So I am getting older…I don’t remember things so much….but the one pic of me holding Ella I think if I remember right was when I got off the plane but she didn’t really wanna be held or something I faintly remember. This pic was really THE first time I really held Ella:
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Ella is 5!
Wow! Ella you are 5! I can’t believe it! I remember the first time I saw and met you….right when I walked in the door from getting picked up at the airport Eric put you in my arms. I thought, “wow you are my niece.” I absolutely fell in love with you the minute I saw you El. You are such a fun kid! I love playing, talking, doing whatever with you! You are so smart too. So incredibly smart! I love hearing and seeing all the things you can do! I have learned a lot from you too….to be patient, to really enjoy the little things in life and to be silly! I hope that you have had a GREAT birthday and Uncle Jakin and Auntie Mandie love you TONS!!
This past summer at Fish Trap Weekend 
First time I met Ella
A-ma-zing=Miranda Lambert concert!!
This past weekend Jakin and I headed to Fargo to take a break from life and have some fun!! We got tickets to go to a Miranda Lambert concert!!!! Ah, I had been waiting for this my entire life! I don’t mean to sound starstruck, but it was so cool to see! I got so excited when it was time for her to come out! First, Jerrod Neiman sang and then Chris Young. They were good but Miranda Lambert was a ma zing!! I appreciate music a TON! It is a de stresser for me….I listen to it in the car…while I cook…while I clean….when I work out……all day I listen to music. So when I get to see a singer I really, really like is so cool! This woman is one of the greatest singers I have ever, ever seen and heard! So talented!!
We met Jakin’s cousin and wife (Craig and Janel) up there. We went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday’s first then headed to the concert. It was nice to see Craig and Janel. It’s so fun to hear about their two boys Hunter and Brody….we talked about Craig’s cool job (he works at Mortenson:) ) ….my awesome preschool job…..summer and how we have to get together with them more often and just life! The next morning we went to IHOP for breakfast! All I can say is YUM!! It was a great time!
halfway through January….!
Ugh…this past week or so has been hard! Oh yea, I know you reading and thinking quit your crying and complaining! I went back to work last week of having the BEST, WONDERFUL christmas break EVER!! So it has been hard to get back into the swing of things. We finally have like a dusting of snow…but it’s cold!! Supposed to be -20 tonight!! AHHH!
Some things we have been doing since christmas break are we celebrated my mom’s birthday! We took her out for chinese in Wadena. Browsing internet and reading a book on my Kindle Fire….I can not let this thing out of my hands! I am reading a book called The Secret Holocaust Diaries…..so interesting and FREE! Also with the new year I have decided that it’s time to start working out and watching what I am eating…I do this every new year! It’s so funny! We also want to start watch we are spending…so thinking of ways to cut down on costs of things! Any suggestions are great! As I say that with watching what we spend this coming weekend Jakin and I are headed to Fargo to go to a Miranda Lambert concert and stay the night! I am super excited to get away for a night and not have to worry about whatever…just fun! Jakin and I don’t get away together very often so it’s ok .
Christmas
So Christmas break was really, really good! You just wait for it the whole month of December and then it’s here and you love it and then it goes by WAY too fast! My first day of break I think I spent it grocery shopping, oil change and getting ready for Sarah and Emma to come over for our little Christmas that we do every year! It was REALLY great to get caught up with these two as we don’t get to see each other so much anymore. We spent the night talking about college, what they wanted to do when they get to be “adults”, fun things to do in the summer and when is Amanda gonna have a kid? Who knows? We had so many Christmas’s to celebrate at….it was wonderful to see everyone! At my Grandma Mary’s I think each and every one of us was there. We celebrated with Jakin’s extended fam in the beginning of December and then Christmas Day at our house with immediate….was fun to see the kids opening all their presents. The rest of the week Eric, Em and family was here. Higligts of the week include: riding on the tractor, going to Harvest Time Bistro drinking coffee and chatting, painting canvases, taking Ella to my classroom, looking at the animals at Grandma Mary’s, pizza party with hayride, watching Ella and Edie at our house while Jimmer, Betty, Eric and Em went for an afternoon out. All in all, it was a great, much needed, relaxing and fun break! We spent New Year’s Eve just hanging out at our house….with taking little cat naps before it was midnight!
Stuff
Christmas cookie baking with Sarah
All the Great-Grandkids at Tyrrell family Christmas Dec. 10th
Jakin with new neice Sydney May
Our Christmas tree without ornaments 
Thanksgiving Break
Oh, wow here is it December already! Last weekend we had Thanksgiving. On Thursday we headed over to my Grandma Runyan house for lunch. I think just about everyone was there. Thursday night included early black friday shopping at Wal-Mart at 10:00…totally worth it….Baby Alive for 10 bucks for Edie . Friday we went all of the girls in the family went shopping on black Friday, some went REALLY early, some a little bit later and then Betty, Em and I went not so early. We still got all of the things that we wanted. I love this tradition that we have done for awhile now.
Saturday Runyan fam headed over to Long Prairie to the craft show there. There were so, so many people there. The parking lot was packed, the gym and the hallways were packed, everywhere was packed! I ended up getting a new pair of mittens and hung out with Edie. She loved looking at stuff and saying, “What is it?” or pretty! We then headed to the tree farm to get a Christmas tree….or 4 of them! We ended up getting for Eric’s fam, ours, mom and dad and one for Grandpa and Grandma Runyan.
Saturday night we celebrated Jay’s birthday of being 22 years old! Wow! Jay you are 22…..you are so great! We played the new game Quelf….it was great and so hilarious! The highlights of the game were Jim being a gold announcer throughout part of the game, Betty standing in the letter X, Eric saying peek a boo anytime someone talked to him and Jim running in slow motion around the table to a song he had to hum! It was a great Thanksgiving, many things to be thankful for for sure .
Thankful
This is what I am thankful for.
Jakin-I am thankful for you because you are my husband and best friend. You
always listen.
Nate-I am thankful for you because you are always willing to help out with anything and you make people laugh.
Betty-I am thankful for you because you are my mom and always there.
Jim-oh Jim, I am thankful for you because you always make people laugh even when you don’t intend to.
Emily-I am thankful for you because you are a great listener and you make people think differently, you are my sister-in-law and I never had a sister!
Eric-I am thankful for you because you are so fun and a gret dad and brother.
Ella-I am so thankful for you because you are so smart, fun, silly, loving and just you.
Edie-I am thankful for your smile and laugh. When I see your smile and hear your laugh makes me think life is so good.
Jay-I am thankful for you because you are Jay…you are hilarious. I am also thankful you are healthy.
I love my family so much and so thankful for them.
I love Saturdays
Yesterday, I got up in the morning thinking….ugh another day of work! Here we go again….then I looked at the clock seeing it was 8:00….yay it’s Saturday! I got up and got ready to go because I went shopping with Mandi and her girls, Madi and Emma. We went to Brainerd….first stopping at JoAnn Fabrics…bad news I could have bought every kind of fabric in there. Too bad I don’t even know how to sew…maybe that needs to be my next venture, I could have Mandi or my grandma teach me?? We started to head out the door and oh my it was snowing! Like not just pretty slow flakes….it was coming down good! It didn’t stop us shopping girls though…we went on to Applebee’s, Kohls and Target…ooo don’t let me forget Caribou. The day was full of talking about things on Pinterest, drinking coffee, what to get people for Christmas and giggling at crazy Emma! She is a hoot! The rest of the day I hung out with my friend Sarah and then Jakin at night. It was a great day!
Christmas Ideas
Well, well here it is that time of year again! Seems like just yesterday school was starting…ugh now it almost winter time. Ugh not ready for it. Anyway, here are a few ideas to get for Christmas gifts:
1. Wallflower refills from Bath and Body Works
2. Flat Griddle for the kitchen…one with no sides…easier to flip things .
3. 
Old Navy Yoga capris or yoga pants. Love these…have one pair wear them ALL THE TIME!
4. Anything from Old Navy…jeans size 14 or shirts/sweaters size L or Med. depending on the shirt. Or cardigans….black.
5. Amazon Kindle Giftcard…..saw these at Target.
That’s a few until I think of a couple more. Still to come….Jakin ideas!
