Okay, just got back from a mini vacation with the hubby and 2 step-kids. All in all I really cant complain... things went pretty well. I'll have to say thou, I was really dreading it and thinking the entire time before it, that if I could get thru it without flipping out on anyone, that it would be a good time. Every thing went well, we all had some good laughs and generally no fights or arguments at all to speak of, so for that part of it I am grateful. One thing that is really bugging me right now is that I helped to pay for a good portion of the trip. Granted my husband paid for the majority of it. Non the less, I did pay for a chunk of it, and I also did research on ware we went and planned out activities for the entire time we were there, which everyone seamed to have enjoyed..however, before they went back home to their mother, they just simply said bye to me as they were walking out the door. I said well.. I had a great time and I hope you both did too.. and they were like oh.. we did, and that was it. No thank you, no nothing..but I herd them earlier in the day thanking their father to death for the great trip and so on.. and talking about their favorite parts of it. I'm kinda hurt that I wasn't a part of this discussion, as I was hoping that this trip had brought us a little closer. I wonder if its because they noticed their Dad paying for everything that they think I did nothing, when actually I had given him money in advance and we had transferred it to one account, then he took it out and paid for everything with cash. I don't know. I was just so happy everything went well, now the ending to the trip has left a sour taste in my mouth. Guess we didn't bond like I thought we had.