STILL here...even after I quit.

[MrBond]

"she said she doesn't think it's a good idea for us to go away with kids as we have the last 2 years. She doesn't think I will handle it well."

Read back at your posts. You mention "she" quite a bit. Stand your ground. WTF does she mean she doesn't think that YOU will handle it well? What is she your mom? You should have told her that you don't really care about whether or not she thinks you can handle it. You are only looking after yourself and the kids and that you were "done" because of all of her disrespect towards you all this time.

""What could I have done differently today - in regards to her calling the shots."

Before she started getting into her diatribe, you should have just said, 'hey I've got alot of stuff to finish off so tell me about it later."

She has to see that you are standing up for you.

Rather than saying things like "I still think it's a bad idea". Say "I know it's a bad idea".

Did you ever see the movie "Dodgeball"? There's that character with the glasses whose W walks all over him and the coach keeps telling the guy that he's got to get angry to bring out his aggressive side. Well that's what you need to do. Get angry. Get passionate. Start thinking about numero uno.

Have a running theme song in your head that will put you in that mood. Or a scene in your mind that will put you into that mindset. You can do it.