THE Assembly.

Ok, here we go. The story! 

A few weeks ago we had our Staff Appreciation Week at work. Which ever since last year, I have been dying for this week! We get treated so well at work and it includes the best and biggest assembly of the year. The Builder of the Year Assembly. Which I love!

Our school's theme is "being a builder" by being kind, gracious, helpful, and serving others. We have an assembly where the school awards a student from each grade, as well as, an elementary teacher, aide, jr. high teacher and support staff {I like to compare it to the Student/Teacher of the Year award, but builder is just APA lingo.} The awards for the students are voted on by the staff and the staff awards are awarded by the other staff members. The best part of the awards is that it is kept a complete secret from the recipient students and staff members. It makes the assembly so thrilling to see the expressions and excitement of the students and staff members. 

Now, the morning of the Assembly.
 I was so excited because its such a great assembly. My role at the assembly was to meet and greet the winners afterwards to congratulate them. That being said, I wanted to look nice! My plan was to get there early but I had MAJOR outfit problems which made me super late for work and in a real bad mood about it. 

I got to work and immediately was given orders by Brad {the Principal}. I was given strict instructions to not let anyone in the gym until the students were. To make sure all the students are in before I go in. To sit in the back corner section of the gym to chaperone those students, even though there were already like four teachers sitting there. All things I wasn't worried about leading up the assembly--I mean, its the biggest assembly of the year! So stress is high and listening to directions was ok. 

We start the assembly with student awards and making the way up to staff awards. 

We got to the Support Staff category {which I am under} and just got a bit nervous. I saw Brad make eye contact with me but really figured it was going to be our secretary. I spotted her in the audience to watch her reaction and low and behold...they announce my name.
I was the Builder of the Year.

I was in shock. 

I made my way to the front of the gym and felt nervous with the whole school, parents and the administration in the room. I also felt a like anxious as I knew none of my family was in attendance. 

They always have spouses, family or even roommates there to congratulate the winner. 

I never spotted my sister and it never even dawned on me that Rudy would be there, so I figured I would stand at the front with no one there to hug me. 

As soon as I get to the podium, I turn and I see Rudy walking towards me. 

And I was floored. 

I was so happy that he was there. That he could enjoy that moment with me and be by my side.

Brad presents me with my award and then continues to read it to me. 

Again, I was so surprised. It contained the nicest and sweetest comments, something I never would have imagined. I feel so humbled by receiving this award and appreciate it so much that my co-workers think so well of me. If the day had ended on that note, I would have still been so happy, but I had no idea it was about to get any better or exciting! 

Brad finished my award by saying "Leigh, you really are amazing, but I am not the only one who thinks that. Rudy, I will let you take it from here."

WHAT!?

It was that moment.
Finally that moment you have though about, wished for and waited for.
 And it was finally happening.
In front of 600 people at school. 

I was in such shock. 

And if that wasn't enough, Rudy took the mic and said, "I know how much Ms. Robins loves this school and loves the students and so I've asked the students to help me with something"

He points...

and four students stand with signs…

It was shock, after shock, after shock. 

And so incredibly exciting!

He got down on one knee, I didn't really say anything until Brad forced the mic in my face to answer. 

He put the ring on and I felt like the crowd went crazy.

After the assembly, I had so many parents tell me they were crying and how excited they were!

The students made me feel like a celebrity! They rushed me afterwards and I am pretty sure every girl told they cried. 

I had elementary students all day gawk at me and tell me "You are the one that got married!" 

haha. not exactly kiddo. 

That night I even had two 5th grader girls email me a slide show with congratulations on it and slides telling me I was going to be a princess. 

It was the sweetest and so kind and just made me feel even more happy.
The next day, the congratulations continued and it was all the talk. The Drama students even recreated the whole thing for me and acted it out. Signs and all! I was almost more happy in that moment, then the real thing!
We are really happy and really excited.
Mark your calendar…June 14th!!

families are forever.

Today is my 27th birthday. 

I have to be a little honest. 

I wasn't that excited about it. 

I feel like I should have a baby or something at this age. 

But last night, as I was contemplating life on my birthday eve, I thought less about myself and more about my family. 

27 years ago I was born into the Robins family. 

{Dad, do you still have that shirt?}

And when I think about the concept of families it sometimes boggles my mind. 

A lot of time in life we are constantly looking for friends. 

I know I have been with my move and it happens in lots of different stages of life. 

The sometimes struggling ability to find people that you like, and they like you, that you can talk to them and I think the most important--be yourself around them. 

A lot of the time that is very hard to find and the search for friends is constantly happening. 

Yet, in life we have been blessed with instant friends in a family. 

You are given a family that has to like you! 

They have to accept you and love and they become your longest lasting friendship that you have ever had which makes you so comfortable around them. 

Perhaps I am rambling now but when you really think about, its amazing! 

I am so grateful for two incredible sisters that I LOVE hanging out with. 

I love being their little sister.

I couldn't be proud to call them my sisters and friends. 

I just love the concept of a family. 

An instant group of friends that love you and care for you. 

And if that isn't enough, you've been given two parents that have so much love for you that you can't even comprehend everything they have done for you!

 How awesome is it to have that many people in your life with so much love!

But wait, it gets even better! You get these people, that love you and are your best friends…really forever! I get to spend eternity with my family.

So that is what I have to be most grateful for on my own birthday. 

My family members who I have been given that I love so much. 

Thank you for loving me for 27 years. 

{and I may not have a kid at 27 but I have 7 of the best nieces and nephews around that I love almost as much}

26.

I have no shame in admitting that my birthday is my favorite time of the year. 

Ok, maybe a little shame in the fact that there's a day that is all about ME. 

But thats the great thing about birthdays. Everyone has that day and we get to use it as an excuse to be a little prideful for just a day. 

Or a week if you choose....

I just love January 22. 

But of course like every year, it gets a tad bit less exciting. 

Like this year. 26 just for reals seems too old. 

{now only 4 years till..}

I wish I could go back to my golden years sometimes. 

That being said, I may or may not have had some pre-birthday blues which I was trying so hard to fight off. 

But needless to say, it still turned out to be a great birthday. 

Birthday celebrations kicked off a few days before with a great skiing day with Cortney. 

I love being close to her again and that we can hang out! 

Cort hooked me up with a free ski pass from Paul's work and let me borrow boots and poles to go with my new skis. 

It was a great and warm day on the mountain and I didn't feel too rusty. 

{Being above the inversion made for such a great day!}

Its so funny to think that we have been best friends and the "roommates" since we were 18!! 

My actual birthday was filled with working and hearing lots and lots of "Happy Birthday Ms. Robins!" {which that alone can make my day!} due to my favorite co-worker bringing me balloons to work and my boss treating me to a little piece of home with In-N-Out for lunch. 

I got to FaceTime with some of my favorite little ones. 

And celebrated with some of my favorite pizza and friends. 

For me the greatest part of birthdays is just the reminder of how blessed I am with so many wonderful friends and a stellar family that love me, and of course I love in return. 

I was bombarded with so many texts, phone calls and FB posts that sure did make me feel special, but more importantly made me grateful for those friendships. I am always blown away at how lucky I am for having the greatest friends. Thanks for helping me love my birthday! 

Here's to being one year older...and wiser too. 

a kindred spirit

***Disclaimer: This post does in no way should be interpreted as favoritism with any of my nieces/ nephews. i love them all equally***

I think about this often. 

That although Mia is my sisters daughter and possess many of her qualities (sassy, stubborn...difficult. wait, what??) I also like to think that Mia and I have a special little bond and that we are the same in some ways too. 

1. Mia loves to dip her food in any sauce she can. Ketchup. Ranch. Salsa. You name is she wants her food in it. She must get this from me. I will not touch a french fry (a self proclaimed fave food) if it is not doused in ketchup. I can only tolerate mashed potatoes if its smothered in bearnaise sauce too. 

2. We babysat the kids for a week while Laura and Matt were in Mexico back in June. I asked and begged her ever day. And after a week I convinced Mia to let me paint her nails. Since then, we have hardly missed a week. Each Sunday I take her to my room and let her pick which shade of pink she wants. I have hardly gone a few weeks myself without polish on these nails in the last five years. 

3. The last one is a new and exciting development. We were playing UNO, Toy Story 3 edition and Mia was hoarding some cards. She was holding in her hands all of the cards with the Pig on it. Perhaps only cause pigs are pink, but all Ive got to say is that Pigs are my favorite animal. 

Laura also pointed out that Mia and I have similar hair and eye color.

Perhaps its a small, insignificant list of similarities. But I like it. 

a new baby girl.

Laura and Matt are the proud parents of this beautiful little girl.

And the rest of us couldnt be more excited to welcome her into our family.

didnt know babies come out purple...

Lyla Robyn

Born September 26.

7:06 PM. 5 lbs 15oz. 17 3/4 inches.

She is just a little thing.

Months ago I asked Laura if I could be in the delivery room on the big day. So when she called me Monday afternoon on the way to the hospital, I was pretty dang excited and antsy to join her in her hospital room. 

We did have to wait around for a couple of hours for Lyla to finally arrive but I couldnt have been more thrilled to be there during the whole process and witness Lyla coming into this world. 

I was on photography duty and did a pretty grand job of documenting the whole labor process. 

My sister just pushed out a BABY. and she looks GORGEOUS. 

As soon as that baby came out, I started crying. I turned to my mom and she was crying. 

And the spirit in that room was strong! 

Im still on the fence if the whole experience made me excited or terrified to have children someday. 

(even after Laura apparently had a real easy labor experience)

But I am so glad I was able to be there for the whole thing. I seriously loved it. And I love being able to say Ive known baby Lyla since the minute she was born! 

She is seriously so tiny 

we all just love her lots. 

time in the NO.

One of my favorite things about living in Utah during my college days were trips to North Ogden. 

I know, sounds kinda crazy. 

But my oldest sister Kelly happens to live there.
At the start of my freshman year I tried to make a weekend trip there every month. Im proud to say I kept with it all through my Provo days.

Kate's blessing day. 2009.

Im pretty sure I got to attend every birthday party for the kids. 

Attended lots of soccer games, a few dance recitals and lots of babysitting. 

I loved going to Ogden to escape Provo life for a bit. 

During my lonely months my sophomore year, I needed Ogden. 

And I loved having the extra time to be with my sister and get to know her kids. 

I especially loved the opportunity to meet Kate in the hospital. 

Probably one of the most difficult things about living in LA is being away from this part of my family. I seriously miss my carefree Ogden weekends.

Drewbie and Me. February 2007.

Although I have made many trips to Utah since moving out, I have been a terrible sister and aunt and have not made it to Ogden for a visit. 

Last weekend that changed. We had our Robins Reunion in SLC over the weekend. I told my parents I wanted to go to Ogden after the reunion to see Kel and told them they were not invited to join--I wanted just my own time with her and the kids. 

So I headed back to the Beehive State (during Pioneer Day no less!) for our family reunion. 

I seriously love me some Robins Rendezvous. 

I love my crazy, confusingly huge family.

Representing the Dan Robins part of the family with our blue bandannas. Sadly this is the only photo I took at the reunion. 

This year we had a "Robins Roundup" full of square dancing, a talent show, family skits, Music & the Spoken Word, tour of the Conference Center and lots of chatting and catching up. 

The rest of my time was spent in Pleasant View (as they have now moved from the NO).

We hit the pool, played games, went bowling, did lots of tackling, danced in the basement, watched the Justin Bieber movie, shopped SLC, painted Kate's nails, was a terrible babysitter and just chilled. 

Jumping photo on Mars. 

And I loved it.

I need more weekends with those kids, I love them so much. 

Lucky for me they are coming to California in two days! 

Beach, pool and tackling are in my future. 

But of course I did manage to hit the Katy Perry concert with my friends.

Dancing along side these three girls could not have been more fun.

 Sometimes I paid closer attention to their dance moves than Katy's.

Thanks Utah!
good to see you every few months. 

it all ends.

After being reprimanded by Allie Barker for not going to the midnight showing of HP last Thursday night, I knew I had to get myself to see the newest movie this weekend to prove that I am truly a  Harry Potter fanatic!

As expected, the movie did not disappoint! 

coolest thing i have ever seen. just a snippet of the wall displaying every HP movie poster.


And, as expected, I was crying probably after the first twenty minutes. 

I could not hold it together during this movie. I cried during all the sad parts and the happy parts and the ending.
Basically the entire time.
And it wasnt even just the plot line, I got all nostalgic during the movie.

The Harry Potter series was my childhood, my teenage years. 

I believe my love for reading can be traced back to that day when my 12 year old self was in a bookstore with my mom. She told me she would pay me $20 if I read the book "Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone", the new hit book. My response: "No way, that looks so lame"
Two hours later I was to be found laying by my pool, HP in hand thinking "What the heck am I reading!? Wizards? Hogwarts? Muggles?"
And yet, after the first chapter I was hooked.
Which then led to buying and reading the other books. And then re-reading them.Watching the movies. Buying books 6 & 7 on amazon for the guarantee that the book would be delivered on the day it came out in stores. Hyperventilating as book 7 was in hand. And then re-reading those and midnight premieres of  the movies.

And so it was a big part of my growing up years, and watching that movie and realizing the fun and excitement of Harry Potter was over just made me lose it.
Might sound lame, but its true.
I love 'Arry Potter.
As everyone should.

I loved coming to church on Sunday and talking to all of my girlfriends about Harry Potter. We talked about all of the details of the movie, what parts we cried in and explaining parts of the book.
Ill see it with anyone who wants to go again!

what so proudly we hailed, at the twilights last gleaming.

Happy 4th of July!!

I LOVE America.

I LOVE jumping photos! Jessica and I outside Independence Hall, location of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Nov. 09.

I LOVE George Washington. 

I love everything to do with the founding of this country.

I love the Revolutionary War.

I love hearing stories of how the colonists were discouraged, without supplies, cold with poor clothing, not formally trained soldiers, did not have proper war strategies and were still able to beat and conquer the Red Coats. 

I love Valley Forge. 

I love the Continental Army.

I love Bunker Hill.

I love the Continental Congress.

I love Lexington and Concord.

I love the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

I love Thomas Jefferson for writing such inspired words.

I love the Founding Fathers. 

I love the Colonists militia taking over Dorchester Heights.

I love the crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Day.

Nothing brings me more joy than learning and appreciating the struggles that so many endured to found a country in which we can enjoy so many freedoms. 

I love history so much because it further deepens my love for this country. 

I love America. And  I am so proud to be an American. 

Happy 4th of July!

However, that being said, I hope you all know that the Declaration of Independence was actually first approved on July 2nd.

my photo taking twin.

I like to take pictures and I take a lot, but I think I have met my match in M'Kynzi.
And when we are together, we like to take even more. We love snapping away as many as we can!
We felt like we were back in London taking so many photos together. 

As previously mentioned we had such a great time taking in the LA sites and just catching up with life. 

I absolutely love friendships in which it doesnt matter how long its been, or how often you keep in touch, but when reunited again its as if no time has passed. 

As soon as I saw Kynz it was like our study abroad, London travels and bunk bed days had never stopped. 

And it was the best. 

Kynz is an absolutely amazing friend. She is ok with my photo bombs, loves hearing about my dreams, a little snobby and a Ute. But I love her. And im just so glad she has finally started sharing her secrets with me. 

Other than the Pantry, our adventures included:

Dodger stadium.

Kynz had never been to an MLB game! And what better time to go then with the Dodgers biggest fan. 

Downtown LA and Olvera Street.

We were lucky enough to do during the Fiesta de Flores. 

I could go to this tourist street all the time. Love the great photog shots, the food and all the things to buy.
If only I hadnt been too full to have some stuffed churros. 

Santa Monica Beach. 

This Utah girl had never been to the beach! She loved soaking up the sun and riding bikes along the sand. 

Hollywood. 

Cant come to LA and not see the craziness of H&H. 

we saw BIG BEN! it was like we were in London all over again.

The LA Temple. 

Great way to end our Sabbath day. 

"why would you ever need a two second timer?"
Well said Kynz.

We are self timing pros. 

And of course a much need reunion with Lillie! We were one short of a Terrible Quad Reunion.

But I think my favorite moment was Kynz and Lillie sitting on my bed, reminiscing on our London days while looking through pictures and my journal. And its always great to have amazing girlfriends to talk about all of our boy problems and frustrations in dating.
It was such a much needed weekend.
I LOVED having you here M'Kynzi!! I wish we could hang out all the time. Glad you finally made the much anticipated trip here, and please come back soon!!