Simon - Why I love thee!

Now on to my 2nd born. What can I say about Simon? He simply lights up a room whenever he enters. If you know Simon, you know what I mean. This little guy beats to his own drum. He sings to his own song. He dances his own little dance. He's this tiny little bundle of energy that you just want to grab on to and hold forever. But he's too squirmy for that. No time for cuddlling, this boy is on the move.



He's got these great little freckles on his eyelids that I want to kiss everytime I see them. Most people comment on his cute freckles when they first meet him, but he's starting to get
embarrased about them. I wish he could love them like the rest of us do.


And you can't talk about Simon without discussing his unique style of dressing. We call him the "monochromatic kid" because he likes all his clothes to be in the same color family. It doesn't matter if the pants are dark green and the shirt is neon green....they match in his mind. The other day he wore green camo pants and a green Hawaiin shirt. He always asks if he looks nice and I always say 'yes.' Well....I say 'yes' most of the time.

I love that Simon's heels never touch the ground. I love the strong little calf muscles he has because those heels never touch the ground! I love how he likes the finer things in life; a fuzzy blanket, a nice shirt, fine China. I love that he can play well with kids younger and kids older. He seems to fit in everywhere he goes. I love how skinny he looks in his PJ's. I love how concerned he can be for others. I love his spirit, his energy, his excitement for life. I love how he normally just goes with the flow. I love to hear him sing songs. I love watching him play sports.

I love how Simon will eat ANYTHING!! He loves pickles, sushi, eggs, celery, peppers, edamame, hot Buffalo wings....and he would probably love if I put all those things together. I love how he dives off the high dive at the Powell Pool. He starts at the back of the board and just starts running. He looks the Road Runner when he's finally air born with his feet still running.

Plain and simple, this kid is great. I love him more than this blog could ever express.

Liam--Why I love thee!

It is not big news that our children drive us nuts most of the time, and that some children do it more than others. So as we wrap up the holiday season, I feel it is important to reflect on what I love about them, what makes them unique, what brings out the best in them....because it isn't always me!! I need to sift through all the daily trials and tense moments of this household and find those precious things I adore about my children. So here it goes, I'll start with my eldest.



If you know my family at all, you know that Liam is my biggest challenge so far. He has humbled me as a parent so many times. When I first had children, I thought you could discipline anything out of a child. I read that "Dare to Discipline" book when Liam was just a toddler and assumed I had it all figured out. WRONG!!! Children will be who they will be. His personality has nothing to do with my discipline or lack of it. As challenging as Liam's stubborness can be, I love him for it. Someday that will help him stick to his guns during a job interview, or a debate with a professor or, scary as it sounds, a marriage proposal. (I hope my husband reads this!!!) Liam is Slagle through and through when it comes to his stubborness. I need to keep reminding myself that this is a good thing!

I love Liam for his goofy behaviour, although inappropriate at times. I love that he loves babies. I love watching him with his cousin Sammy. I love that he loves pets. I love his crazy cartoons that he draws. I love ALL his poetry, although inappropriate at times! I love that he still finds time to thank adults for things. I love that one little mole on his cheek. I love it when he genuinely gets the giggles. I love his sarcasm, also inappropriate at times. I love that he still likes to cuddle with me at night. I love that he wants to sit with me during movies. I love his curious nature. I love how he dives into new topics that interest him even if it drives me crazy at times. I love that people think he looks like his dad. I love how he enjoys calling family members to check in on them. I love that he likes to cook. I love how he uses big vocabulary words he reads in books. I love that he can make fun of himself.

And I love his goofy faces!! The list could go on and on. I simply love this boy.

100 Books in a Month...Not a problem

So we did it!! Just under the wire too. Our goal was to have it accomplished by Christmas. We read our last 5 books on the drive from Columbus to Toledo, Christmas Eve. Phew!

I thought about typing up the list of books so y'all could see what we tackled, but that just seems like too much work for this lazy holiday season. I will, however, go on record to say that they are all different books. We did not repeat any and mark them down twice, thrice, etc. Out of all this, I found some new series that keep me entertained as well as the kids. The Epposomundas books are fun. Simon loved my southern accent as I described the "great, big, hairy, Louisanana snappin' turtle." I also really liked the Dear Mrs. Larue books by Mark Teague but the boys didn't care for them. They were filled with wonderful sarcasm and witty humor that will keep the adult reader chuckling.


With every accomplishment there should be a reward, right? The kids are very anxious for their reward...a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. But if we want Mom's sanity to remain intact, we need to wait till all the "schoolies" go back to school so that we can have Chuck E. Cheese all to ourselves.