#i made over henford for this

[softerpixels]

pov: you're the romantic lead in a hallmark movie where you leave the big city and your stressful job to have a whimsical christmas romance halfway around the world.

[fleuraliasave]

❤ Version 8.0 Fleuralia Save File ❤

Download link down below (please read entire post before installing)

This save file uses all EP’s, GP’s, SP’s and most of the kits (Except Sweet Slumber Party, Cozy Kitsch, Urban Homage, Goth Galore, Grunge Revival, Carnaval Streetwear and Modern Menswear kits).

What’s new in this update?:

Ciudad Enamorada and Ravenwood have been completely redone, added multiple new lots, updated other lots and provided make-overs for the households.

Added new households (when living in world; with jobs, friends, preferences etc).

Current Status of Worlds:

Finished worlds: Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Newcrest, Magnolia Promenade, Windenburg, San Myshuno, Forgotten Hollow, Brindleton Bay, Del Sol Valley, StrangerVille, Glimmerbrook, Sulani, Britechester , Evergreen Harbor, Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale, San Sequoia, Chestnut Ridge, Tomarang, Ciudad Enamorada (NEW!) and Ravenwood (NEW!).

Finished vacation worlds: Granite Falls and Selvadorada.

Finihed other lots: Hospital, Science Lab and the Police Station.

To be updated: the Magic Realm and Grimm's office, will either be included in a future update or on the gallery (OriginID: fleuralia)

What do you get with this save?:

For my save file all lots are either completely new builds (almost all) or renovations, ofcourse created by me. Exception: I have added the official build for the release of the Paranormal SP by Dr Ashley to this save. This build is therefore not my own creation, credits are given in the description to Dr Ashley. The lots in newer worlds are largely created by GameChangers. The ratio is around 50/50 with my builds versus renovations (done by me but with the original as the base).

All the townies had make-overs plus I added new families to spice it up a bit. Some of the townies are made by other creators, who are given credits in the description of the household. All the townies in the different worlds have a story, some include sentiments and adjusted relationships to the story.

Added plenty of community lots to give your Sims something to do (YAY!). Almost every world has one restaurant, but it also includes festivals that represent the four seasons (park lots) and a fully functional shopping street in Magnolia Promenade (toy store, bridal store and more).

I have added rental lots so you can go on vacation in more worlds. For example in Sulani, Willow Creek and Windenburg.

Other details:

As mentioned at the beginning, this save uses almost all packs (except some kits). This means that if you download it without owning or installing most of the packs a lot of objects will disappear from the save, but if you are not bothered by this you can still download and play in it.  

I disabled the neigborhood action plan voting/environmental changes, you enable them again in the pack settings menu. I also disabled the neigborhood stories, you can enable them again in the household menu.

I would love to add some households in this save created by all of you! Add your household under the hashtag #fleuraliatownies in The Sims 4 Gallery, you can add a storyline and world in the description but thats not obligatory. If I respond on your creation it means that I have incorporated it in the save for the next update.

Sadly every game update comes with a lot of bugs. I suggest before reporting problems in the save to me, to check on forums if its related to a general bug/glitch or to mods (if you use them).

Questions and supportive feedback are always welcome, you can reach me here via a comment on this post, an ask or through a DM 😁

As said in my previous post I will be slowly starting on moving the builds and sims to a fresh save to help with bugs and incorporate fixes from the Sims team that only work in fresh saves (like Grimm not being able to woohoo). But this will take me some time, when its nearly done I will update on here as always.

How to make it work in your game:

Download the save file from the link below.

Drag it in your saves folder under: PC/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves.

Change the numbers if you already have a save with the same name.

It should now show up in your game as: Fleuralia Save V 8.0.

DOWNLOAD (SFS) / Alternate (GD)

!!Don’t re-upload or claim as your own!!

Future updates will follow after each pack release (if it includes a world). The time the update will be uploaded after each release depends on how much I have to change and on my work schedule around that time.

Last but not least, enjoy and till next time! XX

Fleuralia

Feel free to support me ❤️: Ko-fi account

[plumbieyt]

Planting Plums Legacy Challenge by Plumbie and The Plum Family

Do you enjoy wholesome family gameplay, storytelling and the cosy side of The Sims 4? If so, the Planting Plums Legacy Challenge is for you.

My Inspiration For the Challenge:

My favourite aspect of The Sims is the family gameplay and all the stories that can arise from it. I love using the game as a vessel for telling stories, with that in mind, I thought I would create a legacy challenge built around all my favourite things in the game.

Each generation will have a focus on cosy and wholesome gameplay, primarily focusing on big families, but this doesn’t mean it will shy away from drama. It wouldn’t be realistic if I weren’t to include some sort of tension, so in each generation there will be conflicts but they will be mild and used in order to add depth to the family.

What Makes it Different:

One thing that separates this legacy challenge from the usual one is that I’ll be writing it one generation at a time. I’m doing this because I want to build this legacy with my community (the Plum family) on YouTube so that the Sims and stories will be a joint effort, making it a unique legacy due to the many inputs. It also means the story will grow organically, as it won’t necessarily be planned. This doesn’t mean you can’t take part in this legacy until we’ve reached the final generation because I’ve created the first generation, and we can play alongside as we grow the legacy.

The goal for this legacy challenge is to create a beautiful family that you’ll fall in love with and cherish all the members, even the troublesome ones. If this sounds like something you’d want to be part of, you can always comment, email or DM me your ideas for the legacy, as this is a community effort. So, let’s begin growing the family that will be known as the Plumtrees. 🌱🌸

General Rules & Packs Needed:

There won’t be any rules for this legacy challenge, as I want storytelling to be the focus point of it, but I’d recommend only using cheats if you absolutely need to use them, as sometimes, there is more fun and imagination in the limitations.

As of right now, you’ll need Cottage Living, Seasons and Get to Work. But if you don’t have these packs, feel free to adapt the challenge in your own way so that you can participate. Keep in mind the list of packs needed will grow bigger once the third generation is born.

Generation I: The Plum Seed

Some of your earliest memories were of running around your grandmother’s bakery, helping her bake all sorts of treats. You always said you’d take over her business when you were older, but sadly, when you were a child, she passed away, and your family couldn’t afford to keep the bakery.

As you became older, your passion shifted from baked goods to flowers. You found great comfort in creating all sorts of bouquets and writing down the different varieties of flowers, as they gave you the purpose you lost after your grandmother passed.

Growing up in a city meant nature was scarce; you spent time after school wandering around botanical gardens and finding wildflowers in the concrete, but this wasn’t enough, so the moment you became a young adult, you made the daring decision to move to an old cottage in Henford on Bagley.

Towering buildings and busy streets have been all you’ve ever known, so living in the sticks is going to take some getting used to, but as you stand on the doorstep of a new life, with baskets full of flowers, notebooks, baking ingredients and a dream to open a florist in the heart of the village, you feel that a slip in the mud won’t bother you a single bit.

Aspiration:

Best-selling Author: You want to write nonfiction books about your interest in flowers and bouquets to share your passion with the world.

Traits:

Love the Outdoors

Creative

Ambitious

Hobbies & Skills:

Baking

Gardening

Writing

Career:

Florist & Author: You own a florist business and sell your books.

To-Do's:

Move into a small cottage (it can be in any world, but preferably Henford or a countryside world)

Build from scratch a florist shop

Reach level 10 of the flower-arranging skill

Grow every type of flower in the game (or every flower in your game. For example, if you are missing a pack with a certain flower in it, you don't need to buy the pack just to grow that flower)

Reach level 5 of the writing skill

Write and publish 5 non-fiction books

Complete errands

[dreamyyesenia]

The Joy of Life Legacy - The Baker and Her Kids

Rosemary Boyer was living her dream of being a baker, finally. The bakery in Henford town was attracting more customers than she could handle, from local and from abroad. Unfortunately, not everyone was only there to get a taste of her homemade recipes. No, her husband, Jasper Boyer, a famous actor, had been featured in the news a lot lately… and not in the best light. Rosemary drowned herself in work and her children's education. Still, the fear of being alone had creeped in. It left her sleepless at night, turning from left to right until she couldn't bear it anymore and got up to occupy her mind with something. Oftentimes, that was knitting...

As the weeks went by, Rosemary spent a lot of time thinking and reflecting about her life’s choices. Also, she had started therapy and soon, if she could convince him, Japser would attend with her. For Rosemary, it was the fame that had poisoned their relationship. Japser was a global superstar, he had made a lot of money over the years - enough money for a life time. She knew acting was his passion but the entertainment industry was not as perfect and glamorous as it seemed to be. The parties, the alcohol, the drugs, the paparazzi, the fans- it was a lot. Too much. Twice they had tried to make their relationship work now. And they did love one another. But the rural, cozy life in a cottage Rosemary wanted didn't quite match with the lifestyle of a global superstar. Whatever would happen, one thing was for sure for her: Rosemary would never leave Henford on Bagley and her bakery behind.

The kids knew that something had gone very wrong between their parents.

Rest under the cut ⬇️

Especially Peony Blossom was suffering a lot. She had aged up to a child in the beginning of spring and gotten the "gloomy" trait. She was very sensitive and often couldn't quite express her emotions to her siblings or even her mother. She saw her mother was in pain and didn't want to add to that. The result were a lot of sleepless night for her, too, and crying sessions in bed. Thankfully, her furry friends never left her alone. Flake and Felix were always around to give her some comfort.

Briar Rose was closely in touch with their father. She was convinced that he had left because of her mother’s jealousy. Jasper often called her multiple times per day, while he never called Peony and very rarely called Finn Wilder. Finn was very much the opposite of Briar, he had seen his father at his lowest, coming back drunk and stoned from after parties in Del Sol Valley. He knew that his father had developed a problem and was refusing to admit it to everyone, and most importantly, to himself. It made him furious and he felt rather protective about his mum, especially towards his sister. Briar herself was a bit star struck and hoped to step into the world of fame herself one day. She understood the lifestyle her father chose to live and had actually asked him to introduce her to some influential names… Her dream was to become the best chef anyone had ever seen and to work in the celebrity restaurant in Del Sol Valley- and maybe own it, one day.

~

Note:

I decided to skip ahead a tiny bit, so Jasper and Rosalie are adults now and Peony obviously a child. I didn’t post their birthdays but the kids next birthdays I will! Also ignore the 5000 outfit changes you know our sims are never content to only wear one outfit per day 🤣

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 96 (Making Amends For Past Mistakes)

Conrad arrived in Henford after dark and walked right inside the Nesbitt home. Henford was the kind of place where no one locked their doors, which was a large reason why he'd wanted Heather and Lavender to spend an extra night in town.

He found his daughter cuddling with River's wife in one of the bedrooms. "Oh you're here!" said Cass warmly. Lavender smiled up at him, and he was happy to stumble on the two of them first. "Heather's still over at the Finchwick Winter Fair, but she should be back soon."

He took Lavender from her arms, sitting with her on Heather's childhood bunk bed until she fell asleep. He chuckled at a goofy selfie of Heather as a child hanging on the wall nearby. She was missing her front tooth, grinning wide in front of the statue of Sophie the Snail.

He smiled at their sleeping daughter, cuddled against his chest. No matter what Heather had to say to him when she got back from the fair, their love was strong enough to create someone perfect, and he held on to that belief as fear gripped him.

River and her parents had seemingly made themselves scarce - perhaps they were enjoying the fair, or maybe they were avoiding him. Whatever the reason, he cherished the quiet with his daughter. The calm before a possible storm.

At the Finchwick Winter Fair, Heather entered some of her homegrown dragonfruit into the produce competition, winning a first-place ribbon! She posed for a photo for the town's community notice board to celebrate her win, met her sister Hazel's boss, Mayor Varner, and even ran into her old acquaintance, Lucas Munch, who she'd failed to flirt with back in her teens.

"Lucas, hi! Did you and your girlfriend, Gabi, live happily ever after?"

He smiled. "We got married after she graduated and I moved to the Bramblewood with her and her parents. I love it here, and it's a great place to raise our son, Luka."

(The game decided the son of Lucas Munch and grandson of Paolo Rocca would be named Luka and I was all for it.)

"Luka's a nice name," said Heather kindly, but she was distracted thinking about home. She thought she'd seen Conrad's cruiser pull in behind her parents' place, but she stayed until the fair wound down, going for a spin on the ice rink for old time's sake. Open despite Henford's notoriously mild winters, Brindleton Bay never put up a rink, though she often wished for such a place to take her kids in their own hometown.

When she returned to her parents' home across the emptying village green, she found Conrad in the bedroom. Without a word, he put Lavender in the crib where Heather had slept as an infant and glanced hopefully in her direction.

"Let's go for a walk," she said. He followed easily. They made their way to a bench in a small park lined with stones and short greenery, and she was the first to start talking. "Your past doesn't upset me, Conrad. That you thought you couldn't share it with me is what made me so upset."

"I'm so sorry I lied to you. I was always just trying not to hurt you."

"I never thought I'd be the girl who broke her own promise to herself after my last relationships - if he ever lies, he's just not worth it - but I can forgive you. If you promise that nothing is too dark for us. I can handle anything, but we have to keep the kids safe together."

"I promise nothing is too dark or us. I know how strong you are, and I'm sorry."

"What do I need to know about the investigation?"

He took a deep breath. "George Brindleton's involved. He pulled security from the pier to show off and then a body turned up, so we're going to have to bring in some of his guy's for questioning."

"Did he try to show off because he was angry at us?"

Conrad shrugged. "It's the least of my concerns for now... Ximena's missing. She's the prime suspect, but they're going to put a police detail outside our house and the clinic until we find her, so there's no way she'll come around you or the kids."

"What about the school?"

"No one gets out to Deadgrass Isle without a boat, and every boat gets logged at every dock."

"John Brindleton made it to the island without being noticed."

"Heather, they check everyone who walks into the school."

"I can't believe this woman is making me fear for the lives of my kids. Who the hell does she think she is?"

"Right now she's desperate. If our suspicions are right she doesn't have anyone. Her one ally in the world is missing."

"And now no one's looking for him..."

He looked anxiously at his feet. "Actually...the captain put me on the case to look for Rafa. Officially."

She frowned. "I thought you were done with the case because it was too personal."

"I gave the captain a way to do this without opening an investigation into the cartel. He doesn't want me to lead but he wants me involved in case Ximena comes out of hiding and tries to find me."

"Conrad, what could she do to you?"

"She's not going to do anything to me, I swear to the Watcher. I promise you, Heather, we're going to find her and put her away where she belongs. And I'm going to find her brother. I need to."

Heather thought a moment, swallowing her anxiety in the face of his conviction. "The minute she reaches out to you, if she does, you have to tell me."

He stood from the bench, and she reached slowly for his outstretched hand. "I promise I will tell you."

They stayed outside for a while in the mild moonlit night, and Conrad finally had an opportunity to tell Heather about his wild night at Bella Goth's.

"I finally used her seance table to travel to the Realm of the Dead. I was hoping for guidance from the mentors but I relived my first year of college, instead. I didn't go to some new school, and Bella said this only happens when they want to send a warning."

Heather peeled back in fear, but he shook his head. "I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what the mentors wanted to show me, but after everything that's happened this weekend, I think they were trying to warn me about the body that turned up at the pier. And the way I make amends is by finding Rafa and putting Ximena behind bars."

"Conrad, I know you," said Heather. "Now that you don't have to hide anything, you'll figure it all out. You'll find Rafa and you'll be able to help him. And I'll help keep us all safe."

They returned home after everyone but Neal had gone to bed. He followed them inside with a smile, but Conrad felt a chill in his future father-in-law's demeanor. As they laid together on the pull out couch upstairs, Conrad turned to talk about it. "I think your dad and your brother might have a harder time forgiving me for this than you did."

Heather nodded. "I haven't told them anything about it, but River knows that you lied to his face, and my Dad's afraid you can't keep us safe. I tried to cover for you this morning, but they want to hear it from you."

He was up most of the night thinking about how to defeat Ximena. His mind drifted to Rafa, and who he might find to give insight into where he could be, but he couldn't come up with anything resembling a solid theory.

As dawn broke, he got up when he heard Lavender babbling in her crib. She enjoyed riding around in a carrier, staring at the world with curious delight, and he strapped her to his back. He found River in pajamas and they shared knowing glances. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was really going on. I couldn't tell you before I told Heather, but you made me see that I wasn't managing it and I'm glad you did."

"Even though backing out of the case made your ex leave a dead body out front of the Salty Paw?"

He froze. "Did your father eavesdrop on me and Heather last night?"

A gruff voice called from the other side of the door. "I was looking out for my daughter."

Conrad looked back to River with a helpless expression and River shrugged. "Put your ex behind bars and he'll believe you're keeping Heather and the kids safe," he said. Oblivious to the conversation, Lavender cooed happily in her seat behind Conrad's broad shoulders.

"That's the plan," Conrad assured him.

"Good. I'm not even that mad you lied to me, dude. Lies are bad, and they always cause trouble, but I just want to be sure they're not about to get caught up in something that has nothing to do with them. Heather loves you, but she didn't sign up for a life running from cartels."

"When I said I'd do anything to keep them safe, you have to know I wasn't lying about that."

"I know that," River said. "That's why I left your house knowing you were lying to me about everything else."

"You have my word. I won't rest until Ximena's behind bars and I can put her entirely in the past."

"I believe you, man. But...why are you still in your work clothes?"

"I honestly haven't really slept much. I need a shower before I put on something clean."

(I told you, I like him in this outfit! Shameless.)

Having made amends with Heather and River, Conrad was determined to win back Neal's respect, and his own peace of mind, by ensuring Ximena got what she deserved. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

NOTE: Heather really did go to the fair, met the latest mayor, chatted with Lucas, and won first place for her fruit, but I was bad at taking photos and jumping between too many sims. When it was time to restage for better shots in the photo save they were too far away from another fair so I used TOOL to place a stand but couldn't feasibly restage everything and couldn't get the dragon fruit to place on the stand with TOOL and gave up.

TOWNIE TREE NOTE: Lucas Munch married Gabi Rocca-Chopra, daughter of Lavina Chopra and Paolo Rocca. She's a half-sister of Rahul, who's still living happily with Bella's onetime bartender boyfriend, Diego, after his wife Rashidah died of heatstroke and left him a widower. Rahul's daughter, Thomasine, married Heather's former, mediocre vet tech Marcus Flex, and they live somewhere.

Rahul and Gabi have another brother (also Lavina and Paolo's) named Rocco. Rocco married Rikissa, the third daughter of Bjorn and Clara Bjergsen (also born in game), and thus far they're the only sims to have triplets in this save. Glad I'm not playing them tbh. 😂

Lucas' brother Wolfgang is married to Everett Pancakes' younger brother Kash and they live together in Brindleton Bay with Wolfgang's elderly mother, Mila. Lucas and Wolfgang's eldest brother, Gunther, married Catarina Lynx and they have three redheaded daughters - Felina, Yasmine, and Lindsey.

WCIF Poses Used? @helgatisha's Model Poses 21 posepack (pose 15) next to the stand where the dragon fruit is supposed to be. It's fine that the dragonfruit defeated me, Heather looks ️‍🔥 in the shot, anyway. For the conversation on the bench I used @simmerianne93's Conversation posepack 5, and I think it looks fantastic! Really suits the mood of their conversation, for me. Thank you creators, for sharing your creations, as always! 🙏

[fallstaticexit]

Siblings are siblings no matter what age they are.

Prev / Next

Mateo: (using sign language) Eat?

Lyric: I know baby, it’s almost done. Good job using sign to let me know, Mateo!

Lyric: *snorts* Uncle Light Skin finally returning my call.

Mel: Don’t yell. I know I’ve been slacking with reaching out.

Lyric: Now I know where your kids get it from. Am I the only one in this family who knows how a phone works?

Mel: It’s just, I’ve been b-

Lyric: And you better not give me the ‘I’ve been busy’ excuse; we’re all busy, Mr. Showtime. Just call your sister. That’s all.

Lyric: So, what’s going on? Looks like you made it back to Sulani. How’s that going? How’s Loren and Maeve?

Mel: *sighs* Long story. We’re leaving a little earlier than planned. Going to see Adie, Ri, and dad.

Lyric: Did something happen?

Mel: I’ll tell you about it later...

Lyric: Are you sure, Mel?

Mel: I’m sure, sis.

Lyric: You know how I used to have visions when we were kids? Mom said they were just hyperactive dreams, but I saw things, and you and Sonny always believed me.

Mel: Yeah, I remember.

Lyric: I was with our grandmothers this time. All of them. They want us all to be together, Mel. I don’t think we’re supposed to be spread out all over the world and apart for so long.

Mel: I think in a perfect world, we could make that happen.

Lyric: Then why don’t we? Hell, Olive lives in the same city as me and I see her maybe every few months?

Mel: Hold on, Sonny’s calling.

Sonny: Mel- *static* can you hear me? *barking* *snarling*

Mel: Bro, what the hell? Are you doing wolf stuff? Just call me back!

Sonny: What? *howling* *more static*

Mel: *laughs* Henford’s service is so ass, Sonny. How did you survive 20 plus years out there?

Sonny: See, that’s the difference between me and you, City Boy. All I need is wide, open country. That’s the secret to not having patchy facial hair, by the way.

Mel: Yeah, alright. Tell your mama that.

Sonny: Come on man...don’t talk about moms...

Mel: Hold on, I’m gonna add Lyr to the call.

Mel: Look who’s here.

Sonny: Sup, big sis!

Lyric: Woooow, hey stranger! Why do you look so mangy?

Sonny: Sun’s settin’. That’s when me and the pack get to work. Caught a bloodsucker on our property, so I got the boys tearin’ it to shreds now.

Lyric: ...ew.

Lyric: Weeeell, since we’re all here, now I can finally ask—which one of yall narrow asses be telling mom my business?

Sonny: I mean...I might of mentioned things. Mama calls everyday- she get’s lonely...

Mel: Sonny!

Lyric: I knew it!

Mel: Come on, man. That’s like sibling code 101!

Sonny: Well, shit! Maybe it’s the wolf in me that gave me this undying loyalty to my own mama...

Lyric: No, it’s the brat in you, mama’s boy.

Mel: *laughs* Lyr, remember when Sonny was like 6 and he would snitch on everything we did unless it included him?

Lyric: Mhm. And he use to cry when we wouldn’t. He still does.

Sonny: Come on, yall…

[theplottdump]

ＳＩＤＥ ＰＬＯＴＴ - Ｇ Ａ Ｍ ＥＰＬＡＹ ＳＰＡ Ｍ - 𝙶𝚎𝚗 𝟼: 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝙺𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝙿𝚕𝚘𝚝𝚝? -

ohmygod

Hinoki: 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘦𝘦! Kale: Ehh. Hi Mom.

Hinoki: You carry so much bigger than your sister! You know you can jog through your first trimester right darling? Kale: Eugh- What are you doing here?

Hinoki: Well I was looking into some records, and I saw that you moved from Henford! And when you started answering my texts, I immediately knew something was up. So I called in a few favors and tracked you down! Kale: Shi-

Hinoki: And this must be your sperm donor!

Townie Dave: Uh hi- Hinoki: Oh no dear, no need for any of that. Kale: Mom… Hinoki: His eyes are a bit wide set, and 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡- We don't want the child to have prawn eyes. We can always edit the baby in CAS. But a ginger! And that chin! Yes, we can work with this. Kyle bring the bags! Kale: Kyle…?

Hinoki: Now I'm thinking - Pool Birth. Very natural. And we can save some of the water to give out as party favors. Kale: Why is Kyle here? Hinoki: Oh he's my new assistant! Kale: What happened to Billie? Hinoki: Who?

Kyle: I'm great with kids. Townie Dave: Right…

Hinoki insisted on moving into Kale's room to dote on her offspring so Townie Dave got shunted to Milkshake's enclosure.

𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗲: Alright if we're going to be roommates we have to set some ground rules. Rule Number 1 - Don't eat me or I'll reap your plant soul. Whatever that interaction means.

Hinoki: You know your father was a SulSulSimSamSim. Now that was some Fine Breeding. Kale: Good Morning Mother. Hinoki: Good Morning Darling. Townie Dave.

Townie Dave is having a rougher second day on the job. It's hard dealing with a surprise visit from your soon to be mother-in-law who seems to hate you, and learning that death is quite literally always looming over one shoulder.

But he's kind of growing on me tho

Thanks Dad.

Kyle's just excited for some screentime.

Kyle: 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘸. You really can control any sim with this mod…

Kyle: So you're an Author? Toni: Aspiring. I like writing children's books. Kyle: The only thing I'm good at writing is pick up lines. Like- if we were ghosts, I'd totally be your boo.

Toni: (Laugh) That's awful- do those really work?

Kyle: Depends, did I raise your spirits?

Townie Dave: Thought I'd find you hiding in here. Kale: I don't know if you've noticed, but my mother is sort of - a lot. Townie Dave: Aren't all mothers? Kale: Probably.

Kale: There's something I wanted to tell you. I made it to the last week of the Reaper Rewards. A few more gourmet cooking skill points and I'll be making Ambrosia. Townie Dave: That's amazing! Kale: But I wanted to ask-

Townie Dave: You want me to die. Kale: Only temporarily! To test the recipe. Townie Dave: What if it glitches out and doesn't work properly? Kale: We'll improvise. Townie Dave: So you knew how this was going to go? The whole time?

Kale: Dave, no. It- it was always going to happen somehow. And this might be crazy enough to work. Dave: Fine- but I have some final requests.

Townie Dave: #1 I wanna meet our kid before I go.

Townie Dave: #2 And when I do come back and I will- we go to the courthouse, graveyard, whatever, and we promise each other- whether in Life or Death, we're going to hold on tight and never let go.

Townie Dave: And #3 I never have to sleep down here again. 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘭?

Kale: 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹.

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[igglemouse]

My day starts with my paper delivery job. Oh, yes, I guess I never mentioned that I do have a new job? Just something to supplement my jewelry thing as a little extra income never hurts and the job is easy enough. Drop papers at doorsteps and move on, that's it!

When I do make it home I find a surprising little bowl of stew sitting right on my counter. This must be the work of Niklas, who else would randomly do me a kindness like this? My only question is, did he make it with magic or cook it by hand?

And hey, whether it was made with a dash of magic or pure culinary skill it was pretty good all the same! Seriously, what doesn't he do? Maybe he's just showing off at this point.

In the middle of my meal Niklas strolls out of my restroom, as if he lives here, mind you, and asks if I'm enjoying the food. Honestly, yes, I am. Okay, alright, it's about a 6 out of 10 but it gets 2 bonus points simply because I didn't make it.

"So did you sprinkle a bit of magic in it?" I can't help but ask, it's a harmless question, but I imagine if I could make my dishes better with magic, I would.

"No? I mean I guess I could but-"

"Could you make the perfect meal with a touch of magic?"

"I guess you could? Never tried it though," he admits and from the look on his i can tell he's never really thought about it. He really doesn't like using his magic, huh?

"You really don't like using your watcher given abilities, do you?" I can't help but shake my head as he's made that very clear. It's a little frustrating. Having so much power at the tips of your fingertips and denying it all.

"Honestly, Grace, the whole bit is overrated."

"You keep saying that and yet just last night you waved your hands around and poof, clean tub. Just that alone is amazing."

But he's not convinced, he's shaking his head as if I don't get it at all and takes a deep breath before continuing. "The Realm and all it deals with is not only overrated but dangerous. The regular person lives a nice and safe calm life while we? Well, we could be called upon to face horrors you could never imagine."

"Well..." I falter behind his gaze just a bit because who wouldn't when facing unimaginable horrors? "I umm, yeah, I guess it's that whole great power great responsibility thing then."

"It's exactly like that."

"Alright then...but still, I don't see anything wrong with a little sprinkle of magic to make a pasta just a pinch better."

"I could try, mess up, and accidentally poison your food and you'd be in the hospital right now instead of just eating an average bowl of soup."

Ok, I guess I get his point.

So the man wants the normal life. I can't blame him for that. It sounds like he wants to just move to Henford and live out the rest of his days there or something, I don't know. Again, I can't blame him for that but personally...I'd like to be able to do something magical. I guess it is true, you always want what you can't have, unlesssss you want to soak in milk I guess and relax. You can absolutely have that.

Magic or no magic I am handling my bills pretty well. Thankfully, this place isn't too pricey so I can manage. It always feels good to have things under control financially.

Especially when I can sell a piece of jewelry for 1k. It's not a fortune in the grand scheme of things but it's enough to cover rent and still have simoleons left over. A little breathing room helps!

Hopefully this little ring will sell!

With the rain pouring down outside I can only decide to settle at my computer for the evening and dive into video games. There really isn't much else to do in my little place especially with Niklas off doing whatever he does. So it should be a quiet and peaceful night. Just me, the rain, and my laptop.

At least that was the plan but it looks like I'll be having a late night visitor.

Standing at my doorstep in the middle of a storm is none other than Lilja, the vampire I met earlier in the spring. Our first meeting was strange and now I can't help but wonder what brings her here on this rainy night. It's hard to tell from her expression as it is completely neutral and her eyes, cold and seemingly lifeless, stare right through me.

"So, may I?"

"Come in, you mean?" I ask, stupidly. Of course she needs an invitation. She's a vampire. "Y-yes, I guess so."

"Thank you."

"So, you're not going to like abuse my invitation, are you?"

Lilja chuckles softly at my question, amused in that delicate way of hers. "No, if I wanted to take you then you would have been taken," she says with precision. Perhaps she's right. I have been a little casual with my night time activities but she has made it clear that she's not out to harm me.

"So, then," I take a steady breath and gather my courage. "What brings you here? Despite the fact that I don't remember giving you my address or anything." But I'm sure she's been stalking me. Vampires are natural born stalkers, I might not know much about them but I do know that.

"Did you know that there was a ward put up around your house?" she asks that question with a tilt to her head, as if she is testing me.

"What? Yeah, a magician friend put one up, I'm not sure why-"

"Friend huh?" She gives me a knowing look. Does she know about Niklas? "It was a very weak ward but it did tingle just a little bit, it seems your wards are...weakening."

"Yeah, he's..." I trail off but then stop myself. Why am I explaining this? "Are you stalking me?"

"Watching you, did you forget our deal?"

"I..." guess I have. "Can you remind me again?"

"The blood magic," she says, watching me, her eyes intent and focused upon my expressions. "Do you remember?" and so it comes back to me, the deal, the offer of her maker willing to teach me blood magic. It felt theoretical at the time but now it feels much more concrete.

"I-, yes, I do remember now. Is it difficult to learn?"

"No, just costly."

"Costly? May I ask why you're willing to do this? What is in it for you and your umm...maker?"

"Everything," the weight of that word brings silence and for a moment I'm not sure what else to say. "The Realm have hunted our kind to near extinction and only the help of a blood witch can save us now."

"Oh," so am I the chosen one? "You can't just find someone else?"

"It is in your blood, your mother-"

"Yes, yes, she was a blood witch, I know."

"I am inviting you back to the castle," she says, and I'm reminded me that she had warned me against coming back because her maker might attack me again and she sees that concern and memory in my eyes. "He rests still, he is still weak. He needs...blood."

"Umm, yeah, sure, since you are inviting me I guess, does Saturday work."

"Yes, sounds perfect."

I'm not sure what the time is but I am getting a little uncomfortable with her here. "Umm, now, it's getting kind of late for me so if you don't mind..."

Episode List - Next Episode 3.4

[monocledostrich-ccfinds]

☆ Tales of Reverie Legacy Challenge ☆

Welcome to a new legacy challenge!

This is the official page for the Tales of Reverie Legacy Challenge made by me: monocledostrich.

Do you ever get tired of playing the same things over and over again in the Sims? Because I often find myself in those situations. So I decided to make my own legacy challenge and add a ton of drama and chaos and use elements of the game I never use. This legacy challenge will hold equal parts chaos and wholesomeness. Each generation is different. And I really wanted to use gameplay that I never have before, so I’m excited to play through. So if that seems like it's up your alley, this is the legacy for you.

PSA

At the end of the day, this is just a challenge. If you don't like something change it in your own gameplay. If you want to skip a generation, feel free. It's entirely up to you how your story plays out.

I like to play my game realistically and include real life issues. If you don't want to add those into your own gameplay that is more than okay.

I will be updating the google doc which will have a list of each generation's goals as I write more gen’s and play this challenge for myself. Make sure to save the google doc via File > Make A Copy to stay up to date!

Tag your posts with #TalesofReverieLC so I can see them! Use the same tag on the gallery so I can see your simmies!

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RULES

No money cheats allowed (unless specifically mentioned in each gen) because we love a struggle.

You must complete the stated goals for each gen to fully complete it.

You must play on Normal lifespan. I have mine altered in MC Command Center to allow for more realistic gameplay. I recommend using 7 or 14 day seasons in game.

Upon succession you may cheat the age of your heir back to day 0 if you feel like you need to in order to better complete their generation. I, however, love a struggle.

You may use ONE potion of youth per generation, but only if you really feel like you need to in order to complete the challenge. But if you have updated your lifespan days you shouldn't need to use it.

You can purchase any trait rewards from the rewards store at your leisure. Excluding the money tree.

If you wish to use modded traits rather than in game traits that is perfectly acceptable. Just ensure they are very similar to the required in game traits for each gen. 

This challenge uses pretty much all of the packs, however I have omitted several things that I personally do not like playing with (such as the N.A.P system from Eco Lifestyle and Batuu).

Mods are most definitely encouraged. I use a variety to improve gameplay. In fact, a lot of this challenge includes mods. You in no way have to use them and can take out specific goals that require them if you do not want to use mods. However, I highly recommend them.

Most importantly, have fun with this challenge. Change any rules you don’t like. Skip generations, make up your own. Go wild. This is just a guideline for gameplay. A challenge you will hopefully enjoy. At the end of the day the goal is to have fun gameplay.

SUCCESSION RULES

HEIR SELECTION

Heirs can be any of the offspring of your previous gen. It is purely based on your preference alone. UNLESS it is specifically stated in the gen goals. (In some cases it specifically states which child must be the heir).

SUCCESSION

Succession occurs once all of your previous gen’s goals have been completed, or once they become an Elder.

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CHECKLIST

You can find the checklist for the challenge goals here. I won't be updating this tumblr post much, so make sure to check out the google doc to stay up to date.

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GEN 1

Your whole life you have dreamt of having a garden blooming with flowers. With nothing tying you to your hometown, you move onto an empty plot of land amidst the lush greenery of Henford-on-Bagley. Only, you never realised how expensive your dream was. All you have are the clothes on your back, a dingy tent, and $0 to your name. But all dreams start somewhere, right? You spend your days foraging, gardening, and flower arranging until you can afford to build your own cottage that you cover with plants and cosy decor. You begin to cultivate your land, grow lush gardens, and slowly build the orchard of your dreams. But something is missing from your life. You’ve always idealised love, but it’s hard to meet anyone when your farm keeps you so busy. So, you turn to your friends for advice. 

You go on several blind dates but no one seems to have the same ideals as you. Until your best friend sets you up with the most alluring person you have ever seen. There’s just something about them, with their rugged looks and serious yet warm personality that lures you in. The only downfall is, they’re only in town for a few days. But you decide to make the most of the short time you’ll spend together and have a fleeting summer fling. They leave and you never think you’ll see them again. It isn’t until they’re gone that you find out you’re pregnant. With no way to contact them, you decide to raise your child alone. Years pass, and your past threatens to unravel the reverie you have found yourself in when your summer fling returns. You’ve made a life for yourself. Your garden is flourishing, all your dreams are coming true, and you have a child you adore above all else. You have everything you’ve always wanted. Except love.

Do you tell your summer fling about their child and start a life with them, or do you find love elsewhere? Only YOU can decide your fate.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Loves Outdoors 

Generous 

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Country Caretaker

SKILLS

Gardening

Flower Arranging

Nectar Making

CAREER

None

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 2

Growing up, you find it difficult to make friends. Your only true friends are your parents, siblings, and the animals you grew up with. Your whole life you have admired your parents' fierce love for one another. All you want in life is to find someone who loves you like that, but it’s hard when you are so clumsy and quiet. During high school you fall for one of your classmates. They are your first love. Your first kiss. You even sneak out the night before prom and share your first woohoo with them. You are excited about what the future holds and imagine a life with them, but your dreams are squashed when you catch them cheating on you during prom.

Heartbroken, you blame yourself for your partner’s infidelity. You finish school and move to the city with your sibling. You bury yourself in baked goods and dream of opening your own bakery. You push love to the back of your mind, swear off dating and relationships altogether, and vow to remain celibate until marriage, not wanting to ever go through the pain and hardship of your last relationship again. But upon your bakery’s opening day, you happen to meet the most attractive, down to earth person you have ever met. You instantly feel a connection, but you distance yourself, afraid of getting hurt again. As time passes, this person continues to buy your baked goods and you soon become friends.

Time is quickly running out for you to have a family, and that thought is ever present in your mind. But one day, as you’re planning to go on your first date in years, your friend comes to you and professes their feelings for you. You decide to hazard a risk and go out with them. It is the best decision of your life. You achieve all your dreams. You have a bustling bakery, a loving spouse, and beautiful children you raise in the kitchen. Your home is filled with light and love. It is chaotic and messy, but you embrace it as a family. You grow old and wrinkly with your spouse, glad that you took a chance on love all those years ago.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Foodie

Clumsy

Choose another

ASPIRATION

Soulmate

SKILLS

Baking

Knitting

Cross Stitch

CAREER

Baker. Either:

Open your own bakery.

Install a baker career mod.

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 3

Anger has always come easily to you. You find it hard to express your emotions despite having such a loving, supportive family. Your parents encourage you to find an outlet for your anger, so you try many different hobbies, until you find your true passion in cooking. As a teen, you quickly realise you don’t just want to cook, you want to be the best chef in town. You start a Simstagram, where you post photos of your delicious creations, and quickly gain a following. When you finish school, you run off to become a famous chef. It isn’t until you suffer through long hours and painful bosses that you realise you have no desire to be managed. So, you quit your job and open your own restaurant. You quickly gain the fame you desired all these years. 

There’s only one problem. There is a petulant food critic that constantly feels the need to write bad reviews about your restaurant. Nothing enrages you more, and you finally have enough and confront them. You let your anger get the best of you. As do they. But through your anger, you realise there is something much deeper at work here. You end up having a one night stand. You hate how badly you want them, and flee the scene. But it happens again, and again, until finally one of you snaps and reveals you want more than just passionate fun. Your whole life you never expected to fall for someone like them. You move in together and start talking about the future, and kids. You find out you’re expecting, but just as your partner is about to propose, a freak accident takes them from you.

You have never felt such pain, and quickly spiral into depression. You lose all the fame you worked so hard to achieve and cannot even imagine going on. It isn’t until you look into your child’s eyes—the same eyes as your partner—that you realise they would have wanted their child to achieve all their dreams. You pull yourself from your depression, determined to be a good role model for your child. You strive for your ambition and raise your child to believe any dream is possible. You never reclaim your fame, but you work tirelessly in your restaurant and raise your child within its walls. You vow to never love again after what happened to your partner, and you never do. Your love for your child—the child you and your partner created together—is more than enough. At least, that’s what you tell yourself every night.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Creative

Hot Headed

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Appliance Whiz

Master Chef

SKILLS

Cooking

Gourmet Cooking

Photography

CAREER

Culinary — Chef

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 4

Your whole life you have striven for one thing — your ambition. You saw the way your parent dominated in their career, and you want the same for yourself. You’ve always wanted to be a world famous journalist, so upon graduating high school you set off for university and don't look back. You’ve never wanted a family, and after hearing the tale of your parents' love and how hard it was for your parent to move on, you become determined to never let anything distract you from your career aspirations. So, you vow to live with detachment, to never form meaningful relationships with the romantic partners in your life. Especially once you graduate and get the job of your dreams. You hyper focus on work, love every aspect of it, and even go to work on your off hours. If anyone is a workaholic it’s you. Nothing will hold you back.

But after the condom breaks during one wild woohoo session with one of your many situationships, and you find out you’re pregnant, you think your life is over. You never wanted a child, especially this early in your career. You have a rough pregnancy, which forces you to take a step back from work and be passed over for promotions. Once your child is born, you can barely stand to look at them. You hire a full-time nanny to raise them so you can focus on your career. You know you’ll never have a good relationship with your child. Every time you see them you’re reminded of everything they cost you.

It isn’t until you enter Adulthood that you realise doing nothing but work isn’t what life is about. You find yourself burning out. You have a midlife crisis and develop the sudden desire to not only be the best at your job, but to have the best family. You realise your fears of attachment and love were only holding you back from the happiness you deserve. You meet someone, marry and decide to start your family. You’re determined to be a good mother to your children, feeling guilty for how you treated your firstborn. But it’s too late to fix it now, especially when you can barely look them in the eye. You try to make up for it with your new family, to have the career and the family of your dreams in one neatly bundled package.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Ambitious

Perfectionist

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Neighbourhood Confidante

SKILLS

Writing

Charisma

CAREER

Writer — Journalist

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 5

You grew up to believe you didn’t deserve love. You never have lasting relationships because you constantly sabotage them any time anyone gets too close. You spend your days as a child drawing and painting, and making up stories with your imaginary friends. Your closest friendship was with your oversized pal Blarffy. Your relationship with your mother is strained and always will be. You know she will never be able to look at you without seeing a disappointment. You don’t get along with your half siblings. Mainly because you’ve always been jealous of the love and attention they received compared to you. And despite your step-parent trying to be kind to you, you always knew they would never accept you as their own.

As a teen, you get the amazing opportunity to travel to Tomarang with a few classmates and you jump at the chance. Your mother barely even knows you’re there, and has no issue sending you off to a foreign country. While in Tomarang you absolutely fall in love with the culture and know you want to come back one day. When you return home it’s as if you were never gone. As soon as you receive your college acceptance letter, you move out, determined to never return again. At a university party, you meet a fellow student who you have great compatibility with. You start to develop feelings. They treasure you and make you believe you’re worth the world. You fall hard, and when they propose after graduation you say yes instantly. You move into a big beautiful house in the perfect neighbourhood. You talk about your future plans, about children, and what your lives will look like after you're married. But as wedding preparations take over, you feel yourself starting to grow distant. Your fears rise up and take control. You end up having a one night stand with your fiancé’s best man the night before the wedding. When it comes time to walk down the aisle, your emotions get the best of you and you realise you can’t do this, that your fiancé deserves better, so you leave them at the altar and run away to Tomarang. It isn’t until you’re settled that you find out you’re pregnant, and you don’t know who the father is — your ex-fiancé or their best friend.

You decide to raise your child alone. But when your child is heading off to high school you bring them along when you return to the town you planned to settle down in all those years ago. You’re only in town for a couple of days, for an art showcase at a new gallery. You never expected in all your wildest dreams that you would stumble across your ex-fiancé at the same event. Do you reconnect, or will old wounds hinder your chance for redemption?

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Loner

Socially Awkward

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Fount of Tomarani Knowledge

SKILLS

Painting

Photography

CAREER

Freelancer — Digital Artist

Painter — Patron of the Arts

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 6

Your childhood was far from ordinary. Raised to seek adventure, you quickly discover your love of foreign cultures and desire to learn more. As a child you are very inquisitive and constantly find yourself mesmerised by ancient civilisations. Every time your parent travels for work you go off and explore, thrilled by every new adventure that awaits you. It’s no wonder that after you visit Selvadorada you dream of returning.

When you leave home for university you throw yourself into your studies, but in your spare time you research everything there is to know about Selvadorada. You don’t get involved in any clubs or groups, preferring your solitude. After graduation, you take a week-long vacation to Selvadorada, and are determined to uncover its secrets. You work hard as a professor, while pursuing your true passion. Archaeology. You’re barely ever home, and are always on the move. You seek adventure at every turn. You write scholarly papers about your archeological finds and become quite well known in your field. But during your next visit to Selvadorada you find yourself in a tricky situation. A local happens upon you and rescues you from certain doom. Your relationship with this person starts off rocky, but as you find yourself in more and more tricky situations you slowly start to develop feelings for this person. You’ve never given much thought to love or romance after seeing how content your parent was raising you alone, but you can’t deny the feelings blossoming within you. You never think in your wildest dreams that the feeling is mutual. Until one day everything changes.

You start to achieve everything you ever dreamed of. You have a gorgeous spouse, a big, beautiful house decorated with strange artefacts, and a brood of bright children. But your career is weighing you down. So, you quit your job to pursue your passion full time. You focus on your family and realise your own education was far from normal. You never had any friends growing up since you travelled so much, and you don’t want that same upbringing for your children. You still take them with you on vacations, but you also ensure they are happy, and raise them to focus on their passions.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Self Assured

Adventurous

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Archaeology Scholar

SKILLS

Archaeology

Selvadoradian Culture

Research & Debate

CAREER

Education — Professor

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 7

From a young age, you often feel lonely. Travelling with your family so much limited your ability to form deep connections. Your only true friends were the strays you convinced your parents to adopt. You find forming relationships with people difficult, whereas with animals you find relationships come with ease. As soon as you find out meat comes from the animals you love so dearly, you become a vegetarian, and dream of becoming a vet so you can help all the animals in need.

As a teen, your parents try to get you to come out of your shell. You join afterschool activities but feel even more isolated than before. It isn’t until you move out of home, adopt several pets, and start working as a vet that you meet the love of your life. You fall madly in love, and eventually move in together. Everything feels easy with them. It isn’t until you fall pregnant that your partner informs you they never want children, and in fact, hate them. You argue about your unborn child, your different life goals, and they try to convince you to terminate. Eventually, you separate angrily.

Alone in the world, pregnant and afraid, you throw yourself into baby preparations. You move to a bigger house, decorate the child’s nursery, and attend every appointment and class you can. You never think you will find love again after the travesty of last time, so when you bump into an insanely attractive doctor at the hospital when you have your first trimester appointment you think nothing of it. But this doctor keeps showing up everywhere. You see them around the hospital, and even around town. You find the situation ironic and agree to meet them for coffee. Eventually, you become close, and they even accompany you to your birth since you don’t want to be alone. After your child is born, they reveal they have feelings for you. You start dating, cautious of love this soon after your last relationship, but everything soon aligns. Your partner treats your first child as if they are their own, and soon adopts them to make it official. You marry and have more kids, and quickly achieve the life you always envisioned — a big, beautiful house filled with cosy, coastal decor, a brood of wonderful children, and numerous pets you pamper with love.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Animal Enthusiast

Vegetarian

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Friend of the Animals

SKILLS

Veterinarian

Pet Training

CAREER

Veterinarian

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 8

You always felt special, especially as a child. You grew up loved and cherished, and that is well reflected in your childhood accomplishments. But when you find out your biological father abandoned you before you were even born, you endeavour to find out why. When you find him, you’re hopeful that he will give you an explanation as to why he didn’t want you, but you get the complete opposite. After realising how unwanted you were it turns you bitter. You know your parents love you, but you can’t stop the true feelings of your biological father from hindering your emotions. You become obsessed with academics after this, needing a distraction from the bitterness and jealousy swelling within. You can’t help but feel that you’re an outcast among your siblings, being the only one not biologically related to your father. You feel as if you aren’t a real member of your family, and quickly find your jealousy of your siblings consuming you.

You work hard, get into a distinguished degree, and become determined to have the career of your dreams. Using your parents as inspiration, you strive to become a doctor just like the man who raised you. You swear off all romantic and sexual encounters, not wanting to bring a child into this world unless you have a partner fully devoted to them. You never get into a relationship, and it isn’t until you make it big as a renowned doctor that you feel butterflies for the most unexpected person. It is against the rules to fraternise with this person, but you can’t help it when you feel such chemical attraction for them. You share your first kiss at work, and find yourself in steamy situations during work hours often. You tell yourself to stop, but you can’t deny the feelings blooming within you. Before anything goes any further, you sit them down and discover they, too, want everything you do. A big family, a house in the suburbs, children who excel at everything thrown at them. 

You have a huge traditional wedding, and start your family. Your need to prove your high IQ forces a pressure on your children. You have strict rules and all children must follow them. You seek excellence from your children, determined to have a successful lineage. All of this determination may have stemmed from the complete rejection of your biological father, and you let this completely rule how you raise your own family. You will only accept excellence, and anything below that is not acceptable in your house. You’re certain this is the best—and only—way to raise your family.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Jealous

Proper

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Successful Lineage

SKILLS

Logic

Parenting

CAREER

Doctor

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 9

All you wanted your entire life is to make your parents proud. You are a classic overachiever, and feel compelled to do everything possible to ensure you live up to the high standards of your family. You keep your grades well above average, participate in extracurricular activities, and never let your personal feelings affect your life. You only go on dates with people your parents approve of, but something feels off. No one you date interests you in the least. You begin to wonder if something is wrong with you. Especially when you head off to university and still feel no attraction to the opposite sex. You only realise you are gay when you share a kiss with someone of the same sex during a college party. 

You deny your feelings because you know your parents would never approve. So, once you finish university and enter a career in business, knowing that is what your parents would want for you, you let them set you up on another date. Only, this time you really try to feel all the things you should. You marry this person. They become your best friend. You wonder whether this is what marriage is about. Friendship. You’re content with your life. You have a child, a beautiful home, a high powered career, but something is missing from your life. 

It isn’t until you attend a work function and meet the most stunning person and share a heated moment with them that you long for change. You feel guilty because your spouse is the gentlest, kindest person, and you know they don’t deserve this. So, you come out to them. You come to the realisation that you can’t live your life to please others anymore. You want to embrace your true self and find your true passion. You may be afraid of what your family will think, but you have spent too long hiding in the shadows. Will all your dreams come true, or will your life come crumbling down around you?

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Overachiever

Neat

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Academic

SKILLS

Charisma

Fabrication

Entrepreneur

CAREER

Business — Investor

Freelance Crafter

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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GEN 10

You grew up with the perfect childhood, but when a bombshell rocks your family everything around you threatens to crumble. Finding out your parent is gay is harder for you than you expected; especially because it leads to questions about your existence. You can’t help but wonder why you were born at all if your parents didn’t love each other. You crave attention from your parent, and when you don’t receive it, you act out. You fall in with a bad crowd, start breaking the rules, and finding any high you can to feel something. Your discrepancies get you expelled from high school. You refuse to return, and run away to the city to pursue your true passion — acting. Only, your dream seems a little far-fetched. You can’t even get a gig, so you sing on the streets for money. When you finally do start to make a name for yourself as an actor, you become known as the wildcard, constantly hosting and attending parties and sleeping your way to the top.

On New Year's Eve, you attend a party at a co-workers mansion, get drunk, and sleep with three different men. But your life comes crashing to a halt when you find out you’re pregnant. You immediately find out the paternity and tell the father, only he completely dismisses you. Afraid to do this alone, you seek out one of the other men you slept with and tell him the baby is his. Out of obligation, you marry. You give up your career to raise your family. You have more kids and watch your husband succeed, fighting the bitter jealousy boiling within you. Any romance you once had fizzles. Eventually you find out he’s cheating on you, so you divorce, take half his fortune with you, and move back to the city. To make up for the absence of their father, you spoil your children. You decorate your lavish penthouse with luxurious purchases, buy your children everything they want, and return to your career, quickly making your way to the top. You tell yourself everything happens for a reason, and become content with your new life, even if all you want is someone to share it with.

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STARTING INFO

TRAITS

Party Animal

Dance Machine

Choose another

ASPIRATIONS

Master Actor

SKILLS

Dancing

Singing

Acting

CAREER

Actor

GOALS

See the google doc for this gen's goals.

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EDIT :: All future generations of this challenge will be added to the google doc. I won't be updating this post any further. To see all the current generations make sure to make a copy of the doc (which is updated quite regularly).

☆ ALL GENERATIONS HERE ☆

[ethicaltreatmentofcowplants]

sulani: set sometime after this

cw: while i tried to deal with it in a light way (without trivialising the issue), this does allude to consent. nothing happens, everyone’s wishes are respected, and no one is persuaded/pressured to do anything. just in case the subject may understandably be triggering for some though.

(also while I did my best with @akitasimblr's leo harper - or rather my homebrand cc free knock-off - nothing he does is canon unless Ana says it is!)

* * *

"Looking good, Leo. Why, thank you, you handsome devil. Have to say, Ms. “I’ve done more mucking out than messing around” was not the contestant I was expecting this call from. But we all saw her in that bikini. I would hardly refuse."

It was at this moment, Araminta knew that she had fucked up.

(Oooh, he is going to hate me. And completely ruin my chances with Dodo, if not my entire reputation simply out of spite. I know his type too well. Still, Minty. An explanation is owed - and an apology. You come from two long lines of royalty, so you must have a spine somewhere. Find it.)

"I have to say, this was an unexpected surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Can I get you anything? There’s a chardonnay chilling that will knock your socks off. And a few other things too, but we can take our time with that."

"..."

"Uh, Minty? I assume we’re on pet name terms, or we’re about to be. If it’s the chardonnay, I can have something else brought up."

"... .... ...."

"Listen, between you and me, when you get us five star celebrities between the sheets? We’re just Some Guy. Well, some of us anyway. I have it on good authority that Thorne Bailey for example is the worst woohoo. Like not even one star. So don’t be nervous! Assuming that you’re nervous because it’s me." 

(cue Leo's own math lady meme moment)

"Orrrr are you nervous because you’ve changed your mind - and you don’t know how to tell me?"

(looks up at him hopefully)

"Well, I’m taking anything other than shoving me onto the bed as a resounding ‘no, I’m not into this anymore.’ Why don’t I check on that chardonnay, and you take a moment? If I end up having the entire bottle to myself, that’s okay."

"See? It was fine. You are fine. Pull yourself together, Araminta."

* * *

"I… didn’t mean to text you. Your profile pictures look exactly the same."

"Funny how that works. So, you thought that you were texting my brother? And in spite of having at your fingertips the hottest commodity in the entire Simsverse - ie. my own personal private number - you decided that you’d rather attempt a night of passion with that doofus instead?"

"Well... yes?"

(leaves unsaid that there wasn't even a decision to be made. also - ahem. dodo is not a doofus, thank you.)

"But Watcher, everyone knows that I’m the sexy twin!"

(tactful silence)

"I am so terribly sorry, Leo. And quite frankly, mortified. I’d tear up my contract right now if I could."

"Contracts don’t work like that, Princess. Trust me. Don’t sweat it. It’s nothing to leave the challenge over. I can’t promise that I won’t laugh at you later or bring it up on the show at some point, but apart from you being a boring do-gooder, we’re cool. Deep breaths."

"I did, er, bring some wine myself. It’s an aged Chestnut Ridge red from our cellar, and I had thought that Dodo-"

"Totally wasted on him. Give me that."

"Thank you, by the way, for being so nice about this."

"Nice? Ha. I thought you lived on some Henford estate, not beneath a rock. But I’m not a creep. If you don’t one hundred percent want to be here, then I don’t want you here. Period. Go downstairs and get a massage or something. It looks like you need it."

"I may do just that."

"Wait - let’s check that you have my brother’s number right. You may have picked the wrong twin, but there’s nothing wrong with your taste in wine. And if you and Dodo don’t work out, then I’m always happy to mentor a promising up-and-comer." (winks)

"I’ll, uh, bear in mind that generous offer."

"No you won’t. You’re just being polite. Now scram. I’d totally smack your arse on your way out, but the Watcher is too cheap for that pack. And if you ever tell anyone other than Dodo that I wasn’t a total dick to you, I’ll spread a rumour that you once drank white wine with red meat or some other shit that would totally ruin your good name within 'polite' society."

"Plum, she really was that surprised at me being cool with her not wanting to sleep with me. The bar for men is so low, it must be in fucking Selvadorada. Here’s to being the sexy twin. And to all my daughters hopefully being lesbians."

"Hey, this is really a nice vintage. Nice girl too, unfortunately. But I could have fixed her, Watcher..."

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.171 Happy birthday to ya

When it got closer to party time, Sophia and I moved the couch to the backyard for more seating options. Our parties always end up fragmented with some sims eating in the house and others on the patio. My goal is to keep everyone together, so hopefully this will help. We also moved the picnic blanket and put the portable crib outside to accommodate the little ones. Because we're friendly again, I invited Yasmine and her girls, but she declined. She doesn't know the other guests and didn't want anyone asking questions about Stacey. I completely understood but feel bad for her. This spellcaster business has really trapped her and the girls in their home.

Apart from my baby aging up, I'm most excited about having Dub and his family in our home for the first time. Between the deaths and parenthood, it's been super hard for us to connect lately. I guess I was naïve enough to believe it would be easier being in the same city, but life keeps proving it doesn't matter where we are. Life is going to life, and that's that. I suppose I'll have to be more intentional about hanging with him too.

"You got it smelling good out here, bro," a voice says from behind me.

That Henford accent is unmistakable, and I was so glad to hear it. I turned around and embraced him.

"Wassup, man! Did you find us okay? Welcome! Finally!"

"Right? Took you long enough!"

"Don't even play, man. You know how life is sometimes."

"Sure do. This house is nice! And the view!"

"Thanks. If you're able to stick around later, I'll give you the tour. Hey, where's Maia? Is she coming?"

"Yeah, she's running a little late. She's just finishing up a project for a client."

"Ahhh. See? San Sequoia has been good to you already. I'm glad her business is picking up."

There's no way Dub showed up alone, so I looked around for Tambara, knowing she couldn't be too far behind. I spotted her toddling across the yard, trying her best to catch up with her daddy.

"She's getting to be extremely independent these days," Dub said when he realized I was watching her. "She won't even let us pick her up anymore. I don't mind that so much, but waiting for her really slows me down."

"She'll get faster," I said, thinking about Desiree's determination. "Just give her time."

Tami and Desi look nothing alike, but I see glimpses of the immediate future in her proud face and wobbly gait. I want Desi to grow up and change the world, but I can't part with my little girl. At the same time, I'm anxious to see her continue to grow. I love watching her smash these milestones like the boss baby she is. Ugh. Fatherhood is just a melting pot of contradictions. How can I be happy and sad, proud and scared at the same time?

Tami finally made her way over to us, so I waved.

"Hey there! Do you remember me? I'm Luca. That's a pretty dress."

Her face lit up, and I knew it didn't matter if she remembered me or not. I was currently her new bestie. Flattery works at all ages, hee hee.

"What do you say when someone gives you a compliment?" Dub asked.

"I know," she shouted.

Me and Dub had a good laugh. She's so precocious, and I love it. Kids really do say the darndest things, and I can't wait to hear what Desi will have to say. Hopefully that's not a be careful what you wish for situation, heh.

"That's right, Tam," I said. "You better know it."

"How are you holding up?" Dub asked, wiping the smile off my face.

"I'm good. As good as I can be, rather. It gets a little better every day."

"I'm glad to hear it. I can't even think about what that's going to be like."

"It might sound morbid, but you should start thinking about it, man. It's the shock that's hard to get over."

"You play dollies with me," Tambara shouts.

That was probably supposed to be a question, but she's too excited about her new, big friend and it's too cute.

"Oh, no," Dub says to me. "You start that and she'll never let you go."

She's adorable, looking just like both of them. I hope she and Desi will like each other. It'll be a shame to have them fighting or snubbing each other when we hang out.

"You can play with Desiree later, okay?" he says.

"Speaking of... We should probably get this show on the road soon. Let me finish these ribs."

(makeovers and family photos below!)

Dub and fam by @mysimsloveaffair

[fleuraliasave]

*OUTDATED NEW VERSION AVAILABLE HERE*

❤ Version 7.0 Fleuralia Save File ❤

Download link down below (please read entire post before installing)

This save file uses all EP’s, GP’s (not Journey to Batuu), SP’s and most of the kits (Country Kitchen, Blooming Rooms, Incheon Arrivals, Retro Fit, Industrial loft, Moonlight Chic, Little Campers, Pastel Pop, Everyday Clutter, Bathroom Clutter, Simtimates Collection, First Fits, Desert Luxe, Modern Luxe, Poolside Splash, Book Nook, Basement treasures, Greenhouse Haven, Pastel Pop and Bust the Dust).

What’s new in this update?:

Chestnut Ridge and Tomarang have been completely redone, added multiple new lots, updated other lots and provided make-overs for the households.

Added new households (when living in world; with jobs, friends, preferences etc).

Added rental lots in multiple other worlds outside of Tomarang (Brindleton Bay, Henford-on-Bagley, Britechester and more).

Spooky Fall Festival has been moved to Chestnut Ridge (bigger with haunted house ride). The old lot in Brindleton Bay has been changed into a cemetery.

Current Status of Worlds:

Finished worlds: Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Newcrest, Magnolia Promenade, Windenburg, San Myshuno, Forgotten Hollow, Brindleton Bay, Del Sol Valley, StrangerVille, Glimmerbrook, Sulani, Britechester , Evergreen Harbor, Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale, San Sequoia, Chestnut Ridge (NEW!) and Tomarang (NEW!).

Finished vacation worlds: Granite Falls and Selvadorada.

Finihed other lots: Hospital, Science Lab and the Police Station.

To be updated: the Magic Realm, will either be included in a future update or on the gallery (OriginID: fleuralia)

What do you get with this save?:

For my save file all lots are either completely new builds (almost all) or renovations, ofcourse created by me. Exceptions: I have added the official builds for the releases of the Paranormal SP by Dr Ashley and the Dream Home Decorator GP by Deligracy to this save, since I thought they deserved a spot. These two are therefore not my own creations, credits are given in the description to Dr Ashley and Deligracy. Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale, San Sequoia and Chestnut Ridge lots are largely created by GameChangers. Most lots have gotten smaller updates, others are completely new builds by me.

All the townies had make-overs plus I added new families to spice it up a bit. Some of the townies are made by other creators, who are given credits in the description of the household. All the townies in the different worlds have a story, some include sentiments and adjusted relationships to the story.

Added plenty of community lots to give your Sims something to do (YAY!). Almost every world has one restaurant, but it also includes festivals that represent the four seasons (park lots) and a fully functional shopping street in Magnolia Promenade (toy store, bridal store and more).

I have added rental lots so you can go on vacation in more worlds. For example in Sulani, Willow Creek and Windenburg.

Other details:

As mentioned at the beginning, this save uses almost all packs (except Journey to Batuu and some kits). This means that if you download it without owning or installing most of the packs a lot of objects will disappear from the save, but if you are not bothered by this you can still download and play in it.  

I disabled the autonomous fame gain and neigborhood action plan voting/environmental changes, you enable them again in the pack settings menu.

I would love to add some households in this save created by all of you! Add your household under the hashtag #fleuraliatownies in The Sims 4 Gallery, you can add a storyline and world in the description but thats not obligatory. If I respond on your creation it means that I have incorporated it in the save for the next update.

Sadly every game update comes with a lot of bugs. I suggest before reporting problems in the save to me, to check on forums if its related to a general bug/glitch or to mods (if you use them).

Questions and supportive feedback are always welcome, you can reach me here via a comment on this post, an ask or through a DM 😁

How to make it work in your game:

Download the save file from the link below.

Drag it in your saves folder under: PC/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves.

Change the numbers if you already have a save with the same name.

It should now show up in your game as: Fleuralia Save Version 7.0.

DOWNLOAD (SFS) / Alternate (GD)

!!Don’t re-upload or claim as your own!!

Future updates will follow after each pack release (if it includes a world). The time the update will be uploaded after each release depends on how much I have to change and on my work schedule around that time.

Last but not least, enjoy and till next time! XX

Fleuralia

Feel free to support me ❤️: Ko-fi account

[sirianasims]

Chapter 43.5

Idiot.

The voice in my head is persistent. It’s been over two months but it’s not letting up.

I try to focus on the lines, struggling to keep the faint remnants of my Tartosan accent from creeping into Llama Man’s commanding voice. It’s always more difficult just after I’ve been home.

Idiot.

Images from the last year keep flashing by, little details seared into my brain. Her green eyes. Her smile. The delicate birthmarks artfully strewn across her face. I used to insist on kissing each of them goodbye before I left and it always made her laugh.

It was the best sound in the world.

Idiot.

The more recent images are a different story. Her tears. The look of shock and confusion in her eyes. She didn’t understand, of course, and some days I’m not sure I do either. Am I an idiot for leaving her? Or for letting myself fall in love with her in the first place?

Both?

“Alright, Paul, that was good, but let’s do an extra take just to be sure.”

I nod at the sound technician and start over.

“I’ve sent the files off to Mike. Personally, I don’t think he’ll demand another round, the last two takes were flawless.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry for dragging you in for pick-ups again, I’ve been feeling a bit off lately.”

“Hey, it’s a pay check. And I’m going to need it for the move. We want to get settled into the new house before my son’s wedding so we’re already packing.”

“Did you find a job in Henford yet?”

“Not yet, but my wife got an offer. We’ll make it work. My kid is the only family I have left, so if he moves abroad, we follow. And I never liked staying in one place for too long anyway, I get restless.”

“Well, best of luck over there, Charles. The new sound tech will have some big shoes to fill.”

“Thanks, Paul. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Charles leaves, and I turn on the coffee machine.

I’ve just finished pouring two mugs when Lee arrives.

“Oh, you must have read my mind, love, I am positively dying for a coffee right now.”

“When are you not?”

Lee settles onto the sofa with a sigh.

“It’s been one of those weeks, deadlines put such a damper on my creativity. But how was Tartosa? Did you have a nice birthday?”

“It was fine. I didn’t feel like making it a huge thing, but my mother had arranged a family dinner at the vineyard.”

“Ah, just an intimate and completely non-threatening gathering with fifteen to twenty people, then.”

I lean back against the counter and take a long sip of the coffee to avoid responding. It’s still too hot, and I grimace as the liquid burns my mouth. Idiot.

Lee isn’t so easily deterred, though.

“So, that’s it? You’re just never going to see her again?”

“Lee, first of all, she blocked me. On my birthday, no less. So I’m going to take that as a big fat hint and respect her wishes. Second, I broke up with her because it was a dead end. She’s not going to settle down for another decade, and when she does, she’s not going to pick some fifty year old relic.”

Lee raises an eyebrow.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Yeah, I said it. Sorry to break it to you, Lee, but you’re old. Ancient. Practically dust.”

“I’m choosing to ignore your hurtful remarks because you’re clearly heartbroken and out of your mind with grief.”

I snort. “Sorry. I’m fine, really, I’m just annoyed at myself.”

“For irrationally breaking up with the love of your life or for stubbornly refusing to reconsider?”

“For being an idiot in general, I guess. I knew it was a bad idea. I even told her as much the first time I met her. But then I just had to go back and talk to her again like a complete dumbass and she practically invited herself back to my hotel. How could I say no to that?”

Lee chuckles. “Oh, but you couldn’t, of course you couldn’t. I mean, she’s not exactly my type, but I can still appreciate the aesthetics, as it were.”

“Right? And that might even have been fine if it never went any further, but I got carried away and kept seeing her even though everyone could tell it was going to end badly. We’re both better off like this, I’ll get over it.”

Lee just looks at me over the rim of his glasses.

“Are you sure? I may be a dusty old relic but as far as I’m aware, the only way you could possibly know that she blocked you is if you spent your birthday trying to look her up.”

“Thanks, detective. It was a moment of weakness, you don’t need to rub it in my face.”

“I’m not trying to rub anything in your face, love, I know it’s not your thing. But you were clearly serious about her if you were planning to bring her to Tartosa. And just because the poor girl understandably got slightly intimidated, you drop her like a newborn giraffe. Why not give her some more time?”

“I didn’t… Lee, it was the sensible thing to do! I just turned forty, I can’t just spend years waiting for her to make up her mind and hope for the best.”

“I don’t share your fetish for monogamy, but I believe all relationships are like that, you can never be certain. But you’ve always been stubborn so I’ll just give you the usual break-up advice. Get a haircut, hit the gym, put yourself back out there. Will you at least see my stylist?”

“Never. I am not brave enough to let Jessica Clemons near my wardrobe.”

beginning / previous / next

[obigem]

After the call ended, Rowan didn't take very kindly to the idea of Henry having Harvestfest with them.

"Old man, is it really polite to just invite yourself to our Harvestfest?" Rowan inquired.

"Henry is a family friend," Altus reminded him, "which means he's *always* welcome."

"Yeah, but Dad," Rowan said under his breath, "If Grandpa Henry comes over for Harvestfest that means we'll have to make everything the 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘦 way."

"And what's wrong with that? You could use a bit of restraint." Altus reminded him.

"Mom!" Rowan protested.

"You know I enjoy your special gifts, Row, but your father is right. A little restraint won't hurt, and Henry is always welcome at our table. But I'm certain he won't be there." Ani eyed him.

"Don't look at me like that. Henford is beautiful this time of year, why not stay?"

"Because you love your family and you want to see them?" Ani reminded him.

"Of course I love them. Cameron is just pushing so hard about moving in with him. I understand his position, I really do. I just wish he'd understand mine."

"He does, Henry. But think about it from his perspective."

"From what you've told me, you missed a lot of years with him. In that time his mother was no longer, and you were lost to him. Have you considered that maybe he wants to reclaim some of that time with you while he has it?"

Henry sighed. "I wasn't the best father, was I?"

"After Delia died, I should've been there for him. I know that. But I just..." He could feel the emotion creeping up. "Somehow, I'd feel guiltier if I left her here in Henford alone. I can never make up for the husband I was, so I'm trying to do that for her now."

"Since I've been back in Cam's life, I've been able to show him how much I love him and all my grandbabies. Every event, holiday, I'm there, always. But I never got to do that for Delia. This is my way of doing that."

"Well, maybe when you see him at Harvestfest, start with telling him that? Even though you've made the effort to be there for him now, it seems he still harbors a lot of hurt from when you weren't there. Help him understand."

"I suppose I owe him that." Henry relented.

"But if I go, you have to promise you'll take care of yourself."

"Of course!"

"I mean it, Antoinette. Your little one is counting on you." Henry eyed her swollen belly.

"This little one still has a few more months, we'll be just fine." Ani smiled as she rubbed her womb.

Ani pulled Henry into a hug. "Send my love to Cameron, Andrea, and all of your beautiful grandchildren for me." Ani said as she gave him a squeeze.

"Of course! You, Altus and your little rascal have a very happy Harvestfest. Don't you worry about me, I know my way to the train."

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 112 (Spending Time With Family)

To mark Sportsball Sunday, River invited the Nesbitt-Gordons to Henford to watch the big game, but Heather was forced to stay behind in Brindleton Bay to work. (I was playing as the Nesbitts and invited the whole household over, but Heather never showed up!) Conrad was off duty and took Ash and Lavender to Heather's childhood home on his own - a big step considering how his past had been revealed before the holidays.

But this year's game wasn't that exciting, and the family was more content to spend time together - especially after they arrived in the midst of River extinguishing his own wife after a toilet fire! Time with family would always mean the most.

Though Cass was fine and the burns only on her clothing, Daisy remembered her fear after a similar incident left their youngest daughter, Hazel, with burn scars as a child. "We really need to replace that toilet, Neal."

He nodded in agreement. "You're right, love. It's time."

Lavender quickly found the upstairs stereo blasting Cassandra's favourite Latin music. "Auntie Cass dance?"

"I can teach you some moves," she offered warmly. "But only if you teach me your moves first."

Lavender loved sounds as much as she loved books, and she danced with her aunt to the music while Ash played with Michael in the yard.

(Lavender's 3 toddler quirks: Loves Sounds, Loves Books, and Destructive)

At halftime, River took Conrad outside. "I wanted to show you something, because I never would have come up with the idea if not for you. Remember when you suggested we try getting Mike to sleep by reading him The Giving Tree?"

"Of course. I'm glad it worked."

"We both fell in love with the story. And Henford has so many incredible old trees that can give us so much without ever being cut down like the tree in the book. Isle of Volpe Park needs a natural playground for people of all ages to enjoy or take shelter if it rains, and I think we should build a treehouse there."

"We?"

"Mayor Varner gave me planning permission, but he said the town can pay for the materials, not the labour. So I thought we could turn it into a campout and community building project at the beginning of spring, but I want you and Ash to be there, too...If you can get away from work."

"I'll talk to Heather, but it sounds like a great idea, Riv."

"Shut your stupid face, I'm not a lamp sim!" cried five-year-old Michael, racing into the house as Ash smirked in his wake.

"Then why's your ear plugged in?"

"Hey! What did you say to him?" Ash had never heard Conrad speak to him more sternly, and he turned back in surprise. Heather's family stood back quietly, refusing to intervene.

"He said he has a hearing aid, but he's not deaf. He doesn't even know SSL!"

"So? He doesn't need it. Not everyone who uses a hearing aid is deaf."

"Well, it looks funny."

"Ash, I want you to apologize to your cousin for being rude."

"He's a jerk, I don't want to!"

"So he said something that made you mad, and you made fun of his hearing aid in retaliation? Even though you're older and more mature than him, and you know better?"

Ash was quiet. "...I'll apologize."

Conrad nodded. "And you better get used to hanging out with your cousin. As long as your mom agrees, you and me are going camping in Isle of Volpe Park with your Uncle River and cousin Michael in the spring to help build a treehouse."

Ash's eyes lit up. "A treehouse? I'll go camping with just you? No mommy, no Lavender?"

"This will be a boys weekend," said his Uncle River. "Just camping in the national park and building a treehouse together."

Ash's grandfather, Neal, joined them outside in his outerwear after a quick run through Finchwick. "And when it's done, you can play in the treehouse, too - but not if you're going to be mean to your cousin. I'll make you stay at the house pulling up weeds with your grandmother and me."

Ash went inside to apologize, and Neal studied Conrad closely. "You're good with him," he noted with a smile. "He respects you. Keep that up. He needs your influence."

"I'm surprised you'd say that after finding out I kept my past from everyone. And we still haven't solved the case."

"But since then, my family still sleeps soundly in their beds at night. I know I don't have to tell you how important it is to put all of this behind you, but you're a good man. We all know you're trying."

Conrad returned home that night with the kids, grateful he'd had a chance to clear the air with his future father-in-law. But Heather was dismayed when he reported how Ash had treated his cousin. She took away his TV privileges for a week, and Conrad spoke to Ash again over a game of chess.

"You don't know this about me, but when I was younger, I used hearing aids until I was big enough to have surgery to repair my inner ears. My hearing was a lot worse than Michael's, but I wasn't deaf."

"I saw a picture of you with Daddy when you were kids, and you weren't wearing anything on your ears except glasses."

He nodded. "I didn't like to wear them all the time because people made fun of me. But when I didn't wear them it was always harder on me than it was on anybody else."

Ash considered this. "I shouldn't have told Michael he was a lamp sim," he admitted. Though he'd apologized already, only now did he truly understand why.

"You don't want to go through life being a bully," Conrad assured him. "People don't like bullies. You're a great kid, and I care about you just as much as I care about your sister, but if someone makes you feel bad, you don't have to make them feel bad in return. Talk about it with your mom and me, instead, because we want to make sure you always know how much we love you."

Ash smiled. "I love you, too, Conrad."

Heather was proud of the way Conrad had handled Ash's behaviour, and not least because River texted about Neal's approval before Conrad and the kids had returned to Brindleton Bay.

But her swooning pride was interrupted by a knock at the door, and she was shocked to see Hazel standing before her with a suitcase.

"Can I stay with you a while? I quit my job and Nicola divorced me. Just like that. She walked into the courthouse and ended it like we haven't been together for almost a decade."

"What do you mean she divorced you? And why did you quit your job?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Have you got three days? That might be how long it takes me to tell the story."

"Well, Dandelion, you can stay here as long as you need. So if it'll take three days to find out what happened, you better get started." ->

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Stretching Hazel and Nicola's story over three days allowed me to push some other parts of the story to after the (real life) holidays, which I liked, and it kept Hazel and Nicola's post from being too long for a one-off. So Hazel and Nicola's Cozy Celebrations will start tomorrow but still finish up on Christmas Eve, and the Nesbitt-Gordons will be back in focus on December 26th when the family volunteers at a soup kitchen.

[itmeansiris]

The Solar System Legacy Challenge: Accomplishments Gen 1 pt.75

The night Kason and M made up, Beckett never stopped by or called. M had sent him a text but didn't think much of it when he didn't respond, concluding that the date had either been really good or was another one to file with the growing list of failed dates Beckett had been on.

The next day was a free day for most of the Gratz household besides Kason, who had work. He spent the morning tending to the plants in the garden, it was secretly his baby. He had planted and nurtured every plant that grew there. Recently he decided reluctantly to leave Spirit to take over caring for the garden while he focused on work. There was a promotion coming up and with his outstanding performance, he was hoping to secure it by the end of the weekend.

M, on the other hand, had gotten the kids fed, dealt with a squabble between Venus and Aphrodite, who seemed to constantly be at each other's throats, settled them into their own individual activities, and decided she was feeling creative. For the cosmic duo, the storm was mostly behind them, which was ironic considering a huge thunderstorm was rolling into the Bay.

M was supposed to take Aphrodite to Chestnut Ridge that same Saturday but she'd gotten a call Friday night from the Ranch instruction. They'd been forced to cancel all horseback riding lessons due to the storm. The Weather channels were predicting it would be 4-days long. Dite had been looking forward to this trip all week it was all she'd talked about before school or during dinner. She had jam-packed all her free time after school and violin practice reading equestrian books or watching the Pony up Kids Channel whenever Venus wasn't hogging the Livingroom tv playing video games.

(Call takes place Friday night)

When M took the call Dite had shadowed her every move. M had paced the span of the first floor, trying to get something worked out.

M: We had classes set up for tomorrow afternoon. Yes. I understand. No, no thank you that's fine. The last weekend works just as well. I really appreciate that. Thank you again. Bye.

She'd barely removed the phone from her ear when Dite jumped her.

Aphrodite: So?!

Ishtar was in the living room watching the continued news coverage. It droned on about the strange 4 day storm affecting Chestnut Ridge but moving quickly into other areas like Evergreen Harbor and Henford-on-Bagley.

M: *sighs* Here's the deal. It's not raining here yet, but the thunderstorm is already in Chestnut Ridge and should start here later today. They don't think it's safe to take the horses out.

M was internally holding her breath. Aphrodite's' response was unexpected for any 7-year-old girl but Dite was special.

Aphrodite: That's okay Mom. I don't want any of the Horses or their babies to get hurt. The horses don't really like the thunder and the lightening.

M was in awe of her daughter and how mature she'd become despite her young age. M rewarded her with spectacular news.

M: Well I spoke with the owner Byron and he booked us for a weekend, to give you personal lessons and he's agreed to do indoor and outdoor lessons. That will give you more riding range and if the weather doesn't hold up they won't have to cancel again.

Aphrodite lit up.

Aphrodite: I get 2 days of riding lessons?

M cherished moments like these, when she could make her children happy and they looked at her with admiration and love.

M: Hmm, yes you get two days of private lessons from Byron himself. We'll get to stay in a hotel and try the local food. But, you're not upset we can't go tomorrow?

M asked wanting to snuff out the guilt she felt at the possibility of disappointing Dite. She had made Dite a promise and she'd wanted to keep it.

Aphrodite: Are you kidding this is awesome! I can't believe I get to take private lessons and sleep in a hotel! Can I call and tell Kelsey? Oh, and Mom, can we still buy me my own riding gear, please?

Her begging was unnecessary. M wasn't the type of parent that said no.

M: After school on Tuesday we can go shopping deal?

Dite jumped up and down too excited to express her agreement with words.

M: I'll take that as a yes. Go on, go call Kelsey.

Having taken care of that the day before, with no other plans M settled into her office to finish the remaining chapters of The Court of Slumbering Fae. Her deadline was coming up and she didn't want to give Takara a reason to come down on her. She was already working overtime dealing with the media. She'd gotten the photos removed and was working on Mercurys slander case against the reporters who had taken Paris' false information and tried to spread it like wildfire. Luckily Takara was like a tsunami, she was known for putting out fires immediately and would take out anyone who stood in her path to get it done.

Zohreh on the other hand was having a rough day. Lately, he'd been clingy and Kason was the parent of his unwavering affection at the moment. So when Kason left for work later that afternoon it was no surprise he threw a tantrum. He stood by the front door crying his heart out till Ishtar came over to comfort him.

Ishtar: Zoh what's the matter?

Zohreh: Dadaa w-weave Zohweh!

Ishtar: Come here Zoh. It's okay Daddy's coming back. I'm going to change. You go wait in the office with Mommy and then when I'm dressed we can play! Okay?

He kissed his brothers forehead and walked him to the office then went to change. Once inside he quickly found trouble. M paused her writing to interrupt his destructive search.

M: Zohreh? Can Mommy help you find something?

He trained his soft green eyes on her and pouted.

Zohreh: No. I wait for Ishtaw to pay.

His pale green eyes and curly blond hair made her think of his adult double. It warmed her heart to see so much of Kason in her youngest son, consider the triplets seemed to favor her with their dark hair and moss green eyes. Ishtar had taken on her exotic Tomarang coloring while the girls were fairer toned like their father.

M: How about some company while you wait.

She joined him on the floor as he babbled about Dada, his toys, and his favorite (and only brother) Ishtar until his mood lightened. Ishtar returned and took Zohreh out front to play, leaving their mom to work.

The afternoon passed by uneventfully after that. The kids kept busy while M worked on her book, until Spirit had summoned everyone from their respective activities to have lunch. At 7pm Kason returned home to find Spirit reading on the porch. He greeted her before heading inside to find all the kids gathered in the entryway helping Ishtar complete his school project.

Kason: Hey guys. Where's your mom?

Triplets: Hi Dad!

Ishtar: She's still in her office.

M emerged having heard the voices outside the door. She strolled over to Kason greeting him and sharing good news.

M: Welcome home handsome. The book is finished. I sent it to Takara for last minute edits before publishing.

She whispered with a hint of lust and excitement as she hugged him the sight of him making her instantly flirty. He pulled back showering her with kisses.

Kason: Mmm, you brilliant woman. I can't wait to read it.

She nipped at his bottom lip. His response was low and seductive.

Kason: Save some of that for later. I'll make it worth the wait. You'll never believe what happened today?

He mumbled between kisses.

Venus: Hello we are still here. Gross!

Ishtar giggled and Aphrodite sighed and shook her head at her sister's comment. Kason kissed M's nose one more time for good measure before putting a little distance between them to stop the mock gagging noises coming from Venus.

M: So? What happened?

A mischievous smile spread across his face.

Kason: Nope. You have to guess.

M: Hmmm. Paris quit?

She said only half-joking. Kason snorted.

Kason: Good one, but no we aren't that fortunate. One more and then I'll tell you.

M: Hmm. You..you got the promotion?

Kason shook his head enthusiastically the smile on his face full of pride his eyes shone with accomplishment. He had worked for Bay's Robotic Engineers for almost 8 years. He had been hired mid-level due to his degree but that hadn't stopped him from putting in his all to impress Greg and earn his keep. He'd moved through the ranks fairly quickly, his progress only halted when he needed to take time off after the triplets and Zohreh were born. He had even put up with training Paris and all the craziness that came with having her work for the company. His focus never wavered, he had a goal and finally he could ring the bell on his career. Being promoted to the head of the department he was now Bay's Robotic Engineers new Master of Machines and he could finally call himself a master of his trade.

M: Congratulations!! I'm so proud of you! Guys Daddy got the top promotion at work today!

The triplets jump up to join their parents excited to be a part of Dads big news.

Ishtar: Congratulations Dad! You're like the lord of the robots now!

Venus: Dad does that mean that you're the boss? That's so cool you get to tell everyone what to do.

Aphrodite: Yay Daddy!

Comet barked loudly running around the family's feet with confused excitement. Zohreh toddles out of the living room and M picks him up waiting for Kason to finish with the triplets. She brings Zohreh over to Kason and Zoh immediately squirmed reaching for his father.

Zohreh: DADA!

Kason: Hey buddy!

Zohreh: Zohweh missed you

Kason snuggled his son close.

Kason: I missed you too Zoh. I'm sorry I had to leave earlier Mommy told me you had a hard day but your big brother kept you company. Good job Ish.

Ishtar smiled up at his dad with fulfillment. Zoh just snuggled closer happy to be back in his father's arms. They stood around laughing and congratulating him. Kason was euphoric, his life felt whole. He was at the top of his dream career, he'd found and married his soulmate, and though they'd found trouble their marriage was stronger in the outcome. He was making good money and felt he and M were laying a secure foundation of wealth for their children to inherit when they were gone. The only thing worth perfecting now was his parenting. His kids were his life and he wanted to be the patriarch they felt they could always come to for love, knowledge, and protection. What else could be worth his time and dedication now that his personal life goals had been met? Kason had always been a great father but when it came to his children he knew there was always room for improvement. His parents hadn't been perfect and he knew the same was true of himself and M even though he felt she was as close to perfect as a parent could get.

He started by joining the triplets in tackling their school projects. When all the castles were complete and everyone was cleaned up for the night they gathered in the backyard to celebrate and enjoy each other's company. The clouds were low and ready to open and unleash rain at any moment but it wasn't raining yet. So they roasted marshmallows and hot dogs while Kason played the guitar (another of his hidden talents) while Spirit told ghost stories in anticipation of spooky day which was only a week away.

Around 11 the first signs of rain became evident as the droplets fell on the fire, the logs hissed in protest, leaving faint wisp of smoke in their wake as it tried to smothered small portions of the flames. Everyone found shelter inside while Kason stayed behind to ensure the fire was properly extinguished. Feeling full, accomplished, and filled to the brim with love for each other the family turned in for the night.

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Beginning

Sidebar: It felt like Kason and M needed a break. Just a day to work on their own careers and spend time with their kids and each other. I also wanted to give a quick update on what was happening with the photos online. With M being a celebrity there had to be some fallout from her husband being called a cheater online. M has an active slander case against the paparazzi which I will include the results of in a later post. Also, I had no idea that Tucker was in the house or by the fire when I took the last couple of pictures. I didn't notice him till everyone was going to bed and got the notification thanking us for hanging out with him.

I sent M and Aphrodite to Chestnut Ridge to go horseback riding when I got there, there was this crazy thunderstorm going on (I forgot to reinstall my sul sul weather app by littlemssam) so I added the Friday night call because apparently something is wrong in Chestnut Ridge and there was like a 4-day thunderstorm almost none stop.

Poses: @elen-shine Homecoming

cc: @ravasheencc Fantastical Play Rug