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Cover1W's picture

Submitted by Cover1W on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 11:34am

...of work. Then I have 7 days of NO WORK!
"Vacation!" - quotes because it will involve taking SDs with us.

The planning has been so far, so good.

They have their own roller-bags now, which DP bought, and they WILL be managing their own luggage. Neither DP nor I will haul it for them. At the store, once the bags were decided on, SD10 started walking away from her bag. "Um, SD10, where are you going? This is your bag, you are responsible for it starting right now." Nope, your bag, you keep track of it and haul it around.

We are headed to the Southwest, WARM weather (at least it better be for my sanity). Neither SD has any of their summer clothes, but for new bathing suits (bought by DP) at our house. EVERYTHING is at BMs. Of course. DP needed to remind BM they need to bring their stuff with them today (and the SDs were reminded on Friday)...he waited until 9:30 pm last night (they come to our place starting today) and BM was, IMHO, justifiably irked. But THEN AGAIN she knows they are going...when they went with HER during winter break, we made sure that they HAD THEIR STUFF without her having to ask. DP was a bit peeved at BM. I reminded him the SDs also know we are going and they need their summer stuff...maybe stop being their go-between. If they don't have what they need, they end up not having what they need. In the end he'll probably make a special trip to BMs to pick up their stuff. Not my issue. At least all I had to do was observe the insanity.

DP decided to NOT do a race the DAY BEFORE we leave. I was like, "What? The DAY BEFORE? When we have to pack? Are you expecting ME to take care of the house and the SDs without you? Really?" DP: No, I'll help on Saturday. Me: "SD10 is going to be at a friends house on Saturday and I'm doing laundry on Saturday - no one will be ready to pack until Sunday...And if you get hurt...(followed by death stare)..." He came to his senses the next day.

It's going to be a busy trip, staying with my sister and her family (my niece, 12, and SD12 get along great - hopefully still) and we've got a lot of plans. SDs and my niece are going shopping with my sister and I to pick out stuff to wear at our wedding this fall and I'll go with my sister, separately and maybe with my mother, to pick out my dress hopefully.

I should have Tuesday to do nothing but sit by the pool with a G&T starting at 10:00 am and do nothing at all. My one day to veg w/out family or having to go anywhere but to get a pedicure that evening. The SDs love visiting my family so it should be a pretty easy trip overall.

Comments

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

Submitted by NoWireCoatHanga... on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 11:47am

i just had 10 days off from work in a row!!! I won Universal Studios Orlando tickets on the radio. I'm getting pretty good at these contests. That makes four in a year now. It was a $620 prize and we theme parked it! We did Busch Gardens, WIld Adventures Water Park, the beach, strawberry picking at my sister in law's down south, and used our tickets at Universal. I love Harry Potter, I do. The baby did take my Florean Fortescue's butter beer ice cream in Diagon Alley though. ): I hope you have a lovely, lovely time!
http://imgur.com/Es6dq7N
http://imgur.com/XiIkZKg

ESMOD's picture

Submitted by ESMOD on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 11:55am

Oh, Wow, you got them bags? Good for you. My SD's would show up for trips with like 12 bags from BM's house. We finally had to institute a "One bag rule" for trips with us. With 2kids, dogs, 2 adults a vehicle/boat can get awfully tight.

The girls learned to pack light. We also didn't obsess over what they did or didn't pack. They wore what they had. If they had to repeat the same stuff over and over, so be it. In an extreme emergency, walmart sells socks and underwear!

Cover1W's picture

Submitted by Cover1W on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 2:13pm

I don't worry about getting stuff back any more - not since last year when I cold-turkey quit buying clothes for them...BM has admitted she doesn't keep track (no wonder SD10 comes over in underwear 2 sizes too small sometimes, or stained, or ripped...I toss 'em).

You just got FOUR new sweaters two months ago, and you are cold? Go get a sweater.
Oh, you don't have any here? Well, go put on another shirt then.
Not my issue.

Yeah, for the wedding stuff it will be getting things a little too big. SD12 will hate that, but I'll make sure it happens. I think SD12s feet are finally slowing down in growth, she hasn't had a new shoe size in a year. But she's not as skinny as she used to be and is filling out. I expect her and my niece to get some kind of filmy sundress things (they want to match).

SD10 will be the issue. She hates dresses and skirts. DP and I let her know it's ok if she wears nice pants and a new, plain t-shirt and sandals/flats. So easy enough to replace them if she grows out of them. The catch is she's stated that she's going to wear "anything she wants" (her usual dirty sneakers, a pair of leggings and likely an ok top). DP and I (and my sister, his sister) are all over that one as a "watch" for the meltdown on the wedding day...we all at least agree there's some things you simply have to learn to dress appropriately for.

But in the meantime, sun and G&Ts are my main concern. }:)

1.5 days of work left. Yes, I am counting down.

Cover1W's picture

Submitted by Cover1W on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 11:47am

LOL.

Well, SD10 is looking forward to getting her first pedicure (my sister and I are taking "all the girls")...and that was surprising. She's exited because she can pick colors like blue for her toenails.

She also, apparently, IS looking forward to getting some nicer clothes, mentioned this morning as she wanted to hear all about what we are going to do starting from the time our plane lands.

So glad I took tomorrow off for a day to myself!

ESMOD's picture

Submitted by ESMOD on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 12:12pm

Does BM know you are getting the girl a pedi? That was somewhere my DH's Ex got mad. I took the experience away from HER the girls REAL mother.

I did try to do nice things with my SD and buy them things too because I could afford it and BM let them run around in rags. Seriously the kids would have like one pair of shoes that fit.

The older SD is now pregnant with her first child and told DH that she hoped that I bought nice things for the baby like I used to buy for her.

I really didn't know if the girls (especially her since she was so reserved) even realized that I was trying to be nice. I guess she did remember I at least tried to do nice things for her and maybe she did appreciate it a little. Smile

Cover1W's picture

Submitted by Cover1W on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 4:06pm

BM is ok with it.
She's not girly girl in the LEAST and is not helpful with clothing, shoes, nails, or hair but for when she feels like it, not when girls need it.

SD12 had her first pedi at 11, and I also do their nails for them sometimes.

I don't have any issues personally with BM, we get along pretty well and were even able to decide on a flip-phone/plan for SD12 together.

DP gets more stressed with her than I do.
I just make sure I don't over-step certain things and all has been good for 3 years.