Edward Valdes - Simday 20

40 simyears old

I don't know what's wrong with me. I love my wife, but I'm feeling like she doesn't appreciate me and the lifestyle I'm affording her. Rita's always spending money like it's going out of style. Parties every month, new clothes, gifts...the list goes on! I work so hard and no one cares. My own children don't care about the legacy I'm trying to leave them. All they want to know is where we're moving to.

I've saved up enough money for us to buy a real nice house once our lease expires next period. That money didn't come easy, either. I work my ass off! I'm always stressing that hard work should be rewarded, so where are my rewards?!

I decided to talk to Orlando Centowski about the great job he's doing at BBV Motors. He's always on time, and he does the work of 2 people everyday! He likes my daughter too, which is a plus, maybe I will be able to keep BBV Motors in the family?

Do you know how hard it is to sell cars in the snow? It's damn near impossible! I practically have to scream and get up in my customer's faces to make them buy a car. But, we won another Best of the Best Award. Sure did. Our 2nd.

I came home one day after working outside in the snow for 12 hours straight. I was blue from frostbite and Rita just looked at me like I should've known better. Mouth all sucked up so tight...No hug, no - "How was your day, honey?" She does everything for everyone else, but I'm left out of the circle. She could've fixed me something hot to drink, but NO...I had to do it myself.

I did think of another more fun way to get warmed up...but forget about that...a quick glance at the television showed me that Rita was watching her soap. I learned real fast, don't mess with her while her soap is on or you'll get your neck snapped off.

Confession: No one was happier than I was when the sun came out and started melting some of that snow. A sure sign of spring. Or when Tomika Cunningham showed up on my lot. A sure sign of "Oh my goodness, what am I getting myself into?"

At our Halloween Party, I had flirtaciously suggested that she could stop by the lot and arrest me anytime she wanted to. But, I'm always flirting with Tomika like that. I think she's hot. With respect to the Mayor and my wife...but, I never in a million years would think she'd do it. But, she did and now I'm crushing on the Mayor's wife.

Emerita Valdes - Simday 20

40 simyears old

I'm having a ball watching my kids grow up and turn into handsome and beautiful, confident teenagers. They have completely turned their grades around from last time, and they make sure to study and do their homework on time. And I'm blessed that they get along so well. Great kids.

But, where is my life going? I need to do some soul-searching to figure out what I want to do. Pretty soon they'll be gone and it'll just be me left all alone with no one to talk to. Maybe I could help Ed down at the car lot.

I'm always throwing parties. Ed says I need to slow down and stop trying to be the center of attention.

I asked him how can I ever slow down and steal a moment for myself? He and the kids are always bothering me and asking me to do something that they could very well do for themselves!

I happily go shopping and cook for the entire apartment, including the new guy downstairs, Ray.

He says he misses his momma's home cooking, and mine reminds him of hers. So I cook him breakfast and take it down there. Only, on one particular morning, my daughter had beat me to it. She looked as surprised to see me as I was to see her. I asked her what she was doing there and she told me Ray helps her with her homework. I'm so glad to know that a genuine FENSA Society member lives in the building! How wonderful is that?!

A trip to City Hall got me thinking about the fact that I do-do-do for my family and everybody else and I hardly ever get anything in return.

I stay at City Hall's Gift Shop so much, Sabien stopped me one day and asked me if I worked there! LOL! I buy up gifts all the time because I never know when I might need one. He asked me what I planned on doing once my kids left the nest, they're growing so fast. That's when it hit me that I hadn't thought about it.

I had nothing to say, so turning an awkward situation into something positive, I invited Sabien over for some of my award-winning chili. You all may remember I won 2nd place in the Chili Cook-Off at last year's Food Expo event. They gave me a silver trophy and everything!

Well, Sabien loves it! He says it's, "Not too rich, and not too spicy...it's just right!" Ed says it gives him gas.

I say all that to say this...I've got a lot of talents, I just have to figure out which one I want to focus on.

Erline Valdes - Simday 20

15 simyears old

Me and my brother's birthday party turned out to be total crap. My mom forgot to make enough enchiladas and people started leaving 'cuz they were hungry. She's always throwing parties, but she never makes enough food. I wonder why she never makes her award-winning chili. She's got a silver trophy for it. She said it didn't have anything to do with the food, the blizzard outside made the party go south, but I just disagree. It's been snowing all winter long, and people still go where they wanna go.

I guess I should stop riding her back, 'cuz she's a good mom. She got me some really cool clothes and showed me how to do my hair so that it looks good against my face. I got some real chubby cheeks. And they don't look right. My Dad says it's an inherited trait from his father...but, how would he know? I thought he never knew his father. Plus, mom's got fat cheeks too. I'm double-cursed.

She also re-did my room. Purplepaws had designed me a beautiful kid's room, but my mom made it more teen-like with my favorite color, teal.

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I'm just feeling bad 'cuz this guy I really like, acts like he don't like me as much anymore and like he wants me to leave him alone. We talk all the time on the phone, and now he doesn't even answer my calls.

Yeah, you know him...it's Orlando Centowski. He works for my dad. He invited Orlando over here to talk to him about the business, and to make me and my brother jealous, I guess. Orlando's been working for my father since the beginning. And, he's really good at his job. I've liked 'O' since I was a kid.

But, I figure if he's never home and not answering his phone...neither will I. So I started hanging out downstairs with Ray. Ray is way-smart. He knows so much. And he's great to hang out with. I've started liking him, too. He makes me feel important.

So, now I'm torn between two guys that I like a lot. Ray, I think about him all the time 'cuz our relationship has become even closer. Orlando, I think I'd like to date him 'cuz he's my age and he's got goals already for his future.

Elmer Valdes - Simday 20

15 simyears old

...Can't believe that my sister and I are finally teenagers. Now I'm torn between what I want to do with my life versus what my father wants me to do with my life.

My dad works hard. Sometimes too hard. He's made a stone success out of BBV Motors. But, he wants me to continue that legacy so he can retire. I understand we're all he's got, but I've never shown him an interest in selling cars. I've always shown my parents that I love art. Painting and photography is where my heart is.

My mom's a little more understanding. Although, she worries about the future of BBV, she always encourages me behind closed doors, to fulfil my dreams. I can talk to her about anything and she always has an answer. But, she can't help but feel for dad, who complains to her that everything he's worked for is gonna go down the toilet if me or my sister doesn't step up to the plate. My dad wants her to take his side, but she tries to be there for us more than him....umm, well, that's whenever we can get her attention. We have to wait between 1pm and 2pm, then we get our mom back. Nobody can pry her away from Pahala Shore. She loves that sappy soap opera.

My sister and me will be playin' and laughin'...and she'll yell, "I'll deal with y'all after my soap. Now take all that noise to your room."

We love to get her riled up, but she's a great mom. For the holidays, she bought all of us gifts. I don't think any of us got her anything. She's always thinking of us.

She got me a basket of fake fruits. Now, you might not see the beauty of this gift, but it speaks volumes to me. She asked me to paint it for her. Like an art class would do. She was literally giving me her blessing right in front of dad, that she wants me to pursue my art!

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My sister's been acting weird lately. She stays cooped up in her room. (Well that's not really weird, she's been doin' that since that decorator lady, purple-something, gave her new room. Purplepaws. Yeah.) But, she's always playing her music and singing with the door closed. Like she's in concert or something.

Sometimes I don't know how she does it, but she'll sneak out and leave her music on and my parents'll think she's still in there, when I know she's not.

She don't have a car...so where's she going? I think - she's going downstairs to hang out with Ray. He's a pretty cool guy. I can see why she likes him. He knows a lot of stuff about alot of stuff. But, he and I have more in common than they do. We talk guy stuff alot of times.

I asked her what's up with her and Ray and she threw a pillow at me. She told me he's helping her with her homework. Hmpff! She gets this goofy look on her face whenever I mention his name. She came walking in the house with that goofy expression on her face the other night. It was after 10pm!! I pretended to read my book, but I was watching her.

I'm looking forward to getting out of Simmington Hills for awhile to attend Sims State. I need to meet some new kids...especially girls. There ain't no decent girls around here to talk to, and no decent places to go either. They need to get a community center or something.

Ray Wilsonoff - Simday 20

30 simyears old

Having been held in a holding center for way too long, my mood was not the best upon arrival to Simmington Hills. I'm not the nicest person to begin with.

And Stacy Masters rubbed me the wrong way when she happened to be walking by, as the cab let me out in front of my new apartment. I later heard she used to live there, so was she just being nosy? But, why did she have to mention Sabien Cunningham? I mean, true. The guy is nice. He tries his best, I know. And, my family respects the man dearly, but I'm not in favor of his slow immigration procedures. And I let her know that. I guess I could've tried to make a better 1st impression. The last thing I need is for Sabien to find out what I said, without having had a chance to explain myself.

She walked away from me in a huff, which I don't blame her. All she was doing, was trying to be nice.

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I walked over to Aldi's for some new clothes and to meet Sergio Spencer. A man that I revere in the cooking world. I wanted to grab a copy of his new cookbook, "Think Like a Chef". While shopping, I managed to stick my foot in my mouth again by upsetting Sergio. I didn't mean to tell him how to cook his omelettes. But, I like mine cooked a certain way. I guess he took offense because I wasn't even eating there that night.

There were a number of beautiful ladies doing some shopping as well. I scanned the room to see which of them caught my eye. There's no better way to meet new people.

Confession: I like them young.

Needing to meet a more experienced woman, I turned my attention towards Marylena Hamilton, another one that caught my eye. She wears her hair dyed red at the store, but rinses it out when she's not working. Someone must've told her that was cute.

She and I ended up getting along pretty well. I planned to meet her at GameTime Sports Bar later that night. So, a much needed haircut was in order. Seth Guthrie hooked me up. I know my Mom and Dad, Ajani and Rayne, will be glad to see that I look a lot more professional.

I went home and changed and put some food on my stomach.

Marylena was running late...a pet peeve of mine. So, I wasted time by chatting up Tosha Go. I began to feel a little uncomfortable after a few stares from some of the pool players, so I left her alone. I must've been slurring my words a bit.

Marylena finally got there, and the rest of our time together has been fun, but there's something missing. I just don't know what it is.

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My neighbors, the Valdes', have been warm and inviting since I moved in. They invited me to their kids birthday party. I met Lydia Sagacious there. Her name alone, intrigued me. And, she was quite impressed that I was a member of FENSA. This woman had intelligent things to say. I was totally mesmerized by her.

I finally met Sabien at the party, too. He's been so great working with my Aunt Ayanna, I decided to give him a lemon torte I had made.

All in all, the party was a real nice social event for me. The Valdes' have been an integral part of introducing me to the sitizens of Simmington Hills. They even took me to dinner at Aldi's to get to know me better.

It's too bad their daughter was scheming to get to know me better also.

She's certainly not the one to blame. I knew what I was doing. But, are the Valdes' going to understand?

Opening my Saint Rose Bakery was an afterthought to all this madness. I'm hoping that my financial troubles at the bank and the little indiscretion with a minor won't land me in jail. Nick Michels is leaning on me to make a payment on my loan.

I'm in way over my head in debt and in matters of the heart. I really like this kid, but Lydia is The One, I believe. How do I break Erline's heart?