Chapter Twelve: Getting Knocked Up By Grimm

This chapter of the Shocklee Saga starts out with the introduction of the reigning king of the gnomes, the Evil Mr. Mysterious Gnome.  Gregg brought him home from work one day and since he's been put out he runs the gnome show.

He also likes to terrorize the Sims of the house breaking things, knocking things over and even setting random traps.  Not that he is ever as close to the scene of the crime as this photo would suggest.

Rachel started flirting with her mysterious mystery man from last chapter and started working towards being able to date him.

Then it was time for the twins to grow up..and my trend of horrible grow up pics continues!!

Bran Shocklee
Traits: Brave, Clumsy, Computer Whiz, Nurturing
LTW: Superstar Athlete (Top Athletic)

Bristol Shocklee
Traits: Athletic, Clumsy, Proper, Supernatural Fan

Bristol actually grew up when she got out of bed, but I forgot to take a picture.  Bran wished up his lifetime want, but Bristol hadn't rolled up anything we hadn't already done so she is still searching for a lifetime want.  She loves her house because she's constantly rolling wants centered around the supernatural and her house is full of them.  Her father and twin are both vampires, and her sister, Rachel, as well.

Rachel's dating was very bumpy being a hot-headed commitment phobe making it not difficult to woo her werewolf.

She wasn't about to give up on her guy.  They really were well matched and got along most of the time.  It's just werewolves and vampires apparently rub each other wrong occasionally, or maybe it's just Rachel's hot-headed disposition.

Then I made an oops and accidentally sent all the adults on the lot on a freebie vacation. I forgot that EphyToast and Rachel were adults for the purposes of the vacation and Rachel's date had an abrupt end.

Instead of the twins partying, they got tagged for getting to know Mr. Mysterious and making him friends with the family so that he hopefully would not go get a girlfriend or wife while Rachel was out of town.

Unfortunately it wasn't all sunshine and roses and apparently vampires like to beat werewolves with newspapers. It wasn't just a Rachel thing.  I always missed what caused the beat down, but the beat down was hilarious to watch.

Bristol made a trip to the local potion shop and came home to buy a bunch of bee hives for the house to collect honey.  These things are such a pain. Most of the time I try to have my Sims deal with them they end up stung by bees with a negative moodlet that lasts a long time.

As soon as Rachel returned from her unexpected vacation she called her man over and went to work on securing his affections.

She took an opportune moment in the bathroom to ask him to marry her. Before anything could go wrong, like her getting nervous because of her commitment issues, married him right there in the bathroom!

Darren Shocklee (formerly Darren Dreamer)
Traits: Artistic, Bookworm, Great Kissers, Hates the Outdoors, Natural Cook
LTW: Illustrious Author

Darren doesn't have any traits we need for the challenge, but he is a werewolf.  And well he's Darren Dreamer! How could I NOT have him marry into the Shocklees?  (Darren is an playable sim in Lucky Palms made by EA for those who don't recognize him he was also a EA made Sim in the Sims 2 in Pleasantville.)

EphyToast, Bristol, and Wen enjoy a night watching gardening together, not knowing it was to be their final night together.

Soon after Wen rolled a wish to work out, so I sent her out to workout and Grimm came for her.  I really thought she was going to have a longer life as an Elder. She passed only a few days after 90.  She might have died sooner if she hadn't gone on vacation.  At least she got to see her eldest daughter marry.  She died wanting grandchildren.  Most of the Shocklees linger quite a bit after 90.  I haven't had a garden with life fruit in a while.  This makes me think they were sneaking it in previous generations accounting for the super long lifespans I was getting without knowing how.

Darren and Bran watched the passing of Wen and were so tore up that they both decided to play in the snow to feel better.  Bran started out with a nice snow angel perhaps to wish his mother well in the afterlife.

Then Darren and Bran built a snow man together.

Their snowman was a bit grim though.

Everyone in the family ended up on a snowman building spree and soon the yard was filled with very grim snowmen, mourning the passing of Wen Shocklee.

Even the gnomes seemed to mourn her passing in their own way.
 

Darren eventually made a different snowman, but his tragic clown wasn't much more cheerful than the Grimm ones.

As we got to know Darren, I had to laugh at the antics of a werewolf.  When he's in werewolf form, he eats different at the table.

He will also autonomously claw furniture.

The Shocklees purchased a rundown old wreck of a car to repair for entertainment. Rachel and Darren had to break it in and have a woohoo in it.  (The car came with Roaring Heights and offers many options that cars had in the Sims 2 that I missed in the Sims 3. Roaring Heights actually comes with quite a few things I liked, and I couldn't pass it up when Origin had their half off sale.)

Rachel and Darren seemed to settle into the married life with out many bumps.  They had similar desires and wants.  I wasn't in a rush to have them make the next generation because the house feels too full because the current generation had so many in it.

About the time I decided they should have a baby (Gregg rolled a desire for a grandchild)...something happened.

Rachel came home from a trip out and had a fit on Darren and accused him of cheating.  She then was left with a moodlet of 'betrayed' and she couldn't interact with Darren romantically for 7 days.  So much for baby making!

Since Rachel was so mad her and Darren couldn't sleep in a bed together it seemed appropriate that Darren sleep in a sleeping bag in the hall.  I'm not sure if Rachel heard gossip while out or maybe Darren flirted with the maid at the house, I just know she thinks he cheated on her.

Meanwhile Bristol went through a rebellious faze and started setting traps around the house and pranking the school.  Gregg was an unfortunate victim one day and ended up with pink hair.

I got rather tired of the seemingly endless snow.  Gregg purchased the reward that lets Sims change the weather.  I'm considering getting rid of winter in Lucky Palms due to the nature of the town, but I have a few accomplishments for winter I'd like to accomplish first. We'll see.  The constant snow is making gardening hard.  It feels like the game has too many snow days. I get tired of my Sims missing work and school because of the snow.

Bran can't seem to get skinny to save his life.  He works out constantly but the pudge will not leave his middle.

Gregg went to the alchemist potion store one day and for some reason started a fight with the cashier.  No idea why, the game didn't tell me and I missed the start of the fight.

Bristol is athletic enough that she tries to train everyone and I had to laugh when she made her dad work out at the dance barre in the living room.  EphyToast was working on her gardening while they did that.

While I wasn't paying attention...Rachel and Darren got in a fight, and quite without permission got divorced. They had been only hours away from being able to finally make the next generation when this happened.  I'd made them work on their relationship the whole time even though they couldn't do romantic interactions.  They were only a few hours from getting knocked up and now they were back to made at each other.

This was when I waved the hand of the all mighty Simmer and said "Minions, you shall make a baby dammit!".  I sent Rachel next door to Grimm's Ghastly Manor and she summoned Grimm.

She explained to Grimm that she needed to make an heir with her ex-husband and asked if Grimm could please knock her up with her ex-husband's baby.

Grimm's response was to smite her and send her home closing the door in her face.

It was then time for the twins to grow up to adult.

Bran grew up in the bathroom after a quick shower and gained the Rebellious trait.

Bristol had gone home to a friend's house after school and when she was growing up a werewolf crossed her path.

She grew up in this classy well matched outfit and gained the trait, Snob, because in those duds why wouldn't she be a snob?  I chose her lifetime want based on the fact that I had tried to lock it in earlier when she wished for it, but accidentally cancelled it instead. Her lifetime want is Perfect Mind, Perfect Body (Athletic 10, Logic 10)

Rachel soon discovered that Grimm had granted her request.  She was pregnant with her ex-husband's baby.

She didn't seem particularly happy about it as she liked to rock, scowl and wish for massages.

She managed to finish her lifetime want (Illustrious Author) while pregnant and thus everything she has done will count for the challenge.

Shortly after EphyToast managed to complete her lifetime want as well, Perfect Aquarium.  I got a spectacularly wonderful photo of it too.  Everything she has done will now count for the challenge as well.

Darren occasionally managed to sleep with his ex-wife in their bed and not in his sleeping bag in the hall, and one night he woke up to age to adult.

He took a moment to bond with his ex-wife and baby and rub her belly.

Bristol joined the Criminal career track as her father rolled a want to see her become a criminal mastermind.  One day after work she didn't come home and I found her sitting on a bathtub outside the hideout reading.

I missed getting a photo of the moment, but Gregg cured his son, Bran, of vampirism. I was on the fence with what I was going to do with Bran and I still am, but the long life span of the house was getting me down. I decided it was time to cure someone.  I decided on Bran because Gregg is working on a fishing achievement for me and Rachel is the heir and amuses me too much to cure at this time.  She has such a sour disposition and she's always up to something. Gregg threw a cure potion at his son in the kitchen one day. The above photo was the after when he explained to Bran why he did it.

Rachel was out for a massage when she went into labor so I sent her to the hospital to have the baby.  I wasn't sure if Darren was going to go on his own.  He didn't have the option to send him to the hospital, so I sent him to the hospital for therapy.  When he arrived he cancelled the therapist and went to support Rachel in labor, maybe there is hope for these two yet. 

Dirk Shocklee
Traits: Grumpy, Virtuoso

Random Thoughts:  I have decided I should use this large generation to try and knock out some of the other deaths in the game.  Oddly enough even though this generation drives me nuts I find myself attached to their unique personalities.  Rachel really does seem to be a sour puss who likes to start fights with everyone over every little thing.  Darren is a hoot with his being a werewolf, but a pain at times since he fights with Rachel so much.  EphyToast is working on some of the gardening and fishing achievements but I have let her eat magic jelly beans on occasion.  Bran does not seem to want to be skinny and it's driving me nuts.  I don't think it looks good on him.  Gregg I have to fight to keep skinny but he does get slim, he just gains fast.  Bran never seems to get there. He's always been pudgy.  Bristol is a priss but amuses me with her so not prissy athleticism, which paired with her clumsy traits makes for some priceless moments.  She had one where she went swimming and then went fishing and on her way to the pond flipped flippers over head and landed on her butt. I was sooo bummed I didn't get a photo.

Gregg, Rachel, and EphyToast have had their death flowers removed and are now fair game if they die to stay dead.  I may like them, but only Sims who haven't fulfilled their lifetime want get to keep death flowers.

Odd Pictures Out:

Bran rocks Dirk after winning the who gets to hold the baby battle.

Rachel painting while pregnant with Dirk

Gregg woohoos his dead wife, Wen, in the shower one night

Mr. Evil likes the sauna in the backyard.

I gathered all the dead Mr. Mysterious Gnomes and lined them up in the graveyard.

 

EphyToast happened upon the gnomes up to no good one day

Old man gnome in the garden