clowery……..one thing that is hard to realize...and, easy to forget...is that, even when, technically "sober" for a short period of time...their thinking is still scrambled...they are still thinking like a drunk. their brain is still in their alcoholic fog.
Isn't this really, basically, more of the same. Still projecting all blame onto you to take the focus off of his drinking. Still oblivious of the effects on the kids living under a roof that is dominated by the alcoholism. And, of course, he still wants to keep the status quo...as it has been working for HIM until just recently, when you have found a voice and realized that you and the kids are paying a big price.....
I think he might be calling your bluff about the divorce statements. I suspects that he thinks that you really won't leave the house or dare divorce him. He is counting on that...and, underestimates you......He probably thinks that that will scare you to death, and bring you running back into his arms and trying, again to "fix" everything. He is pulling our the stops and playing a strong hand by calling your bluff. At least, this is my thinking on it....
Ir looks to me like the whole day of being sooo nice and having the Norman Rockwell/Ozzie and Harriet family experience...while so enjoyable....was staging a demonstration of "look how good it can be"...….
If it was that good all of the time...you wouldn't even be on this forum. And this really messes with the kid's minds....because the elephant in the room is that it isn't always that good....because drunk dad lives there, also......
The alcoholic will pull out every trick and push all of your hot buttons to pull you back into line and keep the status quo that they know has worked for them.....and he has pulled out some heavy artillery....
Stay your course, clowery….it is the only way out of the chaos and the ongoing damage to you and the kids....