Visiting home

I get to visit my relatives up north in a few days, just the boy and I (I gave up on trying to get my sweetie to take time off - he works crazy hours and always seems to have something big going on during the times of the year when I want to take a vacation). I had planned on keeping this trip a secret from his family, with visits to my side only, a few trips to the beach and to the casino (the boy will not come along for that trip). I have met some resistance with this plan, since Sweetie insists that I should see his Dad, who misses my son, and visit with the great-grandparents (who knows how much longer they will be arond...). Plus his mom said that she would like to take my son overnight the next time we visit...

I understand the logic of this, but the flip side is that I can't just visit one of them, I have to visit all of them and there are step-relations involved as well. Plus, if I was to go to a backyard bar-b-que with everyone there, it would not be enough. No, I would be asked "When will you come visit at my house?" Am I not visiting with you now? I do love his relations, but they are time demanding.

When we visit up North, we normally stay at my parent's house but we shirk my side of the family to go to the numerous family functions his side has("It's Great Aunt Betty's annual Memorial Day Bar-b-que. No she isn't really your aunt and you've only met her twice but she is expecting you to come.") So, my folks get to see their grandson when he wakes up in the morning, but that's about it. And see my brother??? Never happens.

We'll see how it goes. I really would like to surprise my brother-in-law on his birthday, but I can't count on his 2 1/2 year old and 4 y.o. to keep quiet the next time they see their grandma.