Updated rules

I don't know why people do not pay attention to rules. Rules make life more organized and enjoyable. There is also less mom-torture with rules. For example, if you do not give a child a toy that makes obscenely loud noises the mother may invite you to the next party.

My mother-in-law, whom I do love, enjoys flaunting the rules. She will give the girls a present that she is sure will be loads of fun. But she never thinks hey what will happen when they try to take it out of the box?



See my mother-in-law loves QVC. She even went on a cruise with QVC to see some cracker lady live and in person. Her obsession is so bad that one day Allie saw a commercial on TV and replied, only 3 easy payments of $19.99 with your QVC charge. And this is how my MIL defies the rules. She buys from QVC where a savvy mother cannot then quietly exchange the gift for clothes or diapers. Her other trick is yard/estate sales. Yesterday Allie came home with four more Barbies. To go with her collection of 500 currently residing under her bed.

My MIL is also a fabulous regifter. For example, she bought Allie a tunnel system when she was about two. Fast-forward eight years later and MIL finds the gift she forgot to give to Allie. She then regifted it to Boo last fall.

I hid the gift in the basement and was successful until Allie went down to escape the heat of our 76 degree heat wave. Up she comes with this wonderful gift asking why isn't it put together?

Guilted into putting it together because 'we are so bored' with our current toys I took an hour away from playing on Facebook cleaning the house and viola a new play structure was born.

The fact that I had to rearrange the living room to fit the tunnel system into the house just added to my joy.

Added to after all was said and done Boo refused to go into the tunnel system made me think of a proper revenge gift for my MIL.

Notice how Boo isn't even in the room that the tunnel is trying to escape from? Yeah, I did too. So I stole her IPAD and Puppy and strategically placed them closer to the teepee.

David came home and said: Let me guess, my mom gave them this gift? Exactly how did he know which grandparent was responsible you might be wondering. No he is not all-knowing. 

You see, my mom doesn't live in our town. She knows if she gives something this wonderful she will not have a place to stay in July.

What is the worst gift the grandparents have ever given your children?