OK, huge update tonight, folks! I spent many hours playing my Legacy Challenge family yesterday but didn’t have time to update, so I saved it for tonight. It was fun to get back to my Sims after being away for a week, but I have to admit I rushed through gameplay a bit (in other words, I hit Pause every five minutes instead of every five seconds) because I’m eager to finish the challenge. I also discovered that if I put the Textures back on Medium, I no longer had slowdown or crashing problems. (I can keep them on High in Shanley Cottage with no problems, I guess because that lot isn’t as old, big, or buggy.) Anyway, on with the update!

When we last left the Shanleys, Patrick (5G heir) and Marie’s first child Tristan had just become a toddler. Shortly thereafter, I had them try for a baby again so I could have a spare heir in case something happened to Tristan. Marie became pregnant, naturally, and I eagerly awaited the birth of her next child. In the meantime she was burning food right and left — just like Kaylynn from a couple generations back. Why do pregnant women with Cooking scores of 10 end up burning food so much? Is it built into the game that way, or does it only seem like it happens more often with pregnant women? I have no idea, but it makes me chuckle.

“I guess this is why you only delivered the pizzas.”

Tristan eventually grew into a child and took up painting. It’s interesting having a shy Shanley in the house now — everyone else heads straight for the piano, but Tristan passes it by in favor of the art gallery. Actually, I don’t know if it’s because of his extreme Shyness, but since that’s the only thing that really makes him different from the others, that’s my theory.

“Eat your heart out, Van Gogh.”

Tristan’s extreme Neatness (10) also cracks me up. He’ll climb out of bed upstairs and do his morning routine as directed in the bathroom downstairs, then autonomously go all the way back upstairs to make his bed. It’s like he can’t rest until that bed is made. I bet he would do hospital corners with his sheets if he could. The funny thing is that immediately after making his bed, he likes to jump on it for hours on end. Crazy kid.

“Boing! Boing! Boing!”

Meanwhile his uncle Stefaan, my youngest of the 5G kids, has dedicated himself to the life of a Romance Sim. He spent an entire day just working out on the weight bench and practicing his kissy-kissy in the mirror. Unfortunately he couldn’t seem to get rid of his pimples, despite applying generous amounts of acne cream on a daily basis.

“Eat your heart out, Brad Pitt.”

His efforts paid off handsomely, I must say. In no time he had his first kiss with that meanie Sophie Miguel.

*kiss noise*

Of course, that wasn’t enough for Stefaan. Once those Romance Sims get a taste for the old smoocheroo, they want more! Stefaan got a job in the Slacker career and brought home Alice Almond (a Sim I created back in September and only played once). It wasn’t long before he was trying his newly patented moves on her while his nephew Tristan looked on.

“Wow, Uncle Stefaan’s really good with the ladies. I should be taking notes.”

(continued on Page 2)