The Gig is Up. She Knows I'm Lame Now.

Our pond is always full of surprises, which I suppose is just what happens when you intentionally dump 5000+ gallons of water in your backyard and animals find it.

Before you frantically click that X in the corner, it wasn't a snake. This time. I promise!

I have a new pond-related mission. There are two tadpoles hanging out in there and I happened to notice that one of them has started to get legs. I know this because the tadpoles are stupid and have been living inside the filter box, inches away from a rather sucky form of death. That form of death is known as "death by giant pump suction." They are in my way when I try to clean the algae out of the filter box, so we've had lots and lots of conversations about how there are 4000 other SAFER places they could hang out.

Froggy children listen just as well as human children. Obviously.

So today I went outside to see if I could find the almost-legged tadpole and force it to pose for some portraits. The only problem is that for the first time in its life, it wasn't in the filter box. Typical child, right? As I tried to see if I could spot it in the water somewhere, a little something else caught my eye.

Do you see it? Huh? HUH? DO YOU?

I am easily amused. This we know. I took photos of that silly thing for ten solid minutes.

It's just that it's not every day that you see a frog hanging out in a fairy's lap, am I right?

Alexis was due to arrive home from school about an hour after my photo rendezvous with the frog who was looking for some fairy lovin'. I thought she would think it was the COOLEST THING EVER, so I offered the frog $5 to just stay there.

I owe the frog $5. I hope he has a pocket to put it in.

As Alexis bounced off of the school bus, I excitedly hurried out to her so that I could show her the COOLEST THING EVER. I drug her around to the back of the house and asked her if she could find something really cool.

Alexis looked and looked and looked, proving once again that you can't trust a six-year old to see something that is right in front of her face.

She looked up. She looked down. All the while, she kept chattering and listing what she thought she might be looking for. I hadn't actually mentioned that we were frog hunting, which proved to be a BIG mistake.

Her guesses were ... amazing. And by "amazing" I mean "WHAT THE HECK?" Why the kid would expect to find a pony floating in our pond, I really don't know. She also guessed a new Barbie, a Monster High Doll, a duck, and a turtle.

Yes, Alexis. I'm going to go spend real money on a toy and then drown it in the pond. WAIT. Where is that talking Justin Bieber doll? I think he would LOVE to go for a swim, right alongside the duck and the turtle.

When her ludicrous guesses started to get completely out of control, I finally gave her a hint. FIND THE FROG, KID.

"What, that?" she said as she pointed.

"Yeah!" I replied, still thinking COOLEST THING EVER.

"Mom, that's so boring," she said as she stormed into the house, totally and completely disappointed as she had just discovered that her mom is lame.

I still think the frog sitting on the fairy is cool, though.

Howdy, Harper!

New header! This time the cuteness is brought by Harper Lorelei. If you know why I adore her middle name muchly, you get a gold star.

Mother's Day Gifts for Photography Lovers

Life doesn't come with a pause button, but photography offers a chance to pretend it does. For just a moment, everything is frozen. The images captured can evoke memories and emotions that instantly take you back to that moment, even decades later. It's no wonder that so many moms love photography. It offers a way to keep little ones small, even as they grow up and start families of their own.

Mother's Day is just around the corner. If the mom in your life is a shutterbug, give her the gift of photography fun. Here are ten things that every photography lover would enjoy.

1. Whether mom has a DSLR, depends on her phone for photos, or uses a point-and-shoot that she loves, she would be happy with a new camera. Get creative! Upgrade her or fill a niche need. Maybe she could have a lot of fun with a waterproof camera. Maybe something light and compact would be great for times when she doesn't want to carry her DSLR around. Or, maybe it's time to help her graduate to the world of DSLRs. Whether the mom in your life is an enthusiast, a pro, or somewhere in between, there is a camera out there that she would love to add to her arsenal.

2. I have a confession to make: I'm obsessed with camera bags. OBSESSED. I have more of them than I'm willing to admit out loud. Maybe the mom in your life would also love a new camera bag? They come in all shapes and sizes, with some more closely resembling a designer handbag than the touristy camera bag of yore.

3. Handcrafted camera straps make fantastic gifts. I know this because I give them all of the time. There are literally hundreds of places you can go to find a beautifully made camera strap that will fit Mom's personality.

4. Spare essentials like batteries, memory cards, and lens caps can make great gifts. Those sorts of essentials go relatively unnoticed until you really need one. Having extras on hand can make a stressful situation suddenly no big deal. For example, I once ventured to the zoo with my daughter and discovered that the penguins were doing a parade through the zoo. As in, they were outside, walking down the path ten inches from our faces. Of course, that was also the exact moment that I discovered my camera battery was dead. It was no big deal, though, because I keep a spare charged battery in my camera bag at all times.



5. Photography is more fun when you understand how to make your camera do what you want, so sign mom up for a local class. There are workshops nationwide that will help mom understand the light triangle, white balance, or more advanced topics. Check with your local library, consult Google, or talk to a photographer you respect for ideas on where you can find a workshop.

6. If mom already has a DSLR, I can guarantee she would love a new lens. A great place to start would be a 50mm f/1.8 lens. It's a life-changing lens for anyone who has only used a kit lens, as it makes it possible to take photos in less than optimal light. I'm really not exaggerating when I say "life-changing," by the way. The lens is relatively inexpensive and will open up a whole new world of possibilities.

7. A studio light kit can be a lifesaver for anyone who enjoys taking portraits or who does food photography. Most light kits come with a stand, umbrella, and light bulb. You just plug them in and set them where you want. It's like having a little bit of portable sunshine available at any time. As an added bonus, they are much less expensive and easier to use than external flash kits.



8. A photography-themed t-shirt could be a big hit. I have one that features a picture of a camera and says "I Shoot People." It's pretty much my favorite shirt ever.

9. It doesn't matter whether mom uses a point-and-shoot or a high-end DSLR, a tripod can be an extremely helpful thing to have around. Tripods make low-light photography a million times easier, and they can be great for taking shots of large groups. Pair a tripod with a wireless remote and you've got a definite winner.

10. Speaking of wireless remotes, they are fairly inexpensive (under $15) and absolutely worth every penny they cost. They can make it possible for mom to get in the shot, which is a definite win for everyone involved.

Once you've purchased those photography gifts for mom, go out and make some memories worth capturing. That is the key to a fantastic Mother's Day.