[katieperez]

Hi everyone! So my husband and I moved to TX just this past March from NC. He did 8 years in the corps. He's from IN and I'm from OH. I've been with him in NC since 04. Anyway, we go home for X-Mas every year and it works out great because our families are only 5 hours apart despite being in different states. With the move to TX & buying a new house & vet bills from the puppies, we're not going to make it home this year. His mom, brother, niece, and 2 nephews were just here visiting in August. We haven't seen my family since X-Mas of 06. So they are flying down here on the 28th of Dec and leaving on the 31st. They can only manage a weekend trip due to conflicting schedules of my parents and sisters and money's tight for them too. So naturally, I'm thrilled! It's coming up on a year of not seeing them. Well hubby's mom mentioned wanting to come down to see us around Christmas time as well. Everyone's bummed that we can't make it especially the moms :) I really do love his family and have a great time with them. Thing is, hubby thought it'd be great to tell his mom, hey you should come while Katie's family is here! Our families have never met BTW. Problem #1, Where will we put her? I've got one extra bed, for my parents, and a pull out couch for my 2 sisters. The only other extra room is the office where we keep the cat litter box. Eew. She said she'd stay in a hotel but we said no way. Problem #2, is it wrong of me to want to spend that short weekend with only MY family whom I haven't seen in a year? Don't get me wrong, I'd love for them to meet one day, but not that X-Mas weekend. I always figured they'd meet when hubby & I had our first human baby. Maybe in a year or so. We don't even know for sure if hubby's mom is going to come down and if this will even work out for her. I'm secretly hoping she can't make it that weekend and will come a different weekend. Is this wrong of me? Hubby & I talked about what a pain in the butt it'd be cramming everyone into our house but how would I tell him I'm not comfortable with his mom coming on my family's weekend without him getting upset with me? I'm not even sure that my family would be comfortable with it as I haven't mentioned it yet. I don't think they would but I don't want to tell hubby that because I don't want him to think of my family as a bunch of stiffs. He knows I adore his family so he just assumed I'd be all for it. But I'm not really for it at all. Am I being greedy?

[crossimgover]

Hi katie:

Of course you are not being greedy. You have all the right to be wanting to spend time with your family, specially if you have not seen them in such a long time..

What I would suggest is for you is to bring this subject with your husband in a very sweet way. Meaning, just explain the fact that you want to spend time with your family and you think that having more people will be too much load on both of you, cause you will be trying to keep everyone happy . But tell him that you can plan a vacation maybe or another family reunion somewhere or some other time, where you can all (his and your families) meet.

And if his mum wants to come in December she can come a week before or after your family.

Hope I helped and good luck

[s_cianci]

Let her stay in the hotel. Explain the situation to her and why that's necessary. Of course, make it sound like you're doing her a favor by not insisting that she stay at your place since you're already going to be overcrowded.

[donf]

Katie darling,

Sure now a young lass as yourself must realize you left out a room. Have Mom and Dad spend the weekend in your bedroom, Hubbies Mom can have the spare.

Hubby and you get the cats and their litter. There, room assignments are solved, make it happen now.

Think about now, your husband being an former Marine (if there really is such an animal)
Has proabably slept is far worse places during his tour. I know from personal places that us guys on board ships would take them to some places I would never want liberty time on.

Also, look on the plus side here, do you have any idea how many embarrassing stories hubbies Mom has yet to tell about her little boy?

By the way, how do you like Texas? I may have been born in the Bronx, New York but I got to Texas as soon as I could. IBM sent me and my wife, Bonnie to Dallas in October of 1991. We lived in Fort Worth until 1994.

[katieperez]

Crossingover- Thanks for assuring me; I know that my family would be a little uncomfortable with it, and that's the last thing I want them to feel while spending a short Christmas weekend with their daughter/sister that they haven't seen in a year.

s_cianci- Her being in a hotel would be the easiest solution, but I would never want her to be by herself with no car in a hotel for that Christmas weekend. Although it would take some of the edge off :)

donf- You made me laugh with your response :) You're right, he has slept in much worse places. Specifically the worst I believe was in a fighting hole in Afghanistan for 3 straight months with only baby wipes to bathe with.
Alas, with every clever solution, there is a kink. I forgot to mention, the children we do have, are furry 4 legged critters. 2 Rottweiler pups, 7 & 8 months old that are creatures of habit/routine. They sleep with us in our room every night. We keep a baby gate up because when my female has to potty at oh say, 3am, she paws the gate. The male will just hoist his big ol self up on the edge of the bed and lick my face if he has to go. Yuck. Problem with having them in the office/cat room with us at night if we went that route, they really enjoy snacking on cat turds. Double yuck. We keep that room baby gated too because of that :rolleyes: They would also be frantic from the change in routine.

Geez, I've got a lot of great ideas to ponder and discuss with hubby. And I better do it soon before his mom goes and buys tickets. And if she does end up coming that weekend, I need to prepare my family. My dad in particular because he's funny like that. He's an old grump that really doesn't like people so I'm sure I'll get an earful from him.

We both have met eachothers families dozens of times. He loves my family and I love his. First thing I'll discuss with him is perhaps his mom can come a different weekend. I'll give him a ham sandwich and a beer before I approach the subject ;)

And if he & his mom insist, then we'll go from there, with figuring out sleeping arrangements. Thanks all!

[katieperez]

Oh yeah, donf, I almost forgot... Texas is OK so far. I was born & raised in Cleveland so it's much different! I swear if your not from TX, you're some kind of foreigner :p My dad always said that the only thing in Texas is steers and... well you know the rest. He always called it a damned republican breeding ground. He's such a grouch.

All in all though, it's good. Mild weather still even though November is coming to an end, and food is different too. They call stuffing, dressing. There's a lot of stuff to do in the city too. I enjoy the comedy clubs. Lots of horses out here too and I love that.

Nothing beats the NC coast though. In the 3 short years there, I can see myself making it home. Yeah an interstate and a decent mall is at least an hour drive, but I had the ocean practically in my back yard!

I do miss the gloomy grey city of Cleveland though. That old stinky lake Eerie. My family and friends are there and that's where the heart is!

GO BROWNS!! 6-4!

[donf]

Katie,

It's nice to know that you grew up in such a high toned area as Cleveland. My slum was torn down to make way for a Ghetto back in the Bronx.

Its not that you think your foreign to Texas, it IS that you are foreign to Texans. That will quickly fade one you slide into you "Tight Fitting Jeans" and put your boots and hat on. Also, check your boots and any and all shoes for scorpions dow in the Austin area.

[donf]

Katie darling,

Ah, Cleveland, land of the burning lake. Happy Thanks Giving. Please tell your husband thank you for putting himself in harm's way to stop Bin Ladden.

Cat is best served warm to dogs! However I'm sure our cat/ ruler would not countenance such a plan.

Most all homes in Texas have garages. Why not move the cats and their litter into the garage for the duration and then keep the dogs and husband with you. Think of all the fun you can tripping over the hulks of the dogs as you tip toe to the bathroom for water.

[katieperez]

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to you too!

Yes we do have a garage, what a great suggestion. I probably wouldn't have thought of that. I could put the baby gate up in the garage doorway so the kitties could come and go as they please and my hulks won't have litter stuck in their wiskers with poop breath. Oooooh that's nasty. It's good to know you have a cat/ruler as well. I've got two of them that are currently in a power struggle :) Just kidding, they get along great, and have rule over the hulks hands down.

I will express your appreciation to my husband, that was very kind of you.

Thank you again for all your great advice, as I said, I probably wouldn't have thought of some of the things you came up with.

[donf]

Katie,

I did not realize you were in Fort Worth. When I was detailed to Dallas by IBM we lived in a small town on the Norteast corner of Fort Worth, Watauga. I hope your Thanksgiving went as pleasantly as ours did.