Well this morning I woke at 3:55 to my alarm only I didn’t stumble out of bed, but out of a cot in my boys new stilt house.   After a night of playing games by oil lantern light we said goodnight to my loving husband and he and the dog headed inside for some “handsome sleep”..  He has quite the busy and tiring schedule so it was important for him to get a good nights rest and to wake in his bed feeling good vs on the floor of the stilt house stiffer than stiff…  Being the gentleman he is, he gave me the last cot.  Our wilderness camp is full with 6 currently and 2 more arriving today.  🙂

After saying our goodnights, the boy and I very thoroughly enjoyed our 1st night in his tree house, cabin, stilt house or whatever you may choose to call it…  Although it was meant to be a tree house – there is no tree other than those used in the lumber – no tree – therefore I just can't get myself to call it a tree house. 🙂   We had a FANTASTIC time!!   I slept like a baby and it brought back memories of sleeping in the wall tent.   The nice difference was the 3 nice big windows in his cabin giving us an amazing view of the full moon.  It looked like it was an arms length away.

I enjoy & find pleasure in the simplest things in life so sleeping out there with my boy was over the top.  The memories we have made since we arrived here in Idaho are out of this world.  The kind of memories most people just dream about.  Living in an 8′ x 14′ canvas wall tent for 8 1/2 months while we built our house was such a rewarding time, but to see our boy grow out of himself  has been amazing.  Our boy is high functioning Autistic and to see him climb past road blocks, stepping out of his comfort zones the whole way and watching the simple life of hard work and many rewards engulf him with thankfulness has been extremely rewarding.

To me, this is what living simply is all about.  Going back to your roots, doing things traditionally where it requires a bit more work, but it is a healthier and a happier lifestyle.  We are blessed to have our own businesses which afford us to only leave once in a great while from our tranquil wilderness setting.  Once a week to church and we are happy.  Too many trips to town and we literally come speeding back home.  🙂  Often from culture shock… 🙂  We are able to provide for ourselves, hunt for our food, put up food for the winter, make everything fresh vs buying packaged foods, make our own clothes whether it be out of material or animal hides and basically it is simply said “If we need it, we make it.” This same rule applied to the tree house (  there I said it 🙂  )  – the boys tree house was made out of dead timber on our property and leftover tin from previous projects.  My husband made the hinges and the windows were donated by a good friend in exchange for some blacksmith work by my husband (bartering – another traditional benefit to the area we live).  In addition, a little bit of elbow grease, sweat and blood, our hands the good Lord blessed us with and the end result a very happy family and young man.

My tree house was a disheveled tree with very old, heavily beat up remains of a pallet placed very hap hazard joining two limbs giving us just a place to sit.  There were no walls or a roof, but it was the best haven I can remember as a child besides the cool plunge in the creek on a hot summer day….  I think I was more excited than my son last night and it wasn't for me, but for him and his new tree house.

Life is what you make it…

Our life is simple, hardworking, happy, fulfilling, rewarding and a blessing from God.

How blessed are you?  Notice the simple things today….

Blessings….