Leia looks just like her mom! I think maybe Jolene should come over once a week or month and we should hear more of her story and I think Leia and Josette would both enjoy school, I think.
@OliCait I would love to hear more about Jolene's life, pregnancy, etc...! How were you able to make it so that she is able to be the birth mom but Salim and Kate adopted her. I guess what I am trying to say is how were you able to make it so Jolene gave birth but Salim and Kate adopted her. It is a brilliant idea.
(Top left to bottom right)Edur Zahrah, Cinderella, Tiana, Pocahantas, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Emerson, Nicole, Traci, Addisyn
Leia looks just like her mom! I think maybe Jolene should come over once a week or month and we should hear more of her story and I think Leia and Josette would both enjoy school, I think.
I absolutely agree that they'll love school as theyre both such well behaved children!!
And yes, I do want to see Jolene around a fair amount but also stay true to open adoption irl, so it's going to be an interesting story to tell!
@OliCait I would love to hear more about Jolene's life, pregnancy, etc...! How were you able to make it so that she is able to be the birth mom but Salim and Kate adopted her. I guess what I am trying to say is how were you able to make it so Jolene gave birth but Salim and Kate adopted her. It is a brilliant idea.
Thank you and I am planning to post Jolene's story soon!
Unfortunately the Sims doesn't currently facilitate birth and adoption storylines too in depth, so Jolene was created using the genetics in create a sim.
It would be great if the Sims could facilitate this more, but it's probably not all that common of a storyline so it makes sense that it isn't.
❤
Hey guys! Hope you have all had a fantastic holiday! I have been taking a break due to my computer being broken, and am off to buy a new one today. I will be taking a few days to get it set up and play for fun, and then I'll be back with a few new parts, plus Jolenes story, in the new year!
Thanks for your patience and for reading The Life of Kate Armstrong!
I will be returning to this story this week, with a special episode on Jolene pregnancy before we check back in on the Benali-Armstrongs starting on Monday 7th!
Thanks for being so patient while I took a break, I'm so excited to be coming back and writing again soon!
Make sure you bookmark this story so you see when I post!
Hi guys! Welcome back!
Today, I’m taking you back in time, to explore the birth story of Josette Benali Armstrong, the youngest of the Benali-Armstrong children.
As you know, Josette was adopted by Kate and Salim as a toddler, and we met her birth mother, Jolene, in the previous episode during Josette’s birthday party.
Without further ado, let’s move back in time a little and meet a teenage Jolene Timothy.
Jolene lives in Windenburg, with her mother Tina
And her little brother, Clayton.
She has her dream guy
And she plays guitar in her spare time.
She’s even won awards for her sports participation (though none for having the tidiest rom!)
Jolene was living the good life, and was happy with every aspect of her life.
One morning, she woke up feeling sick, and put it down to a bug.
But as the days went on, she was still feeling sick and wasn’t eating – something Tina started to pick up on
She spent the day in bed, but struggled to sleep with her head turning over and over…
She’s never sick. Even when she had food poisoning she was sick for less than a whole day!
Once the thought entered her mind, she panicked.
No, no, no!
She had to speak to her mother…
At first the words struggled to come out, but once she said them, she felt a surge of relief and regret. Tina didn’t take the news well at first, but soon turned around and realised she had to do whatever she could to support her daughter
I’m here for you, she whispers as she holds her daughter close. We will figure something out.
The next morning Jolene knows she has to tell Lewis… But as the words come out, the support she was expecting didn’t follow
Instead, Lewis was angry, at both of them, for the situation they were in
He can’t do it, he shouts, as he tells her he doesn’t want to see her again
It’s hard for them both, and Jolene is heartbroken to not have the support she’d hoped for from him
Jolene hides in bed and cries, her relationship over and this huge decision too much for her to handle
Luckily, she has a wonderful mother who listen to her as she explains every detail of what happened
And holds her as she cries.
We will figure this out, together, she reminds her.
As the months draw on Jolene is relieved to be off school, as her bump continues to grow, and she is sick all the time
But while a growing bump should be a happy experience, it just reminds Jolene of how fast time is running out for her to make a decision about what to do.
Jolene decides to sit down with Tina and discuss the options seriously.
Having done some research, Jolene calls an adoption agency to discuss the situation and ask for advice
And the next morning, after sleeping on her decision, Jolene and her mother go for coffee and Tina asks her daughter what she’s decided
Jolene talks her mother through her choice
And thanks her for her support
Back at home, Jolene enjoys some quality time with her little brother, playing chess and talking to him about what will happen when the baby is born
He is very mature about it all, and asks his sister if he can talk to the baby
To which she happily obliges
As her due date approaches, Jolene spends some time by the water and thinks over everything that’s happened and what will happen next
And as the sun rises on her due date, she stands watching the sun rise with her bump, and decides there’s one final thing she wants to do
She finds an empty journal that she bought a while back, and writes a letter to her unborn child, adding a few pictures of her and her family too
And not long after heading to bed, it’s go time!
Time to head to the hospital
And have the baby!
Tina waits anxiously outside
While her daughter gives birth
To a little girl!
She has a cuddle with her daughter, before she is taken to the nursery
And Jolene, along with her mother, are taken to an empty room to talk to Macy, the social worker in charge of her adoption case
She explains that she’s found a family that are looking to adopt a child, and that they fit Jolene’s idea of the kind of family she wants her daughter to go to – two parents, siblings, a big house…
Macy shows Jolene some photos of the family, and it solidifies the decision
Jolene thanks Macy for finding the perfect family for her baby girl, and with the happy consent of the adoptive family, Jolene and her family are allowed to visit and say goodbye to the baby girl.
The young, selfless mother says a tearful goodbye to her child, promising to see her soon – she went for an open adoption, meaning she can visit her daughter occasionally.
And after spending some time alone with the baby girl, Jolene sends her mother in
As she meets her granddaughter and wishes for the perfect life for her
And finally Clayton says goodbye to his little niece.
And as we skip forward to current day, we know the happy childhood that Josette has had, and know that she is now a happy child
And of course, she received a special gift that birthday – the book her birth mother wrote in before she was born. With a letter inside that reads…
My little girl,
I can’t wait to give this book to you when you are older and know that you will one day read this.
I want you to know I love you. I so much wanted to keep you, to raise you, to experience every moment with you.
But I know the life you deserve is with the family you will be with. And I will get to see you, and get photos of you, and know that you are happy.
You came into my life so unexpectedly, but you are so loved.
Have an amazing life my darling. I love you forever.
Jolene
Woo, anyone else welling up?!
Well, that’s the story of Jolene Timothy, and how her beautiful daughter found her way into the life of our Kate.
Welcome back to the Life of the Benali-Armstrongs! After a short break, we’re back and checking in on our favourite family… A little earlier than planned! I was in the mood to write!
before I begin, just to say that some furniture and wall paper has changed because I have not got my cc on my new laptop yet!
It’s Tuesday, Easter for the Benali-Armstrongs.
While Salim gets up and ready for the day
Kate whips up some breakfast
And the family sit together to eat
The kids have the day off of school, and Salim expresses that his favourite part of Easter was always looking for the hidden eggs around the house
Which of course sets the family on the course of egg hunting around the house!
Finding quite a few
Even Kate and Salim get involved!
With the kids still distracted hunting for eggs (and Salim, too!)
Kate heads into the office to work on a new screen play
Despite the rain outside, Josette heads out to do her homework under the protection of the table umbrella
Knowing her little sister likes the rain, Leia braves it and joins her outside to do her homework too
However, Mateo isn’t up for homework today, so he sits inside watching cartoons with Tiddles
Later, there’s a visitor! The Easter Bunny!
The kids enjoy chatting to the bunny for a bit, receiving some flowers and chocolate for their work finding eggs
And after sending off her latest two books (she’s really doing amazing on her aspiration to become a bestselling author!)
The Benali-Armstrongs, The Reeves and The Holidays join together at a local restaurant to celebrate Easter together
Leia and the kids sit happily at one table, discussing school, chocolate and all things kid!
While the adults sit at the next table. Kate talks to her friends about Jolene’s recent visit, as well as how their own kids are getting on.
Next door in the games room, the boys beeline for the football table
While the girls sit and play don’t wake the llama
And soon the food arrives, and the three families tuck in!
Enjoying the food and the company
But as night draws in, the group head home, bidding each other goodbye
Before heading home, Kate and Salim take a moment together on the pier.
They have been through so much together, they’ve supported each other’s dreams and raised three children together
They are truly the perfect couple
Back at home, Josette heads to bed, excited for her first day of grade school
And her siblings follow suit, heading to bed soon after
While Kate and Salim get back into their flow and enjoy some woohoo time before heading to sleep too…
And that ends another day in the Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
What will happen next? Will Josette enjoy her first day of school? Will Leia bump into her ‘friend’ again? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO SEE NEXT? I WORRY THIS STORY IS BECOMING KINDA BORING OR PREDICTABLE. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME IDEAS IF YOU HAVE ANY!
Hey guys! So, I'm a little concerned that the story is becoming quite repetitive and 'boring'? I want your opinions. If you've read the story or have stopped for whatever reason please tell me what you think, and tell me what you might be interested in seeing in the story? I really want to keep writing it but I feel like if people aren't reading it because it's boring, maybe I can figure out what's missing? Thanks and thanks as always for reading. XOX OliCait XOX
I don't think it's boring. I just love to see (well more likely read) how others play their games. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to make it interesting for others, just make the story go wherever your game play preferences are and I'll happily keep reading. If others decide for you where the story might go, you might fall out of touch with it and lose interest in it altogether. I rather have you play how and whatever you like and read your report of it
I don't think it's boring. I just love to see (well more likely read) how others play their games. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to make it interesting for others, just make the story go wherever your game play preferences are and I'll happily keep reading. If others decide for you where the story might go, you might fall out of touch with it and lose interest in it altogether. I rather have you play how and whatever you like and read your report of it
That's so sweet! Thanks for your comment! I will keep writing my own way! Thanks for reading and making me feel better about it!
It’s Josette’s first day of grade school!
The kids sit together and eat breakfast, talking to Josette and calming her anxieties about her first day
And after a quick hug from Mum
Salim takes the kids to school
And Kate gets back to work on her screenplay
Nearing the end, Kate decides to take a break and spend some time with Tiddles
Having a cuddle together on the couch
Before writing the perfect ending to her screenplay
In perfect time, as the kids arrive home soon afterwards
And Rita Delgato, Josette’s new friend from school, comes over for the afternoon
After greeting her daughter’s new friend, Kate heads outside to send off her latest work to her publisher
Later, Salim returns home, having received a promotion at work! He chose the Journalist branch, deciding that it was more his speed, and even got a new outfit to go with it! Not sure what I think…
Upstairs, Rita and Josette play with dolls and recap their first day of school
While Kate congratulated Salim on his promotion, and he congratulates her on publishing her screenplay ok honestly, these two are so adorable, I love how supportive they are of each other!
Salim sits and helps his children with their homework, and gets to know his daughter’s new friend
While Kate gets started on dinner
And the family sit and eat, discussing all the milestones they seemed to hit today! It was certainly a productive day in the Benali-Armstrong household!
Rita heads home after dinner
And the Benali-Armstrongs head to bed, ready for another day
What will happen next? How will Salim and Kate celebrate Valentine’s day? Will Josette make any more friends at school? What else will happen?
Find out next time on the Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
I agree with @LadyLana1. It’s your story, tell it your way. I’m enjoying it. You play the same way I do. I play families just going about their everyday lives, doing the things families do!
You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.
I agree with @LadyLana1. It’s your story, tell it your way. I’m enjoying it. You play the same way I do. I play families just going about their everyday lives, doing the things families do!
Happy Valentine’s Day my simmer lovelies!
Love day has arrived her in Brindleton Bay and the Benali-Armstrong household are ready for a day of romance!
The kids are up first and enjoy some breakfast together
Before Leia heads upstairs to get ready for school – she has a date this evening and wants to make sure she impresses today at school!
Hmm… Too much for school!
Too casual…
Perfect! So cute!
And as the kids leave for school
Salim starts his day of romance by waking his wife with a flower
And they are soon engaging in one of their oldest romantic traditions…
Salim tells his wife how much he loves her and tells her to get ready for a day of romance!
So, it’s time to try on some outfits…
Hmm… too casual
A little too ‘party’
Perfect! Just the right combo of cute, sexy and romantic!
Seeing how beautiful his wife looks, Salim can’t help but kiss her
And it’s time to head off to their mystery lunch date!
Salim has brought Kate to the restaurant where they had their first date way back when!
Remember this?
How time flies! And yet, they are still just as in love as they were back then…
Salim has a quiet word with the hostess
And even arranges for them to sit at their same table again! Awww!
Kate can’t believe the thought Salim has put into their Valentine’s day
And the two recreate their first date by being super cheesy and flirty
And they sit to eat, they reminisce over everything that’s happened…
How they met, how they fell in love, the moments they found out they were having a baby…
Feels like just yesterday
After dinner, Salim slips away to take a phone call
Before telling Kate he has another surprise for her
He brings her to the place they got married, the rooftop in San Myshuno
And as they look out over the sunset, Salim hands his wife a gift
As she opens it, she’s both surprised and confused, as he tells her to put it on, so she heads into the bathroom to put on the dress that Salim brought for her
Before being surprised by Leia, who comes in to help her with her hair before leading her outside
To see that Salim has recreated their wedding! Even the guests have come! (minus Mortimer Goth - RIP)
As Kate hugs her daughter, asking her a favour to truly make the day special
She reminds her that on her wedding day, the two walked down the aisle together
And so, Kate once again walks down the aisle with her daughter
And joins her husband at the wedding arch
To renew their wedding vows
Leia congratulates her parents
And as her father thanks her for staying for the ceremony, he gives her permission to head off to her own date
She arrives at the restaurant and waits anxiously for her date to arrive
And he soon arrives – you may remember him from an earlier episode (wow, ALOT throwbacks in this episode!)
To remind you, her date is Harry (Harold Muse), her long-time friend from school
Back to present day, Leia and Harry eat and talk, getting to know each other better and doing a little flirting….
And ever the gentleman, Harry offers to take Leia home, ensuring he gets her there before curfew!
Salim is certainly going to like him!
But he is certainly not meeting him yet, as Leia says goodbye to her date at the door
With an innocent hug shared between them
As Leia heads inside and gets into bed, heart light after her date. I think she really likes him!
And that’s all for this Valentine’s edition! We’ve had a few throwbacks, and a lot of romance!
What will happen next? Will Leia continue seeing Harry? Will Salim EVER be able to top today’s romance? And how will he feel about his birthday (aging into an Elder in the morning! WOW!)
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s
Hey guys! So, I'm a little concerned that the story is becoming quite repetitive and 'boring'? I want your opinions. If you've read the story or have stopped for whatever reason please tell me what you think, and tell me what you might be interested in seeing in the story? I really want to keep writing it but I feel like if people aren't reading it because it's boring, maybe I can figure out what's missing? Thanks and thanks as always for reading. XOX OliCait XOX
Personally I don't mind the calm life, it's not always necessary to have drama. And it's also interesting to see another person's take on the game (and how they see and use the premades). The main part in all of this is that you like what you're doing and writing about.
* From my experiences of reading legacy stories etc there seems to be a point in a generation when there aren't much developments and life in a family just slowly passes along. You're just waiting for kids to age up (and may be curious to see how they will change and how they will look like in their new lifestage) en for the parents to progress in their career. So perhaps you're at such a point now. There are a couple of things you can do: you can just go along with this and wait untill things do change (probably in a couple of days). Another option is to set things up for later developments (like friends or love interests for the kids or looking for future careers/hobbies and joining clubs etc) or to compose a side story (like you did with Jolene's mother). Or have a bit of extra focus on one member of the family on a day (and perhaps go out of the house and let him/her do things and meet people) and swich between members every new day.
And here's a small suggestion/idea for a side story under the spoiler-tag:
Since Salim is a journalist, maybe you can connect this to Josettes dad (and find out how he's doing). Maybe Salim can do a research on him or he can just stumble along the guy while writing/researching for an article about something/someone else?
And regarding repetitiveness: I don't know if you've considered using a work from home mod ? There are a couple of ones for base game careers, and the writer career is one of them. http://modthesims.info/d/592944/writer-work-from-home.html Instead of going to the 'rabbit hole' work everyday, varying daily work tasks (and having to go to different places) could freshen things a bit up perhaps?
Post edited by Sassie on
Currently playing the Abbott household (4th generation now: Theo).
Hey guys! So, I'm a little concerned that the story is becoming quite repetitive and 'boring'? I want your opinions. If you've read the story or have stopped for whatever reason please tell me what you think, and tell me what you might be interested in seeing in the story? I really want to keep writing it but I feel like if people aren't reading it because it's boring, maybe I can figure out what's missing? Thanks and thanks as always for reading. XOX OliCait XOX
Personally I don't mind the calm life, it's not always necessary to have drama. And it's also interesting to see another person's take on the game (and how they see and use the premades). The main part in all of this is that you like what you're doing and writing about.
* From my experiences of reading legacy stories etc there seems to be a point in a generation when there aren't much developments and life in a family just slowly passes along. You're just waiting for kids to age up (and may be curious to see how they will change and how they will look like in their new lifestage) en for the parents to progress in their career. So perhaps you're at such a point now. There are a couple of things you can do: you can just go along with this and wait untill things do change (probably in a couple of days). Another option is to set things up for later developments (like friends or love interests for the kids or looking for future careers/hobbies and joining clubs etc) or to compose a side story (like you did with Jolene's mother). Or have a bit of extra focus on one member of the family on a day (and perhaps go out of the house and let him/her do things and meet people) and swich between members every new day.
And here's a small suggestion/idea for a side story under the spoiler-tag:
Since Salim is a journalist, maybe you can connect this to Josettes dad (and find out how he's doing). Maybe Salim can do a research on him or he can just stumble along the guy while writing/researching for an article about something/someone else?
And regarding repetitiveness: I don't know if you've considered using a work from home mod ? There are a couple of ones for base game careers, and the writer career is one of them. http://modthesims.info/d/592944/writer-work-from-home.html Instead of going to the 'rabbit hole' work everyday, varying daily work tasks (and having to go to different places) could freshen things a bit up perhaps?
It's so interesting you say that as I was toying with a similar idea. Thank you for the idea, I think I will try and do something similar in upcoming parts!
Thanks for your reply it means a lot to hear people are liking my writing. I'm just having do much fun with this family even if it is just going about daily life!
Welcome back! Before I start I want to say a big thank you to those of you who commented over the last week, assuring me that you’re enjoying the story! I’m certainly having fun writing it, but it’s always great to be reassured!
I want to specifically thank @Sassie for your mod suggestion – I have installed it and Salim will now be able to work from home in his new journalist job! Thank you!
It’s Salim’s birthday! He wakes up happily and is greeted by a birthday cake as he blows them out and ages up to an elder
His wife wishes him a happy birthday
And then his kids
Before his family show him his birthday present – a newly renovated office!
Now that Salim is an elder, he wants to work from home more in order to be with his family more, before retiring in a few weeks
With a new computer desk and a more comfortable chair, as well as his children’s artwork, some leads of journalism articles he’s writing, and a clock…
Kate has a new chair and desk toom and there’s a new bookshelf and sofa for them to sit and read their books
Finally, Salim has a few new outfits to suit his new older age and journalism career
Looking good, Salim!
Kate asks his husband how he wants to spend his birthday, and he decides he wants to head to the park and spend the afternoon with his family, so the family head out!
Josette runs into Winter, and heads over to the monkey bars to play
While Kate and Leia cloud gaze
And Salim takes his son to do a spot of fishing
The kids head over to play together after Mateo has finished fishing
While Salim whips up some burgers
And the family sit down together to enjoy their food
Before heading off for a family walk
They pass by the local pool, and decide to stop by and have a swim for the rest of the afternoon
They have fun swimming around and jumping off the diving board
Even Salim has a go at diving
And splashes around with his kids for a while
And as the sun sets
The Benali-Armstrong’s head home
And sit down to watch a little TV
While Kate has her own fun cleaning up!
Well, Kate is one of a kind!
Salim spends some one-on-one time with his kids
Before the youngest head to bed
Kate and Salim decide to let Leia stay up with them and enjoy a glass of wine with her parents
Before heading to bed
And Kate and Salim enjoy their own birthday celebration
Ending another day in The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
What will happen next? How will Kate’s birthday go tomorrow? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s the morning of Kate Armstrong’s birthday, and Leia is woken up early by Tiddles
And she heads downstairs to whip up a birthday cake for Kate – in her favourite colour, blue
While Salim makes a few phone calls
And Mateo does a good job of keeping his Mum distracted upstairs
After finishing the cake, Leia whips up some pancakes
And Kate enjoys a birthday breakfast with her family
She talks about her plans for the day – she’s going out for drinks at lunchtime with Summer and Liberty
As she heads off to clean up, Salim and the kids talk about their own plans for Kate’s birthday
Leia isn’t feeling great – she’s scratchy and has a rash! ☹
So, she heads upstairs to take an oatmeal bath
Meanwhile, Kate is feeling inspired on a new book, writing a fantasy book this time!
Leia is feeling better after her bath, and joins her Mother in the office and plays with Tiddles for a while
Salim even cleans the house for Kate – for anyone who knows Salim, we know that’s hugely romantic!
So, Kate has time to have a bubble bath
Before getting ready to go out
She greets her friends, both of whom have aged up to elders already! How time flies!
And the three head to a bar, where they meet up with Jolene. Kate decided to invite her to her birthday drinks, which she happily accepts.
I’m so happy these two have such a good relationship!
At the bar, Kate orders drinks as she introduces Jolene to her best friends
And the four of them drink a few simsmopolitans (sp?)
Go Kate! It’s your birthday after all!
Liberty seems to be getting on well with Jolene, as the two talk about Josette and the family as well as getting some updates on Jolene’s life
Back at home, the family have been hard at work preparing a little party for Kate
Which she is happily surprised with as she arrives home to a chorus of “SURPRISE!”
Jolene greets Josette happily with a hug
And kisses her husband, thanking him for the amazing surprise
And after eating some barbeque (which my computer decided to delete my screenshots of! ☹)
Kate blows out her birthday candles
Officially aging up to an elder!
Elsewhere at the party, Leia and Harry are happily enjoying the swing set, still getting on well. Their date was a success and the two are moving into official dating territory…
Salim officially introduces himself to Jolene, and the two start chatting
Jolene tells Salim a little more about her life, and he is very interested
He tells her that he is a journalist, and asks her if she’d consider letting him write a piece on teen pregnancy and adoption from the perspective of her as a birth parent and himself as an adoptive parent – what a unique opportunity!
Jolene says she will think about it but seems generally happy with the idea!
As she bid him goodbye
As well as thanking Kate for inviting her to spend the evening with her family
She tells her how much it means to be feel like a part of her daughter’s family, and Kate assures her that she IS a part of the family
And after a special goodbye with Josette, it’s time for the last of the guests to head home!
Upstairs, Leia is already texting Harry he only left an hour ago, Leia!
And soon the pair are on the phone
But there’s school tomorrow, Leia’s last week of school before graduating and becoming an adult! So it’s time for bed for the family!
And that was another day in the life of Kate, Salim and their family! Kate and Salim are officially elders, and their children are growing up fast!
What will happen next? How will Leia’s last week of school go? Will Salim begin his piece on adoption? How many more books with Kate finish? (she’s currently earning 1,500 roughly in royalties a day – woah!)
Find out next time on The Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
Hey guys! Now the next few parts are up, I have a question! Now that Salim and Kate are elders we are having to sadly prepare for the inevitable when they pass away (though hopefully a long way away yet!). However, when it happens, we are posed with a decision - who do we follow next? My original thought was Leia, because she is the oldest, but I don't want to totally ignore Mateo and Josette's stories either. Perhaps having Leia as the main focus, with updates on the others as and when they are important? Well, if you have a preference do let me know! Thanks! XOX OliCait XOX
Comments
(Top left to bottom right)Edur Zahrah, Cinderella, Tiana, Pocahantas, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Emerson, Nicole, Traci, Addisyn
I absolutely agree that they'll love school as theyre both such well behaved children!!
And yes, I do want to see Jolene around a fair amount but also stay true to open adoption irl, so it's going to be an interesting story to tell!
Thank you and I am planning to post Jolene's story soon!
Unfortunately the Sims doesn't currently facilitate birth and adoption storylines too in depth, so Jolene was created using the genetics in create a sim.
It would be great if the Sims could facilitate this more, but it's probably not all that common of a storyline so it makes sense that it isn't.
❤
Thanks for your patience and for reading The Life of Kate Armstrong!
Happy Simming!
I will be returning to this story this week, with a special episode on Jolene pregnancy before we check back in on the Benali-Armstrongs starting on Monday 7th!
Thanks for being so patient while I took a break, I'm so excited to be coming back and writing again soon!
Make sure you bookmark this story so you see when I post!
Love
OliCait
Hi guys! Welcome back!
Today, I’m taking you back in time, to explore the birth story of Josette Benali Armstrong, the youngest of the Benali-Armstrong children.
As you know, Josette was adopted by Kate and Salim as a toddler, and we met her birth mother, Jolene, in the previous episode during Josette’s birthday party.
Without further ado, let’s move back in time a little and meet a teenage Jolene Timothy.
Jolene lives in Windenburg, with her mother Tina
And her little brother, Clayton.
She has her dream guy
And she plays guitar in her spare time.
She’s even won awards for her sports participation (though none for having the tidiest rom!)
Jolene was living the good life, and was happy with every aspect of her life.
One morning, she woke up feeling sick, and put it down to a bug.
But as the days went on, she was still feeling sick and wasn’t eating – something Tina started to pick up on
She spent the day in bed, but struggled to sleep with her head turning over and over…
She’s never sick. Even when she had food poisoning she was sick for less than a whole day!
Once the thought entered her mind, she panicked.
No, no, no!
She had to speak to her mother…
At first the words struggled to come out, but once she said them, she felt a surge of relief and regret. Tina didn’t take the news well at first, but soon turned around and realised she had to do whatever she could to support her daughter
I’m here for you, she whispers as she holds her daughter close. We will figure something out.
The next morning Jolene knows she has to tell Lewis… But as the words come out, the support she was expecting didn’t follow
Instead, Lewis was angry, at both of them, for the situation they were in
He can’t do it, he shouts, as he tells her he doesn’t want to see her again
It’s hard for them both, and Jolene is heartbroken to not have the support she’d hoped for from him
Jolene hides in bed and cries, her relationship over and this huge decision too much for her to handle
Luckily, she has a wonderful mother who listen to her as she explains every detail of what happened
And holds her as she cries.
We will figure this out, together, she reminds her.
As the months draw on Jolene is relieved to be off school, as her bump continues to grow, and she is sick all the time
But while a growing bump should be a happy experience, it just reminds Jolene of how fast time is running out for her to make a decision about what to do.
Jolene decides to sit down with Tina and discuss the options seriously.
Having done some research, Jolene calls an adoption agency to discuss the situation and ask for advice
And the next morning, after sleeping on her decision, Jolene and her mother go for coffee and Tina asks her daughter what she’s decided
Jolene talks her mother through her choice
And thanks her for her support
Back at home, Jolene enjoys some quality time with her little brother, playing chess and talking to him about what will happen when the baby is born
He is very mature about it all, and asks his sister if he can talk to the baby
To which she happily obliges
As her due date approaches, Jolene spends some time by the water and thinks over everything that’s happened and what will happen next
And as the sun rises on her due date, she stands watching the sun rise with her bump, and decides there’s one final thing she wants to do
She finds an empty journal that she bought a while back, and writes a letter to her unborn child, adding a few pictures of her and her family too
And not long after heading to bed, it’s go time!
Time to head to the hospital
And have the baby!
Tina waits anxiously outside
While her daughter gives birth
To a little girl!
She has a cuddle with her daughter, before she is taken to the nursery
And Jolene, along with her mother, are taken to an empty room to talk to Macy, the social worker in charge of her adoption case
She explains that she’s found a family that are looking to adopt a child, and that they fit Jolene’s idea of the kind of family she wants her daughter to go to – two parents, siblings, a big house…
Macy shows Jolene some photos of the family, and it solidifies the decision
Jolene thanks Macy for finding the perfect family for her baby girl, and with the happy consent of the adoptive family, Jolene and her family are allowed to visit and say goodbye to the baby girl.
The young, selfless mother says a tearful goodbye to her child, promising to see her soon – she went for an open adoption, meaning she can visit her daughter occasionally.
And after spending some time alone with the baby girl, Jolene sends her mother in
As she meets her granddaughter and wishes for the perfect life for her
And finally Clayton says goodbye to his little niece.
And as we skip forward to current day, we know the happy childhood that Josette has had, and know that she is now a happy child
And of course, she received a special gift that birthday – the book her birth mother wrote in before she was born. With a letter inside that reads…
My little girl,
I can’t wait to give this book to you when you are older and know that you will one day read this.
I want you to know I love you. I so much wanted to keep you, to raise you, to experience every moment with you.
But I know the life you deserve is with the family you will be with. And I will get to see you, and get photos of you, and know that you are happy.
You came into my life so unexpectedly, but you are so loved.
Have an amazing life my darling. I love you forever.
Jolene
Woo, anyone else welling up?!
Well, that’s the story of Jolene Timothy, and how her beautiful daughter found her way into the life of our Kate.
Thanks for reading!
XOX OliCait XOX
Welcome back to the Life of the Benali-Armstrongs! After a short break, we’re back and checking in on our favourite family… A little earlier than planned! I was in the mood to write!
before I begin, just to say that some furniture and wall paper has changed because I have not got my cc on my new laptop yet!
It’s Tuesday, Easter for the Benali-Armstrongs.
While Salim gets up and ready for the day
Kate whips up some breakfast
And the family sit together to eat
The kids have the day off of school, and Salim expresses that his favourite part of Easter was always looking for the hidden eggs around the house
Which of course sets the family on the course of egg hunting around the house!
Finding quite a few
Even Kate and Salim get involved!
With the kids still distracted hunting for eggs (and Salim, too!)
Kate heads into the office to work on a new screen play
Despite the rain outside, Josette heads out to do her homework under the protection of the table umbrella
Knowing her little sister likes the rain, Leia braves it and joins her outside to do her homework too
However, Mateo isn’t up for homework today, so he sits inside watching cartoons with Tiddles
Later, there’s a visitor! The Easter Bunny!
The kids enjoy chatting to the bunny for a bit, receiving some flowers and chocolate for their work finding eggs
And after sending off her latest two books (she’s really doing amazing on her aspiration to become a bestselling author!)
The Benali-Armstrongs, The Reeves and The Holidays join together at a local restaurant to celebrate Easter together
Leia and the kids sit happily at one table, discussing school, chocolate and all things kid!
While the adults sit at the next table. Kate talks to her friends about Jolene’s recent visit, as well as how their own kids are getting on.
Next door in the games room, the boys beeline for the football table
While the girls sit and play don’t wake the llama
And soon the food arrives, and the three families tuck in!
Enjoying the food and the company
But as night draws in, the group head home, bidding each other goodbye
Before heading home, Kate and Salim take a moment together on the pier.
They have been through so much together, they’ve supported each other’s dreams and raised three children together
They are truly the perfect couple
Back at home, Josette heads to bed, excited for her first day of grade school
And her siblings follow suit, heading to bed soon after
While Kate and Salim get back into their flow and enjoy some woohoo time before heading to sleep too…
And that ends another day in the Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
What will happen next? Will Josette enjoy her first day of school? Will Leia bump into her ‘friend’ again? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO SEE NEXT? I WORRY THIS STORY IS BECOMING KINDA BORING OR PREDICTABLE. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME IDEAS IF YOU HAVE ANY!
That's so sweet! Thanks for your comment! I will keep writing my own way! Thanks for reading and making me feel better about it!
It’s Josette’s first day of grade school!
The kids sit together and eat breakfast, talking to Josette and calming her anxieties about her first day
And after a quick hug from Mum
Salim takes the kids to school
And Kate gets back to work on her screenplay
Nearing the end, Kate decides to take a break and spend some time with Tiddles
Having a cuddle together on the couch
Before writing the perfect ending to her screenplay
In perfect time, as the kids arrive home soon afterwards
And Rita Delgato, Josette’s new friend from school, comes over for the afternoon
After greeting her daughter’s new friend, Kate heads outside to send off her latest work to her publisher
Later, Salim returns home, having received a promotion at work! He chose the Journalist branch, deciding that it was more his speed, and even got a new outfit to go with it! Not sure what I think…
Upstairs, Rita and Josette play with dolls and recap their first day of school
While Kate congratulated Salim on his promotion, and he congratulates her on publishing her screenplay
ok honestly, these two are so adorable, I love how supportive they are of each other!
Salim sits and helps his children with their homework, and gets to know his daughter’s new friend
While Kate gets started on dinner
And the family sit and eat, discussing all the milestones they seemed to hit today! It was certainly a productive day in the Benali-Armstrong household!
Rita heads home after dinner
And the Benali-Armstrongs head to bed, ready for another day
What will happen next? How will Salim and Kate celebrate Valentine’s day? Will Josette make any more friends at school? What else will happen?
Find out next time on the Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Thanks!
Leia is the first up in the Benali-Armstrong household today, and decides to make breakfast for the family
It goes down well, as the family sit and eat together
And before long it’s time to head out to work and school
And time for Kate to have a relaxing bubble bath
Before heading out to meet Liberty for a lunchtime drink
The girls chat about their plans for Valentine’s day tomorrow
Kate says she isn’t sure what they are doing, and Liberty says that she is going out for a romantic dinner with Gavin
Back at home, the kids are home from school and in the garden playing
And inside, Leia corners her mother to talk… She’s been asked on a date tomorrow night, and wants to know if she’s allowed to go
Kate says that she’s totally fine with it, as long as she’s home by curfew and she checks in
Having thanked her Mum for the talk, Leia enjoys some time bonding with Tiddles
Before joining her family for dinner – Kate tells Salim that Leia is going on a date tomorrow, and he seems okay with it too – thank goodness!
After dinner the kids sit to do their homework
While Kate and Salim enjoy a glass of wine in the garden
And Salim tells her that he has a special date planned for tomorrow
And refuses to give any hints
He tells her that he loves her, and they head inside
Where Salim wants to talk to his daughter…
He gives her the woohoo talk…
Which goes… not great
But even with the awkwardness, Leia knows it’s just because her Dad loves her, so she hugs him and assures him she understands
And as the family head to bed
Salim makes a few last minute phone calls about tomorrow
And that ends another day! What will happen next? How will Valentine’s day go? What will Salim’s surprise for Kate be? Who is Leia’s date?
Find out the next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Happy Valentine’s Day my simmer lovelies!
Love day has arrived her in Brindleton Bay and the Benali-Armstrong household are ready for a day of romance!
The kids are up first and enjoy some breakfast together
Before Leia heads upstairs to get ready for school – she has a date this evening and wants to make sure she impresses today at school!
Hmm… Too much for school!
Too casual…
Perfect! So cute!
And as the kids leave for school
Salim starts his day of romance by waking his wife with a flower
And they are soon engaging in one of their oldest romantic traditions…
Salim tells his wife how much he loves her and tells her to get ready for a day of romance!
So, it’s time to try on some outfits…
Hmm… too casual
A little too ‘party’
Perfect! Just the right combo of cute, sexy and romantic!
Seeing how beautiful his wife looks, Salim can’t help but kiss her
And it’s time to head off to their mystery lunch date!
Salim has brought Kate to the restaurant where they had their first date way back when!
Remember this?
How time flies! And yet, they are still just as in love as they were back then…
Salim has a quiet word with the hostess
And even arranges for them to sit at their same table again! Awww!
Kate can’t believe the thought Salim has put into their Valentine’s day
And the two recreate their first date by being super cheesy and flirty
And they sit to eat, they reminisce over everything that’s happened…
How they met, how they fell in love, the moments they found out they were having a baby…
Feels like just yesterday
After dinner, Salim slips away to take a phone call
Before telling Kate he has another surprise for her
He brings her to the place they got married, the rooftop in San Myshuno
And as they look out over the sunset, Salim hands his wife a gift
As she opens it, she’s both surprised and confused, as he tells her to put it on, so she heads into the bathroom to put on the dress that Salim brought for her
Before being surprised by Leia, who comes in to help her with her hair before leading her outside
To see that Salim has recreated their wedding! Even the guests have come! (minus Mortimer Goth - RIP)
As Kate hugs her daughter, asking her a favour to truly make the day special
She reminds her that on her wedding day, the two walked down the aisle together
And so, Kate once again walks down the aisle with her daughter
And joins her husband at the wedding arch
To renew their wedding vows
Leia congratulates her parents
And as her father thanks her for staying for the ceremony, he gives her permission to head off to her own date
She arrives at the restaurant and waits anxiously for her date to arrive
And he soon arrives – you may remember him from an earlier episode (wow, ALOT throwbacks in this episode!)
To remind you, her date is Harry (Harold Muse), her long-time friend from school
Back to present day, Leia and Harry eat and talk, getting to know each other better and doing a little flirting….
And ever the gentleman, Harry offers to take Leia home, ensuring he gets her there before curfew!
Salim is certainly going to like him!
But he is certainly not meeting him yet, as Leia says goodbye to her date at the door
With an innocent hug shared between them
As Leia heads inside and gets into bed, heart light after her date. I think she really likes him!
And that’s all for this Valentine’s edition! We’ve had a few throwbacks, and a lot of romance!
What will happen next? Will Leia continue seeing Harry? Will Salim EVER be able to top today’s romance? And how will he feel about his birthday (aging into an Elder in the morning! WOW!)
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
* From my experiences of reading legacy stories etc there seems to be a point in a generation when there aren't much developments and life in a family just slowly passes along. You're just waiting for kids to age up (and may be curious to see how they will change and how they will look like in their new lifestage) en for the parents to progress in their career. So perhaps you're at such a point now. There are a couple of things you can do: you can just go along with this and wait untill things do change (probably in a couple of days). Another option is to set things up for later developments (like friends or love interests for the kids or looking for future careers/hobbies and joining clubs etc) or to compose a side story (like you did with Jolene's mother). Or have a bit of extra focus on one member of the family on a day (and perhaps go out of the house and let him/her do things and meet people) and swich between members every new day.
And here's a small suggestion/idea for a side story under the spoiler-tag:
And regarding repetitiveness: I don't know if you've considered using a work from home mod ? There are a couple of ones for base game careers, and the writer career is one of them. http://modthesims.info/d/592944/writer-work-from-home.html Instead of going to the 'rabbit hole' work everyday, varying daily work tasks (and having to go to different places) could freshen things a bit up perhaps?
It's so interesting you say that as I was toying with a similar idea. Thank you for the idea, I think I will try and do something similar in upcoming parts!
Thanks for your reply it means a lot to hear people are liking my writing. I'm just having do much fun with this family even if it is just going about daily life!
Welcome back! Before I start I want to say a big thank you to those of you who commented over the last week, assuring me that you’re enjoying the story! I’m certainly having fun writing it, but it’s always great to be reassured!
I want to specifically thank @Sassie for your mod suggestion – I have installed it and Salim will now be able to work from home in his new journalist job! Thank you!
It’s Salim’s birthday! He wakes up happily and is greeted by a birthday cake as he blows them out and ages up to an elder
His wife wishes him a happy birthday
And then his kids
Before his family show him his birthday present – a newly renovated office!
Now that Salim is an elder, he wants to work from home more in order to be with his family more, before retiring in a few weeks
With a new computer desk and a more comfortable chair, as well as his children’s artwork, some leads of journalism articles he’s writing, and a clock…
Kate has a new chair and desk toom and there’s a new bookshelf and sofa for them to sit and read their books
Finally, Salim has a few new outfits to suit his new older age and journalism career
Looking good, Salim!
Kate asks his husband how he wants to spend his birthday, and he decides he wants to head to the park and spend the afternoon with his family, so the family head out!
Josette runs into Winter, and heads over to the monkey bars to play
While Kate and Leia cloud gaze
And Salim takes his son to do a spot of fishing
The kids head over to play together after Mateo has finished fishing
While Salim whips up some burgers
And the family sit down together to enjoy their food
Before heading off for a family walk
They pass by the local pool, and decide to stop by and have a swim for the rest of the afternoon
They have fun swimming around and jumping off the diving board
Even Salim has a go at diving
And splashes around with his kids for a while
And as the sun sets
The Benali-Armstrong’s head home
And sit down to watch a little TV
While Kate has her own fun cleaning up!
Well, Kate is one of a kind!
Salim spends some one-on-one time with his kids
Before the youngest head to bed
Kate and Salim decide to let Leia stay up with them and enjoy a glass of wine with her parents
Before heading to bed
And Kate and Salim enjoy their own birthday celebration
Ending another day in The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
What will happen next? How will Kate’s birthday go tomorrow? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
It’s the morning of Kate Armstrong’s birthday, and Leia is woken up early by Tiddles
And she heads downstairs to whip up a birthday cake for Kate – in her favourite colour, blue
While Salim makes a few phone calls
And Mateo does a good job of keeping his Mum distracted upstairs
After finishing the cake, Leia whips up some pancakes
And Kate enjoys a birthday breakfast with her family
She talks about her plans for the day – she’s going out for drinks at lunchtime with Summer and Liberty
As she heads off to clean up, Salim and the kids talk about their own plans for Kate’s birthday
Leia isn’t feeling great – she’s scratchy and has a rash! ☹
So, she heads upstairs to take an oatmeal bath
Meanwhile, Kate is feeling inspired on a new book, writing a fantasy book this time!
Leia is feeling better after her bath, and joins her Mother in the office and plays with Tiddles for a while
Salim even cleans the house for Kate – for anyone who knows Salim, we know that’s hugely romantic!
So, Kate has time to have a bubble bath
Before getting ready to go out
She greets her friends, both of whom have aged up to elders already! How time flies!
And the three head to a bar, where they meet up with Jolene. Kate decided to invite her to her birthday drinks, which she happily accepts.
I’m so happy these two have such a good relationship!
At the bar, Kate orders drinks as she introduces Jolene to her best friends
And the four of them drink a few simsmopolitans (sp?)
Go Kate! It’s your birthday after all!
Liberty seems to be getting on well with Jolene, as the two talk about Josette and the family as well as getting some updates on Jolene’s life
Back at home, the family have been hard at work preparing a little party for Kate
Which she is happily surprised with as she arrives home to a chorus of “SURPRISE!”
Jolene greets Josette happily with a hug
And kisses her husband, thanking him for the amazing surprise
And after eating some barbeque (which my computer decided to delete my screenshots of! ☹)
Kate blows out her birthday candles
Officially aging up to an elder!
Elsewhere at the party, Leia and Harry are happily enjoying the swing set, still getting on well. Their date was a success and the two are moving into official dating territory…
Salim officially introduces himself to Jolene, and the two start chatting
Jolene tells Salim a little more about her life, and he is very interested
He tells her that he is a journalist, and asks her if she’d consider letting him write a piece on teen pregnancy and adoption from the perspective of her as a birth parent and himself as an adoptive parent – what a unique opportunity!
Jolene says she will think about it but seems generally happy with the idea!
As she bid him goodbye
As well as thanking Kate for inviting her to spend the evening with her family
She tells her how much it means to be feel like a part of her daughter’s family, and Kate assures her that she IS a part of the family
And after a special goodbye with Josette, it’s time for the last of the guests to head home!
Upstairs, Leia is already texting Harry
he only left an hour ago, Leia!
And soon the pair are on the phone
But there’s school tomorrow, Leia’s last week of school before graduating and becoming an adult! So it’s time for bed for the family!
And that was another day in the life of Kate, Salim and their family! Kate and Salim are officially elders, and their children are growing up fast!
What will happen next? How will Leia’s last week of school go? Will Salim begin his piece on adoption? How many more books with Kate finish? (she’s currently earning 1,500 roughly in royalties a day – woah!)
Find out next time on The Life of the Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Right! I almost want to stop because I dont think I can handle what comes next!
Thanks for your comment. I think that is what I will do! Thanks for reading