Cassada Play 8 - Leo

The shy Leo has his first kiss with equally shy Robin.
And like any man who is incredibly shy, after his first whoohoo, he thinks he's in love and proposes to Robin. Who, after her first whoohoo, accepts.
Robin moves in the next semester, after graduating herself.

*Interesting note: I have moved in / married in townies that were at university previously - rather Young Adult townies - and they always end up in their pre-uni stats (case in point mama Kim Fanboy) but Robin looks to be graduated with all the want and fear locks and slots. The only thing different between Kim and Robin was I installed the Teen Stuff pack. Anyone have any information to substantiate that?

However, Leo forgot to mention that in his haste to start a family, he'd agreed to take in an adoptive child from someone he barely knew. This woman up the street had failing health and she'd taken in a child from her cousin in an asylum. She kept saying he reminded her of her cousin's caretaker in Parallel Universe 39. Crazy must run in the family.
No matter. Lakshimi was genuinely glad to move in with Leo and have a permanent home. Robin was at work when Lakshimi (where does Maxis get these names?) was dropped off.

Oh, silly me, I should show you around the house. Leo has a great place! I was pleased with what a good job I did decorating it as that's not one of my strong suits. However, I did not design it. I wish I could remember what site I got it from.
This is the mudroom. We don't have those in Florida and I never heard of them in California either, but here it is. As soon as you walk in, you see the Homage to Fromage painting.
Lakshimi was so excited "This is MY room? Oh gosh I love it!" Well, you don't get it all to yourself. "What do you mean?"
Leo explained "Robin and I are having a baby. You'll have to share the room. Sorry we don't have a bigger place that you could have your own room." "I get a sister too? This going to be so much fun! My aunt had all these cats. This is going to be much better. You don't have a bunch of cats do you?" "We don't have any cats. And I'm not sure if it will be a sister or a brother. I'm glad you're so excited, though."

The baby's side is in the nautical theme to blend.
"Oh, Mommy Robin, I'm so excited about the baby! Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" "Time will tell, Lakshimi. We must be patient."
Back to the tour. Sorry for that excitement...

You've seen the kids' room. This is the adults' room.Nothing much to speak of except that you'll notice that the majority of the house is done in a traditional cheese and grilled worshiping style in muted browns and touches of orange wherever possible. Doesn't it just make you feel all toasted inside?

*Hint hint to any recolorers - I'd love to see Grilled Cheese furniture - bedspreads, throw rugs, the like.
The only bathroom. So far not a problem. Orange daisies, of course.
The kitchen has a horseshoe shaped counter only big enough for 1 to make grilled cheese at a time. A half wall divides it from the living room. The eat-in kitchen has a small table and chairs but never has pathing problems. There's a little stove for the kiddies and a high chairAs well as the time-out chair, which is used rarely.
Just opposite the time out chair is a reading nook and a long couch table that holds the phone and usually the newspaper or the mail.
A couch and a loveseat face one another and the tv. Leo's bass from college occupies one corner while a massage table and privacy screen occupy the other. Notice the sliding glass doors that lead out to a private balcony here. There is another in the kids' room.
Each evening, Leo gives Robin a sweedish massage. What a catch, huh? And to think he was a throw-away heir. This is the balcony outside of the living room. There is currently nothing on the other balcony. If you look in the background, you'll see the hammock between the two balconies. There's also a sit and spin water toy over there, but a little bit away from the hammock - because who wants to be woken from their lazy nap by sprays of water?
Leo took Lakshimi shopping and she got her I Love Brick shirt (above) and he hurt his wrist and had to walk around with it in an odd position all day. Don't worry, he's better now.
Lakshimi is a trouble maker.But loves her Grandpa Jordy!Down at the florist, where Grandma Kim works, Kim still fails at being a cashier - and after all these years? I guess she was on maternity leave more than at work... Look at her hair and makeup - its pre-adult, before marrying Jordy. Strange, huh?How could he love this kid more?
Awfully big for a first bump. No cheesecake in this household unless Robin has some at work without telling me. Will it be twins?

Cassada Play 7 - College for 3 & Cass introduced

Three younger kids go to college. The remaining kids at home were Gordon, Ryder, and Alessandro. The older kids have been gone so long, the younger ones are all grown up and ready to begin their lives as young adults as well.

Let's check in...

Gordon, into popularity, wants to have a successful career in the military. He's majoring in criminal justice and has a huge crush on his dorm mate in Obscure 3 (?) named Cass. Happily, she reciprocates.
Our kitchen staff is a strange guy. I should warn you : NEVER eat the quesadillas! Look how they stick to the plate even as its sideways. Alessandro faced a nasty bout of food poisoning because of the quesadillas.I had to redo the dorm some. The current counters were not all usable and caused pathing troubles. These are nicer, I think. I kept the stainless steel look as best as possible, but it had to be changed so it all worked out.
Your cast: Gordon on the left. Cass whose back is to you. Alessandro with the mohawk just like Jordy's. And on the right in a mask is Ryder.
Being a big family, most of the kids are also close. Madelyn Fanboy drops by now and again to spend time with her little brothers. She's a tough cookie. "Cass, I hear you and my little brother Gordon are going steady. You break his heart and I'll break your kneecap. I swear it." Cass "Gulp."
But things between Gordon and Cass are, ahem, going well. Okay, Ryder, you're creeping me out! "Whoohoo, yeah, tap that!" Eww."Erm, thanks Ryder. I think." Ryder is interested in everyone's business as well as knowing everything there is to know and traveling the world as an adventurer. Pipe dreams maybe.
Alessandro and professor sitting in a tree... Alessandro wants to make a lot of money as a professional basketball player. He's on the college team, hoping to be discovered by a scout.
I found this dorm didn't have enough showers, so I redid the bathrooms as well.
Okay, not so horribly exciting, but I thought I'd keep you informed. More to come, of course!

Cassada Play 6 - College for 7 part 3

Senior year and graduation for the 4 remaining Fanboy kids.

Jeremy gets Chris Cow to cheer for his school. Not sure why this works...
Darcy continued to go through the motions, claiming her 6th conquest, dorm mate Elizabeth.
But even though she tried, she just didn't feel any better. One day she was burning up, like she'd been sunbathing, but she hadn't even been outside. She went to class anyway and came home to shower and rest and eventually felt better. Maybe just a flu but with no other symptoms. She began to worry if she'd ever feel normal again.And then one day in her senior year, she did. She couldn't explain it. Maybe it was just that it was fall again, but things just seemed rosier. She was glad she'd held out and kept up her routine. Dropping out of school would have only compacted her sad feelings now. Franklin was thrilled to have his sister back.Darcy even joined her brothers in a smustle. She was a year behind in practice, but no one poked fun.Conquest number 7 was Professor Melissa. Darcy started to piece things together. Perhaps she was just realizing that she wasn't truly attracted to boys. Her first 5 had been boys and only after Elizabeth did she start to feel like herself again. Perhaps that was it! She tested her feelings and confirmed that Elizabeth was still nothing special to her, so it wasn't love or anything crazy like that.
Number 8 is Chris[tine] Cow and, yes, she was happy afterward. Hmm. One more test.Number 9 was Ash - remember him as the nudist? Good thing! His clothes are awful! Afterward, bleh. She had to make out with Chris[tine] Cow just to cheer herself up. So that was it. Although she'd never really thought about it, Darcy was now a confirmed lesbian. The knowledge that she'd fixed her problem was enough to keep her cheered throughout the rest of senior year. On to graduation!For the past two years, Leo had repeated thoughts of children. He figured if he started young, he could explain the Way of the Cheese to little proteges. Maybe he'd adopt or maybe have his own - but he'd never even dated, being a bit shy and, well, kinda mean. As if sent by angels in his senior year, Robin talked with him again and again about the Way of the Cheese. She never seemed bored by it at all. She was his heaven-sent Baby Bell.For graduation, the family came and just kind of hung out and caught up on the lives of the growing up kids.Then they had a nice family smustle to see the kids off into adulthood with happy faces.
So that's it. All four have moved back to Cassada Main. They'll be looking for apartments and moving on with their lives. You'll see them soon. Don't worry. But first let's check in with the other Fanboy kids.

Cassada Play 5 - - College for 7 part 2 & Darcy's depression

Junior Year of College for the first 7 kids. Remaining children not dropped out of college: Franklin, Darcy, Leo, and Jeremy.

Leo, who held the ambition of 50 dream dates, kept striking out and either being turned down flat or having awful dates. He's selfish, really, so that's held him back. He phoned up the Matchmaker, seeing what success it brought his sister, Laci. However, unlike Laci, he didn't fork up the big cash and the Matchmaker instead sold him this odd device. It didn't seem to go well, and now he's wandering all around preaching The Way of the Cheese. Its all very deranged.
Jeremy, being a big flirt, started seeing his teacher, Professor Laura.
And the odd couple took their relationship to the next level. A first for Jeremy.
Leo and Jeremy used never get along. Once Leo discovered The Way of Cheese, they grew further apart. However, Jeremy loves to eat and not have to - well, not have to do anything at all - so this newfound cheese obsession of Leo's works out to Jeremy's advantage and lately they're best of friends. As long as they don't talk about cheese.
A literature major, Leo met this strange girl named Cass after class one day. He showed her his essay A Comparative Longitudinal Study on the Precepts of Munster and Brie and she didn't laugh at all. They're quite good friends now.
But not all is well. In their junior year, Darcy developed a deep depression. Although all three of her brothers were doing well and she was doing okay, she just couldn't seem to feel motivated anymore. She didn't want to dance or talk or play pillow fight or do anything at all but stand around. Its not like she had some kind of flu or anything, she felt fine, but she simply couldn't stay in the mood to do anything. She took the prescribed Sim Modder pills, but even that didn't help.
She went out of her way for awhile to make herself happy, whoohooing and the like, and that looked like it helped on the outside, but I suppose she was still brewing. This is conquest number 5 of 20, dorm mate Josh.
Jeremy, seeing how unhappy all that shallow whoohooing made his big sister Darcy, decided to pop the question to Prof. Laura. He actually thought she'd say no, but here they are engaged. Turns out professors make only $. Sad for all that education.
But Leo approves of his choice in partners!
Darcy met the representative from the local nudist colony and tried that out for awhile, after all he seemed so happy and full of life, but nothing shook her dark cloud and her grades were slipping.
Even while everyone enjoyed a Smustle...Darcy just couldn't bring herself to participate. She's just going through the motions now, attending class when told to go by Franklin (who has been great at looking out for her - he's such a first born!) and laying in bed - mostly alone.

Aha Part 2

Amy and I had our third child, a boy named Gunther. He's as spoiled as our girls are. I enjoy the best of everything. I have wonderful kids, a great job, a wonderful wife, and all the things money gets us as well. I long for nothing. You'd think I'd be bored, but I have my hands full with the kids.
Amy enjoys entertaining in the neighborhood and throwing dinner parties. She's quite popular among the neighbors. Everyone's always glad to see her.
Because we always have extra money (Amy's family is filthy rich, but she didn't tell me that until after we'd married - she knows I love her for her), Amy had an addition built onto the house. I felt the place was plenty big enough with the upstairs dedicated to our bedroom and the kids' bedroom and play area and the downstairs as kitchen, living room, and toddler play area, but Amy wanted a guest room.

"Why so much green, Ames?"

"My mother loves green."

I didn't see how that was an answer.



Until her mother arrived. Amy had invited her to stay with us for a visit and to help out with the baby. I hadn't understood that fully when she had told me, but she did mention it. Her father had passed a few years before and her mother, Gretchen, was lonely in their mansion with just the butler, the maid, and the cook to keep her company. Gretchen is not the socialite Amy is, and her father was, so I can see how it was lonely for her.
Gretchen helped out and was great with the kids.
I began to show my age. My cat, Clover, had already retired long before and was grey about the whiskers. Now, so am I. But its okay. I have everything and everyone I want. My life is perfect.
Soon enough Amy was pregnant again. I guess my old swimmers were still fighting Amy's current and dodging the undertow successfully.

Sadly, just after Gunther's birthday, Amy gave birth. Excuse me, that's not sad at all. We have a wonderful little addition named Aaron. Four times the childbirth and the strain of it all, plus, she was at the far edge of her childbirthing years, and Amy passed away during childbirth. Aaron was virtually ripped from her. It was awful to watch. But we pick up the pieces and go on. What else can I do? I have four kids at home waiting for my care, after all. And they need me strong for them, so I hold it together.
Perth grew into a precocious child. She's a bit sassy at times, but we just give her The Look and she straightens right up. I can see her being a handful later. Sydney has been an absolute delight so far. I hope that holds out.
Clover doesn't have the patience for Gunther like she did for Sydney and Perth. She's no kitten anymore, hasn't been for most of my life, but she's part of the family.Gretchen stayed after Amy's death to help with the children. I suspect the mansion would have been a whole lot lonelier if she'd have gone back without her husband or her daughter.

I think we both needed each other, an adult to talk to. We'd meet in one of our rooms after all the children were tucked in and fast asleep and talk about good things: Amy's laugh, her husband's eyes, the way the girls liked to catch butterflies but always forgot to release them before they became dry sticks. We became quite close over that year after Amy passed. Perhaps we became too close. There was a moment, just one moment, where we - it was so natural - leaned in toward each other and our lips touched. Just touched, so brief and nothing more. We both pulled back as if burned, reminded of who we are and how we are related. Gretchen moved out the next morning. I agree that it was for the best, but I hope she's not too lonely in the mansion. She's to see the kids at Christmas. I don't think it will be awkward, at least I hope it won't be.