Screaming Inside

Well, I have tried to stay away from complaining (too much) about my hubby's ex and kids. Not happening today. It all started Friday when we received a call from the kids' school (500 miles away) at 5pm our time. Of course hubby didn't get to the phone in time, couldn't answer, they didn't leave a message and no one answered when we tried to return the call. So, like most concerned parents, especially after getting a phone call two years ago that their grandmother kicked them out of her car on a major highway and picked up by the sheriffs department (whole other story) , you tend to be over cautious. So for five hours hubby tried call all three phone numbers available to try and reach his girls... with no avail, he called Sheriff's department to do a welfare check... So about an hour later, department calls back informing all is well mother had them on an "outing". Okay, that's great, but two of the three numbers were grandparents (whom mom, son, my husbands girls, her NEW 4th husband and parents live). So why couldn't grandma just answer and say everything is okay?? Here is a concerned dad, calling and texting just to make sure his kids are ok.

So today, my hubby gets a wonderful text from ex stating how rude and inconsiderate he is and how he jumped the gun and made an issue of something that didn't need to be. How disrespectful and over dramatizing he made of the issue. She also insists she doesn't have to nor need to inform him of anything that she does with their kids! And the last text was LEAVE ME ALONE...will have girls call you later. So, about three hours later, girls call, first thing 11 year old says is Who called the cops? Why? Hubby didn't reply and just changed the subject to how was their weekend... He then says Hey, do you know why the school might have called me? She says maybe because she only went to school 1 1/2 days last week. Supposedly she was so sick, but mom takes them out camping in the hills of New Mexico where it gets very cold! OMG! So then hubby talks to 7 year old who basically chastises her father on how he had no right to call the cops and why would he do that? Then in the next breath says how she doesn't like school because they make her mind...

Needless to say, this is just the tip of issues mom, her parents and girls do. I am already dreading summer as they spend it with us! I have until May to figure out how I am going to deal with this. The lies, manipulation, sneakiness and attitudes never end! I have tried the nice, loving, caring, detachment, stand ground, nothing seems to matter. I feel as though the only way is to detach myself from them completely. How do I spend time with my kids in the summer but not them? I can't. But the chaos and contention they bring really wreaks havoc. 

Any suggestions, thoughts or just how to DEAL with everything?