You Just Don't Get It

For the 7th year in a row.. she has done it again. We have told her the past 3 years don't do it again and she does it. Time and time again. She does it. Who? Does What? HUGE SIGH. My mother-in-law. We'll call her putz. Because she just doesn't get it. Since my children were able to walk on Halloween night, she has bought their costumes. She buys them on sale, weeks, sometimes a year before (the day after Halloween sale) and it's a done deal. My kids are set for Halloween. The first few years when they were toddlers, it was cute. It saved us money and it seemed so cute to say "oh their grandmother sent them". Then we got to kindergarden and my daughter asked why she didn't get to pick her costume like everyone else did. Then 1st grade we told her it was from the love of putz that it would hurt her if we didn't wear the costume she sent, then by 2nd grade it was - look grandma, we said no, the kids want to pick their own outfits but she didn't listen, and we talked the kids into wearing the outfits.

This year, we planned early. Yes. July. Sat the kids down and said 'start thinking now, we have to beat her to the punch, she won't take no for an answer'. J wants to be a puppy dog, D wants to wear his mickey mouse costume from last year. Simple enough. NOT. We forgot to tell the most important person in this scenario - putz. She called today to inform us that once again, on sale she got J a Snow White outfit and D a Sponge Bob Square Pants outfit. B told me tonight that we are just not going to cave in (like we normally do) to her and let her get away with it. If she wants to buy the kids outfits, fine. By all means, but you take the kids with you and let them assist YOU in picking the outfit.

The sad thing about all this, if I mention this to the kids, I know J will be upset. She has her heart set on being a dog and we will follow through, but I'm sure if D gets word that Sponge Bob is sitting in a bag ready for him he'll change his mind. I want him to make his decision on his outfit. Not her. The other kicker of all this... this PUTZ is so scared that we will allow them to go as a scary monster or a devilish goul for halloween. Oh no.. the devil. See my post at the Back Porch, I just talked about this issue somewhat yesterday. She is such a 'holier than thou woman' and I use that term losely that the reason she buys the outfits is so they won't pick the spooky/devilish/evil costumes. Oh come on Putz. Like I would let my kids do that! Well.. just to piss her off, maybe I would, but normally - no.

So I'm refusing to tell the kids there are other costumes around, let them use them for dress-up. What a site to see Sponge Bob walking around in our yard. Too funny. I know the next question is why do we let this get to us and why not avoid the lady. Our third kick of this story is - Halloween is her birthday. God was playing a bad trick when he made this woman who thinks she's up there with the Virgin Mary and made her birthday on Halloween. So while we live only a 30 minute drive, on her birthday we do the family outing of meeting her after the kids trick or treat and go out for dinner.

Just another reason of why I want to move from Denver and I think tonight just put B one more step in the thought process of moving out of town too.