Weekend - Part 2

After recovering from our ice skating adventure (see below), we got ready for our friends Jared & Amber's visit from Des Moines! They came to visit us this weekend and it was so much fun, as always! Saturday, we went to the Winter Festival in downtown St. Paul. A couple of weekends ago, they carved all these huge ice sculptures for the contest, so we went to see those. Unfortunately, we had a couple of warm days las week, so the sculptures were like half way melted and we had to resort to looking at the picture to see what it actually looked like. :) But regardless, it was fun to be out and about and seeing new things with our friends!

The rest of our time we spent talking, playing spades, and eating of course. :) I've realized just how great it is to see some of our "old friends" because there is just that level of familiarity and comfort of being with people who know you SO well and who you know so well. Plus, J&A are in such a similar situation as us (moving from TX, work for Cargill, now live in new state, etc.). So it's always nice to be able to share stories and experiences with each other - and to reassure each other since so many of our conversations these days concern the weather and how to survive in it. :) Here are some of our fun pics!

Jared, Amber, Max & Sadie on the ice sculpture podium thing

Me & Mikey - and yes, I had to break the rule and touch the sculpture while I was up there.

Me & Sadie bear with the snowman
Me & Amber (she was standing on a mound of ice; I'm really not THAT much shorter)
Ice castle - just thawed out a bit