Another year has passed?

Another year has passed and I'm just getting around to updating my blog. I'm going to try to back date some of the many events that have happened.

Bret and Taylor both headed out to Utah to attend school this past fall. Bret went to the University of Utah and Taylor attended Brigham Young University.
We all went out as a family last July 2010 and moved the boys out there. Megan, Bret and I drove Bret's car through Atlanta (stayed with Rusti for a few days) then on to Bear Lake (stayed and hung out with Mary and Mike and the rest of the Holje clan)for a few days, then finally on to Salt Lake City. Taylor and Steve flew out there and met us. We had a great trip and really enjoyed all of the time we spent with loved ones on the way.

Graduations

This is the last week of school! YAY! It has been such a busy month for the Short family. Taylor had so many awards ceremonies to go to before graduation night that he didn't even want to go to graduation. He was just so ready for it all to be over!
I am so proud of that boy though! He is just such a great kid. His graduation was Friday June 4th, 2010 and the next day he and some friends were headed to the lake to Jet Ski. He was at a stop light and the light turned green. He pushed on the gas to go BUT the new driver in front of him didn't! He ran into her car! He was so upset! The nice policeman that came to the accident didn't give him any kind of ticket! He went to get an estimate today and they said it would cost $970.00 for Taylor's truck. It was a good learning experience for him. I couldn't help but think back to when he first got his learners permit. One time he was waiting to make a turn and the car in front of him was taking too long and he was too close. I told him to be patient and he said "Can't I just bump him out of the way"? Well I guess he learned that you can't just bump anyone out of the way!

The boys are in the final count down for leaving for Utah. They are both really excited and nervous to go. I am dreading that flight home after leaving them there.
It's going to be awful quiet around here!

It's tourist season at the Short Resort!

Yesterday my baby sister Mary left to return home after a 6 day visit with us. It is really quiet at my house today without her sweet little 17 month old baby girl here. She is the most adorable little girl ever! She wears these little shoes that squeak when she walks. It makes it really easy to find her when you are home or out in public. She loved to go "SHWIMMING" and she would yell for Megan, Tay, Bet or Aunt ELNEN constantly. Today My Dad and Grace are coming to visit for a week. Megan loves when they come because she loves to play card games and they will sit and play cards with her for hours! Taylor will recieve his Eagle Scout award this Saturday. I am so proud of him! Bret is taking his last final today and he will officially have his Associates Degree. He is transferring to the University of Utah to finish up his bachelors degree in Mass Communication. He is still hoping to be a famous movie star but just in case that doesn't happen he will have his degree to fall back on. Taylor got accepted at BYU Provo and will attend there for two semesters then serve a mission. It will be really hard to have both of my boys leave at the same time but I'm excited for both of them and their new adventures! Megan will miss them terribly and I'm already prepared for her to declare that she is moving to Utah too.

The next couple of months will be extremely busy and full of tears as Taylor Graduates and both boys move on. We will spend several weeks this summer in Utah before we settle in to our new routines without the boys. Less laundry and less events to attend.... no extra drivers to take Meg to dance class and young womans,or run to the store for a missing ingredient needed for dinner.....lots of adjustments!

I'm pretty sure it is going to be a very difficult year!

Long Time....No Posts!

WOW! I just looked at my blog and can hardly believe it has been 7 months since I have updated it! I am a Blog failure!

Yesterday was Labor Day and so everyone had the day off. Bret went to Orlando with Luke for the weekend and Taylor spent the day at Siesta Key beach with a bunch of his friends. That left Megan, Steve and I to hang out together. We decided to have a nice lunch, shop, see a movie and end the evening at California Pizza Kitchen. The only movie out there that we could take Megan to was "Julie/Julia. So we went to see that. I enjoyed the movie, Steve said it was OK but Megan was bored to tears! She must of gone out to get a drink, go to the bathroom, get popcorn, talk on her phone etc... 20 times. We ended the night meeting Kristy and her kiddos for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Bret and Luke surprised us by showing up at CPK. It was a wonderful day!

This past summer we went on our annual trip to Utah. This year was so much fun!
We started out the trip with a big family campout. The first night we had hamburgers to eat. That night at about 2 a.m. Megan came in and woke me up. She said she had just barfed! YUCK!! As it turns out she had soiled the only sleeping bag she had to sleep in. It was FREEZING and the only blanket I had was a child sized quilt. After freezing our toes off sitting out side while she finished up the barfing, I figured out that the only logical place for us to sleep the rest of the night was in the car. So Megan and I climbed into the front seat of our Toyota Camry Rental car. I threw the little quilt I had over the top of us. We tried to go back to sleep for an hour. Neither one of us could get warm enough to be comfortable so I turned on the car and let it heat us up. We both finally fell asleep. The next day Megan was fine! Thankfully non of the other cousins got sick. I am pretty sure it must of been food poisening. In spite of the rocky start we sure had a great time!

Wahington D.C. Trip

Yeah, I know we were just a little excited!


This week Steve and I went to Washington D.C. with our very dear friends the Waltons.
We had so much fun and the weather turned out perfect! We had weather that was more typical of May in D.C. It was nice to not have to worry about a heavy coat. We went to see the National Archives, American History Museum, walked up and down the "Mall", went to Pentagon City Mall, and saw all of the "Kristy" historical sights! We ate at Carlyles and it was so yummy!!! We had a great time! The kids stayed home with Bret and they all survived!!!

Wow! Where does the time go??

This is my new baby niece Aspen Holje. Isn't she gorgeous?

It is hard to believe it has been close to two months since I have been on here. Since I last posted I have spent 3 weeks in Utah and had my sister Mary and her family here for 8 days. It has been busy but so fun! enter the second semester stretch here is what is going on in the Short house. Both of my boys are currently un-attached. That's the first time that has happened in 2.5 years! Bret is working full time at the Tampa General and going to school full time. He is cutting back his hours starting next week. It is just way too hard! Taylor continues to challenge himself academically and athletically. Megan is dancing and in a play called "The little Princess". We are all busy with life. We are in the middle of having our pool refurbished and that "3 week project" has now stretched into it's third month. We are also refinancing our house. I can hardly believe interest rates are down in the 4's! Never thought I would see the day that happened. Life is good and we are all enjoying it.

Tonight was our annual gingerbread house decorating event! Last year Bret was away at school and didn't get to participate. It was so nice to have all three of my children sitting around the table again. They look forward to this every year. I know the day is coming when my children will be replaced by grand children for this tradition. I cherish these last few years when I get to have all three of mine enjoying time spent together. Of course I am pretty sure more of the candy ends up in their tummies than on their house but what would gingerbread house decorating be if you couldn't snack on the candy??? We are all so excited and counting down the days until we head to Utah for our annual Christmas visit. Hopefully lots of snow will await us!! (Sorry Kim)