MIL being a witch about Christmas...
If our BM isn't acting like a nut my MIL is. We have the kids through x-mas eve and then we get them the following Saturday evening through New Years Day. I informed MIL of when we would have the kids and asked when she would like to get together. She basically ruled out x-mas eve because she doesn't like to do it before x-mas day. She also said that the following weekend was too long to wait and she'd be sick of the tree. She'd probably just give us the gifts and be done.
She also lamented on how she and FIL wouldn't have anything to do on x-mas day. The real deal is this. She wants X-mas day or nothing and that just isn't gonig to happen. We had the kids on Thanksgiving and spent 10 hours at her home that day. She needs to get a grip and think about someone besides herself.
I'm with MIL. I do Christmas
I'm with MIL. I do Christmas on December 25.
If the SKs aren't here for Christmas, they geth their gifts at a later date, but we don't do Christmas twice.
She's very selfish...she has
She's very selfish...she has no contact currently with her other grandchildren so these are the only ones they'll see. There is no one coming to her house other than us. I agree about not doing it twice and that's what my mom does. She picks a time when it's convenient for everyone X-mas day evening and there you go if the step kids can't make it she makes an effort to spend time with them before or after.
Gawd, she reminds me of my
Gawd, she reminds me of my MIL. There was one Christmas, many moons ago, when we decided not to cook a bird for Christmas day dinner. The SDs didn't want a turkey and I was fine with it - for me, Xmas is about the people, not the food. We still had a ton of food, just not a turkey. My DH's 2 daughters were at our house and when we invited my MIL and FIL to join us - and their grandchildren - for dinner, she turned us down saying that she wanted turkey for dinner. Um... WHAT???
My MIL and FIL stopped by on Xmas day, left the car running, came in, dropped off gifts, chatted a bit and then went home because MIL had a turkey in the oven. They had dinner... ALONE. All because she wanted turkey! My FIL told my DH that he wanted to stay with us, but didn't want to start a fight with MIL.
Craziness, I tells ya!
She's full blown nuts
She's full blown nuts honestly, but I try to cope. At Thanksgiving we watched old home movies and she cried continuously through them because she missed her parents. She chokes up just talking about them. I understand her grief, but her father has been gone since 1994 and her mother since 2004. I really don't relish every get together being a time to mourn the dead.
Her grandkids don't really remember her mother before the Alzheimers and never met her father. In stead of focusing on the family she does have she turns everything into a poor me I lost my parents marathon. While I want her to talk to the kids about the past and share stories, there is still life going on around us. She has no interest in what the kids are doing, their talents, habits, etc. We are basically show pieces for her friends and the people who are to be her audience when she wants to boohoo about the past or preach about the end of days (which happens frequently).
I lost my parents in about
I lost my parents in about the same time frame as she lost hers. I'm in her age bracket - but probably a little older (been on Medicare a couple of years already).
It's normal for aging parents to pass on. Sure it's a loss when it happens but at almost 2 decades later it's time to just accept that's what life and death is all about.
My sister and I laugh about the past with our parents as we remember the good times. We don't cry over them not being still here. They would be well into their 90s and not living a good life if they were still around.
My MIL is a different type of
My MIL is a different type of person. Her biblical interpretations are very narrow and honestly ignorant. I was raised a Baptist, my Grandfather was a public special education teacher and a minister. I' know the bible backwards and forwards and I've never heard anyone talk like she does. Apparently, they attended a nondemoninatinoal full evangelical church. I'm all for freedom of religion but I know that her reading comprehension skills are quite lacking and her ability to interpret the King James is minimal at best...however she refuses to read the NIV because it's of the Devil.
pssh be happy she's not
pssh be happy she's not backing down and you won't have to deal with her selfish behind! My fmil is the same, her famous statement is, "I'm the mom so everyone needs to do what I say/want!"... umm sorry lady your kids are grown and the world doesn't revolve around you.
For Thanksgiving she had a shitfit because we had dinner at our new house. She finally got the point though because fdh said "well I have my dad, step mom, sisters & msg1986 family that I want to spend time with and so if YOU want to have a big dinner at YOUR house and invite your ex husband, who you hate, my step mother, who you hate, my 2 little sisters, who you also hate just because my dad had kids with someone other than you, and msg1986's family then by all means, otherwise let it go." she now decided she'll do thanksgiving the saturday before now...
Good for your fdh...that's
Good for your fdh...that's priceless.
I know, I was beyond thrilled
I know, I was beyond thrilled when he put her in check. when I came on the scene fdh was still living with her and his step dad and she's one of those passive aggressives that if you disagree with anything she says she turns on the water works and says "I do everything for everyone and no one appreciates me!!" so fdh pretty much went along with anything she said/did so he wouldn't have to hear it.
Well fast forward to now, we have a house and I basically let him know, fix shit with your mom or I'm out. This lady expected us over EVERY WEEKEND! She would call and say "We're doing this on this date at this time, be there." and fdh would go along just so he wouldn't have to hear her wig out. It was crazy. I'm so glad he's finally placing boundries that were long over due.
Look on the (somewhat) bright
Look on the (somewhat) bright side- at least MIL isn't catering to the skids. My MIL literally moves the holidays around to accomodate SD being there. Like last Thanksgiving, it was BMs year (they alternate years), so MIL had Thanksgiving before SD left. Like wth. Talk about raising a spoiled, entitled brat!