Before the Ravelo girls left for college, I had the family pose for a Christmas card. I used the camera reward, so I don’t have any funny outtakes, but I do have some close-ups and an alternate indoor picture, if you want to take a look. But the main thing I want to say is: I hope all of you have a very happy holiday!
Hi everyone! It’s me, Anastacia Ravelo. Yes, I’m back to update you on the latest happenings in the Ravelo family. Eventually you’ll get to hear from my sisters, too, but for now, it’s just me, and I have so much to tell you!
After my grandparents died, we moped around the house forever, but then Dad’s movie came out and was such a smash that it lifted our spirits a bit. Plus I got to meet Johnny Depp at the premiere! Did you know he has an alien baby? Anyway, Dad also got a huge pay bonus, so we were able to totally deck the halls with Christmas decorations. Our once barren house is now cheerful and cozy.
Some weird things have been happening, though. First, Mom tried to fix me up with a friend of hers from work, Joe Carr. Well, not really fix me up, since I’m way too young to get married, but she was hoping we’d become good friends, and then I could marry him after I graduated from college. My response to that was, “Um…ew.”
Hey guys, I’m finally getting around to answering some of the questions you left in the comments for Life at Villa Ravelo. I thought I’d put them in a post since not everyone goes back to read comments from a week ago!
Thanks to everyone for the great feedback, by the way, as always!
Also, I’m working on a Ravelo update for tonight or tomorrow night, and then I’m hoping to do an Annabel Island update before Christmas, but since it took me a week longer than I anticipated to do the last one, who knows how it will go. So why do I even mention it, if I can’t make any promises? Well, because I hate when this blog is blank for days on end, and I want to let you know that I’m always working on something. Some updates just take longer than others. And sometimes my brain goes on vacation to Maui or Mallorca and doesn’t even send me a postcard. Stupid brain.
Anyway…on with the replies to your questions…
Hey, everyone! My name is Anastacia Ravelo, and I’ve been nominated by my dad (whom you may know as Trent) to fill you guys in on what’s happening with the Ravelo family. He would have done it himself, but he’s been busy acting in and directing his own film, “Hank Peterson and the Mug of Eggnog”, which proves to be a huge hit if he can just persuade Johnny Depp to play Professor Grumblegate.
So who am I, you ask? Well, I’m the eldest granddaughter of Simon and Lauren Ravelo, who happen to be standing in the picture you see below. I’m there, too — the little girl in the ugly pajamas. I’m not little anymore, though. I just got my driver’s license yesterday!
Isn’t it nice to see older couples being all lovey-dovey with each other? I really hope I can have a relationship like that someday.
So what’s been happening with all of those Ravelos? The 20th grandchild was born at the main legacy house last night, but before I post about that, I thought I’d fill you all in on what the rest of the Ravelos have been up to (making babies, mostly). This will probably be the last time I post about any of them, unless they show up at the main house, but in this update you can see who married who and how many kids they had. I’ve included just the highlights from each of their lives as well as a family portrait.
We’ll start with the oldest, Marlee. As you know from my last update, she married Damion Ternynck, had twins, and moved to a house in the quiet suburb of Hazelton. Her career as a romance novelist and painter was thriving, but it wasn’t quite enough to support her family, so she took a job in the Business track. Though they were somewhat poor, she and Damion had a splendid relationship (which resulted in two more pregnancies).
Dear Darren,
Hey, little bro! How is life treating you at the Académie? Are you keeping an eye on Cady? Make sure she’s not kicking the crap out of the freshmen! I’d say tell her “hi” from me, but she’d probably just shrug it off, or make one of those sour faces she likes to make. We never did get along very well, you know. She’s super sweet to you and Arielle, though; I guess it’s because you’re all closer in age. Ah, well.
Time has really flown since graduation. It seems like just yesterday I was buying my first car and moving into my little house in Rosebrook.
Hello! Simon Ravelo here. Before Ol’ Grimmy swoops in waving his scythe around and offering me an umbrella drink, I thought I should get my two cents in. I hope you’ll forgive me if I forget to cross a few i’s or dot a few t’s — I’m an old man, you know, and I’ve never been great with details. I like to live in the moment, make hay while the sun shines, carpe diem and all that stuff, so I don’t worry too much about what people think of me or whether or not I use proper punctuation. Life is too short for that, my friends! (Though I’m sure my writer daughter would tell you differently, at least about the punctuation.)
You’ve already heard about Marlee, Ethan, Trent, Darren, Cady, Arielle, and their college escapades, so now I’ll tell you about the rest of the crazy bunch. You know, sometimes I can’t believe I have ten children. Ten! One for each toe, as I tell my friends. I never thought I’d have any children, let alone that many. It was my wife’s idea, you know — ahh, my wife. She’s a wonderfully loony woman.
Here she is, pregnant for the 10th time, having breakfast with Ron and Johannes. Stephen was still a baby then, probably sleeping soundly in his crib. Great scott, it’s still dark out! Too early for the likes of me. I’m probably still sleeping, too.
Happy Halloween from the Ravelos!
I wanted to do a proper update before this one, but I didn’t get a chance, so you’re seeing old faces, new faces, and some old faces that have transformed (that is, “grown up”). Even though NaNo starts tomorrow, I’d like to get the next Ravelo update posted very soon, so keep an eye out. In the meantime, enjoy the following close-ups and have a Happy Halloween!
Oh, and best of luck to the NaNo’ers! I’m ready to start typing like a madwoman tomorrow — how about you?