Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Thank you to all of our friends and family who have made 2011 a great year. We'll never forget this year since we welcomed our healthy baby boy into the world. Talk about exciting things going on! We ended the year with a great trip home. We started with Sarah's graduation as a Nurse Practitioner in Kansas City, headed to Big Cedar Lodge for a getaway without baby, stopped by Springfield for a night with Pete and Ash, spent time with family and friends in St. Louis, went to the farm for Christmas, and came back to St. Louis for more hunting and time with friends and fam. As if that wasn't action packed enough, we are also under contract for a house in Eureka. That's right. We may just be closing on a new house in February! Pending inspections and all those fun things of course, but it looks like we have found the perfect fit. We have talked for so long about what we want and we happened to see it and have been hooked ever since. As my Aunt Ann Cordeal said (who is our real estate agent), it's a cross between an Innsbrook A-frame where we had a weekend house growing up and the Brophy Ranch. Bingo! It's also on almost 4 acres but right by 109 and 44 so we can be anywhere in St. Louis easily. We'll see but we are excited! I would then spend time redecorating and getting it ready while Drew is in Afghanistan. I think we take that saying 'Never a dull moment' a little too literally. :) 2012 is sure to be an exciting year!
Starting off the trip with Sarah's graduation. SOOOO proud of her! Friday she graduated, Saturday we had her graduation party, and Sunday Drew joined us in KC for our Brophy/Brown/Harris Christmas.



First trip away from baby. We missed our little boogie but had such a nice time together. Relaxed and enjoyed every minute of it. And yes, relaxing includes long hikes where Drew rucked.




Had such a nice do-nothing visit with Pete and Ash on our way home from Big Cedar. I'm finding do-nothing visits are so nice because you don't have plans pulling you in twenty directions. Had fun just hanging out.

Cole got to meet Mary Beth and Eric! Mary Beth and I have been friends since 3rd grade and it happened that we had two huge life events happen in the same month. She got married and I had Cole so was too pregnant to make it to her wedding. It was great to share congratulations in person!

Love this pic of my Dad and Cole. It was Christmas Eve morning which is also my Dad's birthday.

Christmas at the farm. :)


Love this picture. Not only do we have my new nephew (Rex the puppy) and Ashley's new nephew (Cole) but we are also both wearing previous Christmas presents from Jeannie with our matching PJs.

Had a great time with the fam at City Cottage (one of Carleen's Catering St. Louis venues).

Cole's first time meeting his cousins Audrey and Jack. Jack was so cute doing peek-a-boo for Cole. :)


We'll see what happens with the house but fingers crossed inspections go well. :)