We're on vacation with SS26, his DW & 2 SGDs this week. SS25 & his DW came for 2 days & had to leave. This is a 7BR beachfront  house with private pool, hot tub, pool table that we paid over $11k to rent and we're buying all groceries plus paying meals out. Things have been better than last year because I bought paper plates, plastic cups, plastic cutlery as someone here suggested to limit dishes. I also bought no food that can be cooked (like eggs) &  we're carrying out every meal due to COVID.

Just when I thought I could not love my DH more, he has come through in a big way. He made all arrangments for the vacation planning with SSs and notified both of them directly. He booked a 4 BR oceanfront beach condo with maid service each day. which was actually several thousand dollars LESS than we spent last year for the beach house!  I will decide how much of the time I'm going as we get closer, but it has a direct flight from where we live, so I may go .later in the week. He emphasized to me that he wanted ME to be happy with what we booked, and that went a long way.

I blogged last year about how miserable I was after taking SS25, SDIL & SGDs 4 & 6 on vacation to a beach house. DH & I not only paid for everything but for any meals we didn't eat out, DH & I cooked & cleaned up after them while they relaxed and enjoyed "their" vacation, leaving me exhausted & feeling like I didn't have a vacation. I swore I'd never do that again.

I have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I saw on FB my youngest SS posted a meme about how his mother deserves "the world" for Christmas but all he can afford to buy her is a pair of socks. A few days ago, he shared a song called "Mom is Dad," I guess about a single mom who has to be both.  I don't know if my DH saw these things, but I find them incredibly offensive. Youngest SS, now 24, has NEVER bought DH ANY gift for Christmas. Yet tonight, I finished wrapping 7-8 gifts EACH for SS24, his wife, plus SS25 and his wife.