Awards and Terrific Kids

This is the last week of school for Lee and Friday is her last day for this school year.  Bo and I went to her third grade skits and awards program on Wednesday morning.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/4, 1/200sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias 0step, focal length 40mm, cropped, evaluative metering

Lee had a few lines for the skits and it was about the Statue of Liberty.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/60sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 40mm, cropped, evaluative metering

I think her proudest award is for math, she mastered her times table.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/60sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 40mm, cropped, evaluative metering

Waiting on line for another award.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/100sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 27mm, cropped, evaluative metering

Rain or shine Lee went to school. I’m very proud of her for receiving a perfect attendance award, only 3 students from her class received this award.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/80sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 27mm, cropped, evaluative metering

And Today I went for the Terrific Kids Presentation ceremony. Terrific Kids is a student recognition program that promotes character development, self-esteem, and perseverance. Students work with their classroom teacher and establish goals to improve behavior, peer relationships, attendance, or schoolwork. Students then work toward achieving the goal during a specific time period. TERRIFIC is an acronym meaning: Thoughtful Enthusiastic Respectful Responsible Inclusive Friendly Inquisitive Capable.  Lee was nominated by her teacher as a terrific kid.  This morning ceremony was for the whole school, Kindergarten through Grade Six.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/100sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 36mm, cropped, evaluative metering

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/100sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 40mm, cropped, evaluative metering

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Aperture Priority, f/8, 1/125sec, ISO 3200, exposure bias -0.7step, focal length 17mm, cropped, evaluative metering

She gave the Terrific Kid bumper car sticker to me, I’m sure it will stay on there for many years.

Canon T2i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/200sec, ISO 200, focal length 27mm, evaluative metering

Living in America

I’m glad I don’t work for a CPA firm, otherwise it wouldn’t be a Spring season at my house but more like a Tax season. If you haven’t filed your 2010 taxes, you still have time and surprisingly some of my co-workers didn’t know that you can still make a deductible retirement contribution such as a traditional IRA contribution to the 2010 tax year. The deadline is April 18th and you can count this towards last year’s tax return. I didn’t make any contribution to my 401K at work this year, so this is a good alternative for me.

I’m not sure what processed me to stop by this place to take a picture after work, perhaps it’s the spring flower tree.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/1600sec, ISO 400, focal length 67mm, evaluative metering

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/500sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, evaluative metering

I pass this neighborhood everyday and if I were to tell my cousins in Laos that not everyone living in America lives in a big house, I wonder if they would believe me.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/11, 1/125sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, evaluative metering

I think this is what they would imagine what living in America is like.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/11, 1/100sec, ISO 400, focal length 40mm, evaluative metering

Big or small, it is still a house.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/11, 1/60sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, evaluative metering, closeup cropped

Rent or own, and once again I’m a landlord.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/400sec, ISO 400, focal length 200mm, evaluative metering

Learning is different also, this year Lee started learning the multiplication table.  I recalled that we had to recite the multiplication table every morning before class, repetition seems to work for us growing up in Thailand.  As for Lee, her teacher takes a different approach and the students have to sing the multiplication songs. I guess learning could be fun, and the only drawback is that the student would be singing in class while taking the test.

• Multiplication Table 2

• Multiplication Table 3
• Multiplication Table 4
• Multiplication Table 5
• Multiplication Table 6
• Multiplication Table 7

• Multiplication Table 8

I’ve been sick in the last few days and I haven’t been working in my garden much. I think the chance of me seeing my broccoli growing is next to none, someone has been in my garden.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/320sec, ISO 400, focal length 98mm, evaluative metering

And I could guess who.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/400sec, ISO 400, focal length 118mm, evaluative metering

This one might be gone by tomorrow morning.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/500sec, ISO 400, focal length 91mm, evaluative metering

A good thing that my buk choy are still there, not sure for how long.  I might have to harvest them sooner than I thought.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/160sec, ISO 400, focal length 70mm, evaluative metering

And I hope I get to eat Lee’s strawberry this year.

Canon T2i, EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/160sec, ISO 400, focal length 200mm, evaluative metering, closeup cropped

Saturday Random Photos

Lee and I went to her school Winter Fest.  It seems odd to have it during this time of the year since Spring has arrived in our area.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/40sec, ISO 400, focal length 80mm, evaluative metering

Lee decided to have her hair color, they hosed her down good with color hairspray.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/30sec, ISO 400, focal length 88mm, evaluative metering

It’s blue with sparkles.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/50sec, ISO 400, focal length 32mm, evaluative metering

They have lots of games and she won a goldfish.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/30sec, ISO 400, focal length 32mm, evaluative metering

It’s nice to see her works on display, Lee is in the third grade.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/25sec, ISO 400, focal length 50mm, evaluative metering

It was raining so I didn’t have a chance to explore their garden area, but captured what I could from a distance.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/250sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, evaluative metering

The daffodils are blooming, they have been for a few weeks now.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/250sec, ISO 400, focal length 88mm, evaluative metering

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/250sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, closeup cropped, evaluative metering

I finally get to see my dad burning woods.  It was chilly outside, warm and toasty inside.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/2sec, ISO 400, focal length 35mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted

My mom’s Orchid is in the 6th week of blooming.  The branch was tilted low and my dad made a little fence for it.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/30sec, ISO 400, focal length 84mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/4, 1/40sec, ISO 400, focal length 88mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted

My sister Bee of Bee’s Design and Finds‘ handbags have made their way to her company’s catalog featuring in the talents section. If you recalled I blogged about this face handbag back in December.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/25sec, ISO 800, focal length 102mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted

That is her modeling her handbags, and not your typical Lao name either.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/13, 1/3sec, ISO 800, focal length 50mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted

And my second sister made Sticky Rice with Mango, it was a good Saturday.

Canon T2i, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, Manual, f/5.6, 1/13sec, ISO 400, focal length 105mm, evaluative metering, tripod mounted