Cedrus Birthday Trip, Part 2

On Saturday, midway through my visit, after our paddle boating, island hiking, rock climbing and picnicking adventures, we hiked another mile (or so it seemed) to the Botanical Gardens. The Golden Gate Park is a huge place. First stop was at the bizarre New Zealand Christmas Tree.

Naturally, I wanted a photo of the foursome to show how big this tree is.

We then wandered through the Redwood Grove, which provided many more opportunities for photos of cute grandkids.

Munazza, Cedrus and Kestrel showed how big this tree was.

Not too much was blooming in the Botanical Garden in January, but these red succulents were.

Next day, Sunday, we were scheduled to come back into San Francisco for an evening performance of Seussical the Musical, a Cedrus bday gift. So, theoretically, we would rest up that day. Cedrus' idea of resting up entails lots of dancing. Kestrel's involves bike riding. They both did both.

Cedrus posing in his Michael Jackson outfit before dancing to Billie Jean

Steve on skates riding herd on the boys on the way to the neighborhood school's playground

Cedrus learning to ride the two-wheeler with his Dad providing (mostly psychological) help.

Cedrus on his own! Now Kestrel needs a new bike.

While Cedrus rode the bike, Kestrel swung from bar to bar all the way along this long, high, monkey bar apparatus.

Eventually, we went home for lunch and naps (and more dancing) before supper and leaving for Seussical the Musical, where I did not get any photos. The kids loved the musical. We arrived home very late and slept in the next morning... a little later than usual. That was Martin Luther King day so the kids had no school.

This was my last day before leaving on the plane that evening, so there were more hikes they wanted to take me on. We went to a big park nearby with lots of hiking trails. They had hiked one trail last summer where Kestrel fell in the creek. We went there, but because of the severe drought, there was no water in the creek. We hiked down the middle of it.

Steve demonstrates how my hair got gray, watching our kids and Johnny do crazy things. 

 Kestrel did not attempt this log, fortunately, but he did climb other scary ones. I did not take a photo because I was too busy hoping he would not fall. Instead, I took photos of cute grandkids when they were not risking life and limb.

Cedrus practicing on a Cedrus sized log.

Redwood trees tend to sprout baby trees all around their base. Here the parent tree is gone but the youngsters remain. Our California family posed for me inside the circle of Redwoods.

Home to eat again. (We did a lot of eating of delicious Steve and Munazza created meals). And to watch Cedrus perform Michael Jackson's Working Man song in the new outfit his Auntie Fudge had brought to Seussical the Musical. I did not get a still photo of him but captured this frame from the video I took of him dancing. Too cute!

  A package had awaited our return from the park: a birthday gift from cousin Ian. Kestrel and Cedrus had great fun putting together glider planes and flying them, then playing with the robotic, go-anywhere vehicle from Ian. It really did go anywhere... over rocks, plants, through water.

And then it was time for me to leave for the airport. What a fun birthday extended weekend!