samnotluke

Okay, I'm going to jump on this band wagon and try and keep a positive outlook on life.

So for my first ever TILT...

I love my husband, he puts up with me and my random moods etc, my two beautiful girls who complete my life.

I have a new hair cut. I love it, I love that I *think* I may have found a hairdresser that I like.
:

So in no order:
Kapcon playtests, seeing friends, spending time with family, having husband on holiday.

We managed to celebrate and see in the New Year with friends for the first time last night. It was great, the girls had fun and eventually fell asleep and even asked to do it again this morning. Awesome!

It was nice also to see Luke relaxed and not worry about driving. I was sick and didn't feel like drinking so...drove home. Thanks Mat and Liz for hosting, and Emma, Marcus, and Mash for your company.

So 2012 is going to be a big year in our household. A starts school in the middle of the year, and S will start kindy sometime after April. Looking forward to the changes and to the extra challenges that will eventuate.

This post really is just a memory holder.

Ayla started five mornings a week at kindy last Thursday. She's very excited by it, but also a little tired. Its been nice, I'm looking forward to spending some more one on one time with Sophie, however with her been sick this week, its largely been nice to let her recover in peace and quiet.

One of the cutest things that happened was Ayla reconnecting with all her friends who have already moved up. She is such a social butterfly.

So last night I played the role of Queen Victoria. I had loads of fun! Firstly big thanks to hubby for looking after the girls so I could disappear for the night, and for putting up with me over the last few weeks as I made my dress.

Thank you to Ellen, I had a blast playing alongside her. She did such a great job as my Lady in Waiting. So good I think people had a hard time getting to me, and she looked amazing as well. I really felt at a loss when she disappeared to fight Cleopatra and was so totally relieved when she returned.

Thanks also to Frank and Nick. It was a pleasure gaming with you both as always. Though I am somewhat disappointed that I never did get to slap Nick…maybe next time.

Being Queen was an interesting experience. It was a little surreal but very gratifying to have people move out of my way as I walked around, and thanks to those who shielded me from the masses when I swooned. It was very cool. I want to be Queen more often 

And the props…what can I say except WOW! Having a strategy map on hand was amazing.

Hannah as Cleopatra/Isis, you were amazing.

I also hoped that last night I managed to really leave behind my biggest concern with my past LARPing, that is being to cautious and keeping emotions locked away. Instead, I tried to wear those emotions on my sleeve (or bustle).

Well with the storms and all this week, I'm feeling emotionally exhausted. At least at the end of it all, it isn't the thunder and lightening that they are now afraid of, but the wind. Its hard getting all animated and excited everytime the storms hit, and also making sure that I don't show any sign of worry about the weather. Hopefully now I can move onto making the wind fun rather than something to be afraid of.

However what really threw me today was the absence of hubby's parents. They are overseas on holiday and have been away for sometime and won't be back for a while yet. At two different times today (thankfully) I had both girls hugging a photo of their grandparents and talking to them about having to share the grandparents with their cousin. This was small comfort for them, but hopefully the grandparents can get to a stable internet soon so we can skype.

It doesn't help that I'm missing them too.

I have been struggling lately with trying to find the right balance in my life. When I say that I mean the balance between being Sam, a wife, working,and a mother.

I was going to write a post complaining about how I don't have enough time for me. Expect I realised that Im luckier than most.

I have a great supportive husband how shares my hobby and lets me disappear off and indulge regularly. I have great parents and in-laws who also look after the girls, and I have a job that I can do from home in my own time. Finally I have two beautiful girls who make me laugh and smile daily.

So next time I start complaining, please remind me that I am luckier than most.

Glad my sister is okay, however she has lost some of her belongings.

My parents were on a bike ride near queenstown and cellphone coverage pretty shocking. They are going to bypass my sister on the way home, just to make sure that she is okay and to give her a hug from me.

This weekend im running a game at Kapcon. Nervous but looking forward to it.

Well let you know how it goes.

Well I didn't flee or end up crying in the corner.

I have some things to work on, controling the combat, maintaining momentum and the like, but overall it went ok.

Personally I expected more of myself, but I think more exposure to GMing will help. Going to give myself a couple of days before I confirm wether or not I run at Kapcon.