Seeing my MIL was a little upsetting. I hadn't seen her since the surgery and stroke. The left side of her face droops, and she doesn't get around very well. I love her a lot. I probably wouldn't have gone on this trip if it wasn't for her. She has diabetes and the family around her are a bunch of idiots. They feed her the wrong kinds of food and keep her blood sugar up to nearly 300 or more. She no longer thinks clearly, and asks for food that she shouldn't eat. I don't think she's going to be with us much longer.

The FIL is a jerk. He's mean like a snake and tries to hide it behind a 'christian' facade.

A goofball SIL and her husband are a pair of deadbeats, and they're raising their children to be deadbeats also. I asked the kids how their grades are and they proudly replied that they have all F's.

The other SIL is okay, but is bulimic and on public assistance. She tries hard, and seems to have the right intentions. The showing off her little girls size 12 fit was a little much for me though.

I met one of the BIL's sons who joined the military and who I understand used to be very quiet and shy. The kid I met was a braggert and full of himself. This is the one who's mother can't seem to get it through her thick head that we're 3 hours behind their timezone and calls here at 5 AM.

Getting in the middle of all these people is a headache. Fortunately we stayed at a hotel and I was able to exercise every morning. I did 20 min on the exercise bike and 20 min on the treadmill. MPH also took me to get my daily espresso on the way to the torture chamber.

I'm so glad to be home.

My kid did great while we were gone. She worked and took care of things here. I'm very proud of her. Seventeen years old and more competent and reliable than most adults.

I was going to go to work today - but I can't seem to get moving. I have vacation time until next week that I can take - but I was going to go in to work anyhow. I have so much to do there.

Since MPH and the kid have today and tomorrow off - maybe I'll wait to go in to the office until Wed or Fri.

My dads b'day is tomorrow and I wanted to get something for him. I haven't figured out what that should be. He really needs to have his house cleaned out - he's been living the bachelor life too long.

I missed my family this Christmas. Spending a little time with MPH's family sure made me appreciate my own family. We don't argue, but we might make fun of each other. We share things, we talk, we laugh. MPH's family yells at each other, they try to impose themselves on each other. It was annoying. I can't describe it. With my family when we're together it's like we're close friends by choice and we enjoy each other.

My little ploy on the my homemade gifts worked. Little Miss Holier than thou did make a comment on my homemade little kitchen towels. They were pathetic little towels to hang off the range door handle or dishwasher handle. I think I'll make lap quilts for everybody next year, either that or find something else. My ploy was to rub it in that even though I work full-time and do all these other things I still have time to sew and crochet, and that I'm creative.

I'm going to take the pictures and make a little scrapbook for MPH's mother now, and send it to her before the end of the week. I did hear LMHTT make a comment that she never seems to have time to work on her scrapbooking.

I'm not a nice person most of the time. I am nice to people I like, but I sure like to irritate the people I don't like.