Welcome to Round 1 of the Baldwin Family


We join the Baldwin Family as they arrive at Carlos' old house. It has been vacant for months while all the legal issues were ironed out.



What a mess! The house looks like vagrants have had the run of the place.


The side door is broken and won't close. Trash piles all over!


It's obvious the house needs a complete re-do!


Remodeling is well underway. Benjamin had to take out a large mortgage. *The rules I apply to these "mortgages" at certain homes is that 1 mortgage bush must be "paid off" per Round at the least.*


As summer comes to an end the renovations have been mostly completed. A full basement was added, the open porch was enclosed to expand the living room, all walls repainted, new floors and new landscaping! It's too late in the season to apply to the Garden Club but it's in the plans come spring. Some of uncle Carlos' furniture was in good condition and was re-purposed.


Carlos has a place of honor in a corner of the yard. Isabelle thinks he would enjoy watching over the children playing nearby.


Marcus is settled quickly into his playroom. Isabelle went all out giving her children specially decorated rooms. Space ships for Marcus and Princess Castle for Sofia. She knows Sofia will soon grow out of such a design but for now she loves it.


The family takes a dip in the pool. It's early fall, but still warm enough to enjoy a refreshing dip.


Isabel loves how the house turned out.


There are the tables and bookcase that used to belong to her uncle. They look perfect in the new family room.


Isabelle redid the house in warm earth tones as a nod to the cozy Mediterranean feel of the original house. The original entrance really didn't suit the seaside climate though as the open portico was too cold and unusable half the year. The added space to the front room made it better for a large family as well.


... and then a poor decision at work caused Benjamin to lose his job. The first Mortgage payment is due soon!


"Am I going to a new school now Mom?" Sofia seems worried about all the recent changes happening so quickly.
"Yes I picked up your new uniform, you start on Monday. You will come home to a nanny after school."
Isabelle explained to Sofia about the mortgage payment coming due, and that she would have to go back to work to help pay the bills.


Isabel had been a cadet before the children were born, she applied to the BC department and they were happy to hire her immediately.


Isabelle only worked for a month before she had to take Maternity leave. For a Family Sim she is having a lot of trouble with her pregnancy. Benjamin found a new job in a small Law Firm. He seems to be enjoying the change in career.


The family settles into their new routine over the next few months and Isabelle is feeling better as she approaches her due date. It's time for some Birthdays! Marcus first...


And he grows up happy and in pretty decent clothes. No wardrobe changes for now, Isabelle will have to check his swimsuit and pajamas later to be sure.


They were preparing for Sofia's birthday when... time for baby! It's a boy!


Oops... the hand off to Daddy means...


Another set of twins! Boy & Girl named Denise & Damien


Time to get back on track for Sofia's birthday!


She rolled Fortune Aspiration and is attracted to fit guys with glasses... hmm. Need to change those clothes though.


Much better! Just returned from a shopping trip at the H&M and she already has a locked want to earn scholarships. Her grades will get her one. Time to find a teen job and start studying. Her body skill is nearly high enough as well as she heads for the swimming pool whenever she isn't directed to skill or do homework.


We come to the end of the Baldwin Family Round 1, they were able to pay off the first Mortgage Shrub... 4 more to go. Isabelle is thinking of another child... should they adopt? Will they manage to join the Garden Club?

* I apologize for the photo quality in this and the next 1 or 2 stories. Somehow all my game settings were reset to the default smaller & lower-quality pics and I didn't realize it until after the weeks were played.*

Next in the round is the Rutherford Family. WOT is identity crisis. Earn the Renu-U Senso Orb and use D6 days in a row at D12 time of day to determine new permanent aspiration. Who will get zapped? Wait & see!