Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Best Mother-in-Law Story Contest.....

The mass majority of people who read this blog are women. (Men - feel free to speak up if you are out there!) Of the women who read this blog, it seems that the majority of you are married. Thus I can easily deduce that most of the readers of this blog have....a Mother-in-Law (MIL). Now my MIL is great, but let's be honest. Mother-in-laws tend to wield a certain terror in a wife's live. They are the "other woman" we have to live up to. Along with that, we know she is watching us constantly on how we are treating her son. Are we keeping a clean enough house, keeping him well feed, being supportive, folding the towels in just the right way so that the edges line up perfectly in the linen closet...... Now that I have a little boy, I understand it a bit more. You have this tiny son who loves you more than anything in the world. Some girl comes into the picture and maneuvers herself into his number one spot. It makes for good drama.

I know many of you are biting at your nails trying figure out what to get the MIL for Christmas as well. I've thought more about this gift suggestion than any other and I've come up with the perfect one.

If you want a MIL gift that can't fail, get her a copy of Nicholas. A family friend sent me this book after I had Collin. She said "every mother of a boy should read it". I thought it was going to be some parenting book. Instead, I was delighted to find an engaging collection of short stories. Each tale is written from the prospective of an uncritical young French boy, Nicholas. Popular in France for decades, these books are now available in English. They are seriously hilarious, yet completely innocent and charming. When your MIL reads them she will be first reminded of the joy it was to raise a boy. She will secondly think about how she has such a thoughtful daughter-in-law to have given her such a lovely gift. (And they are lovely. All five books in the series are bound in gorgeous cloth covers.) These would be great gifts for children ages 8-14 too. You can read one of the stories here.


I am going to send one reader a copy of Nicholas in Trouble. Want to win?


This is what I want to know. What is your very best MIL horror story? It can be about your own MIL or about someone you know. I know you all love your MIL, but this is an opportunity to dish. You know you want to.

I will select one comment randomly to win. I will publish the best stories on my blog. Let me know if you would like me to withhold your name.

I will announce the winner and publish my favorite stories in a week or two. Can't wait!

Winner!

The winner of the Swaddle Designs zzZip Me Sack Giveaway is Tales of a Peanut. Congrats! Email me and I will get you your prize.

P.S. - This Thanksgiving, be grateful this isn't your Mother-in-law! (click to read)

12 comments:

Linda@CraftaholicsAnonymous said...

My MIL leaned over and told me I smelled like car gas. gee thanks!!

S Club Mama said...

Where do I begin? How about when my MIL didn't want to throw me a baby shower bc they are "tacky" and I'd just gotten a lot of gifts (from my bridal shower & wedding). Or when she said that "someone in her family" (her?) thought that we should have waited to get pregnant with our first son (we were married, what were we waiting for?). Or when she asked my husband if I cooked because I "didn't seem like it" (I cook most every night). She likes to throw her nose in our finances, too. And if we disagree she says "you're right, I'm stupid." WHAT? Sorry...lol I didn't mean to go off :)

Julie said...

I have a friend who really doesn't get along with her MIL. But, they live in the same city and see each other every Sunday. Even after asking her MIL not to give her little boy treats and ice cream when they come to visit (right before dinner) she still does. My friend already can't get that boy to eat much more than chicken nuggets and cheese sticks! I'm thinking the MIL just doesn't respect my friend at all!

Brady and Berta said...

I love my MIL and as you well know, it is quite easy to do. However, the night before Brady and I got married we all had a huge Thomason family dinner and during dinner she asked me if I had everything I needed for the hotel. I realized that I had not purchased something "special" wear and I was broke from planning my wedding. She got up in front of everyone and announced we had some shopping to do and would be right back. She escorted me to Victoria's Secret and bought something for her son...for me. SO Embarrassing, but such a sweet gesture.

Kiley said...

Unfortunately, no crazy MIL stories to share... or maybe that should be Fortunately :). But thanks for this adorable idea, my mother-in-law would love these. One more christmas gift taken care of :). Thank you!

Nikki said...

Well, I love my MIL, but she's a very interesting lady. Now, I am just trying to think of which story to share...
The best would probably have to be when we were first married, my husband was sick (he had the flu), and he had been throwing up, and laying in bed, and I had been cleaning up his throw up, and trying my best to make him comfortable. Well, I ran to the store to get him some Sprite, and when I get home, I see my MIL's car in the drive. When I walk inside, I find her laying in bed next to my husband, rubbing his head with a wet washcloth, and spoon feeding him soup. I was so annoyed, I had a hard time asking her to leave politely. Then when she's leaving, she starts trying to tell me what I need to do for him, and that I should take him to the hospital because he's, quote: "deathly ill". I laugh about it now, but at the time, I was livid. Needless to say, he's a little spoiled by his mother...
I have so many more, but I'll leave it at that. :D

The Johnson Family said...

My MIL, told me she was not going to recognize us as being married because we were being married in the SlC LDS temple, she also gave him a stack of anti LDS literature,to read before we were married. When I had my daughter she threw a major fit, when I declined to have my daughter blessed in a gown she had sewn, that had crosses all over it. Just not my style, for so many reasons! She later apologized...funny thing she signed the card your Monster in law. Boy she nailed that one right on the head!

Gilbert Family said...

I recall winning a beautiful pair of earrings the last time you asked for MIL stories so I am not trying to take another prize BUT...I have some doozies. Here is the latest...my husband and I had our two girls 7 years apart. We had planned on being done with building our family but, as suprises happen, that wasn't the case. Seven years after our youngest was born...we found out we were pregnant again (a HUGE suprise to both of us) and after the initial shock, we loved the idea. So for 5 months of my pregnancy, my MIL never acknowledged the pregnancy and started getting MORE distant then she already was. Well we found out (in my fifth month of pregnancy) that she was positive I "seduced" my husband into getting pregnant so that I woulnd't have to go to work since our kids were in full day school. Talk about making you feel like SCUM...I was incredibly offended and I am STILL not over it!! Atleast she loves her grandson and I know SHE is over it!

Kathleen W. said...

Ok, I think this sums it up in one sentence: She did not come to our wedding. Because of the wording on the invitations. (well, that's 2 sentences, more for effect than grammar).

And the way she "told" me was when I got the RSVP back in the mail and it said "will not be attending." I was like, huh?!!! She wouldn't divulge much, despite a letter and multiple attempts to call her, and through the grapevine we heard that she was upset that the invitations did not have her and my father-in-law's names on them. To be fair, when I asked for advice from the local printer, he told me that traditionally, the bride's parents' names are only on the invitation and young, silly me just assumed tradition was the best thing to do. Let me also say that my in-laws did not offer to pay one cent toward the costs.

Though my MIL and my husband have had tumultuous times in the past, particularly during the teenage years, this was a shock. We've since reconciled (this happened nearly 10 years ago), and I am fond of her. The phrase "forgive and forget" often pops into my head, and clearly I've forgiven, but I doubt I'll ever forget.

Natalie "The Pampered Mom" said...

Oh man, I already feel guilty. My mother in law have a love hate relationship... I have a list, but because I feel too guilty sharring, I'll just say that sometimes she comes over to the house while we are out and rearranges our furniture... I only live a mile away ... Oh goodie!!

fiveofakind said...

Hi! I am truly blessed to get along with my mother-in-law too! I hope she likes her presents each year. This one will be in her stocking regardless. Thank-you for the Great Idea!!

Stephanie said...

I'm SOOO grateful for my Mother-In-Law! (I've only been married for 7 months, so I guess that could change) She is a laid back woman that loves to help me out when I am needing someone and helped me learn to enjoy sewing by helping me with some Christmas Crafts this year. Based on The Color Code book, she is a "white", so it's no surprise that she's a peacekeeper. I think that she already got her hands full with her husband ;o)

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