The Loveland Random Town Jump

[deedee_828]

OOOhhh, on to Town #2, so exciting! I'm glad Francisco finally woke up and realized his true responsibility as an heir spouse! I can barely stand waiting for the new town reveal, and then the start of the next gen. It really keeps your game moving forward. Do you move the EA way or with mods, or do you save them to the library? I love finding out how others play their RT games!

[Beks]

OOOhhh, on to Town #2, so exciting! I'm glad Francisco finally woke up and realized his true responsibility as an heir spouse! I can barely stand waiting for the new town reveal, and then the start of the next gen. It really keeps your game moving forward. Do you move the EA way or with mods, or do you save them to the library? I love finding out how others play their RT games!

I know, moving ahead is always so thrilling! I usually try to wait and roll the next town right before the actual move, so it's a surprise for me too. As for the move itself, I save the family to the library and then start a new file. It keeps the lagging at bay--plus it just feels like more of a fresh start.

New town coming right up!

[Beks]

Chapter 21 - Welcome Home

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Welcome to Sunset Valley, everyone! The second town of the Random Town Jump is a classic, a favorite, a well-loved old friend. After the rolling hills and crisp foliage of Appaloosa Plains, Sunset Valley almost feels like a tropical paradise.

The Lovelands ended up with a lot more cash than I expected after the last town. Like, I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to afford a house, for some reason. Turns out, we had our pick of the litter! And I picked this one. For some reason.

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The Lovelands move into Cormorant, a weird lofty house with a gorgeous view and not enough bedrooms, which is why I built a couple more on the top floor. I'm trying to challenge myself a little bit with the houses I choose in each town, and this one felt like new territory for me. It was. I did not have fun renovating it.

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Okay, I had a little bit of fun. But only a little.

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I kept much of the house the same--I just added two bedrooms upstairs and turned one of the downstairs bedrooms into a nursery / play area for future kiddos. I also changed some of the furniture and decor, because a lot of it was, um, super ugly. Sorry, EA.

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The family crosses the bridge to their new home, basking in the bright sunlight and wondering what the heck the shape of this house is supposed to be.

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After checking out the interior, Felicity and Gracie go around to the side yard to start planting the garden. Gracie brought some produce from her old garden (and that money tree seed) to plant; Felicity has some alchemy ingredients to plant for Francisco. Her Green Thumb trait will come in handy in keeping her husband's alchemy station stocked for elixirs.

Speaking of that husband...Francisco has had a secret wish for a long time, ever since he moved in with the family. One of his very first wishes was to get his fortune told. Since there was no gypsy wagon in Appaloosa Plains, he had to wait to satisfy the wish. But a wagon has mysteriously appeared in Sunset Valley in the last 24 hours. He simply must go find out his future. (Even though it's pretty much set and predictable now.)

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Madison VanWatson: "Did you just see that guy run through here?"
Tori Kimura: "Yeah. He was cute!"
Ayesha Ansari: "I wonder why he didn't he stop to talk to us? We're only going to be single for a few more hours before Story Progression starts sticking us with random people!"

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Yes, Francisco has been dreaming of this moment for ages. He spends hours inside with the fortune teller, giving her lots of simoleons and, um, finding out very little. Like I don't even remember what his "fortune" was. In the process, though, he learns a lot about what it takes to be a fortune teller: namely, business savvy, a way with people, and perhaps...a touch of insanity. (Or at least imagination.)

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By the end of the afternoon, Francisco has a new job as a Horoscope Reader and is already wooing potential clients. (It helps that half the population of Sunset Valley likes to hang out at this new, tiny lot on the outskirts of town that has virtually no attractions.)

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Somebody else in the family has a new career, too. Diana has a wish to join Law Enforcement. I was going to have her be an Investigator, but I'm glad she gave some of her own input. I think she'll make a fantastic cop.

One of the benefits of having money and a new house is the addition of a bird tree. At long last, that Amazonian parrot Gracie found in the hills of Appaloosa Plains can live outside of Gracie's inventory!

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Obi and the bird (whose name is Ekac, which is Cake backwards--I don't know, I thought it was cute at the time?) get acquainted in a very intense and silent manner. Is this going to be a problem in the future? At least right now, Obi is too small to do anything dangerous.

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Diana has a surprise graduation ceremony the next morning, I suppose because she left town before Appaloosa Plains could give her one. Just as she whirls into her graduation robes, though, the game glitches and graduation happens in the span of half a second. The end-of-ceremony music plays and Diana is proclaimed a graduate of Highest Honors before she even leaves the kitchen. Can every graduation ceremony be like this? (She also gets Most Likely to Be a Rock Star, same as Felicity.)

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In other news...I wasn't planning to get the Lovelands another dog right away. But I caved. I got a notification about the Bunches adopting a puppy, and went "Awwww it's so CUTE!", and I caved.

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Everyone, this is Ladybug. She's a derpy little doodle of unknown breed and I love her more than life itself. Her traits are Quiet, Shy, and Neat.

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Meanwhile, Diana and Francisco are up to mischief. I don't know who starts it or how it happens, but I find them flirting in the back hallway while Felicity is out in the garden. I'm so horrified I don't know what to think.

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Felicity: "Thanks for betraying me and flirting with my husband, sis. Good to know you're still my BFF."
Diana: "I have nothing to say to you."

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"Francisco, what is wrong with you?! I know you're Evil, but do you really need to flirt with my sister?!"
Francisco: *gazing at Diana*

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Honestly, I'm so fed up with Francisco's shenanigans at this point that I sort of have to let it go. Felicity consoles herself by playing with Ladybug, and I console myself by watching. We'll just have to get Diana in a relationship with somebody else or something. I might lose my mind otherwise.

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Did I mention that I'm obsessed with Ladybug? Well, I'm obsessed with Ladybug. Look at those ears!

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Francisco doesn't have to work on any skills for his career yet, so he keeps focusing on his alchemy for now. He stocks up on overpriced ingredients at the elixir shop since Felicity's garden is a few days from harvest.

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Because I am a dolt and left all the upgraded appliances in Appaloosa Plains, Benjamin gets to work upgrading all our new ones instead. He's a good sport about it.

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Felicity spends many hours in her new garden. Guess what I also left in AP? Our automatic sprinklers.

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She also keeps working on her cooking skill...to no avail.

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I love Sunset Valley, and I'm very excited for the new generation, but I'm starting to wish we'd moved into a bigger house. Or something. I don't know what it is, but I'm feeling cramped and stressed in this new house. Or maybe I'm just mad at Francisco. I think that's going to be a thing for the next several decades. *sigh*

[Beks]

Chapter 22 - The Wandering Robber

Life continues to settle in Sunset Valley. Our young couple is happy and in love, in spite of the fact that Francisco keeps flirting with Diana every few days. I mostly just pretend I don't notice.

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As a side note, I don't think the maids in this game get paid enough for all the stuff they witness.

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Diana has started her career in law enforcement and is already ahead of the game--she pops a wish to learn the athletic skill, even though she doesn't need to learn it for work yet. Off to the gym she goes to fall off the treadmill a few dozen times.

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While she's there, she meets a certain famous eligible bachelor. They don't chat long, but it's pleasing to know that Christopher knows a quality legacy family member when he sees one.

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Francisco continues to work on his alchemy skill and terrorize the family at will.

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Ladybug continues to be utterly adorable. Another side note: puppies, as cute as they are, are a little frustrating in this game--namely, that they can't get chew toys out of the toy box for themselves. Poor Ladybug is always wanting to chew something, and her toys keep getting put away by Gracie or the maid. I'm constantly having to drag a bone out of the box for her.

On one of the first nights (or rather, very early in the morning), the creepy burglar music plays. I guess the Sunset Valley criminal underworld caught wind of a new, wealthy family moving in and decided to check things out.

Felicity, for some reason, is the one to scope out the danger.

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"Hello...? Anyone out here?"

For several real-life minutes, no burglar appears. Felicity has the "Burglar!" action in her queue, so somebody must be out there...but where?

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After a few minutes, Felicity takes off running into the hills across the street. She eventually finds the culprit, sneaking his way slooowly down the very steep slope. He must have spawned about a mile away from the house, given how long it takes for him to appear.

"Uh, hi. I see you're on your way to rob us. Don't bother. I've already caught you, and my sister works for the police."

The burglar keeps on sneaking.

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"Aahhhhh! Burglar! Burglar! Somebody apprehend him!"

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This slow-mo chase is dragged out for quite a while. Dawn is breaking as Felicity chases the burglar towards the house--running for a couple seconds, then stopping. Running for a couple seconds, then stopping. As such, she never quite catches up with him, whilst he just sneaks his way along, completely oblivious to her.

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"Ahhhh!! Burglar! Burglar! Burglar!"

By the time the burglar actually reaches the walkway to the house, Francisco has awoken.

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"Morning, Lissy. Who's this fellow?"

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Francisco proceeds to ignore the burglar and go on his merry way to wherever he's going. It's Benjamin, as usual, who finally deals with the situation.

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Francisco: "Yeeaahhhh! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Felicity: "Francisco, stop! My dad's an old man! He could get seriously inj--"

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Felicity and Francisco: *raucous laughter*

Felicity! I do think your husband is starting to rub off on you!

Even though he gets defeated, Benjamin sends the robber on his way.

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Francisco: "Nice try, champ."
Felicity: "Aaaghhhh! Burglar! Burglar! Burglar!"

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Well, that was eventful. Benjamin goes off to his first--and last--day of work as Leader of the Free World in Sunset Valley. After a single day at the office, he realizes that his work in politics is done. He just wants to spend the rest of his days with his family and pets. He retires.

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And a good decision it is. Gracie is waiting for him. Can you believe these two once wanted to be heartbreakers? They're one of the most loyal and in-love couples I've ever played.

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Felicity gets to know the townspeople by playing for tips in prominent locations. There's no town like Sunset Valley for drawing a crowd. I love how active these townies are!

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Gracie is the first member of the household to experience anew the Curse of the Shower Switcheroo. And she comes out with the most horrifying hairstyle I could have imagined. At least she seems to think it's funny.

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Pet check-in! Obi grows up into an adult cat. And as a result, he grows into his mustache.

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Although he's become friends with most members of the household, Obi has a bit of a...troubled relationship with Francisco. I think they just haven't interacted much, but in any case, Obi does NOT want to be bathed by the considerate Francisco. I've never seen such a violent thrashing between animal and human. It's hilarious. Like, it's been four days and I'm still laughing at this screenshot.

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Ladybug has a few more days as a puppy, but she's already good friends with Felicity and a very good tug-of-war-er.

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I can't wait to see what she looks like as an adult dog. I think she's going to be pretty derpy.

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As Story Progression begins to work its magic on Sunset Valley, Francisco and Felicity need to start thinking about nooboos. They both wish to have a baby, which is kind of unusual in my experience. They spend quite a lot of time in their glass-walled bedroom, admiring the view (hopefully nobody is out there admiring them).

[Beks]

Chapter 23 - Froggy Business

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Felicity hasn't been feeling well. Make of this what you will.

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Francisco has a bit of a mishap making an Invigorating Elixir and accidentally turns himself into a frog. Gosh, I am always learning new things about this game. I knew that witches can turn sims into frogs, but I had no idea it could happen by accident.

As we all know, there's one way to cure a frog situation: a kiss. Francisco goes to find someone to take care of this for him.

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"...and I feel so slimy and wet, too! It's awful. Do you think you could help me, Diana?"
"Well, I guess I could talk to my superiors down at the station. I don't know how much we can do for alchemy accidents, but maybe there's some sort of protocol in place. We might even have contacts in Moonlight Falls who have more experience with this sort of thing."

Thank goodness Diana is so work-focused. Moving on!

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"Hey babe, guess what! I threw up three times this morning!"
"Um...congrats?"
"Because I'm pregnant!"

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*excited ribbit*

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"I have news too, Felicity. In case you haven't noticed...um, I turned myself into a frog by accident."
"I did notice, actually."
"Right. So...I kind of need you to kiss me. To break the spell."

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"Ugh! Seriously?! Well, if it's the only solution..."

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For a woman who's already feeling nauseous, Felicity is awfully brave in this moment.

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Uh oh.

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"Gross! You almost turned ME into a frog! I shouldn't be getting involved in this, Francisco. Not while I'm pregnant."
"Well how am I supposed to fix this without a kiss?!"
"You're an alchemist! Figure it out!"

Based on the animation that happened there, I'm pretty sure Felicity was supposed to turn into a frog. The action must have glitched because she's pregnant. Looks like Francisco is going to have to keep studying alchemy until he discovers a cure. Oh well! (Honestly, if anyone deserves to be a frog for a little while, it's Francisco. Maybe it'll teach him some virtues. Of some kind. I don't know.)

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Francisco resigns himself to his new state of existence, at least for now. He has bees to attend to now. As a frog. Just try and wrap your mind around that.

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He even goes to work and tells some fortunes. He makes the same amount of money and makes good progress in his current career level, so I guess his froggy appearance didn't matter too much? Maybe he shrouded himself in smoke and wore a gauzy veil during the readings.

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Gracie has grown a beautiful, flourishing garden, with some help from Felicity. We have a few vegetables and fruits (including her famous limes), a row of flame fruits, a sprouting money tree, and a generous section of mandrakes, valerian root, and wolfsbane for elixirs. (And I just love looking at this garden with the ocean in the background. *swoon*)

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Benjamin puts his level 10 handiness to use and upgrades our new sprinklers.

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Felicity has a pretty easy pregnancy. She watches a lot of TV, plays some guitar on the porch, and spends plenty of time with her pets and her sister.

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Speaking of the pets, they're thriving and becoming good friends. I don't think Ladybug's going to be the smaller animal for much longer, but I actually have no idea how big she's going to be. It'll be a lovely surprise!

When Diana gets invited to a party at her work partner Justine Keaton's house, the whole family tags along. It's time we got to know some townies on a more personal level.

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Felicity runs into Vita Alto, and Vita immediately starts insulting her.

"Ah, a young legacy princess extorting our peaceful valley for its supply of eligible bachelors. How typical."
"Don't fool yourself, woman. I'm not from around here, and my husband isn't either. Thank the watcher."

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Then they discover that they're both Snobs and Schmoozers, and suddenly they get along great.

Francisco, still a frog, pops a wish to do a reading for one of the guests. Poor Tamara Donner gets sucked in.

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"With my amphibious instincts, I shall squelch my way into your future and REVEAL ALL!"

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"Hmmmmm. I sense...I sense a great love, and a beautiful--" *RIBBIT*

Poor Tamara. Look at her face!

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To my amazement, the reading goes over well, and Tamara pays Francisco 70 simoleons for his time. She also agrees to attempt to break the spell with a kiss. Why she agrees to this, I have no idea.

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Yeah, THAT'S what was supposed to happen to Felicity. Now we know. Sorry, Tamara!

Felicity spends most of the party cooing over her swollen belly. Since she's in such a good mood, Francisco decides to ask her once again for a spell-breaking kiss.

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"Wow, I think it actually worked! Thanks, babe!"

It does.

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"Oh, sweet, beautiful woman, I saw what magic you just did on that silly fortune teller. Do you think you could do the same for me?"
"Sorry, but I just got my very first 'Faithful' moodlet and I really don't want to screw it up."
"You're faithful to...that fortune teller?"
"The guy who said he would 'squelch his way into your future'? Yep, that's the love of my life."

Well, Francisco is back to normal, but now we have a townie walking around as a frog. We'll have to take care of that eventually. Poor Tamara!

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Next time, we'll meet a brand-new Loveland! And hopefully Ekac won't get eaten by Obi.

[Beks]

Chapter 24 - Calm & Chaos

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There is an eerie calm on this particular day in the Loveland house. Ralston shows up early in the morning--she likes to wait until the sun is rising, it seems, before haunting. I find this oddly uplifting. She's a happy daytime ghost, not a creepy nighttime ghost.

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Gracie, who doesn't have much to do these days, spends her time out in the garden and taking care of the bees. Isn't she cute in her little beekeeping hat?

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Ah yes. Eerie calms always precede chaos. Felicity goes into labor right in front of Ekac, who can probably mimic shrieks of unbearable labor pain now.

The family wanders over when they hear Felicity's grunts and moans.

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Benjamin: "Ahh, are we all gathering around Ekac? Why, what new trick has he learned?"

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Benjamin: "And our little Ladybug is here too! How about a game of tug-of-war?"
Gracie: "This has been lovely, but I think I'm going to turn in for the night. Good luck with the birth, Felicity."

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And where is the faithful husband in all of this? Taking a nap on the deck, of course. (In his defense, he arrived home and went straight there without realizing that his wife was in labor...but still.)

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In the end, Felicity brings her child into the world all on her own. Look how excited she is!

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She gives birth to a very sparkly boy named Colin just before midnight.

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Oh. And a girl! That's Cathleen over there on the floor. She materialized out of thin air, apparently.

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Oh, sure, NOW you guys are awake. Big help you all are! (They are, actually. Francisco positively SPRINTS into the nursery to pick up his new daughter and cuddle her. And Benjamin is so excited to be a grandpa!)

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As a matter of fact, Francisco has contracted a new bug that causes him to run everywhere, no matter how short the distance. As such, he runs to rescue his children from hunger, loneliness, or dirty diapers, every single time.

The babies are born with all their needs full except for energy, so amazingly, they sleep soundly through their first night.

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In the morning, Felicity's feeling sick again. Don't get excited, though--it's just because she ate Benjamin's burnt apple pancakes. Twice. When they grossed her out the first time, she refused to eat them. Then she went back and got more.

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It's Sunday, so Felicity (once she's done throwing up) takes advantage of everybody's day off to rake in some serious tips. There are two pregnant townies in this picture, and I'm pretty sure there are several more running around elsewhere. Yes, my plans are developing nicely. (I mean, thanks, Story Progression. This is all you.)

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Diana goes back to the gym to continue working on her athletic skill. (Even though she's a tough nut in general, she's surprisingly wimpy on the weight machine.)

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And Benjamin upgrades the family computer...for the last time.

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"Noooo! Not Benny! You can't take my Benny away from me!"

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Our beloved Benjamin passes away at 93, a lot earlier than I had hoped. But he loved his family well and brought much joy and mechanical excellence to the household. He raised two beautiful daughters who will carry his genes forward, and most of all, he loved our founder with all his heart. Rest in peace, Benjamin.

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Oh, Gracie Benjamin ended up being a heartbreaker after all.

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The family is, of course, deeply saddened by the loss of Benjamin. Diana shows her respect the next morning by eating the last plate of those burnt apple pancakes for breakfast. Seriously, you guys don't need to eat those! It's fine! You can honor Benjamin's memory in other ways!

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Diana is rewarded for her sacrifice, though. That very day, she gets her first big promotion and finally gets to dress like a cop.

And later on, she does find another way to honor her father's memory. When the dishwasher breaks.

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*sniff* "If only you were here, Dad. I'll just think of you every time the kitchen floods."

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Then she gets down and fixes it herself. This woman is a true Schmidt.

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Ladybug has a big day, too. She has her birthday...

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...and grows into a very big girl! I had no idea what size she would end up being. I did not expect her to grow so big. She's not a little ladybug anymore!

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All is quiet again in the Loveland house. But not for long. We're going to have two toddlers waddling around before we know it!

[Beks]

Chapter 25 - The Villain & The Hippie

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This is a slightly better picture of Ladybug as an adult. She turned out so cute! (I mean, as expected. But still.)

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The family gathers around for the twins' first birthday. After the death of Benjamin last chapter, everybody is eager for some cake and excitement. What will Francisco and Felicity's kids look like? Let's find out!

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Well, I know I love Colin already.

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Cathleen goes next.

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Man, both these kids start showing their personalities right off the bat. Colin is cross-eyed; Cathleen picks her nose. Oi. Let's pop these kiddos into CAS and see what we're dealing with.

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Colin has Gracie's pale blond hair (which is slightly paler than Francisco's) and the Schmidt eye color, but I'm having trouble figuring out where his eye shape comes from. Anyway, his looks aren't the notable thing: his traits are. This little guy is Evil and Neurotic. Taking after his father? Definitely. He also likes Chinese music, Potato & Truffle Torte, and Spiceberry. (Something about that favorite food just screams "my mom is a Snob".)

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Cathleen looks a lot like her mother, but with Francisco's skin tone, and rather striking green eyes from I don't know where. She's a Friendly Slob, and she likes Indie music, Falafel, and Irish Green.

So we have an anxious villain and a chill hippie. This will be an interesting generation for sure!

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Of course, we shouldn't count our chickens before they're hatched. Right now, Colin and Cathleen are just toddlers, cute as buttons and innocent as...uh, buttons.

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Even so, Francisco knows that you can never start indoctrination too early.

"Watching others suffer is our greatest source of pride and joy. Remember that, son, and you will go far in life."
Colin: "..."

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Gracie and Felicity continue to develop their garden. I include these pictures mostly because they're so pretty.

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In other news, Ladybug is learning to hunt. There are a handful of spawners around this lot and nearby, so I'm hoping Ladybug will start making us a lot of money.

Now it's time for some toddler spam.

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I have a tip for my fellow simmers that I may or may not have mentioned in past stories. Did you know that the dollhouse builds toddler friendship faster than anything else (to my knowledge)? Colin and Cathleen play with dolls together for a single afternoon and are almost best friends by the end of it. Way faster than the blocks table, and they haven't even learned to talk yet!

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These toddlers are so well loved. Francisco is continually frustrated when his wife beats him to the crib. (Clearly, Felicity enjoys it.)

Diana is the most social member of the family these days. She's always getting invited to parties and going to visit friends. Notably, she uses these opportunities to scope out potential spouses for her niece and nephew.

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"I just love being a mom. I hope the baby stage never ends!"
"I see. So you don't have any idea about her career prospects yet? What skills she might acquire? Anything?"

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Both Felicity and Francisco wish to have another child, almost immediately after the twins are born. Francisco in particular seems to really want kids (he popped the wish the first time around, long before Felicity did). It's going to be a tight squeeze without some additions built on the house, but hey, why not?

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Babycakes haunts the house almost every night--she's a regular fixture on the kitchen and bathroom counters. Ralston appears more rarely, but when she does, she either hangs out in the garden or makes a beeline for her people. Sometimes she even falls asleep guarding someone (Diana, in this case).

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Felicity is still on maternity leave, so she has plenty of time to finally max the guitar skill on her shiny new lime-green electric guitar. Congrats, Felicity!

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She must have played too vigorously or something. She feels strangely nauseous afterward. Huh. So weird! It's a mystery for the ages.

Remember how we left Tamara Donner as a frog after a party several days back? Well, Francisco finally learns where she lives and pays her a visit.

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"Heyyy, it's the froggy fortune teller!"
"It's the froggy...frog!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Hahahaha!"

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This time, Francisco brought along a Cure Elixir.

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Tamara: "Thanks, Francisco. A word of advice: Never ask a stranger to kiss you ever again."
Francisco: "So it is true...I can control the magical afflictions of my fellow townspeople with a mere potion! My power is unlimited!"
Tamara: "Please leave."

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Back on the home front, Felicity discovers (I know, such a surprise) that she's pregnant again. Another little Loveland is on the way!

[Beks]

Chapter 26 - Wishes

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What is it with cats and counters? This corner of the kitchen is Obi's favorite spot to take a nap, in spite of the family's constant fighting over access to the fridge and Felicity's tendency to burn everything she cooks. (Well, she's starting to burn things less.) Maybe he likes to smell food while he's dreaming.

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Diana has taken a particular liking to Cathleen, possibly because they look almost identical. Those Schmidt genes are mega strong.

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And after working with her niece on basic speech for a full day, Diana has a new best friend.

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Things are going well with the toddlers, surprisingly. Felicity watches them while Francisco is at work, and Francisco stays up late to care for them so Felicity can rest.

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This is made possible by Francisco's growing supply of Invigorating Elixirs. Those things are lifesavers. Also, can I have some please, thank you.

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I'm very thankful that we have Gracie around to help as well. Since she doesn't have to go to work and her gardening takes up only a couple of hours a day usually, she can take over toddler duty whenever the parents need a break.

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Not that they need breaks often. Felicity is one of the happiest mamas I've ever played. She loves spending time with her kids.

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And she's so excited to have another one on the way.

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She doesn't have to wait long. Felicity, predictably, goes into labor while playing for tips downtown.

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I don't think she appreciates the crowd of screaming townies, because she leaves the scene looking like this. Now that's what a mental breakdown looks like in physical form. Kind of.

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And it's another girl! This is Mckenna, the spelling of whose name I agonized over for many actual minutes. (I don't know if I did it right, but here we are anyway.)

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With three kids in the house and Benjamin gone, everybody's been popping wishes to get Bonehilda to come and help out. Fine by me! Our Bonehilda gets caught in the Error Trap mod on a nightly basis, for some reason, but we still love her (and don't mind dismissing and re-summoning her a million times). I especially appreciate that she trains the dog to sit.

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Felicity gets right back to busking as soon as she's feeling recovered from the birth. This is particularly useful in finding pregnant townies. Justine Keaton is apparently having trouble adjusting to maternity leave and feels the need to wear her work cap at all times. Actually, there are TWO pregnant women wearing hats in this photo. Maybe it's a Sunset Valley trend that Felicity was unaware of.

Speaking of Felicity being unaware of things, she gets hit with her adult birthday in the middle of making sushi.

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"Yay, something to distract me from cooking!"

I know the feeling, sister.

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Whether it's the stress of cooking or something else, Felicity is launched into a midlife crisis.

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As is Francisco about five seconds later.

Felicity and Francisco's marriage has been relatively strong this whole time, but under the pressure of dual midlife crises, it starts to show signs of strain. Francisco, for his part, immediately pops a wish to divorce Felicity. (Felicity pops the same wish, but three or four days later. At least she tried to repress it for a while first.)

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They also constantly pop wishes to flirt with other people. Felicity manages it by complimenting Gobias Koffi on his luminous eyes while attending a party. She loses Fiona McIrish as a friend, but otherwise comes out unscathed. (And she has about thirty other friends to keep her company, so it's fine.)

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Francisco takes a more dangerous route. He flirts with his mother-in-law.

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Gracie is so distressed by this that she pulls out a jar of honey and chugs the whole thing like it's lemonade on a hot summer's day.

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Whether he sensed this familial wrongness or not, Benjamin haunts the family for the first time that very night, appearing just as Gracie goes out to recycle the newspaper.

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Benjamin: "Look what I can do, honey! As a ghost, I can fly! Wheeeee!"
Gracie: *gag*

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After demonstrating that gravity-defying trick, Benjamin makes the rounds to say hello to his family members. Francisco is weirdly thrilled to see him.

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Poor Neurotic Colin feels rather uncomfortable with this arrangement.

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To completely change course for a moment...I have cat news! Well, sort of. Recently while out and about in town, I came across this magnificent creature belonging to the Andrews family. (I'm talking about the cat, but I mean, the toddler is pretty cute too.) At once, I knew that she and Obi needed to have kittens together. Because duh. After several in-game days of trying to get these fuzzballs together to no avail, I finally resorted to pollinating Miley using Master Controller. We can just pretend they mated for real. We should be seeing kittens sometime in the next few days!

Colin shall end this chapter by becoming one with the potty. Go ahead, Colin.

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Very nice.

[deedee_828]

Ya just gotta love the Sims 3 glitches! Whether it's error trapping Bonehilda, twisting our poor Simmies nearly inside out or making them one with each other or nearby objects, never a dull moment! I love the kitten news but that little Andrews toddler has me intrigued as well, possible spouse material for Colin! Unless she's aging up way before him, that is. I keep a list of all my families in each town and have baby names set to Rename in my Nraas SP, just so I know when they're born and I can add them to the list.

[Trip]

Maybe it has something to do with Bonehilda's "stuck" state in the coffin? Who knows but I've gotten the error too. I'm excited for kittens! And who's kid is that anyways? She looks like an Andrews but I can neither confirm or deny.

[Beks]

Ya just gotta love the Sims 3 glitches! Whether it's error trapping Bonehilda, twisting our poor Simmies nearly inside out or making them one with each other or nearby objects, never a dull moment! I love the kitten news but that little Andrews toddler has me intrigued as well, possible spouse material for Colin! Unless she's aging up way before him, that is. I keep a list of all my families in each town and have baby names set to Rename in my Nraas SP, just so I know when they're born and I can add them to the list.

Maybe it has something to do with Bonehilda's "stuck" state in the coffin? Who knows but I've gotten the error too. I'm excited for kittens! And who's kid is that anyways? She looks like an Andrews but I can neither confirm or deny.

Yeah, the Bonehilda glitch is weird, but at least I can re-summon her as often as I need to. I've had some past Bonehildas just disappear completely while "awakened", such that I have to delete the coffin using cheats to get rid of them. Super strange.

Yes, that toddler was Bobbi Andrews! I'm keeping an eye on her, so you'll see her again soon. She's about the same age as the twins.

[Beks]

Chapter 27 - Laws of Physics, Laws of Civics

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Turns out Mckenna was born on the perfect day. She and her big brother and sister are all set to age up together--a triple birthday! I'm excited, so let's get to it. Yes, Francisco, RUN EVERYWHERE while carrying your small child. We're in a hurry here!

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Mckenna goes first, cheered on by her family and Barbaro the canine gnome. (The game suggested the name Barbara for the dog, but this one seemed like a boy dog to me. Hence, Barbaro.)

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Felicity breaks down in tears over her daughter's infant form. Is she actually going to miss the baby stage? Should this woman have been Family Oriented?

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I can't believe it. Somebody finally inherited Gracie's blue eyes! The rest of Mckenna's features come from Benjamin's side of the family, but those eyes are unmistakable. This little beauty is Good and Neurotic, and she likes country music, hamburgers, and violet. I think she and her brother are going to have a tense relationship.

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It quickly becomes clear that Mckenna's favorite pastime is hiding in the toybox. Wait a second, what is Colin doing over there...?

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Oh dear. Colin is so over toddlerhood, he can't even interact with physical objects correctly anymore. I guess we ought to age the twins up before they start breaking larger laws of physics.

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I'm a little bit afraid for Colin. He's already Evil and Neurotic...so it's all uphill from here, right?

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Gracie looks a little afraid too, now that I think about it.

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Colin is a kid for all of three seconds before he tracks down the cop in the household and starts drilling her for gossip. How is he already making plans for evildoings?! He hasn't even gotten his CAS makeover yet!

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Anyway, it's Cathleen's turn to age up. Felicity gazes steadily at little Cathleen while she waits for the family to re-gather. Is her neck glitched, or does she just love her daughter a lot? It's hard to say.

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Ta-da!

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Colin, it turns out, gets one of the least exciting traits imaginable. He's now a Heavy Sleeper.

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Cathleen becomes a Vehicle Enthusiast. Now that's a trait I don't see very often!

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Since the house is starting to feel seriously cramped, I decide to renovate the garage into a shared bedroom for the twins (with a wall between the beds for privacy). I'm sure our little Vehicle Enthusiast will be thrilled.

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It's a relief to have two independent kids in the house. They're free to do things as they please. For example, Colin is free to wrangle his aunt into teaching him the ways of the lawful world (so he can mess them up in the future).

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And Cathleen is free to explore outside and meld with the supernatural.

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"What WAS that?"

Amazingly, Ralston didn't seem to realize what was happening either.

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The supernatural is quite present in the Loveland home these days. Francisco willingly shares his connection with something greater by telling Gracie her fortune. I don't know what it is, but I know that Gracie does not like it.

And now for some toddler spam. I have a lot of pictures of Mckenna, because I can't get over her piercing blue eyes.

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And Mckenna can't get over Bonehilda.

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Oh dear. I don't know how long we're going to be able to keep Bonehilda around. Our two Neurotic kiddos might not stand for it.

[Beks]

Chapter 28 - Fish & Fake Fortunes

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Diana is thriving in her career as a cop, so much so that she makes this utterly terrifying face after her most recent promotion. She looks like a deranged clown. Good lord, I hope they don't put anything strange in the donuts they keep feeding her every morning.

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Diana also starts learning the Martial Arts skill. Gotta use that Disciplined trait somehow! Even though she's a fierce little thing and always has been, she...struggles with the fighting dummy.

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*THWACK*
"Ouch!"

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Mckenna is thriving in her toddler skills. Francisco has been doing a lot of the teaching this time around.

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This bored-with-learning-to-talk face is always cute, but nobody does the eyebrow arch like Mckenna Loveland.

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Even so, she has the same penchance for smiling big as her Aunt Diana.

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Okay, I took a lot of pictures of McKenna. Sorry not sorry. Francisco may or may not be hypnotizing his daughter in this photo. She certainly looks entranced.

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The family is keeping busy as always. Francisco is rising through the levels of the alchemy skill. In this photo, we can imagine that he's a masterful alchemist studying the mystic arts in his castle tower. But really he's just a fake fortune teller in swim trunks and goggles learning how to make naughty potions in order to annoy the townspeople.

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Colin and Cathleen have started school, and also attend scouts in the afternoons. Colin is less excited about fishing and gardening and things, but Cathleen is all about it. She's always popping wishes to fish.

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And fish she does. Even outside of scouts, and when she's done with her homework, she often hangs out at the park and catches minnows and goldfish.

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The twins also have lots of cute interactions with the pets now. Well, cute and sometimes distressing. Cathleen gets tackled by Obi when she's trying to get a late night snack one night. I assumed it was a loving tackle, but it turns out these two aren't even acquaintances, let alone friends. Whoops.

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Colin is somehow friends with Ladybug, though. I feel like I hardly ever see our puppy close up--she's always off chasing the ball in the backyard or digging up collectibles. She's so cute!

Speaking of the pets...Miley gives birth to three adorable kittens! I have to use Master Controller to even get in the house because the game REALLY doesn't want to give me access to these kittens, for some reason, but here they are. They are almost all Obi, with some hints of Miley in the legs and fur patterns.

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From left to right, if memory serves me correctly: Otis, Nona, and Maya. I'd love to adopt one of these kitties before we move to the next town. But how the heck am I going to choose, I ask you??

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We're still having some weird glitches with Bonehilda. One afternoon, I spot her way up in the hills across from the house, cheering excitedly over nothing. Sort of like the burglar that one time. Is there some mystical secret hiding up on that hill? Something that inexplicably draws NPCs to it? Or is it just the view?

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Speaking of mystical secrets, Francisco has been making decent progress in the fortune teller career, and he finally gets to the point where he can choose a track. Naturally, he chooses the Scam Artist track. What better way to wreak havoc on vulnerable humans than by telling them false fortunes and overcharging them to do so? It's perfect.

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On the weekend, Felicity and Diana head downtown to play for tips together, something they haven't really done in this town yet. They gather quite a crowd over the course of the day. They don't earn a lot of tips, because Sunset Valley residents are feeling particularly cheap at this moment in time. But they make lots of friends, which is worth more anyway. Right? Totally.

Francisco takes advantage of the partial family outing to cause some mischief. He's still been stockpiling elixirs and hasn't really used any on others. He's been dying to try out his Jar of Potent Discord on some unsuspecting suburbanite.

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"Yay, we're enemies! I love enemies!"

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Francisco immediately tackles his new nemesis to the ground. Cycl0n3 Sw0rd, now would be a great time to live up to your name and inflict some sort of tempestuous damage on your foe!

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...or just drown in the cement sidewalk. That works too.

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When the rest of the family is off being wild, Gracie often finds herself scooping up her youngest granddaughter and holding her while gazing into the distance. Gracie's life bar is full, and I think she knows. There's a haunting quality in her facial expressions of late. Like she can feel what's coming.

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Grandma Gracie won't be with us too much longer. She spends her days enjoying the company of her family and beloved pets.

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And getting stung by bees.

[Beks]

Chapter 29 - [Eternal] Slumber Party

It's time for my favorite part of playing the Random Town Jump (aside from the town jump part). It's spouse-hunting time! Yes, the twins are still very young, but Sunset Valley's elementary school is just bursting with townie children, and I'm dying to meet them. So when Saturday night rolls around, Cathleen throws a slumber party. It satisfies a wish that she's carried since her child birthday.

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First to arrive is Arthur Landgraab. I couldn't have picked a better name for a Landgraab myself, honestly.

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Russell Wan is on the left. The unfortunately bald girl is Marla Ursine.

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This is Efrain Mae-Sekemoto, son of Zelda Mae and Leighton Sekemoto.

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And this is Bobbi Andrews. We saw her as a toddler when we were out cat-scouting.

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Cathleen is so excited to be hosting her first party. She's Friendly, so all she ever wants to do is hang out with her schoolmates. Here she is showing off her scout salute to Arthur Landgraab. She giggles the whole time she does it.

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While most of the kids at the party play tag in the garden (or go for the sprinkler, in Bobbi's case), a couple of them head inside to enjoy the living room amenities. Marla Ursine solemnly watches TV while Efrain Mae-Sekemoto reads a book with frightening intensity. (Watching his eyes scan back and forth at high speed gives me the heebie-jeebies.)

Eventually, Efrain finishes his chapter and decides to look in the kitchen for an evening snack.

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"Hi, Mrs. Loveland. Whatcha makin'? Party snacks?"
"Veggie Rolls, dear."

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Telling Efrain what she's making turns out to be Gracie's last act. Gracie, no! Not now! Not in the middle of your grandchildren's first sleepover!

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Poor Efrain is never going to want to leave his house again. At least Francisco is having a good time.

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The kids rush in from their game of tag, and poor Cathleen sees her grandmother (and her party) die before her eyes.

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Grim does come to fetch Gracie, but he gets stuck in the bathroom such that I can't even get a decent screenshot of him. Then he can't get through the clusters of kids standing everywhere. For several long minutes, Gracie hovers in the kitchen, surrounded by silent, staring children (except for Bobbi, who's having a nervous breakdown), waiting patiently for Grim to come and take her.

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In the end, Grim takes too long. Gracie just dissolves into a beam of light and puts herself into the urn in the foyer. Oh Gracie, our beautiful founder--you were sweet, loving, possibly a bit kinky kind, and a gifted gardener. May you break the hearts of a thousand angels in Sim heaven and be reunited with your Benjamin. Rest in peace.

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I promise Francisco really is sad. He sobs every two seconds like everyone else. It's just that he's never been surrounded by so many suffering Sims before. He can't help but be Fiendishly Delighted in between crying sessions.

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Amazingly, all the kids stick around and roll out their sleeping bags, even though an old woman just died in their midst. I mean, me, I'd want to go home immediately...but okay.

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Colin has a more difficult time. He can't find anywhere to place his sleeping bag, so he just gets stuck in an armchair, staring ahead with depressing stoicism.

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Once the kids are all asleep, I think the chaos is over, but nope! Benjamin stops by to snicker at the children in their sleeping bags, for some reason.

Sometime around 5 a.m., the kids all awaken simultaneously and have a hushed meeting.

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"I think this house is cursed. We saw Cathleen's grandma die, and now there's a dead old MAN floating around."
"Isn't Cathleen's aunt a cop? We could wake her and--"
"She's only level 5. My mom works with her. Apparently she's not very athletic yet."
"There's also the fact that Mr. Loveland is crazy and evil. I think we should get out of here."

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"BOOOO! SLEEPOVERS ARE FOR LOSERS!"

You're just upset because you weren't invited, Benjamin.

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At 7 on the dot, the kids troop out the door and head home, all looking a bit scarred. Great party, everyone! Come back soon! (It is not a great party. Cathleen has a wish to throw a great party. This party does not count.)

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Before I can breathe a sigh of relief, I get a notification that we forgot to pay our bills. Hey now! I don't remember being so forgetful!

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After sucking up the bathtub and toilet paper roll into his giant sucky machine (I'm pretty sure stores are well stocked again, buddy), the repo-man goes in to the nursery and--horror of horrors--stands right over happy little Mckenna, looking like he's about to suck HER into oblivion. Or maybe the toddler potty.

In the end, he just takes the blocks table. Easily replaceable.

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With Gracie gone, Felicity is now officially the head of the house--and the sole gardener. Although she struggles a bit to keep up with everything Gracie did out there, Felicity does her best in the eerie company of her parents' gravestones.

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Meanwhile, Diana might have overheard the kids' secret meeting the night before. She spends the rest of the weekend working on her martial arts skill--and getting pretty good at it.

[deedee_828]

I love all the toddler spam! McKenna is adorable! Colin and Cathleen look cute in their scout uniforms even if Colin looks less than enthused. And the kittens will be hard to choose from. Though I was never able to get the 'ask to adopt a pet' in the households I wanted them from! But....I've recently discovered MC>add sim that can be used on any households lot or home, even your active family, to add whatever sim or pet, you want to! Just a hint if 'ask to adopt pet' doesn't work for you! Another thing I read about is that the percentage for getting stung goes up dramatically on your active lot and for elders! So poor Gracie may want to hand over bee keeping to a younger family member so she can be in a good mood when she meets Grim!
I got a warming that a new reply had been posted and I might want to review my own. Turns out I was too late on the bees and elders hint---but maybe you can use it down the road. RIP Gracie. You will be missed.