2010

New Years is my all time favorite holiday. It is a time of reflection and projection. And although I am not a fan of "resolutions", I do take the time to set annual goals.

Reflecting back on 2010, I am amazed at all the accomplishments that happened at the salon. 2010 was a giant year for education. More in-salon classes and opportunities took place than any other year. Industry icons like Elan Sassoon and Geno Stampora requested to visit Brown and DeLine. Our nail department learned and perfected the Shellac manicure (which is the all-time greatest service since pay-at-the pump gas). Our estheticians launched our new mineral make-up by Jane Iredale, which has been a great success. They also received advanced education with Glymed, our premier skin line. If you haven't experienced these products, you should. It's a miracle in a bottle.

In hair designing, we now offer Keratin Smoothing Treatments. This protein based treatment is a girls best friend! It eliminates frizz and creates ease in styling. 2010 also brought us back a few hair designers that had went on "sabbatical". I was elated when they returned.

Our front desk staff is more professional and committed than ever. Sara Ringer took our beauty on the outside theme to the all-time highest level ever! She tattooed the longitude and latitude of the salon on her arm! Talk about lifetime commitment! Love that!

Our theme for 2010 was beauty, health, and wellness inside and out. Our "go big or go home" mantra embraced this like no other! We held seminars on several nutrition topics taught by dietician and Joust Fitness owner Melissa Gerharter. Jodi facilitated a weight loss contest. Vikki and Kelli lost a tremendous amount of weight and are more fit than ever. Several 5Ks were run, and even a triathlon. Kat, who is half the size she once was, continues to inspire us with her low-fat cooking tips often posted on her facebook.

And now with the end of the year only two weeks away, we received the news that Brown and DeLine Salon is being honored and awarded at the Salon Today 200 awards. This prestigious award recognizes top salons for best business practices and growth. We will travel to Chicago in March for the event. What a great year!

We will be celebrating our year at Weber's Inn on January 15th at 8pm. Come celebrate with us!

Make it a Great Day!

Cathy.

It is not OK!

I find it very disturbing that in the year 2010 people feel it is OK to use racial slurs-always following with the statement "I didn't mean anything by it'.

Well, what exactly DID you mean? Why does it roll off your tongue so freely? Who taught you this? Why as an adult do you think it is OK?

It is NOT OK!

I feel sorry for these shallow and non-thinking people. So ignorant and classless.

Please help stop discrimination of all kinds.

The Perfect Dress

Finding the perfect dress makes or breaks any occasion. I think every girl will agree that when you have an important event on your calendar, the first question is "What am I going to wear?"

As a desperate dress seeker, I have driven hours to the nearest and farthest malls. I have searched the internet fiercely, even enrolling the help of Jessi and Sara, dying to find that one dress.

This perfect dress will totally set the stage for the night. It determines a girl's confidence, pride, happiness... it's the difference of feeling like a Queen, or not.

And yes, we must have the perfect accessories to go with. It all matters, hair, make-up, manicure, shoes, purse, jewelery. The pressure we put ourselves under!

But when we finally arrive at that one euphoric moment. The moment we put on that perfect dress, the moment we know "THIS IS THE ONE!"

It is that moment that makes girls and women of all ages twirl like Princess's!

Make it a Great Day!

Elan Sassoon Visits Brown and DeLine

On October 12, Brown and Deline staff had the opportunity to meet Elan Sassoon. During the informal yet entertaining hour, Elan spoke to the staff about his life growing up with his dad, Vidal Sassoon, his most recent venture of opening a cosmetology school in Boston and his current road tour promoting his new product line-Sojourn.

He spoke passionately about the history of the beauty industry. His goal is to see young career professionals graduate from school with more knowledge and respect of our predecesors and beautiful hard copy portfolios to show furture employers.

His charm and enthusiasm was revealed during his final words to the group. When asked what advice he would give new talent in order to be sucessful, he answered, "The designers who make the most money are the ones who are the most social'.

At the end of our visit, Elan shared with me what I could tell was his proudest accomplishment-his two children, a boy and a girl.

We look forward to his next visit.

Make it a great day!

Dreams

On Oct 3rd Brown and DeLine Salon attended Dreams, a benefit for the American Cancer Society. This event features the Tiffany Hairdresser of the Year Awards.

This event is often described as the ‘Oscars’ for the local beauty industry.

It was an exciting night kicking off with a cocktail reception. Then the grand opening performance with loud pounding music as we watched our own Jackie Gallinat and Victoria Benham showcase their model collections. They were phenomenal!

Next came Larry Gaynor, President and CEO of TNG Worldwide, the producer of the show. He announced all the finalists and the winners in each category. It was a proud moment when he announced Becky Blaha- Avant Garde finalist, Victoria Benham-Avant Garde finalist and Jackie Gallinat-Color finalist. The photos of their work projected on stage were magnificent! It was amazing.

The venue was Andiamo’s restaurant in Warren, Michigan. There were about 500 salon professionals attending. Andiamo’s did a great job hosting the event. Dinner was sensational.

The best part of the night was when our Brown and DeLine Team was recognized and awarded in the salon team segment of the competition. We had worked hard on our collection. Even though only Kristy Williams, Vikki Benham and my names were listed as the creators, it took the whole team collectively to win!

Our technical and creative skills combined with our motivation and commitment to excellence truly paid off that night!

At the end of the evening, we headed back to Ann Arbor, happy with our successes and appreciative that we had a driver. We celebrated and collaborated about next year’s event.

I believe everyone who competes in any contest is a winner!

What's new, you ask?

Fall is an exciting time in the beauty industry. We have a lot happening in the next few months.

September 19th is our Super Sunday! It is a great day to come celebrate our anniversary with us. We offer fantastic deals on retail, services and gift cards. We also offer a special gift for our clients. It is a day you won’t want to miss.

In early October, Brown and DeLine is off to the Tiffany Awards. Hair designers from around the Midwest compete for the prestigious “Hairdresser of the Year” award. Individual awards are also given in Avante Garde, Color, Women’s Editorial and Up-hair. New this year is the salon team award. Brown and DeLine designers came together to create an amazing collection for this part of the competition.

To complete the month of October, the team is off to the Grand Rapids hair show for education, inspiration and motivation! This jam-packed weekend is filled with industry experts from all over the world. The thrilling schedule of events starts at 8am and ends at 8pm. It is a fast and fierce event! I find this event to be captivating and energizing, to say the least.

I am extremely proud of my staff in their commitment to excellence and success.

The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can be.

15th Amendment "The Right to Vote"

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

Election day creates such pride in Americans. It is one of the few times where our opinion truly counts. By casting our vote, we get to help shape our nation. One vote at a time. I love too see people patriotically wearing those little stickers showing they've done their civil duty.

I feel sorry for the citizens who don't excercize their right to vote. If you've ever talked to one of these non-voters, they always have a detailed excuse. None that I can understand. I do know this... No voting-No complaining!

After learnng the results from yesterday's primary election, I am excited and hopeful to see my vote counted toward my choice for governor.

Hope to see you back at the polls November 2!

Make it a great day!
Cathy

Women's Only Triathlon

Brown and DeLine participated in its first triathlon August 1st in Sylvania, Ohio. Jackie Gallinat and I, along with Pam Nitchie, Shirley Gallinat and Beth Ewald were a team. We spotted our clients Julie, Melissa, Sherry and Maura, all of whom successfully completed their races.

As a first-time triathlete, I was nervous and amazed at the events of the morning. Foremost, the most amazing and inspiring aspect of the event was the level of ‘girl power’. Women of all ages and sizes were there to complete their ‘bucket list’ goal. Some were there to finish first; some were there to just finish.

As I waited to enter the 1st part of the race-the swim-I watched 400 pink bathing caps together in the quarry. There was definitely an ‘anything is possible’ mood in the air.

After I transitioned to the 12-mile bike ride, I was inspired by the woman who’s age-74-was written boldly on her calf (just as all of ours were). As I was biking, I passed a woman on the side of the rode who was sobbing. I thought maybe she injured herself. Or maybe she was sad because she just couldn’t finish.

The last leg of the triathlon was the 5K. My close friend Pam Nitchie and I ran it together. As we came to the last mile, we compared ailments. We decided we were triathlon life partners. My foot was killing me and her right side was aching. But with each others’ support, we weren’t stopping! We were in it to win it!

As we crossed the finish line, we both had such a sense of accomplishment. We soon met up with Beth, Jackie and Shirley. We all hugged. We had done it!!

We had talked about this goal since February. So many of our teammates had dropped out, but we did it!

This accomplishment is shared among us 5, along with the other 400 participants. There is no comparison to this self-victory!

What I was reminded of is--If you believe you can, you can!

Swim, Bike, Run

Team Building Retreat

On June 6, 14 members of the Brown and DeLine Team headed to South Beach Miami for a team building weekend at the Loew’s Hotel.

Upon arrival at the hotel, we were escorted to our suites where we began a fun-filled weekend of laughing, sunning and night-life.

The #1 tip for success on this trip was for each person to be responsible for their own happiness. Mission was accomplished! The biggest challenge of the day was to keep the floating sunbathers facing the sun and flipping every 30 minutes for that perfect tan. We repeated this for 10 hours! By 10pm, everyone was in their club attire and our destination was the Mansion.

It was ladies night, so 12 of us got in free-just 2 had to pay. Josh didn’t mind paying, afterall, it was his 21st birthday! And did we celebrate!

Day 2 was just as successful! Everyone was down at the pool by noon. It was 110 degrees. We all resumed sunbathing positions. A second birthday party took place under the Tiki bar for Josh. We all checked out the 2 latest tattoos that were received 6 hours prior. All were accounted for; all were happy.

That evening we decided to eat out. We ended up at a famous Italian restaurant where 6 authentic waiters were at our beck and call. One waiter was so star struck by Jackie G’s beauty he couldn’t talk! He asked her if she was a model. Then I believe he proposed to her! She immediately had a facebook fan to say the least!

On the last day, everyone was back at the pool with their matching bikinis, sarongs, flip-flops and earrings, brainstorming our departure. The plan was for everyone to shower then meet at a team huddle in the hotel bar. We made sure everyone was there, the hotel manager thanked us for our business, and we headed to the airport. We made a quick stop o the way at the retail store Dash, owned by the famous Kardashians.

Before we knew it, we were back in Detroit. Everyone piled in our limo/bus, and we were on our way back to the salon. The whole way home we laughed and giggled about the trip. Reminiscing about the past 3 days. All the laughs and the friendships made. All the politics solved by by me, Kara and Andrea. The continuous facebooking by Aimee (eventhough I threatened the life of her blackberry!).

The benefits and rewards from that weekend have been continuous. The old saying ‘A team that plays together, stays together’ is so true. I would compare it to a 14 person honeymoon! We had fun, we hung out, we relaxed, and everyone likes each other a whole lot more.

It was truly a team building retreat.

Final Weeks of School!

May is one of the busiest months of the year. Spring weddings, prom and graduations have kept the salon buzzing.

It is an exhilarating and exhausting time of the year--especially for all the super women trying to balance a family, career and a little 'me' time.

From May 1st until June 16th, these women drop into my chair, frazzled and late. They are literally running from event to event. We do all this because we don't want to disappoint our children. Eventhough we rarely miss an event, this could potentially be the one they remember their whole lives.

I dropped my son off at school this morning at 4:25am. He and 150 other sixth graders are on their way to Toronto for two fun filled days. I don't remember ever having this opportunity in school.

As I sat in my car watching the 6 giant busses all lit up in the dark, I noticed all the other tired looking parents. All are on the same 6 week rollercoaster of events. All drinking their coffee waiting for caffeine to kick in. I'm sure they all had the same lump in their throats that I did.

Now, as I'm waiting for daylight so I can decompress with a 2 mile run, I'm refocused on the day.

13 days left, and we can all take off our Super Women capes! (for a minute)

How My Mom Lost 40 Pounds!

Being a busy person, eating 3 square meals a day has never been a priority to me. However, I have found a great solution! For the past 3 weeks, I have been drinking an Herbalife nutritional shake.

My Mom recently lost 40 pounds following the Herbalife System. She is so motivated by her results that she has become a distributor. At first, I didn't pay any attention to her new "thing". I have enough going on. I didn't want to hear the 'spiel'. And those people have a way of sucking you in. Before you know it, you are in a sales pyramid and distributing, too! That is the last thing I need to add to my day.

Last month, Mom gave me a can of the shake mix. She just asked me to drink it every morning. Hesitantly, I agreed. After all, she is my mother.

Much to my surprise, I am amazed by the results. I've lost weight, I feel better. I don't get the 2pm hour of fatigue. All this simply by adding this shake to my morning routine!

I can't explain the how's and the why's of this. If you are interested in this phenomenon (I call it this because I have juggled the same 5 lbs for 3 years), my Mom is coming to Brown and DeLine on Tuesday, May 18th at 1:30. She will explain the details and have the shake mix on hand. If you can't make it, feel free to call her-Judy Bartel at (517)529-9440.

Seeing is believing!

Make it a great day.

A One Hour Vacation

I had the most amazing experience at Brown and DeLine this week. It was truly all about me!

A couple of months ago as I was coloring a client’s hair, she was raving about the facial that she just received. She went into great detail about how bad her skin had been and how Halina had her skin looking better than ever now. Her skin did look amazing. That conversation motivated me to book an appointment with Halina!

I forgot that I had the appointment until the day of the service. If you know me, you already know that I don’t usually get services that require me to lay still without talking or moving for a whole hour! No blackberry-no computer. Doing nothing but relaxing. I’m just not very good at that.

After trying to come up with every reason why I shouldn’t keep the appointment, I decided it wouldn’t kill me. My skin could actually benefit from it. So, I kept my appointment.

I am here to tell you that the hour I spent with Halina getting the facial (with an enzyme) treatment was euphoric! It was like a miracle hour. She worked on my face, lips, shoulders, neck, back, arms and head. It was like taking a one-hour vacation! The hour flew by!

The next morning when I woke up, I looked in the mirror. I was shocked to see how perfect my skin looked. Halina took away my fine lines and even some freckles! If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn I had had botox!

I am so thrilled with my experience that I have scheduled a monthly facial with each of my incredible estheticians. And I will keep the appointment.

I highly recommend that you try a facial.

I now consider this a must for me.

Make it a great day!

Star amongst Stars

At Brown & DeLine we have a galaxy of stars. We have many over-achievers who are so driven that they choose to also work second jobs as educators and platform artists for some of our large distributers. Kelli Uphaus is one of these professionals who does it all.

I first met Kelli in 2004. She came to my Carpenter Rd. location to teach a Matrix colour class. We all connected with her immediately. She was positive, professional and experienced. I hoped from that day that our paths would cross again.

Kelli has worked at Brown & DeLine for over 5 years now. She currently juggles many hats. She is a hair designer, mother, wife, daughter, salon coach and Lisap educator and platform artist. And if this isn't enough to keep her busy, she is also finishing her bachelor's degree!

Most often you can spot Kelli at the salon or in the community by her high-fashion hair colour. She is always changing her hair colour to the brightest shades of pink, purple, or a mix of any of these trendy fun colours. Often her clients follow suit!

Kelli lives in Chelsea where she is extremely committed to her community. In her spare time she supports Relay For Life, Chelsea Fair Queen Pagent, Chelsea Parade, Chelsea Girls Softball and more.

Truly a Star Amongst Stars!!

Make a Great Day!
Cathy

Coaching for Success

Coach - An individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a team or individual.

In the salon we use coaches all the time. Our new talent is teamed up with a senior staffer. The teams meet weekly to recap the previous week, talk about successes and strategize the next week. The coach gives new ideas and shares their personal testimonials in what has worked for them.

I personally have hired coaches throughout the years. I have worked with coached to enhance:

· Leadership skills
· Business ownership skills, legal matters, retirement
· Fitness
· Training
· Hair designing
· Salon design
· Growing a Successful staff

Having a coach helps hold people accountable. They stretch individuals and teams to achieve goals out of their comfort zone.

A coach's word can be highly influential and can change the attitude and performance of his team.

So in the words of an MSU coach during a recent phone call to my sister-"Hard work and perseverance make dreams come true".

It Takes a Village!

The most important and toughest job I do is being a mother. After being a mother, I am amazed that we don't need a license or a degree to take on this career. In fact it's kind of crazy to realize the only formal training most of us get is our own experiences with our own moms. And most would agree we get better and better as each generation passes. Thank Goodness!

Being a mother for the last 12 years, I have become a believer that yes it does "take a village!" And that any female, whether you're a mother, god-mother, aunt, sister, friend, advisor, teacher, or neighbor, often fills the shoes of a mother to the children around us.

Growing and nuturing children is 24/7. Learning opportunities present themselves all day, everyday. These special women jump in at anytime.

I have close friends who do not have biological children of their own. But I regularly see them guiding and influencing the children in their lives, as if they were their own. In pleasant situations and not so pleasant situations. They help solve problems, give advice, help with homework, correct language, teach them to bake, fill in on field trips, even show the older kids how to text.

So for all those women we know who are positively influencing children, whether it's in 2 hour increments, or 24 hour increments, whether they wake up with their children, or simply pick them up for the afternoon, we are all working towards the same goal. Happy successful people!

This is the village of women that I would certainly not hesitate to call a " Mother" .
Thank-you to all the moms who help me raise my own children.
I could not do it without you!
XOXO!

Make it a great day!
Cathy

The Dash by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came her date of her birth and spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more.

And love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

Our New Apprentices!

Congratulations to Ashlie Camp and Alicia Norton! Because of their loyalty and commitment, both of these ladies have earned a position in Brown and DeLine’s apprentice program.

As part of our commitment to the local community, we offer this 2-year, state regulated program. Being an apprentice allows individuals to stay working in the salon while obtaining a cosmetology education at no cost to them. This hands-on approach has proven to be extremely successful.

During the 24 months, apprentices have weekly classroom time, independent study, exam, model days and long hours. Time sheets, tests and practical application totals are all reported to the State Board of Cosmetology at different times throughout the program.

By the time our apprentices take their final state board exam, they have a huge advantage over their beauty school counterparts. Most students at this point are dealing with the stress of finding a job as an assistant, trying to get advanced education and building a clientele.

Because of our finely tuned program, taught by Kristy Williams, Jacki Rasmussen and me, our apprentices begin their careers with an established clientele and the knowledge and skills to succeed!

Many of Ann Arbor’s top stylists are products of Brown and DeLine’s aprrentice program!

Act like an Olympian

For the last two weeks we have been glued to the TV watching the Olympics. It has been so amazing watching these superstar athletes competing for world titles. The commitment and focus they share is astounding. As I was watching the closing ceremony, it looked as though the celebration could last forever. I’m sure the celebration will for those athletes. Everyone on that field was a winner. Their level of accomplishment and pride was larger than words. Can you imagine being in their shoes!

As we are heading into March, I challenge you to act like an Olympian. Commit to follow through on that broken resolution. Pick up the phone and become a volunteer (stop just talking about it and DO it!). Stop saying ‘Someday I will….’. Make today that day. Go for the gold!

We are all Olympians in some way.

We must align our thoughts and our actions.
Success will surely follow!

Social Media-The Double Edged Sword

Social Media has really made the world a smaller place. I used to believe in 6 degrees of separation. Now, thanks to Facebook, Myspace, blogs and twitter, I think it’s more like 2 degrees! Knowing everything that is going on with people and never having to talk to them is quite a phenomenon!

The opportunity to converse with people any time day or night is SO convenient!

The downside to this kind of communication is that people are much quicker to ‘pull the trigger’ on words they would NEVER say to someone face-to-face. You can just text your thoughts or opinions, hit send and there it is. The message is sent with no tone. It’s there for the receiver to interpret. It is sent with the only repercussion being you may or may not get a text back.

A friend of mine recently received a text -- It’s over. Yes, that is how his spineless girlfriend broke up with him. Who does that!? A coward, that’s who!

In the Brown and DeLine world, we work really hard to put positive P.R. out into the world. We give to most charities, we commit to tons of events, we cut off miles of hair of for Locks of Love. We have made a 5-year commitment to Ele’s Place. We have held golf events, bridal shows, run 5Ks, shaved cancer fighters, sponsored free spa nights. You name it-we’ve done it.

All of this was done to positively impact the community we love.

So, you can imagine my shock after I googled Brown and DeLine Salon and found a handful of extremely negative reviews. I couldn’t believe it! It seemed like there were hundreds (actually, only about 5 in all).

What surprised me the most was that these people had had an unsatisfactory experience at my salon and opted to put it on the internet rather than to give me a call or send me an email. We guarantee our work and stand behind it 100%. But you have to give us the opportunity to fix it. I can’t fix it if I don’t know about it!

I think the reality check here is that if you can’t say it to someone’s face, you probably shouldn’t say it at all.

Mke it a gr8 dy! : )
C

A Lifetime of Every 4 Weeks

We are so lucky to work at the salon and be part of the beauty industry. It is a career that is rewarding on a daily basis. The areas of the salon that 'hustle and bustle' create a lot of high energy that is exciting and contagious, and the more serene areas are calming and relaxing. There is an area to fit every mood.

As a salon professional, there is never a dull moment. Everyday is a new day where we get to meet with clients we haven't seen for a month. Giving them new colour, a new cut, or the latest trend of gel laquers. Catching up on the important events of the last 4 weeks and getting them ready to take on the next 4 weeks.

It is a unique profession. It is a profession where we commit to making clients look and feel beautiful at all times thru major (and not so major) times in their lives. We get to experience all the high points like their 1st haircut, 1st day of school, prom, graduation, weddings-the list goes on. We keep them looking great thru these times.

But we also experience the low points, too. Like getting braces, the break-up, job loss, cancer, even death. We try to keep them feeling great thru these times.

Two long-time clients come to mind...

The first to be celebrated, a young woman, comes to the salon every 4 weeks with her sister for pedicures. Not so long ago she came in, but didn't receive any services because she was undergoing treatment for cancer. She wore a bandanna. She had lost all her hair. She always seemed determined that she would win her battle. And she did win. I even saw her run a women's 5k race for cancer. Now when I see her in the salon with her daughter, I always feel joy for her and her family. The feeling of euphoria they must have to be able to keep her on this earth with them. What a blessing! Something to be celebrated! Definately a high point in our salon world.

Next, there is the long-time client that frequents the salon more often than every 4 weeks. About two months ago her designer gave her a trendy new cut. I saw her shortly after and commented on how cute and sassy she looked with her new short asymetrical look. Her best yet, I thought.

She called me the next week to let me know she had found out she had cancer for the second time. I felt so bad for her. The tone of her voice was so disheartening. No one should get it once, let alone twice. I helped her make arrangements for her designer to assist with her wig and to cut her hair off privately. I let her know if there was anything she needed, we were there for her.
I just saw her in last week in with her daughter. Her daughter was getting her hair done. The mom sat near her. She was wearing her new wig, sitting quietly, engaged in her magazine. Knowing that her petite little body was at that moment fighting the ugly monster of cancer. That is definately a low point in our salon world. I pray for her, her family, and her recovery everyday. She won this battle once; I know she'll do it again. She is strong.

Everyday in the salon and in life there are high points and low points.

We just need to remember to embrace the highs and conquer the lows.

In loving memory of my 4 weekers,

Sharon
Mary Jane
Janet
Diana

Make it a Great Day!

Cathy

Super Sunday Anniversary!

Today is Super Sunday at Brown & Deline salon! What is super about today is that we are celebrating our 15 years of business in Washtenaw county and 5 year anniversary on Jackson Rd. Today is a day to celebrate!

Today is the day we say "thank-you" to our community for partnering with us all these years. It has been our pleasure to have provided you with the latest trends, the newest products, and the most innovative ideas put into action!

So join our celebration! Stop in for a glass of champagne. Come take advantage of our Super deals. We would love to see you.

Looking forward to the next 15 years!

Thanks for making it a Super day!

Cathy

Hope for Haiti

Every night after dinner I like to catch the local news. For the last two weeks, as we all know, the news has been mostly about Haiti. It is so heart wrenching to see the destruction and devastation that these people experienced.

I can't imagine being buried under the dirt and concrete for seven days, not being able to move an arm or even a foot. Not being able to scratch an itch. Not knowing if they would even live. Withstanding scorching temperatures all the while.

It gives me a sense of pride and hope seeing all the money and aid being donated from the US.

My thoughts and prayers are there everyday for the people of Haiti and for the rescue crews there. I pray that through this terrible time they will stay united and have the faith that eventually things will be OK.

I have been a bit of a whiner this week-about everything from the weather to how uneventful the month of January is. The news has been a constant reminder of how grateful I am to live in the United States and have the life that I have.

Make it a great day!

Healthy Eating with Children

How many of you have made two different meals for dinner? One for you and a different one for your children? I hear this all the time. My kids won't eat what I am eating so I feel stuck making macaroni and cheese, hot dogs or chicken nuggets.

No wonder they won't eat what you are eating. You are their short order cook! They know that you will make their favorites if they don't like what you are serving. Who is responsible for this?

You are as the adult.

Adults are responsible for the food and beverages being served, where the meal is served and making meal time pleasant. Children are responsible for whether or not to eat and how much.

Below are some tips that will help enable a healthier relationship between food and your children.

*Make regularly scheduled meals a family priority
*Avoid forcing children to eat. Children will eat when they are hungry
*Model the habits you want children to develop; you are their biggest role model
*Enjoy the foods you want your children to enjoy
*Create a relaxed atmosphere for meal times
*Have realistic expectations for meal time behavior

Dinner seems to be the hardest when it come to preparing healthy quick meals.

A little planning can go a long way. Try to take one night to plan out a week's worth of dinner meals so that there is no guesswork when it comes time to cook dinner.

Keep your kitchen stocked with quick fix foods such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, frozen veggies and fruits so that you have things on hand to prepare.

Prepare multiple batches of food and freeze.

For instance, when you are cooking up lean meat for one of your dinners throw extra in and cook up and then freeze so that you already have part a meal ready for another night.

Get your whole family involved with making dinner if it is age appropriate.

Have your children set the table, pour drinks and mix ingredients.

Getting them involved will help them take ownership in the preparation and the work that went into preparing the meal.

These were some helpful tips that I presented at the first of a series of free seminars at Brown and Deline Salon, 5254 Jackson road.
Below are dates and topics of the rest of the series.

*Thursday, Feb 11, 10 a.m.: Keeping the Winter Weight Off
*Tuesday, Feb. 23 12 p.m.: Energy Drinks: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
*Thursday, March 11 10 a.m.: Got the Munchies? How to Choose Healthy Snacks
*Tuesday, March 23 12 p.m.: Eating for Pregnancy & Lactation
*Thursday, April 1 10 a.m.: How to Eat to Fuel Your Sport
*Tuesday, April 13 12 p.m.: Separating the Fats: What is the Difference Between Them? *Thursday, April 22 10 a.m.: Restaurant Strategy: Ordering Wisely

Call Brown and Deline for more information: 734-996-4511

Melissa Gerharter MS, RD is co-owner of Joust Strength and Fitness of Ann Arbor, joustfitness.com. She is also a personal trainer and an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University.

She can be reached at Melissa@joustfitness.com

Beauty, Health and Wellness

On Friday night we had our first Wellness Seminar. We had a good turn out of people, and we all left with a better understanding of how to fuel our bodies.

The biggest point I was reminded of is that genetics plays a huge role in body shape. So although I strive everyday to get to a size two, the reality of it is that it may never happen. Thank you, Grandma!

Melissa Gerharter, Registered Dietician, facilitated the seminar. She passed around large test tubes of fat. Each tube was labeled as a specific food from a specific restaurant. It is amazing how much fat is in potato skins!

This year Brown and DeLine is focusing on Beauty-Inside and Out. We have added Melissa Gerharter to our staff. She is available for one-on-one appointments starting in February. We also have calendar of seminars scheduled this year. The topics range from energy drinks to eating for diabetics. Our next seminar is January 26th focusing on Getting your Kids on Track with Nutrition.

I once read that in every person lives a fat person and a skinny person. They are in competition at all times. Someone is always winning! Some days my fat girl and my skinny girl are wrestling to the ground, beating each other up!

With Melissa's help, I plan to make healthier choices this year so my skinny girl can live on.

Make it a great day!

Cathy

Violence is Never OK!

Domestic violence is a terrible thing. We all know that. We've seen the commercials. Sometimes we know someone who knows someone who has been beaten up really bad. But we never think it would happen to ourselves or someone we actually know.

We watch the Sunday night movies where the girl is poor and uneducated, usually single mother with a drunk live in boyfriend. Regularly beats the crap out of her, but she never leaves him. She has no friends or family to help her. Story ends with police arriving at the scene of the crime; she finally shot him.

The reality of domestic violence is that it doesn't discriminate against race, economic status, age, educated or not, political preference, etc. It can occur in anyone's life. It seems most physical abusers first master being mental abusers. It's a control thing.

The first and only time my friend was hit, she and her boyfriend had a terrible fight. Both drinking, the argument heated up quickly, she thought she provoked him, he then choked and hit her. They immediately broke up.

I remember her in the middle of the night, the phonecalls, the tears, missing work, the bruises, her trying to remember why they were arguing and why it escalated to that level. Seeing what a mess she was the next day. Bruises on her neck and eyelids, she thought no one would notice with her perfect placement of makeup.

The fact she even questioned the situation showed me that she was so deep in this craziness, she didn't know what a normal healthy relationship was anymore. Crazy was her normal.

Thank God her friends and family went and removed her from the house. She needed time to think without him, without him telling her how sorry he was and how he would never do it again. She needed to try and remember the difference between right and wrong. She needed to think with her head and not her heart.

My friend was very lucky. When she whispered for help, her friends and family heard her screams for help. She made it out of that relationship.

But not everyone does. So if you know someone who is whispering for help, no matter how many times she and her guy get back together, keep listening. This is not the time to count how many times she will cry "wolf". She needs her friends and family. She is not strong enough to do it on her own, and she doesn't know what "normal" is anymore. She has forgotten that under no circumstances should someone EVER hit her.

So the truth is, the friend I am referring to here was actually me. And although it was a longtime ago, I will never forget.

Help a friend Make it a Great Day!
Cathy

Looking Back...2009

What a great year at Brown & Deline Salon!

We came, we conquered, and we're still in the game!
And we are better than Ever!
As I reflect on 2009, I find myself amazed at everything my team has celebrated and been sucessful at.

Here are a few accomplishments...


-Merged two locations seamlessly. (Maybe a few bumps)

-Vikki, Kelli, and I participated in the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards in L.A.

-Tiffany Awards-Vikki won 2nd place avante guarde!

-Bartolli brothers taught class exclusively to the Brown & Deline Team

-Kristy Williams' Fall collection was published in TNG Worldwide Magazine.

-Jaycee, Bernie, and Janell had babies! ( Jaycee's to arrive this month)

-We introduced two new product lines.

-Lauren married the love of her life!

-Jackie and Jamie earned a trip to Italy, where they had advanced training in colour and cutting.

-Most staff completed StrengthFinder 2.0

-Management completed social media classes.

-Joe facilitated Daddy/Daughter seminar. He taught dads how to do their daughter's hair!

-Brown and DeLine team hosted American Girl Extravaganza at the Quarter Bistro

-5k run-Big House Big Heart

-Donations to Kiva, helping other salons.

-L'Oreal in-salon advanced cutting event

-Kemon up-hair styling class

-Jamie organized a hat/mitten collection for children

-Christy and SVT attended CND advanced spa manicure/pedicure classes along with gel laqures

-Lauren, Brittany and Ashley attended an advanced nail extravaganza



I give a standing ovation to my team who are committed to their careers and are committed to making a difference in the world.



Looking forward to writing this blog again on 1.1.11.



Make it a great day,

Cathy