The Simple Life at Home

Well, 2007 is almost gone. Are you ready for a new year? A chance to start over? A chance to...oh, who are we kidding?? Tomorrow will be like today; there's nothing magical about a day on a calendar page turning. The real magic comes from your (or mine) determination to change our lives. I'll be sharing some of my goals for the upcoming year in a few days.

But for now, the topic is food. Since Hubby is leaving at the end of the week and won't get a good home-cooked meal for several months (well, he is going from here to spend a week with his family in the Middle East before showing up for his new job, so I'm sure his mom will cook for him. But it's not the same. Ahem.) I have planned my menu for the week around his favorites. Here's the plan:

Monday - Pot Roast in the slow cooker with veggies (easiest recipe ever: chop an onion and mix with a can of cream of chicken soup and a packet of dry onion soup mix, pour over roast and cook all day - voila!)
Tuesday - Bezella
Wednesday - Baja Beef and Beans with Tex Mex Rice
Thursday - Sub sandwiches (we'll be leaving for the airport right around dinner, so we need something quick, but truly this is one of his favorites!)
Friday - the kids and I are going to the circus so we'll probably just pick something up on the way

For more great menu-planning ideas, be sure to visit the host of Menu Plan Monday, The Organizing Junkie!

Moving on to other topics, our small group threw us a going away party last night. We had a blast! Everyone had a great time discussing the implications of our move - the fact that husbands and wives can't kiss in public there, but it's ok for men to kiss each other; whether or not I would end up wearing a headcovering (NOT!); discussions of how to smuggle alcohol into us, etc. We received some very sweet and kind gifts - guidebooks to both the area and to Islam; a map of the Middle East; some red, white and blue striped Christmas ornaments to remember that we are, indeed, 'Mericans, as one woman put it; and a beautiful Willow Tree figurine of an angel holding a shell to remind us of Miami. There were gifts for the kids too and I'm so glad that we have this group of people supporting us.

And now, I'm off to get dressed and hit the grocery store. Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy your New Year's Eve!!