Re: Creating a legacy challenge...

Ok. Thanks.

Any recommendations for my next pack?

@RonneeSimmer What pack... hmmm... you have some really good ones, as I would consider Seasons a no-brainer necessity, and I also love to garden, and enjoy using retail stores to sell produce in the Lice Cold freezer (customers can buy right from it and the high prices on the produce and dishes I drag into it allows me to keep the store afloat no matter what I sell, which I enjoy doing), I also like running restaurants as that can be challenging as a business to own... I just love Cats & Dogs, plus the world that comes with... So you already have some of my most core faves. A few pet functions and items that I love, since it sounds like we have some similar likes:

• Weird as this sounds, since butlers can have a bit of a mind of their own, and you have to have the attitude that they are more of a 'background backup' if your sims are flush and can afford that luxury (or if you get the free services perk going, you're golden... it's all gravy from there)... I love butlers! They come with the 'Vintage Glamour' stuff pack, and I use them a ton in my game. The busier your household the better they seem to function. They will spontaneously repair items, tend your garden, help with cleaning, help with little ones, give some social attention to animals, cook if you ask them to, and can even be asked to play instruments, tend bar, and a number of other aspects. I play large households for the challenge, and butlers help me in covering some of the details I want to not have to always babysit. They don't cover everything all the time, but they're a great compliment to other help. 
• I love to use the ice cream maker in the 'Cool Kitchen' stuff pack. Reason why is I can ask my Sim to make a batch of 'Taste of Diet' ice cream, drag it to the refrigerator, then tell chubby Sims to grab a serving or two, depending on how much weight they've put on, to slim them down. For adults I can tell them to exercise, but with the sometimes-issue of chubby kiddos, this works like a charm (I find it to be more high maintenance than I like to get kids to exercise enough to take weight off, unless I have a pool). So, that gives me an easy solution when I need it.
• If you're going to entertain, the 'Luxury 'Party' stuff pack will help you keep your sanity with the serving tables (though they incorporated this into the wedding pack, too.)
• If you love horses with your cows, chickens, and gardening, you will have fun with the ranch pack.
• I find it to be a fun challenge when making a farm to help them be as off the grid/independent as possible, though I don't normally go fully off the grid, and I make use of a bunch of the tools in Eco Lifestyle to do that. (Water collectors, turbines, solar panels, etc.)
• Island Living adds a seriously beautiful world where your Sim can swim in the ocean with dolphins, build on the beach/over the water, boat, play in the sand (and you can even play in sand added in other worlds if you have that pack, which makes a fun sandbox for kiddos on different lots!), and work as a conservationist if you want.
• Discover University adds the ability to have roommates in any world, which I love to use as a fun 'randomizer' aspect that keeps things interesting and helps with income. It's a decent challenge keeping a roommate happy.
• The new Rent pack sounds like fun, and I'm really looking forward to that (renting/being landlord, etc.)!

I think you probably already own the packs I would find the very most essential, but for me, due to the reasons I mention above, I would probably add one of those packs – for my own preferences and play-style. However, obviously it completely depends on what your favorite aspects are of the game, and whether what each pack offers makes it worth it to you. There are some good descriptions and filters by preferences on this page: https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/store

I highly recommend Island Living for this time of year as @SheriGR says it has some great features. When it's absolutely pouring down rain outside it helps cheer me up!

When I'm looking for a challenge for my Sims I shipwreck them on one of the deserted islands with no funds and they fish and harvest island plants to survive. I usually combine it with the Making Money Scenario. I get them to Snorkel and Scuba Dive to find treasure and shells. Snorkeling in first person camera view is amazing, it's like you are snorkeling with your Sim! You can see under the water and watch the wildlife, check out the underwater coral reef and see there is just as much beautiful detail under the water as there is on the land. 🏝️

It does help that you have one of my other favourite packs, Outdoor Retreat to have camping gear. If you move into the Admiral's Wreckage lot it's an actual shipwreck. 

It comes with new personality traits Child of the Islands and Child of the Ocean, I don't use the latter that much as it means they get upset while fishing or eating fish and that's no good for my shipwrecked Sims. But I do use it for Mermaids and scuba divers (it stops the sharks from eating them).

They can clear up the trash around the island and beachcomb too to improve the environment. So there's a lot to keep you busy. Plus...dolphins! 🐬

@simsplayer818  Oh wow. Seashells? Is that a new collection category? And I didn't know you could scuba dive. That reminds me of Sims 3 where we were able to scuba dive and there were seashells and new fish and all kinds of things under the water. That is so cool

@SheriGR. I really like the environmental aspects of Eco Lifestyle and Island Living. That gives me new traits and aspirations I could do a lot with.

Also raising kids is hard and I also have a hard time if there are too many people in the house. Sometimes I'll have my main sims have babies and then move the babies out with a not really relevant family member. Once the baby i want to continue my story with becomes a young adult I'll move them back in. 🤣. Skipping all the diaper changing, bottle feeding, helping with homework etc. But having a butler could help with day to day life and I'd be able to manage a household easier so I just might get Vintage Glamour soon.

Thanks so much for the break down. Seems like you and I like the same things.

@RonneeSimmer So happy to share and glad you found some helpful details. And I 100% agree with @simsplayer818 that the Island living environmental aspects are a refreshing and beautiful break-away from winter blahs. Make a home on the beach and enjoy a gorgeous sunset! Having said that, though, it's an interesting contrast to one of my favorite in-game moments... the winter night when I had recently added 'Cats & Dogs' and I was playing in the middle of winter in Brindleton Bay... a beautiful snowfall was underway and I panned out for some reason and caught a breathtaking scene in the streetlights and snow combo from a bit of a distance. 😮

I think EA outdid themselves with the seasons pack. I consider that my most essential addition. ❄️

@RonneeSimmer yes the seashells are a new collection with Island Living along with island treasures from underwater or beachcombing. You can Scuba Dive for them too. They both make lovely collections and can be sold in retail lots too. My particular favourite is the Heart of Sulani which is a pendant on a display that is available in various colours. It looks really pretty when displayed and reminds me of a stone Rune pendant on a cord that I got in Salisbury (where Stonehenge is). It's that type of rustic item, I only wish they could be worn.

@SheriGR I absolutely agree with you about Seasons I had a similar moment in Granite Falls today, I wish I'd taken an image of it! I've brought back my legacy Sims after starting my game again from scratch in January it's taken until now to bring them back and before they spawn a huge dynasty of relatives and in laws the 2 bffs always start with backpacking everywhere and living out of tents. Ora is a Travel Writer and Vitalia is having a trial separation from her husband to find herself (and she will find herself in archaeology after visiting the jungle). They do all the travel and collecting Aspirations as they go. It was winter in Granite Falls today and it was really beautiful at the waterfalls when it was snowing, I ❤️ Granite Falls with Seasons.