i have a new

favorite thing and it wasn't even supposed to be mine.  I remember back on several Christmases and Lauren received a "gift with purchase" for a present.  No, she did not receive the bottle of perfume required for this free gift but she received the free gift.  Period.  Over the past few years, I've tried to bring this tradition back.  I don't only give her the free gift but I do like to wrap it and give it as an individual gift.  This year was going to be the same.  I went down and bought my powder and the gift was a free robe.  I had a choice between white, pink or white with hot pink polka-dots.  The last one screamed Lauren so I picked that one.  Several stores down the row, I found out Lauren had no need for a robe.  (Hey, I do like to be practical so if she doesn't need it, I won't waste it.)  I decided I would just keep it for myself.  I went back to the car to get the robe, back to the store to swap it out (for white since white with hot pink polka-dots does not scream Melanie) and came back home.  I wrapped other gifts I picked up that day and went on with my business.  Once finished, I opened the robe up to try it on.  OMG.  I have been living in that thing.  That is the softest most comfortable thing EVER.  Maybe I'll start keeping the free gifts for me.