Chapter 5 - Jon

Hi all! Sorry it took so long to get a new update out. My previous pattern was one chapter per week for this challenge. With Bon Voyage coming out and the fact I had to play very slow and carefully during this chapter with all the sims and ghosts roaming the house I needed to take my time playing it.

I just want to say thanks once again for the feedback everyone is providing. I really enjoy hearing what you think.


Journal Entry - A Little About My Family and Me

Not too long ago I wasn't sure I'd ever get married, at least not until I met Sandra. Our neighborhood lacks many survival neccesities and for the past couple generations my family has been trying to turn that around. From a very early age I can remember my mother telling my brother, Pax and I what a hero our grandfather had been. He had brought an abundance of food back to the neighborhood and gave people hope again. However, even after my grandma brought electronics back to the neighborhood, my mom made the streets safe to travel on, my aunt helped strengthen sims muscels and my dad took down the mob I wasn't sure if I had time for a family. I had always known I wanted to help the neighborhood some how but I didn't realize having a family would be such a huge part of that.

Sandra in all her glory can enjoy the simpliest things in life. If she burns food she just giggles about it. If she gets bored she'll just start juggling water bottles. If she's feeling lonely she'll start chatting up any ole person. She is the most beautiful person, inside and out, that I've ever met and the perfect person to keep our family cheerful.


My father, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult. He officially crossed over to the status of an old man on his last birthday. My mother died when I was very young and I believe whatever soft side my dad may have had at that point died with her. I don't ever remember him being very nurturing but I suppose he did the best he could for himself. My father's a very pessimistic person and the living situation in this neighborhood just made him more miserable.


I wouldn't say he was a terrible father but he certainly struggled and there were times I questioned the kind of man he was. He started showing the softer side of himself that I believed was lost and buried for so long once Sandra and I had our first child.


He helped Bill blow out the candles while the rest of us watched him become a toddler. I was happy to see he got his mommies bright, blue eyes. Too bad he didn't inherit my ears though.


By far the greatest accomplishment in my father's life, and that is exactly what he'd say, was the day he became a criminal mastermind and took down the mob. My father is obsessed with money and every Monday when the mob came to collect their protection money it looked as though my father might cry. To this day I'm not sure what he did to the mob but I do know they haven't been around since and my father seems quite pleased with himself.


My job as a High School Teacher a couple neighborhoods over keeps me busy during the day but I try to spend as much time with Bill as I can. I know he'll grow up all too fast and I don't want to feel like I missed out on his childhood.


Sandra and I are expecting another child very soon. Neither of us would have thought it before but we both want a big family. We figure if all goes well with my job all our children can have a good education and even head off to college when they are ready. My brother and I never had any formal education after elementary school and that is certainly not what I want for my children.


My brother, Pax may not be the brightest person in the room and may only have one thing on his mind most of the time...woohoo, but that doesn't mean he doesn't adore Bill. One evening when I arrived home from work I found him teaching Bill how to walk.


When the time arrived for Sandra to give birth Pax and I were playing red hands in the other room but the screams from just the other side of the wall quickly broke up the match.


We got there just in time to uselessly stand around panicing as Sandra delivered Doug. I don't know what those guys who are always saying the second pregnacy is easier are smoking, because I still had no idea what I was suppose to do this time around. But hey, Doug is healthy and that's all we could ask for.

End Entry


Journal Entry - With Life Comes Death

Life has been so good for my family lately. My dad actually seems kind of happy for once, Pax and I keep getting promotions, my children are adorable and Sandra couldn't be more gorgeous. Sometimes I feel like we're the kids in the house but that quickly fades away when we hear crying in the other room.


Currently, Sandra's a stay at home mom and loves it. I can almost always find her playing with one of our sons. She realizes eventually she'll have to work to help out the family but until that day arrives she's going to have as much fun with our chilren as possible.


Pax is working as a Relic Liberator. Don't ask me what that means but he says he's doing really well and will hopefully be promoted again soon.


I cannot believe how quickly my oldest son grew up. One day he's barely walking and the next day he's heading off to elementary school.


Bill's excited about getting older. He's looking forward to making friends and being able to help out with Doug.


Sandra's pregnant for a third time and we couldn't be more excited. Pax apparently doesn't know what the word privacy means though, but I guess in a house so small that's hard to have. We all do the best we can and really it isn't all that bad. How many sims can say they're close with their family? Actually, probably more now then before the disaster.

I often think the disaster may have been a good thing. It brought families back together and taught us all what is really important in life. I've heard some sad stories of how sims treated each other before and am not sure that's the kind of life I would have wanted. I'm very proud of my family and all the efforts we're doing to make this neighborhood a better place.


With two small children in the house and another one on the way the birthday's don't end. As is now tradition Grandpa Aaroc helped Doug become a toddler.


Doug is exactly like his older brother, Bill. He has Sandra's blue eyes and no pointy ears.

*Blah! He's a clone of Bill. I forgot to randomize the genes. :(


My high school students were doing so well that when the local University in that neighborhood heard about the progress I was making they asked me to be a guest lecturer several days a week. I can hardly believe the progress I'm making. Hopefully, it won't be long before I can bring proper education back into our neighborhood. I'm already working on recruiting a few good teachers for the high school and college I'm planning on building.


My father is constantly surprising me. I cannot believe how much he helps with the kids. He's still fairly abrasive with Pax and me but I almost wonder if when we were little he was more nuturing to us too.


Then one fateful night my father died. Pax had been standing their talking to him when he jumped back and the color in his face disappeared. It was only a matter of seconds before he collapsed on the floor.


Pax took his death the hardest. The boys were a little too young to understand what happened and Sandra was their to comfort me but Pax had nobody to sooth his pain.

Although, my father was a difficult man to live with I learned a lot from him. Mainly, I learned what not to be like. Thanks to his negativeness I chose to see life on a brighter note and not let the little things in life get to me. I am a much happier man because of him.

End Entry


Journal Entry - Moving On

Life doesn't stop just because someone dies. Sandra is getting bigger and bigger everyday. It won't be long before she has our third baby. I hope it's a girl, it would be a nice change. Of course, if it's a boy I'll love it all the same. I just want it to be healthy.


Pax has been promoted to Dread Pirate. Again, not really sure what that is but I'm guessing it's something to do with taking what's not yours and scaring people.


Doug's growing up too fast. I don't feel like I get enough time to spend with him. It won't be long before his next birthday and he'll be as big as Bill.

It'll be nice to have a baby in the house again. I'm so over diaper changes but babies make everything seem simple and sweet.


For a moment one evening I thought I might have lost Sandra. She claims the ghost of an old lady she never met scared her. The frightened look on her face had me worried, but she snapped out of it quickly.


In the middle of a kitchen fire Pax actually had the nerve to complain about how badly I smell. Geesh! Of course, I smell. We all smell...all the time. Without enough running water to take a shower or bath it's very hard to stay clean.


Bill had been struggling in school so I thought it only natural to help him with his homework. He seems to be doing better already.


*There was only one night that the house had so many ghosts roaming around I decided to remove the stairs in the basement to avoid any unneccesary deaths. The only one not in the basement was Doug and I figured a toddler couldn't die by fright.


I will never be any good at this. Every time Sandra gives birth I lose my mind and forget what I'm suppose to do. Fortunately, we usually have a good laugh about it later.


Whoa! I wasn't expecting twins, but they're both healthy and there's plenty of love to go around so it's okay. I'm sure James and Seth will be well taken care of. I think we're done having kids though and it looks like we won't be having any girls. Ah well, just think...we have a small boys soccer team in the works.


For the first time in the history of our family a Pitt has brought home an A+. With the combination of limited everyday supplies and the poor education system in our neighborhood nobody really worried about coming home with good grades. That's not what I want for my children and I will make sure they know it and have the resources they need to succeed.

End Entry


Journal Entry - The Boys Keep Growing Up.

For a time in our household the birthday's never stopped. First Doug grew up into a kid.

He's a cute kid but looks and acts just like his older brother. I'm just glad they have different hairstyles because I don't think I could tell them apart otherwise.


Bill came home with good grades two days in a row. This made me so proud. Finally, our family was able to overcome the education barrier that had plauged our family for a couple generations.


The twins birthday's just happened to fall on a day where we could get through on the phone lines to invite some friends over for the special occassion. Sandra's close friend Autumn even showed up for a visit.

I'm so grateful to my mother for making the streets safe to travel on again. I couldn't imagine a life where I could leave my home only for work and our friends could rarely visit.


Some of the guests had left by the time we got around to the cake but a few were still around, including Marina. Over the past few years I began to realize Marina just needed a friend and was never really trying to put the moves on me. I had over reacted about her friendliness many years ago and have always felt a little guilty about it since.


James inherited his mother's beautiful, bright blue eyes just like his older brothers.


Seth on the other hand got my ears and eyes. It's nice to see my pointy ears being passed on.


The very next day Bill had a birthday. I haven't been able to complete the high school in our neighborhood I want but if all goes well it'll be done before Bill becomes an adult.


I don't know if he'll even care though. All he has on his mind now is romance. He actually had the nerve to tell me he wants 20 simaltaneous lovers. I told him if I ever heard him say that again I'd wash his mouth out with soap. I will not tolerate my children talking like that. When they become adults they can do what they want but not until then.


With my father not around anymore it was up to Sandra and I to make sure the twins learned what they needed before they became children.


We took turns teaching them their toddler skills.


Something must have been in the air one evening because my grandfather's ghost went on a rampage. First, he scared Pax and practically scared him to death.


Then he came over and startled me. Ghost don't really scare me. To be honest I'm actually quite fascinated with them.


It seems like the twins grew up faster then their older brothers. Maybe that's just because we've been so busy caring for them time just flew by. Whatever it is I will miss not having young little ones around anymore.


On the bright side thought that means no more dirty diapers. I was really getting sick of them.


I am honored to have such a wonderful and happy family. Everyone is so close with each other and Bill is a fantastic older brother. He's always spending time with his younger siblings.

End Entry


Journal Entry - Lots of Firsts for My Family

Well, with all our kids old enough to take care of themselves pretty much Sandra took a job as an EMT. She wants to help bring running water and proper medicine back to our neighborhood. I couldn't be more please with her career decision. I'm sure she'll succeed with flying colors.


The boys are so excited for her too. When she got home from work the first day they rushed out to welcome her home. Poor Seth got scared by a wolf though and didn't know what to do. Sandra gave him a hug and brought the boys back inside.


I read somewhere ghosts like to cheer for the bed they slept in while they were alive so when Doug came to tell me he saw the ghost of Grandpa Aaroc hovering over the bed he fell asleep in I wasn't the least bit surprised. Doug thought it was kind of cool when I told him what probably happened. He seems to be just as inquisitive as me.


Pax told me he was promoted to warhead disarmer, but if you ask me that should be a demotion. Who wants to handle warheads for a living? I hope nothing goes wrong and he comes home safely everyday. I'm really worried for him.


Bill's your typical teenager. When he's not talking about this girl, Meadow he met one afternoon he's flexing his muscles in the mirror.


For a little while Pax and I were taking the same carpool home at night. That didn't last long though because the University I'd been working for asked me to be a College Dean of Students. Of course, I eagerly accepted.

What I didn't realize initially was how much this position would help in my dream to build a high school and small college for children to attend in my neighborhood. The connections I made in this position helped tremendously in raising enough money to get my project started.


I always knew Pax felt comfortable with his body but I never imagined he'd walk around naked in front of the children, let alone when Doug was growing up. To make matters worse James had stayed outside too long and nearly froze to death.


Pax nor James really watched Doug's transition because James was too busy freaking out about his uncle's nakedness. I'm surprised Doug didn't end having some strange life long goal after that but he couldn't be more normal if you ask me. He has a healthy appetite for knowledge and wants to follow in my footsteps to become an Educational Minister.


Pax has always talked a lot about women but usually it's degrading and very unattractive. That's probably why he's never had a girlfriend up until recently. He made friends with a woman named Jan Tellerman and she actually seems to like him.


And I mean like him. After years of failing to impress a woman Pax finally got his first kiss with Jan. It was bittersweet because I know all too well that after he gets what he wants from her he'll dump her like yesterday's garbage. My brother is not the commitment type.


I finally met Bill's friend, Meadow. I think he really likes her. I watched them through the main window for awhile and could see him heavily flirting with her.


Once he started kissing her I had to walk away. I already felt guilty about watching them at all and I certainly didn't want to ruin his first kiss.

With all these recent events I just wanted for things to get back to normal a little. No more naked brother would be a nice start.


*There's no point to this picture other then to show that sims and pets play together in the afterlife apparently. I think it's sweet.


Journal Entry - High School and College...Here My Boys Come

While my teenage sons burned the kitchen down I worked on the final stages of the new neighborhood high school and college. They are both very small but it's a start. I have recruited nearly enough teachers and staff to have both up and running very soon. Hopefully, it'll be in enough time to keep the house from burning down because of pryo-maniac teens who have nothing better to do then start fires.


James is kinda shy and quiet. I can often find him writing in his journal alone in one of the bedrooms. A continued education will be very good for him. I'd like to see him come out of his shell a little and the more interaction he has with sims outside our family the better.


Sandra has taught Bill every move she knows in chess but she doesn't realize I taught him a few she doesn't know. They are always playing together. Usually she beats him but every now and then he surprises her by taking her king.


I don't know if I'd call Seth lazy but he certainly likes napping on the couch in the afternoons. I think he just likes how comfortable it is, but whenever I catch him on it I make him get up. The last thing I want is for him to stay up all night because he slept during the day.


I was relieved to learn Pax was promoted again and would no longer be disarming warheads. Although, I wonder if his new job title as an International Sim of Mystery is really any safer. I guess if he's survived this long though he should be okay.


I did it. The high school and college are built and ready for the kids in our neighborhood to attend. I am officially an Educational Minister and am very proud of it. I have already enrolled Bill and Doug in the high school and the doors for it will open next week. I can now rest safe knowing they won't burn down the house during the day while I'm at work because they'll be busy learning at school.

End Entry