Family Matters
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Positive things about your IL's
What are some positive things about your in laws? Especially your SILs and MILs?
I'll start.
My MIL is very caring and loving toward everyone she meets.
My H's twin sister is very good at costume make up (like for plays and Halloween and stuff)
My H's younger sister has gorgeous eyes.
It's a start for me but hopefully I'll start to see some more good in the SILs 
Your turn!!
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Re: Positive things about your IL's
MIL died but we got along wonderfully:
she loved animals
she laughed easily
she was a great cook
she was low-maintenance
we sat and watched House Hunters together
she liked to garden
etc.
SIL:
hmmmm....ah....let me think here....
she keeps a clean house?
Great job!
I'm sorry about your MIL. She sounds wonderful!
MIL:
Is very loving.
SIL:
Is like a sister to me.
We talk all the time, like we have known each other since birth.
Is very helpful when DH an I need help, (moving, our wedding prep, etc) she volunteers this, as I would never expect this.
MIL is very generous and she accepted my kids as her own grandchildren, she is intelligent, and interesting.
FIL is eh...little stuffy and pretentious, but super intelligent, educated and worldly.
My h has only brothers all very different and all pretty good guys...
i have 2 SILs through marriage i really like 1 of them, unfortunately she lives in switzerland and I dont get to hang with her very often.
the other lives a couple hours away and i avoid her the best i can...she is a phony, selfish, greedy, manipulator.
MIL-is caring and a good cook
SIL- is ...POSITIVELY fake
lol that counts as a positive, right?
I love my ILs and the whole extended family. They welcomed me with open arms. They're loving and funny, great to be around. They don't intrude on our marriage but would be there if we ever needed them. They support us and are awesome.
This. I couldn't have said it any better.
If they weren't a few states away I could see H and I visiting them often.
MIL loves her grandkids like no one I've ever seen before. She is a great cook and baker and always makes everyone feel at home.
FIL is the nicest person on the planet. He's also the funniest guy in the world, even though he tells the same stories everytime we see him.
SIL is so sweet and thoughtful and I wish we lived near she and her H and our nephew. They are just good, good people.
BIL and his wife are fun and can be smart*sses, which I love. They are fun to hang out with and I enjoy their sarcastic personalities.
Same here, my IL's are great. Even from the first time we met, they always welcomed me as a part of their family.
In many ways, the biggest thing I complain about is the thing I love most about them:
They're Jehovah's Witnesses and won't speak to us much because we are "worldly" influences. And I don't have to worry about alternating Christmas or Thanksgiving between my family and his.
Wish I had said this one! ;-)
I know that my ILs would do anything for any of the family members.
Mine too!
I don't know my sister-in-law very well. We don't live near one another and only see each other every few years. From what my husband tells me, she is a strong woman and has stood by her husband on the little things that typically a daughter will side with her mother on. I respect that a lot.
For my mother-in-law, we aren't warm and fuzzy at all because of how our relationship started out. Having said that, as a mother of young adults now myself, I can see where her concerns were completely (not saying her judgements were correct), so I'm a bit softer now. I'm grateful for that perspective. However, I always thought she was a model mother to her children. Having come from a dysfunctional family, I appreciate so much the sacrifices she did while raising her children, and have modeled some of our own parenting after choices she made. She's also a serious student of her faith, living it out as much as I think humanely possible. She's never intentionally callous or clueless. She's also over come a lot of serious dysfunction from her own family without showing scars or bitterness.
My ILs are awesome! I love them.
They are generous and kind
they are funny
they are ultra supportive
they are understanding
MIL shares books with me
FIL is an awesome cook
oldest BIL is a great person to hang out with, love having great convos with him
we always have a great time together, its easy to be around MIL and FIL
younger BIL is really turning his life around and it is awesome to see his changes.
DH doesnt have any sisters, but 3rd BIL is married, I have an... interesting... relationship with both of them. SIL is super competitive in ways I dont even understand over useless issues. and those two people are the only people in my life bugging me about having kids.
I changed my name
MIL - Funny, generous, respectful of our time, caring...and she has the cutest do in the world.
SIL - funny, sarcastic (which is the kind of humour I tend to love), honest, plays sports, trustworthy, introduced me to H.
I love that my FIL and MIL accept me for who I am and what I believe - or at least doesn't complain about it to my or DH's face. (Religion - Childfree - living where we are etc). They do not try to interfere at all in the decisions we make - they are not overbearing anymore - its been great since we resolved some of our issues.
I love my BIL and SIL (his wife) and their two adorable kids.
I despise my SIL - love my BIL (her husband). I pitty him - he married THAT. But he's a great guy.
This is hard, but I will play!
MIL...
SIL's: I have 2...
My MIL raised an amazing son, values family above all else, goes out of her way to host amazing holiday celebrations and had always accepted me for who I am although she sometimes has issues with my decisions (mostly about choosing my career over having children).
I have nothing in common with my SIL- I'm career focused and child free while she is a SAHsingleM that only wants more babies to fill her life. But, she'd never intentionally hurt anyone or anything and puts her daughter above all else.
An American Girl's Travels
My MIL has such a big heart. She is one of the sweetest and most caring people I know.
DH's parents are divorced. He grew up with his Mom. I've met his dad a dozen times but have difficulty finding the good in him. I guess I could say he has a decent sense of humor..
I only have one imaginary SIL... (DH made a "family portrait" when he was in 1st grade and created a sister named Andrea and a brother named Nick since DH is an only child)... I talk about her on occasion but I don't know what she looks like, lol
I love my IL's very much.
MIL is one of the most giving, kind and very talented people I know.
FIL is a very quiet guy, but when he speaks, it's the best tadvice a gal could ask for.
What I love about my IL's is that they treat me like I am their own daughter and I honestly could not have asked for anything better.
I'm incredibly lucky to have married into the family I did. I think one of the best things is that they don't hold grudges - we had our share of some pretty bad issues in the past, but you'd never know it now. They live three hours away and it's to the point where we don't want to leave at the end of a weekend visit.
MIL is really talented...she can turn anything into a work of art. I also wish I could cook even 10% of what she does. She's also really taken to the grandmother thing, and is incredibly helpful with DD without being overbearing or pushy. If she disagrees with something we're doing, we don't know about it... we can talk about parenting stuff without me feeling judged.
FIL has always been really welcoming. I think we've always had an implicit understanding even during the times when things were rough. He's also super generous and would do anything for anyone. He's the leader of the family singing talent (they're all into theater stuff and can sing... I'm the odd duck out on that one!)
BIL is arrogant for the sake of being arrogant, and he knows it... so he's really quite hilarious. But he's a huge softie and even though he's only 22, he's amazing with my DD. And is really family-oriented.
SIL is a lot of fun, and also wise beyond her years (she's only 14). She seems a lot closer in age than she actually is... we can chat like we're a lot closer in age. She also loves being an aunt and is super good with DD.
I'm pretty lucky:
MIL= loves her children and grandchildren and is very loving in general.
FIL= very mellow and laid back, so very easy to get along with.
BILS= fun guys to hang around with. Very funny and interesting guys.
SILS (DH's brothers' wives) = wonderful! They're my friends. The three of us talk all the time and love to hang out when we can (we all live in different states).
My MIL is wonderful. Treats me like a daughter. Always cooks vegetarian meals when I'm there and makes sure I am nourished. Is sweet and supportive but totally unobtrusive. Never meddles. My FIL is also awesome. He is super handy and helps us with our house and teaches my DH about repairs. And he loves helping me with my gardening pursuits. He built me raised beds, fenced the whole area for me, cut down a bunch of brush to clear areas, and built me an amazing trellis, all because I mentioned them to him. And he loves doing it!
I don't have any SILs but my BILs are both sweet guys like my DH. Their mom raised them right!