I can’t believe my step-son is 21 already! For new readers who may not know, I met my step-son when he was 10 years old. It had to be so strange for him to see his Dad marrying someone – he was the best man in our wedding! Let’s just take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

One of the first things I learned about Joe was that he loved frogs, toads, geckos – he loved them all! I’ll now give you two of my favorite pictures of Joe as a kid:


Here’s a picture of Joe when he started playing football – 6th grade – isn’t he so cute??!!
Now here’s a picture that Tony calls Joe’s “Father Ed” picture. Yep, I am going to get some shit for posting this one – sorry Joe, I couldn’t help it!
And while we always thought we would toast Joe’s 21st birthday together, he and his girlfriend Lizz now live in Austin, Texas.
We will miss seeing you today Joe! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! WE LOVE YOU!
I have not done a full grocery shop this week because I think we need to eat up what we have in the house first. So the eats this week will most likely be a bit on the boring side!
Breakfast: Steak sammie – 2 oz. vienna bread, 1.5 ounce leftover steak, 2 eggs scrambled and 1.5 ounces of Swiss cheese.

It had rained earlier in the morning, but when I looked outside my office window it looked clear enough to walk. I changed my clothes, got 2o minutes into my walk when I heard something. Thunder! I kept going until it started raining like cats and dogs – luckily the path I take has big trees for cover – I got the most soak walking the last 200 feet to my building.
Oh, and while I was walking, I saw a cute little house that would be perfect for me and Tony!

Lunch was a lemon pepper sammie on a light English muffin and black bean soup on the side.

And dinner was leftover pasta with my pasta bolognese that I defrosted – tasted just as good as the day I made it!

Don’t worry Joe – we’ll toast to you tonight! 😀
And thanks for Tony for fixing Hannah’s car – Hannah freaked out the other night when she came home to steam and smoke coming from her car – turns out it was just a radiator hose that needed to be replaced. I couldn’t even identify a radiator hose! 😀 Thanks sweets!
What did you do on your 21st birthday? I was trying to think what my sister and I did, but having worked in bars since we were 18, I don’t think it was that big of a deal – do you remember Jenn?
walgreens and cvs does it. most places that dvloeep pictures will do it really cheap at least where i live idk about any place else. but ive seen ads for them on the counters. even if its not one of the pics they dvloeeped theyll still make it into a card. ask them if you dont see any ads. hope i helped. good luck finding a placeReferences :
FYI: Someday I will have a lovely little cottage like the you saw while on your walk….someday. 🙂
I have no memory at all of my twenty-first birthday.
And I don’t mean that in a good way.
I remember twenty and twenty-two . . . but I’m drawing a complete and utter blank on the birthday in between. How frustrating!
Happy Birthday, Joe!
Oh, I had the best 21st. My college roommate and two of my best friends from high school (they were also living in the same town that year) surprised me on my 21st birthday eve with chocolate cake and a bottle of champagne. The surprise party was after my auto maintenance class, though; it was oil changing night, so I was filthy. After I got cleaned up, we celebrated, and then at midnight we went to a 50’s-style diner and I ordered a strawberry daiquiri. You know, I don’t even think I got carded!
Aw, Joe is handsome!! 🙂 Happy birthday!
That house is stunning…I can’t imagine either. Maybe someday!
21st birthday was spent at the Hard Rock Hotel in the city. My best friend and I share a birthday so we got Bruce Springstein’s suite and had all of our friends come down for a party there. Then we went to Level, or one of those clubs in the city. It was a blast!
happy bday, joe! i was drunk on my 21st. my bday is xmas eve and i knocked over the tree. i think i blamed it on my baby cousin.
That’s too funny Lynn!
happy bday joe 🙂
for finishing stuff up, looks like you ate pretty well!! digging that pasta bolognese and soup from lunch… mmm, maybe a midnight snack is in order? lol.
voted for you!!
Thanks Shannon! 😀
Hey, did you remind people to vote for you for the Project Food Blog? I just did, I almost forgot. If I missed the reminder, sorry. It took me awhile to find you so you should put a link on your next post (if you haven’t already!) 🙂
awww joe looks so cute!!! what a lucky girl! 🙂 Happy Birthday Joe!!!
umm.. what?? that house is so big! was it empty or something??
btw i watched your Opera vid… too cute!!! i love it!
That’s a big birthday! Happy wishes to Joe! Hmm I think I ordered a bottle of Blue Nun at a Jersey diner. Real Classy!!!!! And you have to say that like Fran on the Nanny!
Ha, I love that cute “little”house- we wouldn’t even know where to go from our cramped apartment 🙂
Great pictures! He’ll never forgive you though!
Okay, boring week of food for you maybe but the pictures still rock! You can make the most “boring” food look wonderful!
Thanks Debbi – and thanks for the reminder to post the link to my Foobuzz entry! 😀
Happy Birthday to Joe! 21 is a great birthday. I lived on the east coast at the time so a bunch of us went to Atlantic City for my 21st and we hit up some bars and slots.
Glad that Hannah’s car was an easy fix.
Happy Birthday! My youngest turned 21 last week. It sure does go by fast.
I don’t remember what I did for my 21st birthday. I was already married so I am sure we went out to dinner.
On my 21st b-day I was in the middle of a year abroad in France. My college friend went out and got me a gorgeous birthday cake at an elegant patisserie. It was beautiful. Chocolate. and FILLED with rum. I’ve never liked rum and only ate a bite or two of the cake.
I remember our 19th birthday where you came to Iowa State to visit me for Spring Break. We had a few too many shots, went to Taco Bell late night on our way to the next party. I asked you if you had any more tacos and you said no, then 2 seconds later you whipped another one out of your pocket and how much we laughed about that!!!
OMG – and we were both so hung over the next day, but I made you believe I was fine, all the while excusing myself to go throw up in the bathroom! That was the.longest.bus.ride back to college after that trip!
LOVE the “cute little house” hehe. Happy 21st – how awesome! He is such a cutie – and has good hair! haha
I can’t quite remember my 21st either?? I think I celebrated in Auburn!
Happy b-day to your step-son! He is a good looking guy!
I don’t remember what I did for my 21st b-day. I’m not a huge drinker. I’m sure I went somewhere but can’t remember.
Good for getting your walk in. Sorry you got soaked! I went running on Sat. with cousin husband and we got soaked too! lol. I would never want to clean a house that big! But they probably have a maid! lol
I remember exactly- I was a senior in college and got engaged! My husband to be picked out my ring by himself and proposed to me in the car and I accepted. Funny thing was after we married, I helped pay for that diamond LOL.
I remember my dad gave me a really nicely wrapped bottle of wine…and when I opened it, it was a bottle of Boone’s Farm! It was pretty funny!
Happy birthday to him! I can’t believe how fast time goes by.
And my 21st birthday?? I don’t really remember it. Sad, but true.
awwwwwwwwwww! happy birthday to joe! I hope he is living it up today! All your eats look delicious- as per usual! The breakfast looks truly delicious. You do amazing things when you are running out of groceries. For my 21st birthday, I went to the bars right at midnight!
Happy birthday, Joe! Hope you have a fantastic night out!
I think I went out to dinner with some friends and to a few bars as well. It certainly wasn’t my first drink so turning 21 wasn’t a grand event for me. 😛
Happy Birthday to Joe! He’s such a handsome young guy….and so lucky to have you and Tony in his life! 🙂
My 21st wasn’t too exciting – it was during the summer in my college town (I went to summer school) and on a MONDAY! But, I think I made it for it a few times since then.
Happy Birthday Joe. When I was 21 I was probably sitting at home or my parents since it’s 2 days before Christmas. Drinking age here is 19 and we’re 20 minutes from the next province over where it’s only 18. Went there when I was 17 🙂
P.S: Tried to vote last night but Foodbuzz was having issues. Trying to this morning,just have to find your page. Race report is up…lengthy as usual I believe 🙂
I just sent you an email – let me know if the link doesn’t work – thanks John! 😀
Happy birthday, Joe! I find it amazing how much he and Hannah look like they’re real brother and sister. Do you think so too? Crazy! My 21st was pretty tame-out to eat with friends and I elected for a free cookie rather than the free alcoholic drink the place offered me. Alcohol has never been my thing so it wasn’t a crazy party like most 21st’s.
You are not crazy – as the kids got older they started looking more alike! 😀
What a handsome young man he’s grown up to be – although I love that turtle/frog picture, lol. Happy 21st Birthday, Joe!!!
I had a drink in the art deco bar of the Queen Mary ship for my 21st birthday – not a huge deal and I didn’t even get carded! Of course, I had been drinking (and getting away with it) in bars for a couple of years by then…
I was nothing less than a hot mess on my 21st Birthday. I went out the night of and don’t recall a thing (oopsie!), then went out with my parents and friends the next night and remember calling Ryan (then boyfriend, now husband) and leaving him all kinds of loving messages. He was at Boot Camp and it was kind of sad. We’ve only been in the same place once for my Birthday.
After seeing these phoots I feel like I want to hang out with this couple! They look so fun! The swinging pirate ship ride one is super fun. And the large close-up on the merry-go-round with their backs in the mirror should definitely be framed. Awesome job!
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is that a turtle on his shoulder? AW!!!! Happy Birthday Joe!
At first I thought you were serious about that being a little house. I was going to die laughing. It’s HUGE! I’d love a house like that.
I had a lame 21st birthday. My boyfriend was younger than me so we couldn’t celebrate together so I just had one drink at a restaurant. Boring!
Happy 21st birthday to Joe! For my 21st birthday, my brother and friends took to out to Dave and Buster’s. It was a lot of fun!
How time flies…one day they’re little guys and the next they’ve gone and grown up! A VERY handsome young man. I think the turtle on his shoulder looks like it’s grinning!
Happy Birthday, Joe! I love that picture of him with the turtle on his shoulder!
We first went out for a nice steak dinner…I ordered a beer and didn’t even get carded! Then we went to a club where there was an awesome 80’s cover band. I spent the night dancing and maybe had two watered down drinks LOL 🙂