Simplicity

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Confucious

Well, isn't the above quote the truth, heh?  I know from personal experience and from the previous job I had that life has gotten way too out of control.  The things that people freak out about on a regular basis and the supposed "necessities" we have all become so used to thinking we need have gotten way out of hand.  Oh don't get me wrong, I like to be pampered and spoiled on occasion too but people in general have gotten to a point where if they can't get their massages in every week or can't find a way to get out of the house for a night on the town without their significant other and children each week they are bitching about it.  The word spoiled comes to mind and it was working around people and customers (not all of them) with those outlooks that was part of my deciding factor as to switching jobs and working full time at the farm.  Although the farm is full of a lot of physical work and not easy, it really doesn't get much simpler than this and I have already noticed a huge change in me and how simple life can be and how your outlook on everything really does begin to change.

I know one of the first things people had opinions about when I decided to change jobs was "How will they afford it?"  Well, I can tell you, changing jobs has saved me money in many different ways.  There is no longer that need to impress people like at my old job.  My husband has seen me at my worst so he doesn't expect me to be all dolled up in the barn and well we all know that the cows could give two shits about my appearance.  So, with that said, I no longer spend a lot of money on makeup, hair spray, mousse and expensive perfume.  Oh sure, I use it on occasion when I go to run errands and out places but seriously, the supplies last A LOT longer than before.  And I can tell you, when I get home, I hit the shower and my hair is pulled back immediately for the day and no makeup applied and I have the au naturale look going on.  Works for me.

And as you can see.  Pretty much every day it is sweatpants and a sweatshirt or t-shirt for me.  No need to complicate things by deciding what to wear, nobody is here to see me other than the hubbie and kids so we're good.  And when I know I am going back to the farm at 3 pm, there is no reason to fix myself up only to get all dirtied up again later.

Side note - I would not normally wear a sweathshirt with birds and flowers on it, but it was a gift to our daughter and she didn't like it and it's all about comfort for me now and it's warm.

I've also saved a ton of money by not needing to buy nice clothes so I can look all professional at work.  The last time I entered a Kohls department store to buy anything was when we did our Christmas shopping and I don't think I bought myself anything.  Obviously I don't have to spend a fortune on good clothes for in the barn and if I buy a few pairs of jeans and some shirts at the local Goodwill store for $4 each for in the barn we're set.  Trust me, huge savings there!!!

And....because I have a closet full of nice clothes from my last job, if I do go out on the town or to church I have plenty to choose from.

I've also noticed a significant savings by not stopping at the local gas station on my way to work each morning for my cup of half cappucino/half coffee and a donut.  I would also stop at this same place roughly three times a week for lunch and now anything I am eating now is being made at my own home. 

I think the biggest change I've noticed is the fact that I don't really want to go places to spend money once I get home from the farm.  Seriously!  If I get up at 3:55 am to go to work and get home about 9-9:30 am knowing I will be going back again at 3 pm, the last thing I feel like doing is getting myself all dolled up to go run errands and have to rush back so I don't.  I also have Luke to think about, as he no longer goes to daycare (another big savings), and well going anywhere to run errands with him makes errands a lot more difficult so I put things off as long as I can before going.  Before I had a bad habit of running to Walmart because I needed one thing and then I would come back with five other things I didn't really need.

So, in a sense, I'm kind of becoming a hermit and I'm okay with that.  My life revolves around my kids, the hubby and the farm.  I don't feel the pressure to impress anybody anymore.  I am who I am.  I'm pretty much as simple as they come despite what some people may think.  My days consist of the following:

Finger painting with Lukas.

Watching little Lukas play dressup.

Keeping the house clean with my little "helper".

Appreciating all of the beauty around me each and every day while working around the farm and experiencing life as I know it.  My simple life.