Spring Break with Daniel....

....most kids on Spring Break hope to head to a warm beach or a late ski trip to the mountains.  Some want to go abroad or to amusement parks.  Daniel seems perfectly happy to spend it at home, sleeping in, playing on the computer and hanging out with me.  We've been planning to go to Big Al's for lunch for several weeks now...just waiting for a half day of school only to find the restaurant still closed for winter until about a week and a half ago.  So we made it yesterday.  Enjoyed the 50s/Coca Cola atmosphere (even among all the tourists) and had hamburgers and special treats of a fountain Cokes-Vanilla for Daniel and Chocolate for me.

Daniel drove the Jeep and after leaving Big Al's, we went and practiced the route the license examiner takes people on...short route which includes a three point turn.  Daniel did it twice....bumping the curb the first time and completing it flawlessly the second.  Less than two months til he gets his license.

I think the most fun was stopping by the car wash on the way home.  The Jeep was pretty coated with pollen and tree debris.  Daniel paid (who knew the car wash automatic washer took debit cards?) and drove through the automatic wash.   (Had a great laugh when he was still rolling up the window when the water started and we both got sprayed!)  It did an okay job, but really the jeep needed a brush.  So out he went to get quarters at the change machine to use the manual brushes.  Since he wore his good shoes and since my tennis shoes won't fit him, he went barefoot.  The photos capture some of the fun.....they also capture how fast he is growing up.....

When we got home we worked in the yard for a while.  It was such a pretty day and the woodpile area was getting wild.  You have to keep a handle on it or the weeds/grasses get so high and out of control.  There was still hurricane debris in the area....one tree in particular that was so huge and heavy.  Daniel didn't hesitate to take saw....actually two, and an ax to chop it up and together we took it to the dumping spot.  He took the weed eater to the whole area and I stacked the remaining wood and shoveled and raked the wood leftovers.  (Putting some in the driveway to help that situation....didn't help too much).   After showers, we treated ourselves to smoothies.  Happy Spring Break.........