I understand your frustration, it is possible she just wanted to piss you off. But is it possible they did something what might not seem interesting for you, but has some value to her? Maybe she just sat and talked to the kids, it can be important. I don't know the age but sometimes something very simple things might mean a lot to the kids and to the mom. Sometimes more than fun activities.

Nicely said Finedreams -- I agree -- Not to minimize your frustration NotMartha, which is well-placed.

But some of the best time I spend with my son is simply cuddled up on the sofa or in bed watching TV. At almost 17, he still likes to snuggle with Mom, and that time is precious. He appears to feel "too old" to do most activities with me, but clearly still values the connection as much as I do.

Not minimized at all - I completely agree with you both that the smallest things are often the *biggest.* In this situation though, the whole argument was that she needed time to go out and do the fun activities, and that we got to do them all last year and she did not (though she still had her 3 day weekends.)
I don't stand here preaching get out and do do do . . . but our family really loves the holidays and likes to get out and do a lot of fun seasonal things. Had she not made such a stink that we gave up our time and plans for her to do do do . . . and then do nothing, I wouldn't care in the slightest if they sat in their house all weekend.

I would be upset to give up Nutcracker tickets that you obviously got ahead of time. I don't like to cancel plans. Oh well. MY SO's X does it with her grown children. She is upset that they do not spend time with her over the holidays, so she naggs and naggs, so they cancell plans with dad and go to her. But she ends up saying she does not want to go out, they sit around the house and then in few hours she says she has other plans and has to leave or simply says she is too tired. On few ocassions she insisted they stay with her not with dad, so she picked them up: one from colege adn the other one at airport, dropped tham at her house and left for some festivities with her boyfriend and didnot show up until they were already sleeping. And it is after throwing a fit that kids don't stay with her! We live in the area where without the car you stuck in the house, can't even go to 7Eleven. So you cannot invite your kids, promise all kind of fun and then simply leave. They end up stuck in the house and looking for a ride. It is all done to piss her X off.

In the end its the kids that lost out. It sounds to me like she wanted to ruin your plans. but in the end the kids plans were ruined. I'm sure they would of enjoyed the fun holiday times going out to seasonal things! And missing the nut crackers when you had all ready bought the tickets. next year make your plans and stick to them..