Growing Pains

 

Remember I told you guys there was this huge downtown revitalization project going on now? 

This is Mirabello Road.  You can see the new grocery store and the new school.  The theater hadn’t yet been built when this pic was taken.

Another shot of downtown with the new theater.  The new park is in the middle.  Clockwise, you can see the new school, the new laundromat where the police station was, and the new bookstore. 

Closer-in view of the new park. 

Nighttime view.  Clockwise, the new Mirabello Plaza, with the new grocery store, theater and bookstore; the new school; the gym (they haven’t decided on that yet), the consignment store, the new library, the new café. 

Ok that’s what downtown looks like now.  I’m not real happy about all these changes and all our landmarks being gone but I’m not at City Hall making these decisions. 

Speaking of growing pains, Andy and I (well mostly Andy) have taken on the herculean task of potty-training Sierra.  Truthfully doing anything with Sierra these days is a big fat chore.  She cries all the time and the boys have her completely spoiled rotten. 

Speaking of the boys… I have to tell you what my sons did THIS time.

 

It all started when Andy and I were invited to a couples’ retreat.  On the day we decided to go, we got a call saying the rooms were going quickly.  I didn’t really want to leave but Andy convinced me that it might be a good thing to help me relax.  I had a funny feeling all day that something was going to happen.  And it did.

Yep, Satis, it’s enough to make you puke.

Apparently while Andy and I were gone the boys decided that it was a good idea to throw a party.  They invited a few of their friends and completely trashed the house.

And on top of that, the paparazzo showed up, meaning the details of the party are going to be splashed across every gossip magazine known to Simkind. 

I told Andy let’s go back.  I had a funny feeling that something was going to happen.  Sure enough, Andy and I walked in, and we were just completely flabbergasted.  The house was full of hormonal teenagers, the music was loud, and there were pizza boxes everywhere. 

Andy was positively livid. First he went after Sety, who apparently was the host of the party. 

Then he tore into AJ.

But he saved his strongest words for Satis, who wasn’t even home during the party and who walked in pretty much when we did.  “Where were you when all this was going on?”

“I—I was at newspaper.  My staff meeting ran a little late.”

“I trusted you to keep an eye on things while we were gone, and this is what happens.  I’m extremely disappointed in you!”

“I—I’m sorry.  I – I lost track of the time.”

“You’ll know next time.  You and your brothers are grounded!  You go to school, you come home from school.  That’s it!  You understand?”

I told Andy we would have a family meeting the next day to decide our next course of action.  We can’t go on like this.