thing but I am now a fan due to the marital oneness).

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins / ashley@kanakuk.com

Photos: google.com / Search key words: fall, leaves, arkansas razorbacks, caramel apple spice, mountain hardware, soups