It’s another Monday morning in the Benali-Armstrong household as the kids are getting ready for another week at school
For Leia, it’s the start of her las week at school before graduating! How time flies!
As the kids leave for another day of school
Kate prepared breakfast for herself and her husband
And the couple sit together to eat
Now that Salim has semi-retired (still working and writing from home), the couple have a lot of time on their hands
Salim tells Kate a little more about the article he’s going to write of Josette’s adoption, and both of them are excited to see how it’ll be received
Meanwhile, Kate’s excited keep working on her new book – she’s making so much money from her royalties now and is getting on so well with her author aspiration too!
Kate starts her day by reading a book in the office, looking for inspiration
While Salim gets to work with the Jolene article
Kate’s hit by inspiration and gets about half way through her book
While Salim sends off his article to be published tomorrow
Seeing his wife in the zone, he gives her a quick peck before leaving her to the book
And spends some time pampering Tiddles on the couch
Which he thoroughly enjoys!
As three o’clock comes around, the kids return home from school
Leia heads to talk to her Mother – she’s been asked on a date with Harry tomorrow and wants to know if she can go
It’s Mateo’s birthday tomorrow and he’s having some friends over, but Kate says that as long as she comes home first to give Mateo his gift she is allowed to go out
And speaking of Mateo, he’s been sent home with a project to complete, which Salim happily helps him out with, seeing as tomorrow is his last day of grade school!
Josette also has a project, so the devoted father jumps between the kids to ensure they both get his help
As the evening draws in, Kate heads into the kitchen to make chicken saltimbocca for dinner
And the family sit together, as always, to enjoy their dinner
After dinner, Salim helps Mateo finish his project
While Leia plays dolls with her sister for a while
And Kate finishes off her book! Sending it off to be published
It’s a day of completing projects all around, as both of the school projects stand well completed by the kids!
Upstairs, Leia hops in the bath before bed
And with the kids in bed, Kate and Salim get to work putting up balloons and setting up the karaoke machine (remember that?) for Mateo’s little party tomorrow
As well as setting up his present pile
And a table for snacks
Which Kate soon gets to work making
Upstairs, Josette and Mateo have been scared by a monster under the bed, but their brilliant big sister Leia is on hand to spray the monster away! aww
And after cleaning up the mess she made while cooking
Kate and Salim head to bed, ready for their middle child to become a TEEN tomorrow! Wow, Wow, Wow!
And that ends another day in Brindleton Bay! What will happen next? What will Mateo be like as a teenager? How will Leia’s date go? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
Before Mateo is allowed to open a few gifts – the rest have to wait until after school though!
And despite it being his birthday, Mateo still has school, so off he goes with his siblings, to his final day of grade school
In the office, Salim receives a phone call from his office. They loved the adoption piece, and he received $175 in royalties for it.
They then give him a new assignment, which he gets straight to work researching
Outside a thunder storm is raging, so Kate heads outside to watch it, remembering all the summer storms she sat through back when she was living in Willow Creek
Seems like forever ago!
The couple spend their afternoon watching TV and cuddling with Tiddles, who is loving the free time this couple have for him now!
Luckily the weather clears up just in time, as the kids return home from school
Leia gives Mateo his gift from her
And hugs him, wishing him a happy birthday
Before heading upstairs to get ready for her date
Heading off to meet Harry for coffee (we’ll be staying here with Mateo!)
The birthday boy’s friends soon arrive for the evening, and he greets them happily
They spend some time on the karaoke machine, singing poorly but having fun regardless!
Before heading outside to play in the garden too
While Mateo plays on the swings with Jeremy, some of his friends are on the monkey bars
And before long it’s time for Mateo to blow out his candles
And as his friends and family celebrate
Our little Mateo becomes a teen!
Oh, I remember the day he was born! A little brother for Leia, a son for the newly married couple…
He was so cute!
And now a teen, Mateo and his friends (as weird as it looks now they’re all still kids and he’s as big as an adult! This game needs heights!) raid the snack table
Enjoying pizza, chips and cookies
Soon after Leia returns home, wishing her now teen brother a happy birthday
Before excitedly telling her Mother that Harry asked her to prom! Aah!
After agreeing to take her dress shopping after school tomorrow, Kate heads over to her son
To officially wish her baby boy a happy birthday
Followed quickly by Salim, who still can’t believe his son is basically a man!
But as the night rolls on the family must head to bed, with school and prom dress shopping on the schedule tomorrow!
Mateo heads to bed in his new room, complete with a new computer from his parents, posters, a new bed and of course, his pet guppy, the first fish he ever caught!
And as the rain starts again over the house, it’s the sign of the end of another day!
What will happen next? How will prom dress shopping go? Will Leia find the perfect dress? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
Another morning begins, and Josette is going through a bear phase and refuses to change out of her bear outfit.
Salim goes into full Dad mode, talking to his daughter about her phase
And even decides to wear a bear suit with her, if she promises to take it off for school
And Josette agrees. The father and daughter bears sit at the table to have breakfast. What a good Dad!
Meanwhile, Mateo has a day off today before starting high school tomorrow, so he’s asking his big sister about it, so he can be prepared
She tells him not to be worried, and that he will be fine. She gives him a general overview of high school and his mind is soon at rest
And as the girls head off to school
Mateo decides to get cracking on some pre-high prep work
But his Dad can see him getting stressed out, and suggests a boys’ day out
And after giving his wife a peck on the cheek and changing into more temperature-appropriate clothes
The boys head out to Oasis Springs to do some fishing!
And while Salim catches a few pet-friendly fish
Mateo catches a few bigger fish, that look very tasty!
So, after a while of fishing, Mateo buys some drinks
While Salim grills up the more edible catches of the day
And the men sit together to enjoy the fruits of their morning
And have a chat about high school and life – father son bonding!
Back at home, the girls have just gotten back from school and Leia is getting ready to go prom dress shopping with Kate!
Shout out to crowleydemonn for this build I found on the gallery!
Inside the store the girls check out Leia’s favourite dresses before picking 6 to try on!
Kate even gets a glass of champagne while her daughter browses!
And inside the dressing room, Leia tries on the first dress. It’s a short black dress with diamond design on front
The next dress is a short and puffy purple dress which looks so cute!
Dress number three is a princess design purple dress
And finally, Leia picked out three of the same dress in different colours, liking the design but unsure of the colour.
She tries the dress on in red, pink and blue
And after a little thinking, she decides on a dress and the mother and daughter head off to pay
And after thanking her mother for the dress and the afternoon of shopping
They head home
Leia shows her father the dress she picked, and he gives his fatherly approval!
And the family sit down to enjoy pizza for dinner, everyone having been too busy to cook
As the evening draws in the family sit to watch some TV together and recap their days
While Leia heads upstairs to call Harry and tell him about her dress – they have to match, after all!
Before heading to bed ready for her last day of school (and her prom!)
Her birthday is Friday so prom will be Thursday (tomorrow)!
And Mateo follows soon after, ready for his first day of high school!
And that ends another day!
What will happen next? How will Mateo’s first day go? What will Leia’s prom be like? And what else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s prom night!
Quick update: I was originally planning to hold the prom on Friday, but I realised that it was her birthday and it would pose a timing problem, so we’re moving the prom to today! Plus, it’s part 60 – so it needs to be a big one!
OK, with that out of the way let’s get on with the day…
There’s a thunderstorm raging outside, and Leia is woken up by a tense Tiddles, who is not enjoying the storm! She sits with him and distracts him until the worst is over
Before giving him breakfast
And helping out Kate with the morning chores
While she prepares some omelettes for breakfast
And the family (minus Josette who’s too busy playing in the bath) sit down to enjoy them
Talking to Mateo about his first day of high school
And talking to Leia about her prom as Josette joins the table
Before heading off, Leia gives her brother some encouraging words, assuring him that high school is great!
And the trio head out to school
Leaving Kate with household chores to do
And Salim with articles to write
He gets to work talking to his bosses and arranging schedules and interviews as well as writing up a new piece
While Kate receives a phone call from Summer, who wants to meet for coffee
The two sit and enjoy coffee for a while, talking about all sorts of things. Neither can believe that it’s Leia’s last day of high school – where has the time gone?!
And after a quick bite to eat
And a chat with Maaike, a friend from work and a fellow bookworm
Kate heads home just in time to greet her children, who rush quickly into the protection of the house as a thunderstorm has just hit the town
While Mateo recaps his first day to his Dad (it went great and he made a lot of friends!)
Leia is upstairs, hoping that the weather will clear up before the prom! (It’s only raining now, so fingers crossed!)
After a while of chatting, Leia shows Kate the hairstyle and make up she wants for her prom
And she happily obliges, helping her daughter get ready for the prom!
(note: yes, this photo was supposed to be like this. I was planning on covering Leia’s dress but oh well!)
While Leia puts the finishing touches to her outfit, Harry shows up to pick her up!
Salim pulls out his best Dad-face as he greets the young man, who shakes his hand and impresses him immediately with his manner
The two get to know each other a bit, with Salim trying to maintain the scary-father image but actually softening to him quickly
Before heading to the bottom of the stairs to wait for the woman of the hour
Who glides gracefully down the stairs looking absolutely perfect! awwww
Leia, quite rightly, hugs her father first, as he tells her how pretty she looks
Before heading over to Harry, who simply agrees with the comments of her father
And with no time left to waste, it’s prom time! Luckily the weather cleared up!
The lot is the Club Calico lot, and I redesigned it as a beach themed prom – I thought it matched Leia’s personality pretty well! (I have ideas for Mateo and Josette’s already too… Just wait!)
And Leia stands to take in the prom, with the balloon lined entrance
The straw-topped gazebos
Matching bar
And of course, a dance floor!
The teens are all quick to the dance floor as the headline DJ gets the tunes popping! GO LEIA!
After a lot of dancing, Leia’s in need of a drink, so she heads to the juice shack with Harry
But the conversation quickly turns to food as the snacks are put out
And Leia is quick on them! Yum! she’s just like her Father!
As she and her friends sit down to eat and enjoy their food, talk turns back to high school memories
While the guys get down on the dance floor! YES! GO HARRY!
As the party winds down, Harry leads Leia away from the music to present her with a red rose!
Before asking her to officially be his girlfriend!
To which she quickly agrees, giving him a sweet peck and expressing her happiness
But as the rain begins over the prom the party finally winds down and the teenagers head home, Leia under the protection of her boyfriend’s umbrella
Harry walks Leia home and the two share a quick kiss outside before Leia heads in to the warmth of her bed, heart light with the happiness and thrills of tonight’s events
And with that comes the end of another day in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? Will Leia decide what she wants to do, once she becomes an adult? Will Mateo continue to enjoy school? How will Salim react to the news of his daughter’s ‘going steady’ with Harry?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
BONUS! HERE ARE SOME PROM PHOTOS OF LEIA AND HARRY!
It’s the morning of Leia’s birthday but unfortunately for Mateo and Josette it’s still a school day, so the two are up and getting their breakfast early ready for the day ahead
And are soon setting off
A little later the rest of the family rise, and Leia receives a gift from her parents – a spa day!
Leia thanks her parents
And after a quick change of clothes
The girls are off!
A shout out to Devirose for this spa lot, isn’t it gorgeous!
The ladies get straight down to business, getting into their spa gowns
And heading in for the first stop of the day – foot massages!
I am so jealous right now.
Next up – the sauna, where Kate and Leia relax and chat for a while before getting a bit too warm
So, they soon head to the pool to cool off
And then to the bar for some drinks!
The final stop of the day is full body massages!
Which I can say with certainty they both thoroughly enjoyed!
But unfortunately the massages had to end, and the girls head back to the locker rooms to change into their new outfits
Before heading out for Leia’s birthday dinner! this lot is a gorgeous restaurant by Kathi1304 – thanks!
just a quick shot of the inside. SO. PRETTY! I am seriously jealous of people who can build this well.
Upstairs, the Benali-Armstrong’s sit down at their table and check out the menu
Mateo asks Leia if she’s decided what she wants to do now that she’s an adult…
And Leia tells her family that she’s decided she wants to train to become a vet! How exciting!
Which prompts Salim to grab a glass of wine and toast to his eldest child – he reminisces about times gone by, and tells her how proud he is of the woman she has become
Here, here!
Salim decides to make some notes about the restaurant in order to write an article about it (of course!)
And before long the food arrives!
Do those monte christo sandwiches make anyone else hungry?! Just me? Ok…
After the plates are clean, Salim brings out a sim city cheesecake (Leia’s favourite!) with candles
And Leia blows them out, officially aging into a YOUNG ADULT!
Let’s all join in a verse with Mateo!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LEIA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUU
Beautiful.
With the candles out, it’s time to tuck in!
man I have a craving for cheesecake now
As Salim calls for the bill, he’s told that “a star like you doesn’t need to pay” – wow! Look at that smug face. He knows he’s the boss 😉
On their walk home, the family come across a bucket of water balloons placed out, presumably for the last day of summer tomorrow…
But it’s too tempting, and the family stop to have a water balloon fight!
Kate is knocked over by a balloon to the face don’t worry, she’s ok!
And Leia shows off
A few more balloons are exchanged
Before the happy (and wet!) Benali-Armstrong’s head home
And snuggle into their dry beds, with tummies full of good (free) food, and a day of memories made
And that’s all for this episode! What will happen next? Will Leia really become a vet? Will Salim write a good piece on the restaurant? Will the family have fun on the last day of summer?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s the last day of summer in Brindleton Bay, but the day starts on a sad note as Kate receives a phone call…
She finds out that her good friend and Liberty’s husband, Gavin, has passed away
Salim tries to comfort her, but she is still really upset
Leia comes to comfort her mother once finding out the news, and offers to go over to the Reeve’s house with her
So, Kate heads over to see her best friend
And the two mourn the loss together
With Kate trying her best to cheer her best friend up
The twins are sad too, of course, and Leia spots them moping around
So she takes a chance to catch up with them and try to cheer them up
Listening to them talk and sharing memories
A little while later it’s time for Kate and Leia to head home, but not before Kate asks Liberty if she’d like to come and join them for their end of summer barbeque, telling her that she wants to use it to celebrate Gavin’s life
Liberty talks to her sons, and they decide to accept the offer. Kate bids them goodbye and heads home with Leia
Back at the Benali-Armstrong house a heatwave has started. Josette is in the garden playing in the sun
While the guys are inside enjoying a film and the air conditioning
When she gets home, Leia heads into her parents’ office to do some research in her hopes to become a veterinarian. (unfortunately the only way to become a vet is to own a clinic, so we have to somehow incorporate that into the story)
Salim and Mateo decide to start setting up outside, and Salim agrees to teach Mateo how to grill
While Salim sets up the fire
Kate gets started on a salad
And Leia calls everyone over
update! Tiddles is fine and running about the place like a loon.
Liberty is over soon after
And Salim greets his friend, and tells her how sorry he is
Kate is ready on the wine
And Liberty, Summer and Kate sit down together
Reminiscing about Gavin and telling stories
Kate reminds Liberty of how the two got together…
Back in the days of the book club, where Kate talked the two up to each other…
Which resulted in sparks flying, a marriage, and two boys
RIP Gavin
Back inside, Harry has arrived and is greeted happily by Leia.
While Mateo grills the burgers, under the close guidance of his father
Josette is getting on incredibly well with Harry, and the two are playing on the swing set together
I think you have your sisters’ approval, Leia!
But playing is cut short as Kate calls the families for dinner
Josette sits with her new friend and big sister and tells them funny stories and jokes
While the twins sit with their mother and listen to stories about their father
After dinner, in true summer-with-the-Benali’s style, Leia and Mateo play in the sprinklers
And are joined by Harry
While Josette decides that lounging in the pool is more her style! I know I liked this girl!
But she soon joins the boys for sprinkler fun
While Leia slips away to talk to her father about her earlier research
She explains her desire to open a pet clinic and train – she needs equipment to train and then will buy a clinic once she’s competent enough
Luckily, it’s rebate day in 2 days, so Salim agrees to help his daughter out and loan her the money so she can start training
And then he’s off to do his favourite part of the day – light the fire!
Woo hoo! Flames!
Kate and Salim stand together watching the flames flicker
As much in love as they’ve always been the loss of Gavin has made me realise how little time we may have left with these two, and I’m feeling so sentimental!
But all of a sudden my sentimentality is lost as Leia is pouring lighter fluid on the fire
And having waaaay too much fun with it Leia? Hun? Can you maybe stop trying to kill us all? Thanks!
As the family head to bed after a day of reminiscing and summer fun, Leia calls after Harry and asks him if he’d like to stay the night
And the couple enjoy their own summer celebration!
And with that ends another day, and another season, in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? Will Leia’s plans to train and open a pet clinic work out? How will Josette’s TEENAGE birthday go on Monday? (seriously, these kids are growing up too fast!). What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
@OliCait I almost used Salim as a boyfriend for my current legacy. But the relationship never went anywhere other than friends and she is with someone else. They are still friends though.
(Top left to bottom right)Edur Zahrah, Cinderella, Tiana, Pocahantas, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Emerson, Nicole, Traci, Addisyn
@OliCait I almost used Salim as a boyfriend for my current legacy. But the relationship never went anywhere other than friends and she is with someone else. They are still friends though.
Aw nice! He's the perfect husband he is so sweet! I had quite a few contenders as you can see in earlier episodes, but Kate & Salim clicked instantly and it didnt even take much of my meddling for them to fall for each other
I knew Leia and Harry were somehow going to end up together (when she called him on her phone an hour after he left her house in episode 56). They are so cute LOL And they have started their own WooHoo tradition.
I knew Leia and Harry were somehow going to end up together (when she called him on her phone an hour after he left her house in episode 56). They are so cute LOL And they have started their own WooHoo tradition.
I know! I'm not sure whether they'll stay together, we'll have to see what happens! I'll see what you guys want to see too!
It’s the first morning of fall in Brindleton Bay and Leia is waking up alongside her boyfriend, Harry. She heads downstairs with him and starts making breakfast, while he keeps her company
She’s decided to make pancakes – yum!
The family, Harry included, sit down for breakfast, and get to know him better
Harry seems to be hot headed, as he is angry this morning. The conversation turns unpleasant a few times but goes back to pleasant quickly – whether this means this relationship won’t last we will have to wait and see!
After breakfast Leia kisses her boyfriend goodbye and heads for a bubble bath
Before leaving, Harry stops by Mateo’s room and has a chat with him. They seem to be getting on quite well, which is nice
Downstairs, Kate and Salim are working side by side on respective projects
As Harry leaves, Leia is down to business looking around for a machine to start her vet training
She knows the first thing she needs is a craft table, where she will start making pet treats and selling them in order to make enough money to buy the rest of the items
Her parents agreed to pay for this already, and she finds one for $1,200
Then she looks for the next thing she’ll need later – a vet table. She figures she can set it up at home for a while, checking up on Tiddles and strays that wonder by looking unwell, doing a good deed while training. She needs $4,000 for this
So, without wasting any more time, she buys the craft table!
And gets to work, doing lab work for a while before risking making her first treats
Meanwhile, Mateo gets on with his homework
While Josette has some fun playing with her big sister’s teddy bear
Leia is getting on really well, already at level 2 of the veterinary skill
And Kate has finished another book!
After that, she heads over to Leia and asks her if she’d like to head over to a flea market being run in San Myshuno to pick up a few pieces of furniture
Leia agrees, and they soon find a nice and cheap couch that would be good for a waiting room
She tries out her haggling skills and manages to get a 25% discount!
So, she buys the couch
And a nice chair for owners to sit on inside the treatment room, for $200 in total! Nice!
And then they head home
To the glamour of pet ownership, cleaning out litter boxes and cleaning up hair piles
Before getting back to work! This girl is committed!
Mateo decides to head out for a jog, deciding to work on his athletic skill
Kate is still feeling sad over the loss of her friend Gavin
And decides to use her sadness to write a sad book to work through her feelings
In the kitchen, Leia and Josette are having lunch together and talking about Leia’s future plans to be a vet
Josette asks if she can be her assistant, and Leia agrees aww. These sisters are too much
And then they head outside, where Leia pushes her little sister on the swing for a while
It’s been another productive day today for Kate and Salim, who have both finished books and are sending them off to literary digest – perfect, as they need some more money to help support Leia’s plans
And with that it’s the end of another day as the Benali-Armstrong’s head to bed
Ready for Josette’s birthday tomorrow!
What will happen next? What will Josette be like as a teen? How will the family celebrate? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s the morning of Josette’s birthday and in the early hours she’s gone into her sister’s room and slept in her bed, as a monster under the bed scared her and she couldn’t sleep in her own room
Kate is up early and so gets to work writing excuse notes for Josette and Mateo. We unfortunately got a notification telling us that Salim’s time is near, and so we’re going to be taking the kids out of school for today and spending a family day
After writing the letters she gets started on breakfast, and Leia comes down to keep her company
Leia has a chat with her father about the day’s plans
While the birthday girl is upstairs playing with Tiddles
Kate has finished making breakfast – she cooked a grand breakfast to celebrate her youngest child’s birthday and to start the family day off right
And the family sit together to eat
Kate tells Josette that she has taken her and her brother out of school and that they will be spending the day together. She also tells her that Jolene will be coming to meet them for dinner later
And while the family get ready to head out, Kate finishes making Josette’s birthday cake
And the family head off to a local park to roller skate! shout out to Cesal95 for this lot! I’m sorry to hear so many people are copying the lot but if you see this lot on the gallery it seems that the original was by Cesal95!
The roller rink has cool party lights and confetti falling down! Looks so cool!
The family get their skates on and head onto the rink to have some fun!
After a while though, Kate and Salim are struggling to keep up, triggering their elder exhaustion! So, they decide to head off the rink
And cuddle up together on a nearby bench
they are so cute. I can’t take the fact we might lose them soon. Agh ☹
And after a while, the family set up Josette’s birthday cake
And call her over to blow out the candles
Aging up! Hooray!
And Josette, our baby Benali-Armstrong, is now a teen! And she’s so pretty!
She looks so much like Jolene!
Leia wishes her baby sister a happy birthday
And the family head home to change before heading off for dinner!
The newly teenage Josette greets Jolene, who you’ll recall is her birth mother, outside the restaurant
And where are we eating? Well, Salim and Kate decided they wanted to take their children to the spot of their first date, an Asian boat restaurant we’ve seen a few times before!
The family are seated upstairs at a bigger table and place their orders
While waiting for their food, Mateo shares some high school top-tips with his little sister
And before long the food arrives! They’ve all gone for experimental dishes, and all seem happy with their orders as they eat and talk and joke around
After dinner the Benali-Armstrong’s stay in the restaurant to drink and spend extra family time
But Josette heads away with Jolene for a talk. She thanks her for the book and her letter, which was moving. you can find that in a special episode up above!
Jolene talks to her daughter happily, telling her about her biological family and telling her that she’d be very welcome to get to know them when and if she wants to
Josette is happy with the offer but says that she needs to think about it before agreeing. Though Jolene is her birth mother, Kate and Salim are her parents, and she needs time to think about how a second family would affect them and her I wonder, how are you guys finding this adoption storyline? I know it gets quite deep, but I really like exploring these less spoken about topics!
Of course, Jolene understands and the two take a photo together for Josette’s wall. She promises to text it to Jolene too!
Before heading back to meet her family and head home
To get into bed in her new bedroom! I think this style really suits her! And note, the photo of the two on the wall!
Other features of the room include a new dresser, her book from Jolene, and her pet fish that her Father caught for her – his name is bubbles!
And an easel – Josette has always seemed quite creative and I wonder if she’ll enjoy painting as a hobby and potential career?
And with that we reach the end of another day in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? How will Josette like high school? Will Leia start making and selling her pet products? What else will happen?
Find out next time on the Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s the morning of Halloween and the Benali-Armstrong’s are in the spirit! Josette and Mateo are dressed up and heading off to school
Leia gets out the Halloween decorations
While Salim and Kate sit down for breakfast
Before being joined by their daughter
After eating and getting dressed for the day, Leia gets to work upping her vet skill
And Kate and Salim are getting into the party spirit!
With Kate as Princess Leia (appropriate, though in retrospect I should’ve probably made Leia wear this!)
And Salim as a villain
Doesn’t the house look great! Good job Leia!
In the office, Kate and Salim spend some romantic time together
Reminiscing about their lives and just happy to be together
Then Kate gets to work on a mystery book
While the rest of the family sit down to watch a scary movie (Leia even got dressed up in a maid’s outfit!)
And Josette recaps her first day of high school with her father
Before he heads outside to light the bonfire
And the family gather around to enjoy the warmth
Perfect!
And then, Salim begins to tell a scary story
Which goes down pretty well!
Especially scaring the girls!
As the fire dies, Salim finishes his story and leaves his kids satisfyingly scared
As the kids head to bed, Salim and Kate grab a glass of wine and sit in the garden to talk and enjoy the night time
And delicious wine
Then, Kate recommends stargazing, and the two lie down
Pointing out constellations and even some funny looking ones!
Before heading inside the couple decide to embrace their inner child and enjoy some time on the swing set!
You’re only as old as you feel, after all!
And then they head inside and into bed, tired from a day of fun
And that’s all for this episode!
What will happen next? Will Josette start painting? Will Leia achieve a high enough vet level to open up her clinic? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
The morning starts off with the kids waking up and getting themselves ready for the day ahead
While Kate prepares breakfast for her family
Before they all sit down together and enjoy it
Salim asks Leia how her plans for opening a clinic are going
And she explains that she has been looking at a few buildings to acquire, but they are a little out of her current price range
After breakfast, Josette helps out by doing the washing up
While the adults buy lottery tickets, in hopes of winning the jackpot
Josette and Mateo head off to school
And Leia enjoys some quality time with Tiddles
Before being joined by her mother, who listens intently to her plans for the future
Causing Leia to look online again for some more locations for her clinic
After a while of searching, she sits down with her parents and tells them some exciting news – she’s found a lot for $15,000! It’s still a lot, especially as the family only has around $21,000 at the moment and it’s unfurnished and needs a lot of work, but she’s excited for the challenge and asks for her parents’ advice
They tell her that they will talk it over and figure out the details, so she happily leaves them to discuss
While she excitedly does some more work, dreaming of doing this work in her own clinic one day soon…
As lunchtime passes the family start feeling peckish, and Kate prepares a caprese salad
Before inviting over Summer and Liberty to have lunch with them, wanting to spend some more time with her best friends
She shares the news of Leia’s plans, and they’re all very excited for her
The trio sit down and talk for a while
Before bidding each other goodbye
Josette and Mateo have since arrived home, and Josette watches interested as her sister works away
Before heading upstairs to do her first painting on her new easel
Downstairs, Leia and Salim sit and discuss the building she found. He agrees that it seems like a sound investment, and tells her that he is happy for her to use the family money to buy it – provided she’s willing to work hard to clean it up and make it great!
Leia happily thanks her Father, telling him she loves him and will make him proud
As evening rolls in Mateo gets to work on his homework
Before deciding to join his sisters in front of the TV (while still skimming over the work!)
WARNING. THE FOLLOWING SCENES MAY BE UPSETTING TO SOME PEOPLE. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS WHEN CONTINUING WITH THE STORY. THANK YOU
Ok, I hope that was enough space.
As you may have guessed, the next scene is not a happy one.
This scene was hard for me to even write – you forget how attached you get to these sims ☹
Upstairs, after taking a shower, Salim’s long and happy life comes to a sad end at least he was clean, I guess?
Kate is devastated as she realises what has happened
But pulls herself together enough to take her husband’s urn downstairs
And the family gather together to mourn the loss of Salim
After crying and hugging and consoling each other, Josette goes into Kate’s room and asks her if she can talk to her.
Having lost her father, Josette has realised how short life truly is, and has decided she wants to take Jolene’s offer to meet her grandmother and uncle.
But, she wanted to make sure that Kate would be happy with that.
Kate, of course, is pleased that Josette has made the decision, knowing from talking to Jolene that her family are lovely people, and telling her how important it is to spend time with those important to you
After a while it’s time for bed. Kate, too sad to sleep in her bed alone, is welcomed into her daughter’s room to sleep for the night.
And that is all for this episode, ending on a sad note.
R.I.P. Salim Benali.
Today is Thanksgiving (Harvest Fest), but we’re skipping it this year in favour of having an episode for Salim’s funeral instead
Our morning starts with Josette, who is making a call to her birth mother, Jolene. She asks if she could come over to her house tomorrow to meet her biological family. She is welcomed happily, and Jolene also sends her condolences on the loss of her father.
After that, Josette gets dressed
And heads in to wake up her mother and sister
Hugging them both
Before deciding to put her feelings into her painting
Downstairs, Leia is calling around the family friends to let them know that today will be Salim’s funeral
And in the kitchen, Mateo is helping his mother pick out readings for the funeral
And before long it’s time to get ready
Dressing in black
The family prepare for an emotional, but positive, celebration of Salim’s life
And it’s time to go
They meet their friends at the church
[/b] (built by ArgYeScallywags) [/b]
Inside the church Kate gives her reading, ensuring it is full of jokes and light hearted moments, to perfectly capture her husband
And then it’s time to light memorial candles
As the family console each other
The candles are lit
And as the rest of the family sit around and talk to friends about Salim, sharing stories, Kate heads over to the flower arranging table to make a bouquet for her husband’s grave
Placing it down with love and care
And placing two single flowers on the graves of Gavin and Liberty, who unfortunately passed away inside the church just minutes earlier
Oh god. This is too emotional. Liberty is gone. I can’t.
Knowing that her godsons are now orphaned, she knows she wants to do something
After consulting Mateo and Josette
She sits down in a quiet corner with Leia to ask her how she would feel about inviting the boys to move in with them.
It is nearly Kate’s time (cry), so Leia will be left as the oldest and in charge of the house. She will likely have to raise Josette (and possibly Mateo) after Kate passes.
She knows she’s essentially asking her to raise two more teens, if she were to pass before the twins age up to adults and are able to move out
Leia tells her that of course she is okay with that, and she would do anything to help the boys, after how close she was with Liberty, her godmother
So, back at home, Kate happily moves her bed and drawers into the office I was going to make this the twins room or a full bedroom but 1) we might need an office in the future and 2) it was redecorated for Salim’s birthday and I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of his stuff yet
And turning that room into a room for the boys, who have to share but are very happy to do so, and grateful to Kate for welcoming them into her house
Kate sits down with the boys to ensure that they feel comfortable and explains to them things that are going on in the house (such as Josette’s adoption and birth family, Leia’s vet training, etc.)
The boys also have $90,000 from the sale of their family home, which Kate ensures will be saved for them to move into their own place when they graduate (I’ve taken the $90,000 out of the overall family money, and left $20,000, the rest of the money from the Reeve’s estate, as a sort of left-in-the-will gift to Kate for taking in the boys. Hope that makes sense!)
Deciding against cooking, Kate calls out for pizza
And the newly merged family sit together to eat, not talking much
And after dinner they all head to bed, exhausted from an emotional day, but happy that Salim and Liberty’s memories were celebrated so fondly
And that’s all for this episode!
It was a sad one, but I felt so connected to these sims after narrating their lives for so long, and I felt the need to give them closure with a proper goodbye.
What will happen next? Will Leia go ahead with the purchase of the clinic she found? Will the boys be okay living with the Benali-Armstrong’s? How will Josette’s meeting with her biological family go?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
It’s an important day today for Josette as she’s heading off to meet her biological Grandmother and Uncle!
As you’ll recall, when Jolene got pregnant with Josette she was living with her Mother, Tina, and her kid brother Clayton
So, waking up early, Josette gets ready to head over to San Myshuno
Where her birth mother lives in an apartment
She knocks on the door and waits nervously
Before being greeted by Jolene
And taken into the living room to meet her grandmother and uncle
Josette spends the first part of her day showing her family photos and telling them stories about her childhood
The Timothy’s and Josette sit together at the dining table as she tells them about her parents, Kate and Salim, and her siblings, Leia and Mateo.
Tina in turn tells her granddaughter stories about Jolene, about the difficulty she had deciding to give her up, and how much she talks about her after her visits
Josette is appreciative to get to know her birth family, especially after losing her father
After talking for a while longer, Josette hands Jolene a gift
It’s a painting she did, one of the first. She wanted Jolene to have it!
Aww!
After the gift exchange, the four sit down for lunch, and continue talking
They exchange more stories, laugh at jokes, and enjoy some tasty sandwiches
After lunch, Jolene decides to show Josette around her neighbourhood
Josette even throws a coin into a fountain, making a wish
Before they sit down at a bench next to it
Time is getting on and Josette has to head home soon, but she decides she wants to take some photos with Tina and Clayton before she goes home
She looks just like her uncle, doesn’t she?
Back in the apartment, the four of them watch some TV
And then it’s time for Josette to head home
She’s happy with the result of the day, happy that she’s met her biological family
So, a quick update on what else has been happening today!
Leia worked on her vet skill again
And also made some calls about the lot she wants to buy
While the boys try to get back to normalcy after an emotional few days by catching up on school work
And Kate worked on finishing a book about loss
When Josette gets home she heads into the office to talk to her mother about her day
She tells her about Jolene’s family, and about what she found out about her
She tells her that it made her miss her Father, but know how loved she was by him
And she even shows Kate the photos she took
Before bed, Josette decides to write an entry in the journal that Jolene gave to her
She writes about the day she had, and what it meant to her
Today I met my biological family, my grandmother and my uncle. They were lovely. They told me the story of my birth, about how hard it was but how they knew how loved I would be. And I was. And am.
Meeting them made me miss my Father, but I know now more than ever how lucky I was to be adopted by him, to be his daughter. To have the family I have.
I hope I get to see the Timothy’s again one day. They are my second family. And I love them.
And with that, it’s the end of another day. What will happen next? Will the household get back to normalcy? Will Leia buy her clinic? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
Welcome back! The Benali-Armstrong household is back to a level of normalcy this morning, with Mateo taking on the role of man-of-the-house and fixing a broken toilet
And Kate back in the groove making breakfast for her family
And they all sit and eat together, discussing their plans for their Saturday
The guys are excited for their PROM tomorrow night – the twins age up on Monday, and Mateo on Wednesday!
While Leia asks her mother to join her going to the lot she’s buying for her clinic and help her get it cleaned up before the final paperwork goes through and she officially owns it!
Of course, our Kate is excited to do some cleaning!
Leia notices though that her little sister is looking particularly sad
So, she asks her to come along too, emphasising how much she needs her help to get the place in shape!
And while the guys sit on the couch to discuss their prom (mainly the party aspect, of course)
The girls head off to see the lot that Leia has bought
It’s… quaint?
Leia explains that it’ll be perfect once it’s cleaned up, and that it just needs some love
Or… a lot of love, as inside is covered in clutter…
Exposed piping…
And it looks like someone has been living in the upstairs room!
But, not to be put off by a little elbow grease, the girls get to work!
The clean the floors and cobwebs
Clear out the trash
And before long, the mess is gone!
Much better!
Leia thanks her Mother and Sister for their help
And treats them to some food from a nearby seafood shack
They sit and enjoy their food, discussing the lot some more
side note – I scrolled too fast to the side and this is what I saw. And it made me jump! And I had to share!
So, with that the lot is cleaned up!
Next, Leia has got people coming to do the lawn, and then once the wallpaper and flooring has been changed she can furnish it and open for business!
Back at home the boys have put up Leia’s vet table for her! Aww!
And Leia starts making belly rub gel, her first creation on her lab table!
In the kitchen Kate makes a quick dinner of cioppino (sp?)
And the family sit together to enjoy their dinner and recap their days
After eating and before bed, Mateo and Thomas sit down and play a video game
Kate finishes off her book
And then it’s time for bed
And that’s all for today! What will happen next? How will Mateo’s prom go? Will Leia finally be able to open for business? And where will the Reeves twins decide to move after they’ve aged up?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
Hello and welcome back!
We begin this Sunday morning with Kate and Leia, who are having a deep conversation
Kate’s time is coming and she is going to pass any day now, so she needs to talk to her daughter about the future
She explains that if she needs to, sell the family home and split the money across the three children, meaning they can all afford nice homes and live comfortably
Kate then hugs her daughter and tells her she loves her
Upstairs, Josette is at her easel again, painting something new
While the guys are getting spruced up for their prom
Pampering themselves
Josette, meanwhile, is still working on a new piece. She wants to paint something for Leia’s vet clinic, but wants to make sure it’s perfect before she gives it to her
Aw, it’s cute!
Elsewhere, Kate decides to meet Summer at a café to talk, knowing they won’t be around much longer
They reminisce and express their love for one another, with Kate remembering the day the three of them came over to her new home to welcome her
They sit and eat scones and continue talking
Before heading up to a balcony to enjoy some drinks
But after a while it’s time for Kate to head home
Where Leia and Josette are talking at the kitchen table, probably about the vet clinic, school and Josette’s new hobby of painting
Kate gets working on a birthday cake for the boys
While they’re upstairs getting ready for their prom…
And looking very dapper
Kate tells her son how handsome he looks
While Leia has wondered outside and I find her staring into the distance – she’s probably thinking about her talk with Kate and what she’s going to do about the house after her mother is gone
But away from the sombre thought and back to the boys, who are heading off in style to their prom…
Which is an ‘under the sea’ theme – in winter
Unique, but cute!
Dutch courage? Is that a thing? Lol. I'm Dutch but never heard of it before
Haha hi! Yes its a phrase to mean gaining strength or bravery from drinking alcohol! We use it all the time here in England!
Hope youre enjoying the story! I was actually just reading back over the first page and saw your comment way back in October! Thanks for sticking with my story!
Comments
It’s another Monday morning in the Benali-Armstrong household as the kids are getting ready for another week at school
For Leia, it’s the start of her las week at school before graduating! How time flies!
As the kids leave for another day of school
Kate prepared breakfast for herself and her husband
And the couple sit together to eat
Now that Salim has semi-retired (still working and writing from home), the couple have a lot of time on their hands
Salim tells Kate a little more about the article he’s going to write of Josette’s adoption, and both of them are excited to see how it’ll be received
Meanwhile, Kate’s excited keep working on her new book – she’s making so much money from her royalties now and is getting on so well with her author aspiration too!
Kate starts her day by reading a book in the office, looking for inspiration
While Salim gets to work with the Jolene article
Kate’s hit by inspiration and gets about half way through her book
While Salim sends off his article to be published tomorrow
Seeing his wife in the zone, he gives her a quick peck before leaving her to the book
And spends some time pampering Tiddles on the couch
Which he thoroughly enjoys!
As three o’clock comes around, the kids return home from school
Leia heads to talk to her Mother – she’s been asked on a date with Harry tomorrow and wants to know if she can go
It’s Mateo’s birthday tomorrow and he’s having some friends over, but Kate says that as long as she comes home first to give Mateo his gift she is allowed to go out
And speaking of Mateo, he’s been sent home with a project to complete, which Salim happily helps him out with, seeing as tomorrow is his last day of grade school!
Josette also has a project, so the devoted father jumps between the kids to ensure they both get his help
As the evening draws in, Kate heads into the kitchen to make chicken saltimbocca for dinner
And the family sit together, as always, to enjoy their dinner
After dinner, Salim helps Mateo finish his project
While Leia plays dolls with her sister for a while
And Kate finishes off her book! Sending it off to be published
It’s a day of completing projects all around, as both of the school projects stand well completed by the kids!
Upstairs, Leia hops in the bath before bed
And with the kids in bed, Kate and Salim get to work putting up balloons and setting up the karaoke machine (remember that?) for Mateo’s little party tomorrow
As well as setting up his present pile
And a table for snacks
Which Kate soon gets to work making
Upstairs, Josette and Mateo have been scared by a monster under the bed, but their brilliant big sister Leia is on hand to spray the monster away!
aww
And after cleaning up the mess she made while cooking
Kate and Salim head to bed, ready for their middle child to become a TEEN tomorrow! Wow, Wow, Wow!
And that ends another day in Brindleton Bay! What will happen next? What will Mateo be like as a teenager? How will Leia’s date go? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
It’s Mateo’s birthday!
The family eat breakfast together
Before Mateo is allowed to open a few gifts – the rest have to wait until after school though!
And despite it being his birthday, Mateo still has school, so off he goes with his siblings, to his final day of grade school
In the office, Salim receives a phone call from his office. They loved the adoption piece, and he received $175 in royalties for it.
They then give him a new assignment, which he gets straight to work researching
Outside a thunder storm is raging, so Kate heads outside to watch it, remembering all the summer storms she sat through back when she was living in Willow Creek
Seems like forever ago!
The couple spend their afternoon watching TV and cuddling with Tiddles, who is loving the free time this couple have for him now!
Luckily the weather clears up just in time, as the kids return home from school
Leia gives Mateo his gift from her
And hugs him, wishing him a happy birthday
Before heading upstairs to get ready for her date
Heading off to meet Harry for coffee (we’ll be staying here with Mateo!)
The birthday boy’s friends soon arrive for the evening, and he greets them happily
They spend some time on the karaoke machine, singing poorly but having fun regardless!
Before heading outside to play in the garden too
While Mateo plays on the swings with Jeremy, some of his friends are on the monkey bars
And before long it’s time for Mateo to blow out his candles
And as his friends and family celebrate
Our little Mateo becomes a teen!
Oh, I remember the day he was born! A little brother for Leia, a son for the newly married couple…
He was so cute!
And now a teen, Mateo and his friends (as weird as it looks now they’re all still kids and he’s as big as an adult! This game needs heights!) raid the snack table
Enjoying pizza, chips and cookies
Soon after Leia returns home, wishing her now teen brother a happy birthday
Before excitedly telling her Mother that Harry asked her to prom! Aah!
After agreeing to take her dress shopping after school tomorrow, Kate heads over to her son
To officially wish her baby boy a happy birthday
Followed quickly by Salim, who still can’t believe his son is basically a man!
But as the night rolls on the family must head to bed, with school and prom dress shopping on the schedule tomorrow!
Mateo heads to bed in his new room, complete with a new computer from his parents, posters, a new bed and of course, his pet guppy, the first fish he ever caught!
And as the rain starts again over the house, it’s the sign of the end of another day!
What will happen next? How will prom dress shopping go? Will Leia find the perfect dress? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Another morning begins, and Josette is going through a bear phase and refuses to change out of her bear outfit.
Salim goes into full Dad mode, talking to his daughter about her phase
And even decides to wear a bear suit with her, if she promises to take it off for school
And Josette agrees. The father and daughter bears sit at the table to have breakfast. What a good Dad!
Meanwhile, Mateo has a day off today before starting high school tomorrow, so he’s asking his big sister about it, so he can be prepared
She tells him not to be worried, and that he will be fine. She gives him a general overview of high school and his mind is soon at rest
And as the girls head off to school
Mateo decides to get cracking on some pre-high prep work
But his Dad can see him getting stressed out, and suggests a boys’ day out
And after giving his wife a peck on the cheek and changing into more temperature-appropriate clothes
The boys head out to Oasis Springs to do some fishing!
And while Salim catches a few pet-friendly fish
Mateo catches a few bigger fish, that look very tasty!
So, after a while of fishing, Mateo buys some drinks
While Salim grills up the more edible catches of the day
And the men sit together to enjoy the fruits of their morning
And have a chat about high school and life – father son bonding!
Back at home, the girls have just gotten back from school and Leia is getting ready to go prom dress shopping with Kate!
Shout out to crowleydemonn for this build I found on the gallery!
Inside the store the girls check out Leia’s favourite dresses before picking 6 to try on!
Kate even gets a glass of champagne while her daughter browses!
And inside the dressing room, Leia tries on the first dress. It’s a short black dress with diamond design on front
The next dress is a short and puffy purple dress which looks so cute!
Dress number three is a princess design purple dress
And finally, Leia picked out three of the same dress in different colours, liking the design but unsure of the colour.
She tries the dress on in red, pink and blue
And after a little thinking, she decides on a dress and the mother and daughter head off to pay
And after thanking her mother for the dress and the afternoon of shopping
They head home
Leia shows her father the dress she picked, and he gives his fatherly approval!
And the family sit down to enjoy pizza for dinner, everyone having been too busy to cook
As the evening draws in the family sit to watch some TV together and recap their days
While Leia heads upstairs to call Harry and tell him about her dress – they have to match, after all!
Before heading to bed ready for her last day of school (and her prom!)
Her birthday is Friday so prom will be Thursday (tomorrow)!
And Mateo follows soon after, ready for his first day of high school!
And that ends another day!
What will happen next? How will Mateo’s first day go? What will Leia’s prom be like? And what else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
It’s prom night!
Quick update: I was originally planning to hold the prom on Friday, but I realised that it was her birthday and it would pose a timing problem, so we’re moving the prom to today! Plus, it’s part 60 – so it needs to be a big one!
OK, with that out of the way let’s get on with the day…
There’s a thunderstorm raging outside, and Leia is woken up by a tense Tiddles, who is not enjoying the storm! She sits with him and distracts him until the worst is over
Before giving him breakfast
And helping out Kate with the morning chores
While she prepares some omelettes for breakfast
And the family (minus Josette who’s too busy playing in the bath) sit down to enjoy them
Talking to Mateo about his first day of high school
And talking to Leia about her prom as Josette joins the table
Before heading off, Leia gives her brother some encouraging words, assuring him that high school is great!
And the trio head out to school
Leaving Kate with household chores to do
And Salim with articles to write
He gets to work talking to his bosses and arranging schedules and interviews as well as writing up a new piece
While Kate receives a phone call from Summer, who wants to meet for coffee
The two sit and enjoy coffee for a while, talking about all sorts of things. Neither can believe that it’s Leia’s last day of high school – where has the time gone?!
And after a quick bite to eat
And a chat with Maaike, a friend from work and a fellow bookworm
Kate heads home just in time to greet her children, who rush quickly into the protection of the house as a thunderstorm has just hit the town
While Mateo recaps his first day to his Dad (it went great and he made a lot of friends!)
Leia is upstairs, hoping that the weather will clear up before the prom! (It’s only raining now, so fingers crossed!)
After a while of chatting, Leia shows Kate the hairstyle and make up she wants for her prom
And she happily obliges, helping her daughter get ready for the prom!
(note: yes, this photo was supposed to be like this. I was planning on covering Leia’s dress but oh well!)
While Leia puts the finishing touches to her outfit, Harry shows up to pick her up!
Salim pulls out his best Dad-face as he greets the young man, who shakes his hand and impresses him immediately with his manner
The two get to know each other a bit, with Salim trying to maintain the scary-father image but actually softening to him quickly
Before heading to the bottom of the stairs to wait for the woman of the hour
Who glides gracefully down the stairs looking absolutely perfect!
awwww
Leia, quite rightly, hugs her father first, as he tells her how pretty she looks
Before heading over to Harry, who simply agrees with the comments of her father
And with no time left to waste, it’s prom time! Luckily the weather cleared up!
The lot is the Club Calico lot, and I redesigned it as a beach themed prom – I thought it matched Leia’s personality pretty well! (I have ideas for Mateo and Josette’s already too… Just wait!)
And Leia stands to take in the prom, with the balloon lined entrance
The straw-topped gazebos
Matching bar
And of course, a dance floor!
The teens are all quick to the dance floor as the headline DJ gets the tunes popping! GO LEIA!
They even do a fun little dance!
(Watch Here:
After a lot of dancing, Leia’s in need of a drink, so she heads to the juice shack with Harry
But the conversation quickly turns to food as the snacks are put out
And Leia is quick on them! Yum!
she’s just like her Father!
As she and her friends sit down to eat and enjoy their food, talk turns back to high school memories
While the guys get down on the dance floor!
YES! GO HARRY!
As the party winds down, Harry leads Leia away from the music to present her with a red rose!
Before asking her to officially be his girlfriend!
To which she quickly agrees, giving him a sweet peck and expressing her happiness
But as the rain begins over the prom the party finally winds down and the teenagers head home, Leia under the protection of her boyfriend’s umbrella
Harry walks Leia home and the two share a quick kiss outside before Leia heads in to the warmth of her bed, heart light with the happiness and thrills of tonight’s events
And with that comes the end of another day in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? Will Leia decide what she wants to do, once she becomes an adult? Will Mateo continue to enjoy school? How will Salim react to the news of his daughter’s ‘going steady’ with Harry?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
BONUS! HERE ARE SOME PROM PHOTOS OF LEIA AND HARRY!
the prom dress I chose for Leia is a CC item that you can find here: https://www.thesimsresource.com/artists/ekinege/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-everyday/title/beaded-bodice-dress/id/1380797/
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
It’s the morning of Leia’s birthday but unfortunately for Mateo and Josette it’s still a school day, so the two are up and getting their breakfast early ready for the day ahead
And are soon setting off
A little later the rest of the family rise, and Leia receives a gift from her parents – a spa day!
Leia thanks her parents
And after a quick change of clothes
The girls are off!
A shout out to Devirose for this spa lot, isn’t it gorgeous!
The ladies get straight down to business, getting into their spa gowns
And heading in for the first stop of the day – foot massages!
I am so jealous right now.
Next up – the sauna, where Kate and Leia relax and chat for a while before getting a bit too warm
So, they soon head to the pool to cool off
And then to the bar for some drinks!
The final stop of the day is full body massages!
Which I can say with certainty they both thoroughly enjoyed!
But unfortunately the massages had to end, and the girls head back to the locker rooms to change into their new outfits
Before heading out for Leia’s birthday dinner!
this lot is a gorgeous restaurant by Kathi1304 – thanks!
just a quick shot of the inside. SO. PRETTY! I am seriously jealous of people who can build this well.
Upstairs, the Benali-Armstrong’s sit down at their table and check out the menu
Mateo asks Leia if she’s decided what she wants to do now that she’s an adult…
And Leia tells her family that she’s decided she wants to train to become a vet! How exciting!
Which prompts Salim to grab a glass of wine and toast to his eldest child – he reminisces about times gone by, and tells her how proud he is of the woman she has become
Here, here!
Salim decides to make some notes about the restaurant in order to write an article about it (of course!)
And before long the food arrives!
Do those monte christo sandwiches make anyone else hungry?! Just me? Ok…
After the plates are clean, Salim brings out a sim city cheesecake (Leia’s favourite!) with candles
And Leia blows them out, officially aging into a YOUNG ADULT!
Let’s all join in a verse with Mateo!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LEIA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUU
Beautiful.
With the candles out, it’s time to tuck in!
man I have a craving for cheesecake now
As Salim calls for the bill, he’s told that “a star like you doesn’t need to pay” – wow! Look at that smug face. He knows he’s the boss 😉
On their walk home, the family come across a bucket of water balloons placed out, presumably for the last day of summer tomorrow…
But it’s too tempting, and the family stop to have a water balloon fight!
Kate is knocked over by a balloon to the face
don’t worry, she’s ok!
And Leia shows off
A few more balloons are exchanged
Before the happy (and wet!) Benali-Armstrong’s head home
And snuggle into their dry beds, with tummies full of good (free) food, and a day of memories made
And that’s all for this episode! What will happen next? Will Leia really become a vet? Will Salim write a good piece on the restaurant? Will the family have fun on the last day of summer?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
It’s the last day of summer in Brindleton Bay, but the day starts on a sad note as Kate receives a phone call…
She finds out that her good friend and Liberty’s husband, Gavin, has passed away
Salim tries to comfort her, but she is still really upset
Leia comes to comfort her mother once finding out the news, and offers to go over to the Reeve’s house with her
So, Kate heads over to see her best friend
And the two mourn the loss together
With Kate trying her best to cheer her best friend up
The twins are sad too, of course, and Leia spots them moping around
So she takes a chance to catch up with them and try to cheer them up
Listening to them talk and sharing memories
A little while later it’s time for Kate and Leia to head home, but not before Kate asks Liberty if she’d like to come and join them for their end of summer barbeque, telling her that she wants to use it to celebrate Gavin’s life
Liberty talks to her sons, and they decide to accept the offer. Kate bids them goodbye and heads home with Leia
Back at the Benali-Armstrong house a heatwave has started. Josette is in the garden playing in the sun
While the guys are inside enjoying a film and the air conditioning
When she gets home, Leia heads into her parents’ office to do some research in her hopes to become a veterinarian.
(unfortunately the only way to become a vet is to own a clinic, so we have to somehow incorporate that into the story)
Salim and Mateo decide to start setting up outside, and Salim agrees to teach Mateo how to grill
While Salim sets up the fire
Kate gets started on a salad
And Leia calls everyone over
update! Tiddles is fine and running about the place like a loon.
Liberty is over soon after
And Salim greets his friend, and tells her how sorry he is
Kate is ready on the wine
And Liberty, Summer and Kate sit down together
Reminiscing about Gavin and telling stories
Kate reminds Liberty of how the two got together…
Back in the days of the book club, where Kate talked the two up to each other…
Which resulted in sparks flying, a marriage, and two boys
RIP Gavin
Back inside, Harry has arrived and is greeted happily by Leia.
While Mateo grills the burgers, under the close guidance of his father
Josette is getting on incredibly well with Harry, and the two are playing on the swing set together
I think you have your sisters’ approval, Leia!
But playing is cut short as Kate calls the families for dinner
Josette sits with her new friend and big sister and tells them funny stories and jokes
While the twins sit with their mother and listen to stories about their father
After dinner, in true summer-with-the-Benali’s style, Leia and Mateo play in the sprinklers
And are joined by Harry
While Josette decides that lounging in the pool is more her style!
I know I liked this girl!
But she soon joins the boys for sprinkler fun
While Leia slips away to talk to her father about her earlier research
She explains her desire to open a pet clinic and train – she needs equipment to train and then will buy a clinic once she’s competent enough
Luckily, it’s rebate day in 2 days, so Salim agrees to help his daughter out and loan her the money so she can start training
And then he’s off to do his favourite part of the day – light the fire!
Woo hoo! Flames!
Kate and Salim stand together watching the flames flicker
As much in love as they’ve always been
the loss of Gavin has made me realise how little time we may have left with these two, and I’m feeling so sentimental!
But all of a sudden my sentimentality is lost as Leia is pouring lighter fluid on the fire
And having waaaay too much fun with it
Leia? Hun? Can you maybe stop trying to kill us all? Thanks!
As the family head to bed after a day of reminiscing and summer fun, Leia calls after Harry and asks him if he’d like to stay the night
And the couple enjoy their own summer celebration!
And with that ends another day, and another season, in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? Will Leia’s plans to train and open a pet clinic work out? How will Josette’s TEENAGE birthday go on Monday? (seriously, these kids are growing up too fast!). What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
(Top left to bottom right)Edur Zahrah, Cinderella, Tiana, Pocahantas, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Emerson, Nicole, Traci, Addisyn
Aw nice! He's the perfect husband he is so sweet! I had quite a few contenders as you can see in earlier episodes, but Kate & Salim clicked instantly and it didnt even take much of my meddling for them to fall for each other
I know! I'm not sure whether they'll stay together, we'll have to see what happens! I'll see what you guys want to see too!
It’s the first morning of fall in Brindleton Bay and Leia is waking up alongside her boyfriend, Harry. She heads downstairs with him and starts making breakfast, while he keeps her company
She’s decided to make pancakes – yum!
The family, Harry included, sit down for breakfast, and get to know him better
Harry seems to be hot headed, as he is angry this morning. The conversation turns unpleasant a few times but goes back to pleasant quickly – whether this means this relationship won’t last we will have to wait and see!
After breakfast Leia kisses her boyfriend goodbye and heads for a bubble bath
Before leaving, Harry stops by Mateo’s room and has a chat with him. They seem to be getting on quite well, which is nice
Downstairs, Kate and Salim are working side by side on respective projects
As Harry leaves, Leia is down to business looking around for a machine to start her vet training
She knows the first thing she needs is a craft table, where she will start making pet treats and selling them in order to make enough money to buy the rest of the items
Her parents agreed to pay for this already, and she finds one for $1,200
Then she looks for the next thing she’ll need later – a vet table. She figures she can set it up at home for a while, checking up on Tiddles and strays that wonder by looking unwell, doing a good deed while training. She needs $4,000 for this
So, without wasting any more time, she buys the craft table!
And gets to work, doing lab work for a while before risking making her first treats
Meanwhile, Mateo gets on with his homework
While Josette has some fun playing with her big sister’s teddy bear
Leia is getting on really well, already at level 2 of the veterinary skill
And Kate has finished another book!
After that, she heads over to Leia and asks her if she’d like to head over to a flea market being run in San Myshuno to pick up a few pieces of furniture
Leia agrees, and they soon find a nice and cheap couch that would be good for a waiting room
She tries out her haggling skills and manages to get a 25% discount!
So, she buys the couch
And a nice chair for owners to sit on inside the treatment room, for $200 in total! Nice!
And then they head home
To the glamour of pet ownership, cleaning out litter boxes and cleaning up hair piles
Before getting back to work! This girl is committed!
Mateo decides to head out for a jog, deciding to work on his athletic skill
Kate is still feeling sad over the loss of her friend Gavin
And decides to use her sadness to write a sad book to work through her feelings
In the kitchen, Leia and Josette are having lunch together and talking about Leia’s future plans to be a vet
Josette asks if she can be her assistant, and Leia agrees
aww. These sisters are too much
And then they head outside, where Leia pushes her little sister on the swing for a while
It’s been another productive day today for Kate and Salim, who have both finished books and are sending them off to literary digest – perfect, as they need some more money to help support Leia’s plans
And with that it’s the end of another day as the Benali-Armstrong’s head to bed
Ready for Josette’s birthday tomorrow!
What will happen next? What will Josette be like as a teen? How will the family celebrate? 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 Josette’s birthday and in the early hours she’s gone into her sister’s room and slept in her bed, as a monster under the bed scared her and she couldn’t sleep in her own room
Kate is up early and so gets to work writing excuse notes for Josette and Mateo. We unfortunately got a notification telling us that Salim’s time is near, and so we’re going to be taking the kids out of school for today and spending a family day
After writing the letters she gets started on breakfast, and Leia comes down to keep her company
Leia has a chat with her father about the day’s plans
While the birthday girl is upstairs playing with Tiddles
Kate has finished making breakfast – she cooked a grand breakfast to celebrate her youngest child’s birthday and to start the family day off right
And the family sit together to eat
Kate tells Josette that she has taken her and her brother out of school and that they will be spending the day together. She also tells her that Jolene will be coming to meet them for dinner later
And while the family get ready to head out, Kate finishes making Josette’s birthday cake
And the family head off to a local park to roller skate!
shout out to Cesal95 for this lot! I’m sorry to hear so many people are copying the lot but if you see this lot on the gallery it seems that the original was by Cesal95!
The roller rink has cool party lights and confetti falling down! Looks so cool!
The family get their skates on and head onto the rink to have some fun!
After a while though, Kate and Salim are struggling to keep up, triggering their elder exhaustion! So, they decide to head off the rink
And cuddle up together on a nearby bench
they are so cute. I can’t take the fact we might lose them soon. Agh ☹
And after a while, the family set up Josette’s birthday cake
And call her over to blow out the candles
Aging up! Hooray!
And Josette, our baby Benali-Armstrong, is now a teen! And she’s so pretty!
She looks so much like Jolene!
Leia wishes her baby sister a happy birthday
And the family head home to change before heading off for dinner!
The newly teenage Josette greets Jolene, who you’ll recall is her birth mother, outside the restaurant
And where are we eating? Well, Salim and Kate decided they wanted to take their children to the spot of their first date, an Asian boat restaurant we’ve seen a few times before!
The family are seated upstairs at a bigger table and place their orders
While waiting for their food, Mateo shares some high school top-tips with his little sister
And before long the food arrives! They’ve all gone for experimental dishes, and all seem happy with their orders as they eat and talk and joke around
After dinner the Benali-Armstrong’s stay in the restaurant to drink and spend extra family time
But Josette heads away with Jolene for a talk. She thanks her for the book and her letter, which was moving.
you can find that in a special episode up above!
Jolene talks to her daughter happily, telling her about her biological family and telling her that she’d be very welcome to get to know them when and if she wants to
Josette is happy with the offer but says that she needs to think about it before agreeing. Though Jolene is her birth mother, Kate and Salim are her parents, and she needs time to think about how a second family would affect them and her
I wonder, how are you guys finding this adoption storyline? I know it gets quite deep, but I really like exploring these less spoken about topics!
Of course, Jolene understands and the two take a photo together for Josette’s wall. She promises to text it to Jolene too!
Before heading back to meet her family and head home
To get into bed in her new bedroom!
I think this style really suits her! And note, the photo of the two on the wall!
Other features of the room include a new dresser, her book from Jolene, and her pet fish that her Father caught for her – his name is bubbles!
And an easel – Josette has always seemed quite creative and I wonder if she’ll enjoy painting as a hobby and potential career?
And with that we reach the end of another day in Brindleton Bay!
What will happen next? How will Josette like high school? Will Leia start making and selling her pet products? 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 Halloween and the Benali-Armstrong’s are in the spirit! Josette and Mateo are dressed up and heading off to school
Leia gets out the Halloween decorations
While Salim and Kate sit down for breakfast
Before being joined by their daughter
After eating and getting dressed for the day, Leia gets to work upping her vet skill
And Kate and Salim are getting into the party spirit!
With Kate as Princess Leia (appropriate, though in retrospect I should’ve probably made Leia wear this!)
And Salim as a villain
Doesn’t the house look great! Good job Leia!
In the office, Kate and Salim spend some romantic time together
Reminiscing about their lives and just happy to be together
Then Kate gets to work on a mystery book
While the rest of the family sit down to watch a scary movie (Leia even got dressed up in a maid’s outfit!)
And Josette recaps her first day of high school with her father
Before he heads outside to light the bonfire
And the family gather around to enjoy the warmth
Perfect!
And then, Salim begins to tell a scary story
Which goes down pretty well!
Especially scaring the girls!
As the fire dies, Salim finishes his story and leaves his kids satisfyingly scared
As the kids head to bed, Salim and Kate grab a glass of wine and sit in the garden to talk and enjoy the night time
And delicious wine
Then, Kate recommends stargazing, and the two lie down
Pointing out constellations and even some funny looking ones!
Before heading inside the couple decide to embrace their inner child and enjoy some time on the swing set!
You’re only as old as you feel, after all!
And then they head inside and into bed, tired from a day of fun
And that’s all for this episode!
What will happen next? Will Josette start painting? Will Leia achieve a high enough vet level to open up her clinic? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
The morning starts off with the kids waking up and getting themselves ready for the day ahead
While Kate prepares breakfast for her family
Before they all sit down together and enjoy it
Salim asks Leia how her plans for opening a clinic are going
And she explains that she has been looking at a few buildings to acquire, but they are a little out of her current price range
After breakfast, Josette helps out by doing the washing up
While the adults buy lottery tickets, in hopes of winning the jackpot
Josette and Mateo head off to school
And Leia enjoys some quality time with Tiddles
Before being joined by her mother, who listens intently to her plans for the future
Causing Leia to look online again for some more locations for her clinic
After a while of searching, she sits down with her parents and tells them some exciting news – she’s found a lot for $15,000! It’s still a lot, especially as the family only has around $21,000 at the moment and it’s unfurnished and needs a lot of work, but she’s excited for the challenge and asks for her parents’ advice
They tell her that they will talk it over and figure out the details, so she happily leaves them to discuss
While she excitedly does some more work, dreaming of doing this work in her own clinic one day soon…
As lunchtime passes the family start feeling peckish, and Kate prepares a caprese salad
Before inviting over Summer and Liberty to have lunch with them, wanting to spend some more time with her best friends
She shares the news of Leia’s plans, and they’re all very excited for her
The trio sit down and talk for a while
Before bidding each other goodbye
Josette and Mateo have since arrived home, and Josette watches interested as her sister works away
Before heading upstairs to do her first painting on her new easel
Downstairs, Leia and Salim sit and discuss the building she found. He agrees that it seems like a sound investment, and tells her that he is happy for her to use the family money to buy it – provided she’s willing to work hard to clean it up and make it great!
Leia happily thanks her Father, telling him she loves him and will make him proud
As evening rolls in Mateo gets to work on his homework
Before deciding to join his sisters in front of the TV (while still skimming over the work!)
WARNING. THE FOLLOWING SCENES MAY BE UPSETTING TO SOME PEOPLE. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS WHEN CONTINUING WITH THE STORY. THANK YOU
Ok, I hope that was enough space.
As you may have guessed, the next scene is not a happy one.
This scene was hard for me to even write – you forget how attached you get to these sims ☹
Upstairs, after taking a shower, Salim’s long and happy life comes to a sad end
at least he was clean, I guess?
Kate is devastated as she realises what has happened
But pulls herself together enough to take her husband’s urn downstairs
And the family gather together to mourn the loss of Salim
After crying and hugging and consoling each other, Josette goes into Kate’s room and asks her if she can talk to her.
Having lost her father, Josette has realised how short life truly is, and has decided she wants to take Jolene’s offer to meet her grandmother and uncle.
But, she wanted to make sure that Kate would be happy with that.
Kate, of course, is pleased that Josette has made the decision, knowing from talking to Jolene that her family are lovely people, and telling her how important it is to spend time with those important to you
After a while it’s time for bed. Kate, too sad to sleep in her bed alone, is welcomed into her daughter’s room to sleep for the night.
And that is all for this episode, ending on a sad note.
R.I.P. Salim Benali.
A husband
And a father
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
[/b] This episode contains funeral scenes. [/b]
Today is Thanksgiving (Harvest Fest), but we’re skipping it this year in favour of having an episode for Salim’s funeral instead
Our morning starts with Josette, who is making a call to her birth mother, Jolene. She asks if she could come over to her house tomorrow to meet her biological family. She is welcomed happily, and Jolene also sends her condolences on the loss of her father.
After that, Josette gets dressed
And heads in to wake up her mother and sister
Hugging them both
Before deciding to put her feelings into her painting
Downstairs, Leia is calling around the family friends to let them know that today will be Salim’s funeral
And in the kitchen, Mateo is helping his mother pick out readings for the funeral
And before long it’s time to get ready
Dressing in black
The family prepare for an emotional, but positive, celebration of Salim’s life
And it’s time to go
They meet their friends at the church
[/b] (built by ArgYeScallywags) [/b]
Inside the church Kate gives her reading, ensuring it is full of jokes and light hearted moments, to perfectly capture her husband
And then it’s time to light memorial candles
As the family console each other
The candles are lit
And as the rest of the family sit around and talk to friends about Salim, sharing stories, Kate heads over to the flower arranging table to make a bouquet for her husband’s grave
Placing it down with love and care
And placing two single flowers on the graves of Gavin and Liberty, who unfortunately passed away inside the church just minutes earlier
Oh god. This is too emotional. Liberty is gone. I can’t.
Knowing that her godsons are now orphaned, she knows she wants to do something
After consulting Mateo and Josette
She sits down in a quiet corner with Leia to ask her how she would feel about inviting the boys to move in with them.
It is nearly Kate’s time (cry), so Leia will be left as the oldest and in charge of the house. She will likely have to raise Josette (and possibly Mateo) after Kate passes.
She knows she’s essentially asking her to raise two more teens, if she were to pass before the twins age up to adults and are able to move out
Leia tells her that of course she is okay with that, and she would do anything to help the boys, after how close she was with Liberty, her godmother
So, back at home, Kate happily moves her bed and drawers into the office
I was going to make this the twins room or a full bedroom but 1) we might need an office in the future and 2) it was redecorated for Salim’s birthday and I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of his stuff yet
And turning that room into a room for the boys, who have to share but are very happy to do so, and grateful to Kate for welcoming them into her house
Kate sits down with the boys to ensure that they feel comfortable and explains to them things that are going on in the house (such as Josette’s adoption and birth family, Leia’s vet training, etc.)
The boys also have $90,000 from the sale of their family home, which Kate ensures will be saved for them to move into their own place when they graduate
(I’ve taken the $90,000 out of the overall family money, and left $20,000, the rest of the money from the Reeve’s estate, as a sort of left-in-the-will gift to Kate for taking in the boys. Hope that makes sense!)
Deciding against cooking, Kate calls out for pizza
And the newly merged family sit together to eat, not talking much
And after dinner they all head to bed, exhausted from an emotional day, but happy that Salim and Liberty’s memories were celebrated so fondly
And that’s all for this episode!
It was a sad one, but I felt so connected to these sims after narrating their lives for so long, and I felt the need to give them closure with a proper goodbye.
What will happen next? Will Leia go ahead with the purchase of the clinic she found? Will the boys be okay living with the Benali-Armstrong’s? How will Josette’s meeting with her biological family go?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING
XOX OliCait XOX
Right?! I loved writing that part, so romantic!
Oh yes! When he first held Leia! He was so happy 💜
It’s an important day today for Josette as she’s heading off to meet her biological Grandmother and Uncle!
As you’ll recall, when Jolene got pregnant with Josette she was living with her Mother, Tina, and her kid brother Clayton
So, waking up early, Josette gets ready to head over to San Myshuno
Where her birth mother lives in an apartment
She knocks on the door and waits nervously
Before being greeted by Jolene
And taken into the living room to meet her grandmother and uncle
Josette spends the first part of her day showing her family photos and telling them stories about her childhood
The Timothy’s and Josette sit together at the dining table as she tells them about her parents, Kate and Salim, and her siblings, Leia and Mateo.
Tina in turn tells her granddaughter stories about Jolene, about the difficulty she had deciding to give her up, and how much she talks about her after her visits
Josette is appreciative to get to know her birth family, especially after losing her father
After talking for a while longer, Josette hands Jolene a gift
It’s a painting she did, one of the first. She wanted Jolene to have it!
Aww!
After the gift exchange, the four sit down for lunch, and continue talking
They exchange more stories, laugh at jokes, and enjoy some tasty sandwiches
After lunch, Jolene decides to show Josette around her neighbourhood
Josette even throws a coin into a fountain, making a wish
Before they sit down at a bench next to it
Time is getting on and Josette has to head home soon, but she decides she wants to take some photos with Tina and Clayton before she goes home
She looks just like her uncle, doesn’t she?
Back in the apartment, the four of them watch some TV
And then it’s time for Josette to head home
She’s happy with the result of the day, happy that she’s met her biological family
So, a quick update on what else has been happening today!
Leia worked on her vet skill again
And also made some calls about the lot she wants to buy
While the boys try to get back to normalcy after an emotional few days by catching up on school work
And Kate worked on finishing a book about loss
When Josette gets home she heads into the office to talk to her mother about her day
She tells her about Jolene’s family, and about what she found out about her
She tells her that it made her miss her Father, but know how loved she was by him
And she even shows Kate the photos she took
Before bed, Josette decides to write an entry in the journal that Jolene gave to her
She writes about the day she had, and what it meant to her
Today I met my biological family, my grandmother and my uncle. They were lovely. They told me the story of my birth, about how hard it was but how they knew how loved I would be. And I was. And am.
Meeting them made me miss my Father, but I know now more than ever how lucky I was to be adopted by him, to be his daughter. To have the family I have.
I hope I get to see the Timothy’s again one day. They are my second family. And I love them.
And with that, it’s the end of another day. What will happen next? Will the household get back to normalcy? Will Leia buy her clinic? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING
XOX OliCait XOX
Welcome back! The Benali-Armstrong household is back to a level of normalcy this morning, with Mateo taking on the role of man-of-the-house and fixing a broken toilet
And Kate back in the groove making breakfast for her family
And they all sit and eat together, discussing their plans for their Saturday
The guys are excited for their PROM tomorrow night – the twins age up on Monday, and Mateo on Wednesday!
While Leia asks her mother to join her going to the lot she’s buying for her clinic and help her get it cleaned up before the final paperwork goes through and she officially owns it!
Of course, our Kate is excited to do some cleaning!
Leia notices though that her little sister is looking particularly sad
So, she asks her to come along too, emphasising how much she needs her help to get the place in shape!
And while the guys sit on the couch to discuss their prom (mainly the party aspect, of course)
The girls head off to see the lot that Leia has bought
It’s… quaint?
Leia explains that it’ll be perfect once it’s cleaned up, and that it just needs some love
Or… a lot of love, as inside is covered in clutter…
Exposed piping…
And it looks like someone has been living in the upstairs room!
But, not to be put off by a little elbow grease, the girls get to work!
The clean the floors and cobwebs
Clear out the trash
And before long, the mess is gone!
Much better!
Leia thanks her Mother and Sister for their help
And treats them to some food from a nearby seafood shack
They sit and enjoy their food, discussing the lot some more
side note – I scrolled too fast to the side and this is what I saw. And it made me jump! And I had to share!
So, with that the lot is cleaned up!
Next, Leia has got people coming to do the lawn, and then once the wallpaper and flooring has been changed she can furnish it and open for business!
Back at home the boys have put up Leia’s vet table for her! Aww!
And Leia starts making belly rub gel, her first creation on her lab table!
In the kitchen Kate makes a quick dinner of cioppino (sp?)
And the family sit together to enjoy their dinner and recap their days
After eating and before bed, Mateo and Thomas sit down and play a video game
Kate finishes off her book
And then it’s time for bed
And that’s all for today! What will happen next? How will Mateo’s prom go? Will Leia finally be able to open for business? And where will the Reeves twins decide to move after they’ve aged up?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Hello and welcome back!
We begin this Sunday morning with Kate and Leia, who are having a deep conversation
Kate’s time is coming and she is going to pass any day now, so she needs to talk to her daughter about the future
She explains that if she needs to, sell the family home and split the money across the three children, meaning they can all afford nice homes and live comfortably
Kate then hugs her daughter and tells her she loves her
Upstairs, Josette is at her easel again, painting something new
While the guys are getting spruced up for their prom
Pampering themselves
Josette, meanwhile, is still working on a new piece. She wants to paint something for Leia’s vet clinic, but wants to make sure it’s perfect before she gives it to her
Aw, it’s cute!
Elsewhere, Kate decides to meet Summer at a café to talk, knowing they won’t be around much longer
They reminisce and express their love for one another, with Kate remembering the day the three of them came over to her new home to welcome her
They sit and eat scones and continue talking
Before heading up to a balcony to enjoy some drinks
But after a while it’s time for Kate to head home
Where Leia and Josette are talking at the kitchen table, probably about the vet clinic, school and Josette’s new hobby of painting
Kate gets working on a birthday cake for the boys
While they’re upstairs getting ready for their prom…
And looking very dapper
Kate tells her son how handsome he looks
While Leia has wondered outside and I find her staring into the distance – she’s probably thinking about her talk with Kate and what she’s going to do about the house after her mother is gone
But away from the sombre thought and back to the boys, who are heading off in style to their prom…
Which is an ‘under the sea’ theme – in winter
Unique, but cute!
By the way guys you can find a speed build for this lot here:
Downstairs at the dance floor the guys are throwing moves
The dance floor is under the sea, and you can see fish swimming around outside the windows!
Outside, Thomas is talking to his friend Helena – the two are both flirty – open to interpretation
Meanwhile the headline DJ shows up
So, the group of teens head over to watch and dance
Having fun talking and joking and enjoying the music
As the evening begins to wind down, Mateo grabs a drink for some Dutch courage
Why, you ask?
Well, because it’s a winter prom tradition to do the polar bear dive in the water surrounding the lot
So, they have fun splashing and swimming in the freezing water before having to get back out as they get too cold
With them heading into the warmth of the dance floor for a few last songs
And a little chatting with their friends
Before it’s time to head home
And head to bed
And that’s all for today!
What will happen next? What will the boys do once they’ve aged up? Will Leia finally open her clinic? What else will happen?
Find out next time on The Life of The Benali-Armstrong’s!
THANKS FOR READING!
XOX OliCait XOX
Haha hi! Yes its a phrase to mean gaining strength or bravery from drinking alcohol! We use it all the time here in England!
Hope youre enjoying the story! I was actually just reading back over the first page and saw your comment way back in October! Thanks for sticking with my story!