Cambodian Little ones

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2012/05/201252243030438171.html

a friend Steve (friends with Jeff).. who I travelled a fair chunk of Asia with.. sent me this video because he knew it would strike my interest..
so..
I'm posting this because when I was in Cambodia.. my life was changed..
but when I was in a Cambodia orphanage.. my life was changed more than I can imagine..
in fact! the orphanage I was at is in this video.. the lighthouse orphanage.. my friend Jeff and I went and brought a massive bag of rice, fruits.. balloons..

I can't currently express my feelings how I feel about this..
besides sharing this video and the awareness..

I am trying to remind myself that there is two sides to every story..
so not everything you hear is entirely true..

here are some of my photos of my experience

thoughts from the shower

Hi blog readers..
so..
today.. just now
so around 5:47ish.. in the pm
I was showering
(and now I would be blogging.. and after that I will be going for dinner... and after that I will be coming back from dinner.. and after that I might see free fireworks.. and after that I'll probably go home.. and brush my teeth.. and then I will probably put on my paj.. .. k getting off track here)
okay
so there I am
showering away
shampooing
conditioner...
SOAP IN EYES
what?
SOAP IN EYES!!
AHHHH THE PAIN!
so of course.. 
what do I do?
why I start spitting..
I have soap in my eyes that are causing much pain..
and to fix this problem..
I spit..
and I spit
and I am unable to stop spitting to help stop the pain.

WHHHHHAAAATTTTTTT????!!

even as I have a towel to my eyes
I am still spitting..


this boggles me on why on earth I would do this.. and google search did NOT help.


(the colour of this blog is the same colour as my eyes at this very second)

2. two. too. to.

sad news to report...

it has been confirmed today that Snail the second has passed away..

originally when we had gotten him Aryk was concerned at Snail's lack of enthusiasm to really be all snail like..  but after he jumped on the computer for some very serious research.. it had informed us that there is such thing as LAZY snails.. so we just chuckled at him and were all "WOW IS HE EVER LAZY" for.. he just floated at the top.. the he moved down to a plant.. and has been there for days.. so.. he probably was dead the whole time.. and not really lazy at all..

:(

Aryk has been VERY dedicated to this aquarium! he spends lots of time observing them.. and doing research on the computer.. he even checks Gail's stomach to see if she is still hungry or full.. he also went out to buy Fredrik specialty food. He also knows what light settings to put on when.. and that if you put on the light setting that changes colour its all 'natural for them' as if there is a storm.. like lightening..

so I'm sad for Aryk cause he has been very concerned about Snail.. so I am unsure if he is secretly in pain over this second loss.. I asked Aryk if he thinks that Gail and Fredrik are upset swimming around a dead thing... Aryk then made fun of the sizes of the brains of our two water creatures.. 

On the positive note! I am happy to announce that Gail is greatly enjoying her hammock.. and at most times you can find her sitting there.

I am not including a photo in this blog.. in respects to Snail and his family who would like their privacy during this difficult time.

in lieu of flowers.. we will accept fresh fruit and vegetables.

Awareness

double fisting plus one

yes.. for those of you wondering why i didn't jump on my blog after the weekend and write a novel on my brother's wedding. YES that blog post WILL be coming! so don't loose your hope! I just want to have the photos and everything that I wish to put up! I also think that I am going to be doing it in a few blogs.. so I just need to sort things out. YES I am very excited for my new sister! but I was also excited about my new aquarium and there is only so much I can write about in given time!

so patience dear people.. patience.

so heres a photo I like of Robin. drinking not just A beer.. BUT THREE!! while her bridesmaids are on their knees trying to fix up her dress! hahah. Robin you look like you are out of a magazine! and I get get over the gorgeousness of your dress! and your bravery to wear a VAIL IN LETHBRIDGE!!

Small town on a holiday means no breakfast

So it means photos instead!

Pale Gail, Snail, and Fredrik family fun

if you guessed a camel.. you would be.. incorrect

if you guessed a puppy...

sadly.. you would also be wrong..

BUT IF YOU GUESSED A FISH!!

you... would be....
RRRRRRRRRRWwwwwrong!
hahahaa


a snail? yes. a snail that died the day we got it.. :( 
(but today being Wednesday Aryk went back to the petstore and we got a new one! also named snail)

oh yes and something else!


Fredrik! Fredrik the Frog!
ohboyohboyohboy!! :D


He's cute, he's super small, he's flu of energy and beans.
jumps about here and there and everywhere. practices being a flying squirrel.


Gail and him seem to have a understanding for each other, and can be in the same areas.. though Gail seems more anxious to eat her food..
and Aryk also picked up at the petstore new rocks.. cause apparently the rocks JUST for Betta fish are bad for the frog because they might get stuck and drown

genuine wooohooo!!

WHAT could be in this bag that I am so excited about?
I mean GOSH! we got a fish 2 days ago.. WHAT on earth could be in this bag?!!!

New Family member!

She is very small... currently shy.. observant..there isn't much I can say about her yet.. for I haven't had the chance to get to know her very well (two days)Who? what? where? when? why? how? you ask

who:Pale Gail

what: Betta fish

where: in the kitchen on the table

when: well if this 'when' question refers to 'when' was she on the kitchen table.. the answer would be right now.. if you mean 'when' as in 'when' did you get her? I got her on Sunday in the wee hours of the morning. (thats like.. 2am!) in Lethbridge

why: because my brother got married and she was part of the centre pieces and and and and you were allowed to bring them home! "why?" because they said you could. "why?" well.. because I wanted one.. "why?" because I've been wanting a pet for the basement because I miss my puppies.. "why?" because I love them and they make really good company. "why?" BECAUSE I SAID SO THATS WHY!! 

how: HOW I got her? well.. I realized all the cousin's little kids were running around with excitement picking out the fish they wanted.. I was jealous.. and selfish.. and because of these things I was also worried.. so I scouted the tables... blue.. red... red... red.. blue.. blue.. darker blue.. 

I mean.. they are good looking and all.. because all things are beautiful and good looking... 

but I had one of these Betta fish in junior high/highschool (a present.. from a boy.. nbd) and he was blue... and I loved Mr. O and he will always have a special place in my heart! so I just couldn't get a blue one!!

a normal colourful fish

but who is this I saw? on table six? PALE GAIL!! as you can imagine... she's pale.. she was almost so pale you could see right through her! I picked her up with glee and galloped (peacefully and calmly because I was carrying a fish and didn't want to scare her) over to Aryk to show him. he says "why did you pick that one? she looks like she is going to die"

I respond:

:(

and probably responded with a response how I felt sorry for her because everyone else would want a lovely and colourful one. 

then cousin Nicole? or so I think it was Nicole.. came over and started talking about how she had a actual GOOD LOOKING fish at her table.. and disappeared off to go and get it.

"look at is beautiful tail... look at its beautiful colours..."

nope.

my heart was set and confirmed with Gail.

I placed her off in a little corner hiding away and would go visit her now and then in between dancing up storms.

HOW did I bring her back to the hotel? 

well.. we were supposed to put them in a little plastic bag.. or a paper cup.. not the centre piece aquarium thing cause otherwise the Italian club would be mad or something.. and Jeff and his WIFE would have to pay for it. So Aryk and I asked the kitchen people and we all started looking around for something for Gail to be placed in.. and to be in a none stress environment.

I of course told them how I was concerned about it being animal cruelty bringing a fish from Lethbridge to Calgary (2 and a bit hour drive) in a plastic bag.. or Styrofoam cup... SO they agreed and decided that it was FINE for me to bring the thing home that the fish is in.. sooo wooohooo!!

HOW did I bring her back to Calgary? I put the little aquarium jar thing in a empty shoe box.. and stuffed it with clothing around the edges.. and then held onto the box with my feet on the way home. she survived. I am happy.

Gail on her Hammock!

I am also in love! because the next day I went out to the petstore.. bought her a plant.. fake grass for the bottom of the aquarium.. rocks... 2 kind of fish food.. (the flakes and pellets) a rock hideout thing.. and a 1 litre aquarium that has a light in it.. that can be changed into MANY different colours! annnnd.. my favourite thing of all! A HAMMOCK!which is a little leaf that you suction cup to the topish area of the water which they like to lay on (they do this in the wild) HOW EXCITING!! apparently you can help train your fish to do this by feeding them when they are on the hammock..

She also is no longer pale.. she's gorgeous full of so many colours

her true personality and colours are coming out! 

she's so sweet.

she's so pretty :)

AND MORE EXCITEMENT HAPPENED TODAY!!I'll prob be to excited to withhold the blog about THAT for very long!!

"knock knock.." "who's there?"... "KRISTEN!!!"..

"I'm excited for you to start blogging again!" -Aryk
"aren't you always excited about my blog?" -Sassy me
"well yeah.. but you haven't blogged in so long.. all this pent up blogging! should be good" -Aryk


what does this mean?


IT MEANS I'M BACK!!
(and by me being back.. of course I have always been here.. but really it means that I am back to being in presence of a laptop which is working again!!)
and why is Aryk so excited? because he has had to sit and here me enthusiastically tell stories with much attention to detail.. When it is something simple like the dogs swimming after a duck
(OH MY GOODNESS THAT JUST REMINDS ME NOW THAT I NEED TO BLOG ABOUT THAT TOO!!)
k.. so as usual.. I have lots to blog about.. and I will do my best to do a great deal of catching up due to my lack of writing.
I hope my photos.. somehow.. did SOMETHING so you weren't left with COMPLETE disappointment..


and I'm also very appreciative and lucky that my fan base is still with me through this antisocial time


PREPARE!! for a possible Kristen kinda day blog overload!!

Jonny Mah!!

He got his braces off.. And I am excited enough that I am showing this photo to the world!!!