Hello everyone, welcome back to Once Upon a Thyme!

In the last chapter, our founder Laurel got married and had her first two children and is pregnant with the third.

Also, as part of the last tier of her aspiration, she was supposed to grow a cowplant and she has! Now she just needs to reach level 10 of gardening.



Well hello there handsome.

The family hired a maid because they couldn't keep the house clean and were constantly in a red mood because of it. He's actually really handsome, so depending on what his age is when the kids are young adults, I may use him. I haven't turned aging off yet for the sims outside the household, but I think I'll do it during the next generation.



"Hi baby sis. I love you. I know your birthday is comig up soon, and I just want you to know we're gonna be the best of friends!"

Every day when Ginger would get home from school the first thing she would do is go visit Juniper. It's really adorable.



Laurel, your daughter just grew up, why are you staring at the wall? I don't understand you, you did this when Ginger aged up as well!

Anyway, despite her mother ignoring her, Juniper grew up well. Though, we need to change her clothes.



The first thing Juniper did when she grew up was play chess. Definitely fitting with her personality.

Speaking of, let's get a closer look at her.



Juniper is adorable and she got a decent childhood aspiration and trait. I feel like rambunctious scamp would fit with her aspiration trait better, but oh well.

She has her mother's eye color and eye shape which makes me happy. I love that both kids have her eye shape right now. And it looks like she actually got her mother's mouth.



Since she's active, I pictured her as being a little bit girly still and gave her a look that shouted "tom-boy and girly."

Laurel needs logic skill for her promotion, and Juniper needed to play games for her aspiration, so the pair played together.



While I was watching Laurel and Juniper socialize, I noticed the cowplant swallow someone. And I realized, it was Donald. This can NOT be happening. We need him still!



But much to my surprise, the cowplant spit him back out. Apparently, cowplants don't kill the sims anymore. Interesting.

However, Donald did get a pretty hefty uncomfortable moodlet that was scheduled to las for two days. It said: Drained - feeling like an emotional shell.



Since sims are allowed one anti-aging potion, I decided that it would only be fair that Donald get to drink his own "essence." After all, Laurel is a lot younger than him now because she doesn't age when she's pregnant.

However, this also gave him an uncomfortable moodlet. I guess they don't work the same as they used to. His new moodlet was called "Essence of Misery."

I sold the cowplant shortly after this since they don't really seem to be useful, and even though they're cute and my sims like to play with them, I just didn't want another chance at the super long uncomfortable moodlet.



While tending her garden, Laurel went into labor.

Getting to level ten of gardening is proving to be the most difficult part of her aspiration.



And welcome the final baby of generation two! Another baby girl named Paprika!

I managed to pause the game with the sparkles, and I thought it was cool which is why I used this as the picture.



Hey Juniper guess what?

"Yes Miss Controller?"

Actually, it's Mrs. but that's not the point. Now that your baby sister is born I put your names into a randomizer and it gave me your name! You're our generation two heiress!



Ginger has completed her childhood aspiration. I picked whiz kid as her second aspiration so she could work on it with her sister.



"Shh Paprika, it's okay. Please don't cry."

Aww, your a good sister Juniper. I'm glad that you're the heiress, I think you'll be a good Mom.



"So Juniper, I decided I want to be a whiz kid now, just like you. Now we can play chess together for hours."

"That's cool sis, but that was actually my last game. I need to go do other whiz kid stuff."

"Oh."

Poor Ginger.



The next thing Juniper needed for her aspiration was to be read to by an adult for two hours. Donald happily obliges and reads to her.



Paprika is the fussiest baby I've ever met. She's constantly screaming. She'll go to sleep for thirty minutes and then wake up and scream. It doesn't matter how full her needs are she always does it.



Impressive jump there Paprika!

"Thanks. I have this urge to tell a cool story to myself."



Paprika has her Mom's hair and eye color as well as eye shape, but I do think she has her father's mouth. That's unfortunate.

And if you hadn't guessed from the previous slide, she got the insane trait. This should be interesting.



Please look very carefully at everyone's faces. It's like they just know Paprika is going to be a little weird.

Okay, in reality there are just dirty dishes everywhere, but I still thought it was perfect because it looks like they're giving that look to Paprika.



"And then, the controller said Juniper was heir. Can you believe that Paprika?"

"No, Paprika, I can't believe that."

Gotta love the insane sims telling stories to themselves.



So I decided to rebuild their home, and while it's still super bare on the inside at least the outside has paint!

This is only a temporary house, I just needed something that was functional for now until they have the extra money to build a house that's both functional and attractive.



Here's the inside. See, bare?

Though, they did get a table and chairs, so that's gotta count for something right? And shortly after this picture, they got some flooring.



I was so excited that my first attempt to have them have a family meal together at their new dining table was a success!

Though, as you can tell from everyone's faces, Paprika is making things...interesting.



My favorite part of the house is that the easel is on the front porch, I just feel like it would be so inspiring and beautiful. Is that cheesy?



Juniper is one of the only children I know that willingly does push-ups. Granted, it's because of her active trait but still.

"Hey, I have to look my best if I'm going to be the heiress. I don't wanna disappoint my fans."

You don't have any fans yet.

"But I will."



Now that all the girls are the same age, they do a lot of things together. Especially their homework.

I just realized, they are all wearing white so they all kind of match. This wasn't planned.



Donald and Laurel are still making time for each other, even if they both have terrible looking outfits for work.



As you can see, I bought them a new fridge because I was tired of the other one breaking (which is what the puddle of water is from.)

I was having Donald prepare a dinner for the kids, and he was just so tired from work he passed out in the puddle of water.



Meanwhile, Laurel also passed out on the driveway when she got home from work. I swear I take care of my sims! It's just hard when I'm working on so many aspirations at once.



Speaking of, Juniper gets to be my first kid to try out the science station, and she also completes her childhood aspiration!

Since I've done it so many times, the next aspiration I chose for her is artistic prodigy because I figured I would be more likely to complete that for her before she becomes a teenager.



Tonight is Ginger's birthday, and for once someone is actually present during a birthday! I'd say that the confetti cannon is too much, but my favorite pony from My Little Pony is Pinkie Pie, and I think she'd disagree with me.



"Oh, my daughter is becoming a teen *tosses confetti*"

Yeah, you're a little late there Laurel.

Ginger actually aged up into a cute dress, that I almost kept her in but decided not to.



First, HOLY CRAP those lips are big. When I was trying to find a decent lipgloss I accidentally put bright red lipstick on her and she looked like a clown!

Anyway, since her aspiration is angling ace, I decided I would give her a country look. So, even though I was planning to ditch the braids, I had her keep them to go along with the look.



See? I think it's very fitting. I rather like it.

I actually gave her cowboy boots with almost every outfit she has.



"Juniper, I just want you to know, I'm so proud of you. I know you're going to make a great heiress."

"Aw, thanks Ginger, I love you!"

Paprika: *glares*



"YESTERDAY YOU TOLD JUNIPER YOU WERE PROUD OF HER. WHY DO YOU NEVER SAY YOU'RE PROUD OF ME? WHY AM I NOT SPECIAL? WHY GINGER?"

Ah, insane sims. Always wanting to randomly yell at their family members during a meal. I love how Laurel is sitting there trying to finish her meal and ignore it, and Juniper just looks annoyed like "oh boy, here we go again."



Paprika has almost completed her aspiration. We're just waiting for her to get an A at this point, but I pretty much let her do whatever she wants and she always wants to do experiments with the science station.



I love how beautiful this area looks. It makes such lovely photos. But, that's not the point of the picture.

Ginger has already completed the first two tiers of her aspiration! She's moving along in it quite nicely.



So despite the fact I bought them a nicer fridge, it's somehow ALWAYS breaking. I don't understand why everything in this house is always breaking. It's frustrating, because then their moods are always red because of the mess left behind from broken appliances.



Since I probably won't be able to afford the pretty home for them until part way into generation three, I decided that I'd go ahead and build the second floor of their home. It's completely empty so I don't have a picture of the inside, but at least it's there.



Two of the girls came home feeling super happy!

Juniper is happy because Today is her birthday!

Paprika is happy because she just got that A she needed to finish the whiz kid aspiration! There's not much time before she grows up, so I'm sure she won't finish it but I decided to go ahead and give her artistic prodigy since at least she can make some progress in that fairly easily.



Before Juniper gets her cake though, Donald finishes his aspiration and earns the webmaster trait. I picked Nerd Brain as his next aspiration because I feel like it fits with his personality.



Next, and one of the main reasons she hadn't grown up yet, Juniper reaches level 10 in creativity and completes her second aspiration! Way to go Juniper!



After making her a cool hamburger birthday cake, Donald decides his duty is done and walks away as Juniper is blowing out her birthday candles.



However, he comes back when he realizes there is cake. Because, who wouldn't want cake?



Juniper is REALLY pretty and I think she looks the most like her mother. I'll do a side by side of all the kids once Paprika becomes a teenager.

While, I'm not too fond of her aspiration as it requires me to actually go out to community lots, it could be worse. So I'll deal!



And her first action after being freshly made over is to stuff her face with her hamburger cake. I like this girl. I'm glad she's heiress, she actually would have been my pick.



"Juniper, you need to go back to the mirror."

"Why Daddy?"

"Because that dress is low cut. I will NOT allow you to leave the house with your breasts hanging out!"

"Dad, it's fine. I'm a bright girl."

*mumble mumble* *groan*



I don't care what Donald thinks, I adore this outfit. The hair, dress, and shoes are all from movie stuff and I just love it. I think it's very fitting to her personality.



Somehow, despite the fact she just grew up and has never left the house, Juniper had a cold. So I had her use the computer to order some cold medicine and she promptly started feeling better.

Man, I need to pick up a supply of that medicine for myself, I hate getting sick.



For some reason, Juniper's school thing said she didn't have school for 24 hours when her sisters left for school. I decided to use this time wisely, and work on her aspiration. I managed to complete the first tier before her needs dropped and I had to send her back home.



Oops, I forgot about Donald's birthday. I was originally waiting for everyone to be home before I had him go to a cake, but I guess I lost track of time, and so he unfortunately aged without a cake and got the sad moodlet.



I kept his outfit pretty much the same, I just gave him a nicer shirt because I felt it was more mature looking on him now that he's an elder.



Ginger need to catch 20 different kinds of fish, so I tried sending her to another lot to work on it. And while she was there she met this handsome teen named Gael (yes, spelled that way) and they took some time to get to know each other.



Juniper, I had you bake that cake for your sister. Why are you eating it before I put candles on it?

"Because I was hungry, obviously."

Sigh. I'll just have Ginger make her another cake...



After the newest cake was made, I got the candles on in time and Paprika was able to blow them out.

Ginger and Juniper were both there for her birthday even though they both looked like they could care less.

Hey, ladies, why don't you try to care a little more that your sister is growing up...



"Oh right."
"CONFETTI FOR EVERYONE"
Juniper *blares horn*



"My insane sister is now a teenager. No really guys, she's insane. This might be the last sane selfie of my own. #SaveUsAll"



I'm really excited that all the kids got Laurel's eye shape. Unfortunately for Paprika, she also got her father's huge lips.

She also has a very interesting combination of traits and aspiration....



It looks like it's routine with her to want to tell herself a story right after aging up.

I gave her this outfit since I'm sure she'll want to show off her nice bodybuilder muscles as she gets older. And I just felt like it fit with her personality somehow.



Here's a side by side of all the girls. While Ginger and Paprika do look a lot a like, there was a good bit of genetic diversity with the kids which makes me happy. But I feel very fortunate that the randomizer picked Juniper as the heir.



After what felt like forever, Laurel has finally maxed out her gardening skill and completed her aspiration! I decided to give her the curator aspiration because finding the collectibles is pretty fun.

I also decided to sell all of her plants because it was starting to be a pain tending to everything.

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And that's where we will end this chapter! Stay tuned to see how the teenage years go for Ginger, Juniper, and Paprika!