Generation One
The Smith Family has moved in to a wonderful suburban home in Willow Creek. Richard has begun working at the local hospital and has moved up quickly to the position of Assistant Nurse. As Izzie was still young, Elizabeth had decided to stay at home in order to care for the youngster. She enjoyed the quality time she is able to spend with her daughter, as well as her other two children, even if William can be a bit of a handful at times.
Once Izzie entered school, Elizabeth found it hard to be at home all day alone, and decided to begin a career. She found out she loved painting while on a date with her husband, and that became her career. [more...]
Part One
Emilie entered high school just as her brother moved out. Her experience with drama club in grade school taught her one thing, she wanted everyone to know her name. Emilie spent much of her time recording videos and posting them for the world to see just to get her name out there. She even employed her sister as her editor. Of course, employed is an apt word, and Izzie began to feel underappricated, and not just by her sister. After a fight with her mother, Izzie ran away from home. Fortunately she only went to her brother's apartment, and eventually she came back. It did teach her family not to take advantage of her though. They would go on to try and include her more. [more...]
Growing up too fast
Time is constantly moving forward and old things can easily get lost in the complicated web of the human mind. This was what ran through Elizabeth's mind as Izzie, once just a toddler, was now getting ready to enter high school. It was these words that prompted Elizabeth to start a new tradition. Sure photographs were nice, but she was a painter, for her the best way to capture the world was with paint on canvas. That morning, right after everyone ate, Elizabeth called Izzie into what was once her room, but now served as Elizabeth's office and studio. She had Izzie sit down on a chair she used to use to read her stories and began putting brush to canvas.
For her part, Izzie was the perfect little model. She sat patiently and watched as her mother copied her very essence on canvas. She didn't quite understand her mother's reasoning, and wasn't to sure about seeing herself hanging on the walls, but she knew this was important to Elizabeth.
While she was playing her part as a model and reference for a birthday painting, Izzie informed her mother that she didn't want her birthday to be a huge deal. She really just wanted it to be a family affair. Elizabeth had previously thrown her a pretty large party, and she had done the same not too long ago for Emilie and William, but Izzie just didn't want that. The mother wasn't sure why Izzie didn't like being the center of attention, but promised only to invite family.
That being said, though she and William were still not married, everyone, including Izzie considered Cassandra part of the family, so she would be included. Everyone was called just after Elizabeth finished her painting. They would arrive just a few moments later. Fortunately the cake had been baked the previous night. It was an interesting blue cake for an interesting girl.
With the entire family, including Cassandra gathered around the table and the cake placed right in the middle it was time for Izzie to make her wish. Of course not even Luna would hear what that wish was. Richard and Elizabeth both threw confetti and blew horns as Izzie blew out the candles, but they were both a little sad too. Izzie was their baby and she was growing into a teenager. It was enough to make one feel old and even a bit useless. Sure they both had careers now, but they had spent so much of their time raising these three kids, and now their youngest wasn't exactly a kid anymore.
Not helping the matter was William and Cassandra. Not only were they well are their way to marriage, but they now had a child of their own. This entire moment really put things into perspective.
Izzie blew out the candles and said goodbye to her childhood. She still enjoyed cake with her older siblings and her parents and she wasn't entirely sure about high school, but, who knew, maybe they could teach her something.
William and Cassandra soon left. They still had a baby to take care of. As for Izzie, there was the matter of her new wardrobe and getting rid of all the childish things in her room to take care of. All in all though this was the perfect birthday for her.
A strange advanture
Spoiler Warning: The following dipicts an actual in-game advanture, and includes enough detail that you can replicate it in your game. If this is something you'd rather figure out on your own, you can skip this section and read about Richard's experience later. If you don't care, or you already have Sylvian Glade, then just read on.
It was another normal day. Richard had the day off while everyone else had work or school. He decided to visit a neighbor who had just moved in at the end of the block. The meeting could not have gone worse. The neighbor wasn't too receptive and didn't even invite Richard in. It was okay, Richard understood wanting to be alone, though he was curious why someone who appeared to be single with no kids would live in such a large home.
It was as he was turning to head to another neighbor's home, or perhaps back to his own, that he noticed an odd looking tree covered in colorful mushrooms and fungai. It was certainly an odd looking a tree, and one he just had to checkout.
After examining the tree he got the sense that maybe it needed some water. He watered it, but that didn't seem to help. He started to comment on how nice its leaves were and how nice its roots were. He felt silly talking to a tree and even sillier that he didn't know why he was suddenly have a chat with something that couldn't talk back, only it did eventually reply in its own way.
A hole opened up near the base of the tree. Was that there the whole time, or was this the answer to Richard's compliments? Either way Richard had the impression that he should climb into the hole. Once inside he found himself surrounded by darkness. There was only a single light, and the sound of running water. Richard followed the light, but only ended up back where he started. That was anticlimatic. He decided to venture back into the darkness and follow the sound this time.
Eventually he came across a stream. He decided to take the easy path and follow it downstream. That lead Richard to an eerie mist. He had come this far already, sure the mist was kind of scary, but he entered it all the same.
It had started to get chilly outside, but, wherever he was now it was nice and pleasant. The entire area was a glow with an odd pink hue. It was the loveliest thing he had ever seen. He took a look around the glade before attempting to catch a frog in a pond not far from the tree. He even tried his hand at fishing it. It had been quite some time since he had held a rod. Unfortunately his relative inexperience showed and the fish all got away. The pond wasn't the only place to fish though.
At the back of the glade was a waterfall and a small lake. Richard was here until it was time for the girls to come home from school. He would have to share this place with them sometime.
Father time catches up with us all
A patient came into the hospital. That wasn't so odd, patients came to the hospital everyday. Sometimes even the same patient came by on more than one day in a row, but this patient was different. This was a code "watermelon". This was actually Richard's first time hearing that code since training. Granted this wasn't his first delivery, but, in the case of Cassandra, he had been called while he was at home. This code was uttered over the loud speaker during his regular working hours, and meant for him to drop everything and admit the pregnant woman for surgery immediately.
The surgery was a success. The baby, like with Cassandra, was delivered by robotic arm to a waiting basket. The mother looked on as the baby was teleported back to her home. They would finish up and she would be on her way as well. So impressed was the hospital by how quickly and professionally the delivery was handled that they made Richard a surgeon. A promotion that couldn't have been better timed.
It seemed like just yesterday the family was celebrating Izzie's move into adolescence. Now there was another occasion, equally momentous that they needed to celebrate. After many years (really sims days) as an adult it was time for Richard to start the slow decline toward the end. Certainly he had mixed emotions about the whole thing. He had seen his son move out and start a life of his own. He had watched his first daughter blossom into a young lady, then his second. There had been many ups and many downs, but he had lived a wonderful life. Sadly that life couldn't last forever.
As Richard blew out the candles he welcomed winkles and more body fat, not to mention less energy. To think there wasn't much time left was hard, but it was a reminder to make the most of the time he had. He even began to think about retiring. Perhaps he'd wait a bit, but it wasn't as if the family needed his income now. Emilie was successful, Elizabeth always had a painting to sell, and even Izzie was beginning to find ways of making money. Perhaps the time was coming when they just wouldn't need Richard anymore, but that just meant that perhaps the time was coming when Richard could focus on himself, for a change.
The joys of wellness
Previously Emilie's Saturdays were spent at either the local gym in Willow Creek or Sky Fitness in San Myshuno, then she would head over to Del Sol Valley to stream and play the violin for exposure. What Emilie did not know was that there was a gym in Del Sol Valley. She could streamline her entire day!
Being in Del Sol this gym had something the other two did not. It had a small yoga studio. Emilie saw this has she headed toward the treadmills as she normally would. The studio was empty so she continued on her way. It wasn't long that an annoucement came over saying a class was about to start.
Emilie wondered if yoga wouldn't suit her better than weights or the treadmills. After all she really didn't want quite so as many muscles as her mother, but she did want to stay fit. With those thoughts in mind, Emilie decided to stop what she was doing and start a new routine. Perhaps wellness would be better than fitness for her.
Coffee with a boy!?
Emilie was shocked at how well she was getting to know some of the boys in her class. She was pretty popular. Of course it was hard to tell if it was the fame that they liked or her, but she didn't much care either way. At least not yet.
One Sunday she decided to take a chance. She would ask a boy out. It wouldn't be anything too extreme. Not dinner, or even a movie just coffee. She ended up being glad she decided to do this on a Sunday. The two spent a few hours mostly just talking over empty coffee cups.
It turns out not only did she pick the right moment, but also the right boy. It was still impossible to tell if he liked her for her fame or just liked her, but he did really like her. They even leaned in for a first kiss, Emilie's first ever, just before they finally left B&W Cafe.
Father time catches Elizabeth
Not long after Richard entered his golden years it was time for Elizabeth to do the same. Birthdays in this family always seemed to come close together. Which was unfortunate for the sole reason that their fridge was beginning to be filled with nothing but cake. Elizabeth honestly didn't mind baking all these cakes, it was just that they never seem to run out of them.
By now birthdays were starting to become routine. A cake is baked, the cake is placed on the table with birthday candles, everyone gathers around to admire the cake for a few moment, and then the birthday sim blows out the candles. Rinse and repeat a few days later. The last true birthday part was a combined party for William and Emilie just before William had moved out.
The new routine was started by Izzie, who didn't mind not having a large party. Of course, if the parents wanted a party they could have through a party. Neither one had even taken off work.
Life questions
As a surgeon Richards duties were now much lighter. He didn't rush around nearly as much as he had when he was a general practitioner or even a medical specialist. Most of his daily tasks were quite similar to when he was an ordly only he was expected to perform surgery and assess collapsed sims at the door.
On lunch that day he began to question, giving that his position was less demanding, if he really should retire just yet. It wouldn't take him too long to move up to chief of staff given his current track record and he did really enjoy the job. He loved helping sims, especially the children. Perhaps he should stay, at least for now. Retirement was always an option he could pursue if and when things got too difficult for his aged body.
There was at least one family member who recognized this as the perfect opprotunity to hang up their baret. Elizabeth spent one final day at her job as a professional painter before calling in for retirement. She had started working just as something to do while the girls were at school. Now she could always keep painting and those paintings would always sell, that plus her pension would be more than adequate. Of course she was hoping her husband would also retire to keep her company, but that just wasn't in the cards just yet.
To pursue retirement or not were large questions for the two elder sims, but this didn't mean Emilie didn't have a question that could affect the rest of her life as well. Maybe it wasn't as big as her parent's, but that didn't make it any less important. Her question was, just where will this new relationship she started take her.
There was only one way she knew how to answer that. It was time for a second date, and not just for coffee this time. They would head out to a restraunt and she would see just how interested this boy was in her.
The meal went well. She wasn't sure she had much in common with this boy, but it turned out he did at least have a few things he like to talk about, other than Emilie, that she also enjoyed hearing about. By the end of the night the two were now going steady. Emilie still had one question though. Was this all moving too fast?
Time to move out?
The cake was different, but the routine was pretty much the same. Everyone gathered around the table, birthday sim at the head and they all admired the cake before Emilie blew out the candles. Emilie truly didn't mind this new way of celebrating any more than Izzie or her parents. She would have liked it if her brother was at least invited, but that was a detail that had been forgotten for the last two birthdays too. Besides William probably had his hands full with his daughter anyway.
There was, of course, something Elizabeth had started with Izzie that she couldn't do for herself, and simply didn't do for her husband. This was the annual portrait and it was something she wasn't going to let Emilie out of. After all not only was this a painting by a famous painter, but it was a portrait of someone destined to also be famous. Elizabeth would hang this with pride in the hallway right next to Izzie's no matter how well it turned out.
The typical birthday routine always ended with the birthday sim blowing out the candles. For Emilie she would now leave high school and enter her own career. So momentous was this ocassion for William that he had moved out the very next day. Emilie, however, wasn't sure she was ready for this just yet. Sure, she made quite a lot from her videos and apartment rents could be cheap, but she just wasn't sure the apartment life was for her. Maybe it would be best to try to establish herself a bit more. Elizabeth and Richard weren't exactly in a hurry to see her go after all.
Freed from high school, the very next day Emilie got onto her computer to sign up with an acting agency. She wanted an agency that would allow her more time to focus on honing her craft and not searching for gigs, so AI Staffing seemed to be the best fit for her.
After signing up, Emilie went searching for her first gig. She quickly scheduled an audition. The audition was really early in the morning, 3:45am to be precise, but she seemed to already have the qualifications they were looking for.
Emilie had a hard time sleeping the night before the audition. Which wasn't good because that meant she was a bit tired during the audition itself. Fortunately that didn't seem to affect her performance too much as she was selected for the role. Now she would just have to see how well she did. If she did well, perhaps she could feel more comfortable moving out on her own, but only time would tell.
