Ready for College Colton Clips

I post a lot of #mycoltonclips on my Blackhamball instagram. Those are basketball highlights. The "clips" being featured in THIS post, are the kind that cut cute curls from a Blackham boy head. Aunt Olivia has been the family hairstylist for years now. As Colton was packing up everything in preparation for his move to Oregon, he visited Livi for one last haircut (and HUG). 

She was so cute - she created this step-by-step tutorial that he could have on him to show the next stylist exactly how to keep the cut Colton' likes.  She also got him a GreatClips giftcard to help the poor college student with costs.

Built in blog post ... and I figured it might be good to have it here for reference!

 

Aunt Livi's Leaving & a Final Haircut

Before 

After

Gray's sister Olivia is going on a mission. I'm not sure what we're going to do without our hairstylist for 18 months! I had some shaggy boys. Olivia said she would give them a final haircut before she left. Here's the "before" and "after" ...  Thanks Aunt Livi.

The farewell talk was October 13

The Family Farewell Party (and birthday celebration) was October 27

Olivia entered the MTC on October 30

Good Luck Sister Blackham!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

It's haircut time AGAIN ... I really wish the boy's hair didn't grow SO fast. They were so shaggy. We were having a big Blackham bash, and we asked Aunt Olivia if she would bring her shears and give the boys a trim. And she did ...  Landon was up first.

 Landon After 

Cooper does NOT like getting his hair cut. But he also doesn't like getting his hair combed. I told him it was one or the other (and the combing wasn't really working at this point) ... so actually he didn't have a choice. It was time for the hair to GO ... 

And it's gone ... 

Callahan was up next ... 

Callahan's Cut 

 Then Keaton

Olivia had been making funny faces in all the photos ... 

Colton decided to give her some competition!

I forgot to snag an "after" picture of the last two boys, but here they are.

From shaggy to shorn!

If only it would last!

Thanks Aunt Livi!

Shaggy and Shorn

Hair ... it grows fast! And here in the Blackham house, we like it short (other than on Mom). But while the boys were ok with the Blackham Buzz, as they have gotten older they want a little bit left in the front (which requires a "professional"). So if Aunt Livi isn't available, it's off to the salon. Landon had decided that his hair was pretty shaggy, and I decided that Cooper's hair was unacceptable (pretty much back to the look in the post HERE). I decided to send Keaton and Colton too, as long as we were making the trip in. Unfortunately Callahan was off at a friend's house (that has happened before too, HERE), so while all the other Blackham Boys are studly and short, Callahan Man is still shaggy (you can't totally see it in the picture above, but it IS).

Love the "shortcut" as Colton calls it ... still need to get Callahan taken care of!

Haircut Housecall

Aunt Olivia cuts hair ... she always offers to cut the boys hair, but the timing doesn't always work out and sometimes I have to make an expensive and time consuming trip to the salon. All the boys were getting a little shaggy, and Landon sent Livi a message saying he needed a trim, and she offered to make a haircut housecall. How nice! I didn't take specific before/after pictures, but if you just look at the photos on the blog before and after, you'll see her good work. Thanks Aunt Olivia! I "paid" her with chocolate chip cookies ... 

Haircuts: Salon Style

I've loved having Grayson cut the kids hair, it saves not only money (a LOT of money) but time as well. As the boys got a little older, they weren't as fond of the "Blackham Buzz" ... wanting the top left longer so they could spike it with gel. Grayson did try to incorporate this preference into his cutting style, sometimes it looked good, other times ... the boys ended up getting a buzz anyway. I've been taking Landon to a salon for a few years now (or if Aunt Olivia is available, he'll let her do it, because she is a "professional") ... Callahan and Keaton have had their hair cut in a salon a time or two, but the little boys had only had Daddy or Aunt Livi cut their hair at home.

Well, the boys were getting shaggy, they ALL needed a trim. Grayson hadn't quite gotten around to it, and I thought I'd give him a break. I took them all (sans Callahan, who was off playing with his buddies) to Fantastic Sam's for a haircut. 

 The little boys LOVED having their hair washed 

and smiled during the entire experience.

Four clean-cut Blackham boys ... 

aren't they handsome?

I hope the boys still let Daddy cut their hair sometimes.

Haircuts

If you are familiar with our family, you know our boys generally don't wear their hair very long. Buzz cuts were the general style. With five boys, that is a LOT of haircuts, so I'm so lucky that Grayson handles this, it saves a lot of time and expense. Of course, as the boys have gotten older, they have gotten a little bit pickier. They want the top left long, and sometimes they insist on going to a salon (or having Aunt Olivia do the cutting).

Through the years, Grayson has cut the kids hair in various places. In the bathroom sink, in the kitchen, in the hallway, outside when the weather is warm enough. The kids are generally pretty good about it, although there has been some shrieking (Landon above, and baby Cooper below). It's probably easier to deal with crying at home than at a salon ...

Grayson cuts his own hair too! He likes it short, short, short! He's even "bic"ed it (shaving with a razor) a few times. I remember we were on a Mexican vacation, and one of the vendors called out to Grayson saying "Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean" ... pretty funny! I tease Grayson sometimes when the stubble on his face is longer than the hair on top of his head! But as I'm completely out of my element when it comes to cutting hair, I'm very grateful to have my Grayson and his haircutting ... buzzing ... skills!