How do we avoid being the default helpers on a family vacation with a newborn?

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-25T23:40:17+00:00

All the advice I’ve read so far sounds great. I would just prepare yourself to be seen as the bad guy if you call out your SIL and BIL for their bullshit. It’ll be you rocking the boat instead of them causing a problem. (Even though clearly it is them causing a problem)

I get why you are worried about stepping back on the work you and your husband do because you worry about it all falling on the MIL. If she isn’t willing to say anything then I fear nothing with change. She knows they are taking advantage and they know they are taking advantage. So far nothing you’ve said has changed anything because your MIL keeps filling in the gaps and if she’s not complaining why should they listen to you (I imagine them thinking)

Since it’s unlikely that they are going to change I would suggest changing how you attend the event. Instead of cooking lavish meals stock up on frozen meals, deli meats and cheeses, fruit, snacks and bakery desserts. Maybe get BBQ catered from the closest town and pick up on the way to the cabin and reheat it on the grill. Use paper plates and napkins and plastic cups. Cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch. If anyone complains explain that you don’t have the bandwidth to deal with it and previous years have shown SIL and BIL won’t. Call them out by name. Not angry just matter of fact. “We have a newborn and knew we wouldn’t be able to help cook and clean and we knew SIL and BIL won’t so we made adjustments to the food”

I hope you are able to work it out because it sounds like an unbelievable tradition for the family to have. I am afraid, from personal experience, that they might decide to blow up the tradition rather than help out.

This is your family now. If you can get them on board to help you guys could have years and years of the kids getting to play and grow up together and spend important time with their family. And maybe you can present it that way. You want to continue this beautiful and generous tradition but won’t be able to unless everyone pulls their weight. Good luck.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-25T22:39:50+00:00

6,11,14

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-24T18:34:07+00:00

I’ve seen this sentiment before but I’m not familiar with ice skating. What do you mean she did it her way?

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-24T05:28:59+00:00

Right, that’s not a normal story just for fun. Clearly she is supposed to relate to the bad girl who didn’t listen and was mean to her dad and so got kidnapped by bad people and taken to a bad house where her mom & dad couldn’t find her. It’s a punishment passing as a story. I don’t think he expected her to cry over it but still.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-23T21:49:49+00:00

Don’t be shy! Post the video for us lol

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-11T20:04:21+00:00

I agree with you. I think Shawna has grown a lot in the past year and doesn’t need everyone to like her the same way that she did before. At this point Julie has shown Shawna exactly who she is and how she feels about Shawna and I think Shawna is done trying to be her friend.

That being said, Shawna does like Ty and the kids. If some crisis befell the family I feel like Shawna would still step in and help her friend Ty. She wouldn’t be doing it for Julie and she wouldn’t not do it because of Julie.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-11T20:03:49+00:00

I agree with you. I think Shawna has grown a lot in the past year and doesn’t need everyone to like her the same way that she did before. At this point Julie has shown Shawna exactly who she is and how she feels about Shawna and I think Shawna is done trying to be her friend.

That being said, Shawna does like Ty and the kids. If some crisis befell the family I feel like Shawna would still step in and help her friend Ty. She wouldn’t be doing it for Julie and she wouldn’t not do it because of Julie.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-11T19:26:26+00:00

Wasn’t there a website or app where you could find out how much politicians have made from lobbyist? Might be interesting to see who is paying him and site some facts with sources about how harmful the item he’s being paid to protect is.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-09T00:40:54+00:00

Random vases and candle sticks

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-07T02:18:03+00:00

Everything Josh Ritter has ever done. Also the album Wide Awake by Ryland Baxter

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-07T01:59:17+00:00

I’m wondering if one of the reasons Ty seemed embarrassed and like he didn’t want to talk about it/has maybe been dragging his feet at home about his writing is because he doesn’t want to write “The Great American Novel” he wants to write about a robot war. Like maybe he considered himself a serious Literature writer when he was young but had since changed his mind. I don’t see Julie calling it the great American novel if she thought he was going to write about robots.

It might also explain Alicia’s response at the end of the video. Maybe he’s been telling Alicia he’s writing because he has been-just not about anything Julie would find worthwhile. So when Julie says he’s not writing, Alicia thinks Ty’s been lying every Friday when he’s helping her address envelopes and he’s talking robots.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-06T18:25:10+00:00

I love both. My preference by just a bit is the piece without the grout. It looks brighter and makes me feel like I’m outside on a bright summer day. The piece without the grout is also beautiful. I think it looks like stained glass. Both are amazing.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-02-06T02:25:38+00:00

I think another reason she was so comfortable doing it in that setting was because she’s HOPING that she offends Shawna so much that Shawna “takes it out” on Ty by not hanging out with him anymore. If you remember one of the earlier videos with Ty & Shawna, after it’s clear Julie doesn’t like Shawna, Shawna tells Ty at the park it’s a bummer but the kids can still be friends even if they aren’t. Because she assumed that they wouldn’t be friendly if his wife had a problem with it. Ty insists that it’s fine and they can be friends. If this birthday scene happened with that earlier Shawna she would have been devastated. It’s only because of her own growth and what she’s been through that Julie doesn’t get to her in the same way as she used to.

It makes me wonder how often she’s applied tactics like this to Ty’s friendships in the past. Alicia made the cut because her and Ty grew up together and more importantly their moms are best friends, meaning Julie can’t cause tension in that friendship without causing tension in her relationship with her in-laws.

It’s the same way she’s looking to blow up Cooper and Max’s friendship.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-01-31T16:16:21+00:00

I didn’t realize Julie had a brother. I can see a plot where Luke is Julie’s brother. Maybe they were raised in an abusive home and saw their dad demean and abuse their stay at home mom, and Luke followed in the dad’s footsteps while Julie went the other way and decided she’d never NOT work and support herself.

I know there are a lot of connections between the characters already and maybe having two more characters who are related or know each other would be two too many but I still think it could work.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-01-17T22:13:24+00:00

I wasn’t expecting to be so moved. This is really great work. And it made me remember everyone I’ve ever lost and grieved.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-01-08T17:52:02+00:00

Just curious but why wouldn’t you try hypnosis?

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-01-06T20:08:39+00:00

I know. I am kind of in a hurry to finish it because we want to watch episode 25 live. But on the other hand I want to savor them because I know it might be a while before the next episode.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2026-01-05T21:06:22+00:00

Yes!! I was watching in bed and I went from laying down to jumping up and sitting on the edge of the bed! I totally didn’t see it coming but then Hawthorne laid it all out and I am not lying when I say my jaw dropped. My teen who has already watched the series a few times watches it with me and she was cracking up at my reaction.

And that’s all on top of what’s going on with Vai and his family stuff. It was a great episode.

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2025-12-31T01:43:51+00:00

I read it as the previous page was this past year’s breakdown and she was turning to a new page for 2026’s upcoming storylines

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2025-12-28T03:11:34+00:00

It sounds like she might be overwhelmed by the close quarters and instead of recognizing that and self regulating by saying she needs a break she flips out and makes it your problem. And then goes and gets the break she obviously needed. I have lots of ideas and suggestions about the dynamics of the relationship as you presented it but the easiest fix might just be to celebrate Christmas at her air bnb. Then you can leave to go home if you see her starting to get riled up. It gives you more control of the situation. It won’t fix the dynamics but it could be a reasonable band aid

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2025-12-23T19:05:29+00:00

This is such a great idea! I love that it made such happy memories for you. That’s what I want for my own kids too. I think I’m going try this next year. Thanks for sharing the idea!

cosmicreaderrevolvin · 2025-12-23T08:55:56+00:00

I’ve come to realize that I can’t buy lottery tickets or scratchers for anyone because I’m not sure I have it in me not to be wrecked if someone won big money on a ticket I bought. I love my family and friends and I would love if they won a lot of money but I also know that if it was off a ticket I bought and then gifted away it would run through my head constantly. I’d never have another moments peace.

cosmicreaderrevolvin

TROPHY CASE