We had my family over for xmas this year. My dad and his wife, Debbie where first to arrive. Marc brought his family of five through the snow. Even the elusive Casey brought Julie from his current home in Vegas.

Unfortunately, Janet discovered my rearanging of the letters of the Santa stocking holders just before my dad arrived. I did get in one more spelling of Satan that lasted a few hours while Dad was here. It's the least I could do after he took the liberty to gather everybody around for a group prayer before dinner. I don't give a flying fuck if he wants to thank an invisible sky fairy for the air he breathes before every breath he takes, just keep that shit away from my kids. It is really starting to piss me off. Who the fuck do you think you are to come into my house and push your bullshit on my daughters when you know I don't want it? I loudly voiced my option to sit out the group chant. What pisses me off the most is my own fear of confrontation that kept me from grabbing Alison and Sydney by the hand and getting them away from that situation (I think Madison is getting old enough to make her own decisions on the religion thing). I am doubting that I will stay quiet the next time it happens. I guess a few other people caught my mood, though, because I got the "Are you OK? You're not angry, are you?" type of questions from Janet and Vanessa, afterwards. Vanessa even told my dad to chill with the religion on the next meal. The next circle was not involving any of my children and I can deal with that. It didn't even hit me how damaging that prayer crap is until the meal at my dad's where we were all confronted with it for the first time in such an intimate setting. Sydney freaked out and didn't want to hold anybodys hand. They got her to hold hands but I was upset that I let them do that to her. I have been gettting more and more upset with each new incident. All that bullshit went away when Dad and Debbie left.

The bros were in our own little heaven from then untill they had to leave. I can never get enough time with them. We spent much of the time kicking in the garage. The kids slept in the trailer. It was nice while it lasted. I got a second visit with Marc when his initial route home was snowed shut. It's times like that when I wish we all lived in the same town.

The kids are definately spoiled with the iPod, Wii Fit, and all the other crap that they won't be using in a week. I'm still trying to find the time to watch the movies I got. All in all, if it was a little more religion-free I would have little to complain about. Maybe next year.

This was also posted elsewhere.