Chapter 0.9 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 0.11

Generation Zero: Beige - Starts with a HUMAN Sim

Appearance: Dark Blonde Hair, poor clothing style
Traits: Slob, Childish, Clumsy
Aspiration: Pick whatever you'd like. (Your goal this
generation is only to become a Mermaid and have your heir)
Occupation: Part Time Jobs ONLY
House Goal: None
Lot Trait: Off the Grid

Tevin is determined to raise his fitness skill for school, so he has been out jogging around town every day. I tried to tell him that swimming would work just as well, but maybe he's shy of his new tail. Who knows.

The kids are hard at work on their Creativity aspirations, while Tevin.... is once again... out jogging. Corina's artistic skills are definitely expanding, though, and I have to resist the urge to plaster our boring walls with kid's artwork.

I mastered the cooking skill today. On making a salad. I've gotten very good at those. Although I do grill other things, as well, for a little variety in our diet.

Vaea and I celebrated with a swim out in the ocean. Echo was there, again, and I assured him that I hadn't completely forgotten him - I've just been busy. Very busy.

Tevin finally is showing off his fins - they're spectacular, of course - and he's got his Fitness skill high enough to get that school grade up. I'm so proud of him for working so hard on his schoolwork. In fact, all the kids are very responsible about their schoolwork. Which is nice, since I was definitely NOT responsible, and I still struggle with keeping my job performance up on account of my tendency to slack off at work. I have so many vacation days, however, that if things get dire on the performance front, I can just start taking vacation... which, to be honest, doesn't sound like too bad of an idea.

My mermen. Chatting together like it's the most natural thing in the world to have fins. And it is... natural, that is.

Corina and I playing with the dollhouse. I totally didn't keep it just for the kids, right? It's so much fun to be able to play with them instead of just watching them!

Tevin is just such a good boy. He helps out around the house, and is enjoying his new guitar. I worry that he doesn't seem to have any friends, though, even though I like him being home all the time. He swears he has friends at school - he just doesn't bring them home.. but I'm not sure I believe him. There's just something in his face that's Gloomy these days.

Perhaps it's because the twins keep waking him up at night to spray the monsters away. Why they gravitate towards having Tevin help them, I don't know... but help them, he does. Even if it interferes with his sleep. Perhaps it's because he remembers all the problems he had with monsters not too very long ago.

Having only one bathroom can be such a struggle at times, but without actual plumbing, I can't see the sense in expanding for another one. We end up waiting in line a lot, though.

Vaea spent some time (while waiting on the bathroom) helping Tevin on a school essay, although Kaleb chatting with them didn't really help get the essay done.

I'm so glad all my kids get along, though. They're not what you'd call the best of friends.. but they're all friends.. and that means a lot to me.

I don't know why Tevin has been so gloomy, but I comfort him when I can. His sad face just tears at my heart when he's down.. so I work hard to keep him cheerful.

Kaleb is going through a phase, and seems very distant from the rest of us (although here he is, still having dinner with us, even though his face shows it all....) I try to get him to interact, but he'd rather play on his own for the most part.

It's hard to be grumpy when it's so pretty outside, though, apparently. And I can't blame him. Not once have I ever regretted my move to the islands!

.. The kids finally tried out the chess board today, although I'm still not sure they completely understand the concept of the game. .. And yes, Kaleb was, once again, waiting on the bathroom to take his shower(s). I say showers only because it takes more than one to actually get clean.

It's Monday again. School project day. But based on the faces they all had when they came home from school, it may be a bit before they are able to get started on them. They'll certainly be queued up for the bathroom before then.. and Kaleb looks like he'll need a nap.

Vaea decided he'd help Corina on her project, while somehow I got to help with Tevin's.

Which was just as well, because between the two of us, we couldn't wait to try the air pressure rocket off once it was built.

Vaea and Corina's volcano was spectacular. And they took the rest of the evening off for a field trip to see the REAL volcano on the other island. They came back complaining of the people who litter over there and the fact that there was trash everywhere.. but the volcano was still amazing to see.

There was enough light left by the time we got the rocket done that we cheered as we set it off. We're not entirely sure where it went since we lost it behind the clouds.. but it was still an amazing experience. (The next day, a neighbor brought it back, a little worse for wear, but still functional.. so Tevin was still able to get full credit for his project.)

Kaleb, true to form.. wanted to do his project by himself. He got confused on the instructions, though, and Vaea was called in to help in the end.

I wasn't about to tell him Corina's volcano had looked better (even though it had), because he was crazily proud of his work... and claimed he'd done most of it himself. Which, I suppose, he had. So his pride wasn't exactly misplaced.

It was another long night, however, as the monster reappeared.. and the entire household ended up being awake for this one. I wish I could rig up a monster-sprayer that would just automatically spray every couple of hours so my babies could actually get some real sleep for a change!

Vaea still enjoys keeping his garden, by the way, even though he doesn't really need the skill for his Manual Labor job anymore. It's grown so well, and gives us wonderful fresh produce.. and it's something that he really enjoys doing, so I don't mind.

The next day was a long one, and we all ended up taking naps... on account of the monsters, of course. The kids still got their homework done, and the housework still got done, but it was definitely a struggle. It's times like these that I almost regret choosing not to connect our house to the grid!

Chapter 0.9 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 0.11