Simplification Sorta Stinks

We've been living in a "rubber hitting the road" kind of way lately. We've been talking big talk about paying down debt and living the simple life until we do so...but now this talk has been turned into action around here. I've learned a lot, even though it's only been a couple of days. Namely, I've learned that simplification can be painful.

On the surface, "simplification" sounds so...sweet. We all want life to be simple, right? Less complicated? Less busy? Less hectic? Sure!

The idea of the simple life makes my mind wander to scenes from "Little House on the Prairie", where daily life consisted of milking the cows, a root cellar filled with vegetables and canned goods that came right out of the garden out back, the kids toting their lunch pails across the field to get to a one room school house, sitting around a fire and night while Pa plays the fiddle and Ma knits the baby a new stocking cap. Wholesome foods, wholesome entertainment. Simple and beautiful.

So what's the problem? Well, for starters...I'm no "Ma". If you could see the homemade rolls I made, you'd agree (they were supposed to be rolls, anyway...more like whole wheat discuses).

And my husband can't play the fiddle.

See? Doomed right from the start. Lousy homemade bread and no fiddle music by firelight...we don't stand a chance at the joyous simple life ;-)

The other problem is that I'm a spoiled brat. A whining, crying, "I don't wanna!" kind of spoiled brat. I like cable TV. I like caller ID. I like voicemail. I like eating out. I like going to the grocery store and just tossing stuff into the cart. I like my instant gratification life!

But my instant gratification mindset played a role in getting us into this financial hole. Something has to give.

So we cancelled cable, caller ID, voicemail, and we slashed our monthly grocery budget by almost half (gasp...HALF!). We cut the "entertainment" budget by even more, so eating out instead of buying groceries isn't an option {sigh}.

Do you want to hear something terrible? Do you want to hear what ran through my bratty mind when my wise husband told me that he'd cancelled cable? It went something like "What am I going to do with the kids all day? How will I get anything done?!"

And my older kids literally *burst into TEARS* when we told them the news.

Ugh. How did I become this mom? We only even GOT cable 2 years ago, and already I'm depending on it to help me raise my children?! My kids are so reliant on sitting in front of a box and watching people live a pretend life, that they're moved to tears at the thought of turning it off?! Not good.

So yeah, this simplification is painful. But only because I've been living in a place that's very comfortable...but not healthy. I'm being forced to change my ways to a more healthy (and fiscally sound) lifestyle for our whole family. Some pain is good, I guess.

My prediction? I predict family time that involves less TV and more books and games. I predict healthier bodies and minds for my children. I predict going to bed earlier for us grownups since we won't be sucked into the endless late night TV that's available on cable. I predict a quieter and more peaceful home without the noise of the TV in the background...without the hurrying to finish something so we can go watch that one show...without the bickering over whose turn it is to choose what to watch. I predict my children will spend more time outside, with friends, and using their imaginations.

And maybe, with enough practice, I'll learn how to make really great homemade bread. And hey! Maybe my husband will even learn how to play the fiddle!

Yeah, ok. Maybe not :-)