Week Five Part Eight: Paradisio

Donte Whitfill, 31 years old. Aspiration: Knowledge. Lifetime Want: Become Education Minister. Astrological sign: Aquarius.

Gretchen Dejackome, 24 years old. Aspiration: Knowledge. Lifetime Want: Become Criminal Mastermind. Astrological sign: Aries

Donte's family tree. He is the second (adopted) son of founder Larita Whitfill. The Whitfill family is slowly growing from its humble beginnings. 

Gretchen's family tree. She is the oldest (adopted) daughter of founder Rivka Dejackome. The Dejackome clan is currently the smallest in the neighborhood. (Jeannie is engaged to her college sweetheart, Timothy Seifert; they will star in Week Five Part Ten.)

Immediately after graduating college, Gretchen Dejackome followed the example of her housemate, Millie Landgraab, and cohabitated with a Whitfill boy instead of moving back home.

They held the wedding the following winter. Since the weather was poor they set up an arch in the living room; fortunately there was just enough room for all the guests.

After the ceremony they cut the cake.

Then they cleared away the chairs and had some dancing.

Then it was time for their honeymoon. They decided to go to the Far East instead of having a tropical honeymoon like Blake and Millie.

Once they returned they quickly settled back into their studies.

(Note to my fellow simmers: A Knowledge/Knowledge pairing creates possibly the most boring marriage ever. Also, please note that the last picture is Donte's official "max all skills" pic. Yeah, I was triple-speeding and missed the memory icon, so you get a thought-bubble.)

After a couple of years Gretchen found out she was pregnant, so she occupied herself for 6 months with learning all of Donte's recipes and tinkering instead of working for Malcolm Landgraab's...imports business.

Meanwhile, Donte was appointed Education Minister. He enjoyed the work, but soon decided that it was time to try something new and took a position as an architect. Gretchen didn't mind his career-hopping, since he made handsome salaries no matter where he worked. 

(LTW #1 and TOC #2 for Donte. New LTW: Become City Planner. I let him go for it even though I only get points for 1 LTW and 2 TOCs)

Their daughter, Emerson, was born a few days before Christmas, almost exactly 3 years after her parents' wedding.

Gretchen was able to go right back to work and soon was as high in the business as Malcolm Landgraab himself. 

(I think it's funny that the Criminal Mastermind is queasy.)

She and Donte decided that there wasn't any reason they shouldn't try for a second child as soon as possible. Emerson wasn't yet 2 when Gretchen found out she was pregnant again, due in the springtime. 

(Emerson and her sibling are 3 days apart, which means 3 calendar years, but thanks to Random.Org and December birthdays I sometimes get 2-year gaps.)

Random cute: Emmy is a tiny female version of her father, and they love each other.

Despite all the busyness of careers and family, Gretchen and Donte still found time to spend together. And Donte still remembered that salmon was her favorite.

Donte: "That outfit looks lovely on you, darling!"

(I was so irritated that Gretchen didn't get pregnant in time to have her second baby by the end of the round. She gave birth first thing in Week Six. You'll have to wait until then to see the baby.)

House shots time! 

Donte and Gretchen did a major renovation of his bachelor pad once they got back from their honeymoon. The downstairs is very bare because they couldn't afford furniture after putting in the pool and everything.

The upstairs is a little better. There's room for 4 bedrooms and 4 baths; right now there's a master suite (with balcony access), a nursery with a potty chair in the attached bathroom, an office, an empty bedroom, and two empty bathrooms.

And here's the exterior. I was going for a bit of an Unhappy Hipsters vibe.

This is what I think of as the Wall of Awesome. So far it has Donte's Tinkering plaque and Donte and Gretchen's college diplomas. Eventually I aspire to have all the possible hobby plaques (I think there are 10) and there will probably also be many college diplomas belonging to future generations of Whitfills.

And this is just a detail shot that I love. The bouquet is from Donte and Gretchen's first date; the souvenirs are from their honeymoon.