Let’s Play: Meet The Yangs

With the release of “For Rent”, I really wanted to start a new Let’s Play series that centers around Tomarang and property ownership.  So I built an entire apartment complex in the heart of Tomarang and set out to create the “Yang” family.  The primary focus of our Let’s Play will be Bodhi Yang, his wife Mei Zhou-Yang, and their two sons, Hai (7) and Thao (2).  Let’s learn a bit about their backgrounds, shall we?

Bodhi Yang is 28 and has a twin brother, Chaou Yang who is a notorious bachelor but runs his own restaurant on the island of Sulani even though he still lives at home.  They have two sisters.  One older, one younger. Bodhi studied to become a veterenarian and focuses on the care of rare animals. That has meant, until now, mostly marine animals… but he wants to branch out. Their eldest sister Chantou Yang is married and has four kids — infant Andre, twin toddlers Ralph and Chanel, and pre-teen Lauren. She is a conservationalist, like her father who is now retired. Her husband, Jasper Murphy is a former Olympian in Surfing. Bodhi’s youngest sister, Lin is heading to University soon to study the scientific arts and also lives at home with her parents.  Bodhi’s dad is Li-em Yang, 61 — the island’s most premire conservationalist that has recently retired but has set out to write many books on the subject of Island and Marine Conservation. Bodhi’s mom is Vinh Yang, 59 — born of the sea (but not a mermaid!) she worked at her family’s fishery on the island for the majority of her life.  She also taught youngsters how to fish, how to swim, and how to dive.  She still works part time as a lifeguard for the beaches of Sulani.  This family is extremely close and tight-knit.  They raise their children collectively and as an unified family.  So, they meddle and meddle often! 

Mei Zhou is 27 and has one older brother. She hails from the far away land of China, where her father runs a conglomerate that pretty much owns almost all of the residential buildings across Bejing. Her father Huyang is not just rich, he’s filthy rich! Her brother, Hai (who she named her son after) is poised to take over the entire business. Her parents were extremely strict and very distant.  Her father had established this succession since Hai’s birth — it was never going to go to her. Her mother, Ming-Na, told her not to expect to be invited into the family business; she was a girl. Her sole purpose was to marry well, not be in business.  She found that completely unfair, so she dove into her studies and earned a master’s degree from Britechester in Business. Her brother has pledged to give her the seed money for investment property in Tomarang; which is closer to China but much further away from Sulani.  She for one would sorely welcome the ability to be on their own without the meddling of her husband’s family in her every move.  She’s simply not used to that. 

Will Mei be able to convince her husband to leave the island he loves so dearly? Will the Yang family be able to support Bodhi and his family moving so far away? Will Mei and Bodhi be able to establish a profitable business of their own or will they need Huyang’s financial assistance? 

 WHERE TO WATCH

ACTIVE HOUSEHOLD 

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Since he was very little, Bodhi fell in love with animals — those on ground and in the sea. He went to college to become a large-animal vet. He now works as a marine veterinarian on the island of Sulani, where he lives with his wife and kids. His family are dubbed the “meddlers” because they meddle in every part of his life, just as he meddles into his siblings lives as well. It’s part of his culture and on the island everyone is nosy!

Mei was born into a very privileged life back in China. Her parents not only own some of the biggest residential spots in China, but also across the world. In Sulani, they own an apartment building where the family can often vacation in, that is when its not leased. But she knew that her father’s business would never, ever pass to her. It would go to her older brother, Hai. So she decided to study business and make her own wealth. However, meeting the love of her life was not part of the plan. But she did, married him, and now has to deal with his meddling family. She wants OFF the island and back to Asia. She dreams of owning residential properties in Tomarang, where her mother grew up.

Bodhi & Mei have 2 kids. Their first born is named after Mei’s brother, Hai. She got pregnant almost right away after her island wedding, then she took a break before welcoming young Thao into the family. Hai is a precocious child, inquisitive, and naturally brilliant. He’s a bit of an introvert, but living on the island with such a big family has really helped him in that regard.  The island life, the culture, the community is really great for him! And he’s not going to want to move. 

SUPPORTING HOUSEHOLDS 

Lin Yang (18), Li-em Yang (61), Vihn Yang (59)

Li-em Yang has a prestine reputation on the island of Sulani as its lead conservationalist.  Decades ago he spearheaded the formation of the main conservation group on the island, becoming its president.  He has now retired, but his daughter Chantou has followed in her father’s footsteps and works with the conservation group that he founded.  He’s a very involved father, attentitive, wise, and the backbone of the entire family.  He has a strong belief in the culture of the island and families sticking together, raising all their children together.  He wants all his kids to grow their own families in Sulani. He worries the most about his son Bodhi, who has a deep desire to view the rest of the world and further his studies beyond the life of the sea. His son’s young pretty wife isn’t helping matters, but he can appreciate that Mei is smart, talented, and loves his son very much. 

Vihn Yang was born in Sulani, like her husband. She comes from a long line of fishermen and chefs, which has sparked a love of food for not only her husband but their children too.  Chaou, one of the twin boys she birthed, is a celebrated chef and owns one of the best restaurants on the island.  But Chaou is very non-committal and quite the playboy on the island, which worries her.  She wants him to settle down and have children, as she dreams of a big happy family. So far, her eldest daughter has really done the heavy lifting in that department. Chantou has 4 kids with her former Olympian husband Jasper. And Bodhi, Chaou’s twin brother, has 2 himself.  Her young daughter, Lin, is about enter University.  When each of her kids left for school, they all came back, so she’s hoping that Lin will too. But once she does, she will have this big empty house. Just her and her Li-em. 

Lin did okay in high school, not super stellar, at least not stellar enough for any scholarships. But she did try her best.  Her parents really want her to return home after graduating from school, but she’s not entirely sure.  Her parents are very traditional and she feels the weight of their expectations to live her life on the island, get married, and have kids.  BUT… she knows that having kids will be very difficult for her because she’s a lesbian.  Her siblings know, but she hasn’t flat out told her parents yet.   In a very traditional culture, she knows her way of life won’t be easily accepted.  She loves that her brother Bodhi married such an elevated, well-travelled, woman like Mei.  Mei has told her of a whole other world out there that has made her question whether the island life is really for her.  

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No one will ever replace Li-em Yang in Chantou’s eyes. Her father is the epitome of what every man should strive to be. And she has been laser-focused on following her father’s footsteps, that is until she met Jasper Murphy. What was just a fling as the local surfing competitions started opening up to the world, bringing in all sorts of atheletes from all over, turned into a torrid love affair she couldn’t be without. She got pregnant almost right away, before she was even married, which caused quite the stir in her family and across the island.  And Jasper was still in major world compeitions that took him away for months. She decided to accept her life as is, welcoming her daughter Lauren. Jasper would fly his girlfriend and baby daughter all over the world for his compeitions, which expanded Chantou’s view of the world. She fell in love with all the finer things in life, most especially fashion!  Jasper finally proposed and moved permanently from California to the island of Sulani.  More children shortly followed, as these two lovebirds couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. 

A four-time Olympian, two-time Gold Medalist, Jasper Murphy’s name is well known in surfing.  He was born into the sport, as his father is world-famous himself and now coaches both his sons, Jasper and Connor, back in California’s golden coast, Carlsbad and Oceanside. Jasper was a playboy from the time he was 14, but all of that changed when during one of his world compeitions in the beautiful island of Sulani had him cross paths with the beautiful, smart Chantou Yang.  He fell, and fell hard. Jasper won his first gold medal at the age of 16, repeating the feat just four years later. At 24, he got his first silver medal, which his father and fans touted to him being distracted by his girlfriend and young baby daughter. Two years later, Jasper suffered a major injury when he was dragged under and slammed into the rockside. Chantou, having had her own close call with a shark many years before, stood by him and together they got him back to fit form. This past summer Olympics, Jasper did NOT podium, placing 5th. But he says it was his most emotional win because he was just lucky to have been there.  He retired from the sport a hero… at just 28. Now he’s writing books and booking speaking engagements around the world, but devotes his time to raising his kids and supporting his wife in her career. 

Little Lauren is the apple of her dad’s eye. Jasper’s first born got to travel all over the world with her father so she looks forward to a time where she can do the same.  She wants to take up sailing and be part of a team that will get to the World Cup. She’s ambitious and determined. And her father couldn’t be prouder.  Her grandparents though, not necessarily thrilled that she already wants to leave Sulani at just 10 years old. Her other grandparents, the Murphy’s, are very much pushing for it.  Jasper however, is very protective of her and doesn’t want his father to push her the way he pushed him or continues to push his younger brother, Connor.  He’s happy to let her be herself.  The twins, Chanel & Ralph, (both 3) couldn’t be more opposite.  They do not get along and remind Chantou of her own brothers, also twins, Bodhi and Chaou.  Jasper and Chantou’s “oopsie” baby, little Andre was a complete surprise.  Chantou wants to stop at 4, but Jasper would be happy to keep having more kids. Jasper wants to build a new house for them and has bought property on the island to do just that, but Chantou isn’t looking to live in a glass mansion. She wants to give their kids a “normal” childhood, so they live in her little house. We’ll see who wins out!

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What can we say? Chaou likes his island women and his island men!  He’s not picky.  But he is picky about his food.  Especially food he serves to his customers.  Following in the footsteps of his mother’s family of fishermen and chefs, Chaou owns a five-star seafood restaurant in Sulani, the only of its kind. And he doesn’t want to stop there.  He’s waiting to raise the fund to outright buy The Sand Bar, a local long-standing bar that’s been in the Hoapili family for many generations.  Chaou is ready to build his own empire right here in Sulani.  But a spouse and kids?  NOPE!  No matter how much his family pressures him to do it, he’s absolutely not ready to settle down, and maybe he will never be!

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A power house of a woman, Ming-Na stands at 5’0 tall but a power house none-the-less.  She knew her arranged marriage to one of China’s wealthiest men, the heir of the Zhou Empire, would be financially beneficial, but she never expected to actually fall in love with her husband.  Huyang charmed his way into her heart, afterall for him, it was love at first sight and he would have paid any dowry amount set to win her hand. And that he did.  Huyang’s parents wanted the marriage for the convinience of the partnership her family could bring to the empire — Ming-Na Hong’s family owns a lucrative construction empire of their own. When I say they are rich… we really mean rich.  They own the largest, most oppulent estate in Del Sol Valley, just north of famous Hollywood. They made the world-famous celebrity Judith Ward an offer she could not refuse at 5 million dollars and rebuilt the estate from the ground up. In all, they poured an additional 2 million in renovations. And have bet it all on their son, Hai. 

From the moment Huyang was 28 and first laid eyes on the beautiful, young Ming-Na, his heart was hers.  But she did NOT feel the same. So Huyang went to his parents asked them to basically buy her for him. And that they did, they arranged the marriage and paid a very lucrative dowry for their future daughter-in-law.  At first, Ming recented the whole thing.  She had wanted to fall in love and then marry for love… but her parents were having none of that.  The Hong’s own a construction company in China that has been running for over 50 years building most of the amazing structures the litter the Bejing skyline.  She knew the marriage would be convinient for her family and did her duty.  Slowly, however, after they were married, Huyang wormed his way into her heart.  It took years, but finally Huyang got his prize. Both the patriach and matriach of the Zhou dynasty rule it with an iron fist. They had two kids and have been very strict with them. Huyang even had to help his son get out of a bad marriage that ended up breaking his boy’s heart and bank account.  Now, he worries that Hai may have made the same mistake twice marrying a young girl barely of age and pursing the most ridiculous career in his eyes, acting. Like… really? 

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Hai has been one of the world’s most elligble bachelors as the hair to the Zhou real-estate empire.  He has been married twice so far, both with air-tight prenups but Hai has been afraid to have kids, despite the urging of his parents to procure an heir to their empire.  His most recent marriage is to starlet Madison Vanderbilt, who comes from her own pedigreed lineage that includes an entire university named after the founder, Cornelius Vanderbilt.  But his fear of children is mostly self-preservation as every one of his high-powered friends keep cautioning him that children become collateral damage in divorces at their level. A pawn by which an ex can get even more money for them.  His ex-wife, Veronica Spencer, was literally royalty – a distant cousin of Princess Diana, so the prenup they signed was a total of 48 pages long. Roni wanted children but of course Hai want to wait. It became an obsession for her so much so that she cheated on Hai, got pregnant, and tried to pawn off the child as Hai’s.  But the truth came out, soon followed by a nasty divorce that pinned China’s most famous family against the Royal Crown of Britain.  Needless to say, tabloids had a field day. 

Safe, young Madison doesn’t want kids. At least not yet.  She’s only 23 and she’s an upcoming star in Hollywood.  She knows Hai’s first wife was literally royalty, but she is kinda royalty herself coming from one of the most prominent families, the Vanderbilts, in America. Her cousins are no other than Anderson Cooper and Timothy Olyphant!  Tim has taken her under his wing as she caught the acting bug early and he continues to mentor her career. She’s very focused on becoming the next Meryl Streep and building her own brand. She doesn’t see herself having kids anytime soon.  She can borrow her nephews when she wants to!  For Hai, she’s more at his speed.  So when they met at the premire of her latest movie, where she got rave reviews, it was a match made in heaven.  Hai wasn’t even divorced officially yet when they started dating, which of course for Mads meant keeping it all under the radar.  But as things will, it was all discovered and Hai’s ex-wife made it a nightmare for them. Needless to say, Mads hates Hai’s first wife!

Let’s Play: Meet The Brenners

Welcome to my very first “Let’s Play”.  I will be working to set up the world in which the Brenners live in the next few weeks, then start with Season 1, Episode 1 of the official Let’s Play series.  This will be a very different series as I start with the seniors first, and build out the family.  The epicenter of the family is these two adorable, loving people that are the mom and dad for these grown adult children.   Read their backstory below and let me know what you think!

The essence of this family is built upon the foundation that Alfred and Rose have built. Alfred, the patriarch, loves his family — from the eldest to the youngest and beyond. Rose is the supermom; very involved in all her children’s families and is the strong emotional support for all of them.  This family is centered completely around Alfred and Rose this season because everything thing family ends up being has a bit of these two in it. 

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Alfred had two brothers that both went on to join the Air Force and Navy.  Alfred did not want to follow in his brothers’ footsteps, taking the more academic route.  But alas, the military ended up drafting him anyways and off to war he went with the Air Force where he became a pilot.  When the last of his brothers was also killed in action, the military decided to retire Alfred with full honors because he was the last child in the family.  In their honor, he made it a point to work hard and put himself through school.  He dreamt of reaching the stars one day; and that he did.  Not only did he path the way for African American astronauts, he also found the love of his life.

Rose is the brains and spirit, as the matriarch you couldn’t have asked for a better role model. Of eight children, she was the only one to get to go to college. She become a Rocket Scientist and studied Physics at college where she would meet a handsome, ambitious young man named Alfred. They would go on to create a beautiful family of six. The eldest is 44, the youngest is 19 and still living at home but embarking on her own journey. Rose since very young has loved to garden and keeps a beautiful greenhouse that her husband built for her.

Jazmin, their youngest, has just started college for Biology as she wants to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and become a veterinarian. Jazzy is the social glue of the family, often planning all the big family gatherings, celebrations, and vacations.  She’s very close to her cousins Brandi and Luke as they are teens themselves but loves all her cousins equally. She is poised to become the next matriarch.

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 Alfred Darius Brenner

Age: 64
Gender: Male
Career: Astronaut
Employment Status: Retired
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: August 3rd, 1956
Children: 6
Hobbies: Woodworking, Model Trains, Travel

Younger Years

Alfred was the first in his family to make it to college. He had 2 brothers, who enlisted in the military early in their lives and died defending the country. He vowed to make his life beautiful and grow a big happy family to honor the sacrifice his brothers made.

The 20's

Alfred had unbridled intelligence and he fell in love with science early and its a love that has fueled his dreams, quite literally. While in college, he met the love of his life Rose Parker. He proposed to her on the day they graduated.

The 30's

In his 30’s, his career really took off. His wife Rose joined him at NASA, where she was instrumental in designing the rocket engines that would propel him quite literally to new heights. By the end of his 30’s, he had taken over 10 flights into outer space.

The 40's

In his 40’s, Alfred and Rose co-wrote many books on their experiences and together hold over 200 patents. He did several speaking engagements on the topic of space exploration and the advancement of private space flight. He also became a father one last time at the age of 47.

The 50's

Being in your 50s and raising a young child was challenging for Alfred and Rose but welcomed. Alfred continued to write many books and do more speaking engagements and developed a love for woodworking.

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 Rose Marie Brenner

Age: 62
Gender: Female
Career: Mechanical Engineer. Rocket Scientist
Employment Status: Retired
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: November 14th, 1957
Children: 6
Hobbies: Gardening, Flower Arranging, Reading, Knitting, Travel

Younger Years

Rose was born to a very poor family and she has 7 other siblings. While poor, however, they had the bounty of their love for each other. She helped to raise her younger siblings and knew she would want to have her own family someday. So she worked hard in school, got good grades, and got a scholarship to college.

The 20's

She went hard at college, made studying a top priority and it paid off. In more ways than one. Going to college also brought her to the love of her life, Alfred. As they walked across the stage to graduate, Alfred proposed in front of the whole graduating class. She said yes immediately. And after a modest little ceremony they set out to start their family and adventures together.

The 30's

When she hit her 30’s, after years of working in several other companies, she applied to NASA and got in. On her own merit too! Alfred didn’t even know she had applied. Together, they worked on pushing the boundaries of the human race further beyond this earth. Rose designed almost all of the engines, along with her team that included her husband, that Alfred would then use when he became an astronaut.

The 40's

Rose co-authored many books with Alfred, and then some of her own. She also holds several patents along with her team at NASA. Her contributions are vast and wide, but nothing fills her with more pride than watching her family grow. At 47, Rose found herself pregnant. What she thought was impossible became reality in the shape of Jazmin, her baby daughter.

The 50's

Being a working mom in your 50’s is really, really hard. But Rose and Alfred made it work. As Jazmin got older she gradually found more time to devote to her other passion: gardening. She has a beautiful small garden on her property, but yearns for more land and a more quiet living.

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 Jazmin Rose Brenner

Age: 19
Gender: Female
Career: High School Graduate, Enrolled in Britechester for Biology
Employment Status: Employed, Part Time in Retail
Marital Status: Single
Birthday: September 2nd, 2000
Children: 0
Hobbies: Animals, Dog Training, Gardening, City Life, Social Media, Friends

Younger Years

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Darius is Rose and Alfred’s eldest child; often seen as a second father.  He married his college sweetheart, Imani, who descends from the very famous King family. They have a loving, happy marriage, but have had many troubles in trying to expand their family and as a result only have one daughter, Brandi.  Brandi is the eldest of the cousins, and she’s extremely smart, helpful, and very involved with her cousins and her aunt Jazmin is her best friend.  Imani has suffered many miscarriages before and after Brandi, so she treasures her daughter and helps her family with their kids too as she’s very family oriented. Brandi struggles with the pressure of coming from two extremely educated people that also happen to be professors. She feels her father wants her to go to college and get a career; sort of follow their footsteps. But Brandi is more creative, like her mother, and she secretly loves music as well as art, more digital art than physical. She often escapes to her Aunt Dahlia’s house to learn the piano from her and the guitar from her cousin Luke.

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 Darius Howard Brenner

Age: 44
Gender: Male
Career: English Professor at Britechester
Employment Status: Employed
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: January 7th, 1976
Children: 1
Hobbies: Reading, Outdoor Activities, Swimming

Younger Years

If there was a book within a mile radius, Darius was nose-deep in it. As a child, he loved to learn. He knew from early on he wanted to become a teacher. He was always very close to his siblings, and still is so today.

The 20's

Darius graduated with a degree in Economics and a minor in Education. He worked for a financial firm for a bit while completing his Masters in Education. The firm handled the estates of one of the most prominent families, The Kings. It was there that he met his wife, Imani. Darius and Imani wanted to have a big family, so they started trying to have a baby almost right away. They got their blessing and had Brandi, but that was after two miscarriages.

The 30's

He had taken a new job at the University after finishing his Doctorates in Education. Imani had many troubles conceiving again and there was a lot of heartbreaks. They even tried to adopt children, but twice it fell through. They leaned on each other though it and focused on their extended family to bring them joy.

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 Imani Savine King-Brenner

Age: 44
Gender: Female
Career: Creative Artist, Master Painter
Employment Status: Art Professor, Britechester
Marital Status: Married
Parents:  Alfred King, II (deceased) and Jolene King
Birthday: June 22nd, 1976
Children: 1
Hobbies: Painting, Digital Art, Art Advocacy, Sailing, Camping, Yoga

Younger Years

Being born to the famous King family (her uncle was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) immersed Imani in her culture and history. Her father died very young to sudden heart attack. So she was raised by her mother Jolene and along her the entire King family.

The 20's

Imani went to the prestigious Howard University to study art theory and technique. While her family was always involved in charity work, she grew up wanting to help in any way she could. She attended many functions where the King’s would invite all their associates, it was there that she met Dairus. They got married and set out to start their family, but heartbreak would strike not once but twice before Brandi was born.

The 30's

Imani painted away her sorrows and became quite well known in the field of ethnic art, channeling her diverse cultural background. She continued to try to have more children, but unfortunately during her last pregnancy she had to have emergency surgery that removed her uterus, rendering unable to have kids. So she turned to adoption. But that too has broken her heart several times. Now she’s focused on her helping her extended family with their kids and enjoys the family she does have. She absolutely dotes on Brandi.

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 Brandi Louise Brenner

Age: 17
Gender: Female
Career: High School
Employment Status: Employed, Part Time Retail
Marital Status: Single
Birthday: March 18th, 2003
Children: 0
Hobbies: All things Music and Art, Spending Time in the City, Reading, Learning to Cook

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Dahlia is the second eldest child in the Brenner clan. She met a recently divorced Max only months after starting her new job as a vet when she visited his family-owned restaurant. They fell in love and got married.  Dahlia had previously had a long-term relationship with Andy in college and the pair share custody and a beautiful co-parenting friendship of her eldest son Luke. Not a year into her marriage to Max, they got the surprise that they were expecting and low and behold, twins running on both sides, they got fraternal twins Karly and Blake, who are now both 9. Five years later, after trying for a while they finally got pregnant again and this time with identical twin girls, Azure and Skye who are about to turn 3. With 5 kids, a busy family restaurant that Max now owns and a newly opened veterinary clinic that Max and Andy both helped Dahlia build, this family has their hands full.  On top of it all, Max was married once before in what ended up in a very tumultuous and acrimonious divorce.  His ex-wife, Priscilla, is now married to his brother in law, Darian! Yikes!

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 Dahlia Leigh Brenner-Bassett

Age: 38
Gender: Female
Career: Veterinarian
Employment Status: Self-Employed, Owns Vet Office
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: February 12th, 1982
Children: 5
Hobbies: Animal Rescue, Environment Protection, Yoga, Music

Younger Years

Dahlia’s absolute love of animals started very early. It was clear she was meant to be who she turned out to be. Having had many dogs and cats, and a few horses in her young life, she decided early in high school that she wanted to become a vet.

The 20's

Dahlia’s parents fostered her desire to become a vet and encouraged her to go to some of the best schools. She was an exceptional student, but she knew that her love of animals could only take her so far, she had to also know the business side of things. She got pregnant during her college years by her boyfriend Andy and together they had Luke. Nonetheless, she graduated Sigma Cum Laude, with a degree in veterinary medicine and a minor in business management. She continued on to get her masters and doctorate in vet-med.

The 30's

After working for several other vet offices, Dahlia was ready to open her own. She partnered with several young vets to create her office, which today is a thriving business. She met her husband Max at the restaurant the catered all her office meals; he was the owner and had recently divorced. After just three months of dating, she got pregnant with twins. Max and Dahlia got married, but they really loved each other and its worked perfectly. So much so that they had another set of twins just a few years later.

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 Maxwell Pierce Bassett

Age: 34
Gender: Male
Career: Master Chef
Employment Status: Self-Employed, Owns Restaurant
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Clark Bassett, Jr. and Yolanda Gonzalez
Birthday: April 6th, 1986
Children: 4, 1 Step Son
Hobbies: Sports, Fitness, and Fishing

Younger Years

Max always loved food, even as a young child, he was fascinated when his mother Yoli would cook. He started to create his own recipes by the time he was a freshman in high school and graduated to immediately be accepted into the Le Cordon Blue Culinary Institute in France.

The 20's

He met a beautiful girl while living abroad named Priscilla. They married too quickly and didn’t really even know each other. The nature of his job meant long hours in one place, while her dream to become an archaeologist took her all over. They fought hard and crazy whenever they were together and that led to a very acrimonious divorce that saw him return home. He was left with a very lonely outlook on life until just months later he met Dahlia. She had a son, Luke, that at that time was only 4. He loved helping to raise him and maintains a good relationship with his father, Andy. He would soon find that he would get the chance to be called “dad” four times over.

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 Luke Andrew Harrison

Age: 16
Gender: Male
Career: High School
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: Single
Parents: Andrew Harrison and Dahlia Brenner
Birthday: May 10th, 2003
Children: 0
Hobbies: Sports, Girls, and Cars

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 Karly Joy Brenner

Age: 8
Gender: Female
Career: Grade School
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: January 30th, 2012
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Playing Outdoors, Hanging Out with Friends, Movies

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 Blake Franklin Brenner

Age: 8
Gender: Male
Career: Grade School
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: January 30th, 2012
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Chess, Fishing, Animals

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 Skye Blue Brenner

Age: 3
Gender: Female
Career: Preschool
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: January 25th, 2017
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Blocks, Coloring, Hair Bows

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 Azure Blue Brenner

Age: 3
Gender: Female
Career: Preschool
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: January 25th, 2017
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Mommy, Mommy, and sometimes Daddy

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Jamaal is Rose and Alfred’s third child. He married his high school sweetheart almost right after graduation, Connie. Connie has had a very rough life. Her mother abandoned her and her father, and then her father died suddenly when she was just 12. She bounced around the Johnson family, but eventually ended up in a group home. They had a very tough marriage as Connie just doesn’t seem to want to be a mother, so as the babies started coming, the fights got worse. They have recently divorced and Jamaal’s mother helps him with the children, as he got sole custody. Jamaal spends most of his time with his girls and helping to educate everyone on the need to conserve our planet’s natural beauty and resources. As a young child, his family took a vacation in Sulani to help and aid the locals recover from a disastrous volcanic eruption that left most of the islands covered in soot and ash. He fell in love with the island and vowed to one day return to live here with his own family.

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 Jamaal Marcus Brenner

Age: 36
Gender: Male
Career: Nature Conservationist
Employment Status: Employed
Marital Status: Divorced
Birthday: July 4th, 1983
Children: 3
Hobbies: Ocean Sports, Camping, Hiking, Fitness

Younger Years

One year Rose and Alfred spent a charity vacation with the family in the beautiful islands of Sulani aiding the locals recover from a volcanic explosion — Jamaal fell in love with the sea and with the island life. He knew he would one day return to live there and help to conserve the island’s beauty.

The 20's

Jamaal married an island native named Connie while still living in the Valley. The fact she was born there was about the only thing they had in common. She had had a tough upbringing and it shaped her into someone that valued parties over family. When they had the kids, she was barely involved. She never took to it. She preferred to play her piano and sing in nightclubs and lounges than to be home with her kids.

The 30's

Eventually, Jamaal and Connie would divorce, with him taking full custody, and very rarely does she come to see the kids. But when she does it’s not a good visit usually as Jamaal and Connie always start arguing. He just can’t help wanting her to care about the kids more. Despite his heartache, he did manage to land a job as a Conservationist and lives in Sulani. His mother Rose helps with the kids a lot.

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 Constance “Connie” Johnson-Brenner

Age: 35
Gender: Female
Career: N/A
Employment Status: Unemployed
Marital Status: Divorced
Parents: Joseph Johnson (Deceased), Mother Unknown
Birthday: July 27th, 1984
Children: 3
Hobbies: Partying, Singing, Piano

Younger Years

Connie never knew her mother, only that her name was Amari. Her father was a saxophone player and she admired him and took after him in her love of music. Her father mysteriously passed away when she was just 12 years old. She was tossed around the Johnson family for a bit before eventually landing in a group home at 14. She was mercilessly teased and bullied her whole life and her only solace was writing lyrics to songs. She would later develop a talent for the piano.

The 20's

One evening she met a handsome mad named Jamaal. He had had the perfect life with perfect parents. She loved the fact that he found her so interesting because she was born in Sulani. She quickly married him, and then had kids, but her first love is music. And her past has hardened her and somehow we know there is just something wrong with her that no one can pinpoint.

The 30's

Later on, that little something found a diagnosis — Bi-polar disorder. She knew she would never really be any good for her husband or her children, so she put as much distance between them as she can. It’s hard for Connie to hold a job, and without a steady one you don’t have much in the way of health care, so she often misses medications that are so needed for her condition. But she also feels like they completely stifle her creativity and she can’t write or sing or play. It’s an ongoing battle every day.

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 Kaitlynn Anne Brenner

Age: 8
Gender: Female
Career: Grade School
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: September 30th, 2011
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Science, Medicine, Camping, Sailing

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 Hanna Opal Brenner

Age: 6
Gender: Female
Career: Grade School
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: February 3rd, 2014
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Beach, Sailing, Swimming

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 April May Brenner

Age: 2
Gender: Female
Career: Preschool
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: May 1st, 2017
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Blocks, Building Sandcastles, Learning to Swim

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Darian is the 4th child of the family, and he’s very close to his big brother Darius. They are the best of friends.  Early on he decided to enlist in the military, traveling all over the world, which is where he met his wife, the now renowned archaeologist, Priscilla Scott.  They fell fast and hard, and were married just 6 weeks later.  They have now been together for 4 years, and have twins, which run in the Brenner family.  Professionally, both of them couldn’t be doing better.  Priscilla is a well-renowned archaeologist and spends days away in Selvadorada ruins with her crew, coming home to write books, grants, and papers on her finds. Darian is CEO of his own company that focuses on stock investments and employs about 30 or so professionals in the high rises of the city. No one had ever met Priscilla, until Darian returned home permanently from his service abroad.  Low and behold… his sister Dahlia was married to Priscilla’s ex-husband Maxwell!!! Oh boy.  Max and Priscilla, of course, are oil and vinegar and it has put a lot of strain on Darian and Dahlia’s siblinghood.

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 Darian David Brenner

Age: 34
Gender: Male
Career: Software Developer
Employment Status: Employed
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: January 17th, 1986
Children: 2
Hobbies: Learning History, Reading Books, Playing Guitar, Romancing the Wife

Younger Years

As a young child Darian always looked up to his big brother Darius. Everything Darius was into, Darian wanted to be into too. They still have a very close bond to this day. He took a large interest in programming analytics software while first starting high school and it stuck with him. He joined the military to learn how to program for the Air Force complex analytics software that helped us guard against terrorist attacks. He loved everything about the military because of the stories his father would tell about his uncles, who also served.

The 20's

He did a total 4 tours in the Middle East, one of which he spent almost two years away. During that time he met and fell in love with a beautiful girl named Priscilla, who happened to be in the Middle East on archaeological missions. They were married in less than 6 weeks! His family didn’t even get to meet her before they were married. Months after their marriage, they returned home together as husband and wife. Only then it became known to the family that Priscilla’s past would come back to bite her! Darian’s older sister had been married to Max, her ex-husband! Let’s just say tensions run high. Priscilla and Darian had twins a little over two years ago, so that’s solidified the fact that their kids are Max’s niece and nephew.

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 Priscilla Jane Scott-Brenner

Age: 33
Gender: Female
Career: Archaeologist
Employment Status: Self-Employed
Marital Status: Married
Parents: Leviathan Scott, MaryJo Scott
Birthday: January 18th, 1987
Children: 2
Hobbies: Writing about History, Travelling, Obsessing over her Twins

Younger Years

Priscilla comes from a well-to-do family, the Scotts. Her father, Levi is an archaeologist in his own right, having contributed to many historic finds in Egypt and the Middle East. It was natural for her to choose that line of work as she grew up with stories of adventure, danger, and treasures. She knew from grade school that that would be what she would want to become — her father. Her mother MaryJo tried to discourage her daughter from such a dangerous field, as she comes from a very traditional family where ladies are meant to stay home and raise children. But Priscilla rejected that notion, much to her father’s great approval. So off she went to study history and archaeology.

The 20's

Priscilla graduated high school at 16, went straight into college and was on a study abroad in France. There she met Max, who was studying to become a chef. They were married quickly but soon realized they didn’t know each other nor how they would navigate the demands of their work as a couple. Fights ensued, and eventually they divorced. It was a very unpleasant time for both of them. After she graduated school, she got the opportunity to head to Iran on a dig. While there, the military had to be called in to provide security to the archaeological students and workers. One of the soldiers was Darian. They fell in love and got married in just 6 weeks! Neither of them had met the rest of each other’s family. Surprise, surprise… Max was now married to his sister Dahlia. Oh boy!

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 Julia Jane Brenner

Age: 2
Gender: Female
Career: Preschool
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: July 28th, 2017
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Reading Books, Playing Games on Mommy’s iPad, Everything Mommy

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 Brody Baxter Brenner

Age: 2
Gender: Male
Career: Preschool
Employment Status: N/A
Marital Status: N/A
Birthday: July 28th, 2017
Children: N/A
Hobbies: Playing in the Dirt, Finding New Treasures, Everything Daddy

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Jerrod is Rose and Alfred fifth child, and the most independent of them all.  He started his career before he ever graduated from college; he is a video gaming prodigy and member of the elite “Cloud 9” e-sports organization. In addition to that, he live-streams and runs his own YouTube channel.  His wife, Nylah is huge into e-sports herself, although she works for the business side of it all and for Cloud 9’s rival team, TSM (Team Solo Mid).  She also live-streams and has her own YouTube channel as well.  They want to wait until they are in their 30s to start having kids.  They love Sunday dinners with the family and have to admit, the family drama keeps them well entertained!

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 Jerrod Lamar Brenner

Age: 27
Gender: Male
Career: Video Gaming Prodigy / Game Developer
Employment Status: Employed
Marital Status: Married
Birthday: March 8th, 1993
Children: 0
Hobbies: Anything on a Computer, Camping, Sailing

Younger Years

As a kid, you just couldn’t pull Jerrod off his video games! Luckily because Alfred and Rose were very technical themselves, they didn’t push him off of it, but rather encouraged it and allowed Jerrod to go deep into the field.  They did want him to go to college and learn the business of video gaming, so he learned from a very young age that he needed to make something out of his interests. So he taught himself to code and program as a teenager.  He hit it big when at 16 he got a contract to play for the world-famous eSports organization Cloud9.  He attended college online in between team practices and so on to continue to focus on getting his diploma.  eSports has not only given him a career he loves, it helped him introduce him to the woman that one day would be his wife.

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 Nylah Tamika Lewis-Brenner

Age: 25
Gender: Male
Career: Video Gaming Industry / Social Media Marketing
Employment Status: Employed
Marital Status: Married
Parents:  Pastor John David Lewis, Lady Aida Lewis
Birthday: July 26th, 1994
Children: 0
Hobbies: Graphical Arts, Social Media, Photography, Videography

Younger Years

 

Retire to a Tiny House on Wheels

I created this tiny little house on wheels for Rose and Alfred Brenner who have retired from very lucrative careers.  In this 43 year marriage, they have raised 6 children; 4 boys and 2 girls.  Alfred was the first in his family to ever graduate college, and it was at college that he met Rose Parker, a vibrant young woman with as he puts it “spunk” and unnatural intelligence.  They began as friends, and after a year started dating.  They would graduate two years later and as they walked across the stage to get their diploma’s Alfred proposed to his sweetheart. Now after all their kids have grown up, married, and/or began their own lives, the Brenners decided to sell their big, expensive house in Del Sol Valley, and built their own tiny house and settled down in Windenburg. Al had an amazing career as a rocket scientist and published many books on the topic, in addition to holding many patents and giving public speeches on his life as a rocket scientist and astronaut.  Rose was a mechanical engineer, also holding many patents of her own, but her children are everything to her and she maintains a very close relationship with all six.  Together, they love to travel and pursue their passions — she gardens, he loves to build model trains, planes, and automobiles.

Download this beauty with #moveobjects turned on!  Look for it in the gallery under my EA ID: Danitsa_TLP.

Oscar Winning Celebrity Mansion (Sims 4)

I just finished work on this beauty! On the Cottage Am See lot, I built a celebrity mansion that has an old-world feel while still maintaining a modern layout. This mansion has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms…. 2 downstairs with a shared bath and two upstairs which includes a master en suite bathroom with a stand-alone bathtub with adjoining shower and a kid’s en suite smaller bathroom that features a shower/tub combo.  This allows the parents to keep a tight watch on their infants and toddlers while still having room downstairs for more grown-up options as they reach teenhood.  The packs I used for this build are the base game and Get Together, since I built it in Windeburg (the world that came with Get Together).