Pumpkin Patch 2012

Happy Halloween from the Gripka's

MSSU Homecoming 2012

The first weekend in October we made a trip to Joplin.  That is where Mama and Daddy went to college.  We always go to the Homecoming Parade so I can get candy and see my friends that live in Joplin.  This year it was really cold.  After the parade I went to Nanny and Papa's house to hang out with them in the warm house.  We had a ton of fun!!

 My super cute shirt ~ Alpha Sigma Alpha Legacy

 Future Sigma Pi Sweetheart on the back!

 Stoller boys waiting on the parade to start

 Lisa Sharpes and McGee Stoller - trying not to freeze

 President Speck and his wife starting the parade

mmmm - candy!

Cousin Love

I have a new cousin - Mama's cousin Brett has a new baby - Braelyn Marie was born on August 14th and I love love love my new baby cousin!

Labor Day Weekend 2012

GiGi and I went to the lake a few days before everyone came and we had a blast! Once the rest of the family got there the fun only continued.  I love going to the lake, swimming and riding on Papa's boat. I can't wait to go back next summer!!

Catching Up...

Holy Moly ... we are behind ... this blog was started so all of our family/friends would be able to keep up with baby of the family.  After a year or so I decided to keep it going because I learned that we could print the blog and I thought "Wow, now I don't have to keep up with Tori's baby book".  I try to document all of the memorable things we do with her and some of the everyday things so that one day she can show her kids and family what it was like when she was a little girl.  Now I must get back to blogging and get caught up before Christmas arrives and my tiny baby turns 3!!

xoxo,
Brandi

Bye Bye Binky

In August when I moved to my new "big girl" classroom (The Dolphins) at school I was told two things:

1.  Dolphins go potty in the big girl potty (that's another post coming soon)
2.  Dolphins don't have binkies

I wasn't too sure of this at first but then I realized I was a big girl and I didn't need my binky any more.  Mama told me I could give my binkies to the new babies at the hospital.  When I decided that was what I wanted to do we made a box for them so we could take them to the new babies.

Uncle Jake was in St Louis and since he is the best artist I know it was fun having him help me decorate my box. On Saturday morning we took my box to the nearest hospital and I told my binkies bye bye.  I was a very big girl and handed them over to the nurse right away!! Then Daddy, Mama and Uncle Jake took me to Target to get a new toy.  I told them I wanted a baby doll but found a V-tech letter tracer that I liked instead.  

I cried at nap time that day and bedtime for 2 nights for my binky but after that I haven't even thought about it!!  Mama and Daddy remind me all of the time that they are so proud of me and can't believe what a big girl I am now!!

Beach Baby

Wow, it has been a while since I posted anything...probably because we have been so busy raising a 2 year old...no one warned me about how that would be :)  It is a blast 99% of the time, the other 1% is very trying of my patience!!

In August we spent a week on the beach in Pensacola Beach, Florida.  It was a very relaxing week all about Tori and lots of memories were made.  We will definitely do another family vacation like this again and hopefully Bubby can join us next time.  Being a high school-er now he has a lot going on so he wasn't able to come with us this year.

 

Making memories 2012

 Tori was an angel in the car..7 hrs a day for 2 days down there and 2 days back..she never whined one time!!

 Yummy dinner outside at Crabs

 this is zoomed almost as far as my camera would but this is a real dolphin fin..there were 3 of them swimming pretty close one morning..Tori was SO excited!

 view from our balcony

 one of the finished castles Tori and Daddy made

 We stayed right by this ferris wheel, it was HUGE, Tori told us about a 1000 times "I love that ferris wheel"

 going up up up

 playing with Samarah, we met some old neighbors of ours for dinner one night, they happen to be on vacation near us the same week!

 Nashville TN on our way home

Tori's first honkey tonk, she loved Jenae Cherry and even wanted her picture taken and got her autograph, she was just a sweetheart to take time out for Tori

 listening to Jenae Cherry 

 yee-haw

 all of sudden while walking down 5th St Tori stopped and wanted her picture taken with every statue there was..quite the street entertainer

 had to stop for an ice cream cone at the candy shop

 Tori and Daddy filled a Minnie Mouse lunch box with salt water taffy - isn't he cute!

The Gripka's - Pensacola Beach Florida - August 2012