I thought we better post this before he gets to doing the real thing. As you can tell Dallas is really good at walking while pushing something. He can stand alone now, but I have only seen him do it a handful of times.

a girl and her dog

Emily was camping on her floor for a couple of days this week. She peed on her bed, like really peed in the craziest area that was not at all covered by the mattress protector. It was on the edge, where they have the binding, and then down the side and then onto the box springs! I tried my best to clean up what I could, but it smelled! Several bouts with the spot bot and air drying and sunlight it is as good as new. In the meantime the bed was not fit for human. Emily camped out on the floor on Robert's old drum corp sleeping mat. I think Bo thought it was great for cuddling!

say goodbye, say hello

driving the Camry to its new home...

Robert picking up the newest member of the Kibbe vehicle collection

The story is a long one. We have been in the van hunt for about a year. We were not in desperate need, and had the cash ready, which made it easy to turn down deals that were not exactly what we wanted. Our dream van was still priced a little higher than we were ready to pay, at least this time around. Robert started seriously scouting things while he was on Christmas break from work. Many ebay bids were placed and lost, we almost had a van in Wichita, which was purchased locally just as we were placing our earnest money to hold it for us as we could not come get it until the weekend. Things slowed down after Rob went back to work as he has less time to search the web for that perfect gem.

The Monday before our roof started leaking Rob received a call from a dealer in Chicago, the same dealer that he had placed and lost a bid on ebay for a Sienna. The dealer was calling to see if we still wanted the van, Robert talked him into a great price and SOLD, we had a new vehicle. The next day our roof started leaking into the ceiling, we prayed hard about still making this deal, was this a good use for the money we had set aside for the van? We decided that we should still get the van, we felt it was a good deal, and reassured we still had the E-fund to fix the roof when it was time to do so.

My new van is a blue Toyota Sienna, it has tons of bells and whistles that I feel totally spoiled but love having. The best has to be the automatic sliding doors, that open with a touch of the key fab, and the heated seats. Emily seems to be enjoying the DVD player!

And to mention, Rob talked to the dealer about the trade in value they were willing to give for our car, it wasn't the greatest. Robert listed the Camry on Craigslist on a Monday by the end of the week we had a deal closed for twice what the dealer was going to offer. It is going to a 70 year in Story City that is going to drive it to Ames to get groceries. She also thought it was too nice to risk getting it banged up on the ice this winter so she is storing it in her sons garage until Spring. Her son was the one who was looking for the car, and we mostly dealt with him. I love that the car is going to live in an underground heated garage, and not to be run into the ground by a teenager!

The big Haircut

Most of you that have seen Dallas the last couple weeks have noticed a big change, the little boy looks like a great big toddler or a five year old. He is still cute beyond words, and Robert is more than ready for his hair to be long again. I am enjoying his easier to clean shorter hair! He is also enjoying his first dum dum sucker in this photo, he loved it!

Vote now!

Because we are suckers for all things Cyclones, and because we think our kids are the cutest! Help us out

Now through Monday, vote for your favorite submission in our 2010 Lovable Legacies photo contest. Childresn and grandchildren of alumni, aged 12 and under, are featured in our "biggest smile," best Cyclones spirit," and messiest moment" photo galleries. Vote for your favorite photo in each catergory; the top three submissions in each will recieve great prize packages. Check out the photos, preize packages, and online voting at http://www.isualum.org/lovablelegacies.

Window crayons

Crayola window and glass surface crayons has been one of Emily's favorite Christmas gifts. Thanks Uncle Greg and Aunt Chelsey. We have a sliding glass door in our family room that she loves to draw on. The marker wipes clean very easily, she does it herself. Above is a picture of Dallas that she drew. I love that she gives her people cheeks and chins! It might not be the best present for those you can't trust to stick to the proper surfaces, she hasn't tested the carpet or furniture yet, so I don't know how well it comes off other stuff. It does come out of clothes well.

Since everyone is probably tired of hearing about the emotional state of Laura and her house, and her rants about Allstate, I thought I would show you what Rob got me for Christmas

Did I come downstairs early in the morning and find a BMW parked in my yard, see it and you think I fib! He didn't really get me a BMW, but that is one snowbanked in out front yard. This is what I woke up to Sat. the 26th after fresh snowfall. We knew who's car it was, a neighbor a block over. Robert was having issues locating him, we wanted the car gone before we left for our Christmas is Osky, just to be on the safe side. We called a friend who was picking up Bo and he said the car was gone by 2:00 pm. Maybe next year I will get a BMW!

Things are looking up. I am in a much better place than I was Thursday morning. Time and perspective have helped. The kitchen and possibly the dinner room need new ceilings, water is still coming in through the upstairs windows. The good news is our roof is almost rid of all snow.

God is providing in ways we totally did not expect, it is so encouraging. We are still completely discouraged with Allstate and how our problem has been handled, I don't foresee us being 50 year customers of Allstate.

Thanks for all the prayer, it is sustaining.

Allstate figures none of this mess is covered. I pray that my husband keeps his cool while we work our appeal options, in a world of unhelpful insurance people.

Prayer needed

Video from our kitchen ceiling, Tuesday 7:45 pm ( I hope the entire 750 sq ft roof x 2 ft of snow doesn't decide to come through this hole)

I am soliciting all 11 of my blog readers. We are having issues with water coming into the house via ice dams on our roof. We are currently petitioning our insurance to try to get this covered. You might remember this from last summer, via last winter problems. We replaced the entire North side of the house.

We are trying not to "worry" about this problem and we hope you'll join us in prayer so that our house remains safe, and that Allstate will see this as a coverable event. They didn't cover it last winter (so we had to pay for all of the repairs) and they didn't find the problem either, and now it is happening again!

Blast from the past

We were skinnier, younger, had more hair, wore shorter, or longer shorts, and at the cabin. These are my fond memories of living in MN, I miss nature, God made lakes, hills and trees, and I doesn't help that in these pictures it was probably 60 degrees.

This week's update

The past week has been slow and fast and full of adjustments. Monday came too soon, with Robert headed back to work, leaving the three of us to make our own entertainment. It has been so cold here, and we have not been able to go run around outside. I did make it to the gym the couple of days it was open last week, so that is good for me and the kiddo's. The daycare portion of the gym always seems to be closed when we get a big storm.
Emily has been staying busy taking care of her baby dolls and teddy bears. She has also spent lots of time drawing and doing puzzles. Dallas has been pushing cars around and practicing standing (independently). I have been rolling around my to do list in my head. I would have to say I am a little slow to get started this week. I want to get the basement cleaned up, I have some little sewing projects I want to finish and start, and maybe even paint some stuff. I need help prioritizing it seems!
I also have to vacuum twice a day because the dog hair is driving me nuts! There is not much of it, no more than usual but the dryness and static make it cling to everything.
To top off our busy week we had dinner with friends to celebrate a birthday and met up with other friends to let the kiddo's run around and attempt to watch the BCS Championship game. Oh and our kitchen ceiling is leaking again, different spot, more than likely same issue. Tomorrow Rob is attempting to prove to Allstate that our roof is of poor design and causes ice damming, which also caused last years issues, and maybe we will get a new roof out of the deal. I am thinking big!

Christmas wrap-up

I wanted to post more about Christmas. We traveled to my Grandpa Johnson's for Christmas with my extended family the Sat. before Christmas, we had lots of fun and had a good time catching up with everyone.

Next we were to have the Kibbe's come to Ames on Christmas Day, we postponed that due to weather, and made that holiday up on the following Tuesday. We went to Osky to do two Christmas' on the 26th, and then to Eastern Iowa on Sunday to gather with the Fehling clan. It was so much fun and we are glad to travel so safely and miss most of the major storms.
That being said I think we need a minivan!

Rockstar Hair

Do you think he needs a haircut?
Emily rockin' her version of jingle bells