Father's Day weekend.

Gary spent all last week in Austin, TX working. It was a pretty uneventful week for me. I did a lot of researching for our upcoming trip to Europe in April, watched HGTV, went to the Trav's game with Kate, and spent the night with Lyndsey in White Hall.

This weekend, we went to the lake with my family for Father's Day. We did a lot of laying out by the pool (I have a good start on my summer tan now), rode on the boat (I even got on the tube with John Allen... but I only lasted about 2 minutes before I was thrown off), played cards, cooked out, and went to Pirate's Cove for a round of mini golf (I came in 2nd to Dad with only 6 over par!). It was a good time, lots of relaxing!

Gary took off work today since he was gone all last week, and we hung out. We came back from the lake around 1, and spent the afternoon reading and watching TV together. It's back to work tomorrow... it gets harder every week to drag myself out of bed on Tuesday mornings, and I am sure tomorrow will be no exception.

Weekend? What weekend?

Gary and I have been very busy the past few weeks. I have had to work on location weddings 3 weekends in a row. Weddings are fun, but it's a lot of work loading and unloading all of your stuff. We have enjoyed sitting on our back porch, eating dinner, and having a glass of wine a few times this week. I even got inspired at a pampered chef party last Sunday night to make a homemade pizza this week! It turned out wonderful!

We did get to go to the lake for the day last Saturday. My parents rented a condo for the summer on Lake Hamilton, so we are looking forward to heading out there several more times before the end of summer. I decided since I have been working weddings on Sundays, to just close up shop. It was so nice to be out on the water. However, I did come home looking like a lobster. SPF 50 is in order for our next trip!

Last night I threw my friend, Lyndsey, a bachelorette party at our house. We were picked up by a limo, taken to dinner at Lulav (downtown), and taken back home in the limo. The food was amazing, but I paid for all the mussels and sea scallops when I got home... When we got back, we had dessert, played some games, Lyndsey opened her gifts and we watched "Just Married". 3 of the girls spent the night, so Gary got booted out to the couch. It was a great time, good to see some friends for out of town and celebrate Lyndsey and Bert's upcoming marriage.

Gary got up early this morning at started packing to head to Austin, TX for a week. Jenkins Enterprises got licensed to sell University of Texas, Longhorns items, so he is going to 3 major cities in Texas on 3 separate weeks this summer to get things going. As for me, I think the bed and a good book sound really good for today.

Katherine Grant Salon and Spa turns 1!

A year ago today was the first day in the salon! My how time has flown!! Last May when I decided to jump in head first and open my own salon, I think Gary thought I was nuts. I had only been doing hair in a salon for 4 months and had little to no clientele. But, he was a patient and supportive husband and let me take money out of our savings and borrow more from my family to pursue my dream.

When I look back over the past year, I am amazed by how blessed we have been. My clientele has tripled. I went from having 3 and 4 hours of dead time a day to having almost no dead time each day. We have been able to support our lifestyle and completely pay back all the debt. I wrote the last check to my parents today. Oh happy day!

Tonight when I got home Gary had a card for me on the kitchen counter congratulating me on my first year as an entrepreneur. On the back of the card was a multiple choice question: "Pick one of the following: a. bathroom package, b. kitchen package, or c. landscaping/back porch expansion package." These are three areas I have been dying to update on our house. I am thrilled to have a new project! After much consideration, I think I am gonna go with the bathroom package. This will include new toilets in both bathrooms (ours don't flush properly and continue to run after every flush... very annoying!), new floors in both bathrooms (no more 1960s tile), and a new shower in our bathroom (goodbye peach shower!). What a sweet husband I have.

After dinner we went to my parents and had a champagne toast to the future of our business. In the next year my goals are:

a. fill the third chair with a responsible stylist

b. find a new massage therapist to rent our open room

c. double our retail sales

d. be able to hire a cleaning crew so Gary and I don't have to spend our weekend cleaning the salon.

All this to say, I am so thankful for my supportive family, my amazing co-worker (Kate), and my faithful clientele. Thanks for making Katherine Grant Salon and Spa the success it has been in its first year.

Weekend Update.

We had an eventful weekend. So I was pretty worn out today. Here are the highlights:

Friday:

We went to Meghan and Andrew's apartment. Meghan and I got to video chat with Lauren and Kristin, who are all the way in Korea! Kristin is visiting Lauren for 3 weeks. It was awesome to all four be able to see and hear each other. We got to talk for about an hour. It sounds like Lauren is having a lot of fun living and working in Seoul.

Afterwards we played an intense game of Taboo. Girls vs. Boys. Girls won!

Saturday:

After work Gary and I headed out to the country for our Sunday school class party. A couple in our class have a beautiful home in the woods on 15 acres of land. We had dinner and the girls had fun playing with all the babies, while the guys shot skeet. Gary finally got to shoot the shotgun he got for his birthday, and he was pretty dang good too!

Sunday:

Sunday was a long day for me. I left to head to Mt. Magazine in Paris, AR to work at a wedding at 7:30am. I got there around 10, started on the first bridesmaid's hair at 11, and 9 bridesmaids later finished right before the ceremony at 5:15! The ceremony was beautiful! The view was amazing! I got to see a lot of OBU alumni. After the wedding and reception I left and headed home. I pulled in the driveway at 11. I was pooped, plugged in the heating pad and went straight to bed.

Monday:

I got to sleep in today, and it was oh so nice! Gary and I went to the dentist. We left with a good report, no cavities! So, we went and celebrated and got ice cream. Is that bad?

Tonight Gary and I grilled out. We made shish-ka-bobs and grilled corn. So good!

After dinner, Meghan came over and brought Tillie to play with Lola. They didn't get as crazy as they did on their last play date, but I think the had fun. Lola also got a bath. She smells so good!

It has been a busy weekend, but a fun one. Not ready for work again tomorrow.

The Most Popular Hair Cosmetics.

Spring is the time to attend to your hair! It is tired of the cold and hats and begging for your help! To be more exact it is begging for effective cosmetics. This is Top 6 of spring cosmetics for your hair:

1. WELLA SYSTEM PROFESSIONAL Repair Mask.
Instantly repairs hair up to 100%. It fills in damaged areas and replicates missing protective layers, provides your hair with the healthy resistance it needs against future damage. Price: $15.95
2. PAUL MITCHELL Tea Tree Hair and Scalp Treatment. Moisturizes and conditions hair. For all hair types. Helps to soothe and treat scalp. Cool and refreshing. Specially formulated with Australian Tea Tree Oil, the finest ingredients and activated blends. Price: $12.19

3. MARLIES MÖLLER Pashmisilk Delight Scalp Energizer. Luxurious, invigorating and anti-oxidant care sensation. An exclusive blend of Champagne, Grape leaf and Cassis extracts combined with the unique Pashmina Silk Complex plus caffeine. Instant revitalizing and protecting scalp serum.
4. MATRIX Biolage Strengthening Shampoo. It gives medium-to-coarse damaged or chemically-treated hair the inner strength it needs to bounce back and withstand future breakage. Gently cleanses & strengthens damaged or chemically-treated hair. Helps restore hair's vitality & elasticity. Everyday shampoo. Price: $15.99

5. J.F. LAZARTIGUE Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner. Highly concentrated in Shea Butter, moisturizing and sheen-restoring agents, this leave-in spray conditioner spectacularly detangles and nourishes unruly hair without weighing it down. Hair becomes shiny, healthy and delicately perfumed. Price: $24.00
6. JOHN FRIEDA Frizz-Ease. Blocks frizz all day. Instantly and dramatically transforms dry, frizzy, or chemically-treated hair into incredibly smoother, glossier, stronger hair. Protects and prolongs the life of color treated hair. An exceptional blend of silicones immediately smoothes texture while delivering a layer of crystal-clear gloss for perfectly polished, frizz-resistant styles. Repels humidity to help prevent weather-related frizz. Contains sunscreen. Price: $8.02

What Hairstyles Are In Fashion Today. Celebrities Hairstyles Gallery.

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VINTAGE WAVES
Claire Danes and Reese Witherspoon channel style icon Grace Kelly with side-parts and softly swept waves.


ONE-SIDED BRAID
Lauren Conrad and Isla Fisher like the plait trend halfway, adding a stylish braid to just one side of their hair.


BOUFFANT BUNS
Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Lopez show off the latest embodiment of this season's bulky updo, piling their crowns high into a chic chignons.


SIDE KNOTS
Twisting their locks into side knots, Audrina Patridge and Karina Smirnoff show us a fun alternative to the ordinary updo.


CURLS WITH BANGS
What about fringe fashion! Leighton Meester and Kim Kardashian add long, straight bangs to their loosely curled locks.


DOUBLE-WRAP HEADBAND
It's a double-header as 90210's Katherine Heigl and AnnaLynne McCord fasten their swept-back updos with double-wrap elastic bands.


MAKE-BELIEVE BOB
Who says that having commitment issues is a bad thing? Rosario Dawson and Lauren Conrad tucked under their long hair into chic, curly bobs just for one night.


GENIE PONYTAILS
Make a wish! Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian put a new spin on the ponytail, pulling their hair back into a high, wrapped fall.

Experience New Look Through Hair Extensions. Beauty & Hairstyles

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So you have the all-new look, you have the long beautiful mane you always wanted to have, and you feel like a goddess thanks to your longer locks. But they are not going to stay beautiful unless you really make the effort to take care of them. Your Hair extensions might not be your real, but that does not mean you should just neglect them. We’ve got hair extension care tips for you right here, so take the time to check them out.

No glue, no chemicals, just 100 % natural human hair.

The most important thing is to avoid extensions and pieces that are heavier than your own hair. If extensions are too heavy, they will damage and break off hair. So hair has to be long and healthy enough to withstand the pressure.

First of all, you should keep your hair clean. Use a mild shampoo and conditioner or better yet, ask your stylist what kind of shampoo would work best your hair and your extensions.

When taking a shower, you should better gradually wet your hair instead of putting on the full pressure of water on your head right away, which could cause a lot of tangling.

Going to the pool or the beach? Feel free to toss around your newly-lengthened tresses while you’re frolicking in the sand or lounging around beside the pool. But when the time comes for you to take a dip, hide your hair under a swimming cap. Chemicals and saltwater can do great damage to your hair. Wash your hair afterward in case some of these seeped into your cap during your swim.

Don’t worry about putting your hair in buns, braids and ponytails. Your hair will still hold up when styled in different ways. Just make sure you use some good clips and bands which won’t stretch out your hair. If you are going to style your hair, do not use too much heat because it could turn your hair frizzy. Wash your hair with lukewarm water and let it air-dry afterwards. If you really need to use a hair dryer, go with ionic dryers for best results.

An important reminder for you would be to stay away from coloring or perming your hair by yourself. As always, consult your stylist before and leave all treatments in his/her hands. Following these simple tips will keep your extensions looking nice and natural. Best of all, you will get to keep your goddess-like locks for a longer period of time!

Just a few of the many celebrities with hair extensions: Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Lindsay Lohan
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