Live Like No One Else

When you live a life as jam packed as we do, I always appreciate a good 'ol fashioned dose of, perspective shall we say.  It is good for me to remember why Neil and I make the choices we do and the sacrifices we make because we know in the end, our family will be stronger for it.

Where did I get my dose of perspective today???  Um, a tree house.

Yes.... a tree house.

We loosely follow Dave Ramsey's cash/budget system (which I cannot WAIT for my blog post on that.  I will do a final tally of how much we have been able to pay off using this method.  Lets just say... it is A LOT).  One of my favorite Dave Ramsey ism's is a reasoning for living such a strictly budgeted/monitored life style.  And that reason is "Live like no one else, so that you can live like no one else". Hmmmm, thanks Dave.  It is not so easy when I want a new sliding glass door or the $900 GORGEOUS Pottery Barn Crib. And those are the frivolous things.  Last month it was the pool pump, new tire, an AC repair.... I could go on and on.  We made it through though. It was REAL tight, but, alas, eventually we will have complete financial freedom someday.  And when we do folks.... I am building a tree house.

Ok, maybe not if we stay in AZ.  I am a Midwest girl.  Michigan to be exact. There are actual trees there that have grown since the beginning of ever and not planted according to a landscaping design. Neil grew up with real trees in SC too. So, if we ever move to my dream city, Charleston, SC or thereabouts, I will have my sleepy, charming Southern house and out back I wanna have trees big enough to build my dream tree house. 

My inspiration piece....

Gorgeous huh? It was built as a tribute to a man that loved that particular tree and passed away.  It is not just for kids, it is a outside gathering place for adults and families.  In my tree house dream, this would be my office/guest cottage/summer time fun place.  Eventually, both Neil and I want to be completely self employed and instead of a boring 'ol home office.... how bout this?? See, I have to remind myself, that the sacrifices we are making now will enable us to dream big in the future.  Looks expensive huh?  It wasn't. No plumbing (walk 500 ft to the house, that'll do just fine). It is all reclaimed wood, vintage windows and sweat equity.  A lot was bartered. Big dreams don't always mean big price tags.  This was built over the course of a year. Ours would have to be built the same way.  Ours would need an extended deck so Neil could BBQ.  I imagine we would have constant backyard parties, cookouts, and "camp" in it with our kids.  If you need to find Neil, he most likely would be in the hammock with Bailey curled up beneath him. Neil and I would enjoy many o bottle of great red wine on the porch since we would rather be home watching our kids run around with friends and family than go out.  I can have an office that affords me the ability to work and be home at the same time. My kids will no doubt tear through it in mere seconds. Bliss. 

I would want it just as this one is.  Minimalistic, country and simple.  A gathering place for friends and family on our very own land.  That would be a dream for me.  I have to remind myself that it is OK to have not-so- normal goals.  That is why Neil and I do what we do.  So that we can think outside the box.  And it may never happen, I realize that.  But it doesn't cost anything to think about it or to push outside the realm of normal.  Who says you can't have a tree house when you grow up?  Live like no one else.  It is possible, just not popular.  But I have always been a bit off the beaten path.  And I wanna teach my kids that they can be too.  In our home, happiness is spelled f-a-m-i-l-y and our kids can one day roll their eyes at their parents that chose to go to work in a tree rather than an office and somehow made it work. We have a long, long, long way to go till this is our reality.  It may never come.  Perhaps one day it will.... I can only hope!