My mother used to (and still does) mess with my head, telling me all sorts of outrageous stories about my father in the hopes that I'll turn my back on him and live with her happily ever after. I wanted a cat around the same time she was moving across the country (They made me make the choice of where I wanted to live- I was, like, 11 years old) and my mother told me that my Dad hates cats and he threw one out the window, and if I wanted a cat I would have to live with her, etc. She says stuff like that all the time, and always has. I doubt she'll stop, but what she was trying to do- kill my love for my father, was reversed. I started to resent all her lies and am now closer to my father than I am to her. My fondest memories are with my father- him reading me stories at bedtime, and playing Tag with me and my brother in the pool, and going sledding on winter days. My mother had more money then he did, but I have more good memories of my father than of her. RESiNATE, you're kids will probably end up being closer to you then her. Keep doing what you're doing and refuse to sink to her level- in the end, your kids will respect your maturity more than your wife's inability to keep her mouth shut. The only thing she's doing is isolating the children from herself.
And another thing- congragulations on the job. That shows a wonderful committment to your kids that they'll really appreciate when they're old enough to understand. Merry Chiristmas to you, and may you and your kids have a wonderful X-mas with lots of fun and a good lesson in the true spirit of Christmas.