Family who just doesn't get it rant!

My in laws 50th anniversary is this week and to celebrate it they wanted to recreate a family portrait that we had done about 18 years ago. Well of course as all things involving family, it has blown up into this huge thing. We found out last night that instead of being in the photographers studio mid way between everyone's house, like the original, mid day, my FIL and SIL decided to change it and make it at the beach near her house, 2 hours from us, at 8:30AM. Aside from the fact that this is New England and beaches at flipping freezing this time of year, it means we have to get up at 4 in the morning in order to get to her house for the photo shoot. There are no port o potties on the beach this time of year and we all know what mornings are like for us CDers. It would cost us over $1000 to stay over night because we would need 2 hotel rooms and there is a 2 night minimum stay (Newport, RI, resort town). Plus we all have to dress alike, so I have to buy new clothes for my kids and me that we will never wear again. Luckily, my husband said no way to the time, so now its suppose to be late afternoon, but I am still so mad I could spit nails (thank you prednisone), I'm sure it will show in the pictures. Do they not realize after 30 years of knowing me that this is an issue? My SIL says, well my house is only 10 minutes away. Hello, I need a bathroom in 10 seconds, not 10 minutes! Maybe talking to us would have been nice before they went and changed everything and signed contracts. Oh and originally we were going out for a nice family dinner after the portrait sitting, now we MAY have pizza on the beach, if we can fit it in. So on top of it all, we have to fend for ourselves on the 2 hour drive home.

I flipping hate family!

I hear ya on that, i was just at my youngest daughters Baby Shower last night that My son in laws mom held at her house, When arriving, Instead of seeing people do the normal baby shower things, it was an ALL out bash!! Pizza and Alcohol was all that was there, My daughter didn't even know anyone else except me, her sister and her hubby, All the guests was the MIL's friends, And I hadn't ate because my daughter told me that her MIL knew what I could eat and couldn't eat, Well needless to say, i went hungry, then used the excuse my other grandbaby was sick so I left early. I felt bad, My daughter was upset at the whole thing as well. It amazes me how people just only think about themselves and not others around them.
After all, it was supposed to be my babys, baby shower, Not a drunkin bash.

Sometimes I wish I were like my hubby and could just cut a nasty one at will, if you know what I mean. You could pass gas around familyor anyone else you are mad at, just to get them back. Ha! Ha!

I wish I could photo shop myself in (they are photo shopping in one branch of the family who lives in Europe). It all started out as a really nice thing. The original picture had been my idea as a present for my husbands grandparents 75th anniversary and it was a huge hit. I think that is one of the reasons I am so upset by this. Because everyone was happy at the last one and it went off without a hitch and now because FIL and SIL are in charge its gone to hell in a handbasket. I know I'm a control freak, but there is a reason. Things come out well when I do them because I plan things down to the last detail, like WHERE THE BATHROOMS ARE, and if there is food, and how are people going to get there, oh maybe its stupid, but when people come to events I've planned they have fun, are fed and go home happy not stressed.

Yeah I hear you...My MIL always replies that as long as I can sit up, I can come over...She doesn't realize that the bathroom is only steps away from the living room, meaning you can hear EVERYTHING! I'm a shy pooper anyway, and it's hard for people to understand, that using someone else's bathroom for urinating is nowhere near the same for the other...Not to mention when you just feel horrible and don't want to go anywhere.

Zanne, I do not think you are a control freak...you just know your limits, and it seems that your FIL and SIL do not, nor care and/or comprehend what you go through...I hope it goes well for you...

Oh Zanne...I completely understand and I think that if you need to be late, you be late. They will have to accomodate you with photoshop or something if you can not be there. I can't believe SIL did not even offer to let you stay at her house for the 2 hour drive inconvenience. if speaking up will help...I vote you make a statement. If not....do what you need to do about time and bathroom convenience...personally I would tell her they have to hire a port a potty for the area where the shoot is.

In laws really can stink. My dear MIL thinks she has a worse dsiease than mine now...she has diverticulitis because she eats garbage food only and never goes to the bathroom. I had to sit across from her on Easter and waitch her cram her face so much she always had a golfball sized lump out of her cheek. And then she said....ohhhhhh this week has been so tough. Can you tell me if I am allowed to eat this...you would know since we have the same thing only mine is worse.

Zanne, simple solution, tell them the situation is not favourable to you coming and they'll have to photoshop your family in.

I'm all in favor of the photoshop deal. My highschool year book has a blank spot where my pic should be . It say ,,not available. I think it is my best picture ever.I would have been just as happy had they put a picture of a chimp in the spot because,,,I hates picturessssss!!! I have learned to open my mouth when family or friends dont get my illness and the once upon a time when I would have bent over backwords to accommodate is,,,,sooooooooo over..

I would love to just boycott the whole thing, but I won't do that to my husband. He has been the one person who has stood by me through this long journey of CD and if I boycotted it would cause a rift between him and his family. I will put on my big girl panties and deal. I am just always floored when people who have literally seen me at my worst still can not understand that 3 hours on a beach with no facilities might be an issue and that maybe they should have consulted us.

But on the plus side, I think my husband has been working some magic on his father and he may be reconsidering his plan temporarily. April in New England in Short Sleeves not a good idea. We might need parkas, so hope for the best. They will reconsider because they might be cold, but not because I might crap my pants. Its nice to know where I stand, but I do have my husband to thank for knowing how to work them.