Gem of the Day

We were playing with our new stud finder, a favorite toy of Ben's.  He likes to put it on his chest and strut around when it finds a "stud" on his chest.  So Andrew got going with it.  At one point, he put it on Ben's back, and it didn't work.  Here's the conversation:

Andrew: "Why won't it work?"
Ben: "It doesn't work on something that's too dense."  (I laughed, Ben glared at me:)
Andrew: "Why does Dad have so many dents?"
Ben: "Because I'm married to your mother."

The stud finder is now put away.

Christmas!

Here's two of my great-looking boys, ready for church.  Andrew has had his suit for the past year, but Joey got one from the Kazmierski Grandparents this year, and he has been dying to wear it all weekend!  Look how happy he was!  He was so exited to show everybody at church.  He wanted to leave it on after church, so Grandma Jane could see, but I told him I'd put it on the blog so he could wear play clothes.  Bye the way, this is the fourth or fifth picture I took.  The first few were pictures of wiggly little boys being silly.

Ben's Christmas Eve tradition is to wake up the kids really early, take them to breakfast, and then shopping for my present.  This year, everybody but the baby went.  Grace looks a little disheveled, but she had a great time.  They ate at IHOP then went shopping.  Grace picked me out some very beautiful, very colorful socks with pink stripes and hearts.  The other kids picked out a nice, warm, red bath robe.  Thanks, kids!  I love them!

Later that day, Matthew fell asleep while cuddling with Andrew.  He never does that!  He just snuggled right up and went to sleep.  Andrew was so proud of himself!

Christmas morning started officially at 7:30.  However, Joey had walked into our room at 3:30 in the morning for some reason.  We cuddled a little while in my bed, and then I took him back to his room.  I don't think anybody peeked early, but what do I know?  I'm sure they'll all fill me in later on all the stuff that got past me.  Just don't tell me now.  Wait about 20 years so I don't punish you!

Here's the boys discovering things:

Grace's favorite presents were her pink cuddly bathrobe and her new pajamas from the Kazmierski Grandparents.  Her favorite thing is to be comfy!

Matthew noticed Haley opening some good stuff, and he wanted some too.

This is his favorite toy: a top.  Remember those?  I love it!

Even Shoji got in on the action.  She got a giant bone that scrapes the walls when she walks around with it hanging out of her big mouth (tail wagging the whole time).

The boys enjoyed their Star Wars helmets and "guys".  They'll be busy for weeks.

We got Jerry vintage Red Sox and Celtics shirts.  What he didn't know is that we got the kids some to match!  We just had to get a picture.  I better have them washed again before Grandpa Day!

Eric got the kids this great building set called Toobies, or something like that.  We made a big house out of them, and the kids loved the fort.  Grace got comfy right away, and Matthew just put up with it, I think.

It was a great Christmas again!  We are enjoying the giant flat screen in the basement.  After Ben installed it, he was standing right next to it, and I noticed how the guy on TV was the same size as him!  So now we watch life-sized TV.  It's very interesting. 

I hate to say goodbye to the holidays, so we'll leave the decorations up for another week or so.  There's just something sad about putting them all back in the boxes!