Sims and Simsability (Move to Graveyard)

[Tilia]

Daisy

It doesn't really matter who you are.  Waking up and suddenly having nothing is no fun.  That's what happened the day after my young adult birthday.  Though, I guess the advantage is that I knew it was coming.  My sisters, Emmaline and Lila, did not.  Lila's just a baby, so she'll adjust quickly.  But Em was less than amused.



Okay, here's the deal.  We grew up really wealthy and comfortable.  Our mom, you may have heard of her, is Briar Rose Bliss.  No?  Well, you will.  She's off to start a Life States Dynasty.  I wouldn't even know if I hadn't walked in on her having a phone call with an Immortal Dynasty founder over in Monte Vista ... anyway, long story.  Mom's gone.  And the whole agreement was that she'd be starting over, no life, no history, no money, no skills.  But she cut a deal with the Watcher - us girls would still get to exist, but we'd be in the same boat.

Em blames me for letting this happen.



So, we went from this incredibly pampered family.  Em, me, and little Lila, all from different anonymous fathers with a super wealthy, super famous mom, to waking up in an empty lot in a strange town with no skills, no friends, no money and no mother.  Oh, and a toddler.  To take care of.



I did say I was a teen less than 24 hours ago, right?  Okay.  Just checking.  So, there goes my college savings fund.  There goes my straight A average.  There goes my maxed logic.  There goes my future.  Bye bye.



As for Emmaline?  There goes her parties and her boyfriends and her charisma.  I can confidently say I'm handling it better than she is.  Her tantrum was really quite shocking.



Our grandpa was a genie if you're wondering why she looks like that.  Em's just a normal human, though.  I'm a witch and little Lila, obviously, is a fairy.  This is extra fun considering we have no idea if we need to do anything special to raise a fairy toddler.

After lots of arguing, Em and I were too worn out to continue. 

"So what are we going to do?" she demanded.

"Get jobs?" I sighed.  "I don't know.  I was planning to go to university.  I still could, you know.  I'm smart enough for a scholarship, but you'd have to stay here with Lila, she's just a bab-"

"Yeah, no.  You're not off to party at juice keggers while I take care of that brat."



I sighed.  "She can hear you, you know.  She's almost entirely talking now."

Em smiled her sickly smile, as she does when she's scheming.  "What we need is a live-in nanny."

"Yes, Em.  Let's dip into our trust funds and hire one," I snapped.

She waved her hands like she hadn't heard me.  "Let's go to the library!" she announced.  "Sound good, munchkin?" she asked, sweeping Lila from my arms.  "Let's go get learned!"

So we went.  I started to re-learn logic.



I don't know what Em was doing.  She was introducing herself to every Sim on the lot.





She ended up leaving with the fat guy.  I know for a fact she isn't interested in him romantically, so I'm not sure what she's up to.

Lila was getting tired, so I put away my books, ready to leave.  I picked up Lila and gave her a good tickle, when I heard a very deep male voice chuckle and say, "what a pretty little faeboo!"

I turned around and my heart almost stopped.  He was … well, gorgeous, i guess would be accurate.  "Are you always in such a good mood?" he asked with a smile.  "If so, we need to become friends."



I felt a moment of extreme relief that my prettier, more irresistible sister had taken off with the mystery fat fairy man, likely in search of cookies.  She definitely would've stolen this guy away. 

"This is my little sister Lila," I said with a smile.  "I'm Daisy Bliss."

"Charmed," he said.  "I'm Gladsten."



Well, I wish I could've stayed to talk to him.  But, Lila was getting fussy.  It was going to come down to dipping into our precious 500 simoleans to give her a place to sleep.  I also sold the camera my mom left me to bring in another 850.

in the end, we set up a sort of makeshift campgrounds.



Emmaline came home in the early hours of the morning.  She was quiet as not to wake us.  I wondered what she'd been up to.

[Anna33]

What an interesting turn of events. Lila is adorable, I love the purple eyes.

[ilovebakedgoods]

Love this start. And I adore Lila's hair -- is that from the store?

[MarianT]

I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes. Your rules look interesting; I might try it myself.

[Tilia]

Emmaline

I imagine by  now you've heard from my perfect little sister, Daisy.  The infallible, beyond reproach Daisy.  Well, Daisy, sweet and good as she may be, is not a problem solver.  I am.



And, believe it or not, I might not be the benevolent perfection Daisy is, but I do care about Lila.  I just don't think I should have to care for a baby when I never had one!

It took me a few days to interview potential nannies for us.  I needed someone a bit lazy and unemployed.  My contenders were narrowed down to a ghost who was also a kleptomaniac (handy for funds!) or a slob fairy dude who lived in someone's basement. 



Like my sister, I also sold my camera.  I used some of the funds to finish building the wall around our toilet and I got a doll for Lila.  See?  I'm not a monster. 



Ever think that the reason Daisy is able to be so naive to the workings of the world is because she had an awesome big sister looking out for her while she grew up?  Bet you didn't.  Anyway, I am starting to come around to the tyke.  I eavesdrop a little on Daisy's talking lessons with her.



I think that is the biggest fundamental difference between my sister and me.  She thinks it's all about what you know.  I know that the trick is really who you know.  So I take some time to try to instill that in my progeny too.  What?  She's mine now, isn't she?



Besides, our library visits seem to have been hijacked by my sister's hunky new friend. 



I'm not sure why he isn't our live-in nanny by now.  She thinks it'd be inappropriate to ask him.  Honestly!  I have to do everything.  I have to admit I'm getting pretty excited about this whole university thing, though.  Never saw myself as a collegiate, but if mommy dearest says that's the way it has to be, then who am I to argue?



I spent that evening showering in our outdoor shower as sensually as possible while waiting for that slob Branch to come over.  I was going to win him one way or another.  Unfortunately, you really can only shower for so long, and he's not the speediest man.



Oh well.  I guess we want him functioning when he gets here anyway.  Around the time I toweled off, my sisters were being dropped off by the hunk.  That truck would bring in more than enough money to build us a house so we're not all constantly getting sunburned by living outside, but noooo.



I took the aptitude test myself, but I didn't qualify for any scholarships.  I'd just as soon Daisy not know that.  I'm not stupid.  I just have lost all my skills and I'm not a genius like she is.  I'm irresistible, athletic, and a daredevil, though.  I will persevere.



Anyway, I didn't tell her Branch was my pick.  He came over and immediately decided to start playing with Lila. 



She is a friendly little girl, so I knew she'd take to him fast, but I was sincerely surprised at all of his autonomous cuddles and tickles.  As far as I know, he's not even a family oriented Sim. 



I gave Daisy a meaningful look and she finally went over to talk to him.  I heard him say, quite clearly, "I hope you'll consider me for the nanny position.  It'll be my first job!"



"We can't pay you," Daisy said, seriously.  "Not yet, anyway, but your room and board will be covered if you care for Lila.  I need to know that you understand that."



Of course he did.  He'd get to live in the house with the two hot new ladies and take care of an adorable fairy baby.  No more basement living.  We'd probably even build a house when we got back from term!  I finalized his move-in and sold all of his inventory.  It was done, and just in time, too.

On our last day, we let Branch get the lay of the land.  I took Lila with me to the gym.



We had a pretty good time.  Lila even made friends with someone's dog.  I really am coming around to this kid.  She's not bad.



Daisy spent her last day in our new town saying goodbye to her new "friend."  Really can't wait to tease her about that until she slaps me.



We tucked our baby sister in one last time and kissed her goodbye as the sun went down.



It was a full moon, and we had to pack around a hoard of zombies.  We both find them disgusting and it only emphasized how much we needed to pad our income with grants and qualifications so we could keep that filth away from Lila.



Our flight was a red eye.  Lila would wake up to a semester's length of Uncle Branch and outdoor living.  We hoped that by the time we got home, we'd have enough financial aid and side job money to build a little shack at least.  It was on the plane that Daisy decided to share with me that we would not have our own abode, but rather would be living in a filthy dorm with a bunch of randoms.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.



Daisy flounced right in.  She was glowing.  This was where she'd always meant to be.  I, however, felt hideously out of place.  I was dressed all wrong.  Honestly, we both were.  Daisy didn't care, though.



So, I did the reasonable thing.  I dug through the lost & found bin and assembled a collegiate outfit.  I also cut my own hair using the app on my smartphone that showed me how.  I wanted to LOOK the part.  Even if Daisy is fine looking like a lost hillbilly.



Brilliant, isn't it?  Fits all three social groups enough to where I won't be out of place anywhere on campus.  I met with an academic advisor and declared my major communications.  After all, making friends is pretty much the only thing I"m good at, and not being very smart compared to my sister, I probably shouldn't overreach myself.  Daisy declared for business.  We were both given 2,500 simoleans to help us out.



Classes start tomorrow.  Daisy is already making nerdoid friends all over the place, but I haven't met anyone yet.  I don't even know what I'm doing here.  But you know what's crazy?  It feels so ... I dunno.  Right.

[Tilia]

What an interesting turn of events. Lila is adorable, I love the purple eyes.

Thanks!  I've never built a toddler in CAS before.  Kind of wondering now if I should've built a YA and aged her down, but you know what, let's roll with it.  It'll be exciting to see what she looks like as she gets older, haha.

Love this start. And I adore Lila's hair -- is that from the store?

Yep, cinna-sweet hair rolls.  You can get them here:  http://store.thesims3.com/productDetail.html?productId=OFB-SIM3:43249  And bonus!  It even sound like a baked good :p

I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes. Your rules look interesting; I might try it myself.

I hope you do!  I've come to the point where the game just isn't fun anymore without challenge rules and a story thread.  It's possible I've got an addiction.

[MarianT]

Make that two (or maybe twenty of us). So Emmaline has to reach top influence with all three social groups without using the LTRs? It's probably doable, but it's going to be hard. I have to admire her spunk, though. (She'd probably hate being called spunky.)

[ilovebakedgoods]

Thanks for the link to the hair! And yes, good eye on the name being a baked good, hahaha. The name alone will make me crave cinnamon buns for breakfast tomorrow. Luckily, I've already got chocolate chip muffins planned out.

I really love Emmaline's voice! It is fun to see how different she and Daisy are from one another. I hope little Lila will be okay with her new nanny when she wakes up!

I love the idea of a starving students challenge but I haven't looked at the rules yet. Will do so in a moment.

[Tilia]

Make that two (or maybe twenty of us). So Emmaline has to reach top influence with all three social groups without using the LTRs? It's probably doable, but it's going to be hard. I have to admire her spunk, though. (She'd probably hate being called spunky.)

I think she'd be okay with pretty much any positive-sounding compliment!  Yeah, it's going to be hard, but I wanted to create a challenge I could really get into.  So far it's been both surprising and fun!

Thanks for the link to the hair! And yes, good eye on the name being a baked good, hahaha. The name alone will make me crave cinnamon buns for breakfast tomorrow. Luckily, I've already got chocolate chip muffins planned out.

I really love Emmaline's voice! It is fun to see how different she and Daisy are from one another. I hope little Lila will be okay with her new nanny when she wakes up!

I love the idea of a starving students challenge but I haven't looked at the rules yet. Will do so in a moment.

Jealous.  I'm having a seedless watermelon.  Let me know if you have any suggestions on the rules!


Daisy

Emmy and I saw very little of each other for the first few days at University.  When we did meet, we were both bone tired and trying to force down microwave meals from the dorm fridge.

"One of us should maybe learn to cook," Em said.

"After you," I sighed.  "I'm finding this way more work that I bargained for."



Em looked momentarily surprised.  "You?  Really?  You should let me make you over.  I find my new look helps tons with my confidence.  I even asked a question at lecture today!"



But, I said no.  I mean, after all, how I look isn't going to affect my grades.  That's ridiculous.  Em said we should make a deal.  Whoever gets the highest score on midterms gets something.  If I win, she's going to buy the toddler potty and do Lila's potty training when we get home.  If she wins, I have to let her make me over.  Please. 

I bet Branch will be so pleased to get off of potty duty.  As for me, I've taken to locking myself in the bathroom to work on my coursework.



Honestly, I can't really say for certain that business is for me.  It requires so much interpersonal skill.  I'm not really a charmer like my sister.  She already has this crazy popular blog with like 200 followers.  I struggle to even think of things to text back home when Branch or Gladsten ask me how it's going.

I have found a fun way to wind down.  I've discovered something called a comic book.  I find it very entertaining.



I also have discovered that I have quite a knack for digital games.  I met a nice girl in the comic book shop who showed me the ropes on one and it helps quite a bit to diffuse my stress.  I often complain about the impersonal nature of business while lacking any intellectual stimulus while we play.



In any sense, playing games is more of a luxury for me than a steady thing.  My sister seems to waste quite a lot of study time doing leisure activities around campus.  She even invited her professor out for a bowling game!  Can you imagine?



And, I heard later that she had the nerve to win!  Oh man, I am going to enjoy my freedom from potty training.









Emmaline

So, no one doubted me as much as I did, but I am kicking this university thing square in the rear.



It's so weird, because I can tell Daisy is struggling and won't admit it.  I told her to go talk to one of the advisors on her break the day before midterms but she said she didn't need to.  Bag that, I've been talking to advisors every other day.  I think that's why I'm doing so awesome.



That's Moon.  I have a bit of a crush on him and his fantastic torso.  I'm getting pretty great at ping pong too, though he still wins.  He dared me recently to start playing pool and to win three games against anyone but him.  So, I'm working on that!



When Midterms day came, I was sooo anxious!  Daisy went off to do her genius thing while I hit a treadmill to try to combat the butterflies.  She came back and told me she'd gotten a B.  My heart sank a little.  That grade would've had me singing rock opera in a chicken suit, but Daisy went up to bed to cry. 



I wanted to go comfort her like I did when we were kids, but it was time for my test.  A quick rinse and off I went.  And when the teacher whispered that I'd passed with flying colors, I'm pretty sure my whole face almost melted off in surprise!  Me?!  An A+?  Hot Llama!

I dragged Daisy out of bed and scrubbed her tears off.  She seemed dazed and unaware while I dragged out my make up kit and this repurposed yellow jumper I'd found in a dumpster and had Ye Gangnam and her boyfriend redesign just for Daisy.  Because, let's face it, this makeover was happening even if I failed the exam. 

She looked awesome.



I took a photo and blogged it immediately and it got a ton of likes!  My blog, Emmy's Life has 250 followers.  Who knew so many people wanted to hear me talk?  Anyway, I know that Daisy secretly loves the makeover.  I also know she texted the link to her hunky friend back home.



Our brief interlude of relief was interrupted however by something pretty darn unfortunate happening downstairs.  One of our roommates starved to death.  See, Daisy?  Midterm day gets a lot of people in ways they didn't foresee.



I immediately blogged about it.  Whatever, I'm a monster, who cares.  That's good fodder.



I'm working on maybe starting a campus radio show too.  I've learned how to work the satellites on my little portable station thing (I think).



I wish I could mail Mom, actually.  I would've never gone to college if she hadn't abandoned us to go do her humanitarian freak family project thing.  And baby, I belong here.  You can't dispute that.  In fact, I threw my first bonfire party during our break between terms!



I got a little juiced and maybe tried to kiss two of my guy friends...



Or did kiss ... whatever, and neither of them were into it!  This irresistible trait is a lie.



I apologized, and they forgave, and then I did penance in the old co-ed way.



That's right.  Can't overjuice Emmaline Bliss!  I'm a warrior.



I was asleep for most of the next day.  Can you blame me?  Daisy was off making sure our funding was being renewed and calling Branch to check in on Lila.  I'm actually juuuust a little jealous I didn't get to hear Lila's voice on the phone.  Apparently she's speaking in sentences now.



I decided I was going to make sure that Daisy did better this semester.  There's no reason she shouldn't be at the top of that stupid business class.  I lent her my book on social networking and she devoured it in a few hours.  Looking quite fetching in the quad while doing it, if I do say so.



I broadcast my first show the day before classes started back.  I don't know if anyone at all tuned in, but I dedicated the broadcast to my awesome sisters and that slob of a fairy who saved our butts.  Bring on the rest of the term!

[Tilia]

Daisy

The remainder of our first term at University continued on the same path as the first half.  Unsurprisingly, Em aced her finals and got an overall A average.  Communications really was a great fit for her.



I, however, failed my final exam and got a C for the term.  I was depressed beyond words.  How could this happen?  I've always been the smart studious one and Em the party girl. 



I used to paint when I was a little girl, my artistic trait something I've long considered a waste, but I took it up again to cope with the poor grades.  It did help some.



After all, it could've gone worse.  I could've starved to death in my stress.  Did I mention that it happened to two more of our roommates?




Em's philosophy on the whole thing is that I still get the credits we came for.  And better luck next time.  She really doesn't understand my ambitious nature or how sore defeat makes me feel.  I didn't even spend the last day saying goodbye.  I painted and I re-read my comic books.



I pretended to sleep for the entire drive home, back to Moonlight Falls, where it'd still be nice and warm and we could see the house Branch had put together with the grant money we'd been sending him.

I have to say, I was not disappointed!



Inside was modest, a shared bedroom for us girls and a nursery with a single bed for Branch.  But it had everything we needed and it was a far sight better than sleeping on the hard ground! 



Everyone was asleep when we got in, so we tip toed to our new bedroom and quickly sank to sleep.  I admit that my spirits lifted just the slightest bit, now that I was home.  We woke just a few hours later to giggles and Branch's deep voice encouraging Lila across the floor.  "Come on, sweetness, don't use your wings!"



I think he was pretty humiliated to have been caught in his skivvies when we came bursting into the bathroom, but he recovered fast enough.  I tried my hand at cooking us breakfast and did a truly terrible job at it, but since Em and I have decided to rent a little cottage next semester instead of live through the filth and death carnival that is the dorms, I might as well learn.

Everyone ate my crispy burnt waffles without a complaint.  Uncertain if that is the reason Branch suddenly started expressing a desire to get in shape or not.



Emmaline, to her credit, seems way more affectionate toward Lila than she ever has been.  She took 4,000 photos of her with her phone, blogged, and texted them to all of our college acquaintances, and can't seem to be out of her presence for more than a few minutes.



I've obviously missed the little tyke too.  It's crazy how she can speak in such coherent sentences now and how she toddles around the floor, confident as you please.



It really is lovely to be home.




Emmaline

In a gesture of goodwill, I hired a maid to come in when we're home to give Branch a break.  He seems to appreciate the gesture and likes to kick back, even though we saw him in his panties.



The maid, for some reason, seems pretty sweet on him.  She needs to stop flirting and do her job.  As far as Branch's job, I'm honestly shocked at how well Lila has been doing.  Little prodigy already has a fistful of skills and is talking and walking around at the speed of light.



Even though I won the bet, I did the potty thing like we'd talked about.  I felt like it was probably best never to mention Daisy's academic performance in our first term to her ever, ever again.



She's been on this painting kick as some manner of therapy.  It seems to be helping, so I can't say I mind it.  Besides, it lets me monopolize the munchkin while we're home!



This break is the last of the quality time we'll get to spend with her while she's this small.  Our next term break will see us home just a few hours before she ages up to child.  Daisy and I have a lot of party planning to do on that front.  Though, she doesn't seem to want to socialize at all.  She's forbidden me from being seen around town lest that hunky man of hers finds out she's in town.

"Then he'll ask me how it went," she says.  "And I'll have to tell him!"

Silliness.  Our little trip home was over before you could blink.  We both retook the aptitude test.  I still didn't win any scholarship money, even though I'm a Dean's List student, but I did get some free credits!  Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.



My sister, even though she's a C student, got two 18 credit fellowships, a 6 credit one, and money.  Of course she did.  That did perk her up a little, even though it meant saying goodbye again.



I thanked Branch for being the world's best nanny and promised him that once my athletics got up this semester, I'd train him.  I also promised that we'd make enough money soon for him to have his own bedroom.



Daisy tucked Lila in and kissed her goodbye for both of us while I lugged our suitcases outside.



Branch, big lovable doof that he is, waved us goodbye in the most awkward way possible.



The drive seemed quick this time.  We got back to the university area early in the morning and to a blanket of snow!  It was a pretty big systems shock after the balmy heat in Moonlight Falls.  But, I love our little cottage!  Home sweet home.



Classes start tomorrow.  I asked Daisy if she was okay, but she'd changed into warm clothes and had tucked herself away with a sketch pad.  "I switched majors," she mumbled.  "Fine arts."

Well, okay then!  Hope she knows what she's doing.



As for me, I had a first-night-back hot date with Mr. Moon and his torso at the bowl-a-rama.  Sure, I'm excited about class starting back up.  I'm going to whomp this semester square in the tookus.  For now, I'm getting my bowl on, and maybe this time when I kiss Moon, he won't fight back...

[MarianT]

Anoki Moon is a cutie. My sims were friends with him, too. Poor Daisy -- but really, you don't have to get all A's to get a degree.
 
I haven't had a problem with anyone starving in the dorm or the frat house. I wonder if it's one dorm that has trouble with the refrigerator?

[ilovebakedgoods]

Terrific update! So many things happened!

Wow, I can't believe the "death carnival" in their dorm! I've never seen that happen, and wow, that poor girl died right by a plate of hot dogs.

Congratulations to Emmaline for her Dean's List mention!

I am really curious to see how Branch progresses throughout all of this. What a sweet nanny he is.

[Tilia]

Anoki Moon is a cutie. My sims were friends with him, too. Poor Daisy -- but really, you don't have to get all A's to get a degree.
 
I haven't had a problem with anyone starving in the dorm or the frat house. I wonder if it's one dorm that has trouble with the refrigerator?

He is rather cute, even if he's got the Malcom hair.  I like that he sends love letters to Emmy on a daily basis.  It's sweet.  Daisy has the ambitious trait and she's a genius, so I figured she'd be the perfectionist type.  There were actually TWO refrigerators in that dorm.  I have no idea what was wrong with those children, but the ones who weren't starving to death were passing out on the reg or peeing themselves.  Bonehilda never had time to do anything funny for all the upkeep.

Terrific update! So many things happened!

Wow, I can't believe the "death carnival" in their dorm! I've never seen that happen, and wow, that poor girl died right by a plate of hot dogs.

Congratulations to Emmaline for her Dean's List mention!

I am really curious to see how Branch progresses throughout all of this. What a sweet nanny he is.

The first one died underneath a salad, too!  They're all so close to survival, but just not close enough.  I have all their tombstones in inventory to drop at the cemetery in Moonlight Falls.  I'm actually really enjoying Branch too!  I had planned on finding an old lady for the "nanny" position, but the fact that Branch came over and was autonomously tickling and snuggling Lila just won me over!




Daisy

Goodness, the snow!  I thought it was tough making it to class on time before, but now, trudging through knee-deep slush, it's next to impossible!



Emmy and I used our first batch of LTR points to purchase Simmunity.  I have a feeling it came in very handy during our winter semester, even if we'll never know for sure.



But, blustery weather aside, I feel so, so sure that I made the right choice in trying out this fine arts major!  I started out with an 18 credit head start, which is fantastic, and I have a real knack for it.



Emmy seems really proud of me (and relieved!).  I think I'll still finish my business degree at some point, but right now I'm really enjoying not feeling like I"m on the verge of failure and tears every second of every day.  I've even had time to work on a few other skills.  Get a load of my perfectly browned pancakes!



We upgraded the cottage quite a bit in the first weeks of term.  The funding came in way more generously this time around and we were able to buy nicer beds, better appliances, and a few leisure items.  I have a little four-pot garden going against the side wall.



I've also spent a lot of time picking up a few new hobbies.  Science, which I guess isn't a big surprise, is quite fun when I have downtime.



And this other thing that I discovered while in my art classes ... it's called ... "tagging?"



Oh, I know what you're thinking!  For shame, Daisy!  Defacing public property!  But really, it's totally fine at school.  I've actually been commissioned to do it a few times.  And, the weirdest part of it all is that suddenly the rebel-types on campus are taking interest in me.  It's really kind of funny.  But, it's gotten me out of my shell a bit.  I even agreed to let Emmy throw some parties at the house.



Want to see me in my toga?  I giggle every time I think about it.



The parties kind of wear me out, but boy, they are fun!  I liked the masquerade themed one she threw too, although ...



I'm beginning to think we're a curse on the student body.  Someone else died in our living quarters.  Apparently his last thoughts were that this was the worst party he'd ever been to.



Grim didn't even stay around to do a keg stand.



Shortly after that, Em bought some plasma fruit and redeemed a "Legendary Host" LTR.  And then it was time for midterms.





Emmaline

Oh, Spring, how I've awaited you!  Okay, so it's still snowing at random and chilly here, but any improvement is some, right?  At least I've had a nice, muscular romantic interest to keep me warm through it.



"Bliss," he says.  "I want to come meet this little sister of yours on break."

Ah, it makes me giddy just thinking about it!  Anyway, things are going spectacularly.  You have no idea how amazing it is to wake up to the sound of Daisy's knife hitting the chopping board first thing.  Her favorite food is pancakes, so we eat them pretty much always, but it is a huge improvement on last term's microwave meals!



Midterms were a snap.  I passed with flying colors, per usual, even though I've missed a class or two in pursuit of ping pong mastery.  (What?  I'm still getting As)



I've got to say, though, the best part of midterms was hearing that Daisy ALSO passed hers with flying colors!  Darn right, I knew she had it in her! 



Actually, Moon told me recently that her professor for the business course kind of had it out for her.  Unfair professors aren't a thing that should be tolerated, but I haven't mentioned it to Daisy since there's no use in it now.  Maybe I will soon, though.  She seems to be embracing her rebellious side ...



Honestly, I'm crazy impressed.  She's never really taken charge of something like that before.  It's pretty awesome.  I also liked seeing her doing science for fun on the midterm break.  She has a fistful of mysterious seeds to plant when we get home.  We've decided we're going to surprise Branch with a greenhouse when we do our next upgrade.



Second term always seems to fly past faster than the first, don't you think?  I've gotten quite popular with the jocks on campus, maybe largely due to my mad juice pong skills.



I'm really enjoying it.  I've never told Daisy, but I really want to feel like I'm the cream of the crop with all the major groups on campus.  I think I'm a bit of a natural jock, so it's a good place to start. 

Actually, at this rate, between her comic books and her street art, I think Daisy might be my key into the other two.



Finals flew past.  Like I said, that second half is a doozy.  We both aced our finals, but somehow I got a B average while Daisy had an A.  I guess I shouldn't skip classes.  Ah, well.  B is fine for me.  That A-spiration is all my sister.



For our last day on campus, we decided to throw one last massive juice kegger.  Invitations said, "please do not come if you are near death."



Which didn't stop old man naked pants from making an uninvited appearance.  Seriously, who are you?  Are you one of the professors?  Are you just going to stand around my house in the nude?



He clearly found himself hilarious.  Daisy, still clutching her Dean's List letter in her fist, spent time reconnecting with one of our old dorm-mates, genuinely happy to see she was still breathing.  The rest of us just tried to avert our eyes from Old Man Bits.



It was, finally, my first epic party.  And then it was time to go.  We were exhausted, overjuiced, hyped up, ecstatic.  We couldn't wait to see our Lila.

[ilovebakedgoods]

Wooo, congrats to both girls for their spectacular grades this term!! Hmm, did not expect Emmy to be so into Moon. Figured he'd just be a passing fancy...curious to see how that goes!

Can't wait to see what happened at their house when they get home.

[Tilia]

Wooo, congrats to both girls for their spectacular grades this term!! Hmm, did not expect Emmy to be so into Moon. Figured he'd just be a passing fancy...curious to see how that goes!

Can't wait to see what happened at their house when they get home.

She surprises me pretty regularly!  As you'll see below.  You'll see the renovations in the post after this one ... I wanted to wait until after Lila aged up


Daisy

Our first morning back was the big day.  Branch set out balloons and made sure the invitations were out.  I baked a cake.  Em kept an eye on Lila, who was wandering around in confused awe.



It was really the first time we'd seen anyone in town other than Branch and Lila since before we'd started school.  As people began to arrive, it hit me how much I'd missed seeing Gladsten in person, rather than on the other end of a text.  As soon as he came through the door, I threw myself into his arms.



He told me I looked great!  I realized then that he hadn't seen me since before Emmy made me over.  Hundreds of texts and blog comments between then and now really seemed like no time at all.  Plus, he looked spectacular in his formalwear.



He wasn't the only one.  Branch has grown out his hair and maybe even started working out since we left.  I can't tell you how much better he looks with some well-fitted clothes, styled hair, and a sense of purpose.



Anyway, soon enough it was Lila's Big Moment.  I took a good, long look at that precious little face for what I assumed was the last time.  I was really going to miss her being so small and cuddly.



She whispered her wish to Em and then took a great big-girl breath to blow out her candles.



Later, Branch would say he should've seen this coming, as the same thing had happened at his child birthday.  I guess fairy genes have a trickster nature built into them.  Sometimes when fairies try to blow out the candles, they blow them up instead.



Branch and my hero Gladsten jumped to action while Emmy whisked Lila out of harm's way and I frantically dialed the fire department.  The two of them really were quite gallant.



After all the chaos, our guests ended up taking their leave while I whipped up another cake.  Lila didn't mind waiting and we were all having the hysterical sort of relieved giggle you experience after a near disaster.



This time it went off without a hitch.  Our little Lila is so grown up now.  So pretty and grown up!



Branch went around collecting the balloons and setting up a brand new fairy castle for Lila in the back yard while us girls ate cake.



I had to make my excuses to steal away, but I had a long overdue tryst happening in the park with a man I shouldn't have avoided last time I was in town.  I explained to him when I got there how my ambition sometimes makes me ridiculous.



And then I kissed him for the first time.



Call me rash, but I knew then for sure what I'd been thinking about ever since I started tucking away little bits of grant money for a ring ...



I'm going to marry that man.






Emmaline

Branch set up a fairy castle for Lila to celebrate her birthday.  For the first time, I realllly wished I wasn't a normal Sim and could go in there with her for the fairies only party.



For the first time I saw my little sister shrink into a little pixie glow, flickering around mid-air.



Well, it SOUNDED fun.  I passed time outside by feeding Branch's terrifying cow plant thing.



Then I danced to the music I could hear coming out of the fairy house and enjoyed the party by proxy.  When Branch blinked out of there as a tiny green light and then became full-sized Branch again, he seemed charmed and amused by my antics.



He walked over to me resolutely, and I was sure he was about to join in the dancing, but instead he grabbed me around the waist and pressed his face against mine faster than I could've ever seen coming.



Okay, so that was shocking.  What was more shocking is that I ... um, didn't feel the desire to pull away.  He immediately reared back to start babbling apologies, and I just grabbed his wrists and pulled him back.



I mean, if you're going to kiss a girl, do it right.



We didn't talk about it directly after.  The music in the castle had stopped and we could hear tiny little Lila snoozing from within.

I took an airy breath and said, "Wanna play ping pong?"

He grinned uncertainly.  "You'll have to show me how."



He got the hang of it pretty fast.  No idea where Daisy was off to.  The night ticked by in warm silence while the ball clocked from paddle to paddle. 

"Have I told you about the time I caught Lila eating couch stuffing?" he asked.  And that's how the evening went.

I fell asleep happy and surprised.  Who knew Branch was ... you know, this compelling man?  Maybe there was something there.

However, as I snoozed away and the sun began to rise, the doorbell rang.