Aunt Jodi Comes to Visit

Jodi came to visit over Columbus Day weekend. She arrived on Thursday and stayed until Tuesday morning. We had such a good time over the weekend! On Thursday night we ordered pizza and hung out. Friday was spent playing with the living room furniture arrangement and shopping. Friday was also the Gopher hockey season opener. Josh and Jesper got dressed up in their Gopher gear and watched the game together (Jesper only watched the puck drop and a couple minutes of the game before he had to head up to bed).

Dad and Jesper in Gopher gear

Watching the first Gopher hockey game

Sisters

Jesper and Aunt Jodi

On Saturday, we headed over to an apple orchard by Stillwater and took the required "baby in a pumpkin patch" fall pictures. Afterwards, we decided to head into the town of Stillwater. Surprise - they were having a pumpkin festival! We arrived just in time to watch the "pumpkin regatta". That's right - some brave souls raced each other down the river in giant carved-out squash. Only in Minnesota.



What is this stuff?!

Baby in a Pumpkin Patch

Heading to the Stillwater "Pumpkin Festival". Jesper loved  his sunglasses!

Pumpkin Regatta

 Later that night we made a new Mediterranean dish called lamb kapama. It was delicious! Definitely a keeper. Jodi and I watched Bridesmaids. I thought it was the funniest movie I'd seen in a long time!

Sunday night we got a babysitter and headed downtown for a meal at Bar La Grassa. Jodi had eaten there in the past and recommended it. It was Josh and my first visit, but it won't be our last. Most of the menu is pasta dishes, but this is not your typical Italian joint. We tried several dishes and decided the foie gras and ahi tuna entrees were our favorites. After the meal we went to Seven's rooftop patio for a nightcap. It was the first weekend in October but a gorgeous, 65-degree evening. What a treat! A babysitter meant a deadline, though, so we headed home by 10pm. Jodi and weren't ready for the night to end so we had a glass of wine on the patio. I was reminded again how much I like my sisters. It's amazing how fun it is to get to know your siblings as adults rather than the children you grew up with.

                                      

Josh and I had a couple appointments on Monday morning (Jesper's 6-month checkup) and hung out with Jodi in the afternoon. We needed to find a recipe for our upcoming Gourmet Group dinner so Jodi and I found a pork tenderloin with apples and apple-brandy cream sauce recipe to try out. It was a success! Now we only had to decide what to serve it with.

Thanks for a fun weekend, Jodi! Already looking forward to the next one!