Lil' Dean Fam

Here's my photography project for June.  Getting a little behind on this website but staying fairly current on instagram .  I'm sugarfreesweetie  if you'd like to follow me there!  

On the last day of school, they held and awards assembly to hand out awards for different goals and achievements the students had earned throughout the year.  This year, Ryan earned his Golden Falcon award.  To get this award, each grade presents the students with a list of goals.  In first grade, they earn the award by achieving 11 out of the 15 goals.  The goals Ryan achieved this year were:   * Earn 100% on 10 spelling tests * Write first name, last name, and phone number * Compute addition facts through 20 with 90% accuracy * compute subtraction facts through 20 with 90% accuracy * Complete daily homework * Participate in a 1st grade program * Read 75 books independently * Do a book report and present it to the class * Pass 10 Accelerated Reader Tests * Maintain Excellent attendance and punctuality * Research a topic of interest and present it to the class * Tie your shoes without help * Memorize and present a poem to the cl...

I've recently become obsessed with photographing the sky.  The great thing about the camera on my iPhone is that it's always with me and I can hurry and grab a shot while I'm thinking about it.  This time of year has proved to be wonderful for photographing the sky.  Anyway, here are some of the pictures I've taken in the last 2 months.  Some are edited versions from Instagram.  

For about two years Ryan has been asking to have his hair buzzed.  He hates his curls.  People comment on his hair EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I don't think he doesn't like the attention, he's just tired of the hair style.  I dread combing his hair every day.  It's long, it's curly, it's thick (gee I wonder where that came from) and it takes quite a while to get  it decently styled.  Colin likes to use the clippers and cut his hair really short at home.  The boys of course want to do everything like their dad.  So, we finally gave in and let him cut his hair short for summer.    This is what my boys looked like before we cut their hair.    The first stripe of the clippers  He's so happy to have his hair short.   Loads of hair on the floor!   Evan's turn.   Trying so hard to hold still.  Ryan after Evan after

Sprucewood's second annual Dance Festival took place on Friday, June 2nd.  The first grade did the chicken dance.  Ryan is wearing a yellow soccer shirt and plaid white shorts.  The video is pretty cute.  This is one tradition I just love that Sprucewood does!  

This year I was the AR chair for Sprucewood's PTA again.  This was my second year taking on the position.  I ran the reading incentive program for the entire school (about 900 students, all 7 grades, 35 classes, loads of computers, and a team of volunteers).  At the beginning of the school year students have a goal to achieve in reading.  They get points based on the tests and book reports they complete after each book they read.  Throughout the year students receive awards for achieving benchmark percentages of their goal.  For 25% I gave students a cupcake.  At 50% we did relay races in the gym.  We had the owner of Sub Zero ice cream do a science demonstration and gave each child a sample for our 75% activity.  100% is the culminating event.  Students read all year long to be able to participate in our carnival activity.  I hired Classic Skating to bring their inflatable bounce house for students to enjoy. ...

Ryan's school does a Fun Run instead of a fundraiser.  I think it's great.  The school gets all of the benefit of a fundraiser without having to sell families and friends crap that no one wants anyway.  Also, the kids get to do some great physical activity, and they realize what they're running for.   Our PTA president is amazing and she organized this event so well.  Evan and I went to help for a few hours.  We kept time for the runners and organized the lap counters for each group of runners.  Evan ran with two different groups.  He thought that he was all involved and just kept running and running.  It was so cute.  He ran for about 30 minutes straight and ended up running about 2 miles!  And he's not even in school!  Ryan got to run with his class and they ran for 15 minutes.  Ryan did 15 laps.  I was really proud of both boys!