{"id":18410,"date":"2026-08-05T14:54:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T14:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/?p=18410"},"modified":"2026-08-05T14:54:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T14:54:16","slug":"my-mil-lied-about-her-casual-barbecue-so-my-daughter-and-i-would-show-up-in-old-clothes-but-her-smirk-vanished-the-moment-my-daughter-handed-her-a-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/?p=18410","title":{"rendered":"My MIL Lied About Her \u2018Casual Barbecue\u2019 So My Daughter and I Would Show up in Old Clothes \u2013 But Her Smirk Vanished the Moment My Daughter Handed Her a Gift"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I believed my mother-in-law had finally decided to include my daughter and me in a real family celebration.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Instead, she used one calculated lie to humiliate us in front of everyone.<\/p>\n

I almost walked away without saying a word.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Then my nine-year-old daughter handed her grandmother a birthday gift that changed the entire evening.<\/p>\n

The instant Eleanor saw Mia walk into the elegant restaurant wearing paint-stained overalls, satisfaction crossed her face instead of surprise.<\/p>\n

Every head in the room turned toward us.<\/p>\n

Around us stood women in silk dresses and polished heels, while the men wore tailored jackets.<\/p>\n

I stood beneath sparkling crystal lights in faded jeans, muddy boots, and an old T-shirt.<\/p>\n

Mia carried a bag of marshmallows.<\/p>\n

I held a plastic cooler packed with melting ice.<\/p>\n

Eleanor lifted her wineglass.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Alexis,\u201d she said as she looked us over. \u201cDid you two really think this was appropriate?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia tightened her grip on my hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told us this was a casual barbecue on the lawn,\u201d I said. \u201cYou told us to wear old clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor tilted her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you two really think this was appropriate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I?\u201d<\/p>\n

I reached for my phone.<\/p>\n

The message had disappeared.<\/p>\n

It had been deleted.<\/p>\n

A smug smile touched Eleanor\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

Then Mia squeezed my hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

She reached into the pocket of her overalls and pulled out a small wrapped box.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy birthday, Grandma,\u201d she said. \u201cI made you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor accepted it with the same pleased smile.<\/p>\n

That expression lasted only until she lifted the lid.<\/p>\n

The color drained from her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is this?\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what you told us,\u201d Mia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier that morning, Mia sat at our kitchen table looping purple yarn around one finger.<\/p>\n

While packing our old picnic blanket, I watched blue and yellow paint stains dry across her worn overalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want to change?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandma said old clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd mud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia held up a tiny handmade book.<\/p>\n

Across the cover were the words:<\/p>\n

Grandma\u2019s Rules for Being Family.<\/p>\n

I leaned closer.<\/p>\n

She quickly hugged it to her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not supposed to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI only read the cover.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, but it faded almost immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat rules did you give her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe easy ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike not telling people my potato salad tastes wet?\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u201cThat needs its own book, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

I laughed.<\/p>\n

Then Mia grew thoughtful.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandma remembers all the fancy rules. She just forgets the ones about being nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

My hands stopped over the cooler.<\/p>\n

Mia was my late sister Alice\u2019s daughter.<\/p>\n

Alice died when Mia was only four months old, leaving me with a baby, a diaper bag, and no idea how to raise either of us.<\/p>\n

For six years, I did it alone.<\/p>\n

Then I met Thomas, who understood from day one that Mia came first.<\/p>\n

Within a year of our marriage, he adopted her.<\/p>\n

Eleanor accepted that only when Thomas was nearby.<\/p>\n

Whenever we were alone, her comments became quieter but sharper.<\/p>\n

She liked reminding Mia she was \u201clucky\u201d Thomas had been willing to raise another man\u2019s child because, according to Eleanor, not every husband would.<\/p>\n

Thomas confronted her more than once.<\/p>\n

She always apologized to him.<\/p>\n

Then waited for another private opportunity.<\/p>\n

I shortened visits, changed the subject, and kept excusing her behavior.<\/p>\n

I told myself I was protecting Mia from conflict.<\/p>\n

While I packed the cooler, my phone rang.<\/p>\n

Thomas appeared on the screen from his hotel room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly did my mother say?\u201d he asked. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t do anything casual.\u201d<\/p>\n

I read Eleanor\u2019s message aloud.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a screenshot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat exactly did my mother say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a barbecue, Thomas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s my mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

I walked into the hallway with the phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know how to handle Eleanor,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how to absorb her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep things peaceful for Mia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Alexis. You keep things quiet. Peace doesn\u2019t require a child to pretend she wasn\u2019t hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want her carrying every ugly thing your mother says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe already carries it,\u201d he replied. \u201cYou\u2019re just asking her to carry it quietly.\u201d<\/p>\n

His words stayed with me after we hung up.<\/p>\n

Later, Mia came out of the store struggling to carry a shopping bag.<\/p>\n

A package of marshmallows was tucked under her chin, while a cheap bouquet of daisies stuck out beneath one arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI bought Grandma flowers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith your allowance?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n

She climbed into the car and carefully laid them across her lap.<\/p>\n

Then she looked down at the wrapped book.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks little-kid-ish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her smile faded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMia, you\u2019re nine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re allowed to make things that look like a nine-year-old made them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if Grandma thinks it\u2019s messy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Grandma can survive a messy present.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia smiled again and hugged the little box tightly.<\/p>\n

The drive took about forty minutes.<\/p>\n

The road followed the river before the GPS directed us toward a glass-fronted restaurant overlooking the water.<\/p>\n

For a moment, I wasn\u2019t worried because Eleanor had insisted the barbecue would be on the lawn behind it.<\/p>\n

Then everything changed.<\/p>\n

A large floral arch framed the entrance.<\/p>\n

Luxury cars lined the curb.<\/p>\n

Through the windows, I saw white tablecloths, candles, and guests holding champagne.<\/p>\n

I slowed the car, looking for signs pointing toward the lawn.<\/p>\n

There weren\u2019t any.<\/p>\n

Mia leaned forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe the barbecue\u2019s around back?\u201d<\/p>\n

A valet walked over to my window.<\/p>\n

I rolled it down.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you here for Eleanor\u2019s private birthday dinner?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe barbecue on the riverside lawn,\u201d I replied. \u201cWe\u2019re supposed to go through the main entrance.\u201d<\/p>\n

He frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no barbecue scheduled tonight, ma\u2019am. The birthday event is inside and on the terrace.\u201d<\/p>\n

My stomach dropped.<\/p>\n

I looked back through the glass.<\/p>\n

Everyone was dressed for a formal dinner.<\/p>\n

I shifted the car into reverse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Grandma will say we didn\u2019t come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe lied to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia looked down at her overalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll tell everyone we ruined her birthday. She\u2019ll blame me, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

That stopped me.<\/p>\n

My daughter knew Eleanor well enough to predict exactly what would happen next.<\/p>\n

Thomas\u2019s words echoed in my mind.<\/p>\n

She already carries it.<\/p>\n

I turned off the engine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia looked up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of our clothes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wore what we were told to wear, baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

I stepped out of the car.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not apologizing for believing her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The valet offered to carry the cooler.<\/p>\n

For a moment, I almost let him.<\/p>\n

Then I looked at the glass doors, the floral arch, and the room Eleanor had carefully staged.<\/p>\n

The cooler proved we\u2019d arrived exactly as we\u2019d been instructed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, thank you,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019ll carry it.\u201d<\/p>\n

My boots squeaked against the polished floor.<\/p>\n

Conversations faded one by one as we crossed the restaurant.<\/p>\n

Gregory, my father-in-law, stood near the head table.<\/p>\n

His smile vanished the moment he saw us.<\/p>\n

Thomas\u2019s sister lowered her champagne glass.<\/p>\n

One cousin stared openly at the cooler.<\/p>\n

Eleanor approached in a pale silk dress.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth are you wearing, Alexis?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you told me to wear.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed lightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said the celebration was by the river. I didn\u2019t tell you to dress Mia for house painting.\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u201cYou said the barbecue was on the lawn behind the restaurant. You mentioned grills, smoke, and mud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou sent the message last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you misunderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI read it twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve always been sensitive about these things.\u201d<\/p>\n

I opened our message thread.<\/p>\n

The invitation had vanished.<\/p>\n

\u201cI read it twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor watched me scroll.<\/p>\n

Then she smirked.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d planned every detail.<\/p>\n

Raising her voice so nearby guests could hear, she said, \u201cHonestly, Alexis, Mia is old enough for you to teach her what\u2019s appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

I looked down.<\/p>\n

Mia was rubbing the paint stains on her overalls as if she could erase them.<\/p>\n

I set the cooler on the floor and knelt in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her hands froze.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t try to make yourself smaller for this, baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re looking because an adult did something cruel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI look stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

I stood and faced Eleanor.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t get to criticize my parenting after using my child as a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor gasped.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow dare you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow dare you trick a nine-year-old into coming here dressed this way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did no such thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregory stepped forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat message are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d Eleanor answered. \u201cAlexis is embarrassed, so naturally, this must be my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have your present,\u201d Mia whispered.<\/p>\n

I turned toward her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can leave,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made it for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor\u2019s smile returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia stepped forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy birthday, Grandma.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor untied the ribbon and lifted out the tiny handmade book.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandma\u2019s Rules for Being Family,\u201d she read.<\/p>\n

Several guests smiled.<\/p>\n

She opened the first page.<\/p>\n

\u201cFamily doesn\u2019t embarrass family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her smile tightened.<\/p>\n

She turned another page.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrown-ups tell the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The room fell silent.<\/p>\n

Next came:<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandmothers protect children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregory looked directly at his wife.<\/p>\n

Eleanor flipped through the pages more quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cLove isn\u2019t based on blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

She started closing the book.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s one more,\u201d Mia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s the important one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor reluctantly opened the last page.<\/p>\n

The color drained from her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia blinked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s what you wrote.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor stared at the page.<\/p>\n

The deleted invitation had been copied in Mia\u2019s uneven handwriting.<\/p>\n

\u201cCasual family barbecue on the riverside lawn behind the restaurant. Wear something comfortable, old clothes, and nothing precious. The grass gets muddy, and there\u2019ll be smoke from the grills. Use the main entrance and ask for our party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below it, Mia had added:<\/p>\n

\u201cI copied it so I wouldn\u2019t get the clothes wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor gripped the little book.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen did you write this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the store,\u201d Mia said. \u201cMom gave me her phone while she paid for the ice. The message was still open, so I copied it into the book to check when we arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

I suddenly remembered handing Mia my phone.<\/p>\n

At that moment, Eleanor\u2019s message had still been visible.<\/p>\n

She snapped the book shut.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis proves nothing. Children copy things wrong all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Mia could answer, I stepped forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen show us what you sent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor\u2019s eyes flashed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI deleted it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom our conversation,\u201d I replied. \u201cYou should still have a record of what you sent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregory extended his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cEleanor, give me your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll check my invitation,\u201d Thomas\u2019s sister said, already unlocking hers.<\/p>\n

\u201cFormal dinner,\u201d she read aloud. \u201cCocktail attire.\u201d<\/p>\n

A cousin raised his phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cMine says the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

I gently took the little book back from Eleanor.<\/p>\n

\u201cMia didn\u2019t plan to expose you. She copied the instructions because she was afraid she\u2019d disappoint you. You always make my daughter believe she\u2019s the one who\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia slipped her hand into mine.<\/p>\n

I squeezed it gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what you\u2019ve done to her.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve made a nine-year-old think she needs written proof before she can trust her own grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor\u2019s face flushed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA joke ends when people laugh,\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n

She turned toward him in disbelief.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re taking her side?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m asking why you lied.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted them to make an effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

I pointed at the cooler.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe bought ice. Mia spent her own money on flowers for you. She packed marshmallows because she remembered you liked them. She made you a gift because she still believed you wanted to be her grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am her grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen act like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done plenty for that child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHer name is Mia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor flinched.<\/p>\n

I took the little book from her hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlice trusted me with her daughter. Thomas chose Mia. I chose her long before I knew how I\u2019d raise her. Neither of us has ever treated loving her like charity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never said that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve said it at dinners and in hallways whenever Thomas leaves the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several relatives lowered their eyes.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d heard every word.<\/p>\n

None of them had stopped her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou call Mia lucky because Thomas accepted her,\u201d I continued. \u201cYou speak about her place in this family as though it can expire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleanor\u2019s voice rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re ruining my birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. You invited people here to watch us be humiliated. You ruined it yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

One cousin quietly stepped away from the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did invite us to watch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Gregory picked up his jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Eleanor asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t leave my birthday dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can leave a dinner built around hurting my grandchild, Eleanor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he looked at me.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have room for one more at the barbecue?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have too much ice but no food. Let\u2019s go home and make some.\u201d<\/p>\n

One by one, people stood.<\/p>\n

The party she\u2019d carefully staged began falling apart around her.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

She wanted us isolated.<\/p>\n

Instead, the room chose Mia.<\/p>\n

Gregory picked up the cooler.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m driving them home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Thomas\u2019s sister grabbed the daisies.<\/p>\n

Two cousins followed.<\/p>\n

Eleanor stared after them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re leaving my birthday?\u201d<\/p>\n

I took Mia\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

Eleanor hurried after us.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlexis, don\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

I turned back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t call Mia. You won\u2019t visit her. You won\u2019t send messages through anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t keep my granddaughter from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can keep my daughter away from someone who hurts her on purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her expression tightened.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re making rules now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m finally enforcing them, and Thomas will stand with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back at our house, Gregory rolled the grill out of the garage while Mia opened the cooler.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I help?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cYou can hand me the tools,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can also stop me if I burn anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how, Grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll both learn, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas\u2019s sister spread our picnic blanket across the yard.<\/p>\n

The cousins set out plates and drinks.<\/p>\n

Before long, nobody cared that they were still wearing formal clothes.<\/p>\n

My phone rang just as Gregory lowered the grill lid.<\/p>\n

It was Thomas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

I told him everything\u2014the fake invitation, the deleted message, Mia\u2019s little book, and Eleanor\u2019s reaction.<\/p>\n

For several seconds, he said nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlexis, I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not?\u201d<\/p>\n

I watched Gregory teaching Mia how to use the tongs while Thomas\u2019s sister arranged the daisies in a glass jar. The cousins laughed as smoke drifted across the yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour mother tried to prove Mia didn\u2019t belong,\u201d I said. \u201cInstead, everyone had to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey chose her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas let out a slow breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you need from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack the boundary, Thomas. That\u2019s what we need. That\u2019s what Mia needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have my word.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later that evening, Mia accidentally dripped barbecue sauce across the purple cover of her handmade book.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u201cMom, I ruined it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I stopped her before she could wipe it away.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt finally made it to the barbecue.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked around the backyard.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Grandma will learn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s up to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wrapped an arm around Mia as Gregory called her back to the grill.<\/p>\n

Eleanor had spent years deciding who counted as family.<\/p>\n

That night, I stopped letting her make that decision for us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I believed my mother-in-law had finally decided to include my daughter and me in a real family celebration. Instead, she used one calculated lie to humiliate us in front of … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,15,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-inspiration","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18410"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18411,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18410\/revisions\/18411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingmydairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}