Grand Canyon through SS's eyes.

SS loves to take pictures and does that a lot with her iPad. I suggested to P we should buy an inexpensive camera with video capability, and allow SS to take her own pictures during this trip. Since my last waterproof camera bit the dust, P thought it would be better if we purchased a good camera, and SS could use it. How can this man know me for twenty years and not know the extent of my selfishness? Why would I want to share MY camera with my nine year old daughter? Who by the way is incredibly gifted at destroying things. There is a method to his madness, my previous good camera did not take video, so I needed my purse camera for video and for underwater photography. Whatever, this sharing thing does not sit well with me.

But wait, it gets better, because when P was telling SS she would get to take her own pictures he changed the narrative. SS was very excited and asked how, probably aware that there is no way I'm going to hand her my Nikon. That is when my husband went off the rails and told SS she would be using the waterproof camera, and that was why we bought it, for her. He just forgot to add for her to use, and that folks is how I lost my brand new, waterproof, blue, purse camera. The moral of the story is that I should have bought the inexpensive camera and not say a word to P. We did use SS's camera to get a lot of selfies, because it is less heavy and P could manipulate the tripod into a selfie stick with better results.

SS's camera has a strap that is anchored on booth sides, not a wrist strap like my previous purse cameras. When I opened the box I wasn't sure I liked it, the wrist strap works for me. Now that it is SS's camera I'm grateful for the feature. SS puts the strap around her neck, and if she fumbles the camera will be safe. Knowing that I still held my breath every time SS held the camera over the railing. We are working in teaching SS to keep her cute fingers away from the lens.

She managed to take some really good pictures. 

The stalker picture.

Random people.

Looks like the fence really caught SS's eye.

She really likes pointing the camera down, then again it's the Grand Canyon, who can resist?

Another good shot.

This rock cracked SS up because of all the holes.

This made SS very sad, and she addresses it in the video below. She read the placard and that led to a talk about being environmentally conscious (not in a tree hugger way), and how our actions have consequences. It was sad to see a;; the littering especially in areas that can not be reached. We hope that made an impression on SS to not only enjoy and be grateful for, but to respect the gift Mother Nature has given us.

Sometime after she took this photo we walked by a group of Japanese tourist and I was wondering why people were shaking their heads, looking upset. Then heard someone saying they were stupid. They were surrounding a squirrel, and the father wanted a photo op with his son and daughter, SS knew touching and feeding animals was a big no. It gets better, the kids were squatting by the squirrel, but the father wanted the daughter to touch the creature. Very unwise move, how can an adult be so careless? The girl timidly put her hand on the squirrel and we decided to hurry up. We did not want to be there if the squirrel bit the girl.  P took the opportunity to explain rabies and bubonic plaque to SS, because what better subjects to tackle on Easter Sunday. The positive side is that SS is never going to get near a squirrel.

This picture is better than any I took.

Man I'm jealous.

SS wanted to learn how to take video and this is her first attempt.