Right on cue, drama for the holidays
Thankfully from this website I have learned to disengage, sit back and chuckle so that this year my holidays will not be ruined by the steps as it has been before. They are right on cue with their usual drama. SS & his wife just announced they are expecting second baby. First baby is barely a year old, no health insurance for that child or the pregnant again mother. But not to worry they told us, now that they will have two kids they will qualify for food stamps. Fantastic, just what us taxpayers were hoping for this year. Pregnancy drama has already begun, doc placed her on bed rest, but now miraculously a few days later after she is done basking in the attention, she is released and just fine again. I can't wait to see what happens between now & Christmas. Maybe we will finally get a thank you card for the extremely generous wedding gift we gave them early this year. I'm not gonna get my hopes up lol.
SD is also releasing her usual holiday hatefulness, refusing to attend family functions and keeping her children from any family member who doesn't bow down to her or fret about her latest temper tantrum. DH will make the trek to her house to drop off the sgkids Christmas gifts during the two hour window on the chosen day that SD allows the family she doesn't like to visit the sgkids. At least he gets that I guess. I will stay at home, like I did last year for the first time, as I refuse to take part in this ridiculousness. But this year I will not feel one ounce of guilt. Keep the faith out there all you stepmoms, it really DOES get easier every year 
Sit back this year, have a glass of wine, and pray that our bios never turn out like this lol!
I stay away from the drama
I stay away from the drama now, it took a long time to realize I was not the failure or cause, the family and dadeeee dysfunction, created this masterpiece. And, I married a weakling --for a man who was scared to death of his own children. I did not want to believe that, I still so not want to believe it....but it is a fact in my life. He is no parent, it is pathetic; he is unable to correct his kid's inappropriate behavior and that is why they act and achieve what they have in life....
I cannot watch this sick mess and I refuse to be part of this problem; so staying away now makes me part of the solution, right? I am releaved I may not ever see them again, not withstanding death, of course, if I can possibly help it.
I will not invite them for
I will not invite them for anything for our daughter anyway; she is a serious source of their jealousy too---though she has done nothing to deserve it! As much as they are jealous of us, I believe they are even jealous of our innocent children--even more. I guess I have taken a more hardened view about respect; had HE had respect for me, he would have actually daddddddeeeed his kids and made them respect both him and our marriage. Had he done this---maybe we would have a better relationship, who knows? I do not owe HIM anything, given he has no protective instinct for ME for what is right or wrong--- for his poorly raised, jealous, lazy and classless adult women, clearly..LOL.
I'd be totally embarrassed to be related to them anyway, given their classless, trashy selfish behavior...so it was meant to be....
My DH is a bit different,
My DH is a bit different, he's sees right through his daughter & has no tolerance for her BS. His son is another story. DH thinks his delinquent son is a true treasure to behold. And next week I get to take the 8 hour trip to my mother in law's for Thanksgiving to listen to her go on about her precious adult granddelinquents & defend their awful behavior. We will get the usual sermon from MIL about how we all need to just be patient with SD and pray for her. MIL will once again tell us that it's not SDs fault that she's so hateful, SD is just hurting inside & taking it out on her family in anger. We should all just take SDs abuse & bite our tongues blah blah blah. Not happening, I'm done with the games & drama.
Then MIL will say no one should be upset that SS is having another kid when they can't afford the one they have. MIL will say all babies are a gift & not to worry because God will provide. Well then how about next time SS calls us asking for money for diapers we tell him to give God a call, or better yet, Grandma lol!! But God forbid I say anything about MIL. While my DH may stand up to his kids every once in awhile, no one is allowed to say a cross word about mommy dearest!
I wish! There is no alcohol
I wish! There is no alcohol allowed in the houses of God's faithful children lol. I have a stash of holiday Xanax & DH does the driving, so I can fill my travel thermos with some rum & coke to get primed on the way there. Then just relax, eat & watch the show unfold.
At least you're living with
At least you're living with a man capable of standing up to his kids, that is a big plus. However, all the enabling in this family-- has created these monsters. Kids are raw material, and though genetics play a part, they are shaped by parental conditioning. Clearly, the matriarch sets the tone for everybody in this family,she's king---and, uh oh.. God has not provided....it appears..
I told my brother one day I really liked the song. "Jesus Take the Wheel" when we were driving in crazy traffic in Washington DC, and he told me well he better not take it right now in a million lanes of traffic going 90 MPH....we use God as an excuse for inappropriate behavior much of the time...God is just an excuse too.