Part 6 | Growing Up

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INTRODUCTION

Hello again! Another part is here. We're playing week 6 this time around. There's going to be a bunch of ageing up in this part, so get ready for that. The kids are getting older, and Bao certainly isn't getting any younger either. I guess we'll also try to get to the bottom of why the heck there is a rainbow umbrella army surrounding our house. 

WEEK 6, DAY 1

The main goal for today (and maybe the next few days) will be to get Bao and Lyle to master painting. They're taking forever to do it, so I'm just hoping that they can get it done soon. The girls will just continue with their usual writing and fishing.

Imagine someone standing outside your house at midnight making that face. Yeah, that's exactly the situation my sims are in right now. That paparazzi makes me genuinely concerned for this family.

Don't you guys have things to do? Places to be?

She's laughing at me. I guess not.

Another boat for elderly laptop girl.

So I found a random grave on the island and I thought that we might as well have a ghost friend for Theresa.

And now she's crying just after hysterically laughing? This woman is having some serious mood swings.

Aww, I would feel bad for her if she wasn't a total creep.

Yeah! Someone is up finally!

I know you're hungry, but that's no reason to point at the ceiling like that. That ceiling didn't deserve that.

Also, great job loading, game.

Here's another one up.



My sims are lonely again of course, so time for a chat.



This is all Marina's doing today. She's starting to get paid 40 simoleons every time she publishes new chapters. I forgot that it was the day for book royalties. We made 126 simoleons, which isn't bad for our first week of writing!

Bao is super close! If he keeps at it then I'm guessing the skill will be mastered by today or tomorrow.

I just wish that Isla would 'accidentally' whack this woman with her fishing pole.

Another painting started by Lyle.

If I had a dollar for every time Bao has clogged and unclogged this same damn toilet...

And another clogged toilet right after that! Perfect.

Isla still hasn't taken one look at this woman! Is she just a figment of my imagination or something?

820 simoleon painting, not too shabby.

Well Bao actually completed a skill challenge for fixing 10 plumbing objects, so I guess I'd only have 10 dollars after all...



Marina is now level 5 in logic and I locked in a lifetime wish for her to complete which is 'Renaissance Sim'. She has to master 3 different skills to complete it, so she has some serious work cut out for her!

Sooo painfully clooose!



No one can paint anything original in this house... But, it is worth more than 1000 simoleons so I'll take it.

Well Lyle is already tired after all of that painting, so he can have a nice sleep in his tuxedo again...

Isla is at level 7 in fishing now.

Bao needs to sleep, so I guess that he'll have to master painting tomorrow.

The twins need sleep too.

That was an average kind of a day. Not too amazing, but nothing terrible either. They're all working hard at their skills every day though, which is good. Next day here we come...

WEEK 6, DAY 2

The twins are ageing up together today! I honestly can't believe that they're already teens. I feel like their childhoods sort of just flew on by. Other than their birthdays (and therefore makeovers) though, maybe a little painting is in store for the guys today.

Up at 3:00 AM in his tuxedo. That's why he's Insane I guess, or vice versa.

There are 2 deer now???

Time for Isla's birthday party!

Here's Isla as a Teen! She looks extremely uncomfortable right now... Uh... I mean, she has a... er... pretty smile? Anyway, she developed the Vegetarian trait, which is kind of weird since she is a fisherwoman.

There we go, now she looks normal.



Now it's Marina's turn!

And there she is. She developed the Animal Lover trait.

Here's what Isla looks like with her everyday outfit, hair and makeup. I think she's stunning if I do say so myself.

And of course here is Marina. I think she's also pretty. These two definitely look different than I had expected but in a good way.



The university mascot is an umbrella person?!



Marina's eating cake with chopsticks?



Back to painting for Bao and Lyle.




Marina's making some good progress with this Horror novel.

And Isla's fishing of course.

Bao and his bladder issues...



812 simoleon painting from Bao. I'm wondering why Lyle's paintings are always worth more than Bao's.



This... right here... is worth 820 simoleons. What has the world come to?



Bao mastered painting!! Hopefully his painting will be worth more now, although they are already quite expensive.



Lyle is tired, so he can sleep now and maybe master painting tomorrow?



Nice going, Marina.



We have another repair job for you, Bao...



I changed their rooms a bit, but didn't do much. They just look a bit plainer now that they're teens.



I guess that Bao has taken up flying in his old age. Good for him.



I guess all that flying tired him out a bit.



Isla's been fishing for a long time, so she can have a sleep too.



That's today done then. Bao finally mastered painting and Lyle is close behind him. The girls aged up and worked on their skills like normal. 

WEEK 6, DAY 3

New day! Bao is going to try to paint a masterpiece, Lyle can master painting (and if he doesn't I'll throw him into the ocean) because I'm sick of him painting and want him to move onto the guitar skill now. Isla and Marina aren't doing much different than the usual.

Somehow Lyle managed to get his toilet this dirtied up again. He must be doing science experiments or something in that thing, I swear.

Mmm... Look at that sky.

Another mood swing...

My game notified me that Lyle will be 'graduating' soon. Sure game, whatever you say.

Cake with chopsticks again, but this time Lyle's in on the act.

I said that I would update you all on their money situation a bit more, so their current household funds are 20,142 simoleons. I'm considering getting them a boat with it (we might as well make the most of living on our own private island, right?). 

On second thoughts, maybe not because the boat trailers are huge.

Everyone's up now.



Marina's finished her book so she's solving the unsolvable for a little cash right now.



Lyle and Bao are both just painting.



Marina failed... Better luck next time I guess.



The girls are just gossiping a bit to get their social needs up. According to their gossip, stray cat is secretly a party animal.



Isla's heading out for some fishing while Marina tries solving the unsolvable again.



Isla's pretty happy outside as usual since she has the Loves the Outdoors trait.



Oh, not again Bao...



I was right! Marina is possessed! By the way, she failed again with solving the unsolvable. I guess it's called unsolvable for a reason...



Anyway, she's starting a new Humour novel called 'Solving the Unsolvable', because if she can't do it, then she can write a book about it instead.



Finally Bao made a painting more expensive than Lyle's! They made almost 2000 altogether when I sold them.



The suspense...



Okay, that's it! We're getting a new toilet!



I decided that to save some space, from now on we'll use all-in-one bathrooms instead of normal bathrooms. I've placed one in each bedroom and one downstairs, and I've gotten rid of all the old bathrooms.



Lyle's mastered painting! That means that he has one more skill to master and then he'll have completed his lifetime wish.



Marina's just getting some fresh air outside. She also Loves the Outdoors if you remember. They're both heading to bed in not too long.



Lyle's mood swing is over and he's sleeping too.



Bao needs some cake before bed.



Another guy swimming in the middle of nowhere.



Well, today was pretty good. I've been wanting Bao and Lyle to master painting for a long time so it's good that they've both done that now. We're actually down to 4,712 simoleons because of all those all-in-one bathrooms that I bought. I'm fine with it though, since it saves them a lot of space and they're less likely to break them.

WEEK 6, DAY 4

Another day gone by, and a new day beginning! Lyle will be learning the basics of the guitar today while Bao just paints to try to earn some money back to this household. And you guessed it, the twins are working on writing and fishing again.

He looks pretty happy with himself for somehow scoring a boat.



So he's decided to come to the island.

How do these deer keep getting stuck under the bridge?

Marina's up for some writing today.



Lyle's first time playing the guitar! He looks a little confused but he's already a level 3 because of him playing on the xylophone when he was a toddler.



He's really starting to get the hang of it!

More fishing.



Bao's up a little late but he's painting now. Now that he's mastered it I would say his paintings will probably be worth more now, but we can only hope.



I changed her into her formal dress because hey, why not? It's not like she's ever going to attend formal events anyway on this island... I'm also getting really sick of everyone always walking around in their pyjamas.

All this writing is stressing her out a bit so she's taking a chess break.



Bao's newest painting was worth over 1,200 simoleons! Mastering painting most certainly did help with the painting prices. I guess he's painting the exact same thing again now...

Lyle's level 4! Hopefully he can master this thing in no time.



Changed her into her formal outfit too.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS???!!!


Isla... I'm considering disowning you right now.



Marina's done for the day.


Bao's repaired this and is upgrading it to unbreakable. All the kids are asleep.





One of the rainbow umbrella group members is stuck under the bridge too.

These two are as cute as ever.



That's today finished. I'm really happy that Bao's paintings are worth so much now, because that's going to really help with our household funds. Speaking of, we're currently standing at 5,762 simoleons which really is not bad considering all the money we've spent on the houseboat. 

WEEK 6, DAY 5

Today Lyle's going to get further into the guitar skill and maybe the girls can level up in their skills. More paintings from Bao would be helpful today, but if he just spends the day upgrading items then that's useful too. It's also Love Day.

Bao finished upgrading his bathroom, but he's pretty tired now so he might just sleep for most of the day.



Marina's up ready for some writing.



Isla's super close to the next level of fishing. Also, this is some awesome lighting. I can just imagine some terrible quote in front of it.



Isla's level 8 in fishing! She's fairly close to mastering it, even though she isn't an Angler. I'll just have to hope that she gets that when she ages up. It's a pretty slim chance though.



Marina isn't Artistic or a Bookworm either, but she's still getting good at writing.


Lyle is starting his guitar practice for the day.




Marina's digging into some cake (because this family just doesn't eat enough cake already) and can play some chess afterwards.

Please just swim yourself into a whirlpool or something.



Marina got to level 6 in logic.



It's a wonder that this family isn't extremely overweight.



Bao making the money.



What the heck is this?



These guys are lonely so they're having a chat. My game gave me the option to 'Praise How Theresa Died'... I know it's the name of the book but still...



Marina's done for the day.



This 'new' painting of Bao's (complete copy of something he already made) made us 1,395 simoleons!



Bao's painting something else now and the kids are still working hard too. Well, besides Marina.



Level 5 in the guitar skill!

That's day 5. We're at 7,471 simoleons thanks to everyone's work today. My money goal for the family by the end of the week is 10,000 simoleons. Let's see how that goes...

WEEK 6, DAY 6

We're nearing the end of the week again, and if I plan on meeting that simoleon goal then I'd better have my sims work hard like they always do. It's kind of crazy to me that we're already nearing week 7. Normally I start a challenge, play it for a few days, get bored and then move on to the next challenge. Since I'm doing a blog this time around though, it makes everything a lot more fun and I'm really aiming to finish this challenge. Anyway, enough with my rambling and on to the day.

So rainbow umbrellas are out of style, huh? But it seems that jockey helmets are in now. This island is very... fashion forward?

Oh come on, Bao! You were right in front of the bathroom!



Lyle's having fun but he's pretty exhausted. He's going to sleep.



He's pretty tired too, but I have no sympathy for people who wear jockey helmets as fashion statements.

Marina's up at 6:00 AM working on her book some more.

His totally original painting is worth 1,394 simoleons, which has gotten us up to 8,865 simoleons in household funds. He also completed the 'Proficient Painter' skill challenge, which means that he's made 6 brilliant quality paintings.

Believe it or not, we actually ran out of birthday cake (this never happens!!!), so cupcakes will be fine for now. After that though, Bao needs some rest.

Marina got to level 7 in writing but she's feeling strained right now, so that means more chess.



She's texting the jockey helmet guy. I guess they have a little community of their own set up here.



I feel like as long as my sims are eating cake for every meal, they're happy as can be.

Another mood swing from Lyle today. This is the problem with Rebellious sims.

Maybe some guitar will put him in a better mood?



You know that's one of your stalkers that you're leaning against, right Isla?

Thank god they moved, but not very far away unfortunately.

It's raining, so the twins can head inside.



Or not. Also, I guess rainbow umbrellas are back in fashion now?

Cake, cake, cake. Then sleep.



Lyle's pretty hungry too, so he can eat real quick and then go back to his guitar.



Bao's up for the night, so he can use the bathroom, grab a bite to eat and then make some painting that we can sell to get closer to our money goal.



Lyle got to level 6! I feel like this is taking way less time than getting the painting skill up took, although that might just be because of his head start.



Isla's had enough of fishing for today and is ready to call it a night.

Bao and Lyle are going to be working into early tomorrow though.

Day 6 this week was pretty nice. We got up to 9,029 simoleons, which means we have to earn a little less than 1000 tomorrow to reach my goal. 

WEEK 6, DAY 7

Today is pretty special, since Lyle is actually ageing up into a Young Adult! This means that he will finally be an eligible heir. If you want a particular one of the kids to be heir/ess, let me know in the comments. If not, I'll just pick whichever child I think would make the best one. Other than that though, just the usual skill building today.

Nothing like a creepy zoomed in shot to start the day.



Lyle's ready to get some sleep finally at 4:00 AM.



Marina got up and finished her book, 'Solving the Unsolvable'. The royalty payments will be of 357 simoleons each. She's really starting to make some money out of this! Also, I think that's her 'I just finished a book' face. 

We ran out of cake completely this time around, so she has to eat the dreaded salad.



Look at that unsatisfied expression. Salad just isn't good for sims. 



She's playing some chess to take her mind off it. Also, Lyle's mood swing is over.



Bao made his first ever masterpiece! It's worth a whopping 1,552 simoleons! I sold it and we're now at 10,909 simoleons, meaning that the money goal I set is completed.


Isla's in a really good mood so she can head out for some fishing.



Lyle is up and super excited to celebrate his birthday.



And now he's not so excited... Anyway, he developed the Inappropriate trait. His other traits are Insane, Rebellious, Artistic and Heavy Sleeper (just for a recap). Or in other words, he's a complete nutcase. 



Looks like our cake supply is refilled!



He's trying to plan an outfit but it isn't working out so well.



Here's his everyday outfit. I didn't realise it when he was a Teen and younger, but now that he's a Young Adult I realise that he is a spitting image of his father.



Back to skill building for everyone.



Bao however is feeling a little lonely so he's talking to Isla for a little while.



About time that Bao started another painting.



Isla's back to her fishing too.



Marina's eating some cake, using the bathroom and then heading upstairs to bed.



Isla got to level 9 in fishing! I guess that her next goal will be to master it completely.



Everyone besides Marina will just be working on their skills for a few more hours, but it's 12:00 AM so the day's over, and the week for that matter. I'm very happy with our progress this week, and I'm looking forward to next week.

CONCLUSION

Well, that's a wrap for this part. All my sims are working hard which I know will pay off and already is paying off. We have a bunch of sims that have mastered or nearly mastered a few skills which is incredible. The paintings are really the things earning us the big bucks at the moment, but all of the smaller contributions are helping too like the fishing and writing. 

Just a reminder, make sure to comment if you want a certain one of the kids to continue the family. I'm leaning towards Isla at the moment, since her lifetime wish is based more around one area rather than 2 or 3 like the other kids. If she's the one that's picked, it'll be a lot easier than if I have one of the other kids try to master 2 or 3 skills as well as having a bunch of kids. However, this is a challenge after all. It isn't meant to be easy. I don't want to sway anyone to a particular option too much, so just pick whoever you think. Anyway, bye for now. Next post will be in 3 days most likely. Random side note: I changed the colour of the introduction and day 1 to black multiple times and it kept changing back to blue every time for some reason, so sorry about that. Really weird. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~