The in-laws ... I can never tell if they actually like me or not. Once they went from my 'boyfriends parents' to my 'in-laws' everything changed.

The other day I was reading a post that asked if it would be wrong for a man to be on a family outing with his children and their mother, and for him to just want to take a picture with just his children. And he was in a relationship with another woman. My vote is yes!

I'm a very traditional person. Every Christmas, I look forward to going to the same places and doing the same things with my family and close friends, because to me, it just wouldn't be Christmas without some of the things we do together. With the holidays quickly approaching, I got to thinking about some of the traditions that define my yuletide experience. Maybe some of my favorites will become some of your own! Here are six of my favorite Christmas traditions.

It can really suck when someone hurts you.

Some families are so broken that it is impossible to make amends. You were born into this family and share the same bloodline and genes, but some people find that you can have the perfect loving family and not even be related to them.

It has been nothing short of a struggle with six kids—two being my biological, and four being my boyfriend's. My two are with us always. Their father, my ex husband, left a couple years ago and jumps from state to state and he doesn't call for months at a time. His four, we have five-six days a week. His ex wife is supposed to have them Friday night through Sunday early afternoon but rarely makes it her whole visit. They are R–three-years-old, H–three-years-old (they are two months apart). Then there is K–six-years-old, C–seven-years- old, L–eight-years-old and A–ten-years-old. I couldn't be more in love with there dad and I wouldn't change things for the world. I love all of them so much. But let me tell you. Stepping in and taking in four more that aren't my own is exhausting. And he knows that. He knows that he hit gold finding a women that has done just that as their "real" mom has begun to bail. He cooks he cleans and he takes better care of me then I have ever experienced being as I was married to a complete POS. We're a team and we do everything according so. My son, being very very mildly autistic has accepted and loves him. And my daughter adores him. She has really never had a father figure in her life beings as her dad left when she was nine months and never really had anything to do with her when he was home anyways. So I'm gonna try writing each day. Or every couple and share our crazy world with everyone. It started off a little bumpy. We were very on and off. But things got serious. He begged for a chance. And now we all live together in a tiny 1000 square ft house. Two bedrooms. Two baths. But somehow we balance the chaos and we make it all work. He's my best friend and teammate. There isn't screaming or arguing and fighting like both of our past relationships. When we disagree we agree to disagree and move on. Or if we come to an obstacle we talk through it. We find a solution together.

A DNA kit arrives in the post, a gift from my son. This kit promises if I spit into a little plastic tube and fork out £85 (thank you, my boy) to tell me where I come from.

Having a family isn't always achieved strictly by becoming a parent. For many people who don't have children, the meaning of family becomes understood in a whole different perspective.

Here's another 'things that keep me up at night' moment.

Dear Mother in Law,

Can we talk about mothers-in-law for a second? I know I left my last story half way there and I promise I will finish it, eventually. However, I wrote that story on my 5-hour flight to see my boyfriend since he started his PhD and moved 2000 miles away. I was so happy I was going to spend some time with him that it inspired me to tell our story. I’ve been here for two weeks and they have been bliss. It’s like our own little heaven where we help each other around the house and never wear pants just because we can. Now, his mother showed up Thursday and tomorrow, Sunday, is my last day here before I go back home and don’t see him again for god knows how long. She arrived and I already knew it was going to be difficult since I don’t particularly like her but I know he is happy she’s here and that’s all that matters to me.