Well it's official, Gracie has started school. After a long anticipated summer and even a long week of orientation her first official day started today. This means she got to ride the bus for the first time. Of course I was the embarrassing mom taking as many pictures as I could. Gracie was OK with it because her friends mom's were there as well taking pictures. We woke up early so she could catch the bus at 6:50 a.m. (early I know). But it was easy to wake up this morning she was so excited. She goes to Wheeler Elementary. They have to wear t-shirt uniforms Monday through Thursday and then Friday is Aloha Friday so they can wear whatever they want. Gracie had a half day on Wednesday and she had a ton of fun, but they didn't get to ride the bus. I was so excited for her, I know she is ready for school and she will do well.
Gracie getting on the bus for the first time.
Gracie sitting by one of her friends on the bus. (Yes I asked if I could take a picture, the bus driver let me)
The bus drops them off at school about 7;15, but they can not go into their classrooms until 7:50. Here all the schools have doors that open to the outside, there are no halls like I was use to. So they offer them breakfast before school starts. We decided this was a good thing it gives her something to do while waiting for school to start. Plus we don't have to worry about eating before school. So yes on the first day I followed the bus to school just to make sure she knew what to do when she got off the bus, and to help her figure out where to go and get breakfast. I am glad I went. They said there would be people there to help, but there was not enough help for all the kids that were there.
Now it's time for school to start so it's off to her classroom, where Mrs. Scott is her teacher. I won't see her again until 2:30 p.m. It is a long day for the kids, but I think she will enjoy it.
This is Gracie on her half day of school. That is one of her many "fancy" Wheeler Elementary" T-shirts. At least it makes picking out clothes easy.
Gracie with her lunch box. She has decided to take a lunch some days and some days eat at school. We look ahead and see what she will and what she won't eat so we know when to send a lunch and when she can eat there.
Well there is nothing too exciting to report lately. I just can't believe how busy I feel. I thought I would have so much time once Gracie started school, but the days just seem to fly by. I just thought I would post a quick update on our life. Gracie has always had quite the imagination, but lately we can't seem to tell what is the truth and what is a "story." She says she just loves to trick people but she can be quite convincing. We found a 6" long centipede in the house the other day, it freaked me out, of course I saved it to show Gracie, I thought she would like to see it. Well she decided she was going to tell all of her school friends she got bit by it. She found an old mosquito bite on her leg and was telling everyone she got bit. Well she even told her friend Cordon's mom that she got bit by it. Chantell was convinced. She said "wow Gracie, that must have really hurt." Gracie looked right at her and without hesitation said "yeah it did". I found this all out as I was talking to Chantell the next day. I said no she never got bit by a centipede. She tells me all sorts of stories about things that happen at school. She even told her Aunt Shirece that she was shopping at Costco on Sunday and that I couldn't talk to her because I was checking out. I finally have to say to her well can you show me who that is cause I should probably talk to them. At first she will say "well you don't know them, or they don't live by us." I have to keep pushing it and then she will finally say. OK mom I just made that up it didn't happen. Deven and I decided it was time for the story of the boy who cried wolf. Did it help, I guess we will see this week huh. Gracie has also learned to throw away whatever she doesn't eat in her lunch at school before she comes home. I always like to look in her lunch box to see what she was eating and not eating before she started to eat all the treats at home. Well she got smart and decided she was just going to throw away whatever she didn't eat so she didn't have to tell me what she ate or didn't. I swear we are going to have to put a GPS tracker on this one. We love you Gracie, you keep life interesting. 
Dylan is just getting so big. Look at those chunky cheeks. You should see his thighs. If you remember Gracie as a baby he has caught up. He is just as chunky. He is a pretty happy little guy. He loves lots and lots of attention. I even put him in a front pack when I am cleaning so I can get a few things done sometimes. He hates to be left alone. He would love to be talked to and held all day long if he could. Sometimes I get overwhelmed when I get nothing done, but how can I resist those big chubby cheeks and that smile. Gracie is turning into such a big helper. Last Friday there was no school and Gracie woke up early as usual. Dylan was up as well, but was just going back to sleep. I lay ed him down in his bouncer and asked Gracie if she would keep an eye on him while he slept. I told her she could watch a cartoon and to just come wake me up when he woke back up. About 1/2 hour later I heard him downstairs and I just lay ed in bed listening. I kept thinking for sure Gracie would be up to get me, she is usually there with the first peep he makes. So I finally decided I had better get up and head downstairs. When I got down there Gracie was bouncing him and trying to keep him quiet. I couldn't believe it. I said thank you Gracie that is so nice of you to try to keep him quiet so I could sleep. She got a really big smile on her face, but it was the mischievous smile. I looked over at the table and Gracie had gotten into the pudding. She hadn't had time to clean up the mess and so she was trying to keep him quiet until she could throw away the evidence and wipe off the table. Hey I guess you take what you can get right. I got a nice morning nap.
