Belio - December 2020

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The Belio Family

Bram is 46, Ling is 45, Stephan and Steven are 12

(Quan Min is 50, Chu Min is 49, Hans Mokara is 48, Yin Mokara is 48, Bai Zang is 28, Jack Penninkmeijer is 25, Johanna Belio is 22, Anna Min is 21, Melina Mokara is 16, Benny Min is 15, David Mokara is 8, Sam Mokara is 7, Alex Zang is 1)

Narrated by Steven

We have Christmas holiday, and Stephan and I try to take the most of it. It's our first year in high school, and it's a lot harder than we expected, so the holiday was much needed. We mostly hang out with some other teens at the newly opened skating rink in SimsVille Up Hill.

We don't go there before noon though, and mostly spend the entire morning in our PJ's on the couch watching cartoons.

Our course parents wouldn't be parents if they just their teens hang out on the couch the entire holiday and just alloew them to do nothing at all. Because of the holidays it's too busy at the shop for dad to handle on his own, so he recruited me and Stephan to help out.

Dad keeps us away from the customers as much as possible. We are mostly 'in charge' of restocking the place, which is practically impossible at the moment. The customers buy way faster than we can restock.

Dad occupies himself with the customers. He aswers all of their questions, and directs them to the things they are looking for.

Restocking all day is kind of boring so both Stephan and I take our chance to interact with the customers when dad is busy. So far there aren't any complaints, so I don't think we're doing a bad job.

One of us occasionally has to handle the cash register, which isn't a gratefull job at all! Remembering all the prices, working with a machine you never worked with before, and doing it fast, so the customers don't have to wait too long ... we're both very happy when dad come to take over!

After all it really wasn't the holiday we were both hoping it would be, but when we get home from work, it still feels like vacation. Mom went a little bit overboard when decorating the house, and it now looks like a Christmas shop.

This year's Christmas Eve, Jo and Jack came by to celebrate with us. It was nice to have Jo in the house again, and Jack really is a lot of fun. Sometimes it's strange to see her sit down with mom and dad and having a civil conversation, when they always used to argue when Jo still lived at home.

Since we had to work this vacation, Stephan and I didn't have the chance to enjoy the snow as much as we planned at the beginning of the holiday. So instead of staying inside, and act all grown up, we went outside to build a snowman.

It didn't take Jo and Jack long before they joined us outside. But instead of building a snowman, Jack started throwing snowballs at Jo.

It was the start of real snowball fight between them. I think we all had as much fun watching them as they had throwing the snowballs at each other.

When we were all inside again, getting warm, mom started preparing dinner; a huge turkey.

It was nice to all sit donw at the dinnertable again, and having a nice meal together. I think we should do this more.

Christmas Day we were all invited at uncle Hans and aunt Yin's house, to celebrate Christmas with the entire family.

With all the boyfriends, and girlfriends, and babies being added to the family, I think this was the last time we were all together in one house, but still it was fun.

Even though Jo and Anna meet up a lot, they still have so much to talk about, and are always together at familygatherings.

Anna brought her oldest son, Alex, and her boyfriend, Bai, entertained the little boy the entire day, while she was catching up with her family.

While the adults were all inside, Stephand, Benny, Melina and I went outside to have, yet another, snowball fight.

You wouldn't tell it by looking at her, but Melina can throw pretty hard!

I think the snowballfight was a littel bit too wild for Sam and David, but they entertained themselfs by building a snowman. Christmas and snow is always fun!

Extra:

The new lot, especially build for this update, because Steven and Stephan are too young to go downtown to Simmeria, to go to the ice rink there. So I build one in SimsVille Up Hill, and only used one picture for the update, so typical me :).

The lot doesn't have a name yet, feel free to give me some ideas :)

Notes:

• I have to admit I never used to have my sims keep contact with their family after they moved on their own. I never bothered to do so, but now, after seeing several of Carla's updates, with familymeetings, playdates, keeping contact with parents, siblings, cousins, .... I've got inspired to do so, and I'm pretty sure I will be doing it some more in the future because I like it :)
• I loved gathering the entire family at the Mokara's place! But this family is pretty big, especially if Jo and Jack start with children, or if Anna and Bai have more, and later on when all the current teens start bringing dates, and eventually start their own families. So I think Steven is right about this being the last time they are all together, but I loved it so much ... lol!
• Putting Stephan at the cash register with all those customers wasn't a very good idea, a lot of them got tired of waiting, dropped their bags, and walked away, so Bram eventually took over. But I do love the shots at the shop, with all those customers.