Friday, October 18, 2013

How I "Accidentally" bought a Machete For My 11 Year Old & Other Random Confessions


Oh my, oh, MY!! Where did this week go?? I don't know about you, but sometimes I would actually love for a week to feel long or at least long-er than this week, so that I don't feel so robbed of my life by all of the crazy business.  I'd like to just sit and savor instead of sprint. How about you??

Here's my "Seven Quick Takes" for the week:

- 1. -
On Sunday, Steve and the older boys went to Cabela's to pick up a few things for their big camping trip.  After being gone for over FOUR HOURS they finally called me to say they were finished.  When we met up that evening for supper (because they were starrrrving and exhausted from pushing a heaping cart around all day), I just looked at them all and said, "Mmmm, hmmmm.  Just a few things, huh?" (You know I'm envisioning a little "few things" shopping opportunity of my own, yes?) After I listened (unsympathetically) to Steve groan over how exhausting it was to compare products, search for the best deals and keep the kids together the entire time, I realized he was having a revelation about how difficult it's been for me all these years to shop with kids. Poor guy, his idea of shopping is running into Quick Trip to grab a bag of sunflower seeds and a bottle of water!  Afterwards we were laughing about how funny it would have been for a Cabela's associate to come over the intercom and announce, "Mr. Husband, you have reached our 4 hour and 6 shopping carts limit.  Please report to customer service immediately."  {Snicker}
- 2. -
After the big four hour trek around Cabela's, Andrew, who is an avid pocket knife collector, came to me and asked if he could order a knife from the Cabela's website.  He very politely explained that the store did not have the knife he wanted for the camping trip in stock, and that DAD said it would be OKAY if I ordered it.  Sure. No biggie.  Andrew found the knife online, handed me his hard earned money as payment, and skipped off. In an inattentive hurry, assuming he had already shown the knife to Steve, I placed the order.  Three days later a very LONG box from Cabela's appeared on our door step.  Hmmmmm, I'm thinking that's not a pocket knife in there.
When I placed the order, what I failed to investigate was:
 1.  The description of the knife - Gerber Gator Jr. MACHETE.  I just bought my son a MACHETE. {Scream}  And,
2. The actual dimensions of the knife.  "Jr." my fanny!  What a misleading description.  THIS is a JR. Machete??
I intended to snap this photo for comparison sake with just the machete and the bunny (poor bunny). Then, Charlie bounced into the pic, and, well, now you can obviously see how enormous that thing is AND that ordering the machete/saber/sword/scythe was a slight parenting oversight on my part - which is why the knife is currently still in it's package and hidden in our gun safe. Our son, Ben, tried to ease my anxiety over the whole situation by trying to convince me that it would be prudent to keep it for a future camping trip to the Amazon.  Oh, Nelly.....

- 3. -
Are you tired of the camping stories yet? Okay, good.  I actually love to camp, but this time it's boys only. Steve has always dreamed of taking the boys adventure camping, where you basically set up camp out in the middle of no-where and go into survival mode for several days. The time for them to do that is finally here.  I'll be staying home with the little ones and praying that the bears stay far, far away from the rest of the crew. A few weeks ago, Steve and I stumbled across this clip of Jim Gaffigan talking about camping.  He made us laugh so hard, I had to share it with ya'll!

- 4. -
Now for some other random stuff.  Does anyone else out there have a child who refuses to wear underwear? I've got a Mr. Commando in my house.  He only wears underwear when he puts on his Wranglers (can you say chaffing?? Yikes!).  Otherwise, everything else seems to be completely comfortable for him to wear with buff buns. If I catch him without undies, he will usually put them on upon request, but not without a major eye roll and some huffing and stomping to his room to grab a fresh pair of Lego Ninjago briefs.  Yesterday, I overheard this little conversation between Henry and George:
Henry: Life was so much better when I was a baby, 
because I could just be naked all the time.
George: Well, Henry, you never wear underwear, 
and that's kind of the same thing as being naked.
Henry: Yah, but Mom hates it when I don't wear my underwear.
George: She gets so mad at you. She calls you Mr. Commando.
Henry: I know. One of these days I'm going to have to give it all up and just put the stupid underwear on.

- 5. -
If you don't already read Kathryn's blog, Team Whitaker, you really should go and visit her sometime. She shared a very personal post this week about embracing another baby after enduring a difficult medical journey with their precious son, Luke.  Her words are beautiful and inspiring!

6.  What am I going to do while the boys are camping? I started making a list this week, which includes: Go apple picking with the younger boys, take naps when they nap (woo-hoo!), creatively arrange a wall of family pictures, and bake lots of bread.  I have a mega BOSCH bread machine that mixes the dough, and then I simply divide it, shape it and bake it.  Would you believe me if I told you that I can literally make 6 loaves of bread in 30 minutes (minus baking time)??  I'm thinking that I might have to blog about this, and the wonderful bread recipe book that I use to bake all year long.
7.  Saving the best for last.....I have GREAT news about my mom's breast cancer prognosis! This week she learned that she is NOT a carrier of the BRCA genes (hallelujah!). Her lymph nodes test also came back very positive.  She has only a very, very tiny speck that has metastasized in the lymph nodes yet can thankfully be treated with radiation and oral chemo, which she will take over the course of the next five years. Knowing that she will not need to endure chemo or a mastectomy is an enormous relief.  We all have a tremendous amount of hope that he will beat this!

Thank you all for your prayers and loving concern that you have shared with me and my mom over the past few weeks. She is strengthened and encouraged by your faithfulness!  I thank God every day that the cancer was discovered at such an early stage and that Mom is being cared for by a team of amazingly talented and compassionate physicians. We are truly blessed!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!




10 comments:

  1. LOVE the machete! This will be the perfect birthday present for my almost-15yo next month. He inherited my family's multigenerational fascination with and appreciation for firearms and weaponry. That gene skipped right over me - I'm not comfortable with anything more than a chef's knife and a water pistol, but J can knowledgeably discuss guns and knives 'til the cows come home. Good luck with that Amazon camping trip ;)

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  2. I am so happy to hear about your mom!! I've been praying for her and wondering how she was. Such good news!
    A machete?! Ha!
    I'm guessing it is going to feel quite odd at home with only the little boys for a few days. Taking only two apple picking will be a cinch compared to 5! :)
    And your photo about the Whitakers...Since the writing was under the photo, I thought you were announcing your own baby! Got all excited for a few seconds there, considering you recently wrote about people asking if you were "done". :)
    Have a great weekend!

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  3. Machete? Oh Susan, your life is so fun. The best news EVER about your mom. She sounds like a strong woman with an awesome family. Cancer's greatest fear. Your words were sweet about the post - thank you ;)

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  4. I'm so happy for your Mom and all of y'all!! I've been wondering but hated to ask if you didn't have news or feel ready to share!
    The machete is kind of scary!
    And - just thinking about setting up camp in the middle of nowhere is making me cringe - I don't camp - EVER!!!

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  5. HA!! Love that "pocket knife." And, what wonderful news about your mom!! Such a blessing, but our prayers will continue! Hope you have a lot of fun with your bread baking!

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  6. My son likes to go commando too. I totally don't get it, but he only wears undies if I make him wear them. Must be a boy thing.

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  7. I am SO glad to hear about your mom! Thanks be to God!

    Also, I'd love to see a post about your bread bakin' ways.

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  8. I just found your blog and look forward to reading through it.
    I just feel that the Holy Spirit has prompted me to be really personal here with a stranger and suggest something to you. First of all I am very close to your situation, as my Mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and myself as well. What I am suggesting is that you take some time, if you have not already, to research diet and lifestyle changes. cancer will not "go away" with surgery, radiation and chemo. It is a symptom that something is severely wrong in the body and she must search out the cause of it. The wrong foods (standard American diet and animal protein), stress, toxins in the home, prescription medications, toxins in the environment, lack of daily exercise....all of these the big contributing factors.
    I send this with the utmost of love. I hope it doesn't sound uncharitable. I am living with this and have done countless hours of research for both my mom and I and we both said NO to conventional treatments of chemo and radiation. We are giving our bodies the tools they need so they can heal, that is how God designed us. If our body can create the tumor/cancer, our body can take it away. Don't let conventional medicine brainwash you into thinking it is their way or no way.
    Hope this is helpful.
    Peace & Raw Health,
    Elizabeth

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  9. I wish your mom a win against cancer. You caught my eyes with the display of the Gerber machete. You might have bought it for a child, but it is absolutely a good selection. Check out similar machete designs here: http://wildernessmastery.com/survival/types-of-machetes.html

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