Happy Family Update One:

This family, presided over by a parsimonious matriarch (Jenny Jo) is nearing the end of Generation One.

Jenny Jo, a blue-eyed red-head, started out in my game as a single lady who had the idea of turning her basket making hobby into a career. By nature she is a "tightwad" and is reluctant to spend a single coin unless doing so fits in with her plans.

Naturally when a real estate agent showed her a low priced vacant house in need of "a few repairs" Jenny Jo was interested. Despite this being a "short sale" JJ was the only one who applied. Apparently the insect infested, contaminated, squatter ruined, fire damaged rooms and never completed foundations were off putting to peeps looking for something affordable and a bit more move in ready. What mattered to JJ was that it was "a real bargain".

She was satisfied with having 3 livable, partly furnished rooms - including the office with two computers! More importantly the house had a ready to use work shop. So, JJ signed all the papers, skipping over the fine print warnings, and moved in.

On her way to the house she spied a grubby but still usable sofa sitting on the curb with a "FREE" sign taped to it. Who needs a bed when they have a nice big sofa?

JJ became inspired to start a family so that she would be remembered as the founding matriarch who left left behind a big house and plenty of coins for her heirs.

While Jenny Jo was working on completing the VF new home owners tutorial (to earn a nice pile of starting out coins!) there came a knock at her front door. Standing there on the warped front porch was a wee orphan child asking for a home. Seeing that dark haired, brown eyed Gepeto could help out around the place to earn his keep Jenny took him in, fed him a hot meal and put Gepetto straight to work.

Jenny did not really want children. However, she wanted to have 2 or more possible heir choices.

Neither was she anxious to marry, However, her future plans depended on raking in as many coins as possible.

She turned down two marriage offers and accepted the 3rd. A Rocket Scientist who wanted children seemed an all around good choice. Jenny had Carl sign a prenuptial agreement giving her complete control over all financial and household decisions. This was just fine with Carl who only wanted to spend time doing research, napping, star gazing and exercising in the yard.

Jenny Jo would buy nothing unless it was on sale with few exceptions. She did buy Carl a barbeque grill for their 3oth Wedding Anniversary and purchased career related update items for

the office and shop (productivity means more career progress!).

Over time Jenny Jo and Carl welcomed 3 more children (Lia, Fabie & Grego) into their home. The youngest, Gregor, arrive when Jenny Jo was 42. She was THRILLED when doing online
cheapskate research She learned how it is possible to double collectible sales profits.

The children had no toys until Jenny Jo gave them permission to buy for a pink plush elephant with money made from selling collectibles. They also needed to find 3 new insects. Since the toy elephant came with a board game Jenny Jo considered it to be a bargain.

Jenny is now 49. She earns 330 as a level 6 Basket Maker.
Carl has turned 50 and is a level 7 Rocket Scientist earning 468.

Only 7 year old Grego is yet at home. He is kept busy searching for collectibles and doing chores. Jenny has tried to have another child as a collecting partner for Grego. It requires two children to double the profit.

They have 12,628 coins in the Bank. Jenny Jo hopes to be around long enough to double the amount.

NOTE: Thank You to who ever added (SPOILERS POSSIBLE). I had not thought of that! I don't like spoilers and avoid reading posts that may contain any.

Jenny Jo and Carl, being workaholics, depended upon older children to prepare meals and to look after younger siblings. The three older children (Gepeto, Lia and Fabie) were embarrassed by the condition of the house and resented their mother's domination. After leaving home to attend college (on hard earned full scholarships) these 3 made it clear that they had no interest in ever returning.

However; the couple's youngest child, Grego, is a patient, easy-going peep who believes the family home has the potential to be made into a "real show place". As a teen he looks after his elderly parents with out complaint knowing that thier way of doing things will be of much benefit to him when the time comes; which it did.

OBITS:

Jenny Jo and Carl Happy recently slipped away in their sleep after living full and productive lives. Carl was well a respected Master Rocket Scientist. Jenny Jo succeeded in turning her Basket Making hobby into a very profitable home business.

They are survived by 4 grown children. Gepeto (online Store Operator), Lia (Jewelry Cleaner), Fabie (Doughnut Decorator) and Grego (Phone Repairer).

I really enjoyed reading about Jenny Jo. Thanks for sharing.

You are very welcome, stonzee :-) ((And thank you for reading))

Her son, Grego, inherited a grand total of 29,739 coins along with the fixer upper home. His parents did have the two bedrooms repaired and had purchased office and shop upgrades.

Grego went on a shopping spree and paid to adopt a little boy, Chip. He is turning down marriage proposals until some one with a top paying job comes along.

GENERATION TWO...HAPPY FAMILY
Just thought I'd share a few photos showing what Grego has done to make the old home a bit cozier..mainly with guy stuff!

Wow, Anarose, that was a wonderful story! I just love how you wrote it, very well done!

A quick question -- the stuffed elephant comes with a board game? And it's a toy you can buy in the first generation? I've looked at the toys, but can't remember right now which ones are sold in the first generation.

Another quick question -- do you play more than one family at a time? I just don't know how you manage to get that many kids if you do. I have decided to start with peeps that Definitely want kids cause I've had sooooo much trouble trying to get my peeps to have more than one and no, I've never touched my computers clock. Although, since I work 24 hours each weekend, I have put my families on Pause. Wonder if that's why my peeps either continually refuse to even try for more kids or why they fail every time I do manage to get them to try.

Oh,and one more quick question. You mentioned getting double for the collectibles -- I take it that means it's like the VV games where you can drop more than one kid on a collectible (using the pause feature ofcourse) and end up with twice the amount? Have you tried more than 2 kids? I doubt that would work, but just wondered if you had tried more than 2. I'll be lucky if I can ever even get two, lol!

Hi Simsame. The stuffed elephant is available for purchase in the Toys area of the store from the very start of the game (it's not locked until a future generation). It does not "come" with a board game.

The likelihood of your peeps playing a board game increases with the purchase of a toy, it doesn't have to be an elephant.

Simsane, yes I am playing more than one family as a way to learn more about the game. I visit the "minor" families and focus play time on my "major" family; the Happy bunch.

I don't think that pausing the game should affect their ability to make a baby. As in VF 1 some couples have difficulty with this. It varies from couple to couple. In this version there is the option to pay for adoption services.

Sometimes potential parents are just not in the mood. Check their stats bars to see how full or low these are.

Yes, collectibles are doubled here by the same trick used in Virtual Villager games. In this game I have learned that this can also work with adults.

Miss Kathy, thank you for clarifying the stuffed toys randomly including a game board.

Thanks Miss Kathy and Anarose. I ended up buying a doll for a family with one little girl and after they had all finished eating a meal, the mother got up and started walking toward the bedroom. I clicked on her and it said, "Playing a board game" so I watched and she went to the doll, bent down then stood up with a board game which she proceeded to carry back into the kitchen and set down right on top of the plates, lol!

Anarose, I figured I was probably just having a spell of bad luck in the "having kids" department but wasn't sure if my putting the game on pause might have messed things up. I figured probably not, but wanted to make sure.

Thanks for letting me no about the collectibles and that it also works with the adults -- yay! I wonder what happens if it's a new collectible. Does one go into the collection and the other gets sold?

UPDATE TWO
HAPPY FAMILY GENERATION TWO

When Grego married Rosetta he had two adopted young children, Chip and Fabette. Four years after the couple adopted Bernard a daughter, Frana, was born. Rosetta was by then in her fourties.

Chip has left for college. As a child Fabette was spotted by a telent scout and allowed to leave home to study acting, singing and dancing.

Grego and Rosetta decided a few days ago to begin a spending freeze. (They love shopping for new clothing and would purchase a Lottery ticket with each trip to the grocery store.)

They now spend only on food and medical care.

Their current goal is to keep basic needs met and to leave the next (third) generation a generous amount of coins to work with.