The Poverty Challenge - The Sims 2 - Part II

In part I, Family Sim Joy Hickey started with a 5X5 lot, and $100 in her pocket.  She got a job in Politics at $308 a day and found the two bolter love of her life Knowledge Sim Matthew Howe.  Together they pulled in $616 on work days.  At the end of two weeks of play, they had a small two room dirt floor home, and a baby on the way.  How will the fare with a little one on the way?

Day 15

It is the last day of spring, and the garden was finally started.  Four tomato plants.

All things romantic in the spring, Joy wanted to ask a Sim on a date, and so it was.  It was a day off work for the Howes, so they spent their time dating, gardening, and fishing.  The two twin beds were sold, and a double bed bought as sure as anything, Joy rolled woohoo.  

Day 16

It was a day of going to work.  Think Joy's job might be borked.  She was fired on a chance card on day13, but the carpool came for her the next day and she went anyway, and was paid.  She was originally awarded the appropriate number of maternity leave days, then they drained away day after day as if she was taking them, when she was going to work and getting paid.  Was wanting to save them for use later.  We will see.

Little Shona was born early in the morning. After she was born, Joy's body did not return to normal, she stay pregnant looking.  So, she and Matt tried again for baby and was successful.  Her body returned to normal.  All this was so weird, ASimWen didn't get any pictures.  So, here's some fish Matt caught. Free decoration.  Lots of fish put up in the fridge, and the tomatoes are coming along.

Day 17

ASimWen decided to do something about Joy's job...so Joy checked the paper as Matt headed out to work while she took maternity leave.

More money!  Yippee!!!  She took it.  Joy thought that Matt better find a different job as well so there would always be someone around for the children.  Matt came home and checked and found:

Look at that!  Now Matt and Joy will be on opposite shifts, so someone will always be home for the children.  Matt had only been home for an hour and headed right back out again.

He was very happy that his kids would not have to be left with a babysitter!  (not allowed in the challenge anyway!)

Day 18

There was a feeble attempt at working up some aspiration, but it was a total failure.

Joy stayed so tired she couldn't stand up very long and had to go to bed.

It was Shonas birthday.  Finally got some pictures of her in the blog!

Aquarius - Family Sim

Aww look at that!  What a cutie-patooty!  She has her mama's dark blue eyes and her daddy's brown hair.  She was immediately plopped onto the potty chair, then put to bed.

Day19

Joy does most of the gardening.  It shouldn't be long before the tomatoes are ready.

Shona won one toddler skill, thanks to her dad.  She earned some good aspiration points!

Day 20

This day was little Louisa's birthday.

Joy went into labor right after working the garden.  Shona was oblivious to everything.

Awww...she has the blue eyes of her mom and the brown hair of her dad.  And yes...ASimWen spun the controls so this family would not suffer the "first born syndrome" to make sure Louisa would not be a carbon copy of Shona.

Matt is so super happy to have another daughter!

Just for an update...the Howes have $1,484 cash on hand right now.  You never know what expense will come up!

Day 21

Shona actually learned all of her toddler skills, and this without smart milk or the thinking cap!  She should have a good grow up, which will occur on day 22.

Joy actually got to go to work a day.  Bring in those simoleons!  And...Matt was home to stay with the girls.

Day 22

This random townie, Daryl, is knocking over the trash for some reason.  Who knows!

Today was Shona's birthday.

Matt and Joy were so happy they were practically busting buttons.  And some random townie who came barging in when he heard "Happy Birthday" being sung.

It was also Louisa's cake up day!

Sagittarius - Knowledge Sim

Shona and Louisa are completely different looking Sims in both appearence and personality.  What fun!

Day 23

Shona is over joyed that she has learned how to do homework.  Hopefully she will be able to keep her grades up! 

Taking care of the two girls is exhausting!  And no wonder Joy felt so wrung out.  She and Matt had another baby on the way!  By now Joy was 8 days aging up to elder.

Day 24

It was Louisa's cake up day!

Happy birthday to yoooou!  Shona was in the shower...haha

Boy she looks like Matt.

Day 25

Joy needed some fun, as General Buzz Grunt made a regular habit of  stealing the newspaper, so there was absolutely nothing to do for fun.  Joy headed across the street to the Shack and stole some food for lunch and played a little pinball.  Then it was back home.  It wouldn't be long before the baby was born.

Day 26
 

At 1:30 AM....Twinsies! Flynn and Eva. Joy is 6 days from aging up.

Desparation was starting to set in.  Without a newspaper to read, Matt couldn't learn anything.  He had constant wishes for skills.  Nothing to skill with on the lot.

Shona and Louisa couldn't play together long enough to become friendly enough to play red hands.  Poor girls!

Day 27

Sagittarius - Knowledge

Sagittarius - Knowledge

*Sigh* Clone syndrome.  Same as their sister Louisa.  ASimWen had rolled the pacifier, but in a different play session.  hmmm...  At any rate Matt was happy to help the kids with their birthday, then on to midnight shift at work.

Day 28

Family - Graduate 3 From College (ain't gonna happen)

We end this chapter with Shona's birthday to teen.  She had an immediate wish to get First Kiss....well..it just so happened that Shona chose for her best (boy) friend to grow up with her.

Meet Samuel Riley.  The daddy of the next generation in the Poverty Challenge.

Summary:

During this chapter Joy and Matt expanded their little dirt floor house to three rooms plus a bathroom. A kitchen and two bedrooms.  They needed the space to house 4 children.  The first born, Shona the heiress, grew to teen.  Both Matt and Joy kept switching jobs until they worked opposite shifts so someone would always be home with the kids, and had high daily pay.  They managed cheap linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom, and cheap carpeting in the bedrooms.  They bought a refrigerator and cheap$100 counters for the kitchen.

There is $1,769 in the bank.    And that's it!  What did I learn from playing this chapter?  That penguins will stand and wave at mounted fish.

See you in the next chapter.  Thanks everyone!