Feel like you need a vacation?

Forums:

Try disengaging.

I've had a relatively unfun few months. SKids aren't horrible (reading some of y'all's stories here, I would have hit the eject button long ago), but there's the constant rolling wheel of being a step that saps me of my energy. I can't really take vacay right now, but disengaging is the next best thing. I'm avoiding Thing 1 and Thing 2 as much as possible. Not that I hate them, but they are teens who need a boot to the butt and DW doesn't have the mind for it - and doesn't want me doing it.

So, as of last week, I have stopped buying fun foods and stuff for them, and after this past SKid-free weekend, the fun foods have dwindled down. They're still with their dad this week, but the way it is, they come to our place EVERY weekday morning and after school, and eat breakfast, take fun stuff to school with lunch (supposedly superdad only buys health foods they don't like), and then come over after school for after school snacks. I've stopped buying that stuff and will not provide one more crumb for them.

So let's see how the week goes with that. Will DW step up to the plate and provide the Aldi snacks? If she does, will they miss the actual GOOD stuff I have been bringing?

If it were up to me, wait... It IS up to me. And I'll be buying stuff I want to eat, and NOTHING with them in mind. No more, "Ah, I'll bet Thing 2 will like these!" or "Hmm, Thing 1 liked that a lot..." Now when I see that stuff it'll be, "I'm sure Thing 1 misses that." or something like that. Just done with it, and I told DW yesterday that I'm doing this, explaining about how the days of the open boxes of cereal going bad are no longer in my future. I did some of this before without telling her a lot, and she noticed. Now? OK, let's see how it goes.

When I stopped buying

When I stopped buying groceries for SDs, DH didn't know what do to. He couldn't believe there wasn't "anything for them to eat" in the house. Not my problem DH - you figure it out. We ended up having a nice talk about it and he agreed. He still isn't great about it, but much better.

I'm now working with SD12 to get her to think about what she wants for food/snacks when she's in our home. She's good about the breakfast things but needs to get on track with lunch and snacks. She's the kid who will not stop what she's doing to eat or think about food (although she's a good eater when she is ready to eat). There's a list on the fridge, use it. She didn't use it this last week so I didn't get anything specific for her (DH paid, I shopped); she'll come around, it'll just take a bit longer.

Things pile up in the cupboard? I stuff on the lower shelf and ignore - DH has been taking more care of the cereal area amazingly but the fridge is still a piece of work.

It's all for the better - keep with it!

Swear it... I've cooked some

Swear it... I've cooked some AMAZING ribeye staeks on the grill, and these kids threw half of it away because it was "fat."

No, there's a little fat on that pile of meat.

From now on, steak time for DW and me will bring a hamburger patty for them. I know DW will protest, and I'll just tell her, "Hon, your kids don't appreciate steak. So, since the grill will be on, I'm making a hamburger patty with 93% lean so they don't have to deal with *all that fat.* And instead of asparagus or any of the nice veggies we like that they only waste, why don'cha just boil up some canned green beans or corn for them. I'm personally not going to waste the money on teaching them it's OK to turn their noses up to good food. They can learn about good stuff at their dad's."

If it were up to me... WAIT, IT IS. Next time I'm making something awesome, I'll microwave those kids some plain ol' Nighthawk TV dinner or a cheapo microwave frozen pizza.

Exactly this.

DH and I, two years ago on Xmas made a huge feast with the SDs. He bought (note HE bought) and we made everything they requested: crab, shrimp, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, linguini, etc., etc., and they ate almost NOTHING. Hundreds of dollars worth of food THEY wanted and hardly touched.

After, I told DH he was never, ever doing that again.

Last year we had a turkey, bakers and roasted broccoli. Champs for me and DH and that was it. SD14 asked about special stuff like crab, "You didn't touch it last year so we're not doing that again."

When I bbq steak (I'm working on getting SD12 to like it, she will I think) I always make burgers too, it's cheap and easy and no waste.

Night Hawk! I used to go

Night Hawk! I used to go there for dinner occasionally with my XW and ILs.

I haven’t thought if they place in decades.

Never heard of the PLACE

Night Hawk

...though Wal*Mart carries a "budget priced dood food" TV dinner made by Nighthawk. I like them, though they can get old after a while. Like, sayyyyy, 2 days in a row.

Here is some history for you.

Here is some history for you. They were originally a small chain in Austin. They started selling meals through local grocery stores and eventually started their frozen food business.

My XILs loved the place.

https://austin.eater.com/2012/6/6/6580029/own-a-sweet-little-piece-of-au...

Wow, OK, thanks! I never knew

Wow, OK, thanks! I never knew! I love Austin, even if it's getting to be the Snowflake Capital of Texas.

This is what we do. Used to

This is what we do. Used to try to have everyone eat the same, but gave up and we enjoy the better stuff and they eat ramen or hamburgers or the like. Except when we go out and DHs favorite son starts begging for the steak he usually gets it and doesn't eat it. Then next time DH says no then after that the cycle repeats. Lol

I made Christmas dinner one

I made Christmas dinner one year: Ribeyes with a melted cheese sauce over shrimp and a side of loaded baked potato and salad. Sounds good right?

My SO told his oldest son to make a plate...his reply: 'Nah, I'm feeling more like grilled cheese and tomato soup" .....I was pissed.

So fitting for me right now....

...I'm so done of being the housekeeper, cruise director, and personal shopper. Not only do we now have to deal with BM's ridiculous mediation request and I seem to have become the default legal coordinator, but DH also wants to take his precious princes skiing, but has not made any efforts to ensure we have appropriate clothing, gear, etc.

I've told him that I'm done being in charge of everything. I'm going on a work trip this week that is about an hour away from DH's family cabin. This is a visitation weekend, so I'm thinking that instead of going home at the conclusion of the work event, I will just drive to DH's family cabin and spend the rest of the weekend by myself...alone...in the woods.

You said...

I will just drive to DH's family cabin and spend the rest of the weekend by myself...alone...in the woods.

Seen way too many Netflix horror movies start off like this LOL...

Seriously, if I could, I WOULD. I'd bring my favorite music, my favorite beverages, and some tasty food - and I'd have an AMAZING time practicing what the Italians call:

"Il dolce far niente."

If you're living life and don't PHYSICALLY NEED that at least once in a while, you aren't living life properly.