April News from Oh! Hi! O!

Ah, April! The sun is finally shining and the kids are living outside again with their friends. My spring bulbs are all in bloom and also have started on our garden. Hailey loves to "help" me outside and usually ends up with brown hair instead of blonde. I have a little pair of gardening gloves that fit her tiny hands and she thinks she is so big to wear them and work in the yard with her mom. Her favorite thing to do is to pick dandelions and then replant them in the flower beds. It's so cute to watch her dig a little hole and so carefully put her yellow "flower" in the ground to "grow big". Hailey's other favorite thing to do (besides wear "twirling" dresses and dance) is sweep the kitchen floor. She even moves the rugs out of the way and does a pretty decent job at sweeping. I have now gotten used to walking into the kitchen and tripping over the rug pile and broom she leaves for me.
Emily is keeping me on my toes with all the running around she has me do. She is in softball which takes us to the ball park 4 nights a week for practice. This year she has moved up to girl's pitch and will be playing 1st and 2nd base and shortstop. Her games start the first week of May. Emily still loves going to dance and was recently invited to join their competition team for next year. She has been asked to be one half of a lyrical duet team (her best friend and next-door neighbor is the other half) for competitions. She is having to give up fall soccer, but will still be able to do softball since competitions are over by late February. She is really excited to be dancing with her best friend and I am glad because we will be carpooling.
Tyler had his pinewood derby a little over a month ago and did really well. He and his best friend from our ward were the top 2 cars and had to race each other for 1st place. Needless to say, Tyler won second place and I was worried about hurt feelings, but after the race, Tyler walked up to his friend, gave him a big hug and told him he was glad he won. Then his friend told Tyler that he had been wishing that Tyler would win because he won last year and wanted to see Tyler win this year. What a good couple of kids! Even though it was a great night, both Todd & I were jumping up and down for joy because it was our last Pinewood derby and we don't have to ever help make one of those dang cars again!
Michael isn't sure he is going to make it to the end of the school year. He is sure his Honors English teacher is planning on snuffing him out with her "projects" she loves to think up for the class. He also found out that she is retiring at the end of this year, which he thinks is so not fair. Oh well, I told that's life. The rest of this Honors classes are a breeze, so I think he just might make it to June 6th (last day of school.) The kids are also gearing up for their piano recital this month. It's always fun to hear the new music they are playing.
Todd has been drowning in mulch. Their scout funder raiser is in full swing. They have been taking orders for the last 6 weeks and will be delivering this Saturday. They have surpassed last year's sales by 50% and hopefully boys and dads will show up this Saturday to deliver what they sold. I have a sinking feeling my van will smell like mulch for a looonnnggg time. And no, that is not a good thing.
I have been staying busy (too busy if you ask me) with my now 4 ward callings. I teach primary (Emily's class), am the ward website administrator, ward girl's camp director and as of 3 weeks ago am now teaching seminary to Michal since his seminary teacher moved and he is the only LDS youth (14 & up) in the Johnstown area. I am limping my way through the rest of the school year (4 weeks left), but I'm sure I'll be needing to talk to Melanie for this fall. So, between studying seminary, fundraising for girl's camp, girl's camp meetings, teaching primary and keeping up with the website, I am a little overwhelmed (church-wise).
Well, I believe that's it for now, I hope. Take care, we love and miss you all!

Love,
Todd, Amy, Michael, Tyler, Emily & Hailey