New Years Resolution

I guess it's that time of the year....this year I have TWO new years resolutions:

1.) Savor every moment that is to come: the 3am feedings, the first steps, the trageties and delights of motherhood...because I've been told they grow up so fast!

2.) Get better about sending cards: My family isn't a big birthday group...we'll call and wish you a happy birthday but we don't really send a card. Jamies family is the complete opposite..this prooves to be tough because usually I forget to send out birthday cards to his family (even though i don't mean to). Well, it's time to get with the program! I'm going to get better about sending out all sorts of cards: birthday cards, anniversary cards, thank you cards, baby cards, christmas cards and the like...

For me, these (mostly #2) will seriously be tougher than losing 40 pounds (which probably SHOULD be on my resolution list) ahh well...save it for next year.

Hope you all enjoy your New Years, I'll be in bed promptly by 8pm...so don't call. I'm old and pregnant...'nuff said!

Brian Jaquith

Just needed to mention a special reader: Brian Jaquith. He is our blogs biggest fan! Brian is dating my sister Meg, and always tells me just how impressed he is with our blog...well, actually he kinda pokes fun at it in a "big brother sort of way". But I know secretly he wishes him and Meg had one...

The Best Worst Christmas EVER!

So, this year Jamie and I decided to have Christmas with just the two of us. Since I'm past the point of traveling comfortably and most all of our family is planning on coming out here NEXT year for Baby's first Christmas this was the perfect year to enjoy it-just the two of us.

To make it espically enjoyable Jamie and I purchased theatre tickets to the Guthrie's presentation of "A Christmas Carol". I was SO excited about our seats, I purchased them back in October, second row, center...it was going to be GREAT! We arrived Christmas Eve, found our seats and were so excited. Small snag: the Guthrie had sold our seats TWO OTHER TIMES! I have NEVER heard of this happening. So long story short...we ended up NOT seeing the show..instead we came home and spent time around here together...Jamie fixed the outdoor lights, I baked...we started joking that it was the best worst christmas ever...:)

That night we went to a beautiful christmas eve cerimony at our church. It was wonderful to get to sing all the carols and talk to everyone.

Christmas day was quiet. Days earlier Jamie had announced that he wanted a "Christmas Pudding" more than anything this year. I spent a WHOLE day out looking for one...finally found one and then discovered on Christmas day that it was s little more of a chore to cook. First peeling away the wax that wrapped it was a task and a half, then i had to put it in the double boiler for an hour and half. ONce it was finally done cooking it looked...questionable. Never the less, we kept lighthearted about it and tried a bit. I was told by Jamie that it tasted just as it should...looked a little different, but still the same taste.

We spent most of the day in the kitchen, which was exausting..espically since I'm about 7 months pregnant...but Jamie was there as the sous chef and helped me SO MUCH! My favorite thing to do is to cook with him- so even though I was tired it was really enjoyable.The best part of the day was sitting down to our christmas pudding that night and Jamie looked over and said "I can't believe you do this every year. I never had any idea what effort you put into everything. Thank you". Now, maybe I'm just a sappy pregnant lady but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I shed a tear and just smiled and said...this is the best christmas ever...thank you!

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday and had your own special moments that helped to keep you warm on these cold winter nights. Love you All- Merry Christmas!

Moving Right Along...

So, we're coming up on 23 weeks (or in non-pregnancy talk: just over 5.5 months along). Such a great accomplishment...well, not really. But we're now constantly feeling the baby move; to the degree that sometimes I have to ask the baby to settle down. So the baby is now the size of a large mango and weighs just over 1 pound and he or she is able to hear loud noises outside of the womb such as dogs barking...yep, better get use to that one.

But with all this progress being made for baby...we have to try to keep up, so this past week here is what we've been up to:

1.) I got to tag along with Jamie out to NJ, while out there we got to visit Dani and Chris, old friends from Camp. We enjoyed a lovely meal and hung out with dani and chris while saying hello to the neighborhood as they stopped by trick or treating. Dani is also pregnant, due right around the same time as us. It was great hanging out with them! Thanks guys!

2.) I then jumped on a train down to good ol' VA and visited with Jessica, who was having her baby shower. Jess is due in January and it was great seeing her! It's funny when I think back to all that we've been through from high school crushes to walking down the aisle to now having babies of our own..

3.) Then i came home and picked up the "kids"...who I missed so much. I know it sounds sappy and pathetic....but it's tough being away from them. Espically, since now with the new job they are constantly around me. I can't imagine leaving my own real baby...

4.) Jamies out in CO on business this week so I decided to make myself useful and get started on our xmas shopping.It was kinda nice to try to get into the spirit. Yes, I'm starting early, but there are only 6 more weeks until christmas, and I figure the closer to the date the less happy I'll be being on my feet for long shopping trips, plus this helps me spread it out a little. So, win win.

5.) I also went up and picked out paint swatches for the baby's room...but i'm not sure if i've found anything that i like yet. We're moving at a snails pace for the baby's room...i'm still freaking out just a bit....:(

So, thats it for us...hope you all enjoy your upcoming week!

The BIG One

Hi all,

Okay, so last Tuesday we went into the dr's to have the BIG ultrasound. From my understanding this should be the last one; which I'm a little sad about! We were also doing our glucose test, which required me to drink this flovored sugar water. The bad news is the kido was hyped up on "sugar-aide" and thus resembled a pinball bouncing all around my belly. So, not such great pics. We also stuck to our decision to not find out the sex, despite most of you offering to call the dr and find out for yourselves.

It's hard to imagine that in just 4 short months our little "mexican jumping bean" will be here. I keep having this epiphany at the oddest of times,like in the middle of a car ride or when we're sitting down at a restaurant. I'm assuming once he/she is here we'll be hard pressed to remember what life was like previously (mainly due to the lack of sleep....we probably won't remember much)still it seems odd.

On a completly different note: Fall is over as we had our first snow flakes roll through Minnesota today. Nothing to note as far as accumilation, just a small insite to the rest of this great season ahead of us...i'm NOT eager.

The Unspoken Symptom of Pregnancy

So, this week we hit 19 weeks! For those of you that speak in terms of months thats 4 months and 3 weeks. Anywho, it's safe to say that for the most part my symptoms have subsided; except the fatigue (i like this one SO much, i'm gonna hang onto it-note the sarcasim). There is ONE other symptom that you don't hear too much that my body has also decided to keep...PREGNANCY BRAIN!

Hmmm...you ask, "what is Pregnancy Brain? It doesn't sound too technical..."Well, I think the best way to describe this condition is to use the most recent and perhaps the BEST example.

This evening i RUSHED home, determined to have dinner on the table BEFORE 8pm; something that hasen't happened at all this week or last. Yes, i'm a bad wife (nag nag nag). So, i rush home at 5pm, throw all the ingredients together for my quick homemade tuna noodle casserole, pop it in the oven and wait. An hour later my beloved husband walks through the door..i figure "perfect, dinner should be ready" but it still looked a little too liquid. I'm thinking i must have put too much milk in, but if i give it another 15 mins. it should cook off.

Fast foward to 7:30 and my tuna noodle casserole is still as soupie as it started. I take the casserole out of the oven, looking it over, it dawns on me: I've forgotten one VITAL ingredient of my Tuna Noodle Casserole.....The Noodles!

Pregnancy Brain strikes again! DUM DUM DUUUMM.

As a side note: I've been warned that this doesn't go away anytime soon, the lack of sleep only seems to exasterbate this particular symptom. Ahh well, it's totally worth it...soupie casserole and all!

Falling into Warm Gooey Apple Autumn Goodness!

So, this weekend Jamie and I decided to get into the Fall mood! We took off mid saturday morning to go off to the country, which considering we don't live far from the country was only about a 20 min. drive (so convient!), to go apple picking! I've got a potluck dinner coming up and like to take this opportunity to refresh my ability to cook! Good old fashion cooking..well, baking.

We went out to this great family run apple orchard and took in the great fall flavor. There were so many families out there, which made it fun to people watch...a small insight into things to come.

They had a live band, a big bar-b-que, hayrides, a corn maze, a pumpkin patch and of course the apple orchards. All-in-all we picked a bag of apples, rode some hayrides, made our way OUT of the corn maze, had some lunch, and had a GREAT time! We definetly see it becoming a Witheridge family tradition and more than that we're really looking foward to all the yummy baked apple goodies that are instore!

ALREADY an unfit mother!

So, the other day my Aunt Cheryl called, it was great talking with her! But I gotta admit, the conversation puts a smirk on my face everytime I think about it..it went something like this:

Aunt: Hi there, okay, I'm at the PX

Me: Oh! That sounds like fun!

Aunt: Yes, they have all this baby stuff that is on an insane sale and I don't have to pay sales tax...so, what do you need.

Me: Well, not to sound greedy...but basically everything, this IS the first kid.

Aunt: Okay, they've got this really cute baby room stuff, like mobiles and blankets..do you know what you're having?

Me: No, Jamie..and sort of me both want to be suprised.

Aunt: oh.

Me: silent

Aunt: Well, what about the baby's room, what does it look like?

Me: Well, right now it looks a lot like an office and guest bedroom combined.
(we haven't started decorating)

Aunt: Oh. What color are your walls?

Me: White. (we haven't started decorating) I have yellow curtains!(me thinking...should I have already started this?)

Aunt:hmm...(silence)

Me: sorry.

Aunt: Well, send me your address and I'll figure out SOMETHING.

Me: okay.

I think i really took the wind out of her sails with this one! :( sorry! It just cracks me up because Meg, my little sister, and even my aunt now have bought more for our little bean than jamie or i have..oops! I guess the good news is that the guilt of this conversation promped me to go out and buy a couple of onesies and pick out the baby bedding!

What do you think?

Thats okay, I guess I'll be one of those horrible practicle parents that buy clothes for birthday presents...I'll let auntie Megan and great aunt cheryl buy the really fun things...like drums! (which i will then hate them for! haha!)

Adjusting to Change

So, the only thing that I am noticing will take some time to getting use to is Brandi & Bailey getting use to their brother or sister.

EXAMPLE 1: Recently, I have gone out and bought a "pregnacy pillow", it's basically a body pillow made for pregnant women to help them sleep. I was a little hesitant to purchase this $50 pillow-mainly, because after the baby...it's going to just be in the way. However, Bailey has found a new purpose for this particular item...it apparently makes the perfect dog bed for his mid-day nap. I wish i could snap a picture of this...however, Bailey has just recently become a bit camera shy...

EXAMPLE 2: Yesterday, I went out shopping for baby clothes. Just simple little onesies..but while i was out I also bought a little stroller attachement. A little stuffed animal. I come back downstairs and Bailey has taken this toy off the coffee table and is alseep ontop of it. I guess it works perfectly as a pillow too!

I'm taking everything with a grain of salt, however, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm a least a little concerned.

A BIG DAY!

So yesterday Jamie and I took the day off and played "hookie". Jamie has been traveling a bit this month, so we figured he was due, and I was, to be honest, just wanting to enjoy the time with my hubby!

So, yesterday we had out 16 week check up. Not too much to report:

- apparently, i have to drink MORE water. I was told about 4 nalgene bottles a day (OUCH! and I thought I was busy running back and forth to the ladies room already)

- They did a blood test to rule out or discover our probability of having a baby with down-syndrome.

-We heard the baby's heartbeat!150bpm...right on track!

- Our next appt. is Oct. 29th where we'll get the BIG 20 week ultrasound! Well, actually, it's BIG for most people because they get to find out the sex of the baby. We have decided to be suprised. But we still get to see the baby and thats always great!!

THEN, after the doctor's appointment we headed into the big city and went to go see the Crique Du Soliel production of Saltimbalco! We got tickets MONTHS ago and I've been so excited to see this. Our seats were AWESOME..second row! The only bummer...no camera's, so instead, i got the pictures below off of their web site.





So, all-in-all it was a great day. Today, it's back to the grindstone. Jamie woke up this morning at 4am, and was on a plane back out to work. I'm sad to admit, i'm not even sure where he's headed! haha! But, he'll be back Monday evening...so, not too bad. Besides, we made up for the missed weeked yesterday! :)

Progress being made....

So, that's what going on. This Tuesday, I'll be 16 weeks....and in my beloved husband's words: "Thats kinda weird that that is in you". :) Thanks honey...love you too!

Baby Water

Hi all! Well, there must be something in the water...I am SOOO SUPER EXCITED! I just found out that our very good friends Dani & Chris are also expecting their very first bundle!! They are due March 14th...5 days after us!!!

I feel so fortunate that I get to go through this experience with both Dani, a good friend from camp and Jessica, my best friend since high school!

Congrats Dani & Kudo's to both you and Chris for holding in the good news for soo long!

Bragging

Yes, i'm bumping the baby blog post for bragging right...it's wrong...i know! But I'm just going to take one moment to sigh and take a deep breath for all my hard work...check this out!

Blog post about Heel!

The only thing I'm not so proud over...the whole story is about being fit and healthy...and here i am with my belly poking out that you can't tell is a pregnant belly :( Ahh well...i'll deal with it!

And here come the baby pictures ...

Now then, I think this is my first blog on this site; or if not, its been long enough that I can't remember ... or perhaps I'm just losing my mind - turning 30, becoming a dad ... no surprise if I was)

So Lauren and I visited the doctor's this morning for her first ultrasound. Needless to say, the proud father-to-be (that would be me) was only interested in the print-out so he could show everyone at work, and ultimately, create this post to our family blog for the world to see. So, without further ado, here 'HE' is :)



Of course, Lauren keeps calling him 'our little bean'. If you ask me, in this picture at least, he looks more like a little peanut shell!!! Don't tell him that when he grows up though, OK? I can hear it now ... "When you were in your mummy's tummy, they took a picture of you and your Daddy said you looked like a peanut shell". That will go over really well I'm sure :)

So the next ultrasound is supposed to be at 20 weeks; or in layman's terms - in 2 more months. By then (so they say) 'he' will look more like a baby. We'll see about that; the doctor's thought this picture looked like a baby too!

I'm writing about this next part, only because if I don't, Lauren will. So, while we were watching the peanut shell swim around...yes, I said swim... we noticed he was kicking his legs in a style that looked like a sturdy alternating leg beat - as if he was swimming for dear life (You've got to start them early these days with the likes of Michael Phelps to compete with - c'mon you Brits, we'll show 'em...in 20 years perhaps!) Oh yeah - why I'm writing about this bit ... dad-to-be (remember: me) got all teary eyed - in light of the fact that our first child can already swim :)

Ok, nuff said. Time to go. Take care all. Will write again soon :)
Jamie.

PS - I keep saying 'he' or 'him' - we don't REALLY know what the sex is!

Nothing new to report

Hi all, in an effort to feel like I'm getting better about posting...I have nothing new to report however I'm still going to post! TADA! I guess there are a few new things:
-our first prenatal appt. is next Tues...very exciting (we should be able to see the heartbeat!)
-Jamie is CONVINCED we're having Twins...for our sake, i hope he's crazy! (twins run on my side of the family)
-a local group is doing an article on Heel!! (BIG DEAL!) I'll post a link when it's up!
-jamie has been GLUED to the olympics..every day and night...i have grown to really hate TEVO.
-i took my first prenatal yoga class this past tuesday! Pretty awesome! There are 3 other gals that are due right after me...so that was cool. I'm going to keep going!

And thats about it. I'm sure there are a couple of posts inside all the bullets...however, I'm late for work...and even though i own the office i still have to be there on time! Have a great Thursday!!

And then there were THREE!

That's right, we're now officially a "growing family"! We were waiting to break the news...but good news is HARD to keep quiet. I'm 8 weeks along, and we're expecting to meet our lil' bean around early March!

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam!

So, it's a little funny to celebrate the fourth of july with a Brit. Typically, we end up shooting up the ol' barbie, playing a little croquet. But inevitably, Jamie gets a little competitive and challenges the "american's to a duel...." and because he's Jamie he always wins (this is just a fact that I have learned to deal with). But this year....Jamie's mum was in town...so i was outnumbered.

This fourth started out as usual, jamie wanted to wear his union jack t-shirt. In his defense it is red, white and blue...I made him change. We decided to go to Lake Anne Park in Chanhassen. We did bring a clients dog with us...(they were throwing a big party and didn't want him to get let out by accident, or anything like that). So, me, Jamie, Jo, and Bells (the puppy) all headed to the park around 3om to start up the bar-b-que. I made ribs, pasta salad, and fruit salad for desert (can't get much more american...unless maybe hot dogs and apple pie. We payed a bunch of card games and fetch with Bells...and then settled down for the real show. Jo, was AMAZED by the show....it was impressive!

Jamie always has to take a picture of his fires that he builds...is this a guy thing??

Bells, the Wheaton Terrier, enjoying his day out in the sun!

And the great food!

And a GREAT SHOW!

Happy Fourth of July to you and yours! This is one of my favorite holidays because it really is all about family and friends...I hope all of you got to enjoy your family, friends and freedom together!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

So, Jamie's birthday was this past Thursday! Unfortunetly, I had a networking obligation and had to ditch him to attend the event. However, before you start thinking that I'm a super horrible wife I made it up to him this past Sunday! Despite, it being NEARLY impossible to keep a secret from my hisband I managed to rent a 30 ft. catamarran for a day on Lake Minnetonka ( the second largest lake in the state of Minnesota).

Jo, Jamie's Mum looking right at home on the water.

It's Tough to enjoy yourself THIS MUCH!


Oh, and this is our house...with our lovely LAKE VIEW...YEAH RIGHT...in our dreams....one day (SIGH)


And the birthday boy....popping in for a cool swim!


All the gals enjoying themselves


Paul, our trusted el'capitain!

And whats a birthday without a birthday cake?? (thanks Trish) The boat club was really cool, they kept this in their own freezer and then when we came back to dock they met us out with it...very awesome!

So, all-in-all I hope I made up for wigging out on Jamie for his birthday and working instead. And in case you didn't notice, his other gift was a new digital camera. Happy 30th birthday honey! Lets just hope he doesn't expect to get this spoiled every year!

Are these the faces of a trouble maker?!

You better believe they are!!



This is a question that I seem to ask our two kiddo's (kiddo=dog for us) often. Every once in awhile I'll come home and they will have pillow's on the floor that use to be on the bed or couch or other odd things. They never destroy anything, but just seem to be prone to make themselves EVEN MORE at home, while I'm away. Which is saying something!

Well, yesterday was NO exception. Jamie has been gone on business, so it's just been me and the kiddo's. Now, when Jamie is in town we are able to, between the two of us, make sure that the Kiddo's get two 1/2 walks a day. Except, lately I've been SOO busy with work and with Jamie out of town AND it's been really yuck weather (tornado season...nuff ssaid) we haven't been getting out as much as usual. So the other night, I come home from dealing with goofy dogs all day and come upstairs to get ready for bed....and in our bedroom there is a wall with no furniture near it that NOW has a VERY big dent in it. Looks like Brandi threw Bailey up against the wall off of our bed. Absolutly nothing around or near the wall that would give me a hint as to what they were up to...COMPLETE MYSTERY!

SO...nothing to do but blog about it and laugh. Oh...and hand Jamie the spackle. Luckily, he's a bit of a magician with that sort of thing!:) My conclusion is: it was a good day...enjoyment had by all. Except maybe Bailey.

Birthday Blues...

SO, Jamie's birthday is coming up...and it's a BIG one! On June 26th Jamie will be turning 30! But lately, I've been frusterated....for those of you who don't know I LOVE to plan suprises. SO...with it being a new chapter for Jamie I was really excited.

First his Mum contacted me because she wanted to fly in and suprise him for his birthday...AWESOME~! Except, then with his busy work scheldule and him always traveling we (his mum and I) decided that it was probably best to let him in on the suprise so he could plan accordingly. So that's one sizzeled suprise.

Then I thought...okay...suprise party. Except...knowing Jamie he's not one to like a big fuss to be made over him...so thats two sizzeled suprises.

THEN...I started to think about birthday gifts...it came down to a great idea of new golf clubs! Whoray!! Great Idea! He's getting out to the green more and more often, back to enjoying the game. And his were given to him by his grandfather and are basically antiques....then I realized....I don't know a THING about golf! I went into a store, they asked if he played left or right..."well, he's left handed" Their response " Yes, but how does he play golf?". My brilliant rebuttle " I don't know...he takes the club and hits the ball real hard". So, I'm three for three...I had to tell Jamie:( He's excited...but still....

SO....I guess all the pressure is on the cake. Every year I make a birthday cake all from scratch and surpise Jamie..I won't even let him in the kitchen. To be honest, it makes my day with how excited he gets about something that I can do for him...it's adorable! But, OH the PRESSURE!!!!

So, if any of you have any ideas for either super awesome cakes...or other ways that I can build in more suprises to relieve some of this pressure...PLEASE let me know!

So....what a week!

So, I was doing SO well with posting....and then I got busy! ARG! Basically, it's Heel's fault. For those of you that don't know, I have started up my own company called "Heel Dog Walking & Pet Sitting" so, occassionally I get a little sidetracked with work.

This is what happens when you hire on a new person and they don't quite work out. The good news is that I'm getting "managing experience"...which I'm hoping one day I will get better at. The bad news is that now I'm doing about 10 walks a day (each walk I average about 1.5 miles...so, you do the math). The thing is that when I'm interviewing people everyone thinks...dog walking-easy gig. But it's really not...espically if you're not use to walking at least 10 miles a day. It's exhausting, plus you're dealing with dogs that at least at the begining aren't use to you...so, they test you. We walk in all weather-snow, sleet, rain, and sun (unless it's dangerous). So, it's a lot tougher than you might think. I try to press this onto people all of this...but I don't think you really "get it" until your doing it.

All-in-all though I'm still LOVING what I do. I've made lots of contacts and the business is growing SO quickly! I've brought on three walkers (not including the last gal, that is the reason for my busy week) and now looking for my fourth. This position will be a "full-time walker". Basically out doing what I'm doing mon-fri. This is REALLY exciting because I haden't planned on hiring anyone until the end of the year.

Other interesting news: we're getting office space!! Starting July 1st I will be moving into office space with a couple other businesses. Scoopy Poo (they come clean up people's backyards) and Just Paw Puppy Training will be in the space with me, but it's going to be SO AWESOME! Sonja, from scoopy poo, found this converted garage (very hip) and asked us to come into it with her. It's such a great opportunity and it's in one of our newer markets: Edina!
We've also got a bunch of other things lining up that I shouldn't post about until they are launched....but more to come soon! And on that note, I've got to run...yet another new client meeting. :)

Memorial Day Weekend

Ok. So, I'm a week late..but who's counting!?! So last weekend we had a GREAT time!

Friday: I got home early...and so did Jamie! WAHOO!! Very rare indeed! I started right away with planting my hanging baskets that I had bought the supplies for earlier this week. Good news: They turned out beautiful AND even better news, they are still alive! Whorray!

Saturday: I had to walk ONE client. I planned it this way...i NEEDED the time off. But luckily it was one of my favorite clients. Bells....a soft coated wheaton terrier. We went down to Excelsior (this gorgeous town right on Lake Minnetonka...i LOVE it...one of my fav. areas) and took him on a hour long walk. Had the YUMMIEST home-made ice cream. And hung out with my hubby...all in all...good times!

Bells: Taken this winter....thus the snow!

Rest of the Weekend: We painted...yup, thats it! You scouff...but it was yet another thing that got crossed over that lovely list of "to-do's". Espically when the area that you are painting...is BRIGHT RED!

Sunday: Oh yeah...we went out to dinner at this great Irish pub...back over in Excelsior. Looks and feels like a real pub. Minus the $15.00 fish and chips (OUCH!). But it's our new favorite spot. Espically because they serve "home-brew" for Jamie!

So, thats it for us..a great weekend! As a side note...one of these days I will actually have pictures...still needing to buy a new camera! (ARG!)

Tastes like Chicken!

Okay, so, I was just reading some friends blogs...and my ol' co-counslor (Miss. Trish) inspired me. She was talking about a favorite grocery staple...and using it for a chicken marinade. I got to thinking...chicken is a staple in our kitchen....it's cheap, healthy and easy to spice up a bit. So, here is my favorite chicken recipe...it's also the easiest!

serves 4
ingredients
• 4 chicken legs, preferably free-range or organic, jointed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a big bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved, and ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken up into cloves
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• olive oil

optional:
• 1 x 410g tin of cannellini beans, drained
• 2 handfuls of new potatoes, scrubbed

DIRECTIONS:

This recipe takes literally minutes to put together but then requires slow, gentle cooking. However, in return for your patience, what happens in the pan from just a couple of ingredients is an absolute joy and never fails, so it’s a good one to serve if you have guests.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer. Throw in all the basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in your tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chilli and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.

If you fancy, you can add some drained cannellini beans or some sliced new potatoes to the pan and cook them with the chicken. Or you can serve the chicken with some simple mashed potato. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins before serving. You could even make it part of a pasta dish – remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred it, then toss into a bowl of linguini or spaghetti and serve at once.

So, there ya go. Run out to the local farmers market, come home...fix this lil' dish up and let me know how it goes! EAT UP!

*compliments to Jamie Oliver, the chef that I grabbed this recipe from.

Have They Got the Right Stuff?!?!

Ok...so, being a product of the 80's I was, like most other girls my age, a HUGE fan of NKOTB (New Kids on the Block, for all you less-hip individuals). Today the group reunited and performed for the first time on the TODAY show.

Ok, so lets be honest...they don't have the best vocal talent or even dancing ability and yet I still think they are AWESOME. More because I start to get flashback to "the good ol' days" when boy bands were cool, new and still I would go out on a ledge to say innocent. I remember my first slumber party where every girl showed up with NKOTB sleepingbags and pillows in cases that matched. I know i didn't even have THAT much NKOTB stuff, not compared to my friends, and yet I still remember all the garb:

-sleeping bag
-BIG button
-bed sheets
-tshirt that was TOO big for me
-posters
-CD's

I remember standing in my room all day during a rainy day and making up dances to their songs. Even today when they were singing "the right stuff" and doing their signature moves...i started bee-boppin'...who wouldn't?!?!

Who knows how long they will stick around this time, but I don't think I'm alone in this flash back to my younger days.

~*~Yowza~*~

So, I finally came back and I'm embaressed about my severe lack of blogging. So, here is a brief catchup:

Jessica's Wedding: April 13, 2008

Bachlorette Party in Washington D.C

No, I did not get up on the bar to dance, I played "mom" with Jessica's sister Nicole and took the pictures. So that later on, when jess & jason have little ones of their own, I can adequetly embarress Jessica:) hehe....just kidding (maybe)

Jessica & Kim

Jess was one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen. Also, you'll notice, I'm not in a lot of these....my camera broke (such BAD timing) so I don't have any pics of my own:(

Me & Kori: Bridesmaids Extroidanaire!

Not the most flattering angle...but whatever!

So, now Jess & Jason are probably back from their honeymoon and Jess is prepping herself for her man to go overseas for I think a year. She is so super strong and I'm so proud of her!

So, since we've gotten back we have painted the living & dining room in the house. When we moved in they were WHITE...i hate WHITE. I've finished the drapes for the living room, I've done my first booth for Heel! @ the Walk for Animals, we've got our second event coming up here in Shakopee this coming weekend and oh SPRING HAS FINALLY SPRUNG! Us Minnesotans are a little slow with the spring concept! So, once I get a new camera, I will have pictures to follow.

Whats up with the Witheridge's?!?

Ok, so I haven't been so great with the blogging. The truth is I just seem to run out of time. Between running my own business (which is doing awesome!), (co)heading up the AIGA MN Design Show for 2008 (http://minnesota.aiga.org/designshow), and running the other blog (http://www.heeldog.blogspot.com) I'm just running out of time. I barely remember to wash my cape each week! So, whats new with us you ask...

1.) I spent last weekend at the Twin Cities Pet Expo, had a great time, and found a couple new job leads but I also got to meet other industry big wigs and NETWORK!

2.) I've found a friend of Jamies to re-program the Heel! website, which I am super excited about!

3.) Brandi has started to get to stay out of her kennel while we're gone. All grown up! She probably could have done this a while ago, but she seems to genuinely like her kennel. But now Bailey will have a proper playmate while we're gone.

4.)We had Liz, a friend from VA come over the other night for dinner, she's in town for LTF business. Good seeing old friends

5.) This past weekend Jamie and I went out for cocktails and bowling with John and Lindsey. Super good times and I hope we get to do it all again soon.

So, thats our week. What was yours?

A big upcoming year

So, I was thinking about whats coming up this year, planning my calendar...the usual and here is what I've come up with:

1.) My best Friend is getting married
2.) Jamie turns 30!
3.) Our 5 year anniversary: so hard to believe that it's already been 5 years. It seems like we've been together FOREVER (in a good way) but it doesn't seem as though we've been married that long....if that makes sense. Jamie and I met in '01, so going on 7 years...now, i feel old.
4.) First year of Heel.

Sure, 4 isn't much. But it looks like it's going to be a GREAT year.

Minnesota:aka Iceland

So, since we've moved to Minnesota people like to "compete" with us to see if their winter weather is as fridig as ours. So....I'm going to say this once...IT'S NOT. UNLESS YOU ALL MOVE TO ALASKA I'M SORRY TO SAY (really sorry to say) WE WILL WIN!!

This isn't something that I'm proud of...but it became PAINFULLY obvious this morning, when Jamie woke up, looked to his bed side table at the weather station his grandparents got us for Christmas (super cool by the way) and said...."Am I reading this right....it's -16F?!?!?" I replied while looking at it "yep, have fun, I'm staying in bed". And I'm thinking of staying there for the next week considering that even our highs won't get above 0F....not the freezing point (which is 32F for those across the pond) but 0F!!!

Who doesn't like a good belly rub?!?!

O.k. So, while growing up I've always been told that "If you really work hard you can be and do anything that you want to". I think this is something fairly new, something that people in my parents generation figured out. Not that there weren't entreupenuers before that, but it's at least more acceptable now. So, I've always been the type of person that works hard...I joke that it's a gene handed down (from my dad) that I am a self admitting work-aholic. I like to think of this as a possitive thing. So long as I'm aware of the issue and try to not make myself work long nights. Anyways...back on subject.

I think because of this I've always been a "BIG IDEA" person. I've noticed that even around creatives, i'm the one coming up with these ideas that IF I could ever pull them off it would be awesome. For the past few years I've had one of these big ideas that I've been sketching out and working out in my head and on paper and this past December, I took my first steps towards it. I've started my own business.

So, you all are thinking...what? Huh? Oh, how exciting...tell me more..."

I started a company: Heel Dog Walking & Pet Sitting....now, you all are thinking...what? well...okay...

Yep, I'm going to be walking dogs for a living. I've already gotten quite a few clients (caniche [pictured]: a gorgeous standard poodle was my first client) and have gotten the company off the ground. My goal is that within 5 years I will have at least 3 employees.

What I have found to be interesting is people reaction to this. Most are supportive, but you can tell they don't quite get it. I figured that most people live life in a way that you just don't have time for certain things. People love their dogs, they are apart of the family and back in the day the responsibility to take care of the dog would fall on the kids, but the kids are at choir practice, or learning their 3rd language, or completing their 10 hours worth of homework. And mom and dad are just as busy climing the excutive ladders, carpooling the kids to the dance practices or soccer games. So I step in and come take care of Fido or Fluffy for a daily fee.

It sounds kinda goofy, but my days I spend walking outside in the fresh air, playing tug-of-war with toss and flosses and throwing slightly slimey balls. It's great! So anyways, thats my news!

On a side note: I am the luckiest girl in the world to have a husband that will support his (at times flighty) wife and all her crazy ideas and endeavours! Thank you Jo and Eric for raising a perfect partner!