I know MIL means well but I just want some down time. We have been going nonstop since the honeymoon trying to get caught up with things around the house. Before the wedding we would get together with MIL/FIL once or twice a month. This past week she kept calling and even insisted on stopping by at my work to drop things off. I told her I would get them later (it was just a piece of paper). She also stopped by the house twice this week. The day we came home from the honeymoon she insisted we go out to dinner (we had just driven 12 hours over 2 days). She was here this morning and now wants us to come over for dinner tonight. I had to put my foot down. DH worked a 24 hour shift yesterday and I worked late last night. We put in our garden today and I just want to relax at home. I feel bad but I really need some "us" time. I hope the novelty of a daughter in law wears off soon and we can return to our quiet life. I know I should appreciate her kindness but she is retired and doesn't realize that DH and I work 40+ hours a week and really relish our time off.
Re: MIL vent
Ah man! I had the opposite experience. Before the wedding, MIL was calling 4 times a day. Every day.Now she's down to a reasonable one call a week to HH. Praise be!
I agree with the pps that being consistent about when you will and will not be able to get together is probably the route to go on this one. She'll eventually get it (unless she's literally crazy).
I would be annoyed! Mine use to call 5-6 times a day before the wedding! Now she doesn't call me at all. It's nice, I do sometimes feel like that she might think I'm a b*tch now, bc she did mess up a lot of things at my wedding that I was soooo upset about.
Anyways, I would try to go back to the old routine. Tell her that you and DH haven't been able to spend time together bc of working so much lately and you need that time together alone. Then if you know your work schedules, tell her we "can do dinner this day if it's ok with you?" or something like that.
you have no reason to feel bad. you are just going to have to put your foot down and she needs to learn how to respect that. it's not being mean at all.
hh and i live in the same town and my parents, his mom and step dad and his dad and step mom....its hard to balance but you just have to say no AND you don't have to tell them why. we just say "we have other plans" and leave it at that, its none of their business if those "other plans" mean sitting at home doing nothing.