Why NOT post about Pot-Roast...

Hey Girls,
Well, I am headed out to go check on our crock-pot that is simmering at home as I type. One of Shay's fav meals is pot roast with carrots and potatoes. YUMMY! Shay and I are eating it for supper (our fridge is pretty bare but I had a roast!). We put it all in at lunch and we can't wait!

p.s. Can you tell that my life has for the most part been uneventful today...but I still love my life! I'm laughing at my own post...seriously, my co-worker Mollye just walked by and I'm like cracking myself up that I'm posting about PotRoast!

p.s.s. More exciting posts to come...I will cover the following:

1. Baby appointment tomorrow...I'll let you know how the little squirt is doing.

2. Some post that is very encouraging and inspiring...working on this one.

3. My sweet friends are throwing Baby Robbins Baby Shower on Sunday! Woohooo! I love being with other moms so their wisdom can just osmosis-ly come into my brain.

4. KanakukLive is coming to Ft. Worth, Dallas, and Houston next week! More details to come!

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,

Got a Date?...

Hey Kanakuk Friends,
I hope you all had a great weekend. I had a total girls weekend with 3 great friends as we headed to Chicago for lots of shopping! It was such a blessing to be with them and just have great fellowship time. It made me miss summer because of the fellowship we are all surrounded by in the summer with you all! I just love kamp friendships!

Okay, so you might be wondering about the picture...I did a post on this last year and got a lot of emails back so I guess I wanted to post again on the same type of subject. The subject being: not being asked to Homecoming/Prom (spring)/or any other dance/event that a boy typically asks a girl. Oh, my sweet friend, I know this can be a hard deal. All your friends have been asked or have boyfriends and then there's YOU. You keep hoping for a certain boy to ask only to find out he asked another girl in your math class. You keep thinking you'll just go with a group of your girl friends but then as weeks pass the "group" of them is only you because they all decided to go with dates. I know right now it seems so hard and so HUGE that you didn't get asked but I promise someday (hopefully sooner than later) it will not feel as HUGE as you thought. The picture above is of Shay and I from the summer (Amigos, Amigos, Amigos Party night) and I love this picture simply because of his hand on my back. In junior high I was so not the girl that ever got asked to dances. I was pretty awkward, braces, and crazy 80's bangs...well, let's be honest, all that continued through high school too. I just was never THAT girl that guys asked on dates. I "dated" (if you can call it that) only 1 boy in high school (quite a comical story now) and I asked both prom dates to prom (both as friends but still I asked them). I don't tell that to "woah is me" your heart...I tell you that to say that God is so cool because the whole time in my awkward 80's hair day days was writing my journey to, first, Himself and then second, to my husband. He knew the Friday nights when I was kicking it at the Medlin household in Cabot, AR with my mom and dad! He knew the college years when I was the dateless girl at the sorority functions. HE KNEW. So my sweet dateless girls...hang in there. Don't be discouraged. God is writing your journey and your mighty works that He has planned for you. I wish I could call Zac Efron and have him be all of your dates for your Homecoming Dance (if only Zac loved Jesus...not that he doesn't, I just don't know if he does?) and you could dance like he and Gabriela did in HSM3 on the rooftop...innocently and preciously (not a word but go with it). So summary: It's okay if you don't have a date for the 9th grade Homecoming dance...or any other grade for that matter. You are the apple of God's eye and he is enthralled with your beauty.

* If you do have a date, that's so great too! Just so you know...just wanted to write about not having one b/c that tends to be harder.

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Johnny & ChaChi...

At church this past Sunday they played a clip on these guys. It was a song about marriage but I found this on youtube. The blonde wige guy is actually the youth director at Watermark and used to work for Kanakuk. From what I have heard he is a legend around here and is doing awesome things for Watermark/Dallas youth. They just make me laugh. Hope you enjoy!

p.s. I am headed on a girls weekend from this afternoon - Sunday so I won't be posting but I'll be back on Monday!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Robbins' Weekend in Review...

(the traditional heart on the belly picture...presh!)

Hey Kanakuk Friends,
Well, how was the weekend? I realize it's Tuesday, but I'm not a great Monday blogger. I did want to inform that in these last 10 weeks of preggo-ness a bigger portion of my posts will probably be even more random than before with much about Shay and I embarking on parenthood very soon. I hope no one gets annoyed. I promise to do my best to stay hip & trendy with you teenage girls!

So the weekend was very eventful. We had an 8 hour prepared childbirth class. Girls, do you want to know what I took away from those 8 hours...
1. God made my body ready and able for childbirth.
2. That's why Doctors and nurses are doctors and nurses b/c if something goes wrong they will talk us through it.

It was very educational. I at one point must confess I was playing solitaire on my phone and Shay was on his phone on ESPN.com. Hysterical!

Hope you all had a great weekend. I think some of you are starting to have Homecoming at school. Quick tip: sweet girl, if no one asks you to the dance, it's OKAY. I know it feels like it's not but you will be okay. I never got asked to a dance * Side note: I asked both of my prom dates to prom :(. You will be okay and God is writing your journey...hang in there! Ask a great guy friend or go with some girlfriends! Have a great Tuesday!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Some more pics from the weekend:

(This is the B.O.B stroller I got from K2 Term 1 staff girls...THANK YOU GIRLS!) (I washed some of the preemie, newborn, and 0-3 month clothes we have gotten to have some ready for November for Baby Girl Robbins.)(Here is the Pack-n-Play Term 3 K2 staff girls got Shay and I for our newest member! I love it! The print are my fav colors and perfect for girls and boys so we can use for many many years to come!)

Friday is here...

Hey friends,
Well, it's Friday! Woohoo! I hope that your week has been so great and full of the Lord's grace. Shay and I are headed to the Branson Pirate Homecoming game tonight to watch a ton of Kanakuk kiddos beat...well, I actually don't know who we are hopefully beating.

The weekend is full of excitement as Shay and I have an 8 hour class tomorrow (he'll kill me for blogging this) for a Prepared Parenthood class. All things labor, delivery locations, rooms, birth plans (people have plans...what in the world?). I am sure our marriage will grow stronger b/c of the laughter we will share tomorrow. It's going to be hysterical!

Have great weekends! I'll try and have pictures of the weekend festivities.

Be awesome & love Jesus,

I'm Singing...

Today...why are you singing? This hit the heart today...

I'm singing,

p.s. Kari Jobe is one of my new fav christian artist. Her lyrics are incredible and such a cry to the Lord. Her whole album is just awesome! www.karijobe.com

Thoughts of the Poster Clueless Future Mom...

Well, I must admit that my blogging ideas have not flowed quite as freely as they once did...could be hormonal preggo emotionsor just normal emotions of a week where clinging to God's Holy Word has never been more evident. I think pregnancy has been somewhat smooth as far as hormonal rollercoaster riding for all those around me...but I guess Shay would be the best answer for that question. Anyways, tomorrow we have our next baby appointment for "Baby Girl Robbins."Yes, it's true we still have no name...are we just awful parents? It just seems like the biggest responsibility (as of now of course) of picking a name...what if I pick one and then the next day I hear one that's better...or what if we have her and right when she comes out the name just doesn't fit?? Oh, goodness, the thoughts of a new clueless mom! Anyways, so she is still nameless as of now. My co-small group leader and our 7th/8th grade girls have given her a temporary name...Agnus. Hysterical! (please leave no comments if you name is Agnus...it's great for you! Go girl!) So anyways, tomorrow Shay and I will head to our precious doctor to have our next check up. I am pretty sure it is a routine check and from my belly growth and her movement I think all is well. In light of life's ups and downs...I cannot tell you how much this baby has steadied my heart in His Word, His love, and His sovereignty. I will TRY and take some belly pics soon...ya'll, you know it's somewhat awkward when you see people's preggo belly so I try and and avoid too many but girls it has grown since summer...like exponentially! Ya'll would just laugh at me if you saw me! Oh, side note, I am obsessed with maternity clothes. I love maternity pants...they are my fav! I want to keep wearing them after I have her, like forever!

Hope the day is filled with reminders of God's love for you! (this post is so random...welcome to my preggo mind girls! So random! Hope maybe it brings a little laughter to ya!)

Be awesome & love Jesus,

Hello...

Hello....Hello...Hello!!!
Goodness, I cannot tell you how excited I am to kick-off being back to the blogging world! Oh, how I've missed it. All you K2 girls...HOW ARE YOU? I pray each of you have had a great start to your year. It, in all honesty, has taken me a bit to get back into the routine of my job for the non-summer months. Here is some things that I've been up to since K2 ended: vacation with my amazing husband, belly grew (due to preggo-ness, in case you read that and don't understand), shopped at Target for more plastic bins for our loveshack (that's what I call our house), worked, prayed with my friends that work full time with me, meetings, watching lots of ESPN, belly grew some more, and ran a 5k for K-Life.

So enough about life after kamp...I wanted to take a chance to kick-off my blog for the year by sort of casting vision for the blog. It's not very deep or thought provoking. I will do my best to every once in a while throw that in. For the most part it is for K2 girl kampers, K2 girl parents, and K2 girl staff to stay connected. A lot of the posts will be fun, joyful, kamp memories, or completely random. I don't like to debate, will share my opinion (which prayerfully is based on God's Word), and let you into our lives at Kanakuk full-time so that you know my heart to encourage teenage girls in this world to be godly, mighty women of the Lord. So I just say all that to say I love comments, if they are nice or constructive. I love blogging and will try to do every 2-3 days. So enjoy, don't think too hard, and be encouraged!

This year my emails have a new "ending." My husband last year started coining this phrase that he said all the time, "Just be Awesome." He would reply with this statement and it always made me laugh and smile. So this summer it started to roll off my tongue and I added the basic summation of what I want to do each day...BE AWESOME AND LOVE JESUS. That's my motto this year and you will see the phrase a lot.

* Be Awesome: basically to be awesome means you are living by the fruit of the Spirit. That's my theological statement of belief (jk, please don't comment, I'm just being silly :)
* Love Jesus: If we are loving Jesus we are loving people...or at least in a perfect world that's how we as followers of Christ should be living. If we know of the love of Christ in our own heart then love for others should be overflowing!

So K2 friends: Be awesome and Love Jesus! I could run in political races with that campaign slogan...doubt I would win!

Be awesome & love Jesus,

ashley@kanakuk.com

Sweet Dreams...(just for a bit)

Hey Kanakuk FRIENDS (kampers you are back now!! woohoo!!),

Well, Shay and I are taking some much needed down time and then vacation. I am going to give my blogging little mind a break but will send out emails to all K2 kampers (I hope we have your correct email address...if you don't get an email within a month then email registration@kanakuk.com to give them your name and correct email address) soon to tell them that KANAKUKASHLEY.COM is kicking off! Thanks friends! Have fun for the last bit of summer!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

Closing Ceremony Schedule...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,
Here is the closing ceremony schedule in full detail. We really do everything on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning is simply breakfast for kampers and then you pick them up. So taking them Tuesday night is totally okay. I am sorry I haven't updated the blog in 2 days...it's been a little chaotic! Awesome, but chaotic! Thanks for understanding...

Tuesday, August 11:
5:00 pm: Early luggage pick up/Kanakuk Clothing store open
5:30 pm: Picnic for Parents (your kampers, guys and gals, will come out as they get showered)
6:45 pm: Family Vespers (Joe White talks to you all and all kampers)
7:30 pm: Kamper Recognition (you are circled up with your daughter's cabin only)
8:00 pm: Tribal Flag Ceremony (you watch which tribe wins the "term" competition)
8:30 pm: K2 AWARDS CEREMONY
10:00 pm: Finish Awards / Head out to return in the am OR Take daughter & check out of office

Wednesday, August 12:
8:00 am: Kamper breakfast
8:30 am: Parents can arrive at K2 to get luggage
9:00 am: Pick up your kamper and Head home

Again, just to clarify b/c I have gotten a lot of emails, Tuesday is when we will do EVERYTHING. Nothing goes down on Wednesday morning except we feed your children and they head out. Thanks Parents!

Window to their World,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

August 7...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,

Once again we woke to a beautiful morning in Lampe, MO. Praise Jesus! Well, it's a somewhat crazy day for K2. We have cabin 19 & 20 girls headed out all day for their special trip called "SuperDeal." It's for our oldest month cabin of gals! It's a thank you for being such loyal kampers for so many years. We also have a special afternoon/night planned for UnReal Deal which is cabin 14, our oldest 13 dayers. We give them an extra ski kamp (time on the dock to ski, tube, wakeboard, jetski, etc) and grill steaks and a yummy special meal...with Blue Bell special ice cream. Again just a little thank you for being awesome kanakuk kids!

Verse: John 8:31: "To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple." 

Morning/Afternoon: We are a little tight on the schedule with our staff but we have a fun pool party planned and some cabin bonding to have all 6 periods of classes today! I am actually on time off from K2 but I am sure the girls are having a blast!

Night: KANAKOMO PAJAMA PARTY! Tonight is one of my fav nights (I'm sad I won't be there!). The girls can wear their pj's (appropriate K2 rated ones) to dinner and then after dinner the girls pile into the girls gym for a classic disney movie. I think we are watching Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, or The Little Mermaid! I'm 28 and I love these movies! They can bring their pillows and blankets (we have the AC on for them!). We also pop popcorn and put m&m's in there with the popcorn. We also make a special pink drink (sprite, pink lemonade and cherries!). It's just a girlie night! 

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

August 6 in Pictures...

Hey Kanakuk Families and Friends,

Here are some crazy, fun pictures from the day! 

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

Picture of the Day:

I thinking this is basketball specialty girl being silly...
K2 dance learning their dance...these girls look so focused! 
I love this picture! I think this is tramp playing games...like rub your belly, pat your head while jumping! Always fun at K2! 
Rockin' the shades!

K2 Soccer gal gettin' after it!

August 6...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,

Well, today is going to be a great day! It's beautiful here at K2. Usually Term 6 we are having 100 degree days as a norm...not this summer. It's just been perfect! Here is the info on the day!

Verse: Proverbs 10:17: "He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." (SIDE NOTE: I'm sure all you parents are loving that I wrote on this verse for the girls daily devo time! Woohoo! I love partnering with you!)

Morning/Afternoon: We had a normal day once again at K2 with all our classes on the girls side. In triathlete we had our triathlon today and it was awesome...thankful for the breeze and not killer warm weather! 

Night: K-LIFE TONIGHT! Tonight Don Ford, the President of AfterDark and Pure Excitement ministries, will be speaking. he helps direct K2 with Joe and is a great speaker. His message is titled "It's How You Finish." 

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

August 5 in Pictures...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,

What a stinkin' fun party! Here are pics from the Amigos night and some great friend shots! Just to let you all know I just have our photographer send me 4-6 pictures each day. It's just meant to be a snapshot so sorry if I repeat girls or specialties! This is just meant to be a little snapshot of K2 girls side! There could be no way to get every specialty or every girl with what this little blog is trying to do which is just to give you a little window...please continue to check www.kanakuk.com for all the pictures of K2. Thanks!

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

Picture of the Day:

August 5...

Hey Kanakuk Families and Friends,

Well, August 5th officially marks 7 days left till August 12...is summer really almost over! Can't handle even typing it! Here is the run down of the day. Please continue to pray for K2...this silly germ/flu like bug just won't go away! For all health updates please visit www.insidekanakuk.com. I try not to type to much on it because it's not taking over but it sure is contagious! Thanks for your prayers!

Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:12: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Morning/Afternoon: Pretty normal day as far as classes go! The girls had periods 1-5 today (party tonight!)

Night: AMIGOS, AMIGOS, AMIGOS! This party is so fun! We have tacos and fajitas...along with powdered sugar/honey sopapias (not sure of spelling?). Yummy! We then had a carnival to earn pesos to spend at the market. Then an awesome fiesta! It was tons of fun!

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

August 4 in Pictures...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,

Here are some fun pictures from the 4th! Enjoy!

Window to their World,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

ashley@kanakuk.com

Picture of the Day:

August 4...

Hey Kanakuk Friends and Families,
Seriously 1 week from today you all will be coming in for Closing Ceremonies! What in the World!!! I truly can't express how fast this summer has flown by! Today was a gorgeous day in good 'ole Lampe, MO. It was sunny with a little breeze behind it! I can't tell you all enough how blessed we have been weather wise! Usually for Term 3 and Term 6 kampers we have like mandatory pool parties (sounds awful huh!) because we want to keep the kampers somewhat cooled down! Here is the scoop on the day...

Verse: Ephesians 4:3-4: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called."

Morning/Afternoon: Once again a pretty normal morning/afternoon. We had all 6 classes today and just all around great day!

Night: K-LIFE TONIGHT! Tonight Dr. Joe White brings the message titled "Your Song." The message is so tender and so applicable to teens today. Joe talks about how the world is shouting, blaring the song they should sing. But that God has an exact song for each of them to sing with the christian leader in them. No matter if you are shy, loud, athletic, or not...you have a specific song that God has written in their hearts. It's such a powerful message! Okay now what I'm telling you next you have to keep secret...till tomorrow at least. Tonight there is a surprise Michael W. Smith concert! Woohooo!!!! Michael W. Smith is dear to K2 as he is always great to come and hang out each summer. I know that Joe says all the time that their friendship is so dear to Joe and Kanakuk. Anyways, so you, parents, know first. I think some girls have figured it out because Michael just jumps into K2 but I think some girls will still be surprised!

Window to their World,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

August 3 in Pictures...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,
Here are the pictures from the day! They are some great shots from our classes! Hope you see your precious daughter!

Window to their World,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Picture of the Day:

August 3...

Hey Kanakuk Moms and Dads,
Well, August 3 is here and goodness, I can't believe that there is only 9 days of K2 Summer 2009 left! Craziness! Term 3-6 is going crazy and loving life! Here is the run down of the day...

Verse: Mark 1:15: "The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Morning/Afternoon: Normal schedule today. We had all our classes and just an all around great day!

Night: CROSSTALK: This is a huge night. (I'm writing this now on Aug 4). Parents I can't tell you the mighty work the Lord did last night in hearts at K2. Our "bell" at K2, which is just a celebration symbol that kids ring when they come to know the Lord, rang 53 times! 53 teens came to know the Lord or recommitted their hearts to him. It was so awesome! Please continue to pray that hearts would be soft to allow the Lord to mold all the kampers here to be mighty men and women of the Lord!

Window to their World,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

August 2 in Pictures...

Hey Kanakuk Friends and Family,
Well here are some fun pictures from the afternoon and night HOLIDAY HOLAPALOOZA! Enjoy!

Window to their World,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Picture of the Day: