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My top 5 indulgences:

1. Getting my hair cut at Gaia

It's completely extravagant. First you get a five minute scalp massage. Then they wash your hair in fancy Aveda shampoo. Then after the shampoo they wrap a hot wet towel around your head. Then they cut your hair and fix it fancy with tons of product. Then they even put powder on your face and gloss or chapstick your lips for you. It's amazing. Crystal has been my hairdresser at Gaia for the past two years and she is the most normal, down to earth, regular person. Her hair is always the same, she's never wearing heels and I don't even think she wears make-up. She's awesome. And it's worth it.

2. Lunch at Houlihan's

This one is pretty simple. At lunch, they bring you fresh, hot, chocolate chip cookies. Regardless of what you order. And if you go with Steven, you get to eat both of the cookies because he can't have dairy. Sure, it's probably triple the calories of your entire meal but again, totally worth it.

3. HBO

I canceled Netflix this week. Steven finally convinced me that while we have HBO, we don't really need Netflix. I got HBO because of the HBO Go app that lets you watch entire seasons of old and new HBO shows. I've been meaning to see all of The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, The Wire, Treme, Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Big Love anyway. Now I get it whenever I want it, no rental required. But he's right. There's no reason to pay for Netflix when all I'm streaming is HBO shows right now. I can't believe it finally came to this. Feels like the end of an era. Now the Wii is even more ignored.

4. Sweatpants

Since I started working full-time (it's been 3 years now. How can that BE?) I've developed a deep affinity for sweatpants. I own one pair of jeans that fits and one pair that fits for a night out. The rest of my pants are sweatpants. Different lengths, different colors, different weights. And the one that rules them all is my gray pair of super soft, incredibly comfy Gap Outlet Gap Body gray sweatpants. I think I might cry if I lost them. I hate washing them, because laundry should always be done in sweatpants, and you should always wear your comfiest pants. Even now, in the middle of a heatwave, we keep the AC high enough that I can wear them when I come home from work. And I do! Immediately! I remember thinking it was odd that Mom changed clothes every day right after work. Dad never changed. I never changed after school. But now I get it. After spending all day in panty hose, dresses, skirts, khakis, there is nothing better then changing into your lounge clothes and just leaving all of the workday behind. Everyone should own a truly wonderful pair of sweatpants.

5. The Cabin

The cabin is the best week of the year, every year. It has it all. More chips than you could ever eat. More pop than you should ever consume. There's awesome sister giggle time. There's adorable nieces. There's quality time with Dad. There's Matthew's biscuits and gravy. There's sausage and sauerkraut. There's hammock naps and sky chairs and fluffy recliners and Brennen music. There's card games and dominoes and puzzles and reading aloud. There's sunrises and sunsets and rain and fresh air and you get to wear your sweatpants all week long. It is extravagance in the best possible way.