Birthday hike and a walk through California

Dada's birthday was on Monday, the 18th. It was a school holiday, and the birthday boy's one request was that we all go for a hike. Thus, after Mama and Caden made a delicious breakfast of crepes, we headed over to Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. The trail followed a stream bed for much of the way, with lots of crossings. However, it hadn't rained in several days, so we were able to keep our feet mostly dry. There were lots of big oaks along the trail, which eventually led to some red sandstone rock formations similar to those in the desert southwest. And there was even a coffee shop a stone's throw from the trailhead.

Finn was sleepy and lethargic during the hike - he slept in the backpack on Dada's back - and ended up with a fever that evening that kept him home from school the next day. And the following day, he was only at school for a few hours before we were called in to pick him up because a rash was spreading on his face and hands. A trip to the doctor verified the cause: hand, foot, and mouth disease, which was spreading through his classroom. Finn got to spend another couple of days at home last week, and the "red dots" - as he calls them - are finally almost gone. 

The same day that Finn was sent home sick, we headed over to Caden's school to watch the 4th graders "Walk Through California". The students dressed in costume - Caden decided to be unconventional and went as a presidio - and participated in an interactive game about California geography.