Please, wish me luck! I'm going to need it!

Good luck!

When we deal with family, we usually are the ones to go visit them since both my folks and the inlaws live fairly close to each other so it's a little bit better then.  But, I know how it goes since my dad feeds their dog a lot of (unhealthy) table scraps to the point she rarely if ever eats dog food and it very picky.  Every time he eats he has all the dogs up his butt since it's "bite for me, bite for you" situation.  No matter how many times Sammy gets diarrhea or something he doesn't listen so I'm always after him about that.  Sigh.  And they're my folks not even the inlaws!! LOL.

I hear ya!  A couple of weeks ago I spent a week of evenings painting the bedrooms in anticipation for my Dad's arrival, then I brought in a professional cleaning company to help get everything in order.

It's not like my house is dirty or anything, it's just lived in - by two humans, two dogs, 1 cat and innumerable fish (and yeah, fish make a mess too).

 If she gives you a hard time about the dog fur, just smile and sweetly say, "Oh, I'm so sorry you're upset. Here, maybe this will help!" and hand her a lint roller.

And, when biting your tongue gets so hard you think you're going to draw blood, go out for a verrrrrrry long, quiet, peaceful walk. ;)

I also recommend "errands" consisting of a half hour or so sipping a latte at Starbucks. 

BlackLabbie

They're staying with us, of course they didn't want to get a hotel

Sounds like you could get a hotel room tho...LOL. You and Apollo can go and stay together LMBO. Good luck! My in laws know better than to even think of staying with us, lol. We are both very private folks, hubby and I.

Good luck!  My family and My hubbys family and all the neighbors come to our house on Labor Day weekend every year.  We picked the Sunday of Labor Day weekend for a cook out and family holiday years ago.  They all come, we feed them, they all leave,lol!  We have a very small old farmhouse with very little room for "sleeping over".   A few friends bring their campers, the kids bring tents and everyone else just comes for the day!  I dont knock myself out too much inside as by the time everyone gets here the grandkids have been here for a couple of days running in and out.   So I can just say, "Those kids just track in so much!" LOL  Of course that wont explain all the dog hair since its black and all my kids and grandkids are fair haired.   I guess I can sweep up on Sunday morning.   I learned a long time ago, we are not trashy or slobs but like you our home is lived in by 2 adults and 2 dogs.   Everyone always says how comfortable our house is, its like coming home.  I take that as a compliment!  If they talk about it when they leave who knows they always come back the next year!!!!

Good Luck!!!

I don't envy your position.  My MIL came to visit in January, & again in March.  The first visit, she stayed with us.  The second visit, she dicided that "it would be easier" if she stayed in a hotel.  I was so thankful not to have her staying with us.

Cita has some great ideas.  Actually that's how I stay fairly sane when my out-laws come to visit.  The dogs never get so many walks.  ~LOL~

Thanks guys! LOL...believe me we'll be running errands (at Dunkin Donuts), and Apollo will be getting so many walks because he needs his exercise, lol!

The thing that really bugs me is both me and Jeremy have to work tomorrow, Friday, Monday Tuesday, and Wed...so....what are they going to do those days??? Hang around my house when nobody is here?? I wish they picked another time to come up, but his Mom is very pushy and she wants to visit during the summer.

 Good freaking Luck!!

I started typing in this response before and DH's father actually came up behind me so I minimized it, ironic huh. Yeah he's here for a week but thankfully is not staying here, but with his brother. A few months ago he stayed here, and DH's mother stayed here in January when she broke her ankle since we lived so close to where she works. 

Thankfully no one minds our dogs, but some of his other family members aren't dog people and my response is usually, if they can't handle the fact that we have dogs and don't like it, then they don't need to come here! haha. The dogs are very respectful when others come into the house, no jumping on people or furniture unless invited and no begging for food, so I expect people to treat the dogs respectfully back when in my home.

Ok, I can make you feel better.  About 20 years ago my mother and dad came down to visit me (when with ex, living in an apartment).  I had driven myself CRAZY for weeks cleaning and scrubbing and obsessing about everything. 

She walked in, never said hello, set down her purse on the washer and dryer, pulled them OUT and said "Hand me a broom and I'll clean THIS Mess up!"

I picked up her purse, turned around and said "Hi Mom, nice to see YOU as well -- here's your purse.  The Econolodge is down the street! Turn right on 17-92 and I'll have your reservations made before you get there!"

Yes ... I did.  Truly I did.  Yes SHE did (no she did NOT say 'hello';)  I have not had my parents stay IN my house since - and their time inside my home has been minimal.  We'll go meet them, I've been to their house, but that's all.  That was simply the "last straw" in a very long line of such stuff.

Tomorrow she and Pa will be married 62 years.  My husband's comment" "62 years?  How did your Father stand 62 MINUTES?"

Yep -- really she's that bad. 

Ok -- you don't believe me.  I'm an only child folks.  Her words to me as soon as the wedding was over to my first husband at the back of the church was: "Ok -- I'll tell you this much.  Don't bother to have kids.  They're just a pain in the a**"  (she said the word, I starred it out). 

 Yes, I'm an ONLY child.  No, she was not kidding.

Feel better now?

Callie, no one needs inlaws with folks like yours!  Eeeek.  Maybe it was those WNY winters, being buried in snow so long must freeze a part of the brain?  Hopefully David's parents are better?

All I have to say, is at least the in laws aren't married anymore so dealing with MIL isn't so bad since we outnumber her.  And FIL and his wife are just crazy but we see them all of about 10 hours in a YEAR so no big deal there.  My folks aren't bad since I'm used to them, but they driev DH wacky.  We tend to visit a bit more often but for shorter lengths of time and that helps.

BIL, though is enough inlaw family for a life time for me (anyone recall the 'criminal impersonation' from a few months ago?  He got picked up and held until trial but let go with 33 days served, but still faces a probation violation.  All for pretending to be DH when he got stopped for a ticket (well, two, but who's counting?) and somehow the cops believed him)

OMG, Callie. I'm so sorry, I can't believe the audacity of your Mom!

BTW, not sure if I ever mentioned this, but Jeremy's parents are divorced, but still live together and act married except with a TON of tension all the time. *sigh* I can't wait for this whole week to just get over.

My parents live 5 houses away, and I already told my Mom I'll be over there A LOT, lol. My parents aren't bad at all, they love Jeremy and he loves them. They "normal" people, with a great sense of humor, thankfully!

Lawdy Lawdy Lawdy Have I ever been there and done that !!!!   Fortunately the inlaws are all gone and the Step daughters do not bother to visit our rustic corner of the world!! I can so remember scrambling about trying to get a million things done before the IN LAWS ( play the eerie music here or theme from Jaws...)  showed up. I quickly learned that most family visits like fish are good fro 3 days after that they stink and make you sick to your stomach !!

Have a couple of Sticky lint rollers around the house.  Take a  large piece of duct tape and wrap it about your hand then as you groom the boy  run it over his coat to grab the loose hair.

If all else fails remember They are your guests. WHile you will do everything you possibly can to assure their comfort and happiness they also have obligations as a guest to not be a burden or a pain in the behind!

Best of Luck We are pulling for you !!

Hugs Bonita of Bwana

My mother's just wired that way ... Unfortunately David's folks are both gone (his Dad was absolutely wonderful and I loved him dearly - his Mum was gone before I met him *sad sigh*)

But heck -- at least now you can have a fun little mental margarita talking back to *my* mother so you can cope with your in-laws.