A small town called Prosperity

Four Girls Find Guys

2006-02-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

Maria Ramirez, Faith Preston, Teresa Lawrence, Aisling O'Neill; Shane Bachman, Alon Livingston, Charlie Zhang, Edward Reamon. All Greek House members, Secret Society members, and Big Sims on Campus; 6 Summa Cum Laude and 2 Magna Cum Laude graduates.

Maria speaking:

There we were, four girls from Prosperity arriving at Sim State to study and, well, party a bit. I don't think any of us knew that we'd all find our true loves there... although maybe we did have some hopes in that direction.

Now, as a teenager, I had a bit of a crush on Alon Livingston, who delivered our newspapers. When I fgound out he'd be going to college when we did, well, I'm sure you can understand that the idea of us spending some time together crossed my mind? But things didn't turn out that way. We both found other people.

Alon fell head over heels for Faith Preston. She's kind of a cousin of mine, only not really. Her brother is married to my aunt - I'm not sure what that makes us? Anyway, she's a popularity sim like me, and even shyer than me. It took her and Alon quite a while to admit how they felt about each other, but when they did... Hoo boy! They just couldn't keep their hands off each other!

It also turns out that Alon's cousin Shanna is married to Faith's cousin Daniel. How's that for a weird coincidence? Shanna and Alon barely knew each other before, but they're quite good friends now. I think that's nice, don't you?

As for me, well, I wasn't really looking for love. I was too busy making friends, throwing parties, and studying to make good grades. But then, at one of our toga parties, he simply walked up to me and took my hands, and I just knew he was the one for me... Charlie. Charlie Zhang. I love his name. I love his hair, his eyes, everything about him. Isn't love amazing? He's a knowledge sim, says his goal is to be a doctor, maybe even Chief of Staff! He's just so smart - and he's all mine!

My Umcle Matthew and Aunt Zoe had pledged a friend of theirs into Prosperitas before they graduated. His name is Shane Bachman, he's a romantic, and it didn't take him very long to start romancing my cousin Teresa. I was a bit worried about that, you know, since you hear so much about romance sims - but then one day he went down on one knee and proposed to her! So I guess that'll work out, don't you think?

Teresa is also fast friends with Aisling O'Neill. None of us really knew her before we came to Sim State, but she's okay, really. I guess she and Teresa have a lot in common, both being fortune sims and all. They seem to share a lot of other interests, too. Like painting masterpieces - man, those two are good at that!

Well, Aisling found herself a guy, too. His name is Edward Reamon, and he's a knowledge sim just like Alon and Charlie. Another shy one, so it was really cute watching them slowly fall in love...

He even let her cut his hair! Good thing, too, 'cause I really don't see how anybody could like the way he used to wear it - it looked like somebody put a pot or something on his head, and cut off everything below the rim! This style is much better, although I still wouldn't call him handsome... but I guess tastes differ.

Well, for some reason Edward and Alon didn't do quite as well as the rest of us in uni; ironic, since they're both knowledge sims... But Magna Cum Laude is more than good enough, I say!

Maria, over and out.

Oooh, kinky!

The Cow And The Captain Hero

2006-02-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Eric. I'd like to tell you a bit about me, my home, my wife, and my son. Yeah, Lila and I have a kid - we didn't exactly plan on it, not so soon, but these things happen. So we scrapped the plans for a wedding party and had ourselves a quiet little ceremony, just the two of us.

Too bad about the party - I love parties! - but Lila had a tough pregnancy and really wasn't up to it. She spent most of her time in bed, just getting up long enough to grab something to eat and go to the bathroom. I was working hard, both to earn money and because I've always wanted to become Captain Hero, so I guess she was kinda bored to, all alone at home.

Then our little boy was born. We named him Arthur, 'cause Lila's maiden name was MacArthur, see? He looks just like her.

So I'm a father now. It's a bit weird; I mean, I'm the youngest of five, so I've never had to take care of someone else before. I'm crazy about him, though. I don't even mind the dirty diapers - he's so adorable and cuddly. I wish I could stay home to spend more time with him, but we really need the money, you know? We spent a fair bit of what we had on building this house, so we didn't have much left to buy furniture with, not to mention keeping some funds in reserve for unforeseen events.

But we're happy, and that's all that really matters, right? Lila is always very open about expressing her feelings - I think we've made our guests embarrassed more than once.

Things looked up a little on the financial front after I saved the town from a rampaging giant robot and got a big bonus. We bought some stuff, like a big TV and a computer, but put most of it aside for the future. You never know, right? Anyway, I've been thinking about getting a new job. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but how likely is it that another giant robot will break free and net me another huge bonus, huh? Even if something like that did happen, I'm not the only Captain Hero around, so there's no guarantee they'd ask me to handle it.

Lila is a scientist, but doesn't seem too happy with that job. My brother Matthew was hinting around that she wanted to be a criminal, but really - does he think I'd fall for that? Lila? Just because she used to be a cow mascot doesn't mean she's evil! Nah, he was just trying to make sure I didn't decide to go into politics, seeing how he's hoping to take our big brother Colin's place as Mayor. Guess he doesn't want any competition from yet another Johnson brother, huh? I haven't decided yet what I want to do next, but I'm keeping an eye on the job openings.

Arthur's growing up fast - he's a toddler already! Takes after his daddy! I really think he's a lot like me, you know. It's not just me wanting to believe that, 'cause Lila thinks so too, and Colin said the same thing after he came to visit one day and spent a lot of time playing with Arthur. And he should know, right, since he was around when I was that age? Anyway, I have great hopes for my little boy!

Hey Jack, you're a happily married man - what are you doing checking out Eric's butt?

Eric - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Captain Hero
Lila - reached top of first career, Mad Scientist

The Party Place

2006-01-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

Hey there, it's Matthew again. Matthew Johnson? Remember, I told you all about what was going on when my friends and I were in college? Well, I'm back in Prosperity now - we all are.

Zoe and I moved in with our friend Amy Jones. See, she was struggling to raise her two little boys all on her own, so we figured she could use our help, you know? And we're all popularity sims, so the more the merrier. Imagine the parties we can have together! This place is going to be the Party Place! Well, okay, maybe it needs a little work first, but between the three of us, we should be able to make enough money to take care of that...

As I said, Amy's raising her boys alone. Alec, their father, deigned to show up once, but he seemed more interested in getting Amy into bed than in spending any time with his boys - when he did talk to them, it was only because she worked hard to convince him to. He's a mascot back at Sim State, and seems to thínk that's more important than a little detail like his kids... I guess realizing that put Amy off him - not that I blame her - because she doesn't talk much about him anymore.

My Zoe really wanted to be an athlete, but couldn't get a good job in that field at first. So she joined the military for a while, and was getting promoted real fast. Guess they know a good thing when they see one, huh? She got this really big bonus from some deep sea exploration thing; don't ask me about the details, I don't get that kind of stuff. I prefer cooking. I'm a chef, and a darn good one, if I do say so myself. Good thing, too, because Zoe sure isn't - she even managed to set herself on fire the other day! Man, that was scary; but fortunately those astronaut suits are flame retardant.

The twins grew up well, and we got them into private school. I think the headmaster was a bit confused about who the parents were - I mean, it was Zoe who gave him a tour of the house, I cooked dinner, and Amy and I sat down to eat it with him. Oh yeah, and Russell's little alien friend from next door, Lucius or Luke or something, was there too - I'm not sure the headmaster didn't think he was one of the boys he was supposed to be considering, at least until his mom showed up to take him home. (Yeah, okay, his stepmom.) She's an old friend of Amy's, you know, and went to college with my older brothers, so it's all connected. Everything here in Prosperity seems to be...

Like that obnoxious Milton Carr popping back into our lives again. We were having this party one day, and Amy had invited him over. I think she's sweet on him... Well, if she thinks he's going to be willing to settle down with her and the boys, she's gonna be disappointed, you know? But if all she's looking for is a flirt, then I guess that's between the two of them. Just leave me out of it - I still don't like that guy.

Mostly Amy's done a great job with the twins, but sometimes, I don't know, sometimes it feels like she's favoring Randall over Russell. He is the more outgoing of them, so maybe it's just that it's easier to get close to him, but I feel bad for Russell anyway. I try to spend as much time with him as I can, and he seems to almost consider me a father figure. He's a nice boy, if not exactly handsome - and there's that weight problem he has - but he's a good kid.

Oh yeah, let's not forget the most important day of my life; the day I made Zoe Barrett my wife. We had a roof raising wedding party, of course. And she's mine, now, mine for the rest of our lives... I'm just plain crazy about her. We've been talking about having a baby of our own, someday soon.

How did a college professor's fingerprints end up on the Maidmobile?

Matthew - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Celebrity Chef; fulfilled impossible want, 30 best friends
Zoe - reached top of first career, General; reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Hall of Famer

The Baby Factory

2006-01-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary,

Mark is indeed pregnant. He seems to have gotten used to the idea fairly quickly; I guess it helps that he's not the only one around here that it's happened to. There's my stepfather, and Nicole's husband Connor - I told you they got married, didn't I? Mark's kid brother Jack got himself abducted, too. And, you know, Mark loves kids and wants a whole bunch of them. Why should he love this one any less, just because it's part alien?

And being pregnant hasn't made him any less fertile. (That sounds weird, but you know what I mean.) He managed to get me pregnant again, so now both of us are constantly hungry and tired! It's a good thing he's due to have the baby soon, or I'd be worried about Zach getting neglected.

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

I have an alien stepson. Mark named him Lucius - something about him coming from the lights in the sky, I think. Whatever; I'm going to call him Luke. It goes well with Zach, don't you think?

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

Sometimes I wonder about that man of mine. We have a toddler and a baby, with number three on the way, and he thinks this is a good time to stargaze all night long? It's almost as if he's trying to get abducted again!

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

Zach is starting school today. I'm so nervous - my little one is going off without me all day long! Only he's not so little anymore, is he? Everybody says he looks just like me, and I suppose they're right. Except he does have Mark's eyes, brown and myopic. He's such a sweet boy.

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

I have a daughter! Serenity Lawrence was born yesterday, and we now have three children. The boys seem to accept the new addition without trouble, Zach especially. He's always offering to play with Luke so Mark and I can feed Serenity or change her diaper. I try to treat all the children the same, but there's just something about Zach...

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

I think I'm pregnant again...

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

We had a double birthday here today. Serenity is now a toddler - she's so cute! - and Luke is due to start school. I'm not sure where he got those clothes; I certainly didn't buy them! I think I'm going to sit down with Mark and discuss discipline. I'm all for letting the children have a say in their own lives, but there's gotta be some limits, right?

Love, Grace

Tough boy Lucius talks to his unborn brother or sister.

Grace - fulfilled impossible want, 30 best friends

The ABC Kids Grow Up

2006-01-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

My children are growing up. It makes me both sad and proud at the same time. I mean, it's supposed to be that way, right? And they're turning out great. Any father would be proud. But at the same time... I miss my babies, my little ones.

Aisling is a teenager now. She's a fortune sim, and says she's going to be incredibly rich some day. I don't know whether she's inherited it from my father and grandfather, or if it's due to some old memories from when she was a baby and we had so little money, we had to put her crib in the living room-slash-kitchen.

Ciaran is in school, and doing very well. I don't think I've ever seen anyone quite that blond before, but Meadow says she had that color hair as a child, so maybe it'll get darker as he grows up. He seems to have inherited his mother's lack of cooking skills, as well... I myself am a chef now, so I guess I'll have to teach him how things are done.

We had a big party the other night, something of a three-in-one: getting Ciaran into private school, celebrating Bridget's birthday, and saying goodbye to Aisling as she was leaving for college. She's going to do very well there, I'm sure - she's a bright kid, my girl.

Bridget is a family sim, like myself and Meadow. She says she wants a life just like ours: happy marriage, three kids, nice house... When your child tells you that, you know you've done a good job!

Riordan - reached top of second career, Celebrity Chef
Meadow - reached top of first career, Visionary; reached top of second career, General

The Trouble With Roommates

2006-01-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

I remember when I thought having a roommate would be fun. I figured "Colin is popularity, I'm romance - he can make friends with my lovers, and I'll woohoo with his friends. It'll be great!"

Um, yeah. Right.

I had no idea he was going to turn out to be such a prude! Everytime I invite someone over for some fun, he goes all judgmental and morally superior on me. If I happen to flirt with them, he drops whatever he's doing and starts making faces at us, acting all disgusted. What's up with that?

You know, Colin and I first met on the 'net. He was in college, I had just moved into this place, and I guess neither of us had anything better to do right then. We got along pretty well, so we started to chat regularly, especially after we figured out who the other was - not only are we both from Prosperity, but his brother was engaged to my sister! (I hear they're married now, by the way, with a little kid and another on the way. So not the life for me...) Anyway, he didn't have a place to live lined up for when he left college, so I suggested he move in with me... My mistake.

Lately I've taken to meeting my lovers in town instead. Public woohoo is fun, anyway! And it gives the store clerks something to talk about; I bet it's the highlight of their day. One guy in particular is kinda cute... Too bad he's so young. I draw the line at robbing the cradle.

But I can't stay in town forever. And at home, it's back to the same old - Colin, looking like I'm committing some heinous crime just because I believe in free love. As if he's so much better, with his constant partying. Do I complain when he brings over new friends every day and expects me to help him entertain them? Entertain them, just as long as I don't flirt with them!

Since when does he make the rules, anyway? It's my home, isn't it? Maybe I should make that clear to him...

Follow that sim!

Deirdre - reached top of second career, Celebrity Chef
Colin - reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Hall of Famer; fulfilled impossible want, 30 best friends

So Alike, And So Different

2006-01-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

You know, when my boys were young, a lot of people had trouble telling them apart. Even Joe and I would sometimes mistake them for each other if they were trying to play tricks on us, as boys will do. And they don't just look alike, their personalities are very similar as well.

So how did they turn out so different?

Daniel went into crime, like his father before him, then switched to business. He's devoted to his wife, Shanna, and could not have been happier when she told him they were going to have a baby. He wears his hair very short, almost in a crewcut, and is determined to advance in his career, and make a fortune while he's at it.

Milton, on the other hand, is in show business, apparently very successful, and wears his hair very long. (Sometimes my hands itch for a pair of scissors! Call me oldfashioned if you will.) He has plenty of lovers, and I don't think he's ever even laid eyes on that little girl he fathered on Mackenzie Darnell. I didn't even know she existed until Joe told me. My granddaughter! It amazes me that Milton just doesn't seem to care; it can't be that he has something against children, because he adores his little sister. I'm going to have to sit down and have myself a talk with that boy; he's got to take some responsibility.

Speaking of my stepdaughter: Aaliyah has grown up into the most beautiful little girl. Very tidy, always cleaning up after the rest of us, and she never seems to run out of energy. She also has this funny little quirk - she only wears green. Ever.

But we do have another baby in the house, Daniel and Shanna's daughter. Would you believe they called her Iona? Iona Carr - is that supposed to be funny? Well, it's their decision, I suppose... Shanna is lovely, a popularity sim just like me. She dreams of being an athlete, and works out as often as she can, given that she has a baby to take care of.

As for myself... well, I'm starting to feel old age creeping up on me. It's not simply the fact that it seems every time I turn around, I have a new grandchild. My bones are creaking, my bladder isn't working like it used to, I get tired much more quickly, and I never seem to feel warm enough. Joe had an open fireplace installed when I told him that - isn't he adorable? I love him more every day.

Joe and his children have a late brunch together.

Daniel - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Criminal Mastermind; reached top of second career, Business Tycoon; fulfilled impossible want, earn 100 000
Milton - reached top of first career, Icon

To Tell Or Not To Tell

2006-01-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

I'm faced with a terrible dilemma. Do I break my father's heart, or do I let him live a lie?

This is all about my mother, you see. She's going through some sort of midlife crisis, I guess. She dyes her hair to cover up the grey, wears her work clothes all the time, as if to remind everybody that she's still young enough to have a successful career. That wouldn't matter, though, if it weren't for the rest.

She's having affairs on the side.

I know she's a romance sim, but I always believed she was faithful to my dad. They had such a great relationship. In fact, with all us kids running around the house, I don't see how she could possible have found a chance to carry on an affair in secret. But now...

Not long after the birth of our son, Neil, Maeve went into town to buy him some toys and stuff. She came home looking shell shocked, and told me she'd seen Carol - that's my mom - with some young guy, flirting and making out. Then they disappeared into a clothing booth together! Maeve couldn't stand to watch, so she hurried out of there as soon as she could, but it was clear enough what they were doing in there.

I was horrified, of course. Who wouldn't be. But I needed to be sure, so - and I'm not proud of this - I found my mother's diary and looked through it. She had written quite a bit about that guy Brandon she works with; apparently she's been sleeping with him, too. When I confronted her, she told me it was none of my business. She didn't even try to deny it! She said she'd spent her life trying to be something she's not, and now she was making up for it.

Where does that leave my dad?!?!

He seems so happy with her. If I told him the truth... I don't want to think about what that would do to him. He loves her so much. And she says she isn't going to leave him; she says if Maeve and I just keep our mouths shut, nothing has to change.

Well, one thing has changed already, and that's our relationship. I can't even stand to look at her. The other night, while dad was at work, she invited the sim who delivers our groceries to stay and have a dip in the hot tub... I went upstairs as quickly as I could, so I wouldn't have to see her put the moves on him. But apparently Grandpa's ghost showed up and scared her, so she put it off for another time, I guess.

I just don't know what to do. There's no good solution here, is there? Either I keep quiet, becoming my mother's accomplice in her cheating, or I tell the truth, and break my dad's heart. Is preserving the peace a good enough reason to live a lie? I tried to talk to Maeve about it, but she says she doesn't have any answers for me.

What's a sim to do?

Careful with that hand, Gramps!

Henry - reached top of second career, Cult Leader
Maeve - reached top of second career, Ecological Guru

A New Arrival, A New Departure

2006-01-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Michelle's journal continued...

This house is certainly a good place to be if you wish to study life in all its forms. And I'm not just talking about the ghosts, either, although they do offer plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse of the supernatural.

Jack and Derek were both in shock when they heard that their brother Mark had been abducted and was expecting an alien baby. Personally I saw it as fascinating, but I'm afraid they didn't share my view of the matter. Well, Mark has his own place, but I was soon to get a chance to watch a male pregnancy much closer to home.

Jack was abducted, you see. My own husband! I almost wished the aliens had taken me instead, but I've never heard of a female sim returning pregnant from an abduction, so I guess this gave me something else to study instead. Because yes, Jack was pregnant. He seemed of two minds about the whole thing - on the one hand, he was disturbed by the abduction (he wouldn't even talk to me about it!) but on the other, he very much wanted the child. I watched carefully and took notes throughout the pregnancy, which seemed very similar to a normal sim pregnancy, interestingly enough; from the initial nausea to the expanding belly. I do wonder about that - men don't have a uterus! Just where does that baby grow inside their bodies?

When the baby was born, Jack named her Skye. Trite but appropriate, I suppose. She looks different from Casey when he was a baby, and not just in coloring; her eyes are huge and strangely shaped, her nose is very small, and her cheeks almost hollowed out. But in every other way she seems like any other baby. Fascinating. I wish I could study her DNA more closely, to see if I could detect what the differences are between sims and aliens - but I suspect Jack would object to me dissecting his daughter. (And she's too cute, anyway.)

Then, just as we were getting used to having an alien in the house, tragedy struck. My sister-in-law Laura decided to fix the microwave before going to bed, and managed to electrocute herself! Poor Jack and Casey watched it happen, and were absolutely traumatized. Derek was upstairs and couldn't make it in time to plead with the Grim Reaper for his wife's life, so Jack tried to do it, but he failed. It took him very hard, I know. Saving people is what Captain Heroes are supposed to do, and this was his own sister-in-law...

Despite her mother's tragic death, Teresa managed to collect a fair number of scholarships, and left for college. She said she couldn't stand being here any longer, that she was constantly expecting to see her mom around the corner, and then remembering she would never see her again. Poor girl. Poor Derek, too - both his brothers have been abducted, his wife is dead, and his daughter isn't living at home anymore.

I haven't told anybody yet, but I've been thinking about something... In my career in the paranormal, I have gained access to something called a "Resurrect-o-nomitron," which is supposed to be able to bring people back from the dead. I was eager to use it to summon back Donna or Zedekiah, to question them about life after death, but Jack and Derek both insisted that their grandparents had lived long full lives, and should be allowed to rest in peace. Well, Laura died before her time, so surely that objection doesn't apply to her? It would make such a fascinating case study... Perhaps I should just do it, without asking their opinion first. It would make a surprise to top all surprises, wouldn't it?

Skye grows into a toddler.

Happy Family

2006-01-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's me again - Byron Preston.

I gotta tell you, life is pretty darn good. I mean, there's still stuff I want to do, like earn a whole lot more money, but just being happily married and watching my daughter grow up... Well, it's pretty darn good.

Julia is a child now, and a smart, pretty, happy child at that. Okay, maybe I'm just a little bit biased. Still, she's great, you know? Sometimes I just look at her and can't believe she came from me. She gets good grades at school, and she loves when mom teaches her stuff. She's already saying she's going to go to college one day, and I don't doubt that she's going to do very well when she does.

It's funny how Faith and Julia are so much closer in age than Faith and I are, even though she's my sister and Julia's aunt. Well, it happens like that sometimes, I guess. Anyway, Faith studied real hard, got herself a bunch of scholarships, and left for Sim State. I worry a little about how she's going to cope socially, seeing how very shy she is - that can't be easy for a popularity sim... But there are some other Prosperity kids her age going too, so maybe they'll look after each other. After all, we did when Isabel and I were in college!

Isabel decided she wanted to be a chef. She started making candies, and watching cooking shows, and said she wanted to have one of her very own one day. Of course she did it, too - nothing gets in her way when she makes up her mind about something like that. Then after she proved that she could do it, she turned right around and went back to the army again. Go figure. But when she isn't working, nothing makes her happier than painting. Julia likes it, too, and they have these two easels standing right next to each other in the living room... I love seeing them together like that, laughing and talking about their paintings.

In fact, I just love my wife and daughter, period. They're the greatest. Isabel and I have decided not to have more children; why would we want to, when Julia is everything we could ever ask for? And, you know, the baby-toddler stage isn't that much fun, honestly. It takes up so much of our time - time that we can spend together now, instead of changing dirty diapers.

I'm in business now, and my stepfather Komei has apparently decided to go into politics - and you know, I'm still not sure what it was he did before. Doesn't matter, though, as long as he makes my mom happy...

"I really wish I hadn't had a hamburger for lunch..."

Verity - fulfilled impossible want, max all skills
Komei - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Criminal Mastermind
Isabel - reached top of second career, Celebrity Chef

One Professor, Two Sisters, Three Babies

2006-01-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

What is a mother to do, when her daughters seem set on destroying the family?

My girls, Christa and Mackenzie, both returned home from college. I was so happy to see them again. They looked so grown up, and it was wonderful to see them both with such a firm idea of what they wanted out of life. I mean, it's not that I was any less proud of Mac back when all she talked about was having a husband and children - but now she seemed determined to have a career herself first and foremost. She wanted to be a Hall of Famer, just as I am - and it's easier for me to relate to another romance sim than to a family sim, I admit it. Of course I love my family, but I can't imagine having six kids, the way she used to say she wanted to.

The very first day they were home, after they both got jobs - Mackenzie as an assistant coach, Christa at the same hospital she used to work as a teenager - my youngest called a college friend to invite him over. She had been promoted to coach right away, and I guess she felt she deserved something for it, you know? Anyway, she had Milton Carr over, and they spent some time together in her bedroom. Well, good for her, I figured; until the guy had the nerve to wolf whistle at me shortly after woohooing my daughter! I was tempted to slap some sense into him, but I reminded myself: "Jan, you're a romance sim. He can't help it." But still! He's seeing my little girl!

Well, that brat got Mac pregnant. She wasn't too happy about that, but if she didn't want a child, she should've been more careful. I know, that's easy for me to say, when I've never been involved with anyone but Evelyn, who obviously couldn't get me pregnant - but being a romantic never stopped me from loving my children! Although I guess it didn't help when that pizza girl Mac fancies was over for a visit, and left the hot tub the moment my girl mentioned she was going to have a baby...

While Mackenzie was moping around at home, complaining about getting fat, Christa was working hard on her career. She was promoted to Chief of Staff, but that very day, she left her job because she was given a chance to become a criminal. I know it's been her dream all along, but a criminal? My Christa? Well - I couldn't very well stop her. She was so happy.

That's when he entered the picture. No, not that young scoundrel Milton; I prefer him to that guy - Greg Brown. He's a psychology professor, and apparently he taught both Christa and Mackenzie at Sim State. Did more than teach them, too. Christa was head over heels in love with him, and invited him over one night. I think she was having ideas of marrying him one day, but wanted to work on her career first. Well, they apparently woohooed; Mac heard them, came rushing into the bedroom, and slapped him silly. Poor girl was crying. (Yes, I know it may seem odd to be crying over one man when she was pregnant by another, but it is possible to love more than one sim, you know?)

I wish she could've just let it go, and focused on the baby she was going to have. But that's never been Mac's way. She gets an idea in her head, and she can't let go, like a dog with a bone. Well, the idea she got in her head now was to "prove" that she was every bit as good as her sister. So while Christa was fast asleep after working all night - and getting promoted, as well - Mac called that professor up, invited him over, and put the moves on him. He didn't seem to mind that she was pregnant. While they were making out, Christa was starting to suspect she might be pregnant... She left the bathroom, only to find her sister and the father of her unborn child woohooing in her own bed.

It was dreadful. Christa alternately crying and cursing, Mac looking smug, and that despicable professor in the midst of it all. Oh, if I ever see that sim again, he won't be capable of fathering any more children, that's for sure! How dare he treat my daughters that way - both of them! And Mackenzie; what am I to do about her? I can understand the urge to win an old lover back from someone else, but not from her own sister! What is wrong with that child of mine?

She went into labor that night, and gave birth to a beautiful little girl. She looked at her briefly, then handed her over to me and got on the phone with one of her lovers instead. Didn't even bother to give her a name, so I did. With her father and mother both having first names that start with M and are originally surnames, it seemed fitting to follow the same pattern with the baby; so I named her Mallory.

The father showed no more interest in her than Mac did - he hasn't been by to see her once - but her grandfather, Joe, did stop by the next day. Seeing them together made me realize Mallory looks just like him. Those must be some powerful genes he's got.

Things only got worse between my daughters as Christa's pregnancy progressed. Every time I turned around, they were getting into another fight. I couldn't find a way to make peace between them; maybe if I'd been younger, or didn't have to be the one to take care of my granddaughter (because Mac wasn't doing it). But maybe not even under better circumstances, because it seemd they didn't want to make up.

Then yesterday, Christa gave birth to twins! A boy and a girl, whom she named Jasper and Ruby. Mackenzie immediately made fun of the names, claiming they were horribly oldfashioned and the children would be teased in school with names like that. Christa countered by saying that at least she had chosen the names herself - and they were off again. I couldn't bear to listen to one more round, so I stayed in the nursery with my grandchildren, wondering what kind of life they're going to have if this is the way it's going to be around here from now on.

That night Evelyn's ghost made it's first appearance since the girls came home. I could sense her presence, but for the first time, she didn't scare anybody all night long. I think she was happy about our grandchildren.

Jan - reached top of second career, Hall of Famer
Christa - reached top of first career, Chief of Staff; reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Criminal Mastermind; fulfilled impossible want, earn 100 000
Mackenzie - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Hall of Famer

The Days Of Our Lives

2006-01-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

It is I again, Ricardo. Not much has happened in the Ramirez family, aside from the normal course of events, so I will be brief.

My wife Alison became a criminal mastermind, but soon decided it was not what she had thought it would be, so she returned to science. It suits her better, she says, and I only want her to be happy - although I will miss that costume, I admit. Do not tell Alison I said so, because she called it demeaning.

My older daughter Maria grew up into a teenager, and continued her friendship with Alon the newspaper boy. I believe she has a crush on him, but I am sure it has not gone further than that. Maria says she wants to have many friends, and I see no harm in this boy being one of them. She wants to be a Hall of Famer, just like I was, and it warms a father's heart to hear that. Unfortunately she is also as shy as I am - I hope that will not be a problem when she tries to make new friends.

Elena is also a teenager now, and she is more focused on family than Maria. She dreams of being a Captain Hero one day, so perhaps it was fortunate that Alison left her life of crime when she did. Elena is shy like her sister and myself - and Alison is not much better - but we did manage to teach her the value of cleanliness. At least she no longer leaves her books lying all over the place after studying!

And as for my brother Gabriel, well, he seems content to cook and pursue new boyfriends. I do not understand that way of life, but he is family, and so I must accept it. We cannot all walk the same paths in life; but I am grateful that neither of my daughters has taken after their uncle!

Maria has left to go to college, and she called to tell us that her uncle Matthew - one of Alison's brothers - pledged her into the same Greek House I was a co-founder of. Elena will be leaving for university soon, too, but she wishes to spend some more time working on her skills and earning scholarships. I am so proud of my daughters!

A family moment - Ricardo and Alison have lunch together, Maria is on the phone with a friend, and Elena works on her piano playing.

Alison - reached top of second career, Criminal Mastermind

Kelly Green

2006-01-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Hi again! This is Kevin, and I guess you're one of those who are anxious to hear what happened to my son after the aliens returned him. Am I right or am I right? Yeah, I thought as much; we get a lot of people like you. But hey, I'll tell you - for the right price. Now cough up those simoleons!

Remember me telling you about Connor and his girl? Well, she's another who knows the worth of a simoleon. They were married in a small quiet ceremony - can't have a big wedding when the groom has a huge belly and waddles around like a duck, now can you? Nicole was sensible about the whole thing; I like her.

Anyway, Connor had himself a little girl. No, I'm not telling you any grisly details, so get over it. He had a daughter, and he named her Kelly, 'cause she's green and all. Get it? Kelly green? Ha ha! The kid has these huge black eyes, and no nose to speak of, but aside from that, she's cute. Connor and Nicole both dote on her. Quiet the happy little family, eh?

She's smart too, Kelly, learned to walk and talk and go potty in no time. Seems like there's no end to her energy - we barely put her down in her crib before she was up again, wanting to play with her peg-in-box toy, you know the one. And she sure loves playing with her daddy.

I can't get over how fast kids grow up these days. We all gathered together for Kelly's birthday, and watched her grow up into a child. Then we had the headmaster of the local private school over for dinner the very next night, and she was admitted; well, of course she was - we're one of the oldest and richest families in Prosperity! Old BJ Ryan seemed very impressed by the house - it is pretty nice, if I say so myself. Designed it all by myself, then rebuilt it a bit when we had more money and there weren't four little ones around anymore.

Speaking of the lean old days - my pop's ghost made quite a nuisance of himself one night not so long ago. See, I'd been working out with Melissa's punching bag, to stay in shape, and I'd lost track of time, I guess. So it was real dark when I quit, and all I could think about was getting upstairs to bed, you know? That's when he appeared, scaring me so bad I passed out on the spot. When I came to again a few minutes later, he was still there, hovering over me, and scared me again! I tell you true, it was like he was trying to kill me! Three or four times in a row he scared me that night, and I'm not sure he'd've stopped at that except it was getting light out, and he needed to get back to the other side.

That's all for now. Go on with you, you've had your true life story - now get out of here! My wife's waiting for me, and if you had a wife like mine, you wouldn't want to keep her waiting either!

Kevin - reached top of second career, Celebrity Chef
Nicole - fulfilled impossible want, earn 100 000

The Next Generation

2006-01-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Matthew and Eric Johnson; Christa and Mackenzie Darnell; Daniel and Milton Carr; Zoe Barrett; Lila MacArthur. All Greek House members, Secret Society members, Big Sims on Campus, and Summa Cum Laude graduates.

Hey, this is Matthew Johnson. No, not Matt - Matthew. Sheesh, I don't know why that's so hard for people to get. You wanna hear about what we lot from Prosperity got up to at university, do you?

Let's start with me and Zoe. That's my girlfriend - well, my fiancée. We fell in love here at Sim State. Our friend Amy Jones introduced us, we hung out together all that day, and, well, the rest is history. Zoe is a popularity sim just like me; in fact, I think she takes it one step further. She even made friends with a cow mascot, and invited her to our toga parties!

That's Lila, Lila MacArthur. She's not so bad really, once you get to know her; so when Zoe wanted to pledge her into Prosperitas, I agreed. She's a knowledge sim, even though she sure doesn't act like one. That girl has no inhibitions whatsoever - she makes crank phone calls, she skinnydips in the hot tub, she cheats at chess, she streaks, she goes through the garbage "looking for something useful"... Oh yeah, and she's in love with my brother Eric.

It's funny to see my straight-laced, good guy, wannabe-Captain-Hero brother so crazy about a cow. I wonder if she's bothered to tell him that she wants to be a criminal? They're engaged now, I hear... Man, I don't get it - but best of luck to them. They do say that opposites attract, so maybe it'll all work out for the best.

I don't know if you've heard, but I used to date a girl named Mackenzie Darnell back when we were teens. Well, she has changed a lot since then. Used to be she'd talk about nothing but getting married and having lots of kids - well, that's the last thing on her mind now. She's dyed her hair, changed her whole look, says she's going to woohoo as many sims as she feels like, and never get married. Except she calls it getting tied down. You know, I'd call it going through a rebellious phase, except that her mom is a romance sim too, so I'm not sure what she'd be rebelling against. Now that I think about it, maybe being a family sim was her rebellion?

Her sister Christa, now, she's fallen in love with her professor. Don't know what she sees in the guy, with that receding hairline and all. But I guess tastes differ. Thing is, I saw him with Mackenzie one day, and I have the feeling that wasn't so innocent. If I'm right, let's just say no good could come of it.

Then there's the Carr brothers. Daniel's okay, pretty nice guy, found himself a girl. Her name's Shanna Livingston, and I think she's a barista or something. Heard they got engaged, too. Daniel says he wants to move back home when he graduates, help his parents take care of that little alien half sister of his. Scary, you know, that his dad and mine both were abducted like that - although I bet Dad didn't mind much, being a knowledge sim and all.

Milton, though, Daniel's brother - now that guy drives me nuts. Thinks he's the Creator's gift to simkind. Says he's got enough love in him for 20 sims, maybe even 30, so why shouldn't he share it? Can't stand that kind of arrogance, and if I catch him so much as loking at my Zoe, well, he'll regret it, that's all I'm saying.

Anyway, that's all from me. See you back in Prosperity, maybe.

You get used to it eventually... Zoe ignores the fight and keeps on studying.

Single Mother - Of Twins!

2006-01-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

I'm Amy Jones. I went to college with my best friend Grace Preston, and after graduation, I found a small place right next to her and Mark. It's not much - not yet, anyway - but it's all mine, which is more than I could've hoped for when I was a teenage newspaper girl.

I got a job in law enforcement, just as I always dreamed of; and to celebrate, I invited a friend from univeristy over. Somehow, that night, Alec and I crossed the line from friends into lovers. I didn't plan for it, it just happened.

Speaking of unplanned... that night had consequences. Almost right away after I was promoted to Captain Hero, I realized that I was pregnant. I tried to call of Alec to tell him, but it was hard to get hold of him. I guess being a mascot is a fulltime job.

Well, I did my best to prepare for the arrival of a baby. Imagine my surprise when I had not one child, but two! I named my sons Randall and Russell - Randall is a few minutes older than his brother.

For the next while, I had no time for anything but my boys. Life seemed to consist of feeding, changing, and cuddling one or the other, with an occasional nap in between - or when I didn't have time to sleep, a date with the energizer.

Soon the boys were toddlers, and then I seemed to have even less time. Teaching them to walk, to talk, to go potty... I'm worn out. I'm going to need help. Maybe I can ask a friend or two to move in with me.

Weird kids... Randall goes potty in his sleep, and Russell redefines the meaning of "in the bath."

Building A Home And A Family

2006-01-02T10:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary,

We've bought a lot of land, and started construction of our new home. We want it to be big, of course, so there's plenty of room for all the kids we're going to have, but we'll have to start a little smaller and add to it later on. Mark insists that we make room for a big master bedroom, though, and I'm not going to argue with that! We're adding a room for Nicole off the kitchen, since she's going to stay with us until she and Connor straighten out their relationship one way or the other. Mark says we can always make it a library later, or a room for the kids, but for now, it's Nicole's territory.

More later - I have to go job hunting.

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

Mark and I are married! It was the most beautiful ceremony, and we had a great wedding party! My mom was there, of course, and made a wonderful speech. Mark's brothers were there too, and Byron, since he was more like a brother to me than a cousin when we were growing up - but of course you know that already. Nicole made a toast, too, about how grateful she was that we were letting her stay here while she sorted her life out, and how we were the best friends anyone could have. It was all so touching, I could barely stop myself from crying!

Then we went on our honeymoon, and any thought of tears went right out the window. That's all I'm going to say about that!

Love, Grace - aka Mrs Mark Lawrence!

Dear Diary,

Mark and I decided that we're financially stable enough to start on our family now. Mark left the military to become a doctor, and my job as an Ecological Guru pays very well. Since he wants at least six kids, we'd better get to work on that as soon as possible! In fact, I think I may be pregnant already...

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

I'm so upset I can barely write! Something terrible has happened - Mark has been abducted by aliens! Why was he stupid enough to go out stargazing when he knows perfectly well what has been going on all around Prosperity? Even my stepfather! Didn't he listen when I told him that? No, no, I have to calm down, it's not good for the baby... Oh goodness, I think that was a contraction!

Later...

Well, the aliens did return my husband, but he missed the birth of our son. We're calling him Zachariah, in memory of Mark's grandfather Zedekiah. Isn't he perfect?

Love, Grace

Dear Diary,

Mark says he's been feeling nauseous a lot lately. I wonder...

Love, Grace

Hello? Anybody there?

Mark - reached top of first career, General; reached top of second career, Chief of Staff
Grace - reached top of first career, Ecological Guru
Nicole - reached top of first career, Business Tycoon; reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Criminal Mastermind

The Life Of A Family Sim

2006-01-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

My wife Meadow is a fine woman, a family sim just like me. Our firstborn, little Aisling, is our pride and joy. So far, everything went as we had intended it to.

But when Meadow got pregnant again right after Aisling was born, she suddenly developed a fear of giving birth. I don't know what else to call it; the Creator knows that she wanted that child - it was her idea to have another one so soon - but she started acting weird about it, saying she wanted it and was afraid at the same time. I dunno, maybe it's the kind of thing only a woman can understand.

Me, I just looked forward to our baby. Anyway, by the time Bridget was born, Meadow had gotten over that fear of hers.

Another little girl with red hair like mine, but this one as dark as her mother. Beautiful, just beautiful. I couldn't have been happier - all I wanted to do was cuddle and play with Bridget, teach Aisling everything she needed to know, and maybe find the time to be alone with my wife now and again.

Meadow had different ideas. She kept saying she wanted three kids, that she had always wanted three kids, and she wasn't going to wait. Well, what's a sim to do? I got her pregnant again, and just held my breath, hoping she wouldn't get scared again.

Aisling grew up into a pretty young girl, and we got her into private school, where she did very well. I really don't have any reason to worry about her - well, maybe one. There's this guy... The youngest son of our neighbors, the Johnsons. Eric came by our place when Aisling was a baby, picked her out of the crib, and just wouldn't let go. I found it a little disturbing at the time, but then he left, and I put it out of my mind.

After Aisling started school, Eric began calling her just about every day. He's in college now, so you tell me - why does a college kid keep calling a little girl? It's just... weird. I mean, they haven't actually met, not since she was a baby, but she talks about him like he's her best friend or something. It's not that I'm not happy she has friends, of course, but I wish she'd spend more time with kids her own age.

Well, Bridget's growing up, too, maybe that'll help. They get along fine, my girls, and they're a lot alike - although Aisling's the shy one, and a bit grouchy at times. Bridget seems to be happy all the time.

And then our third child was born, and now I have a son - Ciaran, we call him. He's blond like his mom, but aside from that, it's kinda hard to tell what he looks like just yet. But this is it for Meadow and me; three kids are enough for us. She's terrified of having more, she told me. I guess it's just pure luck that we managed these three without her having a breakdown of some kind. Well, I have a loving wife, two beautiful daughters, and a baby boy - what more could anyone ask for?

Is being a bad cook hereditary?

Riordan - reached top of first career, Icon

Notches In The Bedpost

2006-01-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

My first conquest was Alec, the llama mascot. He's not bad looking under that suit!

Then there was Professor Dorian. Seducing him sure helped me get good grades, I tell you!

Number three was Ash, the first guy I woohooed with.

Professor Camryn was next, first female on the list. (I didn't want to be unfair, you know. Why keep myself to one of the professors, when I could have both?)

Then April. Not the prettiest girl I ever met, but honestly, who cares about looks? She wouldn't woohoo, though - it took me forever to get her into bed, not until I had my own place. Maybe she was afraid someone would overhear us. (Well, they probably would've.)

Number six was Tosha the cheerleader. I love her long red hair - although honestly, I think it's dyed. She's got these dark roots...

Then Christian, another redhead. I've always had a soft spot for red hair; maybe it comes from being the only darkhaired sim in the family. Whatever.

Eight was Kacper, I think. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was next. He just wasn't very memorable.

Number nine was Sabastian, another mascot. Llama, of course - I do have my standards.

Then I celebrated my graduation by making Lexie the cheerleader my tenth lover. Go me!

My first after moving into my own home was Heath, mascot number three.

Then Andrzej. Another ugly sim, frankly, but as I said before, looks aren't everything. Nudge nudge, wink wink. Say no more!

Dagmar the mail lady was another shy one, but I won her over in the end. Had to do some damage control after she caught me woohooing with...

Carol Johnson. My first married sim! Also the mother of my new roomie Colin, but I sure hope he doesn't know about me and his mom. I try to be discreet - when there's reason to be, anyway.

After Carol came Manuel. That was after I was promoted to Visionary - we had ourselves a nice little celebration...

Starla, an old college friend.

Then there was Milton Carr - ah, now we're talking. Another romantic, so he understands what it's all about. Gorgeous, too, and young!

Goopy was next. He's a nice guy, really, although I wish he had a bit more fashion sense. I've tried to talk to him about it, but he just shrugs and says if people can't take him as he is, he doesn't want them in his life anyway. He's got a point there.

And then finally - Nery, number 20! A streaker from college; Colin introduced us. (Guess he's good for something...)

Wait a moment, that only adds up to 19. I'm sure Nery was number 20! Who did I forget?

Ah, yes, of course - Derek. I'm not sure where on the list he belongs. We fooled around a bit when we were teenagers, but then in college he fell in love with Laura, and we stayed friends. The first time he came to see me in my new home, though, we got a bit carried away...

Deirdre - reached top of first career, Visionary; fulfilled LTW, 20 lovers
Colin - reached top of first career, Mayor

When You Least Expect It

2006-01-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny, the way things never turn out as you expect them to?

I mean, Joe and I were looking forward to peacefully growing old together. My Grace had graduated college and was starting a family of her own, and our boys were growing up - Daniel had already gone off to college, and Milton was about to do the same. It looked like we'd have the house to ourselves for a while, and start thinking about being grandparents rather than parents, you know?

But of course, it didn't turn out that way at all.

Those aliens seem to be on a rampage lately. We'd heard about Connor O'Neill - he went to college with Grace - and Paul Johnson lives just across the street from us. Somehow, you just don't expect it to ever happen to your family. But Joe went out stargazing one night... and they took him. He was gone for three hours or so before they returned him, and it wasn't just him they returned - it was a little surprise for us, too. He was pregnant.

I tried my very best to be supportive about the whole thing - I mean, it's not as if he intended it to happen - but it was just hard to come to terms with, you know? Imagine that your husband is having a baby. An alien baby. You watch him grow bigger and bigger, and there's just something really weird about that. Men aren't supposed to be pregnant! But of course, it wasn't Joe's fault, and it must have been as strange to him as it was to me, so... I did what I could to make it easier for him. Maybe it would be easier to accept if we were a bit younger. But two elders raising a baby?

Yeah, I had a birthday, a small quiet affair - it just wasn't the time to throw a big bash. We had my sister Verity over, and that was it; the boys were so busy at university, we didn't want to take up their time. And, you know, Joe isn't much younger than me; I was actually surprised that he was able to get pregnant. If the aliens had taken him just a little bit later, I bet everything would've been different. But they didn't. And anyway, that would've meant we wouldn't have Aaliyah.

Yeah, that's what Joe named her. He says it means "to ascend" or something of the sort, which I guess is appropriate. Anyway, she's the most adorable little girl you could imagine. Looks just like Joe, except for the green skin and black eyes. The moment I laid eyes on her, it didn't seem to matter that she wasn't mine - I'm going to try to be as good a step-parent to her as Joe has been to Grace.

Hey, I hadn't thought about that. Now we have two sons together, and a daughter each. There's a symmetry to that, in a way.

Speaking of the boys, they came home for Joe's birthday, and to meet their new sister - two birds with one stone. Milton seemed okay about it, but Daniel wouldn't even look at her at first. Maybe it's different for him since he wasn't here when his dad was abducted; Milton knows first hand that Joe didn't choose it, but it's harder for Daniel. Of course, he did come around after a while, and once he held her, you could just see him fall in love with his baby sister.

So I guess we won't be quietly growing old, not with a baby in the house. But life is what is, not what you thought it would be. Maybe when the boys graduate, one - or both - of them will be willing to move back home, and help out a bit. Kids need to be surrounded by family.

Hope - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, General

Aliens Don't Play Fair

2005-12-26T17:24:00.000-08:00

Life isn't fair. Or should I say, aliens aren't fair.

Ever since I heard about what happened to Connor O'Neill - my fiancée's brother - I've been hoping to meet those aliens myself. What could be more fascinating? Not just a different culture, but a different race of beings! There is intelligent life out there other than us sims! I am sure I could find a way to make myself understood, if only they would give me the chance.

So I've been spending a lot of time at the telescope, since I understand that's what Connor was doing when he was abducted. I don't know if there's any connection, but I figured it was worth a try, right? For hours on end, night after night, I gazed up at the stars, hoping for a glimpse of something that moved. I would start as soon as night fell, and keep going until the early hours of the morning, with only short breaks to use the bathroom or grab a bite to eat.

And that's how it happened. As I was taking one of those potty breaks, my old man decided he wanted a peek at the stars. Can you see where I'm going with this? You're absolutely right. While I was inside, the aliens picked up my father. I rushed out there as quickly as I could, but it was too late to do anything about it.

They returned him after a few hours. He was shocked, babbling and shivering, but claimed to have enjoyed meeting the aliens. He says he's sorry I missed it, but I know perfectly well he's glad it was him and not me. Maybe he figures I'm younger than him, so he should go first, since he may not get another chance... But he wasn't the one spending hour after hour watching and waiting!

Oh well, I'm not giving up. If they've taken two sims, they may take more. I'll be right here. Well, except when I'm otherwise occupied - I'm a husband now, after all. Maeve and I were married, and I have to spend some time with her, you know. But I'll admit something that she will never find out about - after we woohooed for the first time as husband and wife, and she was fast asleep in our bed, I snuck out to the telescope...

Paul - reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Mad Scientist
Carol - reached top of second career, Celebrity Chef
Henry - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Criminal Mastermind

Carol writes in her diary about her affair with Brandon Lillard.

Michelle's Journal

2005-12-26T15:59:00.000-08:00

I'm Michelle Kearney - well, Michelle Lawrence now, since Jack and I got married. I'm going to keep this journal to document the ins and outs of life here at our house.

First of all, I should clarify that it's not just our home. Jack and I share a place with his brother Derek, Derek's wife Laura, and their little girl Teresa. Jack and Derek grew up here - although the house was much smaller then. We've added to it a bit. They grew up with their grandparents, Zedekiah and Donna, who are dead now but haunt the place every so often. Can you imagine - I have my very own ghosts right here at home! If only I could talk to them, find out what it's like on the other side...

The ghosts inspired me to leave my original job as Chief of Staff (I was succeeded by Kevin O'Neill, and then when he left, Byron Preston took over) to study the paranormal. I find the work fascinating, and frequently come home feeling more refreshed and filled with energy than when I left.

At home, even when the ghosts don't appear to us - and they do that a lot, especially to poor Laura, who is always so terrified to see them that she wets her pants - we frequently sense their presence. Like when I gave birth to my son, Casey. I could just feel someone watching us, as Jack said hello to our baby boy.

Jack doesn't seem overly bothered by his late grandparents; he's too focused on the here and now. When we first moved in, he was happy to stay home with Teresa while Derek and Laura worked on their careers. It was only when I found myself pregnant that he decided he should get a job. He's Captain Hero now, but still considers raising the children to be his true calling.

I wonder if he even knows that his brother is one of those criminals he has sworn to fight? The mastermind behind them all, in fact. Probably not; Derek is good at keeping secrets. Laura doesn't seem to suspect that her husband is carrying on with Deirdre O'Neill behind her back, or she wouldn't still treat her as a friend.

Derek - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Hall of Famer; reached top of second career, Criminal Mastermind; fulfilled impossible want, earn 100 000
Laura - reached top of first career, Mayor; reached top of second career, Icon
Jack - reached top of first career, Captain Hero
Michelle - reached top of first career, Chief of Staff; reached top of second career, Cult Leader

The perfect husband: he not only fights crime, he cooks, too!

Extended Family

2005-12-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hey there, Byron speaking.

It's good to be home again. Although it's a bit weird how in some ways everything feels the same, and in some ways it's all so very different. I mean, when I was younger, it was just me and my mom. Now we're both married with young children.

Yep, Isabel and I got married, almost right away after coming home from college. At one point in my life the mere thought of tying the knot would've sent me running for the hills, but it turns out married life suits me just fine. Mom seems happy, too, and Komei is okay - although it's a bit strange to have a stepfather who's not that much older than me... I'm not sure exactly what he does for a living, but he does work hard, and he dotes on Mom and Faith.

See, that's one of the big changes. I'm not an only child anymore. My kid sister Faith is in school now - she has struck up a friendship with Isabel's niece, Elena. Faith must be the tidiest kid I ever met - she loves cleaning and scrubbing - but more than a little shy, so it's nice that she has at least one good friend. Otherwise she spends most of her time with books, or running the obstacle course that Isabel brought home from work, or something like that. Guess she takes after Mom.

Mom may be a bit older, but that doesn't stop her. She's still as obsessed with learning things as she's always been. She has reached the top of the heap in science, and works nights now, which means she's always at home during the day to help Faith with her studies. Or spend time with Julia.

Julia is my daughter. It seems the Ramirez family runs to girls in this new generation, Isabel says - Maria, Elena, Teresa, and now Julia. Isn't she adorable? I wish I had the chance to spend more time with her, but somebody's gotta put food on the table, you know? I spent some time as an artist until there was a job opening at the local hospital. I'm Chief of Staff now! Isabel is in the military. It's a good thing Mom loves being a grandmother - she was actually the one who taught Julia to walk and talk.

Sometimes I get weird looks when I mention that I live with my mom, my stepfather, my half sister, my wife and my daughter. Well, who cares? Let them look. Ours may not be the traditional kind of family, but it works for us.

Verity - reached top of first career, Mad Scientist
Byron - reached top of first career, Visionary; reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Chief of Staff
Isabel - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, General

Faith as a very pretty teenager.

Alone Yet Not Alone

2005-12-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

My house is haunted. Everybody knows that. My late wife, Evelyn, walks at night. "Jan," my friends tell me, "Why don't you move? Or at least get rid of the headstone!" They don't understand that I would never do that to Evelyn. This is how she keeps an eye on us, her loved ones.

I admit that it isn't always easy, living with a ghost. She will appear when you least expect it, and sometimes it almost seems as if she's trying to scare us. But I guess she's frustrated at not being able to communicate. She has to watch our daughters grow up without her, after all.

They have left for college now, both girls. Christa insisted that she had to get into private school, but as soon as we'd had the headmaster over for dinner and persuaded him to let them in, she started packing her bags. I guess it wasn't going to private school that was important, it was getting in, and proving that she was good enough. I don't know why she feels that way - she and Mackenzie have never needed to prove anything to me or Evelyn, and I believe they know that. I certainly hope so. But Christa has always been ambitious.

Well, I live alone now. I have friends who visit, of course, but not all of them are comfortable with having a ghost watching their every move. Most of them leave when night falls. But I did have a big party for my birthday. We had a great time, even though we aren't as young as we used to be. Except Brandon, of course, he never seems to age a day.

Yes, I am getting older. Be patient, Evelyn, and you will soon have company on the other side. I hope to live long enough to see the children come home, though, and perhaps a grandchild or two. Time will tell. For now, I am content.

Full House

2005-12-20T15:39:00.000-08:00

Buenos días - I am Ricardo Ramirez. You may call me Rico if you like, I do not mind, since I intend to be very rico one day, he he.

Much has happened in my family lately. It seemed that one day, my wife Alison and I were alone with our baby girl, and the next, we had two daughters and my brother Gabriel was living with us again. It's not that I mind my brother coming back home, you understand. He belongs here, with his family. But with the life he leads, there are some problems.

He has a new boyfriend over almost every day, sometimes two of them in one day. Half of them I have never seen before I find them in my house, making themselves at home. And Gabriel does not seem to know the word discreet. They are all over the place; making out in the living room, cuddling - and more - in the hot tub... There are children in the house!

Yes, the children. Shortly after my brother's return, Alison gave birth to our second daughter, and we named her Elena. She is the most beautiful child you ever saw, just like her sister. I love them both more than I can say - and if there is a small part of me that wishes for a son, they will never know it. Two children are enough, and they are wonderful children. I just wish there was someone to carry on the Ramirez name, but since Gabriel is not likely to have any children... Well, it is a pity.

The girls grow up so quickly. They are both going to school already, and Maria has struck up a friendship with the boy who delivers our newspapers, Alon. She needs glasses, my oldest - I wonder if that runs in Alison's family? No Ramirez has ever worn glasses as far as I know.

Alison has left science for crime - I believe it annoyed her to be called "mad" when she was perfectly sane - and I became a business tycoon when Elena was still a baby. The children are both in private school now, since of course we only want the very best for our daughters. Gabriel is a chef, and a very good one, too, who made a fortune selling food in airports. Before that, he was an artist. We have spent some of our money on expanding the house, and most recently adding a second floor. It is hard to believe how tiny this place was when we were children, after Mamá died... Maria and Elena will never know the kind of poverty we did, I swear it!

A glitch in the game turned Alison into Rapunzel...

... and then into something much worse.

Ricardo - reached top of second career, Business Tycoon
Alison - fulfilled impossible want, max all skills
Gabriel - reached top of first career, Visionary; reached top of second career and fulfilled LTW, Celebrity Chef

Abduction!

2005-12-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard about a sim here in Prosperity being abducted, haven't you? Well, that was my son, and I'm here to tell you the true story, not some rumor.

I'm Kevin O'Neill. I have four kids, all adults now, and a gorgeous wife named Melissa. The whole thing went down not long after my two youngest, Maeve and Connor, came home from college. My daughter wanted to focus on her career for a while before marrying her fiancé Henry - she knows the importance of working hard and making money, that one. She takes after her old man in that way. Fortunately she's much prettier than me. Here, I have a picture of her.

Now, the boyo, he'd fallen in love in college, too, but there was some trouble between him and the girl. See, she's not too particular about which side of the law she's on. Me, I don't see the big deal - I may have been a cop at one time, when I was younger, but I left that job when better opportunities beckoned. But Connor, now, he was never happier than the day they named him Captain Hero.

Well, we went about our lives as people do. I became Chief of Staff! At the time, that seemed like the biggest thing that would ever happen to me. Well, then I decided I'd like to try my hand at cooking for a living. Maeve made a name for herself in business, like she'd always dreamed of. Melissa made the Hall of Fame! And we had ourselves a grand anniversary party, the missus and I. We're getting up there in years, you know. But all those things happened before The Abduction.

I didn't see it myself, you understand. Melissa and I were upstairs... well, never you mind what we were doing. But Maeve saw it all through the window. She says there was this sudden bright light out of nowhere, aimed at Connor where he stood stargazing. And then it started to pull him up into the sky!

He tried to cling to the telescope, but whatever that force was, it was too strong for him. The next thing we knew, he was just gone. We were horrified, wondering what had happened, where he was, and if he'd ever come back to us.

He did come back, hours later. A big flying saucer came to hover outside our house, and it just spit him out onto the street. Flat on his face! He wouldn't talk about what had happened, except to mutter about aliens and cry a bit. But then he dusted himself off and went to work. There was some big crisis that day, some thing about a giant robot on the loose, but my boy handled it so beautifully that they gave him a big reward - 50 000 simoleons! No aliens are gonna make my kid crack, I tell you.

Well, he did quit his job after that. But minutes after quitting, he was calling up that girl of his, and she came over for a visit. I don't know what was said between them, but when he came back inside after several hours, he told us there was going to be a wedding soon. Guess he got his priorities straightened out.

Looks like it's none too soon, too. Somehow, those aliens got him pregnant!

Kevin - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Chief of Staff
Melissa - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Hall of Famer
Maeve - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Business Tycoon
Connor - reached top of first career and fulfilled LTW, Captain Hero