Prosperity Challenge - 12.2 (Days/Years 34-36 - Thigpen and Haynes/Cox)
Thigpen
From the diary of Lise Thigpen, Winterfell Hospital Chief of Staff
I decided, now that we were rich and had two young children in the house again, that it was time for some major remodeling. I'd seen those Koepples down the street do it, and I have to confess I was jealous. I think the neighborhood is really starting to look nice these days; a far cry from when we all first moved here over thirty years ago into our matching two bedroom ranches. I barely even remember that time; living with mom and Emanuel was a little too much family togetherness for my tastes. I sure don't miss Glen and Emanuel at each other's throats all day.
(Ed. note: This is another house I did build but did not design - I'm nearly certain I saw it on wella_creations . See, I love building, but my creativity in that respect is for crap. Edit: Found it! It's based on the Quinn by beatdoc16 . )
Anyway, the new house is lovely. It's so nice to have so much room.
I treated myself to a piano - I used to play long ago, when I was a girl. I don't like to brag, but I think I know where Shena gets her musical talent.
Glen seems to like the house, too. He's certainly settled in...all day, he does nothing but make and eat sandwiches. It's definitely some kind of addiction. Is it bad that I think I might have preferred his addiction to women? Oh, I don't really mean that.
Still though, the Glen I used to know was always in impeccable shape.
We'd only been in the new house a short while before it was time for the twins' birthdays. I'm a little afraid they're going to grow up spoiled - my other kids certainly never had so many toys, or so much attention!
Strat went first.
Glen did the honors told Strat to blow out the candles and make a wish. I wonder what he wished for...
He just couldn't be cuter. Oh, I remember when Bob was that age...ugh, I sound like such an old lady. Bob has his own kids!
Orb, too, turned out great. (Looking at these photos, I wonder if we made a mistake painting the upstairs such a bright yellow. It makes the twins look a bit sickly with their pale green skin!)
With both kids mobile and able to climb stairs, life has certainly gotten more hectic. Fortunately, they are both very neat - I've become used to having things a certain way, and I remember how kids can strew their belongings everywhere. All we really have to put up with is the rowdiness and the bickering. Orb is a sweet thing, but she can get on her brother's nerves, and Strat doesn't seem to care when he makes her cry. We'll have to keep an eye on that.
Orb decided to make a lemonade stand - in the dead of winter. She didn't seem fazed by her total lack of customers, at least.
Strat developed an interest in astronomy. Both kids know where they came from - well, they don't know all the details, but they know they are half-alien. I do wonder what we'll tell them when they really start asking about how that came to be. Glen still refuses to discuss his experience; I can only assume it wasn't pleasant. Maybe I should ask that Alvin Burkett - I assume he's aware of his own heritage.
I got a little garden patch for myself. It sounds silly, but I like gardening at night, next to Strat on his telescope.
Glen spends plenty of quality time with the kids, too. They don't seem to mind the endless serving platters of grilled cheese sandwiches.
He does leave the kitchen occasionally! Strat loves to play tag.
Orb, when not selling lemonade in the cold, prefers indoor pursuits.
Ah, my golden years - not what I expected, but everything I always wanted.
Haynes/Cox
Taylor liked being a big brother, most of the time. Jere was fun to horse around with, and Corrie was a little sweetie. He liked his step-dad, too - Komei had been around for as long as he could remember, and had always been nice to him.
Sometimes, though, he wondered about what things might have been like if his real dad was still around. It didn't seem fair that he'd never even gotten to meet him. Lou Haynes was the reason Taylor didn't share a last name with the rest of his family, but that was about the only legacy he'd left.
Even his mom never had much to say about Lou. They hadn't really known each other well before deciding to get married and have a baby. Taylor felt kind of weird about that, knowing he was a hasty decision.
Then again, he felt he could understand it - if Denae Thigpen ever said the word, he'd probably do just about anything. She was so much fun...and so much older. He sighed as he remembered that she'd be off to college very soon, leaving him behind.
She'd been over the house more and more lately. Taylor decided that it was time to make his move. It was now or never, really. Once she was in college, there'd be so many other guys that she'd probably forget all about him.
To his great surprise (and joy), she seemed very enthusiastic about his advances.
Very, very enthusiastic.
Later, Komei suggested a boys' outing to the new roller rink. Jere had been wanting to go for weeks, so Taylor agreed.
It was pretty fun, though he couldn't help thinking about how much more fun it would be if Denae was there.
Komei surprised them by showing some serious skating skills.
Little Corrie's birthday came around quickly. Taylor himself held her up to her cake.
She looked a bit like Jere - and hardly anything like Taylor.
Jere was delighted to have someone his own age to play with. Taylor remembered when he'd been young enough to play those types of games himself - now, he was too old to really be included, but too young to go to college and get his own life started.
This line of thought wasn't helped any by the arrival of his newest half-sibling.
Presenting Myles Cox!
Bonus:
Dancing Denae: now with more zits!