The Simple Life at Home

I have some exciting news to share, but first I'll give you our week's menu. Last week, I wasn't feeling well for a couple of days, so I've moved some of last week's menu up to this week.

• Monday - Baja Beef & Beans, Tex-Mex Rice, Fiesta Salad with vanilla ice cream and Apple Enchiladas for dessert (I'm taking dinner to our youth pastor and his wife who just had a new baby, so I'm making double portions to serve both families. This is an awesome crockpot recipe!)
• Tuesday - Pot Roast with baby carrots and potatoes, tossed salad
• Wednesday - Lentils and rice, chopped salad
• Thursday - Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
• Friday - Chicken Fajitas with Corn, Avocado & Black Bean salad
• Saturday - Blackened Chicken Salad (recipe from Applebee's)
• Sunday - Scallops, yellow rice, tossed salad

If anyone is interested in any of the recipes, just let me know and I'll be happy to post them.

Now on to the big news! No, I'm not pregnant so let's just get that out of the way, shall we? It seems pretty certain that we will indeed be moving to the Middle East. This morning Hubby interviewed (via phone) with a company in Qatar and they definitely want him. The problem is that's not where we want to go.

But this morning he also received an email from the person he's been talking with in Dubai (which IS where we want to go) and he will be calling him for a phone interview this week and he said that he's very optimistic about Hubby getting the job. Whoo-hoo!!

We do have some big decisions to make. Going to Qatar would probably mean significantly more money. But in Dubai, we would be close to Hubby's sister and her family - cousins for my kids to be around. Also, there is so much to do in Dubai - an indoor ski center, a huge waterpark, an amazing theme park set to open soon and more. I've learned that there's a nice-sized group of people there who homeschool (as opposed to Qatar, where I can't find a single homeschooler to save my life!). It's a very child-friendly place and we have gotten very excited about what life might be like there.

After having done some research following my previous post on this subject, I don't think we'll be able to save quite as much money as I had thought. The cost of living is much higher there than I realized. But we will still be able to sock away quite a good deal of money for our retirement and it will be a huge adventure for all of us. And for those of you who are thinking, "What on earth are they thinking about?? How could you move to the Middle East??!!" I refer you here. This site will give you some basic information about Dubai.

So, Hubby may be leaving us as soon as December and the kids and I would follow a few months after that. There's ALOT to do between now and then! Anyone want to rent a fully furnished house in Miami?!?!