Running is Fun.

Sooooo, my boys are runners.  :)  If you've been reading my blog, you know that AJ's hobby is running.  He has run 2 half marathons and really enjoys it.  He trained really well last year so he was in great shape for the race he ran in April.  He has continued to run throughout this summer ---about 3 mornings a week.  He usually tries to do a longer run on the weekend.  He also plays basketball on thursday mornings for fun and another workout.   Working at Arvest this past year & half has actually allowed him to have a hobby which is a blessing for him.  Before that he was a youth pastor and before that a basketball coach so he really had no free time.  

Whenever we take walks as a family, which is often, Avery doesn't walk, he runs....the entire time.  So AJ decided he should get him some running shoes and start running together.   Avery was very excited!  So a couple of weekends ago AJ went on his long run and then came back to get Avery. 

First they stretched out....

I love these pictures...seriously so cute.  The song "I want to be just like you" (Phillips Craig & Dean) is running through my head right now. :)
Avery & his patient daddy running....
Last Saturday Finley had to get in on the action as well....


My running boys...I do love them.
Wow, just looking at these pictures again overwhelms me with emotion.  I am thankful beyond words for the blessing of these boys.   Pin It

We Need You!

So we seriously need some ideas for boys names.  We feel a little tapped out on boy names.  We have a running list, but nothing is really jumping out at us.  So, if you have some great boy name that you don't mind us using, please leave me a comment with your ideas!   Pin It

5 Months & Boys Summer Cuts

First of all....I am officially past the half way point in this gestating process. Very fun & exciting. This past month has flown by which is a fun change since the first trimester was sooooo long! We can hardly believe I'm already 5 months!

The belly is a bloomin' . . .
This morning AJ gave the boys "summer crew cuts" as he calls them. I wasn't sure but AJ assured me it would grow back before school starts. I actually really love how it turned out. Finley's hair looks much blonder and I think they just look darn cute. So I wanted to get a good picture of them with their new cuts before church. Well, as any of you moms know, it is very difficult to get two children to actually stand still and smile at the same time.

Attempt #1 ....me wiping breakfast off Finn's face....
Attempt #2....Avery looks away from the camera the moment AJ takes the picture....
Attempt #3 . . . pretty good...we're all looking at the camera & smiling, but Avery's head is cut off . . .
Attempt #4....final attempt...they're both semi-smiling! We'll call that good. :)

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Swim Ranch 2008

Today was our last day of swim lessons.  This is our 5th summer to take the boys to the Swim Ranch.  We LOVE it there.  They have a great program and the boys have fun and learn so much.  This was Finley's last year in the Water Babies class.  I've really enjoyed spending the one-on-one time with him in the pool this week.  AJ came 3 days to watch & sit with Avery and my mom came 2 days.  Finley had a lot of fun this year.  He has been much more timid with water than Avery so it has taken a few years for him to really warm up to it.  He still hangs on to me with a death grip, but he is getting more confident and learning to let go and enjoy it!

He loved getting to ride this alligator to Ms. Virginia. :)
Practicing with the kickboard. . .
Showing how he can go to the wall & get out of the pool by himself. . . 
Finley & Ms. Virginia...we love her!!!
After Finley's Water Babies class was Avery's beginners lane class.  They have 2 teachers and 4 kids in each lane so there is a lot of individualized instruction.   Avery is a fish in the water.  His favorite activity during playtime was throwing a torpedo (or "tortedo" as he calls it) to the bottom of the pool and diving in after it.  When he has his goggles on, he pretty much stays under water as much as possible.  
Practicing his back float . . .
Dog-paddling from one teacher to the other . . .
He was SO excited to jump off the diving board.  When we came on wednesday night for the practice session, he jumped over & over again to AJ.

Pointing to his name on the flag chart . . .
I am so happy that the boys get to go to the Swim Ranch.  They have learned so much and gained more confidence.  We will go as a family one more time to the practice session tonight &  hopefully practice the things they have learned.   :) Pin It

Baby Addis is Coming Home!!!

We are so thrilled for our dear friends, the Kennedy's.  They just got the news today that baby Addis is officially theirs.  They get to go get him August 4th!!  They have waited a long time for this day.  It has been awesome to walk through this journey with them.  Go to their blog and congratulate them and see their cutie-patootie Addis!! 

www.6kennedys.com

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If you're in College Station . . .

Go check out the really cute children's boutique, The Blue Kangaroo.  

So I'm really excited that my products (http://2blondeboys.etsy.com & http://2blondeboys.blogspot.com) are now being sold in a boutique!  My friend Ruth Lee's sweet sister, Robyn, works at the Blue Kangaroo in College Station, Texas.  She is  basically responsible for getting my stuff in there.  She saw some of my items I made for an order for Ruth Lee.  She liked them and thought her owner might want to sell them in the store.  It took a few months of phone calls and emails and coming up with a plan.  But now, my nap mats, tag blankies, burp cloths, & changing pads are being sold there!  How fun!  I am really excited about it and thankful to Robyn for making it happen!   

I really love sewing, making hair bows, and almost all crafts, really.  It's a fun, creative outlet for me.  I love looking through fabric stores for new patterns.  I shop at Hobby Lobby so much, AJ says we should own stock there.  

Anyhow, if you're looking for a baby gift, remember 2 Blonde Boys. :)

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Soccer Camp

So this past week was Avery's first ever day camp.  It felt so monumental for some reason.  It feels like our whole lifestyle is changing right now.   With Avery starting Kindergarten next month, it seems our family focus is shifting once again.  

Avery attended Dave O'Briens Summer Soccer Skills camp.  It was four evenings last week which was nice b/c AJ was able to come.  It felt strange sending him out to sit with that group of kids he didn't know from Adam.  But, he did great.  

This first picture is the first night of camp.  He's right in the middle with the navy blue shirt on.  Coach Dave was welcoming them to camp.  After that they broke into groups based on age.  Avery was in a group of 5-6 year olds.  I was really impressed with the camp.  They really focused on skills and drills which he didn't get a ton of on city league soccer.

Every time there was a water break, Finley would run up and say "Good Job Avery!" , hand him his water bottle, and give him a hug. :)  
Finley had a lot of fun watching Avery play and running around kicking his own soccer ball.  He also managed to find other little boys to kick the ball with throughout the week.  He is looking forward to starting "first touch" soccer this fall.  He's spent the last few years watching Avery play.  It will be fun to see how he likes it.  He's already pretty good at kicking the ball around.

It was a fun week.  Now this week we have swim lessons so I'm sure I'll have pictures to post on that as well! Pin It

Learning . . .

Last weekend AJ worked with Avery on riding his bike without training wheels.  He's had the training wheels off for awhile now but was too scared to really try it much.  He has just opted to ride his scooter all the time b/c he knows he can do that well without falling down.  We knew he could do it if he just tried and succeeded.  He needed to get over his fear of falling & getting hurt. 

He got braver this time b/c he was wearing a helmet & knee pads.  He did really well. 

Here the boys are enjoying a popsicle before the bike riding lesson. :)

Finley enjoyed riding his tricycle while Avery practiced. 
AJ would hold on for a few seconds and then let go.  Avery did great.  He would ride by himself a pretty good distance until he got scared of falling and then would just drive into the grass. 

Here he is, a little close to the grass, but riding on his own nonetheless.  

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I'm Still the Queen

We had our Ultrasound on Monday.  Our sweet baby is perfectly healthy and weighs 9 oz!  We are so thankful and humbled by God's gift to us.  Here are some pictures of the wee babe!

The first picture is the face.  The second picture is little sweet feetsies.

This third picture shows our baby's face and little hand with a thumb's up.

And last but not least....a head, two sweet legs (knees), and some little boy parts. :)

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