I have no pictures of eats from yesterday because you’ve seen them to death lately.  Breakfast was more pumpkin scones (only 2 left – must make more stat!), lunch was zucchini lasagna, and dinner was buffalo chicken chili, three ways.  Kelly, to answer your question, chili three ways is just chili served over elbow macaroni or spaghetti with cheddar cheese – five ways would be with sour cream and chopped onions, and you know I am not doing the onions! 😀

This flashback Friday is about my step-son Joe.  Many new readers will be like “who the hell is Joe?”  Well, I don’t write about him a lot because he lives in Texas with his . . .fiance!  Yep, Joe and his girlfriend Lizz are getting hitched next summer, so that means your dear Biz, at the young old of age of 44 next summer, will be a step-mother-in-law! 

I have to tell you that I was quite worried about Joe being independent.  Tony and I got married when Hannah was 8 and Joe was 11.  He lived with his Mom and his mom did everything for him – including when Joe was in high school – as soon as his mom heard him enter the shower, that was her cue to go sit in his car and warm it up in the winter.

But I am very proud of him!  He moved out after high school graduation.  When he called he would say “I made a great JoeVcipe” (a Joe recipe) and would tell me that first you heat up a pan, add some olive oil, add a boneless chicken breast and sprinkle it with Weber Grill seasoning he bought at the store.  He declared it delicious!

So last year, after only knowing Lizz a few months, they decided to relocate their jobs to Austin, Texas last July.  Joe was 20, Lizz was 19 and away they went to start their new life.  And enjoy it, they have!  They have an apartment, they have a cat named Jasmine, a dog named Cinnamon Bun (love that name!), and have decided they are the one for each other.

While I still think they are a bit young, all I want is for Joe to be happy and I know he is. 😀

This family photo was taken a mere 3 weeks after Tony and I met – it was at my then law firms annual summer picnic.

the kids are so tiny!

These are pics before my time, but they are some of my favorite:

But then he started growing up:

sleeping on vacation in Door County

Joe and Tony having their first drinks together at the bar after Joe turned 21:

Joe in action at work – he’s on the left 😀

Here is Lizz’s engagement ring:

I hope you have a happy life together!   I look forward to getting to know Lizz better.  I love you!