sims-and-counting - Tumblr blog

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Mr G: So, Summer - 

Sav: It’s Savanna, Mr Goatherd.

Mr G: Ah, right, right. Savanna, now that your big sister is married, are you looking forward to finding the man the Watcher has ordained for you?

Sav: Well, I’m a lot younger than Stella, so... no, not really. I mean.. I trust that the Watcher will bring him to me when it’s the right time.

Mr G: Hmmmmm.... well, what if that comes sooner rather than later?

Sav: Oh... erm.... I’d really it rather didn’t. I’m contented helping Stella in her new role!

Summer: *blowing raspberries*

Janie: Summer! Stop that, Mr Goatherd will see!

Summer: Exactly, then he’ll stop hitting on my 15 year old sister like a creep!

Janie: SUMMER!

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Since Stella Grace got married at the same church Sam and I did, the photographer had Stella Grace and Jed recreate our wedding photos! Stella Grace looks just like her Mama and Jeb even looks a little like Sam, so it turned out perfectly! Can you guess who is who? ;) 

We also got this lovely photo of all of us together - Stella Grace and I look like siblings! Ladies, prayer is the best anti-aging treatment you could ask for!

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Stella Grace’s official wedding portraits are in! Aren’t she and Jeb the most Watcherly, lovely couple?

We couldn’t convince Seven to be a bridesmaid - she hated the dresses! But at least we got her in for one photo of all the bridesmaids and sisters. We had her leave the second picture though - the yellow really distracted from the beauty of our Watcherly bridesmaids!

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Stella’s wedding reception was just so beautiful! The theme was light blue, since it’s Mr Goatherd’s favourite colour. I’ll be sharing a few pictures from the reception as well as her professional photos!

Since Mr Goatherd’s birthday is next week, we Stella Grace and Jeb had a birthday cake for him! We al got together to sing happy birthday to Mr Goatherd and tell him how much we love and appreciate him. 

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San Sequoia Church

Mr Goatherd: - Marriage is a sacred covenant in which the Watcher joins a man and a woman to be one flesh so that they are able to raise up Watcherly generations to continue His mission. “What therefore the Watcher hath joined together, let not sim put asunder.” The bride and groom will now say their vows to the Watcher and to each other. Jeb, please begin.

Jeb: Stella Grace, today I take you to be my wife, my faithful helpmeet, and my Watcherly-ordained life partner, loving you now and as you grow and develop into all that the Watcher intends. I will be a lifelong provider and protector for you and however many children the Watcher blesses us with. I give you this ring as a symbol of my unending love for you.

SG: OOH! I do like this ring, the bigger size was definitely the right choice. You know, I’m still not so sure about the gold setting though--

Jeb: Ahem...

SG: Oh, right. I do! Yep, same here! I’ll obey you and raise Watcherly children with you and all that stuff. Here’s your ring. 

Mr G: Ah, women. So silly and unreliable! And that’s why the Watcher designated men to be the headship of the family! Alright young man, you may now kiss your bride! 

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SG: Sydney, can you please eat that somewhere else? I’m starving and you’re not helping!

Summer: Just eat something already, Mama won’t know. You’re so hangry.

SG: She will! She’s following me - every time I even think about going into the kitchen, she’s there!

Summer: Whatever. Are you more excited to get married or to get to eat again?

SG: Uhm.... both, I think. Definitely both. Sav’s going to lose her mind though, she’s already cried herself to sleep twice this week - 

Seven: Stella, did you know that if you didn’t eat for a long time, you could die? My book says - 

Summer: Oh shut up, Seven. No one cares. Anyway...

Summer: Don’t worry about Sav, she’s too sensitive. She’ll get over herself. 

SG: Or she’ll play mopey violin the entire time I’m away on my honey moon and you’ll be begging me to get a divorce and move back home just to stop her.

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Heaven: Stella Grace! You look absolutely massive! What have you been eating lately?

SG: Erm... nothing special. Just some burgers, some cake at Sadie’s wedding, some popcorn last week, food from the food-tasting for our wedding catering - 

Heaven: Watcher help me - you’re never going to fit into your dress!

SG: I think it’s fine, Mama. I thought I looked too thin in my dress, actually - 

Heaven: It’s your Watcherly duty to stay trim and fit! What will Jeb think? He’ll turn around and walk straight out of the church! You need to start exercising and stop eating so much right this instant!

SG: Fine, Mama. I’ll go change - 

Heaven: No time! You need to go now - there’s just a month til your wedding, this is practically an emergency! 

SG: Fine - 

Heaven: WAIT! Don’t forget a chaperone. Take Savanna. She’s looking chubby lately too. Run for at least two hours, twice a day, and only eat salad. That should do it!

SG: Screaming internally.

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Sadie and Youth Pastor Kyle Kyleson are officially married! They had a small ceremony in the San Sequoia Church, where Sadie promised to love, worship, and obey Youth Pastor Kyle Kyleson. I must say, raising Sadie up for the Watcher was quite the challenge what with her sinful nature (inherited from her real parents, not from Sam and I of course!), but she’s turned out fine. But any further corrections to her behaviour and countenance are Youth Pastor Kyle Kyleson’s problem now!

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Stella Grace’s engagement photos have just come in! Aren’t they the most handsome, Watcherly couple? Their wedding is just three months away - time sure is flying!

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Heaven: Stella Grace, darling, let me see the ring! Oh! That's beautiful, Jeb did a great job. Were you surprised? Tell me everything you’re thinking!

SG: I’m kind of tired, Mama. I think I’ll get ready for bed. Where’s Sav?

Heaven: Already upstairs - she said she wasn’t feeling well. I did remind her about her cleaning duties, but she promised she’d do them tomorrow morning - 

SG: Thanks Mama! Good night!

A few moments later...

SG: Savvy, I’m going to bed now - what’s wrong! Why are you crying - are you really unwell? Mama said - 

Sav: I’m not sick! I’m sad. You’re leaving me! I’ll never see you again and you’ll forget all about me.

SG: I’m not leaving you, Savvy. I’m just getting married. Nothing’s going to change, I told you!

Sav: But it will! Mama said! She said you’ll be busy with Jeb all day and you’ll never want to see me again and I’ll be all alone!

SG: That’s stupid, don’t listen to her. We’ll be 30 minutes away in Gilbert Gardens. Jeb even bought a house with a pool! How cool is that? You can visit as much as you want. 

Sav: Really?

SG: Sure! Jeb works full time anyway, so I’d be all alone during the day. We can do lots of fun things together. 

Sav: Can I stay over too? I’ll help you with whatever you want if you say yes!

SG: Erm.. well.. Jeb and I might want a little time alone together...

Sav: Why? Can’t I just pretend not to pay attention like I did on your dates?

SG: Ah - I’ll think about it.

Sav: But when you have kids - you won’t be too busy for me?

SG: Ha! I do not want children any time soon. I’ve spent my whole life looking after you lot, I don’t need any more of that.

Sav: But the Watcher and Mr Goatherd and Mama says...

SG: Savvy, you don’t have to listen to everything they say all the time, you know. You can use your own brain sometimes.

Sav: But Mama says - 

SG: Enough, Savvy. I promise it’ll all be ok. You’ll be my maid of honour at my wedding and we’ll be sisters and best friends forever, Ok?

Sav: Ok... if you promise.

SG: I promise. Love you, Savvy.

Sav: Love you more than anything else in the whole word, Stella. Except the Watcher of course.

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That’s right, Jeb surprised Stella Grace by proposing at her birthday party! He is so thoughtful that way, and she was completely shocked!

Of course, she said yes! This Mama’s heart is so proud - and so excited to plan a wedding! Both Jeb and Stella Grace want to keep this engagement as short as possible. No surprises why ;) They just can’t wait to start their Watcher-honouring lives together!

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It’s a season of celebrations in the Gilbert family - Stella Grace has aged up to an adult. I can hardly believe my precious firstborn is now all grown up - it makes this Mama’s heart swell with pride to know the Watcherly lady she has become!

Stella Grace and Savanna have the most special relationship (after me and Stella Grace, of course!). They are close as two peas in a pod, and Savvy sometimes says Stella Grace is like her second mother! It’s SO precious.

We had such a wonderful time at Stella Grace’s party - all her friends from Church and WIMP came to celebrate with her. But that’s not all!

While Stella Grace was enjoying her cake (just looking, not eating because cake is bad for your figure!) a special person arrived to ask a special question...

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It’s my birthday! Praise the Watcher, I'm now 40! For such a big occasion, my girls planned me a surprise party! Almost our whole church came to celebrate my special day, and I felt so loved and blessed! My favourite colour is pink, so the party was pink-themed! Even the cake was decorated in pink. 

My perfect little family has made the last two decades of my life so special. It just shows you the importance of having true faith in the Watcher and He will give you what you deserve!

Sarah-Skye was being fussy so wasn’t in this picture, but we got another picture with her outside. Isn’t she just Sam’s little twinsie? She was blonde as a newborn, but her hair went dark when she aged up. Now we have 4 dark-haired children (like Sam) and 6 blondes (like me!).

My mother and father are getting older and weren’t able to travel from Sulani to be here, but my twin sister Honour came! I’m not sure how Stella Grace was able to get her to come - Honour is such a grumpy guts (no wonder she never married!) But she is my twin so it’s her birthday too. I let her share some of my birthday cake (after I cut it of course!) and we sang happy birthday to her as well.

I tried to tell her about the amazing work WIMP has been doing in our lives and how Watcherly my family is now, and that she should join too, but she didn’t seem too interested and just wanted to talk about how hard it was taking care of our parents all by herself. I reminded her that that was her Watcherly path and she should consider herself blessed, but she just walked away after that. So rude!

We had plenty of food and even a dance floor! Of course, most dancing is against the Watcher’s word according to Mr Goatherd. But we did some sin-free, Watcher-honouring dancing instead! 

This season of life will definitely be filled with challenges as I start giving away my precious children in marriage, but I am so excited for all the blessings I can look forward to as well - mostly grand babies!

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Courtyard Cafe, San Sequoia

Jeb: So you’re sure she’s not listening...

SG: I’m sure! Savvy’s just sitting close enough to look like she’s chaperoning and close enough to warn us if anyone we know walks by. But she’s got earplugs in to be extra safe. We’re practically completely alone!

Jeb: Fantastic. I’m so glad we can have this special time together, I just wish we could be a little more... private, if you know what I mean...

SG: Me too! But we’ll be married soon, I hope, and then we can have all the alone time we want.

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Praise the Watcher, our 10th child has been born! Another little girl. I kept this pregnancy more quiet as we had some complications (AN: Those complications being this author just forgot to post anything about it) but I’m so pleased to share her birth with you all!

I’m really enjoying the newborn stage with this little one - who we’ve named Sarah-Skye Samantha! Our kids voted on the name and we couldn’t narrow it down to more than 3 names. 

My birthday is in just a few months and I know I may not be blessed with any more children, but I will keep hoping and praying! How I would love to be expecting at the same time as Stella Grace! But either way, I’m going to love being a grandmama to my sweet grand babies.

Oh and in other news, Sadie got engaged to Youth Pastor Kyleson. Don’t they look happy!

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The Gilbert Backyard, San Sequoia 

SG: Hey Seven.. what are you up to? Mama sent me to find you for chores.

Seven: Science project. Go away, I have important science to do!

SG: Erm, Seven - you know science is against the watcher’s word. 

Seven: The Watcher invented science. Science is against Mama’s word, not His. I’m doing chemistry right now - the Watcher invented that too. I read it in that book you gave me.

SG: Oh... right. 

Seven: You can leave now. I want to do science, not chores. Unless you want to learn about science too?

SG: Uhm... sure, why don’t you teach me about science, then maybe we can talk about why the Watcher says science is a sin! And why you’re not wearing your shoes again - you know it makes mama mad.

Seven: I don’t like shoes. Or chores. I do like science. Now, what I’m doing here is making a volcano that’s going to explode like the real ones do. Except it’s not real, of course. It’s just an experiment. 

SG: And the Watcher made volcanos?

Seven: NO. Volcanos are made when magma explodes from the earth, the cools and hardens into rocks. That’s the volcano, duh. 

SG: So the Watcher made the magma?

Seven: No, the earth’s core made the magma. And the Watcher didn’t make that either so don’t ask.

Summer: Stellaaaaa Mama sent me to look for you and Seven, she thought you'd be back ages ago - what’s going on?

Seven: I’m doing science! And it’s very important so you both need to leave, now. You’re being too loud.

Summer: You can’t speak to us like that! You need to obey us - 

SG: Save it, Summer. She’s not gonna listen. We can split up her chores so we’ll still get them done. Mama won’t care who does them, as long as they’re done.

Summer: Fine. Bye, Seven. Have fun with your science.

Seven: Can you just leave already?

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Sam and Heaven have set Sadie up on a ‘getting to know you’ date with another young man, local Youth Pastor Kyle Kyleson. They decide to hang out in the Gilbert backyard, and they seem to be getting along well...

Sadie: This is so fun! I don’t know anyone else who would spend an hour on the swings with me!

Kyle: Right?? Who says swings are just for kids.

Sadie: I’m having a really great time. We should do this again!

Kyle: Erm, Sadie... can we talk about something before this goes any further?

Sadie: Ok...

Kyle: But you have to promise you won’t speak a word of this to anyone, even if you never want to see me again.

Sadie: You’re scaring me now.

Kyle: You have to promise.

Sadie: Fine, I promise. What is it?

Kyle: Ok, here goes... ahem... I don’t really... like you.

Sadie: You don’t? I thought we were having so much fun together.

Kyle: No, I mean, I like you as a friend, but I - uh - don’t like any women like that. You know, romantically.

Sadie: Oh... you mean you’re *whispers* a hom-

Kyle: Yes, yes. I am! Please, keep your voice down. No one can know.

Sadie: Then why are you telling me? And why did Mother say you were looking for a wife?

Kyle: I am looking for a wife. I don’t want to, but I’ve been a pastor here for five years and people are starting to get suspicious. I really just want a friend - someone I can live with, have a good time with. Maybe one or two kids just so no one asks any questions. 

Sadie: I... don’t know what to say. This seems so un-Watcherly.

Kyle: You seem kind and fun and interesting - I thought maybe we could be happy together - like best friends. Even if we’re not in love. You can have time to think about it, if you’d like. But just don’t tell anyone, please. But I think we could be really happy together - you can have your own room in my house, we can get a swingset. I just ask that you be a good wife on the outside. What we do in our house is our own business.

Sadie: I think... I don’t know what I think. I need a moment...

Sadie goes back inside, where Heaven is waiting....

Sadie: Uhm, mother, Kyle is super nice and all, but I don’t think it’s really going to work out... I don’t think I’m quite his... type.

Heaven: What? Who says your opinion matters? Sam and I think he’s a great choice for you - a youth pastor is an excellent career! You go back to him right now and tell him you’re interested in a courtship.

Sadie: But mother - 

Heaven: Now!