Welcome back to Chestnut Peak! We are back with the Powell family this time. See what they get up to under the cut!
Things at the Powell household have been fairly quiet. Harry is working hard at taking care of the pigs in order to open up a shop, and he does succeed! (no pics cause I sucked this time lol)
Ariana finds out that she is expecting their second child and things progress well and quickly. This time, they welcomed a little boy they name Elliot Harry Powell. An heir to the family name.
Ariana and Harry are quite in love and happy with their lives. Their farm is going well, and they are steadily earning money. Before they know it, little Elliot turns one and grows into a handsome little lad.
Charity is still growing well. Though she is quiet and often keeps to herself.
And they finish off the round with another try for baby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Sorry for a shorter update. I streamed this family rotation and I didn't take as many pictures. But, to be fair, nothing major happened aside from what was noted here. Ill try to take more for them next round!
End of round stats:
The family paid their $1000 business license and opened shop. They ranked up to level 1.
The pigs had 4 little piglets that will be sold off next round.
Ariana and Harry are now 28, Charity is 3 and little Elliot is 1.
The family started their round with $1512, they paid their business fee and $824 to the crown. They earned $1914, so they were left with $1531 at the end. They are thriving!
We are back again in Chestnut Peak! This is the beginning of the fourth round, in Spring. Today we are back with the first founding family, the Carmine household. Prepare for chaos!
Immediately upon the beginning of their round, Mrs. Eldora Lou Carmine discovers that she is expecting their fourth child. They are really hoping for a little boy. As much as they love their daughters, they fear their family name will end if a son is not born.
Eldora is finding that she is having a harder time with this pregnancy. Her energy levels are dangerously low and she is barely able to tend to her own needs, let a lone the needs of her family and home. This is not ideal seeing as she is the main caretaker and caregiver of the home.
Albert Kip Carmine is not always a patient man. But his wife and daughters have begun to teach him that he must restrain himself even in the hardest times. Though he would much prefer to leave most of the child rearing and home keeping to his wife, he does step in more with Eldora struggling through this pregnancy. Afterall, he is far from dumb and he understands that she may be carrying his heir. Not only that, but should anything happen to Eldora herself, he would be devestated.
Unfortunately, Piper continues to be ill. She tries to help here and there but due to her horrible cough and fatigue, she isn't able to do much at all. This puts even more strain on everyone in the household. They worry gravely for the well-being of their eldest child and have to take even greater care of her while she heals.
Archibald Ramsay Frobisher comes around to the family home to clean the gong pit and collect the ash. The addition to their family is a great one indeed.
During the night, Piper wakes unable to breathe. The sickness has really done her harm and she drops to the ground.
Eldora is a light sleeper, particularly when it comes to her children. She hears the commotion and pleads for her daughter's safety. Much to her surprise, Piper Starla is saved and recovers from her illness.
With a new take on life, restored energy and a new sense of curiousness, Piper loves being outdoors - something she wasn't able to do much of due to her illness. She spends the morning trying to catch the butterflies in the garden while Eldora watches over and tends to some plants. Though she knows Piper is saved, Eldora does still fear for the safety of her daughter.
With the near demise of his eldest daughter, Albert truly does see the benefit of spending time with his children. Though he always understood it to a point, knowing that life is so finite, even for your own children, he steps into the role of father with even greater confidence.
With Piper feeling much better, the family starts her on some learning. Every morning she practices her letters and script in the home. Much to her parents' frustration though, Piper is a very spirited little girl. She has a hard time staying at her desk very long before she is occupying herself with much busier activities.
Eldora Lou's pregnancy continues with a lot of struggles. Now in her third trimester, both her energy and hunger are constantly draining. She feels both exhausted and ravenous most of her days and struggles to do much other than eat and sleep. She struggles mentally as well knowing that her family needs her and she is unable to provide much of the support they expect of her.
Albert really has stepped up in the home as much as he can during this time. If Eldora is resting, he does his best to comfort his youngest daughters when they need. But of course, his main duty is still the vegetable garden. This spring things are taking a slow start in that regard...
Even while heavily pregnant, exhausted, starving and usually quite stinky, Eldora is still a fantastic mom. Though she mainly has time for Phoebe - who requires her mother to nurse - she does her best to make sure all her girls know that she is still there for them.
Despite being full of energy, Piper Starla does her best to help around the house. She is beginning to understand that her mother is having a hard time keeping up with things, and that it is her duty as eldest daughter to help where she can. She does as much as she is able to between her school work and play time.
It is finally time to welcome their fourth AND fifth children into the world. Yes, this pregnancy was indeed harder due to the fact that Eldora was carrying twins. Both mom and dad are quite stunned that their family has gone from 5 to 7 so quickly.
And, as even more of a surprise, the twins are both girls. The elder twin they named Paige Lori Carmine and the younger one, Penelope Ellen Carmine. Penelope is the only daughter thus far to inherit Eldora's grey eyes and Albert's brown hair. Will this family ever get an heir?
Soon after the birth of the twins, it is time for Phoebe Eldora's birthday. She is a beautiful mix of her parents. With a sweet nature, and an even sweeter face, she is sure to catch the attention of many as she ages.
You would think that with 5 fairly young children (the eldest only being 6 at this point), they would slow down. However, they still require an heir. So, they find themselves entangled in the sheets once again.
To bring spring to an end, most of the family falls ill. It seems the gong pit got quite overfull before Archibald was able to come and clean it again. Hopefully this illness does not have tragic consequences...
Albert and Eldora are both 29, Piper is 6.5, Prudence (who isn't seen much this round) is 2, Phoebe is 1 and the twins are 3 months old.
The family has earned no money this round due to their crops not bearing any fruit at all. They began the round with $386. After paying Archibald and their rent, they were left with a mere 86 simoleons.
The morning spring air is crisp as we return to Chestnut Peak. This time with the Rainer family! How will they fair this round?
Things begin quite humbly. Sophia Hazel Rainer rises with the giggles and cries of her children. She tends to their needs while still trying to wake from her not-nearly-long-enough slumber. Clark Shea watches on, feeling guilty. He is still quite ill and doesn't have the energy to do much aside from the basics required to maintain his own needs. He fears for his family and business'' well-being.
Sophia and Clark sit and discuss their fears. Sophia is feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the household duties along with the needs of her children. Add in the stress of the uncertainty of her husband's health and she can hardly bear it all. Coming from wealthy families has spoiled them, and neither of them are quite used to the constant demand and labour of running households. But Clark reassures her that he will do his best to recover while also providing for the family. This does little to actually calm Sophia's nerves, but she fills her mouth with the toast, and moves onto one of her many duties.
Sensing his wife's displeasure and stress, Clark does his best to reassure her in other ways as well. Though she loves her husband dearly and would never turn away the affection, she does wish he would do more to help her while he is staying indoors...
Still, being a passionate couple leads to a passionate night in the marriage bed. Sophia tries to say that this is probably not a great way to recover from illness, but Clark begs to differ.
Tobin Clark is nearing his 5th birthday quickly. Sophia does her best to make sure that he learns all he needs to learn before then. He is already able to potty on his own, but is yet to do much walking or talking. So, while Clark is resting and with Cynthia Justine watching on, Sophia encourages her son to take some steps.
Clark decides that regardless of his health, he must continue to earn a living for his family and opens his business the next day. Things are hard considering he has to take breaks to cough or rest, but he does his best to earn some sales with the stock he has left.
While the children nap, Sophia will often take this time to indulge in her hobby of painting. This is something that stems from her upbringing as a child of a wealthy family. Even with limited time and a household to run, she refuses to forget her roots (or her passions). As she paints, she dreams of her paintings being hung in lavish homes around the world. A pipe dream, perhaps. But one that brings her great joy nonetheless.
With Clark still quite ill and the family's rain barrel frozen over, it is up to Sophia to go to the communal well in the park. She gathers the little water she is able to and brings it home. As she trudges down the road, she thinks about how her life has changed so drastically. Sure, she loves her new family, but she would be lying if she said she didn't miss her much easier, much more extravagant life.
Back at home, Clark really is not doing well. He fears for his life as this illness drags on and on. He heard through gossip that the Harry William Powell had also experienced a terrible illness but was able to recover through a recipe he knew. He wonders if Harry would be willing to share that knowledge...
The two are not very close, but they are neighbours and both founding members of Chestnut Peak. Harry being a very kind man agrees to come over and make some of the soup that once cured his illness as well. In exchange, Clark offers him some firewood and some foraged goods. Its a good trade.
With the warmth of the soup, Clark immediately begins to feel better. Its as if the sickness melts from his body with every bite.
Clark is overjoyed as he lets his beautiful wife know that things will start returning to normal soon. Sophia is glad to hear of her husband's recovery but still must wonder what "normal" really is at this stage in their lives.
With Clark Shea's energy and drive for life returned, he works hard at his business and earns many sales. He even has energy to go to the park to collect more water, and also cut a tree for more firewood. Their stores were beginning to run low, and it was high time he changed that.
With his new health, he also has a high appetite for other things. Sophia is happy to oblige and it is honestly a surprise that a third child has not been born thus far.
Coming from elite families meant that both Clark and Sophia were well-educated and had the best opportunities provided to them. It saddens Sophia that her children will not be provided the same luxuries. Knowing that Tobin will more than likely be the heir to their family, she does her best to make sure he needs to know all that she feels is necessary. She vows to do all she can to allow her son the best opportunities that she is able to provide.
Sophia Hazel is 29, Clark Shea is 28, Tobin Clark is nearly 5 and will age at the start of the next round, and Cynthia Justine is nearly 3.
The family began the round with $1002. They opened the business 3 times and were able to earn $699. After taxes, rent and paying the Frobishers, they are left with $1041! They are doing much better than the rest of the town!
Welcome back to Chestnut Peak! It has been a while, but we are finally back with our third family in the third rotation, the Powell family.
Warning: This chapter does deal with death of young children.
We start the round off with a little bit of woohoo. Harry wants lots of children and so he really wastes no time in trying to expand the family. Ariana is not going to complain about it either. As long as they are able to provide for their family, she is happy to continue having children.
Harry then invites over a couple people to help get through the winter. He first invites Clark to buy some more firewood. Unfortunately, he is low on stock and so he is told he will have to forage the rest of the winter in order to keep his family warm. This worries him, but he will do what he must.
Then, he invites Archibald around to collect the ash and clean the gong pit. He earns himself another $50 for his services.
Working outside with the hogs in the dead of winter causes Harry to fall ill. He spends a lot of time in bed. Unfortunately, little Charity also catches his cold. Ariana does her best to tend to her ill family.
Soon, she discovers she is expecting their third child. They are happy to be welcoming a new child into the family, but Ariana worries about the wellbeing of her daughter and husband during this illness.
Unfortunately, while the family sleeps, Charity passes away. The illness becomes too much for her little body and she stays asleep. Grim comes to collect her and it isn't until morning that the family truly begins to mourn her loss.
Harry is still ill, and blames himself for the loss of their daughter. He does his best to occupy his time and pour his grief into spending time with his son. Elliot is doing well and has avoided the illness, as has Ariana.
Harry remembers an old recipe that his mother used to make when his family fell ill, and decides to try his hand at making it. Unfortunately, the first batch doesn't do the trick, and he still feels quite under the weather.
A few weeks overdue, Ariana finally goes into labour with her third child and second son, Reynold Carlisle Powell. He looks very much like his older brother and is born healthy and strong.
After another dose of the soup he has made, Harry finally starts to feel better. He goes to the park to collect branches in order to keep his family warm during the rest of the winter. It has been cold and they have had to use all they have in store.
As per usual, Harry doesn't wait long after Reynold's birth to try and expand the family once again. The loss of Charity has only strengthened Harry's want for a large family and now hopes to have 10 children.
Though he does keep himself busy with the pigs, there has been a lull in the store and farm as they wait for the piglets to be old enough to slaughter and thus sell. Therefore, Harry spends a lot more time with his sons than he would usually. Everyone is pleased by this despite the lack of income.
With winter coming to a close, the piglets have finally reached maturity which means Harry is able to slaughter and butcher some while keeping two to add to their own farm - a sow and a hog. Then he opens the business for the first time in months and earns $477 simoleons plus a $1000 grant given to him to add toward opening a future store.
Elliot is well on his way to learning to walk and continues to fair well overall. The family is pleased that their heir seems to be thriving despite the cold winter and the loss of his sister.
With spring in the air, the couple try once again to add to their family. Ariana is hopeful for another daughter though Charity will always be missed and cherished.
And that is all for the Powell's winter round! Despite only earning a small amount of income, it was enough to cover their rent and taxes and then some. The family is doing well despite the loss of their eldest child, and things seem to be looking up for their spring round with much in stock to sell remaining.
End of Round Stats:
Harry and Ariana are now 29, Elliot is 2 and Reynold is 6 months.
The family started the round with $1405, they opened the store for one day and earned $477.
The business ranked up to level 2 earning them a grant of $1000.
After paying for Archibald's services, buying firewood, paying their rent and taxes, the family is left with $2688!
Charity Claire Powell passed at the age of 3.5 due to illness.
Welcome back to Chestnut Peak! It has been a little while, but we are continuing round 2 with the Rainer family. Let's see what they get up to under the cut!
Life is quite peaceful at the Rainer home. Clark works hard to provide the town with the firewood they need to get through the colder months. Sophia has settled into her role as house keeper and wife - though she still doesn't really enjoy it - she does her chores and then will often paint or read. She has been showing some interest in physiology and wonders about a career in midwifery.
The couple does enjoy spending quality time together, even at the cost of the customers at times... And before they know it, they find out there are expecting their first child.
Time flies and soon it is time to have their son. Little Tobin Clark Rainer is born and is the first healthy boy born into the town. He will be the heir to the family provided all continues well.
Clark's business definitely makes money, but he struggles to get people to like him. The business is far from being perfect, and neither is he. But, none the less, it is doing well all things considered. He may not be the best business man, but he is a good father.
Late one night, Sophia wakes to find some cramping she was noy expecting, and waves of nausea. She panics but tries to breathe through it. Thankfully, she is able to calm her body and get through the pain. She knows now that a second baby is on the way but fears for the safety of their arrival.
Thankfully, this pregnancy flies as well, and there were no more bouts of cramping or nausea. But before they welcome their second child, it is time for their eldest to grow into a toddler. Little Tobin grows to be quite adorable!
As winter comes, so does their second child. The labour goes well, much to Sophia's relief, and a little girl named Cynthia Justine Rainer is born. Welcome to the world, little one! And welcome to winter!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of round stats:
- Clark is now 25 and Sophia is 26. Tobin is 1, and Cynthia is just hours old.
- The business has not ranked up at all, but is doing well making money.
- There was a burglary, and I have no idea what was taken...
- The family earned $1451 this round. They owed $685 in taxes and were left with $914. Not too shabby!
Welcome back to Chestnut Peak. Today we are with the Rainer family as they work through the long winter months. More of the story under the cut!
The winter begins quite peaceful and domestic. Sophia has really come into her role as house keeper, mother and wife. Tobin adores his mama and takes after her quite heavily.
With it being winter, firewood is quite heavily needed, and the business does very well. It receives the best of the best reward, and by the end of the season, it even reaches rank two!
Though Clark does spend a lot of his time working, he does try and spend time with Tobin when he can. The two are very close, indeed.
The peaceful domestic life was shattered one day when Sophia left some grilled cheese on the stove. The entire living area burnt to a crisp and the family struggled for months to get things cleaned up and back into livable conditions.
Little Cynthia brightens things up slightly with her birthday. She ages amongst the rubble of their former home. She looks adorable!
Eventually, the family gets things restored and manages to pull together some semblance of a living area. Though not as nice as it was, it will definitely do the job, and it doesn't set the family back as far as they feared.
Clark spends most of his time working, and usually he doesn't mind it. But sometimes, he just needs to get away and have a couple rowdy jokes with some friends.
The family desperately needed Archibald's help. The gong pit was getting horrible and the ash was piling up. Thankfully, he came over to clean it up and collect the remaining ask. Earning him $50. He came just in time as the family ended up getting a few roaches...
Tobin and Cynthia are close as can be. They spend a lot of time playing side by side and sharing a huggle when they need some company.
While disposing of some roaches, Clark finds himself feeling quite ill and develops a nasty cough..
Tobin is nearing his child birthday and still has all his skills to learn. Though, he is very close to being potty trained now. Hopefully he will still grow up well!
We leave the family sleeping peacefully as spring warms the air. After the fire, it has been hard to keep the family in a good state. Hopefully now things have returned to normal. But, will Clark recover from that illness?
Clark is now 27, Sophia is 28, Tobin is 3 and Cynthia is 2.
The family made $1288 simoleons this season! Plus they got the $1000 grant (tax free) from reaching rank 2. After paying $636 in taxes and rent, they are left with $1002.
The business did reach rank 2, but then hit some bumps with some customers.
They had a fire that destroyed their whole main living area.
Two posts in one day! Welcome back to Chestnut Peak for the final family in round 1, the Powell family, our pig farmers!
Read their backstory and what they got up to under the cut! <3
Meet Harry William Powell - no I did not realize I named him after both Princes until I had already saved him. It's a happy coincidence! - and his lovely wife, Ariana Bree Powell. As young teens, Harry and Ariana were betrothed through an arranged marriage. It was a good match. Both teens were around the same age and in similar social circles. However, Ariana had always dreamed of marrying the man she fell in love with, not something arranged by her family.
She fought this decision as hard as she possibly could. She begged and pleaded with her family to let her choose her spouse. Her father was not a mean man, but this was the way things were done and he believed Harry to be a great match for his daughter. He put the wedding off as long as he could without insulting the Powell family, which meant they were married as late teens.
Unlike is bride, Harry was quite excited to be married! Ariana was a lovely girl and the sooner they were married, the sooner they could start a family. However, he heard and saw Ariana's hesitations and understood them well enough. Harry believed himself to be a man of honor and respectable, so while they were courting, he vowed to her that he would follow her lead when it came to their marriage. This eased Ariana's mind but it did not make it easier for her.
When the time came for them to wed, Harry kept his promise. The two started as friends and got along quite well as such. Harry took a job as a domestic servant and worked as a general labourer - he did maintenance around the estate as needed. Since they were married, that meant that the family took Ariana on as a domestic maid to help around the house as well.
The two worked hard for several years and built up a strong friendship and a decent sized savings. By this point, the two had been married for 5 years and still had not officially consummated their marriage. It was hard to be intimate when they shared quarters with the other servants and, Ariana, though getting more comfortable, was always a step away from allowing him much intimacy.
Yet, with the savings they earned, and with the opportunity to move to Chestnut Peak where they would be alone and able to put down roots, the couple gave notice and said their goodbyes.
Harry is quite lucky, unflirty (this helped with their situation), a night owl, a gatherer, and handy. He is a Virgo and a family sim. Ariana is a social butterfly, over-emotional, a bit neurotic, a daredevil, and nurturing. She is a Libra and a fortune sim.
Even though they now had their own space, and years of a friendship, Ariana was still hesitant to be too intimate. She did care for Harry quite a lot, some would even say love, but she was afraid to cross that line. So, for a little while, things remained more on the friendly side. They often worked on skills together, and then while Harry tended to the pigs, Ariana dutifully took care of the cooking and cleaning.
Eventually, Harry brought up how he felt about Ariana. He told her that he was sure she was the perfect match for him, and that he wanted to start a family with her. Much to his surprise, it didn't take much convincing for their marriage to finally be consummated.
Shortly after, a baby was on the way!
After the conceiving of their baby, the couple grew even stronger. They enjoyed spending time together both intimately and innocently. Harry even celebrated that he earned his writ of mastery and would now be able to butcher the pigs in order to earn a living.
Just some short months later, a beautiful baby girl was welcomed into the world. They named her Charity Claire Powell. She was the light of her parents' eyes.
The couple also met and befriended the Carmine family! They were a lovely couple who appeared to be as in love as they were. Though they insisted that was not always the case either.
As the end of summer drew nearer, it was time for Charity's first birthday. Ariana baked her a cake and they celebrated as a family. She grew up beautifully and continued to be the joy in the family. And, a new life was brought into the world as well. Their first little piglet. Now, to wait for it to grow big and strong for the family to finally earn some money.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of round stats:
Harry and Ariana are both 26.
Charity is now 1.
The family earned only a small amount of money from investing.
They owed $271 and were left with over $1800 still. Hopefully, they will be able to sell some fertilizer and meat soon!
