1.8 - Summer Vacation

  Isobel celebrated her birthday by herself. She wasn't ready to admit to her family that she was getting older. She wasn't ready.

  Laura had taken to pranking the entire house. Whoopie cushions in all the chairs, spraying taps, dye in the showers. Theo kept getting caught, he was planning a huge attack against his twin. Brendan thought the pranks were funny, not that he'd admit it to his daughter. Isobel just ignored them. She had hopes that her children would grow up one day.

  Laura also continued to improve her cooking skills. She was so proud of herself when she learned to make another recipe.

  Isobel brought home two adorable new members of the family. She was hoping to teach her children some responsibility. The puppy was Theo's new pet, named Audry.

  The kitten was Laura's, named Fitz. Both twins took taking care of them very seriously. The two were probably the most spoiled pets ever.

  The Clark's installed a pool in their backyard. Laura and Theo spent many summer days in the cool water. Mostly challenging each other to see who could hold their breath longest (Laura won every time), or splashing each other.

  Laura started dating this fellow just before school let out for summer. Whenever he wasn't working, he was over at the Clark's house. Theo usually took this time to disappear and go to Hawthorn's house.

  Since Laura's room didn't have a large enough bed, they often stole away into the guest room to have some fun.

  Isobel didn't tell anyone about her midlife crisis. Thankfully her tattoo was not in a spot easily seen.

A/N: I think I have enough pictures for one more chapter. Which is good, because I haven't felt like going into game at all. I haven't felt like doing anything to be honest.

  For those that follow my tumblr, you already heard. for those that only saw my last post where I announce I was pregnant, I will be deleting that bit of text. Not even a week after announcing that, I found out I had a missed miscarriage. I think that I'm finally starting to get better, though still feeling kind of depressed. Hopefully at some point I will get back into things, but don't expect any degree of normalcy from me for a while yet.

1.7 - The Terrible Teens Begin

  Theo decides to make some friends. He finds a forum and begins talking to all kinds of people. He does meet some teens from his own town, and a few from other places as well. It makes him want to travel.

  Brendan decides that his children should learn to drive a car. He doesn't want them to feel left behind when their school mates all know how to drive and they're still stuck walking everywhere.

  Laura, ever the studier, begins her homework the moment she gets home from school. Theo laughs at her as he grabs his guitar to go find somewhere quiet to play. Laura knows that in order to get somewhere in life, she needs to start now.

  Isobel drives the teens to school a couple times a week. She makes them take turns sitting in the back of the cruiser. She hopes that the feeling of sitting in the back makes them never want to commit a crime, she'd hate for one of her children to be forced back there in handcuffs.

  Spending most of his time practicing, Theo is very good at playing guitar. His grades may be low, but he knew that his talent would be more then enough to get him where he wanted to go.

  Finally some of Laura's sky gazing had given her something to work with. She watched the meteor fall and rushed to the location as soon as she could. Now, she just had to figure out how to get it home.

  Also among Laura's skills. Cooking. She wasn't as good as her mother, but she could make a mean eggplant lasagna. Even Theo liked it, and he hated when Laura cooked anything.

  Isobel decided to try her hand at baking. She took her time decorating it, just in time for Brendan's birthday. She took great pride in how good it looked.

  Brendan choked the cake down and smiled at his wife. Laura scraped the icing off and just ate that. Theo spit his back out.
  "Maybe, mom, you should stick to cooking."
  Isobel couldn't blame him. She forced herself to swallow the bite she had.

  Laura finally had the nerve to introduce herself to her crush. Cayenne Evans was only a little bit older than herself. Unfortunately, she already had a date for prom.

  Theo scored himself a date, a girlfriend, and another date in time for prom. Hawthorne was eager to accept all three invites.

  Theo in his finery.

  Laura in hers.

  With the twins out at prom, Brendan and Isobel had a dance of their own.
  "Do you remember our prom?" Brendan asked.
  Isobel laughed. "That was the first time I really noticed you as more than a friend. Who knew someone so quiet would have the guts to spike the punch under the principal's nose!"

NOTE:
I refuse to abandon this legacy.