Culpepper Pals: Autumn 2: Bell

[beanstalk_sims]

Hello again! Who's ready for an update?

Last time, Adora finally called things off with Akira! He moved out leaving her to raise the two girls, Shari and Taeko. Shari became a teenager, and continued hanging out with David Titan-Ojo. Meanwhile Adora met Travis Scott, and the pair of them hit it off pretty well - despite some questionable date choices from Travis! Towards the end of summer, the couple decided to give things a proper go. Adora left the city with her girls, moving in with Travis and his daughter Tania at their home in Oasis Springs.

Index / Boolprop





We rejoin the family to find Tania bobbing to the music.

She's so adorable! <3




Travis is actually meant to be keeping an eye on her as Adora is preoccupied, but he's currently playing video games for work. He's currently level 2 in the Tech Guru career.

Tania definitely looks like she's trying to steal his attention.




Adora, meanwhile, is making a cake.

Why? Well...




Taeko is becoming a teen!

She's only a few days than Shari, yet it feels like she's miles behind because of rotations.




Taeko looks like she's a good mix of both her parents!

Her new trait is Loner, probably the result of being younger than her peers but too old for the second wave of kids. Her aspiration is Musical Genius, which gives her the Muser trait. I picked it based on her Music Lover trait, plus I've never managed to complete it.

I also altered Taeko's surname a little bit - it was Taeko Kibo, now it's Taeko Kibo-Bell. I figured Adora pretty much raised her on her own, the least she deserves is a matching (ish) surname.




Autumn in Oasis Springs apparently means baking hot days, so Shari immediately educates Taeko on sunbathing.

I haven't had anyone live in Oasis Springs since getting seasons, so it'll be interesting to see what the weather is like here!




The girls manage to get subtle tans, and then they're immediately back on their phones.

Not that Taeko really has anyone to message. Her one friend, Tori Holiday, is still a kid.




Shari has a solution for that. Taeko is added to the teen club, which now just consists of the girls and Max Vatore.




Taeko takes an immediate shine to Max.

They got on so well it surprised me.




Shari definitely knows what's up.

"Okay, you kids have fun while I'm at my scout meeting."




Meanwhile inside, Adora and Travis are being adorable.

"Did you see, Travis? Taeko's talking to a guy in the front yard!"

"Is that good?"

"It's excellent! She didn't have many friends as a child."




Taeko and Max decided to take their conversation out back, which is a little bit more private than the front yard, but it was a bit of a mistake - the bees are super angry at the minute.




Still, once the bees were finished stinging, it was nice in the back yard.

"See, right there! I told you!"

"You were right! Man, you're smart."




"So are you," Taeko said, with a smile, "Is your girlfriend also really smart?"

"Oh, I don't have a girlfriend."

"Really..."






Taeko and Max hitting it off really took me by surprise, but you know what? I really like them together. <3




Max started doing an odd little dance after his first kiss with Taeko, which was pretty cute. There's absolutely no denying Caleb is his father, though!




He then started collecting up the dishes automatically! What a good lad, Taeko's parents are going to love him.




Although he didn't actually get to the washing up part, as the bees decided to attack him again.




Once Max had gone home, Taeko sat down to have lunch with her family.

"So, Taeko, I hear you've got a new boyfriend."

"Are you serious?"

I had the same look on my face, once upon a time. Back when my Dad thought I was dating any guy I spoke to as a teen.




And then Cookie jumped on the table, much to everyone's disgust.

Pretty sure she's eyeing up that sandwich.




Shari came home from scouts and immediately got on the phone.

"David, you're never going to believe it. Yes, I know you're an adult now, but I have the best gossip."






Later that evening, Max invited Taeko out to the pumpkin patch, which sounded like a really cute idea...until she got there.

"You asked me out here in the rain? That is...so romantic!"




Can't go on a rainy date with your crush without taking a selfie to mark the occasion!




"So now we're alone, and my family aren't watching us through the windows, how about we pick up where we left off?"

"That sounds like a really good idea."




* * *




By the end of the evening, they were soaked through, but officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

So it was definitely worth going out in the rain.




Back at the house, Adora is trying her best to read to Tania, who seems to hate whatever book Adora picks up.

I don't know if I mentioned it, but Tania is Adora's dependant now, same as how Shari is.




So freaking cute <3




Even if she is a grumpy little thing <3




How did Adora not notice Cookie laying there??




Cookie got her revenge for being squashed later on.




And the grind for Taeko's aspiration begins!

I picked the piano as her instrument of choice, but she's got absolutely no skills in it yet. She sounds terrible.






One of the teens had a whim to get Cookie a pet ball, and so much cuteness happened as a result!

Also, Tania in the background throwing food all over the couch.




That evening, Taeko brought home a project and Akira invited himself over to give her a hand, which I thought was pretty neat.

Should we talk about the fact he's had a key this entire time and this is the only time he's come over to see the girls?




It's 2am and everyone is asleep.

Thank goodness for that tablet!




The following day, and everyone is out at work, school and daycare.

Time flies when that happens.




That evening, though, Max invites Taeko out to the big club in Windenburg.

Definitely the right spot to take your Loner girlfriend.




Luckily the place has several quiet corners for kissing.




And then Max spotted his dad and his aunt on the dancefloor.

Caleb isn't even trying to hide the fact he's checking up on his son!




"Don't look now, but that's my Dad over there."

"Oh no! What if he doesn't approve of me!"

"He may be a vampire, but he's a massive softie. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Despite dancing in close proximity to his son and Taeko, Caleb never actually introduced himself. I guess he's waiting until Max is ready to bring his new girlfriend home. It still cracked me up that he was there, though.




Back at the house, Travis has discovered a downside to living with Adora - Cookie's tendency to scratch up the furniture.

I'm guessing a raccoon wouldn't be Travis's first pick for a pet.




"Running a household and raising kids is wonderful and rewarding, but how about we take the day off tomorrow, and spend some time just you and me?" Travis suggested.

"So we still send Tania to daycare?"

"Just this once. I just think it'd be nice to have a day together."

"Okay, sounds like a plan!"




I spent the rest of the evening watching Tania play.

Just look at her <3




The following morning, once the girls had all gone out, Travis took Adora for a walk around the neighbourhood, something they hadn't really done since she moved in.




"Oasis Springs has some surprisingly pretty areas, Travis, thank you for bringing me here."

"I did want you to see it, but there's also something else I had in mind."

"Oh?"

Travis got to his feet with a smile.




"Adora, my life has changed so much since I met you. Everything is so much better than it was, all thanks to you. And I-"

"Travis. Are you..."

"Just wait," he said, with a smile.




"Yes," Travis said, getting down on one knees, "I was building up to ask you a question. Adora, will you please be my wife?"

"Of course I will."






<3 <3 <3




I am not sure how I feel about this message from Akira, I must admit.

Maybe he really is happy for her.




How Cookie spent the afternoon <3

I love the view from this house.




Everyone comes home from school and immediately the whole family - and Kirby for some reason - congregates in the smallest bathroom. That I apparently forgot to decorate.

Why are sims like this?




Anyway! It's time for an engagement party!

Adora's wedding is going to be pretty small, so I figured they should probably celebrate with everyone beforehand.




Shari decided the best way to enjoy a party is to clean up while it's still in progress.




Meanwhile Travis hit the juice pretty hard.

This happened after the party ended, but I guess he hadn't noticed the guests leave.




The following morning, Harvestfest, and it's cake for breakfast.

Also apparently Taeko is chasing it down with a leftover glass of juice.




The bees attacked Travis right as his daughter was growing up, which was hilarious I must admit.

It was at this point I got rid of the beehive. They were just causing too much trouble.




Anyway! This is supposed to be about Tania!

She looks a lot like her dad! Tania's trait is Cheerful which I'm pretty happy with. She's got the Whiz Kid aspiration, as I wasn't really sure what to pick and none of the other kids in the save at the moment have that one. She was also a Happy Toddler.




The fun doesn't stop there!

Rather than having a Harvestfest meal at home, Travis and Adora are taking the kids to the new Botanical Gardens in Newcrest.




Being in Oasis Springs meant I'd kind of forgotten it was actually autumn and the plants wouldn't look as good as they usually do.




Even so, it's a lovely spot to hold a wedding in.




A very small, very private wedding.

Travis and Adora's girls were the only guests.




"Travis, I couldn't be happier. You and our girls are all I need in my life."

"Adora..."

"I didn't think I would have love in my life again, Travis, and I'm so glad you proved me wrong."




Uhhh, maybe you guys should be paying attention...

"That is the cutest hamster I have ever seen!"

"Right?"






Mr and Mrs Bell, everybody <3






It may not have been the wrong season to host a wedding in a botanical garden, but honestly? I couldn't be happier. I love these two together <3




That afternoon, Taeko and Max decided to help out and babysit their younger sisters at the playground.

Which definitely wasn't an excuse for them to meet up and make out while the kids ran riot.






Tania was pretty good friends with the other girls by the end of the afternoon.




Back at the house, Shari has earned her last scout badge! She's now a Llamacorn Scout, and has the Scouting Aptitude reward trait.

Not long after this, the family informed me they'd had a terrible Harvestfest. I wouldn't count a wedding, spending time with friends and partners, and completing a scout badge as a terrible time, but there you go.




The following day everyone was out, so there wasn't much to look at.

I did shift the house forward a little bit, to give the back garden a tiny bit more space. I do love that you can do that in TS4.




When Adora comes home she's wiped out, so she and Cookie spend the afternoon taking it easy.




Until the hustle and bustle of everyone coming home wakes them up of course!

Akira invited himself over, but doesn't look like he really wanted to be there!




It's another baking hot evening, and a perfect opportunity to use the new backyard space for serving dinner!

Last time the family grilled, Travis started a fire...but Adora's way better at cooking. She maxed out the skill making these kebabs.




Of course, no one used the colourful new bench I'd put in.

They'd pick the food up off the table, then head inside to use the actual dining table.




Apart from Travis.

At least he ate outside, I guess.




And then it started snowing.

So I guess it was a good thing everyone went inside afterall. Even though it didn't snow for very long and it didn't lay.




Later on, Cookie demonstrated that there are some benefits to busted taps.

I had it fixed for my own sanity, but it was pretty cute all the same.




Saturday morning calls for a kid gathering, and apparently puppets.

I love that pink puppet.




They all seem super into Tania's puppet show, which is really cute!

I've not used the puppet thing before!




Tania's not the only one with company, though. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Taeko to have Max over.




That did leave Shari at a bit of a loose end, though, after her scout meeting.




Until Akira popped by for a catch up. He's been a bit more involved with them this season, which is nice to see.

But that is all from the Bell family this time!

See you all again soon!