Welcome, 2011!

I had big plans to Start Blogging More in 2011 and now it's already, what, January 6? How did that happen? Granted, we've had what one might call a “full” week.

For starters, the kids were acting like they were actively petitioning to be sent to boarding school. Asher is testing limit after limit after limit and finally last night, we'd had Enough and he was taught a lesson. It wasn't pretty. It was NECESSARY, but it wasn't pretty. My grandmother always said not to make a big deal out of anything unless someone was bleeding, and I try to remember that, but we are no longer dealing with small irritations like demanding certain cups or throwing fits over wearing coats. The Cassee family draws the line at things like, well for starters, screaming NO in your parents' faces when they ask you to do something very very reasonable, like wipe the yogurt you spilled off the table so you can stop freaking out that there's yogurt on the table. It got unpleasant, but I am proud of my husband. As much as I hated watching that entire scene play out, he chose to make a point and then he chose to win. It took 45 minutes and at one point Asher had to actually take a PEE BREAK, but Dave won. HE WON. It started with yogurt and it ended with sweet, sweet victory. I cannot take any credit for anything except running upstairs with Lucy and hiding.

Of course, the kid thing is a Major Stresser, but so was the fact that we've had contractors in the house all day Tuesday and Wednesday tiling our bathroom. The kids and I spent both days at my parents' house, which is the best place to get stuck if you can't be in your own house, but being away – even for two days – doesn't make the chores stop piling up. There was still a dishwasher to run, and laundry to do, and dinners to make and the house was coated in a fine layer of dust from the tile saw.

But, again, SMALL VICTORIES, because our master bathroom now has a tub and a tiled tub surround and a tile FLOOR. This weekend Dave will be painting and installing the vanity and toilet and we will have a functional second bathroom for the first time in a year. Pictures and details when we get that bad boy finished, I promise. (IT LOOKS AWESOME.)

And for those of you who aren't following along on Twitter, there was the MINOR DETAIL of this:

We don't know all the details yet, but we're pretty sure that thing is totaled and we'll be shopping for a new car sometime next week. Someone from the insurance agency called Dave and asked if there was any damage to the bumper or headlights. We found that HILARIOUS.

Dave was turning left on a green arrow (in his Honda Accord coupe) when he was hit almost head-on by a Lexus SUV. Everyone was fine (Dave was a little sore and stiff for the next few days but nothing crazy) and I KNEW he was fine because he'd called me right after the accident happened and told me about it but even with that knowledge, even after hearing his voice and being assured he was completely and totally FINE, I still wasn't prepared to see that car in that kind of shape at the scene. I drove past and my stomach knotted up and I found myself clutching at my chest and just started sobbing. And I pulled behind the police car that was blocking the lane for cleanup and I wasn't sure whether I should park there and I was kind of shifting my car into drive and then reverse and then drive and then reverse just totally unsure where I should put the stupid thing and finally I just left it behind the cop car with the caution lights on and climbed out and announced shakily to the officer that “That's my husband's car” and then Dave kind of appeared out of nowhere and I don't know if you've ever had a “I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SURVIVED THAT” hug? I mean, I wouldn't recommend you try to arrange one, but there is absolutely nothing like it in the world. I felt like time just stood still while we stood in the bitter cold in the middle of a four-lane road with cars whizzing by and held each other and thought about what could have happened. We are so, so lucky.

Weirdly enough, one of our friends from high school (who we haven't seen for a couple of years) was in the car behind Dave when the accident happened, so he was standing on the side of the road and I was all, “Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you, thank you for stopping” and he hugged me and then I cried all over him, too. So, uh, SORRY CHRIS.

Anyway, 2011. SEND WINE. At least I'll be able to drink it in my new bathtub!

Comments

[Jennifer]

WOW. I am so glad everyone is OK. You are totally excused from not blogging sooner. Though I always love reading about your trials and tribulations with the munchkins. Happy New Year!

[Shelly]

Oh god, that pic is frightening!! I am so glad everyone is okay.

Wine in the bathtub sounds fabulous. I hope you get at least one uninterrupted hour!

[Jen]

First of all, goosebumps at the accident story. Praise God he is alright.

Secondly, the yelling no yogurt thing??? YES. I KNOW. That was how bad it got with Maggie last month. I wish I had an answer for you on how it got better, but I honestly don't think it was anything we did or didn't do. She just kind of... came out of it (and by 'it' I mean DEMON POSSESSION) I hope he eases up soon... if not, drink heavily!!!!!

[Jennie]

Shit, I'm so glad he's okay. So so glad.

(Can I say shit on your blog? Oh my, I should have probably found that out before, you know, doing it.)

[Kerry]

So glad he is ok- praise the Lord! Can't wait to see the new bathroom!!! Will you post a before shot, too?

[kim]

Glad to hear he is okay! Hope things get better with your little boy! I think enjoying wine in your new bathtub is totally needed!

[Farrell]

The car looks TERRIBLE; I'm so glad Dave came out in one piece!
I support wine in new bathtub whole-heartedly!

[Julie]

Wow...what a scary day. As with everyone else, I'm so glad that it was a good news finish to that story. Whew! But, gah...SUCKS to have to deal with insurance and new car and blah, blah, blah. Good luck to you guys! :)

[Carrie]

I am so glad your husband is okay!

[Laber of Love]

Glad your hubby is okay! Also glad to hear that a battle was won over the yogurt...it gives me inspiration and hope!

[Life of a Doctor's Wife]

So very very glad that your husband is okay! That photo is terrifying.

Good job to the car for protecting him.

[Jen]

Just the DESCRIPTION of that hug got me all teary, so I can't imagine the actual hug. So glad your husband is okay. How scary.

I have lived through a The Bathroom Renovation of Forever Plus One Day, so boy do I know the relief of it finally being DONE. Think of how awesome the first bath/shower in there is going to be!

[HereWeGoAJen]

Matt was once in a car accident too. The doctor afterward said that if Matt didn't have such a strong neck (to which we said "Matt has a strong neck?") that he would have had a broken neck. He bent the bolts that held his seat to the floor of the car. Terrifying. Luckily, no lasting harm.

[Megan @ Mama Bub]

Oh man, terrifying.

Now I need to know, in great detail, just exactly how Dave won, because I'm spending a lot of time losing over here.

[NGS]

Oh, that is so scary. I'm glad everyone is okay!! Plus, new car!! Whoo hoo!!

And, also? Yay for parenting. I have spent some time recently with undisciplined children and had to bite my non-child having tongue a lot.

[Elsha]

That is awful about the accident. So glad everyone is alright!

[Jackie]

That is certainly a rough start to a New Year! I hope the year only improves from here!

[Thia]

How absolutely scary! Glad everyone is okay!

[Jennifer A]

Oh yeah...the "I'm so happy you survived hug" is the best! As a matter of fact, it was so good when my husband and I were in a head-on collision on a TX freeway driving 70 mph a few years ago, resulting in a horrific crash that probably should have killed us both - we spent the next two days "hugging" and conceived our second child! And when we had to sue the other guy's insurance for refusing to pay for some pretty critical expenses (like a rental car and some minor medical expenses!) their lawyer made a comment about how we couldn't have been that hurt or traumatized considering "by his calculations" our new baby was conceived just after the accident! Creepy, huh? Ha!

[Rose]

This is crazyy.

I also cried a little bit when you talked about how freaked out you were when you saw the car, because I am a huge baby and cry whenever anyone talks about romantic/distressing things.

But yes, I am very glad everyone lived happily ever after and you get a new car out of it :P

[ccr in MA]

Wow, that is one scary photo. I'm so glad he's okay, because it's hard to believe, looking at that. Hopefully, that's the worst of 2011 right there!

[Lisa]

Whoa!! I was stopping by here to say WAR EAGLE to one of the few Auburn people I can find in the NoVa area and saw this post. So glad your husband is okay. Scary!! I had a similar accident a few years back and the scariest part for me was the airbags deploying. Yikes!!!!

[Kayemgi]

Oh my, I'm sniffling a litter just looking at the picture, I can't imagine seeing it in person and knowing it was my husband in that car. How awful! Thank goodness Dave is ok. Send wine indeed!

[Kayemgi]

Ugh, a littLE. I'm sniffling a little.

[JD]

Holy. Crap. Just, wow. So glad your hubby is ok. Between the Great Yogurt Standoff and that - well, he must be one tired dude.