Tora - April 2025

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The Tora Family

Annie is 34, Erik is 32, Owen is 6, Claire is 3 and Celia is 1

(Kürt Gradonni is 65, Debby Gradonni is 57, Reinout Krielman is 38, Catherine Penninkmeijer is 35, Abby Gradonni is 34, Sya Gerrits is 33, Brian Gradonni is 6, Felix Gerrits and Elisabeth and Magaret Penninkmeijer are 4, Nicholas and Stephanie Penninkmeijer are 3, Caleb and Keira Gerrits are 2 Sarah and Simon Gradonni are 8 months)

Narrated by Erik

I really like my job, but sometimes I'm jealous of Annie's. She can work from home, which is impossible with my job.

She can arrange her hours herself, and she makes sure to at least be home with the kids at least one day a week.

She also tries to be at home when Owen gets home from school. This way she can help him with his homework.

My job is a little bit more difficult, and lately my boss had me working a lot of evenings as well. So I wasn't even able to be home for dinner, and I got to see the kids even less.

During the weekends I try to make up for all those times I wasn't around. When Annie brings home one of the games from work, Owen and I usually spend quite a lot of time testing it out.

The girls still need their naps, but in a few years time it's going to be harder to divide my time between all 3 of them, but at the moment I have to admit that Owen is getting most of my time.

I really hope that one day one of my kids share my lofe for science. I try to encourage it by taking Owen to the museum, to make it a little bit more interesting for him I ask his best friend, and cousin Brian and his dad to come along.

I really love teaching Owen about all kind of things, and he seems to enjoy those trips as well.

 Sometimes I overhear him repeating what I told him to Brian.

Reinout isn't into science that much, but he is very interested in nature and when we get to the nature-part of the museum, he lives up.

The kids like the nature-part as well. Especially the room where they can play and talk with parrots, and let them fly around.

Annie's parents try to come by at least once a week. They really want to know all their grandchildren and all their grandchildren like spending time with them.

I was really surprised how much time Kürt actually spends with the kids, he never seems that interseted in those kind of things.

But he loves playing with them, all of them, wheather it's throwing a ball around with Owen, or make easy puzzles with one of the girls.

I know that Annie loves their visits as well. We have been talking about living closer to them, but it's just not practical with our jobs.

Annie's parents are really great. They are always willing to look after the kids, when Annie and I need some time to ourselfs.

Last time we went out was to celebrate I was finally able to cut down on my hours a bit. At least for the moment, I'm able to be more at home and spend more time with the kids and Annie.

Those outings when it's just the 2 of us, almost always feel like we're dating again. We even end those nights on the porch, holding hands.

Now that I'm home earlier at night, it's easier to do something with the kids. We live right across the street from the playground, and I was never able to go down their with Annie, but now I can.

Sometimes it feels like I've missed out on so many things when I was working, and I really hate that. But I keep telling myself it's been for a good cause.

Annie's friends from college all have kids as well, and it's nice that all of those kids have playmates in each other. We do try to get them together occasionally.

Last time every one gathered in our garden. We put out activitytables for the younger ones.

 And the older kids had fun on the playgroundequipment.

Those days are always very hectic and busy, and I'm always happy when it's over. But the kids love those days, and seeing their friends, so we arrange them over and over again.

I know Annie would love more children, and to be honest I wouldn't mind that either, and we might have some more in the future, but for now we're enjoying what we have.

They all sleep through the night, and I can really enjoy the moments with Annie when all 3of them are asleep.

Extra:

Erik's profile page has been updated with a new picture (I never really liked the one he had before) and I gave him a small make over in the mean time.

And my new profile picture is Annie, having fun on the swing.

Notes:

• Annie's IFS is 6, and Erik's is 5, so I'm not ruling out them having more kids, but for now they're done. She rolled the want, but I didn't lock it, and it rolled away, and he hasn't rolled it, maybe when they both (or one of them) roll the want again in the future I might take them off birth control.
• The museum Erik and Owen visited is The Museum of Natural History by Shastakiss, which I made over quite a lot, and I'm still not done. I love the lot, but I'm just adding more things, not all Maxis.
• The playground is also a new lot, but that one is by me :) It's a lot connecring my 2 beach lots in Simmeria, right across the street from where the Tora's live.
• I also gave their house a little make over, not much but I think it looks nicer now, and this way they garden was prepared for the huge playdate.