All things Chalfant

2010-02-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile, and my girl is growing fast! Not to mention acquiring quite the imagination. She's got these two friends, you see, Betsy and Steve who "ring" our house several, like 6, times a day. Zoe will run into the kitchen "Besty and Steve are ringing!", pick up the phone and carry on a conversation that goes something like this:
"Hi Betsy and Steve, do you want to come to my house and see my monkey?"
"Oh ok see you soon!"
Then she'll get off the phone, put it back on the counter and let me know that Betsy and Steve are going to come over and play.

Sometimes, however, Betsy and Steve are unavailable so she'll "call her Nana" and have the following conversation:
"Hi Nana, are Betsy and Steve there? I just want to see what they're up to."
"Oh, they aren't? I want to see if they can come over and play with me and my monkey too."
Again, putting the phone back on the counter telling me that Betsy and Steve aren't at Nana's house and she'll have to call them later.

Also, not sure how many people know this but she'll be having a baby sister in June, whom she's named "Paprika". I think it has a nice ring to it, what do you think?

And I'll leave you with her one liner for the day:
"Boy this coloring is really a lot harder than I thought it would be!"

Conversations with Zoe...

2009-11-17T14:58:00.001-08:00

I need to go potty by myself.
Ok, go ahead, make sure you sit all the way on the toilet, wipe and flush.
Ok, I will.

Upon her return...

Did you wipe?
Yes
Did you was your hands?

Um, probably no.

At least she's honest, right?

Conversations with Zoe...

2009-09-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took my girl to the zoo. We started out in the children's farm (my least favorite). Zoe noticed the baby donkey nursing and says "Look mom, baby donkey drinking his mommy's pribates (privates)." I had nothing.

Now we're at the Hippos. They can't be found upstairs or down, and I really wasn't in the mood to go searching for them so I told Zoe they were in their bedroom taking a nap. She then proceeded to inform me that they were taking their nap, with their chap stick. ?? "Oh yeah?" I said. "Yes, they are taking a nap in their room with their chap stick." A few minutes later, "Mom? Hippos have chap stick?" I guess they do.

Last week my mom and I took a trip with Zoe to Dallas to visit the Ikea store. One evening at dinner (Freddy's) Zoe is enjoying her custard, stands up, spoon in hand and starts chanting "For ice cream, for ice cream." Someone had apparently told her the rhyme "You scream, I scream..." she screams "for ice cream!"

That's my girl. Never a dull moment.

Then & Now, a mostly pictures post

2009-05-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

That was then...

... this is now.

That was then...

...this is now.

That was then...

... this is now.

No, I did not force my child to be locked in a cage with a dog. She decided she wanted to "watch a movie with Chester...in his kennel", she closed the door and said..."lock please mom." My how time flies!

No outsmarting a 2 year old...

2009-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know my child, even remotely well, know that she LOVES chocolate milk. Every morning, it's the first thing she asks for. She also knows that her Mimi and Popsi always have chocolate milk, not just the milk and syrup kind either, they have the good stuff. Well, at our house, we're the milk and syrup kind of folk (since I can drink an entire gallon of the good stuff, no problem). It used to be that after her first cup of CM, when she'd ask for more, I could just pour plain ol white milk and shake it up so all she would see are the bubbles and think it was the same. Well... this morning I was filling up her second glass, with plain ol white milk, gave it a shake and handed it to my child. After one drink she handed me back the cup, looked up at me and said...

"More chocolate in there, please, mom?"

Have I told you lately...

2009-04-25T18:01:00.001-07:00

How much I love this girl?

I know I know, it's been forever. But as I told you last time, I was going to spend time just lovin on my girl. Since last post, she has turned another year...Because it's been nice outside, we've spent our days at the playground, the zoo, and we average 5 backyard picnics a week...It's amazing how fast she's growing up, and I am so fortunate to be able to watch her learn and grow all day every day!

Goodbye, Baby Job

2009-01-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I've thought of a name for our baby number two. Norbert just didn't seem to fit. Job, one of the greatest men in the Bible (in my opinion) was tested over and over by Satan. He lost everything, his family, his belongings, everything to his name was taken from him, yet his faith never wavered. Today we found out that our sweet Baby Job has gone to be with the Lord, actually he's been there for several weeks. Tomorrow I will have a DNC to have him removed. While we're saddened by this, I can't help but think of Job, and his unwavering faith. Even though mine may waver at times, I will do my best to know this is God's plan, and that our precious baby is already singing praise with his Heavenly father. So until we meet again, goodbye Baby Job.

Job 1:21: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

A Little Bit of Chicken Fry

2009-01-16T17:18:00.000-08:00

Over the past few months, we, as a family have grown to love this song. No matter where we are, the three of us break out in dance, whether it's in our kitchen or in the parking lot of Target. (Yes, people do stare). The funny thing is, it's not just Dustin and I dancing, Zoe has grown to love this song as well. When we were in Phoenix, on our way back to the hotel from lunch with a friend, Zoe had fallen asleep and this song came on. We turned it up slightly, and when the chorus came on, up popped Zoe's head, and side to side she danced, it was great! This song seems to be written about our family, we just love it! And since I don't know how to upload a video from YouTube, here are the lyrics and the link! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Chicken Fried

You know I like my chicken fried
Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I`ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman`s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother`s love

Well I was raised up beneath the shade of a Georgia pine
And that`s home you know
Sweet tea pecan pie and homemade wine
Where the peaches grow
And my house it`s not much to talk about
But it`s filled with love that`s grown in southern ground
And a little bit of chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I`ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman`s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother`s love
And its funny how it`s the simple things in life that mean the most
Not where you live or what you drive or the price tag on your clothes
There`s no dollar sign on a piece of mind this I`ve come to know
So if you agree have a drink with me
Raise you glasses for a toast
To a little bit of chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I`ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman`s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother`s love

I thank God for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly, let it ring.
Salute the ones who died
The ones that give their lives so we don`t have to sacrifice
All the things we love
Like our chicken fried

Cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up
Well I`ve seen the sunrise
See the love in my woman`s eyes
Feel the touch of a precious child
And know a mother`s love

Glad to be home.

2009-01-05T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Chalfant's spent the week between Christmas and New Year's in Phoenix this year. We left on the 27th and got home on the 3rd. I sincerely apologize about the idleness of "All Things Chalfant". We had a good time in Phoenix with Dustin's family. It was the first time Zoe and her cousin Gabe had spent any real time together. We saw them this summer but only for a short weekend in Kentucky (Yes, where the Hyper-color bag came from.) While we were in Phoenix we had the opportunity to attend the KU-Minnesota Bowl game. It was a fun experience, especially since I (K) am a KU alum, and D is a Minnesota alum. Other than that, we hung around the resort, tried to catch some rays, even though it was a bit too cold to go swimming. We also were able to see my good friend from high school, Paige, who now lives down there. While it was a fun trip, I am definitely glad to be home.

On another note, Christmas...

Went by way too quickly, but we had a great time. Zoe got her first trike, along with enough stickers to last her for years. It was fun watching she and her cousin Bridget play together. They're about 10 months apart, and finally have reached the age where they can actually play.

I hope all of you had a great Christmas and a wonderful, safe New Year! Here's to 2009.

She would rather not.

2008-12-18T14:23:00.001-08:00

Well, Zoe and I just made our first noman, and guess who hated every minute of it! That's right, little bits. She cried when I put her snowsuit on, cried when I put her boots on her (which is usual), and cried when I pulled her hood up, granted her hair was all in her face. As I rolled the three balls, she stood by repeating "alk, no" over and over. She loves to look at it, but when it comes to touching it, she would rather not. After I stacked the body, I found some sticks and told her we needed a carrot and some raisins, she bolted for the door. We got our supplies, and yes, I even took out the camera! We have a camera that gets used quite a bit, but uploading the pictures is a different story (as I'm sure it is with most). However, I even went as far as uploading the pictures (only added a few), so enjoy!

Noman?

2008-12-16T06:37:00.001-08:00

Zoe's ability to relate things without being told really astonishes her dad and I. We had a slight snow last week, less than an inch that Zoe enjoyed looking at and especially enjoyed walking in. She kept asking "Alk, no?" Meaning, "can I walk in the snow?". Well, yesterday morning we were sitting at the table eating breakfast and she looks at us and says "No?" (how she says snow). I tried to tell her that the snow had melted and was no longer there. How you explain that to an almost two year old is beyond me, she just looked at me and said "No-man?" Now, she knows what snowmen are due to the season of the year, but how in the world does she know that you make a snowman out of snow? To you and I that seems ridiculous, and obvious, but to a two year old? I do know, however, that this morning when she wakes up she'll be either confused or exstatic when she sees the blanket of white out the front window. There's even enough for her to build a "no-man".

The Hyper-Color Bag.

2008-12-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

This summer the Chalfant clan flew to Kentucky for the Senn Family Reunion, aka Rough River, where most all of Dustin's family on his mother's side still reside. At the River we have a long weekend full of boating, tubing, drinking, eating, and very little sleep. This year, however, Dustin's mom, Gay, thought it would be fun to have a little "Christmas at the River". So without telling anyone, even her husband, she packed the car full of items she found from who knows where, things that would be hard to give away at a garage sale. They included, if I can remember right, a flashy gold purse, a comb, some fingernail stuff, a tacky frame or two, a men's tie, some other stuff, and a Hyper-Color bag. For this "Christmas" event all of the ladies drew numbers, and we went in this room, shut the door (which was a rule, made by Gay), and picked our gift.

As the other Aunts and women-in-law were coming out with their fancy gifts, I was certain that there would be nothing good left, until I saw it... a canvas tote bag, in Hyper-Color! Now, for those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s, we all had, or wished for something Hyper-Color. Since my older brother had the Hyper-Color shirt, that turned from yellow to brown (I know, gross!), and I think he had one that turned purple to pink (don't ask, it was Hyper-Color), I was always jealous. But now I have my Hyper-Color, in tote bag form, and needless to say, it gets used weekly as Zoe and I take our books to and from the library.

So, here's to Gay. For not only making our library trips easy and convenient, but for the opportunity to have some Hyper-Color in my life. Love you!

Mother Hen

2008-12-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

We have come to notice in the last couple of months that Zoe is quite the mother hen. As she absolutely adores our dogs, especially Chester, she is the first to boss them around. While I'm working at my computer, I hear her little voice "Move Beben" because she doesn't want to walk around him, "Chesters, tenel" (Chester, Kennel) when she thinks he needs to be locked up, "Tome here Dex" (Come here, Dex) because she wants him to lay in his kennel with her. He's the last dog who would want to snuggle up with her in his kennel. She so much as looks at him and he runs away. I feel bad for the dogs because she chases them around the living room, puts her lipstick on them, makes them look at books with her and simply tortures them. It will be interesting to see how she acts with Baby Norbert, it's name until we come up with something better. Will she control it, or will she nurture it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Welcome!

2008-12-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings from The Chalfants! We'll see how this "blogging" thing works out. Who knows how often I'll post, although I'll try to stay on top of it because I get antsy at blogs that remain idle. I hope to keep you updated on our lives, and hope to keep things interesting, as our family usually is (to me at least). Currently The Chalfants are a party of six, and will be adding a seventh in late July. Our house is a zoo, literally with a toddler (Zoe), three dogs (Beren, Chester and Dex), and a turtle (Sid). I'll just say there's never a dull moment.